7X02 Dinosaurs On A Spaceship (Grading/Discussion) (SPOILERS!)

Hmm. I don't usually have a problem with silly romps on this show, but this is one of those (like Victory of the Daleks) that just got way TOO silly and ridiculous for my taste.

The triceratops playing fetch, the wacky robots, the cheesy game hunter, Nefertiti running around with a gun, the random jumping around from place to place....

It was just too much, and felt way TOO random and inconsequential to me (at least when Moffat does it, you get a sense that there are some real stakes involved).

The only elements that came close to working were Rory's dad and the Solomon character, but the story flew by so fast it was hard to really appreciate any of it.

 

One thing I really liked about this episode was how the Doctor went and picked up other folks before stopping to get Amy and Rory. It shows that Amy and Rory are not at the center of the Doctor's universe, unlike how companions seemed to be during the Davies era. I don't mean that as a criticism of RTD, since I enjoyed his seasons, I just prefer things the way they are now. Of course, Eleven seemed to travel pretty exclusively with the Ponds in Seasons Five and Six, and I'm sure he'll seem to do so with Clara as well, but it's nice to show him actively inviting along other companions he's met across time and space from time to time.

Oh, and I probably laughed harder than I should have at the "Brian Pond, you are a genius!" "I'm not a Pond..." "Of course you are!" exchange.

 

Quite a bit of fun that. Thats why I love this show. I can be moved to tears one week, and the feel as happy as a small child the next. I have to say, this season so far is turning out to be Matts best yet. He finally feels like The Doctor.


* The poor Silurians. Getting dicked over by those hairless apes AGAIN.

* I've seen much discussion about the Doctor killing Solomon over on OG. But I'm reminded of Tens quotes from School Reunion:

The Doctor: "If I don't like your plan, it will end."

Mr. Finch: "Fascinating. Your people were peaceful to the point of indolence. You seem to be something new. Would you declare war on us, Doctor?"

The Doctor: "I'm so old now. I used to have so much mercy. You get one warning. That was it."

* After the crap Solomon pulled, simply turning him over to the authorities wouldn't have been anywhere near an apropriate punishment.

And as far as actually killing his enemies, neither Ten nor Eleven can hold a candle to Six.

* The robots were very Douglas Adams

* Dear Mr Moffat. More Brian Williams please.

Not sure what episode you're referring to, but I'm guessing the Tardis didn't have its shields up, or it was in the vortex at the time.
Keep in mind we've also seen the ships forcefield barrier in both The Parting of the Ways, and The Beast Below.

 

I think that's to go with the Dino theme for the week.

 

In "Planet of the Giants" the doors opened while they were materializing and it shrunk them all to 1" in in height. I guess that's a different thing then just opening the doors in space. Though I recall somehow the doors opening in space and that was a bad thing, oh well, maybe I'm wrong, I just took it from this episode that opening the doors while in transit was a very bad thing.

Anyway, I can buy the upgrade idea, lots of devices have upgraded the TARDIS's abilities I guess, like Captain Jack's surfboard DJ mixer thingy heh.

 

Maybe he was busy spending all of that Strangerers money?

 

It's funny, that, though. Considering that, unlike many other Who companions, they're family! They're his mother and father-in-law.

 

i really loved this episode... it had everything really, fun, character growth, randomness and amusing characters...

fantastic all around

M

 

And next week, she'll have forgotten how to use a gun... lol

 

Basically, the story was awesome. I honestly don't think thing show could have had more sexual innuendos in it if Jack Harkness himself had been there. I mean, here are just a few beauties...

"Do you have any plant matter on you?" "Just my balls."

"You need a man with a big gun."

Anyways, I think every comment about Doctor Who being written by sexists pigs should be ignored. This week supported not just one, but TWO kick ass female leads who took crap from NO ONE. Two for you, Amy and Nefertiti... You go girls...

Also I'd like to comment on Rory and his dad... Lovely bonding moments, throughout the episode. But I believe that the soul purpose of Rory's dad was to show how much of a casual BAMF his entire family is... The man sat at the edge of the TARDIS and drank tea ABOVE EARTH IN SPACE... just awesome

Also, did anyone else really really want a, "Doctor you can't keep the triceratops!""I let you keep Rory!" moment between The Doctor and Amy? lol

M

 

15th century France on a spaceship, is still weirder than Dinosaurs on a spaceship.

 

Almost 42 and loved this episode to bits, absolute fantastic romp from start to finish, and I'm still grinning from ear to ear.

"We do not have tantrums!"

And re the Doctor killing Solomon, well firstly it was more of a Batman/Ra's "I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you." and secondly as has been said, Six was way more vicious. Take the killing of Shockeye as just one example.

 

This is the kind of story that only Doctor Who can tell. I thought it was fantastic.

 

Well I'm 23 and thought they were fucking embarrassing.

Yes.

This had the same atmosphere as an episode of Scooby Doo; it made Red Dwarf look like serious, po-faced hard sci-fi in comparison. The Doctor's ADHD 7 year old who's had too much Robinsons act was more heightened than ever. Rory's dad make a joke about balls, and Samey Pond had an inevitable trite "Och aye, ahm worth ten men ahm so sassy, hoots mon" line. Chibnall's trying to be like Moffat trying to be like RTD. And to think some people want this contemptible hack as showrunner.

The plot was stupid to the point of retardation. The engine right, waves? How does that work? Has Chinball never heard tidal power's generated by tides which are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon? You don't just put a load of water in a fake beach and it magically generates energy. It can't be caused by the ship's own mass-derived gravity, otherwise we could use tidal energy to start piloting planet Earth around. What was the resolution, they needed two related people to pilot with the two magic chairs so the Indian army would shoot the other thing instead? Handy that Rory's dad accidentally came along. Jesus wept.

The villain was the only redeeming thing, a well-acted and interesting character who belonged in a story that couldn't have been written by a toddler. And of course, the Doctor murdered him. Never cowardly or cruel eh.

 

23 and already middle aged....

 

Are you talking about me and not the show again? You can't help yourself can you.

 

Ok. I'm going to ask you. What would be your perfect Dr Who story? Story, script, characters etc. What do you want from Doctor Who?

 

So the question is, do we now add Nefertiti and Rory's dad to the official list of the Doctors companions?

There's some fanfic I'd love to see.

 

Epic episode! The plot was so fast-paced at times it was hard to figure out where things were going at first but the dinosaurs were so fun it didn't matter. Loved the humor and Amy going badass on the dinos.

 

I suspect that's more down to the question which must never be answered "Doctor Who?"