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Spoilers The Tsuranga Conundrum grade and discussion thread

How do you rate The Tsuranga Conundrum?


  • Total voters
    72
Rather meh, though I did enjoy the pregnant man. I wonder if this is similar to the pregnancy Captain Jack hinted at on Torchwood?
Not really since Yoss isn't human, rather he's Gifttan.

The monster was a bit too cute to be threatening.
But that was the whole point: He wasn't suppose to be threatening, just destructive and the results of his actions (i.e. consumption) were destructive.
 
I missed some of the dialog near the beginning, very difficult to understand some of it. Did they explain why the escape pods jettisoned?
 
7/10. It was ok. Some intense parts but some not so great filler. Jodi is still great as the Doctor but for the most part the companions took a back seat. A few inspirational moments by Ryan. But, meh, just not a lot there. The situation was a bit interesting. I wanted to like it more, but it fell a bit flat.

Some aspects of the show (CGI) looked cheap. The ship on the outside and the alien. It's OK, I love classic Who, so SFx aren't a big deal to me. I was just surprised.
 
Along the way there was an awful lot of life: a birth, with the reminder that these people may look human but are not, that one night stands are a reality universally, and lots of good stuff about parenting from Ryan, who is rethinking his relationship with his own father.

There was a death, and a 'good death' at that, the pilot having one last chance to do the thing that gave her meaning and joy, and to do it to save lives, even though it cost her own. I liked the ceremony at the end.

The nurse learned something about herself and her own abilities, the brother and sister had a chance to speak of their love for each other, and the doctor got to wax lyrical about antimatter.

Graham had less to do this week, which was not bad thing as he has been rather lime light stealing. Though I'm still waiting for Yaz to really come into her own and get an episode. Maybe next week.

That was an awful lot of significant life to fit into 50 minutes, even if none of it was earth shattering. Maybe that was the point: even in farthest flung space the basics of birth and death, food, companionship and love are what drives things along. And no speeches about chips needed.

I love your review. It makes me wish that I liked the episode more.
 
I love your review. It makes me wish that I liked the episode more.

Thank you. I found myself reflecting that I like Chibnall's concept of villain. We've had so many supervillains out to destroy the universe, kill all humanity and chew all the scenery in Nu Who. They're more like comic book or James Bond villains. There's only so many times you can save the universe (though Jack O'Neil would say it never gets old).

Chibnall's 'evil' is much more mundane. It's greedy, selfish, thoughtless, irresponsible, bigoted and a cheat in a very ordinary way. Almost as if he wants the audience to be able to relate to the enemy. To be able to get a sense of "yeah, I'm a bit like that" "the bloke I voted for is like that" "would I do any different?" It's restricted in the damage one person can do, but visibly destructive for the most ordinary of reasons. The Pting is greedy for more energy and disinterested in the fact that its greed will destroy the environment of other life forms. Robertson was unable to feel compassion for any life form not himself - whether that was a big ass spider, the gullible punters who stayed in his hotels or Kevin. Tim Shaw was a shallow cheat. Krasko was a racist bigot, soaked in his own inadequacy which is what breeds bigotry (I need to be better than others for something so it must be something I don't have to work at). Ilin had the resources to lift people out of poverty and degradation but was greedy and petty and just wanted his own way, not caring if others died along the way - that was their own fault.

They are ordinary faults, ordinary evils of the sort you might find in anyone you meet - or yourself if you look closely. I don't need to be shown that a time lord or a supervillain can do evil. I might need reminding how close to it I am.

And maybe that's a little uncomfortable and a reason to complain the villains aren't big enough.
 
This is maybe one of the weakest of Doctor Who seasons ever. When is it going to get good??
 
This is maybe one of the weakest of Doctor Who seasons ever. When is it going to get good??
Unfortunately, I have to agree. I have no problem accepting a woman as the Doctor, but five episodes in, there's still nothing concrete to distinguish Whittaker's from the previous Doctors. I liked watching the interplay of Tennant's and Smith's Doctors in the 50th anniversary special, but if they were to do a Three Doctors with them and Whittaker, I honestly don't see her standing out as different, other than in gender. And it's not because she's a woman. Looking back, I find Eccleston's episodes to be mostly forgettable and Capaldi's completely forgettable. Tennant and Smith each had their share of bad episodes, but they were enjoyable on balance.

Chibnall said this season will be shorter because they wanted fewer but higher quality scripts. Halfway through the season, I'm still disappointed. Maybe they should have gone the other way with more episodes. Throw a lot more against the wall and there might be a chance that some may stick.
 
It was ok. Looks great, especially some of the computer screens and the like, but the story, like the others before it, they aren't reaching me. Maybe I'm outside the demographic now.
 
I think its slightly unreasonable to expect anything as good as the first, fourth, or fifth series, all of which are the consistent candidates for best NuWho series. I like this series and appreciate greatly the different tone and look, but at the same time, I kinda am appreciating series 10 more as a result. Does that make sense?
 
This is maybe one of the weakest of Doctor Who seasons ever. When is it going to get good??

I think it's missing that energy and flair. Past nuWho was full of epic speeches from the Doctor, or high stakes that put you on the edge of your seat, or last minute saves by the Doctor that had you jumping out of your chair with excitement or emotional farewell scenes. This series is much more down to earth. There is nothing really memorable or epic. No big speeches from the Doctor. No emotional roller coaster.
 
I gave this one a 7. A bit of a step down from last week, but I still quite liked a lot of it.

I really enjoyed Graham and Ryan helping the pregnant guy. I'm also still loving Whittaker as The Doctor.

Next weeks episode looks quite interesting though - meeting Ryan's Nan when she was younger in 1947 was it? :)
 
I think it's missing that energy and flair. Past nuWho was full of epic speeches from the Doctor, or high stakes that put you on the edge of your seat, or last minute saves by the Doctor that had you jumping out of your chair with excitement or emotional farewell scenes. This series is much more down to earth. There is nothing really memorable or epic. No big speeches from the Doctor. No emotional roller coaster.

Not every episode was like that. For every "Angels Take Manhattan" there's a "Asylum of the Daleks". For every Rose episode there's a Clara one. For every Marth or Donna episode there's a Clara one. For every Pond episode there's a Clara one. For every Bill episode, well you get the picture.
 
Not every episode was like that. For every "Angels Take Manhattan" there's a "Asylum of the Daleks". For every Rose episode there's a Clara one. For every Martha or Donna episode there's a Clara one. For every Pond episode there's a Clara one. For every Bill episode, well you get the picture.

I'm getting the impression you did not like Clara very much. And I actually liked Asylum of the Daleks. ;)

But yeah, I agree with the general premise of your reply, that not every episode is going to be top tier. And I am willing to give this new series a fair shot. After all, we are only a few eps in. I am just giving you my first impressions so far. I like the new series but it has not wowed me yet. I hope Jodie does get her "zygon speech" moment. And, I hope we do get eps as great as "A Girl in the Fireplace", "A Good Man Goes to War", "Heaven Sent" or "Blink" just to name a few.
 
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