Doctor Who (39) 13:07: Eve of the Daleks

Dave

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I had huge reservations - yet another Dalek episode - another time loop story - but time loop stories are always good if well executed, and I do think this was. I'd go as far as saying that it was the best Doctor Who episode I've watched in several years. It was funny, and despite having a time loop plot, I actually understood what was going on better than any recent episode. I thought the guest cast was excellent, and the "Jack Dee" comedy Daleks are a great addition to the Dalek diversification. It also helped that for a change the sonic screwdriver didn't work to fix anything, but it was an awfully convoluted way to give us a new TARDIS set.
 
It was better than many previous episodes (but that bar is extremely low...).

A bit too convenient how they were able to get out of the building though!
 
I was expecting the Doctor regenerate, not the TARDIS.
Before the time loop kicked in, the first Dalek wholesale zapping of the Doctor and both of her companions seemed like a shocking way to make the transition. Whew!
I agree that the special was pleasantly simple to follow, especially in the wake of the discombobulating Flux series. The humor was another bonus.
The new TARDIS interior is gorgeous.
 
It was not great , but watchable.
 
I thought it was a fun watch, looking forward to the return of the Sea Devils. They've not been seen since that very good Pertwee episode :)
 
It's been a while now and the dust has settled :-

Obviousy the YYZ is getting low on cash so using the old time-loop plot makes sense. After all, if a program can be filled with retakes of the same scenes to pad it out then it all get a lot more cost effective.

However, for me, it would have been better just to show the first loop and leave it at that.

Most of that loop was spent with the characters heading down long corridors and complex routes to the various death points.

By the last loop they magic'ed themselves around at faster FTL speeds which, even allowing for a bit of running, was nonsense.

If this ends up being the last full episode JW is in (becasue shes due for the big reboot) it will be a sad end to her tenure.
 
By the last loop they magic'ed themselves around at faster FTL speeds which, even allowing for a bit of running, was nonsense.
Oddly enough, if you get to know your way around a place, you can both know (literally) where it is you're heading (not at all obvious from a security camera image) and the quickest way to get there (including whether it's better to take the lift or use the stairs).
 
I do think those comments about them getting there too fast are a little unfair. We didn't see the whole of their time during the first few loops, and they probably stood about doing nothing much during a lot of them. They all became more focused later (dying would do that for you) and familiar with the layout. I would agree that they did seem to get around very quickly in one particular loop (3rd to last??) but I've only watched it the once and I forgot to use my stopwatch. On the whole, I'd still maintain that this story was well written. It's easy to criticise Doctor Who recently, because it has had some stories that were real clangers, so I do think we should give some credit where it's due. If anything here was to be criticised then the 'time loop doesn't apply to the door in the basement' was the most convenient thing, but otherwise they'd never have escaped.

I did stop watching Doctor Who for a while when I got too annoyed with the poor stories. If people hate it that much then that would be my best advice to them. The best 'nitpicking' of TV programmes and films is really only possible when you actually have a love of the thing you are watching, or at least, when you love to hate them. Otherwise, it just comes over as pure hate. Clearly, from audience figures, many people still love this show, and they must find all the negativity here tiresome. It might be a reason why they never post in this forum.

This isn't the last Whittaker episode. There are to be several 'specials' before she regenerates next autumn. The Sea Devils in China is the next story.
 
While I agree the last loop in particular was a bit ridiculous, getting everything set up in a minute,, I enjoyed the rest of the episode enough that I just didn't care.

I know I've been one of the detractors of the Chiball era, but I like to think I've been fair about it, and I remember having some scathing things to say about the Moffat and RTD1 eras too. And I'm sure there are things I won't like about the RTD2 era. But these have always been balanced by things I did like, and that includes the Chibnall era. If it ever got to the point where there was nothing at all I liked, I would stop watching.
 

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