The Doctor Who finale: well, that was unquestionably a thing that happened. Chibnall has definitely created no less than fifty minutes of television right there.
I can beat up demons until the cows come home, and then I can beat up the cows.
Buffy ,'Dirty Girls'
Boxed Set, Vol. VI: I am not a number, I am a free thread!
A topic for the discussion of Doctor Who, Arrow, and The Flash. Beware possible invasions of iZombie, Sleepy Hollow, or pretty much any other "genre" (read: sci fi, superhero, or fantasy) show that captures our fancy. Expect adult content and discussion of the Big Gay Sex.
Marvel superheroes are discussed over at the MCU thread.
Whitefont all unaired in the U.S. ep discussion, identifying it as such, and including the show and ep title in blackfont.
Blackfont is allowed after the show has aired on the east coast.
This is NOT a general TV discussion thread.
billytea - Dec 11, 2018 2:30:08 am PST #1226 of 2020
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
sj - Dec 11, 2018 3:47:11 am PST #1227 of 2020
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
Yeah, same.
Jessica - Dec 11, 2018 5:01:24 am PST #1228 of 2020
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?
Chibnall has definitely created no less than fifty minutes of television right there.
I kind of feel that way about this entire season? But the ratings have been great, so I guess this is the kind of thing most people want Doctor Who to be doing?
It's been a good season for former Downton Abbey ladies maids though.
billytea - Dec 11, 2018 9:30:37 am PST #1229 of 2020
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I kind of feel that way about this entire season? But the ratings have been great, so I guess this is the kind of thing most people want Doctor Who to be doing?
This season's decent ratings are both heartening and dispiriting. Overall I liked the eps not written by Chibnall - even when they were messes, they were interesting messes. His stuff was just... dull. Falls somewhere between unambitious and morally incoherent.
billytea - Dec 11, 2018 9:38:47 am PST #1230 of 2020
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
Oh, by the way, concerning (apparently? I think that's the intention?) the season's big villain, this is what Tim Shaw means to Australians: [link]
But wait, there's more! [link]
But I know you want more! [link]
Laura - Dec 11, 2018 10:04:26 am PST #1231 of 2020
Our wings are not tired.
Because I am behind on everything I have only seen the 1st episode of Doctor Who this season. I only hope the watching is as interesting as reading billytea's commentary has been!
Jessica - Dec 11, 2018 10:18:36 am PST #1232 of 2020
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?
I am heartened by the ratings because I was really worried (from BTS gossip about what a disaster Chibnall was as showrunner) that the show wouldn't do well this year and the BBC leadership would go "Well I guess we shouldn't have made the Doctor a lady!" So in that sense, YAY.
But in another sense, NOT YAY because BLEARGH, Auntie Beeb, please make the show better next year do not take these numbers as a cue to keep making boring television.
billytea - Dec 11, 2018 2:38:50 pm PST #1233 of 2020
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I am heartened by the ratings because I was really worried (from BTS gossip about what a disaster Chibnall was as showrunner) that the show wouldn't do well this year and the BBC leadership would go "Well I guess we shouldn't have made the Doctor a lady!" So in that sense, YAY.
But in another sense, NOT YAY because BLEARGH, Auntie Beeb, please make the show better next year do not take these numbers as a cue to keep making boring television.
I am in total agreement with all of this! There are rumours that Chris Chibnall is only going to stick around for one more season, and I kind of hope that's true. (Though I don't know who might be available to take it on.)
billytea - Dec 11, 2018 2:50:59 pm PST #1234 of 2020
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I find I have very little to say about this finale. (I will, however, note that the Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos didn't actually include a battle.) So instead I've gone picking up quotes from other people. A selection:
Concerning the ep's rather stunted understanding of morality (and pacifism):
"Planetary genocide... Tim Shaw, I didn't like you before but now... Make them stop, you're breaking every known law in the universe." I mean, the Doctor's probably talking about, like, physics laws here. But I do want a stronger reaction to 'planetary genocide' than "it's illegal!".
"You're a genocidal monster, but killing's wrong, so..." (ineffectual shrug)
What happens when you stop to think about the Ux for too long:
"Our religion is all about doubt," say the Ux, immediately worshipping a random alien for three millennia.
[Tim Shaw's evil plot involved] "hoodwinking a two-person species apparently originating on three planets."
And then there's this bit of praise:
I have to say that amongst all the poorly-lit mediocrity lurked a moment of true genius.
Two groups of robots, one either side of our heroes
They all go to shoot
Out heroes duck
The robots therefore all shoot each other
That actually happened last night, I just want to celebrate that fact.
The genius is not that it happened, but that Chris Chibnall and Jamie Childs obviously thought people would be impressed. And that's courage I find a little bit humbling
And finally, this totally obscure reference made me laugh. A lot.
The finale was so dull, I was actually coming up with origin stories for The Valeyard.
Pix - Dec 11, 2018 4:41:53 pm PST #1235 of 2020
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie
I am heartened by the ratings because I was really worried (from BTS gossip about what a disaster Chibnall was as showrunner) that the show wouldn't do well this year and the BBC leadership would go "Well I guess we shouldn't have made the Doctor a lady!" So in that sense, YAY.
But in another sense, NOT YAY because BLEARGH, Auntie Beeb, please make the show better next year do not take these numbers as a cue to keep making boring television.
Jessica is me.