Spoilers The Eaters of Light (Grade & Discussion Thread)

[kirk55555]

I'm sorry, I need to jump in here.

What I find bloody ironic about your posts on the Picts, kirk55555, is that Doctor Who was originally conceived as an educational program, yet when the program tries to educate you about something you didn't know about -- the indigenous peoples of Britain -- you use your own ignorance as an opportunity to dump all over the show. I could characterize your posts as, "I know nothing about the Picts, I think the very idea of Picts is stupid, and because I know nothing about the Picts and I think they're stupid the Picts are an illegitimate topic for Doctor Who to use and explore." I don't know about you, but I find that kind of attitude close-minded in the extreme. It makes me wonder if you've missed the point of Doctor Who entirely.

I'm sure the Picts were just fine. I'm also sure that most Picts weren't a bunch of doofus young adults that acted like they were coming from an audition for Scottish Hunger Games. I mean, yeah, the Picts are a really lame thing to put on Doctor Who. All of time and space, and its a group that's own wikipedia page really wants readers to know wasn't all that unique. They're a legitimate topic, but basically everything is. There are hundreds if not thousands of more interesting things Doctor Who could do. But, even if I think they're boring and a waste of time on Doctor Who, I only feel real animosity toward the morons called Picts in this episode.

Otherwise the Picts seem to be a bland, boring group. If they were written better I'd still question why they were there, but I wouldn't hate them. I'm not going to lie though, between this episode and some of the bizarrely defensive posts about them I've gone from not knowing about them to being neutral to disliking the Picts somewhat. Still, I don't want to argue. The Picts certainly aren't worth the effort even if I felt like expending the energy. The portrayal of the group in the episode was terrible, and I personally hope to never hear the name outside of a possible future rewatch of the episode. I now intend to never give any thought to the group outside of their appearance as irritating scottish young adults on a mediocre episode of Doctor Who.

 

[starsuperion]

Why did I get an Ashildr vibe from the keeper of the gate? It had a very similar plot. Monsters from the beyond. Small group of survivors and the Doctor with a plan.. (didn't we see that episode already?)

 

[cultcross]

Sure there might be many ancient people out there that could be used in a story, but as a British TV show doesn' it make sense that they might use a people that the average Brit might have heard of? Just as a TV show in any country might use an ancient people familiar to its citizens.

Not only that, but a British time travel show with a Scottish lead. Ancient Scotland was kind of an obvious choice

 

[Mr Awe]

I really enjoyed this episode. Solid story that was entertaining. Good characterization. Not a classic but very solid and enjoyable to watch.

At the beginning of the episode, the crows are saying "Doctor." After the events of the story occur, they say "Kar." Is there any meaning behind that change?

 

[captainkirk]

Monsters from the beyond. Small group of survivors and the Doctor with a plan.. (didn't we see that episode already?)

Only in almost every episode since 1963.

 

[Timofnine]

This is the only episode ever of Doctor Who that I have not found time to watch either on the night or on catch up... I'm rapidly losing interest in the series and it's got to the point where I can not be bothered to watch a brand new episode! I will definitely not be missing Sim though!!!

 

[MacLeod]

I really enjoyed this episode. Solid story that was entertaining. Good characterization. Not a classic but very solid and enjoyable to watch.

At the beginning of the episode, the crows are saying "Doctor." After the events of the story occur, they say "Kar." Is there any meaning behind that change?

Yes, it's explained in the episode. Kar was the name of the Pict gatekeeper. They are remembering her.

Not only that, but a British time travel show with a Scottish lead. Ancient Scotland was kind of an obvious choice

Well they did visit Scotland last time they had a Scottish lead as the Doctor, though that was not quite as far back being taking place in Victorian times.

 

[Mr Soak]

At the beginning of the episode, the crows are saying "Doctor." After the events of the story occur, they say "Kar." Is there any meaning behind that change?

Yes, it's explained in the episode. Kar was the name of the Pict gatekeeper. They are remembering her.

At the beginning, the Doctor explains that humans and crows used to converse, but not now, because crows are snubbing us. At the end, Nardole remarks, "oh, not snubbing. Remembering."

 

[Pindar]

That said, I'd still question how many people in the UK know about the Picts, because even learning it in school (assuming every single person who went to school in the UK did learn about the Picts) doesn't mean they'd remember it.

Anyway, who cares? My point is that they were obscure (they are)

Celts, Picts, Scots, Caledonians, Brittons, Angles, Saxons, all make up what is now modern Britain.

We are all taught about them in school and they definitely are not obscure even if you haven't heard of them.

I thought this was fairly average, probably the low point for me this season so far.

I still love the interaction between the Tardis team though, I think 3 is a beter dynamic than just the doctor and 1 companion.

 

[Timofnine]

I'm a primary school teacher and we teach about ancient tribes from around the current UK, including the Pics and Celts etc. We have just done a project on Boudicca of the Iceni tribe involving the Romans for example.

 

[cultcross]

At the beginning, the Doctor explains that humans and crows used to converse, but not now, because crows are snubbing us. At the end, Nardole remarks, "oh, not snubbing. Remembering."

Yeah... they took that joke too far.

 

[Mr Awe]

Yes, it's explained in the episode. Kar was the name of the Pict gatekeeper. They are remembering her.

Yes, yes, of course, I got that. My question was why the change from Doctor to Kar. Sure, they are remembering Kar. However, does the change in the crows imply that the timeline changed. Originally they were remembering the Doctor but after the events of the story they remembered Kar instead. Implies a changing of the timeline.

At the beginning, the Doctor explains that humans and crows used to converse, but not now, because crows are snubbing us. At the end, Nardole remarks, "oh, not snubbing. Remembering."

I got that but see above. Did the timeline change? Seems to imply that it did.

 

[Romulan_spy]

I think it is extremely risky for the Doctor to let Missy do maintenance on the TARDIS. I know she says that she is locked out of the command console but still, this the Master we are talking about. If anyone could find a way to bypass the lock out and do something dastardly to the TARDIS, it would be the Missy/Master!

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Celts, Picts, Scots, Caledonians, Brittons, Angles, Saxons, all make up what is now modern Britain.

You forgot the Danish & Norse Vikings, not to mention some Romans.

My ancestors were Danish Vikings who came to northern Britain in the 7th century....and never left (until the mid-17th century, when they came to North America).

 

[UncleRogi]

I think it is extremely risky for the Doctor to let Missy do maintenance on the TARDIS. I know she says that she is locked out of the command console but still, this the Master we are talking about. If anyone could find a way to bypass the lock out and do something dastardly to the TARDIS, it would be the Missy/Master!

I've been thinking the same thing! And I'm pretty sure this very thing is going to lead to whatever the
Missy/Master problem will be...

 

[Tom]

What is Missy really is not the Master! Maybe another Time Lord (Rani?) pretending to be the Master for some reason. What a shock that would be. Simms is still the current Master. I doubt this will happen at all but it would be a twist for sure.

 

[Romulan_spy]

What is Missy really is not the Master! Maybe another Time Lord (Rani?) pretending to be the Master for some reason. What a shock that would be. Simms is still the current Master. I doubt this will happen at all but it would be a twist for sure.

It would be a big twist for sure. But I wonder what the reason would be to pretend to be the Master?

 

[UncleRogi]

Celts, Picts, Scots, Caledonians, Brittons, Angles, Saxons, all make up what is now modern Britain.

We are all taught about them in school and they definitely are not obscure even if you haven't heard of them.

I thought this was fairly average, probably the low point for me this sea
I still love the interaction between the Tardis team though, I think 3 is a beter dynamic than just the doctor and 1 companion.

I believe the Picts were said (by Romans) to fight naked! Now THAT is dedication!

Also, they painted themselves blue, using something called woad, whatever that might be.

 

[Saul]

This was a boring episode and I found it hard to pay attention to it.
Finally, next week looks interesting.

 

[MacLeod]

What is Missy really is not the Master! Maybe another Time Lord (Rani?) pretending to be the Master for some reason. What a shock that would be. Simms is still the current Master. I doubt this will happen at all but it would be a twist for sure.

Previous stories seem to indicate that Time Lords can sense who other Time Lords are despite regenerations.