Friday, October 31, 2014

Finale Friday Special - My Missy Musings

Missy, played by Michelle Gomez
Help, I have an alliteration addiction. SEE WHAT I MEAN?! Anyway, hello readers! With the two-part series finale kicking off tomorrow night (squeeeeeee!), I thought I would offer up what my theories over the past 10 weeks have been in relation to the character of Missy.

Before the Finale Trailer

Now, that finale trailer on Saturday night eradicated some theories I had, yet supported and somewhat confirmed some others that I had. So here are some of my pre-finale trailer theories:

Missy: Cyber Servant

I knew that Missy and the Cybermen were going to be involved in the series finale before the series even started. Therefore, when it showed Missy meeting up with various "deceased" people in Heaven, I concluded that perhaps Missy was plucking the people who died for the Doctor out of their time streams at the last moment, and offering them up to the Cybermen as specimens for upgrading.
Missy welcomes Gretchen to heaven
with tea in Into the Dalek


This wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. The Daleks made people appear dead in Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways when they were in fact transported to the Dalek ships where they were transformed into a new breed of hybrid Daleks. Could the Cybermen be looking over the Daleks' shoulders and copying their plans for universal domination? Surely not...

Missy: Renegade Romana

This theory can work alongside my above theory, as my thinking is that the Cybermen need some kind of clued up Time Travel expert. When we last saw Romana, she was left behind in a different universe. So, my thinking is, that when she found a way out of there, the Time War was over and she found out the Doctor killed the rest of her species, turning her against him.

Romana with K-9
Therefore, she teamed up with the Cybermen and the above theory comes into play. Now, one might think that this was a completely random thought process, and I do admit, it is a bit of a long shot, but I do have a basis. Romana was left with her very own version of K-9, who referred to her as "Mistress". Now do you see where I'm heading with this...?

However, some press release named Missy as a new villain, inferring that her character is completely new. However, it says "new villain". On her last appearance, Romana was a companion not a villain, therefore this would make her a "new villain". As said earlier, it is a long shot, but still possible...

RANDOM NONSENSICAL EVIDENCE TIME

Missy has been named The Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere. The following is a list of Romana's final three adventures and the adventure succeeding her final one along with evidence that Missy is Romana:
  • Full Circle ---> Sphere
  • State of Decay ---> To decay into a lower standard, Nether = lower
  • Warrior's Gate ---> Gate
  • The Keeper of Traken ---> Keeper


Missy: Mrs Master

A possible play on words, as the Master has hidden his identity on several occasions, most notably Tremas (anagram of Master) in The Keeper of Traken and Reverend Magister (Latin for Master) in The Daemons. However, it is unlikely after the "new villain" press release. Unless it's a double bluff.

Missy: Clara Controller

Missy monitors Clara in Flatline
"Clara, my Clara. I have chosen well." The first person we see Missy take to heaven in the Half-Faced Man in Deep Breath. My thoughts are, Missy recruited him to construct a clockwork Clara, which she switched for the real one at some point during the series: my thoughts are at the end of Deep Breath when the Doctor left Clara in Glasgow. My reason for that thought: Missy has a Scottish accent.

As for the reasons of using Clara: to get at the secrets of Time Travel, of course! This could work with the Romana theory, as Romana doesn't have her own TARDIS, however, she does know a great deal about time travel already, possibly more than the Doctor, if her travels with him were anything to go by, which kind of reduces the need for the Doctor.

Does the Finale Trailer change anything?

In short, not really. I can't remember a single part of the trailer that discounts my theories. Here are things that support my theories though:
What will Clara do with the TARDIS key?
  • "You will never step inside your TARDIS again"
  • "You know who I am"
  • "I'm not Clara Oswald. Clara Oswald has never existed"
On second thoughts, "Clara Oswald has never existed" means that she has been a robot/invention/whatever all the time, not just since Deep Breath.

Whether my aim is as good as Robin Hood's, or whether my theories fall as flat as the Boneless, I hope you can join me in watching Dark Water with incredible anticipation tomorrow night! I cannot wait!

I have to say a sincere sorry for the ostentatious overload of abominable attempts at alliteration throughout this post. Sorry.



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Character Profile - Tegan Jovanka: Fact File

Fact File

NameTegan Jovanka
SpeciesHuman
Place of OriginEarth
20th Century
Associated DoctorsFourth Doctor
Fifth Doctor
RelationshipsAndrew Verney (Grandfather)
Vanessa (Aunt)
Colin Frazer (Cousin)
First AppearanceLogopolis
Portrayed ByJanet Fielding

Appearances

(NC) denotes a Non-Companion appearance

Logopolis
Castrovalva
Four to Doomsday
Kinda
The Visitation
Black Orchid
Earthshock
Time-Flight
Arc of Infinity
Snakedance
Mawdryn Undead
Terminus
Enlightenment
The King's Demons
The Five Doctors
Warriors of the Deep
The Awakening
Frontios
Resurrection of the Daleks

Cameo Appearances

The Caves of Androzani


Tegan Jovanka

Overview

Tegan met the Doctor travelling to the first day at her new job as a air hostess. After battling the Master, the Doctor regenerated, causing Tegan to be swept aboard the TARDIS while helping the Doctor recover. Once they made it out of the topsy-turvy Castrovalva, Tegan demanded to be returned to Heathrow Airport. However, things didn't go to plan...
Tegan explores the TARDIS
Failed attempts of trying to reach Heathrow included a trip to Deva Loka, where Tegan was possessed by the Mara, followed by medieval England, a 1920s Murder mystery and an encounter with one of the Doctor's greatest foes: they Cybermen. This adventure saw the death of fellow companion Adric.

Tegan was finally returned to Heathrow, where after solving the mystery of a missing jet, she stayed to start her job. However, she was fired from her job, causing her to travel to Amsterdam to visit her cousin, who had gone missing. She was soon dragged back into the Doctor's life, battling Omega, and rejoining Nyssa and the Doctor in the TARDIS.

Tegan under the influence of the Mara
Tegan was almost immediately brought face-to-face with the Mara again on the planet Manussa, then a trip back to Earth caused her to meet Turlough, whom she immediately distrusted. This was for good reason, as it was soon revealed he was plotting with the Black Guardian to kill the Doctor.

Tegan, Turlough and the Doctor faced the Master once more before a trip to Gallifrey reunited the Doctor with his previous incarnations, where they teamed up to end Borusa's evil plans. A trip to a sea base brought Tegan face-to-face with Earth's previous inhabitants, the Silurians and the Sea Devils.

Tegan departs after the battle with Daleks
Encounters with the Malus and the Tractators came before Tegan's first meeting of the Daleks. When humans became involved in the civil war between the Renegade and Imperial Daleks, Tegan was horrified by all the death and destruction, ending her travels with the Doctor.

Personality

Tegan certainly knew how to use her mouth, often bickering with her fellow travellers, especially Adric, standing up for her beliefs and what she thought was right. Tegan recognised this by referring to herself as a "mouth on legs" in Earthshock.

Despite the bickering, Tegan still cared deeply about her fellow travellers, distraught when the Doctor couldn't save Adric's life in Earthshock and upset when Nyssa chose to remain on Terminus to care for the people with Lazar's disease.

Tegan is wary of Turlough at first
Tegan was shown to have a good sense of character too, often spotting danger before any other travellers. Also, she instantly showed mistrust within Turlough, which was proved correct as he was in league with the Black Guardian to kill the Doctor.

Tegan was also similar to the Doctor in the sense that she wasn't a big fan of violence. This was the reason she left the TARDIS in Resurrection of the Daleks, although, just like the Doctor, Tegan resorted to violence on occasion.



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Sunday, October 26, 2014

New Episode Reaction - In the Forest of the Night *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Is In the Forest of the Night fit for germination or extermination? Find out as I react to the episode!

About this Story

TitleIn the Forest of the Night
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
Series 8
Episode 10
Broadcast Dates25th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)5.03 million
DoctorTwelfth Doctor
CompanionClara Oswald


A dense forest grows overnight


The Reaction

Highlights

  • Peter Capaldi - Capaldi's acting in this episode is probably one of the only things that stop this being completely terrible. His interactions with the children bring humour to the episode, and he's basically just being his usual brilliant self. Long may he reign the TARDIS!
  • Pertwee-esque - This episode carried an environmental message with it, which was not exactly subtle, but it was there, and awareness of the positive effect of lots of trees does need to be increased. These environmental messages are typical of a few Pertwee stories, such as The Green Death and Invasion of the Dinosaurs.
  • Effects - Brilliant the wolves and the tiger were brilliantly done and looked pretty realistic too!
  • News Reports - Oh look, people actually noticed something happened to the planet! I do miss Trinity Wells, though. She always gave the best news updates.


Low Points

  • Children - There seems to be some kind of obsession with children in this series. Yes, we know Clara is a teacher, there's no need to shove it in our faces quite so much. This series was meant to take a darker turn, but it has been pretty limited due to the large amount of children involved in some stories. Also, these kids were meant to be in Year 8 (For International readers, that's 12-13 year old). Maebh looks about 7 years old.
  • London - Greater London has a population of over 8 million people. If a massive forest sprouted up overnight, you'd think a very large portion of those people would at least wander outside to see what was going on. They didn't bump into a soul, until Maebh's mother popped up at the end, oh, and those pointless flamethrower people.
  • "Forget" - I don't see how the scriptwriters can insult human intelligence but waving away random forest events as forgetfulness. People don't just forget things like that, that's just stupid.
  • Threat (or lack thereof) - Besides the tiger, the most threatening thing in this episode was Nelson's Column falling over. I just don't think trees are that scary...


Quote of the Week

The Doctor: "It's like the New Forest, except a bit newer"




Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Doctor Who DVD Files - Part Five: Issues 22-28

Introduction

Hello readers, and welcome to the fifth part of this blog series! In this part, read about the DVD and magazine content in the seven issues that covered the fourth series and the 2008 Christmas special. Enjoy!

Issue 22 (04/11/2009)

The DVD

Partners in Crime - Donna Noble investigates Adipose Industries, getting a lot more than she bargained for!

The Fires of Pompeii - The Doctor mistakenly lands in Pompeii, where he had to make a difficult choice: Pompeii or the world?

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Episode Guide - Partners in Crime - The Doctor bumps into an old friend at Adipose Industries. (EP 4.1)
  • Technology - Parthenogenesis Detector - Take a look at the Doctor's ingenious Adipose tracker (PD1)
  • Allies - Donna Noble: Space Girl - Find out how Donna became the most important woman in creation (DN2)
  • The Doctor - A Noble Savage - After travelling alone, the Fourth Doctor finds a new companion (Part 22)
  • Episode Guide - The Fires of Pompeii - Can Donna convince the Doctor to save the people of Pompeii? (EP 4.2)
  • Allies - Tritovores - Meet the alien flies who were trapped on San Helios (TV1)
  • Enemies - Sun-Possessed - Shield your eyes from the searing gaze of these hot headed killers (SP1)
  • Behind the Scenes - When in Rome... - Discover behind the scenes secrets of recreating an ancient world (Part 22)
  • The Doctor - The Third Doctor - Read about the Doctor who started his life exiled to Earth (DOC3)


Issue 23 (18/11/2009)

The DVD

Planet of the Ood - The Doctor takes Donna to the Ood Sphere, where they discover the dark secrets behind the Ood.

The Sontaran Stratagem - Martha Jones drags the Doctor back to Earth to face an old enemy with UNIT.

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Episode Guide - Planet of the Ood - Can the Doctor and Donna work out why the Ood are enslaved? (EP 4.3)
  • Enemies - Cyber Leader - Meet all the brutal Cyber-bosses the Doctor has faced (CY2)
  • The Doctor - Shipwrecks and Skulls - The Doctor finally meets the Sontaran's mortal enemies: the Rutans (Part 23)
  • Behind the Scenes - Who's Behind the Ood? - Find out some script secrets from the writer of Planet of the Ood (Part 23)
  • Episode Guide - The Sontaran Stratagem - The Doctor and Donna team up with Martha to face an old foe (Ep 4.4)
  • Allies - Novice Hame - Read about the bad cat who came good in the end (NH1)
  • Flashback - Cold War - See the explosive result of a dangerous Cyber-encounter (DR6-1)
  • Technology - Sontaran Battle Pod - Step inside the ship for short, stocky aliens (SN1)
  • Allies - UNIT - Roll call of the bravest members of this special organisation (UN1)


Issue 24 (02/12/2009)

The DVD

The Poison Sky - Can the Doctor save Earth by restoring the natural atmosphere?

The Doctor's Daughter - The Doctor is dragged to Messaline where he gets a rather large surprise!

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Episode Guide - The Poison Sky - The air is full of toxic gas and the Earth is suffocating (EP 4.5)
  • Enemies - Sea Devils - These odd-looking ocean dwellers were related to the Silurians (SD1)
  • Allies - Martha Jones: Reunited - Martha's back, but this time she's a fully fledged doctor herself (MJ2)
  • Episode Guide - The Doctor's Daughter - The TARDIS takes the Doctor to Messaline for one very good reason (Ep 4.6)
  • The Doctor - The Key to Time - Join the Fourth Doctor as he does battle on the edge of the universe (Part 24)
  • Allies - Jenny - This brave soldier was the apple of her Time Lord father's eye (JE1)
  • Behind the Scenes - Familiar Faces - Starring in Doctor Who is not always a once in a lifetime opportunity (Part 24)
  • Technology - Valiant - Read about the massive aircraft carrier that defended Earth (VA1)
  • Enemies - Sontarans - The diminutive but dastardly soldiers who looks like baked potatoes (SN1)


Issue 25 (16/12/2009)

The DVD

The Unicorn and the Wasp - The Doctor and Donna solve a murder mystery with Agatha Christie, and a giant wasp...

Silence in the Library - A trip to the Library is not as peaceful as the Doctor and Donna would have liked.

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Technology - River Song's Sonic Screwdriver - Dig around inside the archaeologist's special tool (SC3)
  • Allies - Agatha Christie - Read more about the famous "Queen of Crime" (AG1)
  • The Doctor - The Black Guardian - The Fourth Doctor and Romana race to assemble the Key to Time (Part 25)
  • Episode Guide - Silence in the Library - Cant he Doctor stop the advancing flesh-eating shadows? (EP 4.8)
  • Allies - Tegan Jovanka - Meet he Doctor's loudest, most opinionated companion (TJ1)
  • Enemies - Vashta Nerada - Find out about the deadly shadows that inhabit spacesuits (VN1)
  • Flashback - Dalek Deceit - The Second Doctor realises Daleks can't be trusted (DR2-2)
  • Episode Guide - The Unicorn and the Wasp - Take a trip back in time to a garden party with Agatha Christie (EP 4.7)
  • Behind the Scenes - Tell Me a Story - Exclusive interview with Shawn Williams, storyboard artist (Part 25)


Issue 26 (30/12/2009)

The DVD

Forest of the Dead - Can the Doctor get Donna back? And who is River Song?

Midnight - On a outer-space coach trip, the Doctor faces a creepy invisble enemy

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Enemies - Davros: Descent into Madness - How the Dalek's creator's plans got even crazier (DV3)
  • Allies - Charles Dickens - Read all about the famous author who helped the Ninth Doctor (DK1)
  • The Doctor - Davros Revived - The Fourth Doctor discovers how Davros survived (Part 26)
  • Episode Guide - Midnight - Who will save the day if the Doctor is helpless? (EP 3.10)
  • Enemies - Pyrovile - Meet the mighty volcanic monsters from Pompeii (PY1)
  • Allies - Cal - Discover more about the girl at the centre of the Library (CA1)
  • Behind the Scenes - Old Dogs, New Tricks - Find out how K-9 was rescued from a skip for his TV comeback (Part 26)
  • Episode Guide - Forest of the Dead - Will the Doctor work out why he'll give River his sonic screwdriver? (EP 4.9)
  • Technology - Crusader 50 - Step inside the ill-fated space bus on Midnight (CR1)


Issue 27 (13/01/2010)

The DVD

Turn Left - Donna creates a whole world without the Doctor.

The Stolen Earth - The Children of Time unite when the Doctor isn't there to save Earth

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Episode Guide - Turn left - Donna discovers what life would be like if she had never met the Doctor (EP 4.11)
  • Allies - Rose Tyler: Bad Wolf Rising - She broke down the walls between universes to reach her Doctor (RT3)
  • Enemies - Vespiform - Take a closer look at the alien insect with a deadly sting in its tail (VP1)
  • The Doctor - Dreams of Conquest - The Doctor and Romana are joined in the TARDIS by a child genius (Part 27)
  • Episode Guide - The Stolen Earth - Someone is rearranging the Universe, but who could it be? (EP 4.12)
  • Allies - Lady Christina de Souza - Meet the aristocratic adventurer who helped the Doctor (CD1)
  • Flashback - Embryo of Evil - See what happened when the Doctor faced a Dalek Mutant (DR4-3)
  • Technology - Dalek Saucer - Peel back the outer layers of this devastating spaceship (DL1)
  • Behind the Scenes - Lost in Time - Find out about the scenes that almost made it to your screen (Part 27)


Issue 28 (27/01/2010)

The DVD

Journey's End - The Doctor is joined by his friends to battle Davros and his Daleks

The Next Doctor - The Doctor meets himself in Victorian London, or does he?

The Magazine

Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

  • Allies - Sarah Jane Smith: Earth's Champion - read about Sarah jane's later adventures with the Doctor (SJ3)
  • Technology - Chameleon Circuit - Find out more about this broken feature of the TARDIS (TD4)
  • The Doctor - New Beginnings - The Fourth Doctor's journey finally comes to an end (TO1)
  • Enemies - Imperial Daleks - Meet the different kind of Dalek that once served Davros (DL8)
  • Allies - Jackson Lake - Discover how the Doctor worked out who Jackson really was (JL1)
  • Enemies - The Master: Old-School Villain - The incarnation who battled the Third Doctor steps forward (MS2)
  • Behind the Scenes - The Voice of Fear - Meet the Voice of the Daleks and the Cybermen (Part 28)
  • Episode Guide - Journey's End - Can the Doctor overcome Davros once again? (EP 4.13)
  • Episode Guide - The Next Doctor - Christmas terror is shaped like a Cyberman! (EP 4.14)




Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Sunday, October 19, 2014

New Episode Reaction - Flatline *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Was Flatline from another dimension, or did it fall a bit flat? I react to the episode here. Enjoy!

About this Story

TitleFlatline
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
Series 8
Episode 9
Broadcast Dates18th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)4.55 million
DoctorTwelfth Doctor
CompanionClara Oswald


Rigsy examines the victims of the Boneless


The Reaction

Highlights

  • Clara - Great to see her taking charge again, though with a bit of help this time. Jenna did an excellent job at acting as The Doctor and it was brilliant to see yet another development of the Doctor and Clara's relationship. It also served as an excellent continuation of the "Am I a good man?" motif.
  • Monster - Yet another creepy, well-developed monster. The series seems to be on a roll at the moment, that's three in a row! The Boneless looked great and the cast made them convincingly terrifying, especially when they crept up and attacked George without anyone noticing.
  • Effects - The effects in this episode were done brilliantly. The Boneless in their 2-Dimensional form were brilliantly done, and reminded me of the "floor is lava" games I played as a kid. The zombie versions with the distorted faces of the victims were also creepy. I also really liked the train effects. And two train episodes in a row: asdfghjkl! I like trains...
  • Doctor-Lite - This was Doctor-Lite Done Right! It's like the sequel to Fear Her: People are trapped in drawings, the Doctor and the TARDIS are affected by the enemy, and it's down to the companion to save the day. However, this is so much better than Fear Her: The people are killed and don't come back, the Doctor doesn't completely vanish and still contributes some stuff, and the companion is a billion times better.


Low Points

  • Sonic - So, Clara spends a great deal of the episode pointing the Sonic Screwdriver at the Boneless with no effect. However, as soon as the Doctor appears and brandishes it at them, they are banished to another dimension. How does that work? Maybe she used the wrong setting... But it was a bit of a crappy ending to a really good episode.
  • Supporting Cast - No pun intended, but the supporting cast were a bit one-dimensional (literally in the case of George... too soon?). Rigsy mentioned losing an Aunt to the Boneless, then seemed to completely forget about her. However, I think Fenton was done quite well, with me enjoying hating his guts. It was like Rickston from Voyage of the Damned, with another character stating that the wrong people may have survived.


Quote of the Week

Clara: "I’m um … I’m the Doctor."
Doctor: "Don’t you dare."
Clara: "Doctor Oswald, but you can call me Clara."
Rigsy: "I’m Rigsy. So, uh, what are you a doctor of?"
Doctor: "Of lies!"
Clara: "Well, I’m usually quite vague about that. I think I just picked the title because it makes me sound important."




Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Death Count - The Visitation

Hello readers! In this edition of the Death Count series, I will be counting up the deaths in the Fifth Doctor story The Visitation.

About this Story

TitleThe Visitation
No. of Episodes4
Season No.
Serial No.
Season 19
Serial 4
Broadcast Dates15th Feb -
23rd Feb 1982
Run-Time96' 44"
DoctorFifth Doctor
CompanionTegan Jovanka
Nyssa
Adric
The Terileptils


Synopsis

Attempting to return Tegan to Heathrow, the Doctor arrives 300 years too early. Upon venturing outside, they become embroiled within the plots of a reptilian alien race called the Terileptils. They plan to take the Earth by killing the humans with a plague. Can the TARDIS crew stop them?

The Death Count

Episode One

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Ralph3' 29"Shot by a Terileptil
Terileptil4' 05"Shot by The Squire
The TARDIS crew find themselves
in the 17th Century


Death Toll:

2

Death Rating:

8.26 (White)

Episode Two


Death Toll:

0

Death Rating:

0.00 (White)

Episode Three

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Charles18' 03"Killed by Terileptil Android
The Squire18' 03"Killed by Terileptil Android
Elizabeth18' 03"Killed by Terileptil Android
The Sonic Screwdriver is destroyed

Note: All the Episode Three deaths occurred off-screen and were referred to at the time stated above.


Death Toll:

3

Death Rating:

12.27 (Mint)

Episode Four

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Terileptil Android11' 33"Destroyed by Sonic Booster, used by Nyssa
Terileptil19' 54"Shot by Richard
Terileptil Leader21' 15"Burned in fire caused by explosion of a gun
The Terileptils prepare to ambush
the Doctor and Richard Mace

Note: The fire started the Great Fire of London, unknown off-screen death toll


Death Toll:

3

Death Rating:

12.70 (Mint)

Overall

Death Toll:

8

Death Rating:

8.27 (White)



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

New Episode Reaction - Mummy on the Orient Express *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Did you enjoy the sci-fi murder mystery rollercoaster ride that was Mummy on the Orient Express? I offer up my thoughts upon the episode here. Enjoy!

About this Story

TitleMummy on the Orient Express
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
Series 8
Episode 8
Broadcast Dates11th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)5.08 million
DoctorTwelfth Doctor
CompanionClara Oswald


The Mummy bears down upon its victim


The Reaction

Highlights

  • Frank Skinner - Not sure whether I can call it acting, but I loved it. It was typical Frank Skinner really: dry wit and sarcastic quips. It just happens that those are my favourite types of humour, so Frank Skinner's presence in this episode was a great addition for me! He also seemed to relish in the fact he could use his stopwatch!
  • Monster - EXCELLENT monster this week! After a couple of monster flops earlier in the series, this week's titular Mummy was a cracker! Creepy and unstoppable (almost), it racked itself a nice kill streak up, and as you probably know, I love a good body count.
  • Countdown Graphic - I loved this little element to the episode. It built the tension leading up the the deaths of the characters, but it's highlight was when it wasn't immediately clear who the next target was going to be. It was brilliant to be left guessing, but it was a slight let down when it turned out to be some guy we hadn't met previously. For me, that would have been more effective if it was an established member of the guest cast. Other than that minor nitpick, I enjoyed the countdowns.
  • Murder Mystery - This has to be my favourite format for a Doctor Who story. It was very reminiscent of The Robots of Death, which I watched on Thursday to celebrate a Doctor Who milestone in my life. I love the suspense and tension built in these episodes, leaving me guessing to outcomes for the various characters involved.
  • Claustrophobic - Another great element to a Doctor Who episode. It gives the connotation that there is no escape from what the characters are facing, making it seem a bit more real. You really want the characters to escape, but you know that they're trapped and their fate is more or less sealed. This is another element taken from The Robots of Death.


Low Points

  • Clara/Danny - I'm sick of this relationship thing already. I find that when companions leave people behind while they travel with the Doctor, they become baggage that drags the character down, and that's what is happening with Clara and Danny. There are exceptions, such as Donna and Wilf, but generally, especially with Martha and her gigantic clan, it can ruin a character because you feel like there's always a part of them that doesn't want to be there.
  • Under-use of Hyped-Up Guest Stars - I am in love with Foxes' cover of Don't Stop Me Now, but we only got about 30 seconds of her on the episode. It's slightly disappointing for me, as I would have liked to have seen more of Foxes. This is a similar situation to Keeley Hawes a few weeks ago in Time Heist, except this time, a bit more extreme.


Quote of the Week

The Doctor: "It might be nothing. Old ladies die all the time. It's practically their job description"



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Death Count - Revelation of the Daleks

Hello readers! In this edition of the Death Count series, I will be counting up the deaths in the Sixth Doctor story Revelation of the Daleks.

About this Story

TitleRevelation of the Daleks
No. of Episodes2
Season No.
Serial No.
Season 22
Serial 6
Broadcast Dates23rd Mar -
30th Mar 1985
Run-Time90' 03"
DoctorSixth Doctor
CompanionPeri Brown
Davros with his Imperial Daleks

Synopsis

The Doctor lands the TARDIS on Necros to visit a dead friend. However, it turns out there are more sinister goings on at Tranquil Repose then first thought. With Daleks swarming the place, can the Doctor defeat Davros and stop his gruesome experiments?

The Death Count

Episode One

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Unnamed Guard9' 02"Shot by Grigory
Mutant10' 23"Injuries from Peri hitting him with log
Unnamed Guard19' 07"Shot by Grigory
Stengos28' 14"Shot by Natasha
A Mutant attacks the Doctor, who is
saved by Peri

Death Toll:

4

Death Rating:

8.98 (White)

Episode Two

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Imperial Dalek7' 29"Shot by Orcini
Vogel15' 35"Exterminated! (Imperial Dalek)
Jobel22' 17"Stabbed by Tasambeker
Tasambeker22' 32"Exterminated! (Imperial Dalek)
Unnamed Guard25' 48"Stabbed by Bostock
Natasha27' 34"Exterminated! (Imperial Dalek)
Grigory27' 34"Exterminated! (Imperial Dalek)
Imperial Dalek27' 34"Self destructs
Kara29' 51"Stabbed by Orcini
Imperial Dalek30' 04"Shot by DJ
Imperial Dalek30' 31"Shot by DJ
DJ30' 42"Exterminated! (Imperial Dalek)
Bostock35' 51"Exterminated! (Imperial Dalek)
Unnamed Guard36' 45"Exterminated! (Renegade Dalek)
Imperial Dalek36' 48"Exterminated! (Renegade Dalek)
Unnamed Guard36' 56"Shot by Orcini
Renegade Dalek39' 31"Grenade explosion, planted by Peri
Orcini42' 02"Triggered explosion to kill all Imperial Daleks

Note: In the explosion triggered by Orcini, it is likely a large portion of Davros' Imperial Dalek army was also wiped out.

Imperial Daleks are attacked by
Renegade Daleks

Death Toll:

18

Death Rating:

39.56 (Yellow)

Overall

Death Toll:

22

Death Rating:

24.43 (Green)



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Sunday, October 5, 2014

New Episode Reaction - Kill the Moon *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Enjoy!

About this Story

TitleKill the Moon
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
Series 8
Episode 7
Broadcast Dates4th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)4.82 million
DoctorTwelfth Doctor
CompanionClara Oswald


The Spider creature moves in to attack


The Reaction

Highlights

  • Brilliant Monster - Those spider parasites were brilliant! Like a spidery-Vashta Nerada. Great to see the monsters attacking the helpless people rather than just the soldiers too! And that there was already an established threat before the Doctor showed up.
  • Excellent Sets and Locations - The set design and lighting was brilliant. It gave it a spooky, eerie feel, which along with the directing, gave a very effective episode with a dark theme.
  • Great Acting - The guest characters, on the whole, were brilliantly acted, particularly Hermione Norris as Lundvik. She gave a very edgy performance which was reminiscent of Lindsey Duncan in the Waters of Mars, for me. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman once again delivered spectacular performances.
  • Independence - I love it when the companions have to work independently without the Doctor when he is giving them no assistance, such as Donna and Rose in Turn Left. It shows that they're not just some puppet of the Doctor's, and it develops their characters with the decisions they have to make.


Low Points

  • Courtney - I just really didn't like the idea of this character. It seems so un-Doctor like to take a child into space and then abandon them, especially Peter Capaldi's Doctor. He just really doesn't seem the type to travel with a child on board. I hope she sticks to the classroom in the future....


Quote of the Week

Clara: "Tell me what you knew, Doctor, or else I’ll smack you so hard you’ll regenerate."



oh Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Death Count - Partners in Crime

Hello readers! In this edition of the Death Count series, I will be counting up the deaths in the Tenth Doctor story Partners in Crime. Enjoy!

About this Story

TitlePartners in Crime
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
Series 4
Episode 1
Broadcast Date5th Apr 2008
Run-Time48' 35"
DoctorTenth Doctor
CompanionDonna Noble
Adipose children on the streets of London

Synopsis

Since the Doctor ruined her wedding day, Donna Noble has been searching for him to bring back the spark to her life. Investigating the weird and wonderful, Donna discovers Adipose Idustries. However, she isn't the only person who is suspicious. She is soon whipped back into the Doctor's turbulent life, but can they stop London being reduced to living fat?

The Death Count

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Stacey Campbell9' 45"Full parthenogenesis, turned into Adipose
Miss Foster42' 07"Falls when Adipose disable tractor beam

Donna and the Doctor meet again

Death Toll:

2

Death Rating:

4.12 (White)



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!