Doctor Who [4]

though i must say, it's a really good discussion, i like it, you're good ^^

I am enjoying the discussion too- Mrs Figg is making me think very hard about what it is about Amy I like and how her character arc plays out on all levels (and there are a lot).

Interview with JLC about new series -well first four episodes anyway.

Spoiler:

Spoiler free reviews from the press screening of the Bells of St John are coming in, but if you dont want to know anything at all about it stop reading now-

'I’m not saying much about The Bells of Saint John. It’s being sold as an “urban thriller” but is more of a pulse-racing joyride with modern London as a backdrop, taking in St Paul’s, Westminster Bridge, the South Bank and the Shard. There’s also time for a perilous plane ride, a motorcycle with unexpected features, a dip back to a monastery in 13th-century Cumbria… plus we find out where the Time Lord keeps his clothes. (Expect a rush in the shops for purple tweed!)
Most importantly, though, as series seven resumes (last autumn is a long while ago!) we see a delightful new dynamic at the heart of the series, as the Doctor befriends Clara. She may be known as “the woman twice dead” (after fatal outcomes in Asylum of the Daleks and The Snowmen) but is instantly brighter, cheerier and, on the face of it at least, less complex than Amy (although I also loved Karen Gillan’s work).- Radio Times

having been lucky enough to attend the screening of The Bells of St John, I can tell you that it's a breathtaking episode. -MSN tv

Director Colm McCarthy is a welcome addition to the Doctor Who squad, bringing an endlessly inventive visual sense and giving us an episode that moves like a greased rocket sled.
For all that it’s an episode that glories in the London skyline it’s also rooted in suburbia, doing that marvelous old Doctor Who thing of finding the fearsome in the everyday. Wait, do you hear sounds from upstairs? Surely that’s just the house settling or the central heating ticking over? It couldn’t possibly be footsteps… could it?
This incarnation of time-splintered companion Clara is slightly less of a motormouth than the previous models. She seems altogether younger and just a little more vulnerable. It’s an engaging, spirited performance by Jenna-Louise Coleman.
You’ll see the Doctor at his most paternalistic and protective.
There’s a pinch of Black Mirror about this tale. It’s powered by some very contemporary concerns about the inescapable rise of social media and our Apple-worshipping world – and still finds room for some delicious pops at surveillance cam culture and Burger King.- SFX

It is customary that an advance screening of Doctor Who is met with heartfelt pleas and casual threats of violence from the show’s lead writer Steven Moffat, who firmly reiterates that the episode should not be spoiled. Fortunately this new instalment is worth the wait.
In all, Moffat has penned a witty nail-biter, liberally sprinkled with clever, modern ideas -the Telegraph


For the vast majority of its running time, The Bells Of St John is, as billed, a contemporary thriller set in the heart of London (weaving in plenty of the city as it tells its tale). It certainly feels a long time since we had something quite like this in Doctor Who, too. It's a standalone modern day episode, with subtle threads weaving their way through, and crucially, it's exceptionally entertaining. Were Moffat a man with longer foliage on the top of his head, this would be described as one of his stories where he's let it down a little more, and from start to finish had raging fun with his episode. It's a delight to watch it unfold.
That fun is infectious, too. First time Who director Colm McCarthy takes little time getting his hands dirty, starting off with one or two Sherlock-esque visual tricks, before showing a deft ability to change pace, and mix up the comedy and the action. Both of which come, as you head into the second half of The Bells Of St John, thick and fast.
And then there's guest star Celia Imrie. Perhaps the last hold-out of the British acting elite to yet appear in Downton Abbey (Leslie Phillips too, to be fair), she's just brilliant. Celia Imrie is always brilliant of course, but she proves inspired casting, making a real mark in her reasonaby brief screen time. The heart of the episode, though, is the clear and evident chemistry between Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman. They make it look effortless, and questions abound as to how their story will pan out. Theirs, already, isn't a relationship where one person is always explaining things to the other, and it's all the better for it. After all, both the Doctor and Clara have mysteries of their own, that intrigue the respective characters.
Back to the narrative itself. What Moffat does particularly well here is to pack in a complete story, from start to finish, that's never less than devilishly entertaining. The fun factor occasionally seeps out of new Who just a little as it goes darker and deeper, but this is an episode where the balance feels pretty much bang on.
Furthermore, there are lots of little touches for fans dotted around, and just a few little threads from more recent times. But make no mistake: this feels like an opening episode again, one that's shooting out of the proverbial traps at some speed. It loses just a tiny bit of momentum going into the final third, but gets going again in double-quick time, with a nice and satisfying ending.
It's a really nicely structured, balanced piece of work this, with something close to the end that'll have you awaiting further episodes and developments with real interest. It also feels like Doctor Who has taken a breath of fresh air, building on the rightly-acclaimed The Snowmen, and packing in so much of what there is to love about the show in 45 minutes. The introduction of a major new character is an opportunity that has not been squandered.
Bottom line? If the plan for series 7 was to give us a blockbuster a week, The Bells Of St John achieves that as well as any story we've seen this series so far. We had a real blast with it, and suspect you will too. - Den of Geek

when is this new episode out? I quite enjoyed Snowmen, I like it when they use London as a backdrop, even more so than alien worlds strangely enough. I noticed that all my favourite episodes are set in London, or in recognizably English towns, even if the town is 500 years ago. its great. mind you my favourite book apart from LOTR is Neverwhere.

30th of March.
I grew to hate London based episodes during the Tennant run as there were far to many of them, to close together- anywhere in space and time, as long as its contempororay London or an alternative universe version of contemporary London.
But its been a long time since the Tenanat days so I don't mind at all going back there now.

Neverwhere- thats GAiman isnt it? If so you should like the upcoming Cybermen episode as he has written it- if the Doctor's Wife is anything to judge by we should be in for a treat.

yes its Gaiman, my favourite author. he has a new book out this Summer I think. I only saw part of the Doctors Wife so I cant comment on it really.

The BBC are currently runnning a radio play production of Neverwhere. The first 2 episodes are on the bbc iplayer.

And you must watch the Doctors Wife- contender for best episode of that series.

Doctors wife-

http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/putlocker.php?id=6E9C2C6EA789A1CD

You need to click on the close ad watch as free viewer button then just play- I didnt get any pop ups and stuff but you might if you dont have suitable ad blocking or whatever.

Hey give it a go Halfwise- then you can say you have seen a whole episode and properly join the human race.

or the Geekoverse

Same thing.

whats an iplayer?

The BBC iplayer is there online player for BBC programs. I think it is now available outside the UK too- but not sure how, not being outside the uk.

I rewatched the God Complex again- and you know what? I dont think the final room they end up in is Amy's- I think its the Doctors.
The room we are led to believe is his is the one he looks into, we dont see what he sees, but we do hear the TARDIS cloister bell- meaning severe distress. The Doctor remark, "of course".
What if that is the TARDIS's room- she does land onboard, she is sentient so maybe the the systems made her a room too.
And it makes more sense that the Doctors room would contain Amelia, before he ruined her life. The Doctors room is his guilt, represented by Amelia.
Several times in that scene we see it form the Doctors pointof view, with him seeing first young Amy then older Amy.
Amy acts no differently after that scene towards the Doctor than she does before, she shows no signs of having lost faith.
The Doctor however does act differently, he lets go of trying to fix what he did wrong with Amelia, he gives the Ponds a home to live in together and he lets them go.
So my conclusion is- its the Doctor's room.

I haven't given it that much thought, but I too thought that might be the doctor's room and the "of course" room a red herring, possibly Amy's room or something overly complicated Moffat-y thing.

3 Pond Tribute vids that I think between nicely covers their time on the show. Obviously contains severe spoilers for series 5 to present.

'The BBC have now confirmed the time of the series "7B" premiere of Doctor Who: The Bells of Saint John will be broadcast on BBC One at 6:15pm on the 30th March 2013.'- Gallifrey Base

They also released some pics to go with it-

Spoiler:

Doctor Who': BBC plays down Matt Smith Christmas departure reports

http://www.digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a467600/doctor-who-bbc-plays-down-matt-smith-christmas-departure-reports.html

Peter Jackson wants to direct 'Doctor Who': 'Pay me with a Dalek'

http://www.digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a467530/peter-jackson-wants-to-direct-doctor-who-pay-me-with-a-dalek.html

Can't wait for Petty's reaction.

A perfectly reasonable reaction to such news would be to swim to NZ and strangle PJ to death with the 4th Doctors scarf raher than let him also destroy Who - however fortunaetly this is an old rumour that comes up because PJ is a director and he likes Who.
However it had some weight when Pj was riding the wave of LotR's and could do no wrong- these days with TH and King Kong to his name I don't think so.
And I cant see any film at all happening whilst Moffat is in charge of Who unless he is heavily involved in it and if he is heavily invovled in it I cant see PJ getting away with touching the script- he cant tie Moffats shoe laces when it comes to scripting.
And a film would mean no series of Who that year- as I doubt Moffat could do a film, the series and Sherlock all at once.

i agree, PJ has nothing good to offer Who, not because he is a bad director, just that he has a different style that i don't think would suit Who.

Clip from a previous anniversary special as the 3rd Doctor encounters the 2nd- particuarly interesting for noticing which bits and pieces of previous Doctors Matt Smith so cunningly weaves into his own performance.

I think Terry Gilliam in the 80s could have made Who, and done a fantastic job. (not now though) he had the same quirky humour and flights of fantasy.

I was going to post that just to see how crabbit Petty would get.

PJ seems interested in filming a regular episode of the TV series though. I suspect Moffat is just being diplomatic when he says that they're open to anything, but I am a little curious how a PJ-filmed episode would go if he (and Philippa Boyens) had no input on the script.

A PJ version wouldn't be Dr. Who, but Dr What!?!