I will admit to thoroughly enjoying it, and to feeling liberated by the more or less complete lack of meta. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the nuanced episodes, but I do love me some straightforward old-school scifi. And I do have a particular love for Base Under Siege stories. This makes me very happy! :) I think my main problem was that I was expecting something like Town Called Mercy and it was quite literally what it said on the tin. And there is nothing wrong with that!
There were 2 things that bothered me: the labouring of the bootstrap as if it weren't a regular DW device Well, as far as I can tell the bootstrap specifically applies to when there's a clever thing that it all hinges on, but that no one actually thought of, rather than just filling in what happened (the Doctor cheating death in S6 was not a boot strap), so presumably this'll be important.
and almost all the crew character deaths (after all - if the Doctor can and will change a set future in spite of his reservations, it could have been a case of Everybody Lives,
( ... )
Moffat did a perfect bootstrap in seven minutes flat, most of which were spent on Ten fanboying over Five. Blink was a whole, elegant episode of bootstrap.
That was my thought too. It's an elegant little trick, but 90 minutes of story and OMG THE DOCTOR IS GOING TO DIE just to get to that elegant little trick was... we have a saying over here: "That's a lot of screaming for not a lot of wool, said the farmer who sheared a pig." Also, is it just me, or did the Beethoven plot sound a lot more fun?
I was expecting something far more layered and fascinating, since they named their bad guy the Fisher King
Same here. They telegraphed something huge and mythological, and delivered an ordinary romp, padded out to two episodes for no good reason.
Oh well. The next episode has vikings! And Maisie Williams!
"That's a lot of screaming for not a lot of wool, said the farmer who sheared a pig." *dies* Oh that's BEAUTIFUL!
Also, is it just me, or did the Beethoven plot sound a lot more fun? But I want him to be real!!!
Same here. They telegraphed something huge and mythological, and delivered an ordinary romp, padded out to two episodes for no good reason. There should be something in the rules about not being allowed to use the name 'Fisher King' without delivering something suitable dense & mythological/metaphorical.
Oh well. The next episode has vikings! And Maisie Williams! From what I've heard under my rock of spoiler-phobia, it sounds excellent!
For me, Under the Lake built up a lot of expectations that Before the Flood didn't fulfil, let alone exceed. You invoke a lot of mythology and symbolism with a name like the Fisher King... which was wasted because we never found out why he was called that and there seemed to be no connection to the episode beyond a vague aquatic nod. The design and bulk of the monster was truly terrifying on a xenomorph level... and Whithouse didn't do anything with it. Clara didn't get to do anything, either, apart from demonstrate how much further she's progressed/regressed since Danny's death (depending on your POV). I quite liked the Doctor breaking the fourth wall... but it didn't lead to anything except a rather laboured "haha, the Doctor is Beethoven!" moment. O'Donnell was fridged just for Bennett's manpain when she was far more interesting than he was. Lunn/Cass came out of nowhere. I don't object to the idea of the pairing more that we had no indication that there was anything romantic between them until Bennett shoved it in our faces (a bit
( ... )
For me, Under the Lake built up a lot of expectations that Before the Flood didn't fulfil, let alone exceed. You invoke a lot of mythology and symbolism with a name like the Fisher King... which was wasted because we never found out why he was called that and there seemed to be no connection to the episode beyond a vague aquatic nod. Yeah, this. I just wish it'd done something more because there was so much there. Ghosts for a start, and the Doctor's willingness to sacrifice people (and how Clara now takes after him - it'd have been an excellent follow-up to Mummy on the Orient Express), plus the Doctor as the Fisher King... But alas. It was not to be. I am trying to just move on.
Clara didn't get to do anything, either, apart from demonstrate how much further she's progressed/regressed since Danny's death (depending on your POV). Well, she's embracing travelling far more single-mindedly than before. There's nothing tethering her anymore...
I quite liked the Doctor breaking the fourth wall... but it didn't lead to anything except a
( ... )
I hope so. Not exactly holding my breath, though. Maybe it just is exactly what is says on the tin. In which case... Well. It was a thing. Lots of people enjoyed it.
It would have been more interesting if Bennett had confessed HIS love for Lunn after that! ;) Now THERE'S a thought!
Oh yes, very Missy-ish of her! "Clara, where's Clara?!" "Well, hello to you, too! I'm fine - thanks for asking!" IKR? Allll the mirrors. <3 <3 <3
Ah, I'd forgotten Clara and Eleven high-riving. The young and innocent days... *sadface*
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This makes me very happy! :) I think my main problem was that I was expecting something like Town Called Mercy and it was quite literally what it said on the tin. And there is nothing wrong with that!
There were 2 things that bothered me: the labouring of the bootstrap as if it weren't a regular DW device
Well, as far as I can tell the bootstrap specifically applies to when there's a clever thing that it all hinges on, but that no one actually thought of, rather than just filling in what happened (the Doctor cheating death in S6 was not a boot strap), so presumably this'll be important.
and almost all the crew character deaths (after all - if the Doctor can and will change a set future in spite of his reservations, it could have been a case of Everybody Lives, ( ... )
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That was my thought too. It's an elegant little trick, but 90 minutes of story and OMG THE DOCTOR IS GOING TO DIE just to get to that elegant little trick was... we have a saying over here: "That's a lot of screaming for not a lot of wool, said the farmer who sheared a pig." Also, is it just me, or did the Beethoven plot sound a lot more fun?
I was expecting something far more layered and fascinating, since they named their bad guy the Fisher King
Same here. They telegraphed something huge and mythological, and delivered an ordinary romp, padded out to two episodes for no good reason.
Oh well. The next episode has vikings! And Maisie Williams!
Reply
*dies* Oh that's BEAUTIFUL!
Also, is it just me, or did the Beethoven plot sound a lot more fun?
But I want him to be real!!!
Same here. They telegraphed something huge and mythological, and delivered an ordinary romp, padded out to two episodes for no good reason.
There should be something in the rules about not being allowed to use the name 'Fisher King' without delivering something suitable dense & mythological/metaphorical.
Oh well. The next episode has vikings! And Maisie Williams!
From what I've heard under my rock of spoiler-phobia, it sounds excellent!
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Yeah, this. I just wish it'd done something more because there was so much there. Ghosts for a start, and the Doctor's willingness to sacrifice people (and how Clara now takes after him - it'd have been an excellent follow-up to Mummy on the Orient Express), plus the Doctor as the Fisher King... But alas. It was not to be. I am trying to just move on.
Clara didn't get to do anything, either, apart from demonstrate how much further she's progressed/regressed since Danny's death (depending on your POV).
Well, she's embracing travelling far more single-mindedly than before. There's nothing tethering her anymore...
I quite liked the Doctor breaking the fourth wall... but it didn't lead to anything except a ( ... )
Reply
I hope so. Not exactly holding my breath, though.
Domino effect - Clara advises Bennett, Bennett advises Lunn.
It would have been more interesting if Bennett had confessed HIS love for Lunn after that! ;)
Neat Tumblr post pointing out the mirroring w/Missy.
Oh yes, very Missy-ish of her! "Clara, where's Clara?!" "Well, hello to you, too! I'm fine - thanks for asking!"
Ah, I'd forgotten Clara and Eleven high-riving. The young and innocent days...
Reply
Maybe it just is exactly what is says on the tin. In which case... Well. It was a thing. Lots of people enjoyed it.
It would have been more interesting if Bennett had confessed HIS love for Lunn after that! ;)
Now THERE'S a thought!
Oh yes, very Missy-ish of her! "Clara, where's Clara?!" "Well, hello to you, too! I'm fine - thanks for asking!"
IKR? Allll the mirrors. <3 <3 <3
Ah, I'd forgotten Clara and Eleven high-riving. The young and innocent days...
*sadface*
Reply
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