Doctor Who 9x04

[such_heights]

Oops, I was late watching last week's and never posted about it.

This two-parter felt like a real masterclass in how to do a class base under siege story, and make a compelling Doctor Who two-part story that isn't part of the myth arc. Sometimes these sorts of episodes fall a little flat for me but this was super great.

It occurs to me that it's surprisingly unusual for the Doctor to travel back in time mid-story to find out what happened, as there's usually some reason why that would bad. It works well here, with the bootstrap paradox set up at the beginning (my philosopher heart danced at that mini lecture from the Doctor) to guide us through what could and couldn't happen. And then they crossed back on themselves and it all got very Prisoner of Azkaban, which was wonderful. The fake Cold War town was brilliantly creepy

Future!UNIT were a delight - one token white capitalist dude who gets killed off quickly, and the rest of them were lovely. Bennett and Lunn were darlings, O'Donnell was a treasure especially when fangirling over the TARDIS, and Cass! No nonsense Cass, who's genre savvy and protective of her people and the smartest person in the room. What a excellent person to have as the show's first Deaf character. That moment of going into Toph's metal-bending mode was a bit on the side of special disability superpower, but that was only a few seconds and I thought everything else was perfect. It impacted on the story in an entirely realistic way, it was an important part of her character but not the whole of it, and she survives to the end and makes out with a cute boy. Two thumbs up. :D

I appreciate how the Doctor's abrasiveness has lessened so far this season. He's hardly the most cuddly of regenerations but he's less of a dick just for the sake of it now. The cue cards last week were kind of beautiful.

Clara, oh Clara. I'm glad that the show hasn't forgotten what happened to her last season - her scene at the end with Bennett alone was really gorgeous and sad. It makes complete sense that she's given up her careful real life/Doctor life balance and has flung herself into TARDIS life. But after a season and a half where she was desperate not to do that, we know this isn't good for her. Given how much it's being flagged up this early in the season, it's my hope that we are building to a happy ending for her, one where she can find a new normal somewhere. I would love her to have one of the Classic Who companion style endings where she finds a new purpose on another planet, or something like. Some new kids who need her.

SHOW! <3

Comments

[silverhare]

Show! :D

I was so delighted with Cass, for a number of reasons - one of which is: there was finally a character with my name! There are so rarely characters with my name, so it was a tiny personal delight. <3

[silverhare]

Also, where do people get DW icons from nowadays?

[thefairymelusine]

THERE WAS A DEAF CHARACTER WITH A LOVE INTEREST WHO WASN'T TRAGIC! (My friend witnessed me punch the air and go "this is great, because disabled people NEVER get love interests in fiction")

[elisi]

I love this review and you too. ♥ ♥ ♥

[masakochan]

I think the special effects team were trying to give a visual representation of how Cass is able to 'hear' the vibrations. Like with Toph- whenever we saw how she was able to 'see' things.

[out_there]

I liked the feeling the floor vibration bit -- mostly because it had that moment that's felt a bit missing from DW of late: the high tension moment caused not by gore or violence but the idea of an approaching threat. When DW does that well, its phenomenal and they're always my favourite episodes.

But, yes, I am loving this season!

[sir_guinglain]

Hello..! I suppose the Doctor going back in time was cheating, though this builds on the Doctor going off to do research (or as I presume he did) in Kill the Moon, and at least he told Clara what he was doing this time.

Good to see such positivity here. I don't enjoy being negative and I have been a bit down on things this year.

[independence1776]

All of this! I'm throughly enjoying this season so far. Cass!!!

[littlered2]

It impacted on the story in an entirely realistic way, it was an important part of her character but not the whole of it, and she survives to the end and makes out with a cute boy.
I was very relieved when it turned out that she liked said cute boy back. I was shouting at the screen about how horrifically awkward it could make their working relationship if his feelings weren't reciprocated.

The Doctor definitely seems to be being less of a dick just for the sake of it! I am very pleased.

[kass]

Just watched these two tonight, and they made me so happy. Bennett and Lunn, O'Donnell ("how is it bigger on the inside?!"), Cass -- glorious.

The cue cards cracked me up.

A lot of great snappy dialogue in this two-parter, too. "Don't kiss me -- morning breath." Ahahahaha Doctor ♥.