Jenna Coleman is refusing to reveal whether she is or isn't leaving because: “There’s a surprise we’ve got coming, it’s much better that nobody knows which way it’s going to go – so that’s where we’re trying to keep it at the moment.” I really hope (for the sake of an EXCELLENT twist and something that will have me, personally, gripped) that Clara dies in the Christmas special, turning out to be another of her splinters.

 

Filming for the Christmas special also started yesterday, straight through until October, and series 9 starts filming in January.

She'll REGENERATE.

 

Honestly, I want her gone. I hope it's not going to be another case of the companion 'dying' but not actually dying (as with Rose, Donna, Amy & Rory).

I think the problem with companions is that what reason would they have to actually leave? They're aware of all the dangers from the get-go so it can't be for that. It leads to characters like Sarah-Jane and Leela randomly leaving for no good reason (Sarah has to leave because no humans can be on Galifrey yet Leela randomly falls in love with a man and stays on Galifrey?!). I think that's why the bew series has adapted this whole dying but not actually dying thing which forces the companion to stay away from the Doctor.

 

For Clara, she's showing that she can lead a normal life as well as that with the Doctor because she doesn't consistently stay on board the TARDIS, instead she hops in and out. They've already done the living a normal life and failing with Amy/Rory as well as the getting older thing so I don't have a clue what they're going to do with Clara once she leaves.

She'll REGENERATE.

If they have that happen, then they really cannot have the reasoning be 'overexposure to the TARDIS' because in that case Rose, Martha and Donna would all have had the ability to regenerate. Although I guess getting sucked into a void / running away with a random doctor / having your memory wiped doesn't qualify for regeneration, so maybe something fatal could happen to Clara?

In terms of reasons for leaving there have been many as good as the ones mentioned (Leela, Sarah-Jane) were poor - Tegan's horror after all the death and destruction she saw along the way, especially the Daleks, Nyssa leaving to help the sick, Turlough wanting to finally go home, Romana in E-Space, Susan falling in love etc, although I have to say Adric's death remains an iconic and much celebrated moment.

Kill the bitch and let her stay dead, she aint Jean Grey.

In terms of reasons for leaving there have been many as good as the ones mentioned (Leela, Sarah-Jane) were poor - Tegan's horror after all the death and destruction she saw along the way, especially the Daleks, Nyssa leaving to help the sick, Turlough wanting to finally go home, Romana in E-Space, Susan falling in love etc, although I have to say Adric's death remains an iconic and much celebrated moment.

Oh yeah I agree with these to be fair. I liked Tegan's journey actually - she starts off by travelling without her free will, she eventually get to where she wants to be but she realises she wishes to continue travelling. Then after all the death and destruction, she leaves as she believes 'it's stopped being fun'.

fab episode tonight. As for kids watching it, both frightening and reassuring. Clara is great, really like her more and more, ditto the new Doctor. Intricate interweaving of timelines, and that's always a good thing for me...

Yes, a good timey-wimey episode. Nice and creepy as well.

OK, there was a lot of things in that I was a bit baffled by that did make sense in the end but I REALLY didn't understand what the thing under the covers in young Rupert/Orson's room was? I think I know what the thing under his bed was, but that one...no, I don't believe that was explained.

 

I feel like the only one that didn't really LOVE that. Stunning performances from all three though, but idk, it was quite an effort to follow.

Edited September 13, 201410 yr by Chez Wombat

I thought the thing under the covers might have been Dobby the house elf.

I loved it. Best one of the series so far. I assume the creature in Rupert's room was just another orphan playing a prank. Or something that will be explained later in the series.

It was a good episode this week. I felt slightly let down in so much as it wasn't the episode that I expected it to be from the snippets last week and, like Chez, I didn't understand what the thing under the cover was nor the thing outside of the door in the future - although I am happy to accept it probably was just another orphan for the former, I don't get the explanation for the latter as something was opening the door.

 

I'm liking Capaldi as the Doctor though, especially the way he keeps insulting Clara throughout each episode.

 

Not sure if a few people have missed the point with this one by expecting a definitive answer.

 

It could be a lifeform under the covers and it could be something outside the spaceship door although logic says it's probably another child and the sound and subsequent movement of the ships hull decompressing but because of Clara's presence in The Doctor's past he (like everyone) has an innate fearan belief of the unknown in the dark. It's deliberately left up to the viewer to decide. Her intervention completes a time loop that both starts and ends the story.

 

Whichever way you take it this is easily up there with the best episodesof all Dcotor Who. Solid performances all round, a delightful script and extremely well directed. My only gripe was after the scenes in the children's home going back to Clara's date removed a lot of tension that had been skilfully built up at least until they arrived on the planet, but that's the sacrifice you make with a family tv show.

 

A genuine Who classic.

I think a few people seem to be over-analysing both the 'thing under the covers' and the 'what was opening the door' scenes. The basis of the episode was fear and (not) being alone, so I think both scenes were just the characters' heightened emotions tricking them.

 

-x-

 

This was by far my favourite episode so far! Still not overly keen on Danny, or any of his aliases, so far though, but I'm hoping that'll change by 'Dark Water', but the restaurant scenes were lovely. Great character development for them both, particularly Clara. She was absolutely fantastic in series 7, but each episode of this series (particularly this one) has just made me love her even more. As great as the 'impossible girl' arc was, it's good that they've found a direction besides that they can take her in. Ahh, so much praise for the episode. There wasn't a lot going on, but it was all just really flawless.

 

I think one thing I'm noticing as well is Capaldi's humour only really makes me laugh a lot when it's Moffat writing for him. There were a few attempts between 'Into the Dalek' and 'Robot of Sherwood', but I don't think any of the other writers are understanding how to write humour for Capaldi at the moment.

 

'Time Heist' looks BLOODY PERFECT.

That was the best episode of the series, it had the creepiness of a Who classic, as mentioned above in Severin's post. I did think that person under the sheet could have been a young Clara, it sort of connects the character of Danny Pink, within the time shifting of the episode. As for the banging at the door, could have been heaven knocking on it, just a wild assumption.

 

The beauty of this episode it had no monster or villain of the week. Its kinda light but an enjoyable episode.

I think a few people seem to be over-analysing both the 'thing under the covers' and the 'what was opening the door' scenes. The basis of the episode was fear and (not) being alone, so I think both scenes were just the characters' heightened emotions tricking them.

 

-x-

 

This was by far my favourite episode so far! Still not overly keen on Danny, or any of his aliases, so far though, but I'm hoping that'll change by 'Dark Water', but the restaurant scenes were lovely. Great character development for them both, particularly Clara. She was absolutely fantastic in series 7, but each episode of this series (particularly this one) has just made me love her even more. As great as the 'impossible girl' arc was, it's good that they've found a direction besides that they can take her in. Ahh, so much praise for the episode. There wasn't a lot going on, but it was all just really flawless.

 

I think one thing I'm noticing as well is Capaldi's humour only really makes me laugh a lot when it's Moffat writing for him. There were a few attempts between 'Into the Dalek' and 'Robot of Sherwood', but I don't think any of the other writers are understanding how to write humour for Capaldi at the moment.

 

'Time Heist' looks BLOODY PERFECT.

Over-analysing is what Dr Who fans do :lol: Of course, I'm still hoping it will be Dobby the house elf.

 

I cannot comment on next week as I never watch trailers.

I have to be honest I was bored half way through...it might not have helped watching this at midnight :(

 

Think I might need to watch it again but I wasn't impressed

 

I think Capaldi makes an excellent Doctor but Steven Moffatt needs to go, I'm sick of the way he keeps making things over complicated

 

I'm going to watch next weeks but if its a bad one then I'm probably not going to bother with the rest of the series......

I have to be honest I was bored half way through...it might not have helped watching this at midnight :(

 

Think I might need to watch it again but I wasn't impressed

 

I think Capaldi makes an excellent Doctor but Steven Moffatt needs to go, I'm sick of the way he keeps making things over complicated

 

I'm going to watch next weeks but if its a bad one then I'm probably not going to bother with the rest of the series......

But Moffat hasn't done anything complicated since Series 6 and the River/Silence thread

Axe.

 

Get the axe!