I don't know why but I have found with modern-Who from series 2 on that the episodes come across better when you watch them the second time. Often I will watch the series live and be unsure about whether or not I liked the episode. But once I know how the series end, and I rewatch on DVD, I can then decide if I like a particular episode or not.
Maybe I am just weird...
No, I think you're right. I've found this to be the case with nearly every single episode. The only times this phenomenon doesn't work are when I really, really loved the episode the first time around and there's really no room in my opinion for improvement. (I.e. "The Girl in the Fireplace," "The Impossible Planet," "The Satan Pit," "Human Nature," "The Family of Blood," "Blink," "The Lodger," "The Impossible Astronaut," "The Doctor's Wife," "The Power of Three," "Nightmare in Silver," "The Day of the Doctor," "Flatline.")
I am incredulous after reading the list. It has been my experience, when something is described as being a fan favorite or an instant classic before release, that when that something is released, it has been anything but a fan favorite or instant classic. There are exceptions - however, they are rare.
Mark Gatiss has a mixed record. He had some successes - "The Unquiet Dead" and the "Crimson Horror"; yet, many of the other episodes were of far lower quality. So, while I don't discount the possibility of him writing a classic, I think it more probable that he will write a good or average script.
Agreed. I just checked the list of Gatiss' episodes and none of them are what I would call "classics." Even his best episodes, like "The Unquiet Dead" & "Robot of Sherwood," are only slightly above average.
Well, Kill the Moon being "better than I remembered" still isn't the same as being good, but at least marginal improvement is still more than Forest of the Night has going for it. I think Forest might actually be worse than Fear Her.
Ouch. I can't agree with that. "Fear Her" is the 2nd worst episode that the new series has ever produced. (The absolute worst is and probably always will be "Love & Monsters.")
Comparatively, "In the Forest of the Night" at least has a solid performance from Capaldi. And I really enjoy the deliberately obnoxious kids.
While "Kill the Moon" is so scientifically ridiculous, it also has some great performances behind it. And I love the big fight between the Doctor & Clara at the end. It gives me chills, even though I hate watching it. (I'm not even quite sure which side I'm on. I think Clara was too harsh towards the Doctor but I also think the Doctor was being unfair by not helping Clara. While I agree that it was not the Doctor's decision to make, he still, as a friend, should have stayed to help Clara and give her as much information, or at least educated speculation, as he could.)
Gwen/Gweneth is just a descendant that look alike.
Kinda like how practically every single member of Marty McFly's family looks like him in the
Back to the Future sequels.
