The NEW Doctor: Thoughts on "Deep Breath"

I have been thinking a lot about the new doctor, the season opener, and the direction that the show is headed in. It has been eight plus long months of waiting for Capaldi's Doctor to emerge. In that time I have had a lot of time to think about what will come next and a singular line from the Doctor about his Kidneys. This has all been swimming in my head, with the eagerness of a kid in a candy store.

First, yes this blog will contain SPOILERS, but as the episode and theatrical release has aired and I have waited more than 72 hour, I am finally going to pen (or type) my thoughts on this episode n and the sew season. If you DO NOT want spoilers, then please refrain from reading further Thank you!

My first thought was, wow, Clara is very whiny and needs a good on the face! Not going to lie, I was a little put off by the MOFFS [Steven Moffat] choice to make her a whiny, stammering idiot for the first third to half of the episode. Clara has NEVER been one to back down, nor be a weakling, even though it ultimately took her a brunt of season 7 to get her to that point. Her superficial view of the Doctor's new face in this episode really bugged me at first. It was very in Clara like. That bothered me, a lot!

This is the Impossible Girl, the one who saved the Doctor time and again in "Name of the Doctor", she also was the one to change his mind about burning Gallifrey in the Time War. She's smart, sassy, and a great companion. (oh I know some are groaning at this statement as they read this, but it's true). So, why make her this very unattractive and catty type persona? Where she is written as a selfish and superficial female, that in some ways cared more about the Doctor's appearance than about the Doctor himself, post regeneration and when he is most vulnerable. It was very hard to grasp, especially knowing that Clara had been in the Doctor's timeline, saved his life time and again. She witnessed first hand each of the Doctor's previous incarnation. So, why then make her fuss and angry about the Doctor's older face? WHY????

Okay, back to this later....

On another noted, I absolutely loved the Dynamic Trio of Vashtra, Jennie, and Strax. While highly entertaining when played with the Doctor, these three can hold their own. Here you get a deeper look into Vashtra and Jennie's relationship, being married in Victorian Era London and a the bickering that comes with being married. Strax is just fantastic with his comedic timing; best part was when he asked Clara if she wanted the times and when he was sent it up. SMACK! Right in the kisser! Vashtra is definitely a voice of reason, almost a Doctor like character. She's definitely a favourite!

Then there this...

I was a little worried that it would get too serious, too soon. I like a darker story and can handle something that is a bit grown up. Hence why I like Torchwood. But, there is also the camp that come with Doctor Who. Would they completely lose that with Capaldi? It's not a Matt Smith episode, or season, but there are less goofy moments. But it is not without it's lighter moments either. Yes, this new doctor is going to be more more serious than his previous personality, not take things as lightly, but he  is the Doctor. He is not afraid to tell it like it is or burst into banter and charades with a Dinosaur.

Stand out lines; "Doors. Boring. So not me," [Opens window] "Me!" or "These are attack eyebrows!"

So...

The Doctor, he is well, I just get all full of smiles when I seem him on the screen. Capaldi is the Doctor. He is my Doctor! With everything moment and line delivered I feel fully invested in his story. Especially when he has Clara's back, after what is presumed to be his desertion of Clara in the Larder of Mancini's Restaurant. Clara is holding her own against the half-faced man, and then as she reaches behind her someone grabs her hand, rips the face off and there is the Doctor. He brings something real to the Doctor, almost like he voices his own thoughts as they happen, like when he gets something wrong and tries to gloss over, "I hate it when they see me get it wrong. Pretend you didn't see that." But he is still the Doctor, he saves the day in the nick of time, he's protective of the human race, and he's Scottish (thus he can complain about stuff). Must get use to hearing the Scottish accent now.

Back to Clara and other stuff...

And even after the second viewing, at the movie theatre, I found stuff I missed, like the Sweeney Todd reference or his reference to Amy Pond. But I could understand Clara's motivation a bit more knowing that this regeneration she was seeing live. Her Doctor was gone and that is a lot to take in when you have know someone for a long time. Also, the Christmas episode "Time of the Doctor" into "Deep Breath" was one right into another, where the rest of the world had to wait eight months for the out come of Trenzelore. That's a lot to take in, especially for one person. Yes, she is still whiny, okay, a lot whiny, but I can understand her reasoning, mostly. I would probably feel something similar.

Then there are the questions...

Of course there are things that I am still confused about. Like Missy! The mysterious woman in "heaven" with the half-faced man. Is she Idris? Is she a version of River Song (seems unlikely, but who knows)? An enemy? A friend? What is this promised land to where the Half-faced man was seeking? What is the connection to the episode "The Girl in the Fireplace"?

There is much more to the season, more adventures. Heck, it has only just started and already I can't wait for Saturday's episode! What do you think, Dear Readers (of the Whovian persuasion)? About Capaldi as the new Doctor? The new season? Thoughts in general? Leave me some love!

*Pictures from Google search, and used to enhance this blog. Doctor Who is own by BBC.

"The Day of the Doctor" Review ~Spoilers, Darling~

I never thought that there would be a moment where Moffat seemed to get it right, but the 50^th anniversary is simply stunning, gorgeous, and awesome all rolled into one. I think that the reason is because I didn’t have any expectations of what the 50^th should be. I just watched it and enjoyed it, from acting to story. Everything about the episode is full of AWESOME.

~SPOILERS~

What we got was a strong story about the last day of the Time War and a nice dialogue with the Doctor and “The Moment (Galaxy Eater).”

I find it fascinating that the 50^th anniversary episode has brought Whovians from all walks of life, together. It really is a celebration of all things Whovian. I also think that everyone involved in the 50^thseemed to have a lot of fun making it.

I could good through each and every point in the special and dissect it, but I want to talk about my favourite points of the episode. Maybe even talk about the things that raised a few eyebrows. Every Whovian with whom I have talked is-in general-in agreement that the episode stand well on its own; from example, I have two friends who went to go see it in 3-D at the movie theatre the following Monday. They had seen very few episodes of the New Who or only episodes of the Doctor they grew up with (that be you Mr. Baker). Yet, when they talked about it, it was only with a sincere joy and pleasure. Mel and Dee really enjoyed watching it. How many TV series can say that, that folks who have only seen a few epsiodes can still enjoy watch the big 50^th? It means there was stellar writing to back up the story and lots of care too. Yes, there are nay-sayers and pessimists, but on whole some most seemed to honestly enjoy it.

First, I give Steve Moffat credit for finally making Clara into a character, a real character. So many times I wanted to like Clara, but was left feeling that she wasn’t a part of the Doctor and his life. Her part-time status always felt like it weakened her as a character, even when she did the most impossible things, "The Name of the Doctor" or "The Rings of Akatan". This time, I felt that she is worthy of the title the Doctor’s Companion; to have her question the choice of the Doctor’s decision on the fate of Gallifrey? It was brilliant! It worked. It feels like Clara was the next generation of Companion. I can only hope that continues into Peter Capaldi's time as the Doctor. As touching as it was to have 10, 11, and the War Doctor to share the burden of that choice; there was something equally fantastic about Clara asking if there was another way.

Second, the choice of Billie Piper in the form of Bad Wolf as “The Moment”, the sentient Galaxy Eater was rather confusing. It left me wishing there was a Rose sub-plot, as I never really got over the Rose in an alternate dimension world story arc. I was a bit frustrated, not at Billie Piper, but that hole in my heart after "Doomsday" wanted it to be Rose Tyler. But after watching the 50^th a second time that I realized that the choice to use Rose as the interface of "The Moment" was the better choice.  By having Bad Wolf there (even only in form alone) made John Hurt’s War Doctor that much stronger. Billie Piper did an excellent job as “The Moment”, fun and mischievous, yet sad at it's role in the story of the Time War.

There were many a moments of SQUEEING and fan girlness, which included Peter Capaldi's eyes in the battle to save Gallifrey, the introduction of the Curator Doctor,Tom Baker, and (my personal favourite) the machine that goes DING!

Those eyes!!!

I loved seeing how Tennant, Smith, and Hurt worked off each other. There was this energy that linked them all together, whether they were mocking each other or working together. "This is what I am like by myself," Matt Smith Doctor. Or seeing the man behind the stories of Jim Henson's "The Storyteller" in the garb of the (War) Doctor It was touching when it needed to be and dark  when it need to be. He is every much the Doctor as is Smith, Tennant, Baker, or Hartnell, even though it's a grittier Doctor. He is the War Doctor after all. I couldn't have picked a better Doctor (well except maybe Hugh Laurie. Hey, a girl can dream, right?). You should check out "The Storyteller" and "Greek Myths: Storyteller" DVDs.

A girls' dream! (borrowed from Tumblr)

The biggest enigma and what EVERYONE seems to want to talk about is what number in Matt Smith's Doctor and what it means for Capaldi's Doctor. Is Matt Smith 11 or 12? Do you count Tennant's mini regeneration at the end of season 3? Can there be more than 13 lives of a Time Lord? What can we see in season 8? 

Some things are pretty obvious, to me at least. The search for Gallifrey? I think so. It's sounds like the next great adventure. I bloody well excited!

Now I have 24 more days before new Doctor Who, the regeneration of Matt Smith, and all of that good stuff!! I might have to watch the 8th Doctor's movie and review it....Stay tuned, Dear Readers!!