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penpusherI don't know if most of the fandom would agree, but I really didn't like the debut of the eighth series of "Doctor Who."
The 12th Doctor, at long last, made his official debut: Peter Capaldi regenerated within the TARDIS at the end of the previous episode, and popped his head out for the very first time (to our eyes) during "Deep Breath," as an oversized Tyrannosaurus Rex turned up in Victorian London's Thames. That was convenient, as it lets us get some interplay with Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax to help us along into the world, the style and the personality of this new incarnation.
The problems I had with the episode were really surprising to me, given the history that the show has carefully crafted. The first issue I had was the age one: Capaldi being much older than Matt Smith (the youngest actor to ever play the role), really was far too much a focus. It felt like a lot of the episode was talking about how he was old, and whether Clara was romantically attracted to 11, and other nonsensical stuff that probably shouldn't have been a part of the episode. Clara, we were shown, was there for every version of The Doctor throughout his adventures, so why any issues about The Doctor's appearance and Clara's attraction to him were misplaced, I thought.
I also felt the comedy was extremely forced and laughably, not very funny, including the "Hindenburg" sight gag with our time-traveling T Rex, and Strax delivering the newspaper to Clara. Truth be told, I expected Capaldi's Doctor to be a little more serious, a little more focused, and a lot more in control from the start. I understand they want to provide a "transition" period between Smith's 11 and Capaldi's 12, but I hope this doesn't go on too long, because what I viewed in "Deep Breath" wasn't working at all.
It's important to note that Steven Moffat wrote this episode, which made it seem that much more curious to me. How could he have missed these simple details so badly, and why was he focusing on what I thought, were all the wrong things?
I did feel Capaldi was doing well when he got up to speed. Jenna Coleman was as per usual, and it was nice to have the Paternoster Gang around to keep things a little more familiar. The story itself made me wonder just how many demented folks were out and about during that era, as I think back to Diana Rigg's Mrs. Gillyflower from "The Crimson Horror" episode, last year. But, the topper: I really thought having Matt Smith turn up was extremely bad form. It's not like we have to get weaned off of 11, and I felt like that was a dopey stunt that upstaged 12, or, at the very least, caused us to rethink the history of Clara and 11, which really shouldn't be done.
So, while I am glad the programme has returned, and that Capaldi is finally on, I wish they handled it all very differently.
The 12th Doctor, at long last, made his official debut: Peter Capaldi regenerated within the TARDIS at the end of the previous episode, and popped his head out for the very first time (to our eyes) during "Deep Breath," as an oversized Tyrannosaurus Rex turned up in Victorian London's Thames. That was convenient, as it lets us get some interplay with Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax to help us along into the world, the style and the personality of this new incarnation.
The problems I had with the episode were really surprising to me, given the history that the show has carefully crafted. The first issue I had was the age one: Capaldi being much older than Matt Smith (the youngest actor to ever play the role), really was far too much a focus. It felt like a lot of the episode was talking about how he was old, and whether Clara was romantically attracted to 11, and other nonsensical stuff that probably shouldn't have been a part of the episode. Clara, we were shown, was there for every version of The Doctor throughout his adventures, so why any issues about The Doctor's appearance and Clara's attraction to him were misplaced, I thought.
I also felt the comedy was extremely forced and laughably, not very funny, including the "Hindenburg" sight gag with our time-traveling T Rex, and Strax delivering the newspaper to Clara. Truth be told, I expected Capaldi's Doctor to be a little more serious, a little more focused, and a lot more in control from the start. I understand they want to provide a "transition" period between Smith's 11 and Capaldi's 12, but I hope this doesn't go on too long, because what I viewed in "Deep Breath" wasn't working at all.
It's important to note that Steven Moffat wrote this episode, which made it seem that much more curious to me. How could he have missed these simple details so badly, and why was he focusing on what I thought, were all the wrong things?
I did feel Capaldi was doing well when he got up to speed. Jenna Coleman was as per usual, and it was nice to have the Paternoster Gang around to keep things a little more familiar. The story itself made me wonder just how many demented folks were out and about during that era, as I think back to Diana Rigg's Mrs. Gillyflower from "The Crimson Horror" episode, last year. But, the topper: I really thought having Matt Smith turn up was extremely bad form. It's not like we have to get weaned off of 11, and I felt like that was a dopey stunt that upstaged 12, or, at the very least, caused us to rethink the history of Clara and 11, which really shouldn't be done.
So, while I am glad the programme has returned, and that Capaldi is finally on, I wish they handled it all very differently.
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Date: 2014-08-25 03:47 pm (UTC)I don't want to be too harsh about Smith turning back up, but it just seemed to be a "cater to the Fans of 11" moment rather than something necessary. Will there be other calls from 11 in future? ("Clara, I'm sorry, but this is just my way of staying young to you!")
Yeah, the Vastra Veil stuff is rather ridiculous. Those characters can be really great if used properly.
The fact that 12 seems to be a mystery unto himself ("I'm Scottish! That means I can complain about things!") is fodder for some potentially interesting directions for the character.
Just don't let Moffat write anymore.