DW 8.01

I think I'm now too cynical for Doctor Who. Or maybe this just wasn't the best episode ever? Certainly there are huge chunks where not much happens and... then the episode's over. [Note that this contains spoilers, rather severe ones, so the bulk of this post, and all new DW episode posts, are hidden on the main page, click through for the full entry.]

Isn't it wonderful how in new regeneration stories the Doctor is always involved and we get great insights into the new character? Oh wait, that never happens, and it's just a big tease so we can muck about before settling down to anything concrete. Like an accent. Sometimes it's strongly Scottish, other times you can barely detect it.

Ah, but I kid. Seriously now... this was just a lot of nothing. The first half, before they get to the restaurant, was all padding. And trying to give Clara some character moments, but since it's been ages since I saw her in anything, I can't remember what her character was before to know if this reinforced anything or contradicted it... or maybe it just gave her a personality? I can't tell. And the Doctor is just running around, looking at newspapers and being mad, and marking time.

But then the restaurant happens, and we spend the next while hearing them bicker and having the Doctor leave Clara, only to make a triumphant return, and needing to be rescued by the leather lesbians and the comedy Sontaran. And why is the Sontaran having a hard time fighting these robots? He should be loving this!

Still at least we have Peter Capaldi and... his eyebrows? His hoarse madness? His ultimately getting upstaged by Matt Smith? Hopefully the next episode will develop his character and not be based on some gimmick... never mind. And yet another long term Moffat tease with Missy (whom I immediately associate with Iris Wildthyme, but fortunately Moffat won't be going there).

As I said, too cynical these days. And I do seem to be the only one who isn't overly impressed by it.

Next time: A new and innovative idea... a competant Dalek?

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