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My huge Doctor Who episode marathon.


The Friendly Dalek
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Thin Ice - I love this episode. On the whole the pacing is good. The production is excellent. Sarah Dollard does a great job with the script. The humour works well with the rest of the story. I agree that the racism Bill would face is handled well. 

Capaldi and Mackie are excellent. Their Doctor/Companion relationship is growing nicely. Bill sees a darker side to The Doctor which Mackie handles well. 

The children are likeable enough. The aristocratic villain is a bit 2 dimensional. The sea creature isn't a totally bad idea and the CGI is good. 

This is an episode I can happily watch again. 

Overall 8/10

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Knock Knock- The main thing to praise here is the performances. Capaldi and Mackie excel, and the supporting cast are good. David Suchet is absolutely brilliant. The sound design is great, as are the sets. The house is spooky, and it creates much needed atmosphere for an episode like this. It plays almost like a low-budget horror film, and it works very well from a production standpoint. The music is great, and also adds to the tension. 

The key issue comes from the writing. Although the acting is fine, none of Bill's friends are particularly memorable. The Landlord's motivation seems like it would work well on paper, and Suchet plays it excellently, but in execution it does seem silly and forced. The Dryads are forgettable as well. If it wasn't for the performance from Suchet I get the feeling that this episode wouldn't be any where near as good, he really does save it.  There are multiple attempts at humour which falls completely flat, and the visual effects are average in my opinion. The pacing is also off at points. 

There isn't really much else for me to say about this one. The characters are weak, the story is generic, and it has a resolution which didn't feel earnt in my opinion (the Eliza reveal comes out of nowhere and had too little build-up). The episode is saved by good performances and the excellent technical aspects, such as the set and sound design, which all comes together to create a middle-of-the-road episode which I never have any desire to re-watch. 

Overall- 5/10.

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Knock Knock - I think my attempt at humour is better than much of this episode. 

This story does have a spooky atmosphere. The setting helps.

Capaldi and Mackie are excellent. The majority of the support cast are likeable but not very memorable. You could have had any characters and it would have worked as well.

The pacing is a little off at times. The Dryads are visually interesting. I actually enjoyed the story. I liked the twist where The Landlord is actually the son not the father and the ending is well acted.

David Suchet is marvellous in the role. In places he saves this episode.

Spoiler alert - it became obvious at this point who is in the vault.

Overall 5/10

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Oxygen- A return to form after the disappointing previous episode. Jamie Mathieson is an excellent writer for Who, and this episode is further proof of that. This is a very well written, tense, base-under-siege style story. The space setting certainly adds to the creepiness of the episode, and the "zombies" provide some great visual horror.

The pacing is fantastic, as are the visuals. The key concept of this episode is very interesting, the idea that oxygen is a commodity. Although it is at times a very unsubtle slight against capitalism, the episode surrounding it is so good that I can forgive the lack of subtlety.

As far as the acting goes, the core trio are great, and Pearl especially gets some really good moments to show off her acting ability. The supporting cast are fine, although there isn't much depth to their characters, but that's more of a writing fault than an acting one.

Spoiler- The twist reveal that The Doctor is still blind at the end of this episode gave me chills when I saw it for the first time. It's such an interesting way to take this character, and we haven't seen it done like this before on since, giving him a lasting physical impairment for multiple stories.  

Overall- 9/10.

This is a very well made episode, with excellent visuals, an intelligent and fast paced script, and some intense sequences. My only issues really are the relatively simple supporting characters, and the occasional lack of subtlety regarding the episode's core theme and message.

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Oxygen  - There really isn't anything to dislike about this episode. Jamie Mathieson is one of my favourite NuWho writers and this story demonstrates why. 

The pacing is spot on. The humour works well in the overall context of the story. The three leads are excellent. They really work well together. 

Agree the support characters lack depth and the anti-capitalist message is not very subtle. But it's an interesting concept to have oxygen as a commodity. 

The setting has a claustrophobic feel to it. The zombies add a creepy edge. 

Definitely one of the best (and certainly unexpected) cliffhangers. Interestingly this was not part of Mathieson's writing but added by Moffat. It's nice to see The Doctor dealing with a physical disability in the next couple of episodes. I enjoy this twist so much I try to ignore my thoughts that a bit of regeneration energy would cure his blindness. 

Overall 9/10

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  • 2 weeks later...

Extremis- I love this episode. It is easily on par with Oxygen when taken on its own. The follow up episodes are no where near as good, but we'll get to those later. When I look at Extremis on its own, not thinking about what came later, it's phenomenal. 

It doesn't need to be said at this point, but Peter Capaldi is utterly fantastic. Seeing how The Doctor operates whilst blind was a great spin, and does help this episode stand out. Mackie and Lucas are equally brilliant. Michelle Gomez is great. Although I wasn't the biggest fan of her in series 8 and 9, she certainly gets to shine throughout this series. The supporting cast are very good as well.

This episode is yet another complex, idea-stuffed story from Moffat. However, if anyone can do that type of thing well, it's Moffat. When he gets it right, he gets it right. This episode flows extremely well despite being filled with concepts which may confuse people (based on what I've read online about this episode at least). It does all make sense though once you understand what it is that's happening. It reminds me of something like Inception. It may be confusing upon first viewing, but as you watch it more the explanations make more sense. 

The pacing is excellent, as are the visuals. The Monks are brilliant villains, and their design is suitably menacing. The sequences with the CERN scientists are interesting, and the flashbacks scenes involving Missy are also very well done.

Overall- 9/10 

The only problem I have with it is that the Vault reveal was rather under-whelming. What we get is well done, but I wish there was something more to it. Due to the nature of solving the series arc halfway through, a large amount of intrigue is removed from the rest of the series as the Vault mystery is gone. 

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Extremis  - This is one of the strongest episodes of series 10. It has an excellent concept. The pacing is spot on and the lighter elements of the story work well with the darker elements. 

Capaldi, Mackie, Lucas and Gomez are brilliant. The support cast are well used. The Monks are an interesting alien. 

It is interesting to see The Doctor working with his blindness. The flashbacks to Missy's 'execution' are well performed. The reveal of the vault was so obvious I was feeling at this point that it wasn't the main focus of the arc for this series. 

The Veritas as a concept for the overall story is well developed. It's interesting how religion and science react in the same way to the truth.

Moffat's writing does tend to be a bit complicated at times but as you say when he gets it right, he gets it right. This is one of those occasions when he definitely gets it right. 

Overall 9/10

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Pyramid At The End Of The World- Obviously this one isn't quite as good as Extremis, but this is still a very strong middle chapter for this Monk trilogy. 

I really like the Monks. They are visually striking, I love the concept of what they do. Rather than being your typical threat who'll invade the world by force, they will only take over if Earth first consents to it. That's a really unique idea, and I think it works brilliantly. The way that the scientists unknowingly create the super virus is also fascinating to watch. From a ploting standpoint, this is a very strong story. 

The acting in this episode is fantastic. Capaldi is amazing as usual (and still playing a blind Doctor), and Pearl Mackie also gets to do some great stuff here. Sadly this episode suffers from some poor pacing and bland side characters. Nardole also felt side-lined for most of this episode. The reintroduction of the President Of Earth thing is just as stupid as it was in Death In Heaven. 

This episode is really elevated by that ending. The sheer tension as The Doctor is trapped in the lab makes it gripping viewing, and the reveal to Bill that The Doctor is still blind is played perfectly by the two of them. The ending was perfect, and it really ups the stakes regarding the next episode, and I remember it leaving me incredibly intrigued to find out where the next episode would go. 

Overall- 7/10.

The acting is great, the visual effects are good, and the plot is intriguing, this is a strong story, although it has a few issues, mainly some problems with pacing and disposable supporting characters.

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The Pyramid at the End of the World - I am a fan of the Monk trilogy and this is a strong middle part. 

I agree with you that The Monks are an interesting villain. The concept to take over the world by consent rather than force is certainly unique. 

The three leads are excellent. Capaldi and Mackie certainly give good performances. Lucas has a more comedic role which I feel worked well. Of the support cast the only one memorable is Rachel Denning as Erica.

The writing is good. A suitable mix of humour and seriousness. The production is excellent. CGI is well done. 

The cliffhanger certainly leads well into the next episode. There is a real feeling of tension in the lab scenes. And it was a clever way to give The Doctor his sight back.

Overall 8/10.

 

 

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The Lie Of The Land- When considering disappointing Doctor Who episodes, this one is certainly in there for me. The previous two episodes have both been excellent, and the cliffhanger of Pyramid left this story in such an interesting place. Sadly this one doesn't come close to the other two stories in this trilogy.

This episode's greatest asset is the acting. Capaldi is excellent, and Mackie gives one of her best performances here. The scene in which Bill finds The Doctor is near perfect, and it is brilliantly performed by the two of them. When I watched that for the first time, I thought it was a really interesting idea that The Doctor was co-operating with The Monks, but this episode sadly takes the cheap route out of a good idea but saying none of it was real and it was a test for Bill. There's a lot in this episode which is like that, something which is interesting in concept but weakened by the execution and payoffs. The biggest offender of that is everything with Bill's mum at the end. On paper it could have worked as a relatively emotional climax for this story and that part of Bill's arc, but instead it comes across as a cheap and lazy way of ending a trilogy which deserved a better end. Also, I think that the fake regenration thing was silly, and I guess that The Doctor just didn't need all of the regeneration energy he lost by doing that? Once again, that regeneration trick might have seemed like a good idea as it was being written, but on screen it just doesn't work, and the fact that it is never referred to again bothers me. 

Michelle Gomez gets a larger role here, and she is brilliant, as is Matt Lucas. The rest of the cast are fine, but no one stands out, both from an acting and writing standpoint. The Monks themselves weren't anywhere near as interesting here as they have been in the last few episodes. 

Although this episode falls apart due to the writing, it is well shot, and the pacing is good. There is also some good effects work on display here. 

Overall- 4/10.

This episode isn't the worst. The acting from the leads is perfect, and the episode as a whole looks good and flows nicely. It suffers due to boring writing, and as a finale to the Monk trilogy, it isn't anywhere near as good an ending as this story deserved or should have received. This is definitely one of the weakest stories of series 10. 

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The Lie Of The Land - Although not as strong as the previous two episodes I find more to like rather than dislike about this one.

I'll keep it brief with the dislikes. The Monks are not well utilised. The support cast are not particularly memorable. Although I don't mind it in the context of the scenes before the fake regeneration was unnecessary and didn't add to the overall story.

Now to the positives. The main cast are amazing. Capaldi excels. Gomez shines as Missy. Capaldi and Gomez really bring the relationship between The Doctor and The Master to life. I love the interactions between them. Lucas is great proving he is more than just the comedy sidekick. Mackie gives one of her strongest performances to date. You feel her pain when she thinks The Doctor has betrayed them. Her shooting him was shocking. 

The pacing is excellent. The story is good - almost a bit 1984 esque. I actually like the way The Monks were defeated. Clever to use a pure but fake memory of Bill's Mum. It would have spoilt it for me if The Doctor had been the one to defeat them.

Overall 7/10

 

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Hooray, we've finally found another episode we actually disagree on, which makes this the first disagreement since Hell Bent if I'm not mistaken. :lol: To be honest I'm not sure if there's a general love or hate feeling towards Lie Of The Land among fans, I've seen many say they dislike it, but there are others like yourself who do enjoy it. It's good to see that an episode like this has its fans even if I'm not one of them myself.

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34 minutes ago, The Friendly Dalek said:

Hooray, we've finally found another episode we actually disagree on, which makes this the first disagreement since Hell Bent if I'm not mistaken. :lol: To be honest I'm not sure if there's a general love or hate feeling towards Lie Of The Land among fans, I've seen many say they dislike it, but there are others like yourself who do enjoy it. It's good to see that an episode like this has its fans even if I'm not one of them myself.

I'm not really surprised we agree more than we disagree. Doctor Who is one of those TV shows that can bridge the generations. :D

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Empress Of Mars- If you remember my thoughts on Cold War, you know I was very happy with the return of one of my favourite Who villains, the Ice Warriors, so of course I was very excited to see Capaldi face off against them. Although not quite as good as Cold War, I do really like this one.

As an Ice Warrior story, this is very effective. I personally think they have one of the strongest track records of all recurring Who villains, I dont dislike any Ice Warrior story. This story once more clearly shows that they are a race which has a strong code of honour and loyalty, and they can also be reasoned with. They aren't typical Who villains, like the Daleks, who are very one-note in the sense that there is nothing to them beyond wanting to destroy. I've always appreciated the Ice Warriors for having deeper ideals than other races in this show. 

Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie shine here, but Matt Lucas is sadly side-lined very early on. The supporting cast do a good job with what they're given, but once again I didn't really care about or like any of them. A large amount of this plot relies on the idiocy of the soldiers, accidentally reviving the Ice Warrior queen and trying to shoot her for example. As these soldiers are portrayed like this, it's hard to care about what happens to them because they bring it upon themselves by disregarding orders of acting stupidly on impulse. 

The visuals are excellent, and the Ice Warriors themselves once again look brilliant. The pacing is good, and the soundtrack is also very well done. I also appreciated the Alpha Centauri cameo at the end, as it didn't impede the plot in any way, and was still a nice touch for fans of the classic stories which this character appeared in. 

Overall- 7/10.

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Empress of Mars - Another good episode for Series 10. Mark Gatiss' appreciation of The Ice Warriors is again evident here.

Capaldi and Mackie are excellent. Lucas is very much sidelined and seems to be only there to get Missy into the story.

The production, pacing and visuals are brilliant. The support characters are not especially memorable and on the whole the British army of the Victorian era are portrayed in a rather stereotypical way. The best performance is by Anthony Calf. 

The Ice Warriors are certainly one of the best aliens in Doctor Who. Very Klingon like with their code of honour and loyalty.

I agree it was a nice touch to have Alpha Centauri again. Even down to using the same actress. And it did not detract from the overall plot. A fun episode.

Overall 8/10

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The Eaters Of Light- Rona Munro made a fine return of Doctor Who with this story. I really enjoy this one. 

Capaldi and Mackie are excellent as always, and Matt Lucas wasn't side-lined for a change, which is nice. Conceptually, the Eaters of Light themselves are fascinating, and their design is excellent. The supporting cast are great, and there is some much needed depth to these characters.  

The weaknesses of this story lie in the pacing and directing. I found it to be more slow paced this time than I remembered, and the dialogue wasn't interesting enough to completely compensate for that. From a directorial standpoint, this one seemed flatter than other stories in this series, which is a shame. There are some beautiful establishing location shots, but beyond that there isn't much to it.

My favourite thing about this episode has to be the ending, specifically the scene in which they willingly give their lives to stop the monsters. That scene is beautiful in every way. The music is excellent, and the acting from everyone is brilliant. It also holds great narrative weight, and seeing the Romans and the Picts work together to stop the monsters is a very effective way to end this story. This scene alone makes me like this story so much more. 

Overall- 7/10. 

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The Eaters of Light - Fortunately this does not suffer from 'pre-finale' syndrome as much as some other episodes. I do like this one. Rona Monro is a good writer.

The premise is excellent. The Doctor and companions bringing opposite factions together is what they do best. Capaldi, Mackie and Lucas are all superb. As you say even the support cast have characterisation. You actually care about them. The pacing, direction and production do seem a little off at times.

The Eaters of Light are a very visual alien - good CGI. The ending with the Picts and Romans willing to sacrifice themselves is excellent. 

As a postscript I also like the finale in the TARDIS with the four characters. If Big Finish could do some adventures with these four together that would be fabulous.

Overall 7/10

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