6.5X011 The God Complex (Grading/Discussion) (SPOILERS!)

[Sci]

Arab? Uh...she clearly stated she was BRITISH. I could've guessed that anyway what with the British accent and the drinking of TEA in crisis.

I assume he meant of Arab descent. She's not, but you can criticize the statement on those grounds without having to obscure what was obviously meant at least in the aspect of ethnicity not citizenship.

One of the things I liked about that scene was that Rita bragged about being British and carrying on the proud British tradition of drinking tea in times of crisis in the same breath that she talked about being a Muslim.

But, yeah, it's kinda silly to assume she's an Arab Briton just because she happens to be Muslim and have dark skin. Given her appearance and her father's accent, Rita is clearly a Briton of South Asian descent, not Arab descent.

 

[Stevil2001]

Arab? Uh...she clearly stated she was BRITISH. I could've guessed that anyway what with the British accent and the drinking of TEA in crisis.

I assume he meant of Arab descent. She's not, but you can criticize the statement on those grounds without having to obscure what was obviously meant at least in the aspect of ethnicity not citizenship.

One of the things I liked about that scene was that Rita bragged about being British and carrying on the proud British tradition of drinking tea in times of crisis in the same breath that she talked about being a Muslim.

I liked that bit too. It's the same kind of stuff Paul Cornell likes to do in his writing, such as when the recipient of Excalibur in Captain Britain and MI13 is a Muslim doctor of Arab descent.

But, yeah, it's kinda silly to assume she's an Arab Briton just because she happens to be Muslim and have dark skin. Given her appearance and her father's accent, Rita is clearly a Briton of South Asian descent, not Arab descent.

Cheers, thanks. I misremembered.

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

Regarding the fish: I think it was used to both illustrate the Doctor's love of all forms of life and the coward-alein's disregard for others. Also, perhaps a bit of humor.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

You can count me in the "didn't notice" category. I don't remember The Doctor telling Amy to get the fish (but I'm willing to take your word for it), but I do remember Gibbis eating them. I doubt it was suppose to mean anything. *shrug*

I also wondered why the whole fish thing was about - the only thing that I can think was to further establish Gibbis as being self-centred, opportunistic, cowardly, and untrustworthy. As someone mentioned in Confidential, one might almost judge him as the real villain of the piece even though he's not responsible for their predicament.

 

[Bacl]

You're being pretty hard on him for just eating a goldfish. If eating a goldfish establishes you as untrustworthy and not caring about others...what does that make me that I had sushi for lunch? And I'm having cow for dinner.

Actually, I felt that scene was doing the opposite: it was showing us that creatures eat each other. The minotaur was not a bad guy either. Gibbis pulled the goldfish from the apple bowl the same way the Doctor pulled an apple. In a way the minotaur was eating each "cooked" person in a similar way. The Doctor had to stop it, but the minotaur was given sympathy and forgiveness. He was a prisoner too.

I thought Gibbis was given a lot of sympathy in this. The Doctor tells him that being "a coward" isn't a bad thing. The Doctor said he was impressed with the slyness and cunning and that it is what allowed his race to survive for so long.

Gibbis was not a bad guy for being a coward, or for eating the fish. He made a very wrong decision in untying (Name?). He even knew it was wrong to do, that's why he should have known better.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The Doctor's speech about being impressed by his slyness and cunning was the most vicious condemnation I've seen in a long time. He certainly wasn't praising him.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Maybe I just don't like David Walliams.

 

[Starkers]

The Doctor's speech about being impressed by his slyness and cunning was the most vicious condemnation I've seen in a long time. He certainly wasn't praising him.

Yeah you could see in Smith's eyes exactly what he thought of him, and Walliams did a good job with his reactions as well.

 

[Trubinator]

I liked this episode a lot! The notion that the ending somehow feels disjointed or doesn't fit makes no sense to me. Was it sappy? Yeah, kinda. Does that mean it wasn't enjoyable? Hell no!

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Arab? Uh...she clearly stated she was BRITISH. I could've guessed that anyway what with the British accent and the drinking of TEA in crisis.

I assume he meant of Arab descent. She's not, but you can criticize the statement on those grounds without having to obscure what was obviously meant at least in the aspect of ethnicity not citizenship.

One of the things I liked about that scene was that Rita bragged about being British and carrying on the proud British tradition of drinking tea in times of crisis in the same breath that she talked about being a Muslim.

But, yeah, it's kinda silly to assume she's an Arab Briton just because she happens to be Muslim and have dark skin. Given her appearance and her father's accent, Rita is clearly a Briton of South Asian descent, not Arab descent.

White people are notoriously bad at differentiating between the various types of southwest Asians. Eric Avari's entire career is predicated upon this principle.

I rewatched this yesterday, and am now really annoyed at myself that I voted "atlantis". On repeat viewing this episode gives so much more, I'd give it 5 stars easily. Not quite Doctors Wife material (the standard by which all other shall be judged from now on, apart perhaps from "Blink") but still easily up there with the best the new series has produced. If you had problems with it the first time round, if possible, give it another go, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

For some reason I'm finding that a lot this season in particular. Even The Doctors Wife... whilst I enjoyed it the first time round, subsequent viewings bring much greater enjoyment. Also like The Doctors wife, when it came for The Doctor to say goodbye to Idris I was in tears, and on second viewing of The God Complex with the goodbye to Amy I was also in tears when he was standing alone in the TARDIS again.

I suspect that will be the case with this season for me too. It was certainly the case with Season 5. I gave much of it a solid "meh" on 1st watching but DVD reviewings have made it probably my favorite season of the show ever.

 

[timothy]

great episode this week. now is "twoRS" the season finale?

 

[Sindatur]

Timothy, yes, this week's episode is the Series 6 Finale. Then the Christmas Special, and then we wait (who knows how long) for details on exactly when and how many episodes for the first chunk of Series 7.

BTW, some people consider episode titles spoilers, so you may want to edit your post to show just the initials, something like, TWoRS.

 

[timothy]

Thanks for that.

well looks like I'll be going through withdrawls agin for missing one of the best sci fi shows of all time.
^^
will the christmass episode be on christmass or before?

 

[The Wormhole]

BTW, some people consider episode titles spoilers, so you may want to edit your post to show just the initials, something like, TWoRS.

Episode titles are not spoilers. If we start behaving that way, how long before we're not allowed to say Episode 4x3 because Holy shit! I've revealed season four has a third episode. Now the first two episodes are ruined because we know there's going to be a third.

 

[PorthosShadow]

BTW, some people consider episode titles spoilers, so you may want to edit your post to show just the initials, something like, TWoRS.

Episode titles are not spoilers. If we start behaving that way, how long before we're not allowed to say Episode 4x3 because Holy shit! I've revealed season four has a third episode. Now the first two episodes are ruined because we know there's going to be a third.

I remember an American viewer who complained that the very mention that The Daleks would be in series 4 was a spoiler. He was really mad about it. I mean no one mentioned any other details related to their appearance save for that fact that they would appear at some point.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Titles are sometimes misleading (The Doctor's Wife being an example). I think there's a distinction between teasers and spoilers. If it's something released by the producers to wet your appetite, that's not a big deal. However, things that (literally) reveal future plot details are. I personally think that includes cast signings if it'll reveal plot details. But episode titles are not a big deal and the restrictions otherwise would be absurd.

 

[PorthosShadow]

Titles are sometimes misleading (The Doctor's Wife being an example). I think there's a distinction between teasers and spoilers. If it's something released by the producers to wet your appetite, that's not a big deal. However, things that (literally) reveal future plot details are. I personally think that includes cast signings if it'll reveal plot details. But episode titles are not a big deal and the restrictions otherwise would be absurd.

Some people need to wake up and realize that when it comes to spoilers message boards are a mine field. If you don't want to step on one just avoid it all together.

 

[Sindatur]

Titles are sometimes misleading (The Doctor's Wife being an example). I think there's a distinction between teasers and spoilers. If it's something released by the producers to wet your appetite, that's not a big deal. However, things that (literally) reveal future plot details are. I personally think that includes cast signings if it'll reveal plot details. But episode titles are not a big deal and the restrictions otherwise would be absurd.

^This is precisely my view of Spoilers. Some folks won't even watch the next week's preview.

I only meant to say, because of some people's sensitivity, current things shouldn't be talked about in two episode ago threads (Individual or spoiler threads, sure. And I also recognize, the S32x13 Official Thread has the Episode title)\

But, Remember Australia is almost a week behind us, right, and I believe we have at least 3 Australians? Sorry, I just try to err on the side of over-protective

If I had them, my daughters would hate me, they wouldn't get the key to their chastity belt, until 5 years into their marriage.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Titles are sometimes misleading (The Doctor's Wife being an example). I think there's a distinction between teasers and spoilers. If it's something released by the producers to wet your appetite, that's not a big deal. However, things that (literally) reveal future plot details are. I personally think that includes cast signings if it'll reveal plot details. But episode titles are not a big deal and the restrictions otherwise would be absurd.

Some people need to wake up and realize that when it comes to spoilers message boards are a mine field. If you don't want to step on one just avoid it all together.

On the other hand, doesn't mean people can't try to be courteous.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

3 Australians is like......1% of their population, right?