It has felt in recent series that they are just filling time in some episodes. I didn't really feel that this time but I can see what you mean.

It feels like it's a finale rather than a series opener, especially looking at some teasers for the next episode. :lol:

Finally had the chance to watch this a second time, and it really is a stunning episode. Stand-out scenes are definitely when Missy realises that they're all on Skaro, and the Doctor's reaction to it as well, and when Missy and Clara are both "exterminated".

 

Only problem I have with it though is would it really take Davros until the moment he's in his death bed to remember that the Doctor abandoned him as a child during the war, aka. the person who turned him into what he is today? And in not doing so, revert the majority of the Daleks' history?

 

Very much looking forward to 'The Witch's Familiar' though! :cheer:

 

EDIT: And Missy tickling the Dalek was the highlight of the episode, obviously :heehee:

Edited September 26, 20159 yr by Calum Hood

Spoilers ahead

 

 

Tied up all the loose ends and questions nicely, had some great interplay between Davros and The Doctor, Missy & Clara (mainly Missy tbh) and a fine theme of what it is that defines friends/enemies.

 

Not sure I like the idea of Daleks never dying but degenerating into poo but as long as it never really comes up again I don't mind.

 

Really don't like the idea of him whipping out the sunglasses every five minutes. It's a bit too mid-life crisis.

 

Thing it really is time for Clara to make way now as she's passed her sell by date. Rose Leslie next please, but make her smart so she can say 'You know nothing, Doctor'

Edited September 26, 20159 yr by Severin

A great 2-parter, it had everything suspense and drama, and tied up all the questions. The only drawback I just found Clara and Missy parts together were getting a bit silly and tedious at times, I just wanted the episode to move along.

Another fab episode :funky:

 

Would've been cool to see the super daleks until the finale or something but still great. And agree that the Doctor saving Davros as a kid would've changed SOMETHING. Maybe we gotta wait until the finale to find out :thinking:

Next episode's trailer:

 

The scene where Missy tried to make the Doctor kill the Dalek with Clara inside, holy shit.

OK, I was really scared that that episode would be a totally underwhelming follow-up after the big set-up last time but that was even better than last week <3 The pace was almost perfect, hostility followed by a real emotional focus followed by escape. The scenes between The Doctor and Davros were genuinely touching and I was almost sad that they were both bluffing each other! (I did see the Davros/Missy turnaround coming, but they played it very well on both parts!) and Missy in general was brilliant.

 

The ending was great in the great mercy message and the final line from Missy about a 'new idea' when surrounded , I sense that may not be the last we hear of that (don't THINK we exactly saw Davros die either? ;o).

 

Excellent two parter in general and best DW episode in a long time, made me considerably more excited for the rest of the series!

Edited September 27, 20159 yr by Chez Wombat

Absolutely fantastic. Not a minute was wasted in that and for once all loose ends were pretty much tied up. And I like that Missy's fate has been left sort of ambiguous. The Doctor wouldn't just let her go free and yet we know she'll turn up again. Same with Davros, at one point I was genuinely sad to think we'd seen the last of him and I'm glad we probably haven't. The snakes were bloody scary but then I have a phobia of them.

Indeed, a truly excellent story and a great episode/closer. I agree with Chez that the pacing was perfect. I loved both the Clara/Missy scenes and the Doctor/Davros scenes. Again, it showed just how horrible yet clever Missy is which is great to see while she's teaming up with Clara. I would kind of want to see a series of Missy/Clara adventure instead of Doctor/Clara haha. The scene where Clara in the Dalek met with the Doctor was PERFECT in every single way and showed all three characters off.

 

The Doctor/Davros scenes were so engaging too and it did really make me feel sorry for Davros. I agree that I was thinking it could be the end of Davros and I was gutted, even though I knew he had something under his sleeve. It was really good to get those scenes of the pair's relationship rather than Davros just conjuring up some ridiculous plan.

 

The sewer was a great idea I thought, the fact that they were all still alive and made noises when Missy hit them. Another creepy feature of the Daleks. Clara in the Dalek also helped explore further the mind of them.

 

I like how Moffat is harking back to the old series regarding the Master and him always surving despite apparently dying in the previous story.

 

And yes, less of the sunglasses technology, just... no.

EPISODE 3: UNDER THE LAKE

http://i2.cdnds.net/15/40/618x413/doctor-who-under-the-lake-1.jpg

Discuss the episode below, full spoilers will therefore follow.

Well, 'Under the Lake' marked a change of pace! Very slow build-up but it's always nice to have these sort of episodes to develop a bigger story. I did enjoy the episode, it definitely set a creepy, atmospheric atmosphere and the dialogue was great throughout. Loved the scene in the TARDIS after the cloister bell rang where the Doctor is expressing concern that Clara isn't even scared of these situations anymore.

 

However, the whole thing was very reminiscent of previous similar stories e.g. mysterious untranslated writing in The Impossible Planet and the water coming in, similar controls to Gadget reminded me of The Waters of Mars.

 

Still, the idea of the ghosts were great and very well realised. I liked how they had to kill more to boost the signal rather than just randomly killing for no reason. The ending was excellent too, with Clara and the Doctor split up and the Doctor being a ghost. It makes me very excited going into next week as it shifts the story. Very interested to know why that guy wasn't killed by the ghosts and the deaf girl told him he couldn't go into the spaceship even though everyone else could!

The reason the guy wasn't killed by the ghosts was that he hadn't been in the space ship and hadn't read the writing on the inside - therefore he didn't subconsciously know the co-ordinates and wouldn't boost the signal at all if he died.

 

I thought the episode was okay but it just felt like it was lacking something. I didn't think the ghosts were used to full effect, I didn't find them even vaguely scary when they were just walking through the corridors and I felt there was a lack of inventiveness in this aspect in particular... it would possibly have benefitted from more of the crew being killed off, especially as they're making a big deal about the ghosts being able to pick up metal objects to kill people and so far precisely zero people have died as a result!

 

That said, I do feel the characters are shaping up nicely, I particularly liked the interaction between the deaf woman and the rest of the crew and I'm liking the woman who was controlling the overrides on the doors etc.

Edited October 4, 20159 yr by dandystar

The reason the guy wasn't killed by the ghosts was that he hadn't been in the space ship and hadn't read the writing on the inside - therefore he didn't subconsciously know the co-ordinates and wouldn't boost the signal at all if he died.

Oh woops, that makes a lot of sense. :kink:

Doctor Who always disproves ghost phenomenon :lol: another fab episode. I wonder what the series arc is yet? :thinking:

I wasn't expecting another 2 parter so soon, reminds me of a classic Dr. Who episode in some places with the Ghosts theme to it, some great moments in there, the final part looks better.

I wasn't expecting another 2 parter so soon, reminds me of a classic Dr. Who episode in some places with the Ghosts theme to it, some great moments in there, the final part looks better.

The whole series is roughly made up of 2-parters this time! :P

Thought that episode was brilliant, definitely a big change in pace from 'The Witch's Familiar', but it was great nonetheless. I thought for a moment the Doctor was just going to abandon Clara because she didn't make it through in time, but I'm glad that's not the case. :kink: I do think though that this could be relative to the arc for the series - he almost abandoned her on Skaro when Missy made him believe she was killed by the Dalek she was inside, then last night he's leaving her in danger on the Drum so he can go back in time and find the roots of the situation. Maybe he'll end up leaving her somewhere because he's afraid of what she might become if she does become 'too native' to situations that put her in grave danger (hence the scene in the TARDIS)?

 

Rank time~

 

1. The Witch's Familiar

2. Under the Lake

3. The Magician's Apprentice

It has been a brilliant season so far and I love that it's almost all two-parters. Really looking forward to the conclusion next week and the 2-parter with Maisie Williams the week after that!

loved all 3 episodes, liked the change of pace with the current 2-parter. I loved the pre-prepared tactful apology cards which the Doctor messed up of course, blunt lack of tact is his thing, shades of the first Doctor :yahoo: