Best Who episode I've seen in a long while. The only thing I didn't like is that it was too suspenseful for me, and I was afraid at times I shouldn't have been (like in the barn), and that ruined the scene for me. But I will have to watch it again. 
8X04 "Listen" Grading/Discussion)(SPOILERS!
- Thread starter Samurai8472
- Start date
I would agree, I just watched the first 4 episodes for the first time tonight, and this was the first episode were I felt Capaldi was The Doctor.
Really, am I the only one who thought that the Doctor felt a bit off in this episode. In the fast two episodes he was so scathing and bitter while this episode could have easily worked for Smith or Tennant. Maybe that's what you meant but it felt a bit off to me.
No help here Kibbin as he seemed quite Doctorish to me with all his little quirks and mannerism. I love how he has no qualms about expecting a companion to just drop everything and run away with him because he needs an assistant.
Anyway, I quite enjoyed that. Very sweet episode that really sold me on Clara as a loveable person.
Still seems odd that Gallifrey has barns and hey bales though.
In the end, my only question is, what brought all this on to begin with?
Anyway, I quite enjoyed that. Very sweet episode that really sold me on Clara as a loveable person.
Still seems odd that Gallifrey has barns and hey bales though.
In the end, my only question is, what brought all this on to begin with?
I'm not sure the Doctor has screwed up Danny's timeline (although it wouldn't be the first time, every Doctor has probably screwed people's timelines up all the time) given he already seemed to be focused on the soldier with no gun him growing up to be a soldier might have happened anyway.
With regard to the figure on the bed, as the Doctor said, either it is a creature, or it's one of Danny's fellow orphans mucking about. I love how there was no definitive explanation.
Just a point about the last planet. SFX's spoiler free review suggested this was the first episode not to tie into the Missy arc, but I'm not so sure. Several people had made the link between the promised land and the notion of Utopia, and now we have an episode where the Doctor once more goes to the end of the universe?
Absolutely fantastic. The scariest Who has been in some time, I nearly wet myself when the figure under the blanket stepped behind Clara.
Some will say its derivative but like the very best of composers, Moffat is capable of taking riffs and licks he's used before, and still forge them into something that is both new, and brilliant. That is talent!
Loved the awkwardness on show from Jenna and Anderson (Danny Pink is seriously great) loved the creepiness of the orphanage and the spaceship at the end of time, and as for the twist in the barn...well some will (and clearly already are) complain, but then they're the same ones who probably didn't bat an eyelid when RTD implied the Master had always had drumming in his head. The show is always at its best when it takes risks, and I have to say I don't quite know what the big huge problem is, from the screeching some drama queens were doing after seeing the draft version I thought Moffat was going to suggest Clara was the Doctor's mum or something
Jenna is seriously wonderful this series, from a character I could never fully warm too I think she's fantastic now, and though I hate to say it, she works better with Capaldi than she did with Smith.
Finally this brings me to Capaldi, probably the first episode where I've really felt like he was The Doctor, long may this continue.
When Moffat's good, Moffat is great.
Pretty much this, though unlike Starkers, I've felt that Capaldi was the Doctor from day one. This was easily my favourite episode of this season and, Day of the Doctor aside, probably my favourite DW episode since Moffat took over.
But who or what was the figure under the blanket? Maybe we'll see it tie in sometime in a future episode?
No, I'd say it was more Clara's fault. First she became distracted which sent them to Danny's timeline to begin with. Then she planted the soldier idea in his head by showing him the toy soldiers that will protect him.
That was great. The first good episode of the season.
I'm not even sure if it really held together plotwise (so what was under the blanket ?) but it was great regardless...
And unexpectedly grab your......ankle ?
I'm not even sure if it really held together plotwise (so what was under the blanket ?) but it was great regardless...
And unexpectedly grab your......ankle ?
The way it was written it doesn't have to. It could be nothing more than one of the other kids being a ass to Danny. Which is what I liked about it: It can go anyway you want.
Mister Fandango
Fleet Captain
I've long suspected that Gallifrey is a colony of Earth time travelers, and Gallifrians are just evolved Humans. It would explain why the Doctor is so infatuated with Earth (even if he doesn't actually realize it).
Sure, we know Omega and Rassilon were the founding fathers of Time Lord society, but the Human connection could be far more ancient than that.
I mean, other than Time Lords and Daleks, is there any race other than Humans who are avid time travelers? Heck, we learned tonight that Humans were the last species in the universe thanks to time travel, so why not be one of the first, too?
I'm kind of torn, it was scary and compelling but ultimately ended up being ... I don't know. I really hate to think the whole thing was ultimately just an attempt to wow us again with this big circular reference reveal. It did feel rather dreamlike since there weren't a lot of answers to the weird goings-on.
I first thought his name was Awesome Pink and then was disappointed when I found it was Orson.
I first thought his name was Awesome Pink and then was disappointed when I found it was Orson.
It's as good a place as any to start... She can climb.
I'm kind of torn, it was scary and compelling but ultimately ended up being ... I don't know. I really hate to think the whole thing was ultimately just an attempt to wow us again with this big circular reference reveal. It did feel rather dreamlike since there weren't a lot of answers to the weird goings-on.
I first thought his name was Awesome Pink and then was disappointed when I found it was Orson.
I found it father's refreshing myself, since Moffat has already given us three races of beings who've lived on Earth right under our noses. We really don't need yet another one.
And I do like that we're left wondering what was under the blanket. Maybe it was a ghost, or a lost alien, or just another kid playing a prank.
Maybe it's only timelocked when a Gallifreyan is at the controls (and the safeties aren't off)...
BTW, mighty convenient that telepathic interface.
Pretty much any Companion can fly the TARDIS now, given a couple minutes instruction!I was fine with the tie-in. And how does it contradict anything about regeneration?
You mean, what caused the Doctor's fear in the first place (Clara) or what got him thinking about it (all by himself too long, Transcendental Meditation on the TARDIS roof is clearly not for him)?
Oh, and - the psychic paper's back! Yay!
Last edited:
The Eleventh Doctor told Amy and Rory that Timelords and their ability to regenerate came about because of their exposure to the time vortex when they were wondering how Mel had developed that ability. As far as I remember he did say Timelord and Mel certainly didn't go to the Academy so this separation between Gallifreyans and Timelords as suggested in this episode is a contradiction.
The Eternals and both Guardians could time travel, I'm sure there's others but I can't think of them right now.
Similar threads
