Rate 8x12: Death In Heaven

[The Nth Doctor]

The whole Danny thing left me cold,

Same here. Like I mentioned in the review thread for the last episode, I feel like the whole Danny Pink storyline has been poorly executed. I was never engaged by Danny/Clara relationship and this whole two-parter was hinged on this particular development, which left the whole story flat for me.

but I was devastated about Osgood though Who being Who and the Zygon thing leads me to think she'll turn up again, and an interview with the Actress in Doctor Who Extra also hints in that direction as well. I want her as the next companion SO much.

I swear I must be the only person who didn't care about Osgood dying. I don't dislike her, I just don't think she's all that cracked up. I was far more devastated when I thought Kate was killed, too.

 

[Lonemagpie]

The episode didn't really show an explanation of how the Master came back, did it?

To be fair, that's perfectly normal for the Master.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

The episode didn't really show an explanation of how the Master came back, did it?

To be fair, that's perfectly normal for the Master.

As per OldWho, sure. But there was only the distant memory of the Master's last appearence back in those pre-VHS days.

Also, this is a post-RTD Master. In the RTD era, his returns were both spelled out, and he almost conclusively returned to Gallifrey at the end of End of Time. Really, it IS an enticing aspect that I wanted the episode to explore. Instead, we were given platitudes between the Mistress and the Doctor.

Ah, well. I'm hoping Moffat, or whoever might take over him, will explore that area.

 

[Gov Kodos]

The whole Danny thing left me cold,

Same here. Like I mentioned in the review thread for the last episode, I feel like the whole Danny Pink storyline has been poorly executed. I was never engaged by Danny/Clara relationship and this whole two-parter was hinged on this particular development, which left the whole story flat for me.

Same here, he could have been just a pal at the school introduced here or in the Forest episode and there would have been little different. I might have even felt better for it as the three episodes together feel more like a whole character study that the relationship they were supposed to have this year. That I put down to the inter-spacing it with off world adventure. I was never invested in their romance.

but I was devastated about Osgood though Who being Who and the Zygon thing leads me to think she'll turn up again, and an interview with the Actress in Doctor Who Extra also hints in that direction as well. I want her as the next companion SO much.

I hadn't thought of Zygood (for want of a name) but it's a believable work around. It would make a funny run in for a returned master to run into Osgood after her little speech about humans dying so easily.

I swear I must be the only person who didn't care about Osgood dying. I don't dislike her, I just don't think she's all that cracked up. I was far more devastated when I thought Kate was killed, too.

Yeah, I felt Kate's supposed death was cut too short compared to Osgood's during the episode. I did choke up a bit over the nod to the Brig. That was lovely.

 

[Australis]

That was infuriating.

So many great bits and so many effing terrible bits.

The bad: death of Osgood (though there is an out), she really would be a great companion, she'd be smart and filled with wonder at the same time. Canny, or Dlara if you prefer - not believable, though his acting at the end was good. Dead people? How long are you dead to be beyond revival? The Doctor being confused. Missy being a pain in the arse. Missy dying (though frankly overdue) And Mary Poppins?. Santa Claus - really? Really?

The good. Capaldi - just genius. The Brig's last appearance and Kate's survival. The non-appearance of Gallifrey and the Doctor's reaction. Visuals. When Missy was on target she was very good. Thunderbirds/Captain Scarlet reference FTW!

There's more but I'll get back to you. I'm actually furious at the ep.

 

[Sparky]

Missy is not dead. She disappeared with a blue flash like her teleporter.

 

[SeerSGB]

So is Cybe-Brig out there now? Maybe working for UNIT?

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

Missy is not dead. She disappeared with a blue flash like her teleporter.

Thank you! I noticed it too. Either the Doctor hit the wrong button or Missy did a little pre-showdown jiggery-pokery.

 

[Racer_X]

No, watch it again. Cyber-Brig zapped her.

 

[inflatabledalek]

Poor old Zygon Osgood, lots of speciesism here with people hoping she'd died rather than the human.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Missy is not dead. She disappeared with a blue flash like her teleporter.

Thank you! I noticed it too. Either the Doctor hit the wrong button or Missy did a little pre-showdown jiggery-pokery.

No, watch it again. Cyber-Brig zapped her.

Indeed
Incoming

Hit, cyberblasted?

Or transported?

That's the question for the audience!

The Doctor and Clara turn to the grassy knoll-

and the second shooter

But I have no doubt Missy/Master will return.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I enjoyed this one.

While flawed and not as solid in the script area as it should - and DW hasn't really been strong consistently since the Eccleston era, I think - Capaldi's Doctor had a little arc where he came to an understanding about his relationship with Clara and Danny.

I never really liked The Master. I knew even when he was taken away during the Tennant era, and we were supposed to sympathize with 'him' that he was going to return. *sigh*

Speaking of people returning, I don't think we've seen the end of Danny Pink. He may be reunited with Clara someday, possibly as the Doctor's big parting gift to Clara. (And yes, Jenna Louise was good as always).

Capaldi was able to show some range in this particular episode, and that was awesome to see....and a bit emotional, as were the Danny/Clara scenes.

The way Capaldi's Doctor turned out is how I would have liked to have seen Colin Baker's Doctor turn out. Interestingly, Doctor #12 (or #13) was able to get an attitude turnaround in a few quick episodes where Baker's was pretty much the same way for much of his era....

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

No, watch it again. Cyber-Brig zapped her.

You're absolutely right. I just watched again, and as Gov. Kodos' frame-by-frame clearly shows, The Brig blew Missy away (unless it was a teleport). Perfectly poetic.

And yeah, we haven't seen the last of the Master/Mistress.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Seriously though what does Moffat have against Belgium?

I was wondering the same thing and I currently live in Belgium.

It's a British thing, no? Hitchhiker's Guide used Belgium as a curse word, not to mention my sig.

As far as the Master, he/she will be back. That's the Master's thing he does.

 

[Australis]

Oh, I know how: the ring thing from the end of that season finale, something like that.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Overall not a bad end to the season, although the pieces of the puzzle leading up to it really needed a rewrite (I felt the same way about Moffat's previous season). And it really didn't need to be the Master at all; Missy could have been a completely original character with virtually no changes to the plot and it would have worked just as well (although I did like the double lying at the end). However, given the direction part 1 seemed to be heading in I am not too disappointed overall.

I'm really bored of the "The Master is insane" trope now, I wish they had left that behind with John Simm. Glad it was the Brig that took the shot in the end though, for all the talk about The Doctor being "dark", striking the killing blow really wouldn't have been him. Having said that, it would have been nice to see him take the device and then refuse to carry out Clara's demand on principle.

And the Master's "plan" does not bear any close scrutiny. At all.

BTW, was an explanation ever given of how The Master escaped Gallifrey after that showdown with Timothy Dalton? If so I must have blinked and missed it.

I don't think the idea was just that she was insane. It was more than that in a way that I don't think would have worked with some original character besides the Master. The whole point was the idea that they're similar individuals with a minor change that makes the world of difference. Is it a bit of a stretch? Perhaps, but I get why it was the Master. It ties together the themes of the season in a way some other random character wouldn't.

The escape was not explained, no. Not beyond that Gallifrey still exists so it can be escaped from.

Anyway, good episode. Lots of emotional moments. Not everything made sense, but nothing fell apart either. I figured Osgood was dead the second she was offered a future chance in the TARDIS. That's not good for your health these days. I also figured Kate Stewart was going to live simply because she wasn't vaporized but fell. Still, I was expecting the Doctor to use his time machine space ship to rescue her. The actual rescue caught me by surprise and was quite cool.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Any Who episode that chokes me up gets Excellent from me. The Brig salute.

 

[sttngfan1701d]

Well that was...all over the place. Moffat makes up this whole complicated plot thingy that's resolved so easily, with little dramatic impact. It actually made me miss RTD's overcrowded/overdramatic fanwank finales. I liked Missy's performance. That's the one take-away I have from this mess.

The Doctor and Clara's goodbye was both of them lying to each other and being awkward. If this is indeed Jenna's last episode, I'm sad. They really screwed up Clara's character this year and made her relationship with the Doctor go from magical to just plain...off.

I want to like Capaldi as the Doctor but this whole season has been so up and down and mediocre overall I'm just left confused.

Maybe I'll change my mind upon reflection, I don't know. But I don't think so.

 

[diankra]

It was more than that in a way that I don't think would have worked with some original character besides the Master.

Yes, that's it: the idea is that ultimately the Master wants his/her best friend back. So Missy takes over the world, and then gives it to the Doctor as a way to let him run the universe for good (a bit like the bits in Colony in Space when the Master thinks he's won, and offers to share universal control with the Doctor), but with the add-on that the Doctor will have to accept he's as ruthless and calculating as the Master/Missy/whatever.

 

[Mr Light]

I have mixed feeling about the finale... there was a lot I liked and there was a lot that I just thought was bizarre and weird choices.

I was really mad that Missy killed Osgood and Kate. I was hoping that Osgood would be the next Companion; how cool would it be to have a nerdy fangirl who makes constant continuity references?

I found it really bizarre that Missy's big invasion is immediately interrupted by UNIT and she gets arrested at the top of the episode. And they kept her next to the Tardis and next to their top scientist.

The idea of making the Doctor the President of Earth in times of crisis is a really nifty idea... but it seems a little late to the table at this point. And would everybody really agree to this a few years after Saxon took over?

The news report talks about the Cybermen and how these are different from the old ones. But I thought in the new Moffat continuity, that nobody knows about aliens and monsters? But they were talking about it on public news like it was everyday knowledge.

I also found it really.... strange... that Missy's master plan to immediately hand control of the Cybermen over the Doctor. It didn't occur to her that he would use said army to throw the tables on her? I know she was hoping to corrupt him with power... but... he had the Moment. He was god for one moment. He rebooted the universe in Moffat's continuity. He's already had it all.

So this is the official final exit of Clara right? Too bad I liked her. Now I'm really curious who the next Companion will be. Old hopes sprung up when Osgood made a name drop of the Doctor's Daughter.

UNIT abducting and knocking out the Doctor... only to make him President of Earth was really weird. They said they were afraid of him disappearing but has he ever walked out in the middle of an invasion? And what's to stop him from running once he wakes up if that's what your afraid of... particularly if you make him the President.

And, man. They brought back Brigadier as an undead Cyberman. I don't know, man.

Obviously Missy just teleported away as she got shot or something. Because otherwise she would have just regenerated.

So what the point of telling the Doctor the co-ordinates when nothing was there? Just to dash his hopes?

I really, really wish we got an actual explanation for how the Master escaped Gallifrey.

So... I liked a lot of things about it... but a lot of things bugged me...