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

[davejames]

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.

 

[Skywalker]

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.

 

[Cutter John]

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.

However, in the very first season of Doctor Who there was whole episode based around the fact that the doors opened while in transit, and all heck broke lose on the TARDIS, heh. They've certainly retconned, or changed the fact that the doors can be open in space now, cause it wasn't like that in the classic series.

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.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

/edit - only 1 minor complaints, I still think the Intro is too dark, on my TV it looks very "green" or something, the color is off and dark

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

 

[Brent]

However, in the very first season of Doctor Who there was whole episode based around the fact that the doors opened while in transit, and all heck broke lose on the TARDIS, heh. They've certainly retconned, or changed the fact that the doors can be open in space now, cause it wasn't like that in the classic series.

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.

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.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Was Rory's dad Brian in the Red Dwarf Episode Pete 1 or Pete II?

I'm only asking because by that point they had joined up with the secret prison.

He was Olaf Petersen, Lister's best mate from the first episode & Stasis Leak.

He was the obvious missing member (aside from Todd Hunter) in S8.

KOCHANSKI
The nano's must have resurrected *them* along with the ship.

LISTER
This is Chen.
He works in the kitchen and he's always drunk, and this is Selby - and
he's always drunk too! Where's Peterson?

CHEN
He couldn't make it. He's drunk!

KRYTEN
The crew are all alive, sir! This is great news! Wonderful, marvelous,
incredible news! All that extra ironing! Bliss!

Maybe he was busy spending all of that Strangerers money?

 

[I am not Spock]

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.

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

 

[Methos]

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

fantastic all around

M

 

[intrinsical]

Aside from that quibble, I really enjoyed this episode. Sure I was rolling my eyes at some of the more sillier aspects, but all in all it was really fun. I mean how cool was it watching Amy fending off Dinosaurs on a spaceship with a futuristic tranq gun!

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

 

[Methos]

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

 

[Guy Gardener]

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

 

[Starkers]

I'm 43 and loved the robots...

I'm 42 and a half and I also loved them.

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.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

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

 

[Ghost Bones]

I'm 43 and loved the robots...

I'm 42 and a half and I also loved them.

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

"That is one big pile of shit."

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.

 

[Starkers]

23 and already middle aged....

 

[Ghost Bones]

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

 

[Sparky]

I'm 43 and loved the robots...

I'm 42 and a half and I also loved them.

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

"That is one big pile of shit."

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.

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?

 

[Cutter John]

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.

 

[Trubinator]

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.

 

[MacLeod]

Certainly, Nefertiti was needed to advance the plot. Riddell seemed like he didn't quite add everything he could have, but he was alright.

Yeah at the end, they'd need to do something to provoke the endgame. I thought he was going after the TARDIS initially when he was speaking of the unique treasure onboard.

I wonder how the hell that database thing works anyway. It's pretty amazing if it can identify anything through the entirety of time and space.

It didn't recognize a Timelord or Gallifreyan so it doesn't know everything.

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