The it's a detective story, wait no it's an Alien style hauntend horror must be the weakest story line in Who's story.
Doctor Who... Page 1,096
Quote: Badge @ 12th October 2014, 10:56 PM BSTThis week's was the best of this series.
Damned with faint praise.
Quote: Chappers @ 12th October 2014, 10:57 PM BSTReally?????????
Yes. A decent script with some cracking lines. Well played (even Skinner didn't spoil it) and good moral dilemmas to boot. It wasn't perfect but I found it very entertaining. I've disliked many episodes lately - especially last week's - but credit where it's due, this was a good 'un.
It was a bit anticlimactic; the bit where the Doc took all her woes off her (they could at least have given her a real illness) was lame, and the explanation of why the monster was doing was perfunctory, and did not make much sense (perfunctory and not making much sense being the default settings for exposition in new Who.)
And the whole will Clara leave the Doctor thing is getting bloody tedious. She is being written out, we get it. Do they need to make such a meal of it? The writer comes up with a claustrophobic setting for his story, and as he ramps up the tension, Moffatt has Clara phone up her boyfriend on the mobile, just for a bit of a chat.
I could have done without the phone calls home. And the transfer of woes was a bit weak, yes, but I was prepared to run with it as there were lots of things to like in this episode.
Thought it was well put together - got the kids going, which is good.
But I'm getting tired of the 'explanation' being tossed off in a couple of lines of dialogue - literally blink and you miss it.
I just wish they'd spend as much time on the internal logic of the story as they do on Clara.
We can get that sort of soap story-line any day of the week - it's trite and easy to write.
But then perhaps that's the reason, right there.
It made me think why I prefered last weeks. An interesting setting [depressed earth given up on space desperately sending its last shuttle astronauts and atom bombs because maybe they can do something], some strong characters [even the chavette in space was sweetly done]. And the Doctor seemingly finding his character again, as a very lonely alien surrounded by people he doesn't understand.
Of course it was easy to miss it because of a confused and dull moral argument that would have shamed Voyager and being ridiculously scientifically illiterate.
Bloody hell a good old skool episode, great story, great characters, great big bad and clever believable solution.
All good and even some really clever use of simple effects.
Proper nasty scary villains as well.
There's been a lot of very positive comments on Twitter, so I'm looking forward to it. I think this is the first season I've actually enjoyed in some time. I just wish they would tone down the Clara thing.
Quote: Ben @ 18th October 2014, 9:22 PM BSTI just wish they would tone down the Clara thing.
Is that usually how you refer to wemmen? 
Really liked it this week. Recognised loads of the supporting cast but can't place them. What was the train driver off?
Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 18th October 2014, 9:25 PM BSTIs that usually how you refer to wemmen?
You are the new Tim Azure. Well done.
Quote: Ben @ 18th October 2014, 9:22 PM BSTThere's been a lot of very positive comments on Twitter, so I'm looking forward to it. I think this is the first season I've actually enjoyed in some time. I just wish they would tone down the Clara thing.
Funnily enough Clara's in the lead in this episode, but as a rather straight forward assisstant.
And you know what, she does pretty well.
I don't know if it's one of the best episodes, but it's pleasingly old skool fun.
Yeah Clara was back to normal this episode, not being whiny and melodramatic like she has been for a few weeks.
There was something kinda nice in how she saved the day by being an encouraging teacher, telling off the naughty crims, keeping everyone together and believing in the talented kid.
Good Dr Who is really better then any other scifi/fantasy show.