New Episode Reaction - Sleep No More *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	Sleep No More
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Nine
Broadcast Dates	14th Nov 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.00 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

A rescue team is sent to Rassmussen,
but can he be trusted?

The Reaction

Highlights

• Atmospheric - The setting, lighting and camera work set up a suitably sinister atmosphere which complemented the tone and style of the episode brilliantly.
• Psychological Games - This episode 'did a Blink' by taking a normal element of life and making it scary. The design of these monsters were creepy and their distant groaning kept the up tension throughout the episode.
• Capaldi - Peter seems to act better when the Doctor isn't fully aware of the facts, and revels at the chance to solve a mystery. This episode is a good example of this

The Sandmen are lurking
in the shadows

Low Points

• Guest Characters - The selection of guest characters in this episode didn't recieve much attention to detail. They were initially presented well within the opening sequence, but they didn't develop too far from there, leaving them feeling rather one-dimensional.
• Motive - Rassmussen's plans weren't entirely explained and revealed, and even seem to not have been prevented. In this series of two-parters, this is one that could have been helped by the extra 45 mins. However, Gatiss has revealed plans for a sequel, so if we get that, this episode might become clearer.
• The Grunt - A character that was set up to have real potential at the start, with all the other characters showing some prejudice towards her. Bethany Black was wasted in this role, alongside the possible subplot of the Grunt overcoming the prejudice.
• Sandmen - Not a great fan of the name of these monsters....

Quote of the Week

Doctor: "Clara, hold my hand."
Clara: "I'm alright."
Doctor: "I'm not."

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

New Episode Reaction - The Zygon Inversion *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	The Zygon Inversion
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Eight
Broadcast Dates	7th Nov 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.13 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

How did the Doctor and Osgood escape
from Bonnie's missile?

The Reaction

Highlights

• That Speech - For me, that could possibly be Capaldi's era defining moment. It was brilliantly acted and written to give the Twelfth Doctor his best moment in the series so far.
• Clever Twists - The plot surrounding the Osgood boxes was crafted well, as well as the reveal of Kate's survival of last week's cliffhanger.
• Jenna Coleman - The scenes between Clara and Bonnie/Zygella were great. The tension was built up perfectly and the threat was believable. Coleman acted the two characters to perfection too, showing a great range in her abilities.
• Osgood - Her dynamic with the Doctor is great, but as much as I'd love her to be the next companion, it is looking unlikely. Oliver's role in the scene with the half-disguised Zygon was one which confirmed her ability to be a great companion to the Doctor.
• Imbecile's Gas - Just one of several good references to the past, alongside Kate giving the Zygon "five rounds rapid"

Bonnie is faced with an impossible
choice that could change life for both
humans and Zygons forever

Low Points

• The Doctor's Names - Doctor Disco, Basil, Doctor Puntastic. "No, it's just The Doctor!"

Quote of the Week

Doctor: "I forgive you."

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

New Episode Reaction - The Zygon Invasion *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	The Zygon Invasion
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Seven
Broadcast Dates	31st Oct 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	3.87 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor is reunited with Osgood to fight the
Zygons, but which version of Osgood is she?

The Reaction

Highlights

• Pacing - The pace of the episode was brilliantly designed to build tension, without the feeling that the story wasn't developing, a balance that can sometimes be tricky to get right.
• Political Parallels - The edgy theme of the Zygon insurrection runs parallel to the current situation in the Middle East. Although rather unsubtle, it was done effectively and gave the story a brilliant driving force, similar to the Nazi themes in Genesis of the Daleks.
• Perfect Perils - High stakes all round in this adventure, with many unexpected (but some rather obvious) twists in the tale. The unmasking of Clara was excellently acted by Jaye Jacobs as Jac (I really really hope she survives), and the downfall of Kate was shocking(ly obvious).
• Tumbleweed - Seeing the human remains after the Zygon killings left me questioning whether the tumbleweed we see as Kate arrives in Truth or Consequences was actually tumbleweed or not. An episode as thought-provoking as that is very good.
• Osgood - The minor details peppered throughout this episode only seem to scratch the surface of what's to come. Moffat better deliver on this one, and Ingrid Oliver can stay as long as she likes as far as I'm concerned.
• The Cliffhanger - Best cliffhanger of the series so far, hands down.

Will the Doctor discover
the Zygon's plans?

Low Points

• Lame UNIT Soldiers - Where do they get these idiots from? Seriously....

Quote of the Week

Doctor: "This is your country. Protect it from the scary monsters. And also from the Zygons."

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

New Episode Reaction - The Woman Who Lived *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	The Woman Who Lived
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Six
Broadcast Dates	24th Oct 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.39 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor bumps into Ashildr again, but is she the
girl she used to be?

The Reaction

Highlights

• Premise - The exploration of the Doctor's effect on the lives of the people he leaves behind was developed in a different way here. It's one that has been done before (e.g. Donna suggesting he turn Martha into a soldier), but this is a new twist on the same idea.
• Visuals - The sets, specials effects, costumes and monster make up were all brilliant in this episode.
• Maisie Williams - She had a lot more to do this week after her limited contributions last week. The further exploration of her character gave a wider range to the acting.
• Character Moments - Treganna's script offered plenty of opportunities to get to know the characters a bit better, giving depth to what was happening to them within the story.
• Humour - The script also offered plenty in the way of humour, with a good range of types, from slapstick in the earlier scenes, to more witty humour in the gallows scene.

Leandro is scheming with "Me", but
can he be trusted?

Low Points

• Rufus Hound - As soon as it was announced about his casting, I wasn't particularly looking forward to his appearance. His acting style(?) didn't seem to suit the character he was playing; I presume highwaymen were pretty serious people.
• Obligatory Alien Threat - The very forgettable Tharil thingy (forgot its real name) seemed rather surplus to requirements, taking away from the main premise of the episode which seemed to be about the effects of the Doctor's decisions on the people he leaves behind.
• Foreshadowing - In small intriguing doses, I love a bit of foreshadowing. But the subtle as a brick through a window lines about Clara "never leaving" the Doctor take the biscuit. We all know how that ends.
• Sonic Sunglasses - Ho hum.

Quote of the Week

Doctor: "Anyone in that village would have died for you." "Me": "Well, they're all dead now, and here I am. So I guess it's all worked out."

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

New Episode Reaction - The Girl Who Died *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	The Girl Who Died
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Five
Broadcast Dates	17th Oct 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.85 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

Odin and the Mire attack the Viking village

The Reaction

Highlights

• Pacing - I usually criticise an episode for its stop-start pace, but this time it seemed to work. The cutting between action and dialogue gave a chance to take the story in little bits at a time, as well as being teased about when the climactic action would come. Another compelling script by Mathieson!
• Setting - Excellent graphics and set design effectively established the Viking setting of the story.
• Quality Acting - Capaldi and Coleman on top form as ever, with Maisie Williams contributing brilliantly too. It should be good to see the less controlled part to her character next week.
• The Face Thing - I have to say that I'm not disappointed with the way the face choice was resolved: we even got some flashbacks of Donna! Does make you wonder why Sixie took Maxil's face though...?
• Immortality - It was quite shocking to see the Doctor grant someone immortality despite him being completely against it in the past. It also shows Twelve's development of human skills by giving her a second one for the person she falls in love with, though I theorise that she may pick the wrong person to use it on... We'll see next week....
• Sonic Glasses - The Vikings snapped them. The Viking dudes are cool!

What is so special about Ashildr?

Low Points

• Vikings - They didn't have horned helmets. It had to be said....
• The Mire - Another enemy of the week that slipped through the fingers of the writers - underused and underwhelming. I'd also liked to have seen more of what was under that armour.
• Odin's Cloud - Did it not seem all a bit Teletubbies?

Quote of the Week

Doctor: "Immortality isn't living forever, that's not what it feels like. Immortality is everybody else dying. She might meet someone she can't bear to lose. That happens, I believe..."

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

New Episode Reaction - Before the Flood *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	Before the Flood
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Four
Broadcast Dates	10th Oct 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.38 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor faces the Fisher King

The Reaction

Highlights

• Beethoven's 5th - The little analogy for the whole episode in the pre-titles was great. The breaking of the fourth wall was effective, which would help the casual viewer to understand the concepts of the episode.
• Axe Chase - The scene in which Moran was stalking Cass down the Drum's dark corridors was perfect. The audio and visuals built up the tension brilliantly.
• Theme Tune - The different arrangement of the theme tune was a lot better than the usual one. It was probably the best use of the electric guitar this series, but hopefully the last...
• Clara - Her assumption of the Doctor's role over Cass and Lunn was convincingly performed by Jenna Coleman, who worked well with both of the guest stars

Will Lunn escape the ghosts?

Low Points

• Fisher King - Don't get me wrong, I thought the design of this monster was excellent, but it was just underused. We never actually got to see it properly in action.
• O'Donnell's Death - It seemed rather pointless with the attack happening off-screen. It may have been more effective if she has actually died off-screen.

Quote of the Week

Bennet: "My first proper alien and he's an idiot!"

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

New Episode Reaction - Under the Lake *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	Under the Lake
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Three
Broadcast Dates	23rd Oct 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	3.74 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor and Clara find an adventure in The Drum,
an underwater mining facility in Scotland

The Reaction

Highlights

• Base Under Seige - I love a good one of these, and this was certainly a good one. The atmosphere of the underwater base was perfect for tension building, helped along by the strong score from Murray Gold.
• Guest Cast - It was lovely to have our first "proper" guest cast since Last Christmas! The two-parter is giving us a chance to get to know these characters better, with some pretty solid acting from them, particularly Sophie Stone, whose facial expressions were often more believable than some of the dialogue from other characters.
• The Doctor and Clara - After being separated for much of the previous story, it was excellent to see them together in a new stage of their relationship. Capaldi and Coleman work brilliantly together, meaning I am beginning to draw parallels with the Tennant/Tate dynamic of Series Four, the best since the Baker/Sladen pairing.
• Cards of Humanity - Clara's cue cards for the Doctor to be more human were great. The card with Aberdeen pulled on my emotions, and Capaldi's failed delivery of the card brought some good humour to the episode. Twelve's inhumanity is quite refreshing after the very human Doctors that have preceded him.
• Threat - The amazing special effects made the ghosts pretty convincing. Their killing of Pritchard was harrowingly spooky, and his whole death scene had parallels with that of Scooti from The Impossible Planet, a story which I love.

It's soon a race against time to save the
lives of everyone on the base

Low Points

• Wearable Technology - The sunglasses don't even look remotely "sonic" and it's just a stupid addition which should be removed sooner rather than later.
• Faraday Cage - It's a bit like when you played tag in the school yard and had a base: everyone stayed on base and it was boring. Also, the ghosts were locked in there a bit too early, but that's just a minor nitpick...

Quote of the Week

Pritchard: "If it all goes pear-shaped, it's not them that lose a bonus."
The Doctor: "It's ok! I understand....you're an idiot."

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

New Episode Reaction - The Witch's Familiar *SPOILERS*

About this Story

Title	The Witch's Familiar
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode Two
Broadcast Dates	26th Sep 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	3.71 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor is trapped in the heart of the Dalek City

The Reaction

Highlights

• Julian Bleach - His performance of Davros was absolutely sublime. His scenes of dialogue with Peter Capaldi were brilliantly written and performed by both of them, developing both of the characters greatly. The highlight for me was the "Am I a good man?" scene.
• Clara-Dalek - This subplot was excellently acted by Coleman. A throwback to The Daleks, the inner workings of Davros' evil creatures were further explored here, with particular credit to the way the Dalek translates some phrases. I honestly thought that Clara was going to die in the Dalek casing, either by the Doctor killing her unknowingly or by not surviving her removal, and I think either of those would have been good exits.
• Missy - I think that she is better as an uneasy ally to the Doctor as opposed to the main antagonist to the Doctor. I particularly loved her interactions with Clara. Also, she poked Davros in the eye.
• Structure - It was a very different pace to usual Doctor Who. With only four core actors, there were a lot of character driven dialogue scenes, and not much action. For this particular story, it worked due to the heavy development of characters which would not have been the same if rushed.
• The Prophecy - This is an interesting idea and one I have my own theory about. I might make a post on it later on, but I think this really does have potential.

The Doctor and Davros share some
excellent scenes together

Low Points

• Sonic Sunglasses - Not the direction I was hoping the show would go with Capaldi.... I was hoping for the more traditional, mature Doctor.
• Flaws in the Plan - I don't see how an attack from the sewers could kill the Daleks. Surely they could easily fly away?

Quote of the Week

Davros: "I hope you are grateful. It wasn’t easy to procure, and very nearly unique, of course. You should feel privileged. The only other chair on Skaro."

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

New Episode Reaction - The Magician's Apprentice *SPOILERS*

Finally! It has returned! After nearly 9 months without a new episode, Doctor Who returned to BBC One last night with The Magician's Apprentice. But what did I think of it?

About this Story

Title	The Magician's Apprentice
Series No. Episode No.	Series Nine Episode One
Broadcast Dates	19th Sep 2015
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.58 Million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

Missy's back! But can she be trusted?

The Reaction

Highlights

• The Big Reveal - The reveal of Davros genuinely made my jaw drop. I have obviously heard all the rumours flying round, but never actually considered they'd come to fruition. It has no build up which doesn't really give you time to prepare, unlike the reveal of Missy in which we had 10 weeks.
• Where It All Began - The return of Skaro also saw the return of Dalek cities of a similar design to the original from The Daleks. The ability to modernize the design with CGI, yet still make make it recognisable was a stroke of brilliance, and the return of the silver/blue Daleks, although anticipated, was pulled off brilliantly.
• The Doctor and Missy - They dynamic of their relationship was deeply explored in this episode, throwing up some very interesting ideas, as well as Capaldi and Gomez working like a treat together.
• Missy and Clara - Once they got over the underlying trust issues, there was a pretty interesting dynamic between these two. Dare I say it, but maybe Missy should get her own companion...?
• Clara - Since the events of Dark Water/Death in Heaven, Clara seems to have matured a bit more. She seems to be more calm and controlled, bring a more convincing assertion over the Doctor, as opposed to the more stroppy, demanding demeanour we saw in parts of Series 8.
• Cliffhanger - This cliffhanger has been extracted from a line in Genesis of the Daleks and brought to life in an excellent way. There seems to be a lot more at stake, with the apparent deaths of Clara and Missy (though I don't believe those for a second...). Just imagine what lengths the Fourth Doctor would have gone to if the Daleks had killed Sarah and Harry in Genesis....

Clara taken to the Dalek City on Skaro

Low Points

• The Grand Entrance - Tonally, this scene seemed a bit out of place with the rest of the episode. It also seemed rather out of character given what he knew was going to happen. Once joined by Missy and Clara, the scene did get better.
• UNIT - Unless they reappear and do something in the next episode, the addition of UNIT seemed a bit pointless.

Quote of the Week

Missy: "No! I've not turned good!"

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

New Episode Reaction - Last Christmas *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. After a few weeks off our screens, Doctor who returned last night for this year's festive special. Was it a Christmas cracker or was is a festive flop? Find out below as I react to Last Christmas. Enjoy!

About this Story

Title	Last Christmas
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	2014 Christmas Special
Broadcast Dates	25th Dec 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	6.34 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor teams up with Clara and Santa to
take on the Dream Crabs

The Reaction

Highlights

• Build Up - The build up in the first half of the episode was brilliantly set up, leaving me intrigued and wanting more.
• Concept of the Monster - I liked the idea of this monster which was quite similar to that of the Weeping Angels; "Don't think" instead of "Don't blink".
• Acting - Both the main and the guest cast are on brilliant form, particularly Peter Capaldi, Nick Frost and Natalie Gumede. For me they held the episode together, and they acted the transition between the dream and the real world well at the end of the episode.

The Dream Crabs attack in the Infimary

Low Points

• Repetition - After the good build up, the climax was repeated about four times before the episode came to an end. My mum found this a good thing, because she sometimes struggles to follow the action, but for me it got boring and predictable.
• Old Again - I got deja-vu all over again with the ageing companion business. I think Peter Capaldi is the only main cast member not have been artificially aged in the past 4 or 5 years...?
• Overall Lack of Threat - The Dream Crabs had a scary concept, but they didn't seem to do anything with it. This was highlighted by the fact that the Doctor was going to walk away and leave them before realizing they were in a dream that was in a dream (that was in a dream (that was in a dream)). For me, there was no threat of world domination, meaning I didn't really see how they were much of a big deal about them.

Quote of the Week

Santa: "It's an invasion, Miss Oswald."
Clara: "An invasion of what, elves?"
Wolf: "Woah, that is racist!"
Ian: "Elfist!"
Wolf: "Which is a bit hypocritical, from someone of your height"

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

New Episode Reaction - Death in Heaven *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. After last week's gripping reveal, did Death in Heaven soar to the heavens or flop to an early grave? Find out below as I react to the final episode of series 8!

About this Story

Title	Death in Heaven
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 12
Broadcast Dates	8th Nov 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	5.45 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

UNIT are on hand to help the Doctor fight Cybermen

The Reaction

Highlights

• Psychotic Missy - She was ruthless! It was brilliant! To quote myself, "She's such a psycho! I love it!" I never thought it would be possible, but she's clearly even more unhinged than John Simm's Master. As much as I love Osgood and hate the decision to kill her off, I equally loved it. It makes me a bad fan, I know, but #RIPOsgood and I hope that Ingrid Oliver gets a Timey Wimey return, perhaps as Jenna's replacement... Though nothings' been definitely announced about that yet...
• The Brigadier - I have no idea what possessed Moffat to turn the Brigadier into a Cybermen, but whatever it was, it was brilliant. He finally got his salute and he got to kill the Master! The only thing that cheapens it a bit, is that the Master will probably return at some point in the future while the Brigadier's still Cyberdust in the atmosphere.
• Humour and References - For a dark episode, it had the right balance of humour for me. Particular highlights were Missy singing her own version of "Hey Mickey" and Kate's reference to The Invasion with the battered Cyberman head.
• Excellent Acting - Everyone is on top form! Capaldi worked well with everyone, particularly Gomez. Gomez and Oliver were also brilliant in Osgood's death scene. Coleman and Anderson worked excellently together, delivering an emotional performance, while Redgrave worked particularly well with Capaldi. One little nitpick: I'd have liked to have seen more of Chris Addison.
• Outstanding Effects - Special effects of the flying Cybermen and the scenes of Boat One's destruction were brilliantly done, and the CyberDanny make up and effects were actually quite gruesome. Brilliant job!

Low Points

• Deception - I know secrets and lies have been a pretty major theme in this series, but towards the end of the episode I was getting really confused and couldn't keep track of what was the truth and what were lies.

Quote of the Week

The Doctor: "That’s your answer for everything isn’t it? Vote for an idiot."
Kate Stewart: "If you say so Mr President."

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

New Episode Reaction - Dark Water *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Was Dark Water as dull as dishwater, or was it sparkling spring water? I react to the first part of the finale below!

About this Story

Title	Dark Water
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 11
Broadcast Dates	1st Nov 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	5.27 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

Clara comes face to face with a Cyberman

The Reaction

Highlights

• Volcano Scene - A very intense, gripping few minutes of television. I was pretty much on the edge of my seat for the whole scene. And Danny's shock death also caught my attention before the titles even began, and then I was completely hooked on the rest of the episode. Also, loved the reference to Gridlock with the mood patches.
• Concept of the Cybermen - Brilliantly creepy concept of Cybermen here! So when you die, you become a Cyberman. One reason I love this is because it was one of my theories, but also shows great power and intelligence to convert the dead, who outnumber the living, into Cybermen in order to take over the world. Also, very reminiscent of a Dalek plot in Revelation of the Daleks.
• Nethersphere Design - Brilliant design of the Nethersphere. It was like an underground metropolis, and it is on the inside of a globe. I love it! Just a brilliant concept and it reminds me of the GoT title sequence...
• Humour - It is as if Steven Moffat predicted fan reactions and poked fun at them. Fans were skeptical about the idea of iPads in Heaven, which is echoed by Danny, and Seb says "We do have Steve Jobs." Also, the Doctor didn't understand the swimming pool joke. And his psychic paper was full of swear words.

Low Points (Nitpick Section)

• Role of the Cybermen - They didn't do much, did they? Though they're more for next week, I guess. This week was more about Missy's identity.
• The Big Reveal - It's all too obvious. I wanted a more cryptic resolution, which is why I didn't go into much detail on my Master theory on Friday. Also, The Master is meant to be trapped in the pocket universe, so how did (s)he get out?
• St. Pauls Cathedral - Like how did that happen?

Quote of the Week

Clara: "Speak for me again, I’ll detach something from you."

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

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

Title	In the Forest of the Night
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 10
Broadcast Dates	25th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	5.03 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara 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!

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

Title	Flatline
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 9
Broadcast Dates	18th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.55 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara 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!

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

Title	Mummy on the Orient Express
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 8
Broadcast Dates	11th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	5.08 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara 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!

New Episode Reaction - Kill the Moon *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Enjoy!

About this Story

Title	Kill the Moon
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 7
Broadcast Dates	4th Oct 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.82 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara 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!

New Episode Reaction - The Caretaker *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Episode 6 means we're halfway through the series now! This means that today, I will be reacting to The Caretaker. Enjoy!

About this Story

Title	The Caretaker
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 6
Broadcast Dates	27th Sept 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.89 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Doctor goes undercover in Coal Hill School

The Reaction

Highlights

• Character Development - Shed loads of much needed character development in this episode! We get to know Clara and the Doctor a bit better, but much of the development is on Danny. I liked this, as up until now all we knew about him in the present day was that he is a Maths teacher and used to be a soldier. Still don't like him, even if he did save the world...
• Story Arc Reference - Missy made her first appearance since Into the Dalek with a scathing look over the shoulder. This time she has a sidekick in the sinister Seb, played by Chris Addison. This is filling me with intrigue, I want episode 12 like now.
• Peter Capaldi - I think I write about this guy every week, but he definitely deserves it! Brilliant acting of serious and comedic sequences. I hope his tenure as the Doctor is one of decent length!

Low Points

• Heavy Under-use of the Monster - The Skrillex Blister (or whatever the hell it was) could have been a proper scary robot thing. But it was just conveniently shoved 72 hours into the future to make room for some more character development. Also, it must have had the lamest defeat in history: it was just told to deactivate, and it did. Gripping stuff. (Sarcasm).
• Pace - The large amount of character development and not much monster screen-time came at a cost to the pace of the episode. It felt incredibly slow to me, like it took a while to get started, then when it did get started, it was over very quickly.

Quote of the Week

Doctor: "Can’t you read?!"
Courtney: "Of course I can read. Read what?"
Doctor: "The door. It says “Keep Out.”"
Courtney: "No, it says “Go away humans.”"
Doctor: "Oh, so it does. Never lose your temper in the middle of a door sign."

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

New Episode Reaction - Time Heist *SPOILERS*

Before we start for to today, just to let you know we have had a change in URL. The blog is now known as thewhoviandiary.blogspot.com. Now then, onto today's post:

Hello readers. You're in for a treat! Two reactions in two days, aren't you lucky? Today, as promised, I will be reacting to Time Heist. Enjoy!

About this Story

Title	Time Heist
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 5
Broadcast Dates	20th Sept 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.93 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

Saibra (disguised), the Doctor, Clara and Psi enter
the bank of Karabraxos

The Reaction

Highlights

• Timey-Wimey - This episode did timey-wimey correctly. It resolved everything leaving no loose-ends to be tied up in later episodes, which is good as it wan't really a major thing. Like, some timey-wimey things are significant, and best left to create suspense, but this wasn't particularly major. The wrapping up of the episode gave it a nice standalone feel.
• Brilliant acting - Some fantastic acting from both the main and the supporting casts, with particularly great acting from Keeley Hawes and Peter Capaldi, but we kind of expected that anyway...
• Sets and Direction - I enjoyed the overall effect of the direction and pace of this episode, which gave a real sense of the urgency to rob the bank. The only lapse in this was the slow motion shots when they first enter the bank.
• "Those aren't tears, Clara. That's soup" - That's pretty much as graphical as Doctor Who gets these days, but it was brilliant! For me, it gave the Teller a real fear factor, but it's a shame it was ruined by it skipping off into the sunset with its mate at the end...

Low Points

• Under-use of Keeley Hawes - Of what we saw of her, he acting was brilliant. However, she had very little screen time, which didn't really live up to the hype the BBC was giving her.
• Predictability - As soon as it was mentioned that the Architect used time-travel to place the briefcases in the bank, I knew it was the Doctor. Which was disappointing, because I was really getting my hopes up for a return of the Great Architect from Paradise Towers.
• Death Cop-Outs - The apparent deaths of Psi and Saibra gave an emotional touch to the story, and when the Doctor and Clara find what they wanted most you sympathised with them, because they died for it. But this was ruined when they are revealed to be alive.

Quote of the Week

Psi: "Still don't understand why you're in charge"
The Doctor: "Basically, it's the eyebrows"

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

New Episode Reaction - Listen (Take 2) *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Last Sunday, as you may remember, I was in utter turmoil over this episode. However, I have sorted out my thoughts now and feel ready to write this post. I'll be back tomorrow with the reaction to Time Heist. Enjoy!

About this Story

Title	Listen
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 4
Broadcast Dates	13th Sept 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.81 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

Clara faces the monster in Rupert's bed

The Reaction

Highlights

• Atmosphere - The dark tone of the whole episode was brilliantly executed! It worked really well and had me on the edge of my seat at times. I also watched it in darkness, which is unusual for me, which added to the whole effect.
• Lack of a monster - At first, the lack of a monster was a slight let down. However, upon reflection, it is a good thing, as it robs the fear of an identity, meaning you don't really know what to be scared of!
• Background to Danny - The visit to Rupert was a brilliant touch to add to Danny's character background, and Orson was a great addition, adding extra suspense with a possible hint at Clara's future and life after the Doctor, inferring an upcoming departure? I hope not...
• Young Doctor - We see Clara influence the Doctor's past once again when they visit the barn from Day of the Doctor. And John Hurt. Omgosh. I would have fangirled to death if I wasn't watching with a friend...

Low Points

• Sanctury Base Six Suit - WHY IS ORSON WEARING IT? Isn't it from the 51st Century when Orson is only from the quite near future? So confusing for me...

Quote of the Week

Rupert: "He took my bedspread."
The Doctor: Oh, the human race. You're never happy, are you?

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

New Episode Reaction - Listen *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. Today I will be continuing this series of posts by giving my very brief initial thoughts on Listen. Enjoy!

About this Story

Title	Listen
No. of Episodes	1
Series No. Episode No.	Series 8 Episode 4
Broadcast Dates	13th Sept 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)	4.81 million
Doctor	Twelfth Doctor
Companion	Clara Oswald

The Reaction

I have had 24 hours to mull over what I thought of this episode now, and I still have not formed any conclusive thoughts. This episode has had me torn over whether it was an absolute masterpiece or a complete disaster.

Right now, I'd like to call it the best incoherent mess since my bedroom floor on Friday night. I literally cannot think of anything else to say.

This story has addled my brain beyond belief and it took me well over 12 hours to think of anything remotely logical to do. This thing must be bloody off the scale... Whether it is above the scale or below the scale remains to be seen....

Proper review coming up soon when I can formulate a proper one without mess.

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