Doctor Who [11]

A rather impressive I thought piano interpretation of the Who theme-



And for those intreseted in things musical an insight into the arrangement-

I'm not really hearing the Who theme coming through clearly. Nice as a very rhythmic interpretation, but I would like to hear the melody peek through every now and then.

Never mind that Halfy- while your on the Who thread treat yourself- page back and you can spend an hour with the opening episode of the new series- before the BBC pull it down again! Even if you dont like it youll still have seen nothing else quite like it.

(I do recommend going to that lassies playlist- loved her version of the Tetris theme, and worth watching the play on the spot stuff just to be amazed- oh and she seems to e a proper musician, plays with world orchestras that kind of thing- their version of flight of the bumblebees done as a piano duel is really good too))

Interesting move from the BBC-

'BBC One have made a late change to their schedules on Sunday afternoon by adding a special feature-length broadcast of The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar. The 90 minute omnibus is to be broadcast from 3:15pm, replacing the previously scheduled repeats of Eat Well For Less? and The Great British Bake-Off, with an episode of Escape To The Country following afterwards to plug the gap before Points Of View at 5:15pm.'

They have done this before- the Sea Devils got an unexpected omibus edition too back in the 70's- and I suspect its largely for the same reason as then- sport.
The Rugby world cup, and worse, the England match, is on at the same time as Who. In the 60;s when they last did this, it was cricket.
But still an interesting move given the different times and that in the 80's there was no way to watch the episode later if you missed it for something else.

I didnt mind that piano version, the theme was there just subtlety, it wasnt forced home. liked the quick outfit changes she wore.

Just a quick update on my Series 8 viewing.  We've watched Breath, Dalek, Sherwood, and Listen now. I'm not giving it a lot of thought, just going along for the ride, and I'm quite enjoying it so far.  

It's been interesting watching it with a companion with almost no prior exposure to Who. After a rocky start with Breath, and a little uncertainty about Dalek, she's really warmed to the characters of the Doctor and Clara in the last two. I can tell that she approves of Clara's occasionally sharp tongue and quick wit, and the budding romance with Danny is giving a her a familiar form of continuing plot thread to keep her engaged as she absorbs all the new rules and characters that more versed Whovians take for granted.

Meanwhile I'm watching this Promised Land thread develop with some concern....

I should say that as someone who's had a smattering of classic Who, upon watching the season opening I found it a bit jarring to find nearly the entire British Government to be conversant with Dr Who, and his companion basically serving as an undercover agent of said government. He's not really an outsider anymore.

My impression was that nearly every beat in the show was trying a tad too hard to be playful for my tastes, so I never developed deep character investment. Maybe with a bit more history under my belt I would have had a stronger personal reaction.

is that season 9 Halfy? have you watched any from the beginning of NuWho from 2005 with Eccleston as the Doctor?

no. I was referring to the new one Petty posted.

I should say that as someone who's had a smattering of classic Who, upon watching the season opening I found it a bit jarring to find nearly the entire British Government to be conversant with Dr Who, and his companion basically serving as an undercover agent of said government. He's not really an outsider anymore.- Halfy

He hasn't been for a long time. Its sort of the government- UNIT- United Nations Task Force- a sort of alien specialist unit- goes back to the 3rd Doctor era when he was stranded on earth- ever since then the Doctor has officially been the Chief Scientific Officer for UNIT- though he doesn't bother that often (UNIT have appeared in about half a dozen or so NUWHo episodes).
UNIT however try to keep track of him and keep tabs on his companions- in NUWHo Rose went to work for UNIT after leaving, as did Martha and Mickey.
So UNIT asking Clara in to help out when they think its aliens is not anything new.

' Maybe with a bit more history under my belt I would have had a stronger personal reaction.'

Clara is in her third year as Companion, this Doctor on his second- and this series opens with something very much like a normal finale episode (it also ties closer than usual into the previous series finale what with Missy returning ect). Series don't usually open like this one has, with a massive epic style story, show history repercussions, and huge cliffhangers. But then Moffat shakes the series format up every single year.

Still glad you took the time to dive into it anyway Halfy- you have to admit its pretty eventful and inventive, both in idea and in look.

she's really warmed to the characters of the Doctor and Clara in the last two. I can tell that she approves of Clara's occasionally sharp tongue and quick wit, and the budding romance with Danny is giving a her a familiar form of continuing plot thread to keep her engaged as she absorbs all the new rules and characters that more versed Whovians take for granted. - David

Happy you are both enjoying it overall. In my view you have some of the best episodes of the series up next in the Caretaker, Kill the Moon, Mummy on the Orient Express and Flatline (though for reasons I am sure will be obvious when you watch it Kill the Moon splits the fans down the middle).

Clara had to help UNIT as they are gormless and useless.

Theyve always been pretty gormless- even back in 3rd Doctor era they often relied on Sarah Jane- a newspaper reporter.
And hell in NUWHo they relied on Mickey of all people!!

But I like Kate I think she is effective, she put Scientific thought back to the forefront of UNIT after it went all military under RTD,
and she has some great lines, I love her introduction in Death In Heaven-

KATE: Kate Stewart. Divorcee, mother of two, keen gardener, outstanding bridge player. Also Chief Scientific Officer, Unified Intelligence Taskforce, who currently have you surrounded.

And she is very much the Brigadiers daughter in demeanour. I think thats well portrayed both in performance and writing.

Also interesting, something I noted rewatching last weeks episode, post credits the first third of the episode is entirely carried by female characters in positions of power- Head of Unit, the Master, Companion, Leader of the Sisterhood of Karn, UNIT's science Officer. All women.

I thought the handmines segment was the best done.  The rest didn't gel as well, a bit too flippant.  There's good dramatic use in flippancy, but not when over used.

I have a bit of a problem with companions being sort of a super agent. It's better if they are more ordinary humans that pull unexpected strength out of their situations. Sure, she'd have more insight than anyone else into the doctor, but converting her into 007 robs the interest from a companion.

So it was inventive, but not quite coming together.  As I said, it may take getting accustomed to the characters to appreciate fully.

UNIT woman is wet and beige and about as enthralling as The Readers Digest.

Sure, she'd have more insight than anyone else into the doctor, but converting her into 007 robs the interest from a companion.- Halfy

Last series was in large part Clara learning to be more like the Doctor, being put in situations where she had to act like he would in that situation in order to save lives ect.
As one reviewer put it- 'Last series Clara's was learning from the Doctor, this episode she is demonstrating what she has learned.'

well whatever she leant its made her cocky and hard faced.

Cocky I think you are right about, and I think it will have a reckoning by the end too. Hard faced I don't see that at all. One thing I really enjoyed about the opener was that Clara spends most of it effectively as Missy's companion.
I also really enjoyed having another Time Lord about, especially in relation to the Doctor, such as when he drops her the hint about the gravity and she just looks exasperated at him and says "I know". Like he has been dealing with stupid humans for too long.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Cocky I think you are right about, and I think it will have a reckoning by the end too. Hard faced I don't see that at all. One thing I really enjoyed about the opener was that Clara spends most of it effectively as Missy's companion.
I also really enjoyed having another Time Lord about, especially in relation to the Doctor, such as when he drops her the hint about the gravity and she just looks exasperated at him and says "I know". Like he has been dealing with stupid humans for too long.

A reckoning?

Spoiler:

They are set up to be- Moffat has already given us the answer to that in earlier dialogue- the cliffhanger is not Clara and Missy ( though it works well for the junior members of the audience) its the Doctors response that's the cliffhanger (for the adults).
I think its quite clever, cliffhangers appealing to different parts of the audience.

I cant believe how quick Saturday has come round. It only felt like a day or 2 ago we were excited about Dr Who & now its the 2nd episode

Pettytyrant101 wrote:They are set up to be- Moffat has already given us the answer to that in earlier dialogue- the cliffhanger is not Clara and Missy ( though it works well for the junior members of the audience) its the Doctors response that's the cliffhanger (for the adults).
I think its quite clever, cliffhangers appealing to different parts of the audience.

yes its clever marketing.

why was it pitch black?

That was a brilliant episode! (minus some padding, and typical Moffaty humour) though for a Dalek story, the Daleks seemed kinda sidelined...great acting, cinematography and a throughly enjoyable plot, but is it wrong for me to expect more explosions when the Doctor goes to a city of Daleks?

I wonder what the future holds for the relationship between Missy and The Daleks...

Series 9 is shaping up to be an excellent one so far

Hiya Figgily wiggily Am I right in thinking that you couldnt watch Dr Who today ???
It wasnt pitch black at all, it was bright light & full of Daleks. It was dark-ish when..............

Spoiler: