7x06 The Bells of St John - review/ discussion

Discussion in 'Doctor Who' started by 3chordboy, Mar 30, 2013.

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How do you rate 7x06 "The Bells of St John"?

Poll closed Apr 9, 2013.
  1. Poor

    2 vote(s)
    1.4%
  2. Okay

    17 vote(s)
    12.2%
  3. Good

    21 vote(s)
    15.1%
  4. Great

    39 vote(s)
    28.1%
  5. Outstanding

    42 vote(s)
    30.2%
  6. Geronimo!!

    18 vote(s)
    12.9%
  1. Gepard

    Gepard Vice Admiral Admiral

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    It looks like an aesthetic decision. All digital footage for TV or film is color graded after it's shot, so when you're watching professional material, the 'look' is never going to appear how the cameras captured it. In this new season, the blacks are crushed, colors muted in outdoors shots, and the whole thing has a slight blue tint to it. It's definitely intentional, and I personally thought it looked pretty good, very cinematic.

    I'm not British, but here's caps from the original feed:

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    (Check out that woman's coat on the left; there's no detail in it at all. They've definitely crushed the darks way down.)

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    The color palette appears to get less saturated and colder as the episode goes on, which I hadn't noticed before. Maybe to enhance a sense of a looming threat?
     
  2. Mr. Adventure

    Mr. Adventure Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Assuming Matt's hair color hasn't changed it looked awfully dark in some scenes as well. I don't think the episode looked bad but it did seem to look a bit different. Lots of outdoor shooting in this one as well.
     
  3. Gepard

    Gepard Vice Admiral Admiral

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    They're experimenting stylistically, I imagine. The Internet visualizations and the ripped-from-Sherlock floating text suggest they're trying to branch out visually. Which I wholeheartedly approve of; you don't want your show getting stale. Now if only we could get Moffat to stop using the same four or five tropes over and over and over again...
     
  4. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    I enjoyed it. Clara really came off better in this ep than previously IMO. She was annoying in the Dalek episode so I was pleasantly surprised. It did sort of feel like an RTD era ep in some ways, but I'm okay with that. Plus, it's an introduction\jumping on point episode, so I wasn't expecting anything heavy.

    I did get a little kick out of the nod towards Amy though. (That first creepy little girl robot was based on a character from a book by Amelia Williams)
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2013
  5. Cutter John

    Cutter John Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    * I got the resemblance to RTD's style as well. It felt strangely nostalgic.

    * I liked the tweek to the opening theme. Nicely done.

    * I like the refernce to the "girl in the shop", though it was rather a throwaway line. Blink and you might miss it. ;)

    * Ohhh, lovign the Tardis interior more and more. The lower level, and the quick glimpse of corridor.

    * Clara is just adorable and I love her dearly. Not quite sure I saw the point of the whole "Come back tomorrow" thing.

    * All I can figure is that the Doctor is through picking up random women. However, he can't resist a mystery, so...

    * Matt's become a lot less manic and annoying, and has become downright charming. About damn time.

    I gave it an "Outstanding"
     
  6. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Thought it was really good. My only complaint was that this Clara just seemed a little too.... normal. She seemed to be lacking much of the fire and spirit that the previous versions had, and reminded me a little too much of every other modern DW companion we've had.

    There was something really fresh and unique about the Victorian girl and the starship genius that I think would have been much more interesting to continue.
     
  7. Samurai8472

    Samurai8472 Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2007

    It's a nod to the Doctor jumping ahead to tomorrow morning for breakfast.

    He'll skip the night but she'll be bright and ready. All of this will happen in a matter of seconds.
     
  8. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    Nah, she felt more believable instead of them trying to out Amy Amy. The cocky, wisecracking thing has been done to death with Amy, River and compounded with Melody and Clara. It's been done enough and it screams "TV show character". Seriously, how many people do you know like that in real life? You'd be doing good to know just one. I don't care how cocky or full of themselves someone is, walking into a machine that's larger on the inside, can travel anywhere through time\space and is owned by a thousand year old alien....yeah, that'll humble you up and close your mouth real quick.

    Unless you're a Victorian, then you'd probably be balled up in a corner in pants shitting fear. And that's before you met the lizard lady and the large headed demon. So the idea of getting back to a more believable companion is refreshing. Especially since one of the roles of the companion is to bring a fresh sense of wonder to the show. The companion comes in new, amazed at it all, while the Doctor and the audience get to smile because we know what it's all about.
     
  9. Newspaper Taxi

    Newspaper Taxi Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2004
    Location:
    Newspaper Taxi
    This was pretty much everything I tune into Doctor Who for. Although on the surface the souls getting sucked through Wi-fi was kinda goofy, lots of people have speculated about the potential to upload human minds into robot bodies and so forth. It's just that they were doing this suddenly, without the person's consent, and then also able to edit the person like a computer file. That was a fun concept.

    I really didn't see anything special about Clara3, though. She wasn't full of unusual spunk, wasn't any more or less witty than other companions, and was just sort of there. I would much rather have Clara2 as the main personality. Maybe that could tie into her character growth or something, but as is I think they took the 'average girl' thing a little too far.

    I'm guessing at this point that The Great Intelligence is the big bad guy for this half season. Or at least they're setting it up to be in the general rotation of re-occuring villians.

    Next week's episode looks visually beautiful. Can't wait. And speaking of visually beautiful, I just love the new TARDIS interrior. The coral theme was great and all but it's really refreshing to have something different.
     
  10. Enterprise is Great

    Enterprise is Great Vice Admiral Admiral

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    She's better at everything. Oooops. Wrong franchise.

    The episode was enjoyable but nothing special. Jenna-Louise Coleman can't be anymore adorable for sure.
     
  11. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    San Jose, CA
    I liked this episode, but I missed the twitter line. What did she say?

    I'm going to really like Coleman in this role. In the three episodes I've seen with her, I've really loved what she brings and I can't wait to see how this plays out.
     
  12. Klaus

    Klaus Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Beach condo, Bay of Eldamar
    :lol:
     
  13. Mr. Adventure

    Mr. Adventure Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    As an American I found it kind of tough to make out at first, it's said a lot quicker than we usually do almost a "twittuh" where we have a more drawn out "twi-terr".
     
  14. Klaus

    Klaus Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I did some freeze-frame inspection and I don't think so...
     
  15. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    In the lap of squalor I assure you.
    How is a woman in her early 20s not computer savvy?

    The only possible answer is a hashpipe.
     
  16. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Ok, that is funny. :guffaw:
     
  17. Cutter John

    Cutter John Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    At least they didn't have the restored people come magically back to life like in the black cube episode. Most of them are dead now.
     
  18. Klaus

    Klaus Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Usually I like that about the show, but the cubes were a serious abuse of that kind of reset button, to be sure...
     
  19. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    Gov Kodos on Mohammed's Radio, WZVN Boston
    Not in Boston...
     
  20. Australis

    Australis Writer - Australis Admiral

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    Not the greatest, not even great, but pretty good, quite enjoyable.