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JohnS

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I think it would have been best too if we found out Clara's secret, but that the secret might not have been the whole truth. There could have been something more than meets the eye kind of thing.At this point I'm not that excited about what/who Clara is.I'm actually more excited about how the Doctor's secret plays out.
 

Jeffery_H

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JohnS said:
Nightmare in SilverI just didn't like this episode. It was a mess. and I was bored.I hated, hated the kids.I don't like it when they have "tag-a-longs"The kids were terrible actors.The one thing that I quite enjoyed was Warwick Davis' performance.Overall, I'm really hating what they're doing with this second half of the season and with Clara. I had such high hopes for Clara, and now I'm just disappointed.
I have been saying this for quite some time, not just with this season since the Chrismas special. This is how I feel about most (not all) of Moffat and his shows. For me, it's been so riduclous in terms of how much of a cartoon he has turned the show into that it doesn't resemble Doctor Who any more to my view. Matt Smith as I have said seems like a parady of the Doctor, which makes it even more cartoony for me.

I thought one of the best twists and build-ups would be Clara and had high hopes too for where it would go. But it's too late for me to care now. Since the Chrismas Special, I hated how they have handled everything about her character and the scripts have been just dreadful. She could've been one of the greatest companions of all time if they did it right, but at this point it's moot for me.
 

David Weicker

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The season finale was enjoyable. So for me, the three bookends for Clara (Asylum, Snowmen, Name) were decent episodes, the rest of Series 7 (or 33) was not good.

For tonight, I'll speak in generalities, so I don't spoiler anything. But for the next 188 days though, I may openly discuss things.
Some of tonight's episode was brilliant (the pre-titles, the 'this one' line).

There were still some of the problems that this season (and frankly, the entire Moffat era) have exhibited, but I was hooked before the titles, so they weren't as grating. As opposed to last week when the kids turned me off so much in the opening scene, that it could have been Genesis Of The Daleks, and I still would have hated it.

Left with a lot to digest and think about until 11/23/13.


David
 

Adam Lenhardt

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It was nice to see the mystery of Clara the impossible girl got a satisfactory resolution.The finale got a little too bogged down in gobbledygook nonsense at times, but I enjoyed it. It actually wrapped some things up.I have a few questions, though:
Why would River's data echo ever have to fade? I thought that was the whole point of the Tenth Doctor uploading her into the library's core, so that the echo would never fade.Obviously John Hurt's playing a future or possible future regeneration of the Doctor. Given what the Eleventh Doctor said, is he the Valeyard? I guess we'll find out on November 23rd.
 

NeilO

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Adam Lenhardt said:
It was nice to see the mystery of Clara the impossible girl got a satisfactory resolution.
I actually wasn't expecting to get the mystery of Clara resolved here.

I also didn't expect it lead directly to the 50th anniversary special.

I also didn't know why they were using a data River Song as opposed to one of the live versions. We still don't know what happened to her after leaving with the Doctor after Rory and Amy left.
 

Jeffery_H

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David Weicker said:
The season finale was enjoyable. So for me, the three bookends for Clara (Asylum, Snowmen, Name) were decent episodes, the rest of Series 7 (or 33) was not good.

For tonight, I'll speak in generalities, so I don't spoiler anything. But for the next 188 days though, I may openly discuss things.
Some of tonight's episode was brilliant (the pre-titles, the 'this one' line).

There were still some of the problems that this season (and frankly, the entire Moffat era) have exhibited, but I was hooked before the titles, so they weren't as grating. As opposed to last week when the kids turned me off so much in the opening scene, that it could have been Genesis Of The Daleks, and I still would have hated it.

Left with a lot to digest and think about until 11/23/13.


David
I would tend to agree with most of what you said above. This was in fact the ONLY episode I liked the whole season except for Asylum and Snowmen. It was a big build up and very good character for Clara, but there was so much missing that I would have done much different from how they handled it. The whole mystery didn't have enough and her character was lacking in depth after starting out really nicely.

There are quite a few things put into this single episode, which is why I still hate the way it's filmed. At the very least, this should've been a 2 part episode or several building up to this one. They did this when RTD was producing the show with Eccleston and Tennant. That's another reason I just don't like Moffet at all and what he has done with Who. Overall, I have enjoyed very little, but did think those 3 shows gave a glimpse of what could be if someone else was in charge of the show.

It's going to be interesting to see what they do with the big 50th anniversary special. I sure hope it's more like The Five Doctors and less like most of what Moffet has done except for shows like Snowmen and The Doctor's Name. The big reveal of the "real" Doctor at the end was nice and someone he has kept burried inside himself. Now, the question is, this guy will obviously have some major part in the 50th show since they actually introduced him as The Doctor so I hope that means he will have his other regenerations as well (as reported in EW prior).
 

Adam Lenhardt

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Jeffery_H said:
Overall, I have enjoyed very little, but did think those 3 shows gave a glimpse of what could be if someone else was in charge of the show.
Ironically, all three that you did enjoy were written by Moffat himself.I thought this season was very hamstrung first by the decision to make every episode a stand-alone movie-style event and the awkward split between the Amy/Rory episodes and the Clara episodes. Because we knew going in about the split, the last six Amy and Rory episodes had the feeling of running down the clock; there were several moments where I just wanted to get on with it and move on to the next thing. The whole series should have been with Amy and Rory or they should have ended their run after last year. Because losing five episodes meant that Clara was way less developed than a normal companion at the end of the run; I feel like we've just met her and already the series is over.
 

David Weicker

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Adam Lenhardt said:
Ironically, all three that you did enjoy were written by Moffat himself.I thought this season was very hamstrung first by the decision to make every episode a stand-alone movie-style event and the awkward split between the Amy/Rory episodes and the Clara episodes. Because we knew going in about the split, the last six Amy and Rory episodes had the feeling of running down the clock; there were several moments where I just wanted to get on with it and move on to the next thing. The whole series should have been with Amy and Rory or they should have ended their run after last year. Because losing five episodes meant that Clara was way less developed than a normal companion at the end of the run; I feel like we've just met her and already the series is over.

While I understand what you are saying, I have to disagree with this line of thinking.

In the past, companions didn't need multiple episodes to 'develop'. The stories developed, not the companions. What I've disliked about the Moffat era is how 'finding out about the companions' overshadowed the stories.

The old way was the introductory story told us about the companion and then moved on. It wasn't dragged on and on and on. Sure, we might find out some more about the character later on (backfilling), and their experiences would allow them to grow.

But what we've seen isn't growth, but needlessly prolonged discovery. How can they 'grow' if they don't have a set starting point.


David
 

Jeffery_H

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Adam Lenhardt said:
Ironically, all three that you did enjoy were written by Moffat himself.I thought this season was very hamstrung first by the decision to make every episode a stand-alone movie-style event and the awkward split between the Amy/Rory episodes and the Clara episodes. Because we knew going in about the split, the last six Amy and Rory episodes had the feeling of running down the clock; there were several moments where I just wanted to get on with it and move on to the next thing. The whole series should have been with Amy and Rory or they should have ended their run after last year. Because losing five episodes meant that Clara was way less developed than a normal companion at the end of the run; I feel like we've just met her and already the series is over.
It's very rare that I like anything Moffat has done, but there are several episodes that have been good. I would say fewer than 10 out of all them since he has taken over the show. That hardly makes me enjoy or like what he has done with Who. The two guys I liked most were Terrance Dicks and RTD, they had some great scripts.

I said before too that I hate the way Moffat has handled the show, which includes what you state above about the no multi-part episodes. Doctor Who I still think is a show that MUST have at least a 2 part episode for every story told, some 3-4. The old format worked great, almost all of them were 4 plus episodes long and 20 minutes each WITHOUT commercial. That would equal about 2-3 now which I think is a lot better to work with. One of the reasons I don't like much of Matt Smith is his frantic style of talking like the Doctor is on speed or some sort of drug. It comes across that way not just by the style of acting, but the fact they cram everything into one show. Notice how much time is different and the pacing on 2 episode arcs.

Also, I said prior that Amy and Rory had LONG worn out their stay on the show. It was becoming as much about them as the Doctor and never before has any companion been that connected. You are right, they should've closed that out way back last season and re-booted this year. But instead, the show is a hap-hazard mess that seems like what Moffat is good at. He just slaps things together and sees what sticks. Like how things change in his shows from season to season or episode to episode to fit what he wants to do. There are so many rules that were stated in prior seasons he has broken it's not even funny. What he has done is made it more like a cartoon and just done anything that comes to mind even if the fact was established prior or even by himself.
 

Adam Lenhardt

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Jeffery_H said:
Matt Smith as I have said seems like a parady of the Doctor, which makes it even more cartoony for me.
You'll be happy to know that, despite recent reports to the contrary, Smith will end his tenure as the Doctor with this year's Christmas special:

The BBC is today announcing that Matt Smith is to leave Doctor Who after four incredible years on the hit BBC One show. Matt first stepped into the TARDIS in 2010 and will leave the role at the end of this year after starring in the unmissable 50th Anniversary in November and regenerating in the Christmas special. During his time as the Doctor, Matt has reached over 30 million unique UK viewers and his incarnation has seen the show go truly global. He was also the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA in the role.

Matt quickly won over fans to be voted Best Actor by Readers of Doctor Who Magazine for the 2010 season. He also received a nod for his first series at the National Television Awards, before winning the Most Popular Male Drama Performance award in 2012.

Matt has played one of the biggest roles in TV with over 77 million fans in the UK, USA and Australia alone!

Matt Smith says: "Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show. I'm incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realise all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.
Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.
The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I've never seen before, your dedication is truly remarkable. Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of the Time Lord, number Eleven, who I might add is not done yet, I'm back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special!
It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys. Matt."

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, says : "Every day, on every episode, in every set of rushes, Matt Smith surprised me: the way he'd turn a line, or spin on his heels, or make something funny, or out of nowhere make me cry, I just never knew what was coming next. The Doctor can be clown and hero, often at the same time, and Matt rose to both challenges magnificently. And even better than that, given the pressures of this extraordinary show, he is one of the nicest and hardest-working people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whatever we threw at him - sometimes literally - his behaviour was always worthy of the Doctor.
But great actors always know when it's time for the curtain call, so this Christmas prepare for your hearts to break, as we say goodbye to number Eleven. Thank you Matt - bow ties were never cooler.
Of course, this isn't the end of the story, because now the search begins. Somewhere out there right now - all unknowing, just going about their business - is someone who's about to become the Doctor. A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again! After 50 years, that's still so exciting!"

Having starred alongside three different companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and most recently Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), Matt's Doctor has fought Daleks and Cybermen, as well as Weeping Angels in New York. Regularly heard shouting 'run' and 'Geronimo', through Matt's Doctor fans have been introduced to a new culinary combination - fish fingers and custard!

Matt's spectacular exit is yet to be revealed and will be kept tightly under wraps. He will return to BBC One screens in the unmissable 50th anniversary episode on Saturday 23rd November 2013 - TUNE IN!
Speaking personally, I'm going to miss him. As he was the first Doctor I watched, he'll always be "my" Doctor, even though I've grown to appreciate many of the others as well. It'll be interesting to see if Jenna-Louise Coleman sticks around, or whether she'll depart with him.
 

Simon Massey

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Piqued my interest in watching the show as I like Capaldi, though I doubt he will be anything like his most famous character, Malcolm Tucker. Now that would be different!!!
 

Adam Lenhardt

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I'm sure he'll be terrific, and I'm glad they went with someone a bit older. The only problem I have with this casting is that he already great a terrific performance in a very prominent role in Torchwood as a completely different character. It'll be hard to watch Children of Earth now and not think: "But... he's the Doctor!"Mainly, though, I'm glad it's not a woman. I'm not ready for a gender-bending Doctor.
 

Jeffery_H

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I can't believe it, I simply can not believe it! They actually are doing something for the first time, in a long time, that I actually think will be a very solid and terrific change. When Matt Smith was introduced there was a huge back lash he said in an interview, but that "fans quickly warmed to him". However, I never was one of those "fans" he was referring to and ranked him as one of the worst Doctors to play the role (Colin Baker and Sly McCoy the others).

Now, this is something I really think will bring the show back around to being more grounded and less cartoon and whimsicle. While Smith seemed like a parady of the Doctor, I think Peter Capaldi will bring back the weight and darkness more along the lines of Tennant, perhaps more. The other thing I REALLY like is he is older at 55 and that for me brings back the years of classic Who shows.

Can't wait to read more about him taking over and the Christmas Special where Smith rengerates. Just wonder how this will effect the relationship with Clara since he is likely to have a more old style personality? Anyway, I love it so far!
 

Bill Coolidge

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Adam Lenhardt said:
I'm sure he'll be terrific, and I'm glad they went with someone a bit older. The only problem I have with this casting is that he already great a terrific performance in a very prominent role in Torchwood as a completely different character. It'll be hard to watch Children of Earth now and not think: "But... he's the Doctor!"Mainly, though, I'm glad it's not a woman. I'm not ready for a gender-bending Doctor.
 

NeilO

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Jeffery_H said:
I can't believe it, I simply can not believe it! They actually are doing something for the first time, in a long time, that I actually think will be a very solid and terrific change. ...

Now, this is something I really think will bring the show back around to being more grounded and less cartoon and whimsicle. While Smith seemed like a parady of the Doctor, I think Peter Capaldi will bring back the weight and darkness more along the lines of Tennant, perhaps more. The other thing I REALLY like is he is older at 55 and that for me brings back the years of classic Who shows.
I don't recall seeing Peter Capaldi in a heroic role before, so that darkness behind him should be there. It will be interesting. I didn't think we were going to get another Doctor older than I am :)

As far as seeing him previously on Doctor Who and Torchwood, that isn't that much different than seeing Colin Baker previously on Doctor Who as well.
 

Jeffery_H

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In what has to be one of the best golden nuggets or Easter egg yet, Capaldi being the Doctor was actually given away in the movie World War Z. In the movie, he played a W.H.O. Doctor (World Health Organization), but the letters spell out WHO. This was meant to be a hidden gem for those knowing and to find out about him being cast as the next Doctor. Several blogs and sites have said he was cast a while back after meeting with the Moffet privately and this was their first announcement as a hidden egg in plain sight.

Pretty cool I thought!
 

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