8x08 Mummy on the Orient Express (Grading/Discussion) SPOILERS!

[The Nth Doctor]

A very refreshing episode after a season full of merely enjoyable mediocre episodes. There are only two things I didn't like about the episode:

1. All of the scientists who weren't main characters were blatantly extras and it really stood out that they were only there to fill in space. All they did were gape at The Doctor silently and blandly "doing science-y stuff" (what exactly were they examining with test tubes and stuff? They didn't have samples of, well, anything).

2.

I dislike the new tendency of important things happening off-screen. I would have liked to see how the Doctor got Clara to agree to one last adventure or how Clara came to that decision (I'm unclear how that worked, had trouble understanding all the dialogue). And of course, that we didn't get to see the rescue of the passengers. Then again, it's quite possible that the Doctor lied and he only managed to rescue the three of them.

Frankly, I think I would've prefered if we saw Twelfth in a Clara-free episode before this one. I dunnot, but I think this came too soon after the whole Kill the Moon thing for her.

All of this. Aside from looking absolutely gorgeous in her jazz-era dress and hairstyle, there was no need for Clara in this episode after her excellent meltdown at the end of "Kill the Moon" (one of the few good things about that episode). As Count Zero said, this episode broke the "show don't tell" rule and it was really frustrating having her have a sudden change of heart (twice!) with little to no explanation.

I probably sound pretty nitpicky, but aside those two problems, I really did enjoy this episode. The aesthetics of the train, the twist on the Christie tale (although as someone else said, alas, no David Suchet), Peter Capaldi's continuously astounding performance of The Doctor as a heartless bastard, the new jazz version of "Don't Stop Me Now," Frank Skinner, "Are you my mummy?," jelly babies in a cigarette case, and the physical appearance of the mummy (Mary Whitehouse would've had a heart attack!).

 

[Shanndee]

I really loved this episode. It was such a relief to view this after the last episodes heavy handed abortion analogy crap. That thing made me furious watching it, and I was a little concerned to watch it this week.

It is quite the swing to vote F last week and an A+ this week!

 

[Stevil2001]

All of this. Aside from looking absolutely gorgeous in her jazz-era dress and hairstyle, there was no need for Clara in this episode after her excellent meltdown at the end of "Kill the Moon" (one of the few good things about that episode). As Count Zero said, this episode broke the "show don't tell" rule and it was really frustrating having her have a sudden change of heart (twice!) with little to no explanation.

Oh, I felt like it was all well explained. Clara wants to leave because of the horrific events of "Kill the Moon," but can't bring herself to actually do it-- hence the comments about "addiction." So, when given the opportunity/necessity of actually making the clean break at the end, she can't bring herself to do it.

I'm sure we've all had times where we keep on saying we're going to stop doing something that's bad for us but continue to do it anyway for various weak rationalizations.

 

[trash80]

I have one comment relating to Clara's costume in this episode...

BEWBS!

That is all. Oh, and I liked it.

Was it? I didn't notice.

I lie of course.

 

[Pindar]

I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I think I missed what exactly was going on at the very end. Did she make up the stuff about Danny being ok with her staying with the Doctor?

 

[Nightowl1701]

She sure did, leaving Danny thinking she's finished moonlighting with Twelve. Probably figures "Hey, I'm gonna marry him and have his kids anyway, I'm sure I'll be able to talk my way through it if/when he finds out." And Twelve isn't stupid, he heard every word in that phone conversation and knows she lied.

So - in a strictly platonic sense - Clara's now cheating on Danny with her ex-'boyfriend.' Which is gonna blow up on her big-time in about, oh, four more episodes...

 

[davejames]

Think I have to give it a Fantastic, if only for the two great scenes at the end of the episode. Not only did the rocky alien beach look amazing, but it featured another great exchange between the Doctor and Clara, with Capaldi being more mysterious and compelling than ever (really wish we could get more of this, and less of his wacky, fast-talking Matt Smith act, which just doesn't seem to come quite as naturally to him).

And the dialogue between the two characters at the end just had so much depth and nuance to it, and was at a whole other level from what we usually see on this show.

As to the rest of the episode, I thought it was solid enough. The mummy felt like a bit too generic of a threat at first, but the twist that this was actually a laboratory, and watching everyone (or mostly just the Doctor) try to quickly study and figure it out made it a lot more interesting.

 

[Redfern]

...the physical appearance of the mummy (Mary Whitehouse would've had a heart attack!).

I thought Mary Whitehouse WAS the mummy!

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I don't know who this Foxes person is, but her ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to her newsletter.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-OTYT02W7E[/yt]
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OC3c7I5BOM[/yt]

I've been a little hooked after some listens.
Here's another one - not as long as #1 but no sound FX:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-6fEj17MK4[/yt]

 

[tomalak301]

All of this. Aside from looking absolutely gorgeous in her jazz-era dress and hairstyle, there was no need for Clara in this episode after her excellent meltdown at the end of "Kill the Moon" (one of the few good things about that episode). As Count Zero said, this episode broke the "show don't tell" rule and it was really frustrating having her have a sudden change of heart (twice!) with little to no explanation.

Oh, I felt like it was all well explained. Clara wants to leave because of the horrific events of "Kill the Moon," but can't bring herself to actually do it-- hence the comments about "addiction." So, when given the opportunity/necessity of actually making the clean break at the end, she can't bring herself to do it.

I'm sure we've all had times where we keep on saying we're going to stop doing something that's bad for us but continue to do it anyway for various weak rationalizations.

But it seemed like when she left the Tardis in "Kill the Moon", she had already made the decision. She said she didn't want to see the Doctor again, so the next week she's going on one final adventure? Where did that change of heart come from?

Clara is bordering on creep character now, which suffice it to say is a lot worse than what RTD ever did with Rose.

 

[tomalak301]

I don't know who this Foxes person is, but her ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to her newsletter.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-OTYT02W7E[/yt]
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OC3c7I5BOM[/yt]

She sounds like the type of singer who would be awesome with a James Bond song. It was also one of the things I did like about the atmosphere of the episode, keeping with that roaring 20s vibe.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

But it seemed like when she left the Tardis in "Kill the Moon", she had already made the decision. She said she didn't want to see the Doctor again, so the next week she's going on one final adventure? Where did that change of heart come from?

Clara is bordering on creep character now, which suffice it to say is a lot worse than what RTD ever did with Rose.

Next week for us, weeks for Clara according to the dialogue. And Danny told her she wasn't really finished unless she was calm.

That's not to say it didn't feel like a cheat when Clara suddenly popped up in a new adventure just like that.

 

[Romulan_spy]

But it seemed like when she left the Tardis in "Kill the Moon", she had already made the decision. She said she didn't want to see the Doctor again, so the next week she's going on one final adventure? Where did that change of heart come from?

I got the impression that in between "Kill the Moon" and this episode, Clara and the Doctor talk again, where Clara basically says "I still want to leave but I don't want to leave like we did [at the end of Kill the Moon]. Let's have one last fun trip where we can leave on good terms." It would explain her comment about this trip being the "last hurrah" and her comment to the woman about how "you can't leave on a slammed door". Clara still wanted to leave the Doctor but felt bad leaving the way she did at the end of Kill the Moon, basically slamming the door in the Doctor's face. However, this episode showed her that she is addicted to the adventure so she decides that she does not really want to break it off because she loves the crazy adventures too much.

Also, the conversation on the beach where Clara says "so you were just pretending to be heartless" shows that she has started to see the Doctor's point of view a little bit and realizes that he is not as bad as she thought. I think Clara realizes that she acted impulsively in "Kill the Moon".

 

[Mr Light]

Very entertaining standalone episode! No complaints. Except for not hearing from Missy in a very long time.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I think I missed what exactly was going on at the very end. Did she make up the stuff about Danny being ok with her staying with the Doctor?

Yes and no - Danny was OK with it (remember how when she was in her silk pyjamas he told her that she should remember she and the Doctor basically do get on), but she said she was giving up anyway, which turned out to be a fib.

So, actually, she's lying to say that she won't do something which he is actually with her doing, if she just is honest about it. Which she isn't.

Which also proves she's misunderstanding Twelve- the moral of the story from him to her is that it's better to be honest and not offer hope that proves false, to be made a liar of later...

 

[publiusr]

I have one comment relating to Clara's costume in this episode...

It was a beautiful dress.

Beautifully worn.

I love that haircut too.

Now, when the train exploded, and I see this beach--I though (they're in the netherworld..they didn't escape)--so stark was the sky.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

I have one comment relating to Clara's costume in this episode...

It was a beautiful dress.

Beautifully worn.

I love that haircut too.

Now, when the train exploded, and I see this beach--I though (they're in the netherworld..they didn't escape)--so stark was the sky.

I think that was a wig. next week she appears to be back to longer hair.

 

[Mr Awe]

Good. I really enjoyed this one. Great atmosphere and mystery. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Great creepy atmosphere!

The resolution was perhaps too easy. It would've been nice if it was more of a group effort. I mean, they went to the trouble of getting all the specialists together, right?

But, lots of fun!

Mr Awe

 

[The Wormhole]

Ooh, this was a good one. In many ways, a perfect Doctor Who story, with a really cool "out there" concept, a train which travels through space, done in the uniquely Doctor Who way of people dressing in period clothing even though they're presumably from the future. We had memorable guest characters and a misunderstood threat to figure out with loose ties to the overall arc of the season.

The episode was also a perfect spotlight on Peter Capaldi's Doctor. We see him be jovial and fun then turn dark and angry and finally vague about what his true intentions were all along.

I am however getting tired of Clara's indecision about travelling with the Doctor. Yeah, I get it, real people go through phases like this and maybe we should be complimenting the show for being realistic about this, but I find it annoying when someone in the real world can't make their mind up about something like this, and that goes doubly so for a TV character.

 

[davejames]

But it seemed like when she left the Tardis in "Kill the Moon", she had already made the decision. She said she didn't want to see the Doctor again, so the next week she's going on one final adventure? Where did that change of heart come from?

Clara is bordering on creep character now, which suffice it to say is a lot worse than what RTD ever did with Rose.

Next week for us, weeks for Clara according to the dialogue. And Danny told her she wasn't really finished unless she was calm.

That's not to say it didn't feel like a cheat when Clara suddenly popped up in a new adventure just like that.

Yeah she was furious when she left the TARDIS, but even by the end of that same episode seemed to be a bit more undecided about the whole thing, asking Danny if she did the right thing, and looking out the window with a hint of longing.

And learning in this episode that it's almost an addiction for her by this point does a lot to explain her conflicted reactions as well.