Spoilers Arachnids in the UK grade and discussion thread

[Spot261]

Time wouldn't have been an issue, the TARDIS is a time machine after all. The food thing is more of a problem, as is the damage to whatever planet's eco system she chose (also, would the spiders keep growing once removed from that environment? I don't recall if that was addressed)

This is two consecutive episodes now where the doctor has had to stand back and allow something awful to take it's own course, a valuable story telling tool and possible underlying message but hopefully we'll see her being a little more proactive as well.

One thing that did strike me a jarring though was the objection to Donald Trump killing the mother spider. The anti gun/pacifist message seemed diluted to me given that his actions amounted to an unintentional mercy killing at that point, she was dying painfully and he shortened it. That wasn't his intent by any stretch but he was given the self awareness to comment on the fact where the doctor seemed pretty inflexible, preferring to let her suffer than play a direct role.

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

Taking them to another planet wouldn’t help them. The change in size was a problem for them. They could no longer eat their former food source, they were confused and would eventually grow so big they can’t survive. There wasn’t really a better option.

As a previous Doctor once said...

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[BritishSeaPower]

Taking them to another planet wouldn’t help them. The change in size was a problem for them. They could no longer eat their former food source, they were confused and would eventually grow so big they can’t survive. There wasn’t really a better option.

Sure. Admittedly, I was more interested in the Bum-pack Bass Blaster quip than the actual plot resolution being taking them to another planet. But it still feels.... so odd that this was the resolution and nothing else seemed to be entertained. It's a weird down note before the rather uplifting ending.

 

[Pindar]

For me the weakest episode so far. The cast continue to be great and all the character stuff was very good.

It all felt a bit heavy handed I objected to the idea of letting the big spider slowly suffocate as it's own body weight crushed it, somehow being more humane than putting it out of its misery.

Heavy handed and a bit confused.

 

[Mr Awe]

One of the themes of the episode was about how one change affects an entire ecosystem, something that was directly mentioned in the episode. Introducing a new species into an ecosystem always changes it drastically. Just moving animals to a different region has major consequences, like a certain species of frog that ended up in Australia and now many species are going extinct. Moving on to an alien planet is going to be a disaster.

Yeah, like I said, that's the difficult part. However, it seems like if anyone could resolve it, that would be the Doctor. To me, it just felt like an odd ending.

 

[RPOW0614]

Good "stand alone" episode, not great but good. I liked the spiders as a previously not seen monster. The a-hole hotel owner was a little over the top even if he was supposed to be a Trump clone. All he needed a long mustache to twirl and a helpless girl tied to the train tracks.

Oh, and no talk of busses this time, LOL.

 

[Jayson1]

I feel this is was the first real bad episode so far. The Big Spiders didn't do much for me because I feel like I have seen Giant Spiders before and I was waiting for that extra twist but it never came. Them coming from hidden garbage didn't feel all that cool of a idea. Chris North was grating and terrible the whole episode. People think last week villian might have been one-note. Well this guy went past one-note straight into cartoon territory. It seemed like he was yelling ever other line. (Cue memes of past Doctor Who villians when I get done, ranting.) Then it all ends with him just shooting one of them. Well we do get the coda which was the part I loved and the thing they made me give it 3 votes instead of 1 vote in the poll. Still the story part of the story was over.

As for that ending I liked how we now see how the Who Crew offically becomes a thing. Yes I am holding onto the Nick name despite their evil plan to destroy it by inserting Team Tardis in the episode. I like that we have clear motivations for everyone to be aboard. Even poigant ones. I also like how the Doctor tells them straight that they will be different people when all this is over. Not sure any Doctor has ever layed out the stakes for the companions before in this kind of way.

Jason

 

[ThankQ]

Forgot to mention: This episode should've been called "Arachnids in Sheffield" but I guess they figured most non-Brits haven't heard of Sheffield.

If only there were something common and famous about Sheffield. Something that people would recognize, something that would bring everyone together, so everyone would hear of Sheffield and feel United.

Some day, maybe.

 

[Romulan_spy]

The episode was average. I did not find the spiders to be scary at all and the hotel owner was definitely over the top. The Trump clone bit was pretty heavy handed.

Jodie does seem to have settled into her character which was nice. She is definitely a good doctor.

I loved her little speech about how her companions will change if they join her. Nice nod to what happened to previous companions.

At the end, I am surprised that the Doctor did not refer to them as her companions since that is what they are called outside the show.

 

[Qonundrum]

They would all be doomed to grow gigantic and die from asphyxiation. All of them, and any progeny they produced, no matter where they were taken. Not to mention, they would probably mess up the local ecosystem wherever the Doctor decided to resettle them.

Conversely, it isn't always the case that critters get relocated and don't end up ravaging the new ecosystem they're plopped into. We tend to hear more of the "success" stories anyway about the latest danger. Those aren't the only times and some species just aren't compatible. Darwin's theories aren't rock solid either, nor did he like it the moment he saw different species in symbiotic relationships.

Also, remember that 4th Doctor story where the Doctor says he'll take people back to their own planet? Nor different time periods because doing so much change established history? "The Hand of Fear" being the title. It'd be nice if the story took a leap and said something like that. There's no way the Doctor would do such a thing, apart from when he let Steven Taylor and Hugo Lang and Leela and Vicki and Susan and Romana and Nyssa and Peri pitch home on alien planets and/or time periods or even universes... or every week when the show crowbars itself away from modern day Earth. So there's no reason the Doctor can't start transplanting all sorts of critters, as each era simply has no real continuity with the others - though on another slant, the spiders lacked intellect that humanoid and alien species on the show usually tend to have hence the Doctor not being worried about going so far as letting Leela stay on Gallifrey the way he wouldn't let Sarah... I liked the nuance on how the mutant spiders only had instinct being confused. That was refreshingly different but along with one or two other brief scenes, it's all 49 and a half minutes of meh.

Overall, a little weak on story again, but I'm loving Jodie, the supporting cast, the music, and the look of the show. This is shaping up to be one of my favourite seasons in some time.

Everything except the scripts are strong... How much does the rest matter if the scripts are weak at the core? Looking at one of my least-favorite overall eras, I've still rewatched more RTD stories than I have or will for any of Chibnall's episodes so far and Chibnall's got more interesting characters, better acted by and large.

Keeping in mind that a showrunner is definitely a far more complicated job than writer and he makes a genuinely great showrunner based on the finished polished product's feel and casting - and by and large I love the characterizations. But for the ideas and some of dialogue he has, and general plotting, he needs cowriters to fully flesh them out. This year has been mostly bad in that regard. And the new sonic screwdriver needs to be seen by some Tereleptils. Was it conditional to make that thing return and be an even bigger "get of out it free" magic wand? Why even have a door if all the Doctor does is act like a 2 year old, grins like cosplaying Tennant anorak, and says it's no problem and then flicks her wrist and it magically opens?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

At the end, I am surprised that the Doctor did not refer to them as her companions since that is what they are called outside the show.

That's because Chibnall wants to refer to them as friends instead of companions.

 

[ThankQ]

Conversely, it isn't always the case that critters get relocated and don't end up ravaging the new ecosystem they're plopped into.

It isn't always the case that they don't.

We tend to hear more of the "success" stories anyway about the latest danger. Those aren't the only times and some species just aren't compatible. Darwin's theories aren't rock solid either, nor did he like it the moment he saw different species in symbiotic relationships.

When I was a kid, I liked it when my grandpa made Eckrich sausage for breakfast.

 

[USS Fardell]

Doctor Who 11.04 'Arachnids in the UK' Review
The fourth episode of series 11. An interesting episode, but the resolution of the main plot was a let down. But more on that later. But first, the landing back in Sheffield. The interactions between the Doctor and her friends they arrive in the South Yorkshire city was rather good. It very clearly shows how lonely the Doctor can be if there is no one else travelling with her in the TARDIS. Yas' family was very realistic. Her Dad and sister's interaction with the Doctor and her other friends were quite on point.
The scenes involving Graham's grief were done rather well also. But on to the 'meat' with the Doctor investigating what was going on with the Khan's neighbour, and Yas discovering what is going on at her Mum's (Najia) workplace... Thus the discovery of the enlarged spiders was done rather well However, Robertson's antagonism was done well. Not sure what to make of him going up against Trump. (rivalry?) But firing Yas' Mum, Najia, wasn't a well thought through decision on his part.
Rather a pattern with him, considering what is beneath the Hotel. Along with a scientist, Jade, who was experimenting on spiders, the Doctor, Ryan and Graham come to the hotel. The investigation of the spiders, leading to the disused coal mine beneath the hotel, was done rather well. However, the resolution of this plot was lacklustre. What to do with the Spiders? Certainly just leaving them there to continue to mess up the ecosystem in South Yorkshire wouldn't have been a good idea. But just luring them into a panic room isn't a good conclusion.
Considering that there would still be more out there. And Robertson gets away (even if his bodyguard didn't.) However, the conclusion where her friends decide to continue travelling with the Doctor, despite her warning that their experiences will change them, was quite good. Like, #teamtardis. An arachnophobes' nightmare, but better than many clunkers in the classic series. 7/10.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I feel bad for the spiders. They were the victims of the episode and they were unable to even understand what was happening to them.

 

[Timo]

No, she could've taken them to a planet with a higher oxygen content. That's the limiting factor.

I sort of doubt it would be. The reason big spiders can't breathe is because they don't have lungs. Oxygen gets into their organs through their shells, and if those grow too thick, oxygen diffusion slows down (for a somewhat false analogy, think of breathing through a snorkel two meters long - you'll only be breathing your own exhaust there). Increasing the partial pressure of oxygen on the outside can only achieve so much.

So, the original logistics problem the villain's relative couldn't handle was all the toxic waste in the basement? Yet the villain seemed ignorant of that very problem, and rather convincingly at that - if anything, his ignorance of the spiders sounded less convincing. Sure, he knew he was building on dumps, but the nature of this one seemed to surprise him; why did he want it to be taken care of in the first place?

Fairly nice location; too bad they couldn't do more with the supposedly opulent interiors. Kitchens, basements and dungeons all look the same regardless of the number of stars the hotel gets.

Pretty spiders. But why did they have to scream and hiss?

Looking forward to more escaping villains and dangling ends. Although not with enthusiasm. Hopefully the writers make something of it eventually.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr Awe]

I sort of doubt it would be. The reason big spiders can't breathe is because they don't have lungs. Oxygen gets into their organs through their shells, and if those grow too thick, oxygen diffusion slows down (for a somewhat false analogy, think of breathing through a snorkel two meters long - you'll only be breathing your own exhaust there). Increasing the partial pressure of oxygen on the outside can only achieve so much.

Insects used to be larger on Earth because the oxygen content was higher. Perhaps you're correct about the scale of the spiders shown in the episode. Then again, the Doctor might be able to provide a technological assist.

 

[Refuge]

Insects used to be larger on Earth because the oxygen content was higher. Perhaps you're correct about the scale of the spiders shown in the episode. Then again, the Doctor might be able to provide a technological assist.

We have some big spiders here (Oz) might be all that hot, I mean clean air.

So often in science fiction non-humanoid aliens and messed up experiments get the same type of treatment. The less the creature looks like us the easier to justify its destruction. There was nothing original about the resolution in this episode and nothing much to admire. I'm surprised the Doctor didn't sonic up a bloody big boot and just step on them.

 

[Mr Soak]

The biggest spiders, I think, are in the tropics. They're almost as big as cats. Goliath birdeater (Americas), giant huntsman (Laos).

Sorry if you have nightmares.

 

[Mr Awe]

The biggest spiders, I think, are in the tropics. They're almost as big as cats. Goliath birdeater (Americas), giant huntsman (Laos).

Sorry if you have nightmares.

Currently, but the Earth's oxygen percentage peaked about 280 million years ago at 30%, which is greater than today's 21%. I know insects (and presumably arachnids) were larger, but I'm not sure exactly how large they got to be.

 

[auntiehill]

I gave this one a 6. It was OK but on whole, I found it kinda "meh" as far as the plot was concerned. The spiders were pretty creepy but the whole reason for them being there was just not that exciting.