Doctor Who - S8E4 - Listen

[orangerful]

Was very disappointed with Doctor Who last night. I really wanted a good, creepy episode. Instead it felt like they started out with one idea, then got distracted by another idea. I wanted another adventure of the week episode, not an episode that messed with the Doctor Who mythos.

Also, why is Moffatt determined to make us not like Clara? They keep making her say the most awful things to Danny, things that are not even remotely funny or forgivable. That line from last night's episode? He had every right to be furious with her. I was furious with the writers as soon as she mumbled it. Who would even SAY something like that?? And why was SHE angry?!?

Blah. I really like Capaldi as The Doctor. I like the current set-up that Clara isn't just floating around with him all the time, but that he comes and gets her when he is in need ("How long have you been traveling alone?"). And for awhile I appreciated that it appeared she was going to get a life outside of the Doctor and that the time traveling was not going to devour her entire existence as it has with so many other Companions.

Comments

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I keep seeing things like this, and it's not making me want to watch. :/ I honestly have no desire to see it as it is... it's always been a bit of a hit or miss show with me, but honestly, I just can't get into it anymore. Which makes me sad. I really, really wish I'd gotten into the show when it was first airing. (Er... that is, airing for the second time.)

Maybe once Clara goes? I honestly wonder if they didn't throw Clara in with no idea who she actually was. I get the sense they planned as they went. I would've liked for her to have remained Victorian, honestly. They could've still tied her in with the future - or just made her an ancestor. I liked the Clara we met in that one episode. I mean, I don't not like her now, I just don't think we really... know her, and I suspect it's because the writers don't really know her either.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Agreed, the writers have done enough with Clara and linking her to The Doctor's story. We don't need any more episodes that link her even more. Let her just be a normal girl! It's totally FINE for her to be a normal girl!

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

I would've liked for her to have remained Victorian, honestly.

!!!

Dude, you wanna get sick? That was the original plan--for Victorian!Clara to be the Companion proper for Series 7b and 8. When I figured that out, I wanted to slap whoever shot it down SO HARD.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

WHAT?! That would have been awesome and do old school Who and...ARGH!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

I loved the first half. I kept thinking of the genius that was "Blink". I liked the second half too, but it could have had a little less timey-wimey stuff. Some of it probably didn't even make sense in a reasonable way. XD

I agree that the "people like you" / "what do you mean, people like me?!" argument was really strange and not a good idea at all.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I was more concerned with the "I want to kill her sometimes" / "yeah, me too" / "and coming from you that means something" comment -- who would say that, first of all. And who would say that to an ex-soldier who we already established last week didn't like people talking about his work in the military?!

And WHAT WAS UNDER THE RED SHEET?!?!? I mean, that wasn't even close to resolved.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Clara saying "and coming from you" was what I meant with "people like you" (not Danny saying something similar a little after, sorry, that was clear in my head because in both cases Clara is the one saying something problematic, I don't see a problem with Danny implying she's a civilian).

To me, the creature under the sheet was a manifestation of the Doctor's fear. (It's my headcanon, it doesn't have to make any more sense than the episode. XD)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

LOL okay I will let your have your headcanon...though I'd like to know what Moffat's headcanon is!)

[girlwhowaited.livejournal.com]

If Clara was more like Oswin I would enjoy her being a companion a hell of a lot more :/ I miss Amy/Rory/River

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yes, Oswin was great, I was so excited when we met her and thinking she would be the companion. **sigh** So much potential lost in trying to make the story more complicated than it needed to be.

[domluver.livejournal.com]

if they had stuck with the creepy factor and ended up having this monster that only can be seen when it wants to be seen and stuff would've been great. But the whole time to have it been in the Doctor's subconscious because it was Clara? That's such a cop out it's not even funny.

I've started to like Clara more as she's been with Twelve but last nights episode kinda made me glad that I couldn't hear their conversation all that well on my TV. From glimpses it's like "seriously who says that shit?"

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

They definitely need to hire some female writers for the show, if only so they can slap the guys upside the head after they do a read through of their script and say "No...just no. Try again."

[elizalavelle.livejournal.com]

I loved the creepy.

Did not love Clara being part of the Doctor's past. That fell apart a bit for me. Having her be part of Rupert's past was just fine, more wasn't needed.

But yes the Clara/Danny relationship is already ridiculous. I gave them one false start when we first met him but now she's just horrid to him and he's taking it because what? She's not that awesome.