Pretty much all I can say in response is: YES. This episode was just so frustratingly lacking!! For someone who loves timey-wimey stuff, SM is seemingly throwing actual continuity out of a window. That or he's secretly a mad genius who'll fool us all, but I doubt that more and more.
I say to make it up to us he gets Neil Gaiman to write a few more episodes.
Here's the thing-we *know* he can write great episodes. "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances", "Girl in the Fireplace", "Blink", "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead." All some of the best episodes of the new series. So what happened? Is Sherlock taking up too much of his time? Does he need someone to watch over him to keep his wilder concepts in check? Perhaps, as Alan Moore once opined, a burly man with a large mallet needs to stand behind him to smack him in the head when he starts to wander off the farm?
Perhaps, as Alan Moore once opined, a burly man with a large mallet needs to stand behind him to smack him in the head when he starts to wander off the farm?
Perhaps he does. I think any writer needs that sometimes.
I agree with you on most of your points. I do think this is a two-parter stuffed into one episode, leaving out any sort of character development. Even so, Madame Vastra and Jenny stand out; so does Commander Strax. Enough that you wish you knew more about them. Blueboy? Not so much.
I'm glad someone else feels like Moffat's managed to make a total mess of things. While there have been some great scenes and characters this season, as for actually great episodes? It took Neil Gaiman to write it, and Suranne Jones and Matt Smith's acting to make it happen. Arthur Darvil has done a workmanlike job being treated as the series' "Kenny" (I'm waiting for him to start wearing an orange anorak). Special Amy is still special, a cipher at times and useless at others. And Alex Kingston gives River song some depth at times.
But right now, when the BBC is sharpening the knives, Moffat needs to up his game. Because if he doesn't the next season may be the last.
I did enjoy the incidental characters, but I wish they were in a better episode. I would also like to know more about them and why the Doctor decided to call on them in particular. Only the blue man has a reason for being there that we know of (because he had dealings with the monks and Travis lady before).
That's the thing-you know there's a backstory here, but the episode rushes by so fast it's left behind in the shrubbery. And I was very amused by the "Travis lady" reference (Blake's 7 rules!).
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I say to make it up to us he gets Neil Gaiman to write a few more episodes.
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Me too. Even if he does manage to deliver it doesn't change the fact I'm not enjoying the process.
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Perhaps he does. I think any writer needs that sometimes.
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I'm glad someone else feels like Moffat's managed to make a total mess of things. While there have been some great scenes and characters this season, as for actually great episodes? It took Neil Gaiman to write it, and Suranne Jones and Matt Smith's acting to make it happen. Arthur Darvil has done a workmanlike job being treated as the series' "Kenny" (I'm waiting for him to start wearing an orange anorak). Special Amy is still special, a cipher at times and useless at others. And Alex Kingston gives River song some depth at times.
But right now, when the BBC is sharpening the knives, Moffat needs to up his game. Because if he doesn't the next season may be the last.
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