Doctor Who - Season... Spring 2013

[Link Prime]

Mixed feelings about the finale- bit of a flimsy plot, but bigger-on-the-outside level cool moments too.
Overall, it'll get a thumbs up from this punter (but the season a regrettable thumbs down).

As to where John Hurt fits into the Who timeline- didn't Bleedingcool run some pics a few weeks back with him dressed in the 9th Doctors gear?
It's looking pretty likely he's the real 9th and precedes Eccleston.

[Leigh S]

I[spoiler]'d assume he was an alternative 9th that got rewritten during the Time War - the "alternative" would be quite messy for continuity obsessed Nu Who, so I'd be surprised if he was a genuine McGann/Hurt/Eccleston actual Doctor[/spoiler]

Thought this was hte usual hotch poch of good and bad stuff - ideas that were much better than we got from RTD era stuff, but realization and hand wavery that bordered on RTD... still, be watching it again tonight with the kids and see what they make of it...

[von Boom]

Overall I'd say this was one of the better episodes this series. I was happy that Smith wasn't his usual manic self, but I also felt Grant was under utilised as the GI.

I think it was a pretty good lead in to the anniversary episode in November.

Why don't Vastra, Jenny, and Strax have their own show again?

[Bat King]

I'd guess [spoiler] they won't go in to the Time War and  is not a Doctor in the 1to 11 chain. This is a future Doctor, or possibly not Doctor; Valyard, Storm, etc[/spoiler]

No evidence to back up any guess so far.

From about now I will stop reading anything to do with the anniversary special to avoid spoilers. But with Dr Who 90% of "spoilers" are very bad fan guesses at best (present company excerpted, your guesses are add valid as mine). Over the years I have seen some right twaddle purporting to be spoilers for upcoming series.

[Montynero]

Well, that was frkkin awesome!!!

Because...

a) Scary

b) John Hurt!!!!

c) Explained Clara's enigma wonderfully

d) Major revelations re secret reincarnations, tardis graves, time scars etc

e) Elegantly embraced the entire history of Who in a way that explains all kinds of previous plot holes, if you want it too

f) Did I mention John Hurt?!!!!

Can't wait for the 50th anniversary ep. (I believe John Hurt may be in it.)

[Hawkmumbler]

Series rundown...on reflection I honestly don't think it's as bad as we made out.

Asylum of the Daleks- Bit's let it down, and one reviewer i'm chummy with wrote a very agreeable scathing article, but I felt it was a fun story.

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship- Incredably silly and forgetable, but not a bad story.

A Town Called Mercy- See above.

The Power of Three- Great story, almost a modern Spearhead from Space (just not as good).

Angels Take Manhattan- They where on a ferry for most of the bloody film! A good send off for Amy and Rory (and Brian to!) but a poor story.

The Snowmen- The Three Stoogies made it watchable. Just. Only worst by NiS.

The Bells of St. John- Fun, flamboyant, instantly disposable.

The Rings of Akheteen- Good premis, good effects, Nemsis the Warlock was a direct inspiration (!!!) but a horribly contradictive ending to the villein killed it for me. Disposable.

The Cold War- Warm, fluffy and like a nice pair of old slippers. A bit of something new for the Ice Warriors and stunning effects. Hail Skaldek!

Hide- Biggest surprise of the series. A wonderful little story that i'll be re-watching for a while yet.

The Crimson Horror- Another surprise. Remindid me of The Talons of Weng-Chiang. This is most certainly a good thing.

Nightmare in Silver- Awful. Simply awful. However...

The Name of the Doctor-...we got this next. Wow. Just, wow.

So, over all, have we been to harsh on series 7? I think we have, it was more well rounded than series 6 and when it was good there where some very memoriable moments (UNIT HQ, Skaldek intoduction, pocket universe scene's, Mr. Sweet, "A Grenade", and prity much all of last night's episode) and unlike series 6 where i'm struggling to actualy remember what happened beyond The Silence episodes. I'm a very happy chappy.

[Montynero]

I agree with most of your analysis, sir. I enjoyed it more than any series so far. (Still find Clara a bit irritating - less of a character and more of an amalgam of clever, fiesty remarks - but you can't have everything.) 

Also, it's a bit embarrassing the way BBC Wales can't get a modest number of episodes like this produced in a timely way. The break screwed the series flow significantly. It felt like two series.  American TV companies consistently crank out 24 episodes of a top show at peerless and metronomic quality. Why not BBC Wales?

[Ghost MacRoth]

American TV companies consistently crank out 24 episodes of a top show at peerless and metronomic quality. Why not BBC Wales?

Money, pure and simple.  The yank Producers will spend as much as it takes to get a good product in order to make money.  The Brit producers (generally at production management level) hamstring their own shows by favouring the '10%' rule.  That is, they get 10% of whatever is saved from the initial budget as a bonus.  So it's in their interest to make the show cheap, rather than successful.

[Steve Green]

I think that's unfair - Who generally jumps around to wildly varying scenarios rather than having the benefits of a semi-permanent set (apart from the TARDIS), or easier to source locations.

They're usually having to do a new creature/prop/set design and fabrication for every episode which you would
not necessarily get to the same extent on a lot of other series.

Combine that with the likelihood that budgets have been cut because of the licence fee freeze - and splitting it over two financial years (at a guess), seems like the best way they could do it.

[Ghost MacRoth]

Believe me, I've been working in film and TV for 20 years, I know how it works.  You may think that those new monsters look stunningly expensive, but in terms of a TV show budget, they aren't.  A single camera lens can often cost more to hire for a week than the entire budget for FX throughout a 4 week shoot.

[Montynero]

Budget is certainly a factor in addressing those issues, Steve, though not insurmountable given the small number of episodes per season and the comparatively modest production standards embraced by the fans.

I guess you're not reading the same reports of production ineptitude, ego, and marital infidelity in Private Eye that I am? In summary it seems to be more a case of certain people being more or less indispensable to the show, and being given a large amount of leeway as long as they deliver quality goods. Which, lets be honest, they do (when it finally gets done). 

[Mardroid]

It felt like two series.

Didn't it just! Actually to my mind it WAS two series. Apart from the silly numbering... It should have been two series if they're going to split it up like that with the separate arcs etc.

[Goaty]

Just finally watch it after weekend away.

[DrJomster]

Note to self. Stop reading this thread in case some of the speculation turns out to be right!

Loved the finale, mind. Just bought season 2 for £8 off itunes. Total Bargain!

[shaolin_monkey]

Crying again!  Why?!?   

Still, John Hurt though, eh?