Series 9 - Final, Final Ratings Analysis

[Starkers]

I think you need to look up what a deux-ex-machina actually is.

"The term has evolved to mean a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the inspired and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability or object."

Given that we saw the Teselecta five whole episodes before TWORS, at which point it was obviously a potential get out (as were the other ones Moffat seeded through the series: the Flesh, the two Amys) it doesn't really count

 

[The Wormhole]

I wouldn't completely disagree with the notion that Moffat has run his gamut, although given he still managed to deliver something as fantastic as Heaven Sent I would argue that his creative fuel tank isn't quite running on fumes just yet.

Heaven Sent might be one of the better episodes of the Capaldi era, but IMO Moffat's writing is the weakest part of the episode. What really carries it is Capaldi's performance, followed by the production details, particularly the really great music done up specifically for the episode. Moffat's writing was rather generic, and drawing on the mind palace from Sherlock really didn't help. Yes, I know the mind palace isn't something created in Sherlock, but when both of Moffat's shows use the same plot device, it looks tacky. Especially now, when we know there's a possibility The Abominable Bride was likely written around the same time Heaven Sent was and both stories heavily feature the mind palace.

Something I wish both RTD and Moffat had done was just occasionally let another writer handle the finale and/or Christmas special. In particular the Christmas special has always seemed a bit of a waste of the head writer (aside from when there's a regeneration at work). Be interesting to see whether Chibnall follows the same pattern laid down by both RTD and SM on this.

That may not even be up to them anymore. In The Writer's Tale, RTD indicated BBC requested his name be listed as either writer or at least co-writer on the 2009 specials in the interests of attracting big-name guest stars. Granted, getting someone else to write the episode and just stamping their own name as co-writer works (which is essentially what RTD did for Planet of the Dead and Waters of Mars) they may feel they might as well just write the episode themselves anyway.

 

[TommyR01D]

I know anecdotal evidence is not at all indicative of the whole, but none of my friends who watch Doctor Who like Capaldi. Two stopped watching sometime after "Deep Breath," and one made it to Time Heist before quitting and coming back for "Last Christmas" and the series 9 opener, before quitting again. "I miss Matt Smith," she said.

I didn't like Capaldi at first. He was rough in Series 8. I like him now, though. I think MacLeod above has a point. Matt Smith had me sold on his incarnation within 20 minutes. I loved him inside his introduction story. Capaldi's Doctor was uneven (by design) for several episodes, and that probably lost a lot of casual viewers right there.

I wonder if that may be because Series 5 was the first of a new run, with everything rebooted and a showrunner who hadn't expended all of his tricks yet. Series 8 was in Moffat's fifth year, by which point he was clearly running out of ideas. Of course, the only solution would be to completely reboot the series every time the Doctor regenerated, which doesn't strike me as feasible.

On the other hand, there is a precedent for this effect: Colin Baker. He took a long time to settle in compared to the fourth and fifth Doctors, and a lot of viewers gave up before that moment arrived. The problem with this analysis is that we'd have to restrict ourselves to only ever having Doctors in the 4/5/10/11 mold, which could be a limitation on storytelling capabilities.

To make a totally unrelated note, today is the fifth anniversary of the death of Elisabeth Sladen.

 

[Ithekro]

My first exposure to Matt Smith was "The Bells of St. Johns" I'd been actively avoiding getting into Dr. Who up until then due to childhood experiences with the show (Seeds of Doom scared me at age four) and the huge body of works larger than Star Trek. My friend has it on while I was over, and I caught it at the point of the anti-gravity cycle, and it caught me off-guard. I was over a week or two later for some other reason and saw another episode which got me curious. So I investigated by going back to "The Eleventh Hour" I was still unsure about the show up to then, but that episode sold me on the concept and Matt Smith as the Doctor. Up to that point I only had expectance with Tom Baker and glimpse of David Tennent.

Since then I've found that Patrick Troughton is my favorite Doctor.

Peter Capaldi proved to be excellent from the start. He sold me that he was the Doctor from his first episode, but make me question what kind of Doctor he was going to be. That took longer to figure out (by design). I like the idea of the sometimes angry, but quirky Doctor that looks like he's suffering from a midlife crisis (again), and resorting to trying to wacky for wackiness sake from time to time. So his Ninth Series Doctor works for me. The old man with a old soul that is trying to be a young soul. He plays the ancient soul of the Doctor fine, and still pulls off the sometimes wacky ideas that use to be written for Matt Smith's Doctor. Who else could have successfully played a metal cover of the Doctor Who theme while riding on top of a tank in distant past?

And while I wasn't too sure about the Mistress in Series Eight, Series Nine sold me on her and want her back. Deadly wacky Mistress fits in just fine. She's crazy, but a fun crazy.

 

[The Wormhole]

Who else could have successfully played a metal cover of the Doctor Who theme while riding on top of a tank in distant past?

It was actually the opening credits of Before the Flood which featured the Doctor doing a heavy metal cover of the Doctor Who theme. There's no way such an idea was ever entertained for the medieval rock concert, BBC's legal agreement with Ron Grainer's estate over the theme's usage forbids it. Per the agreement, the theme can only be used in opening and closing credits as well as previews. Which is why the theme never gets used during an episode.

Also, contrary to many fan beliefs, the Master's Sound of Drums was not based on the theme, bur rather on an old alarm clock RTD owned.

 

[Ithekro]

Than what is he playing on the tank?

 

[Starkers]

Heaven Sent might be one of the better episodes of the Capaldi era, but IMO Moffat's writing is the weakest part of the episode. What really carries it is Capaldi's performance, followed by the production details, particularly the really great music done up specifically for the episode. Moffat's writing was rather generic, and drawing on the mind palace from Sherlock really didn't help. Yes, I know the mind palace isn't something created in Sherlock, but when both of Moffat's shows use the same plot device, it looks tacky. Especially now, when we know there's a possibility The Abominable Bride was likely written around the same time Heaven Sent was and both stories heavily feature the mind palace.

That may not even be up to them anymore. In The Writer's Tale, RTD indicated BBC requested his name be listed as either writer or at least co-writer on the 2009 specials in the interests of attracting big-name guest stars. Granted, getting someone else to write the episode and just stamping their own name as co-writer works (which is essentially what RTD did for Planet of the Dead and Waters of Mars) they may feel they might as well just write the episode themselves anyway.

That's interesting. One day I will read The Writer's Tale!

Much as I love Heaven Sent I did find the use of the mind palace jarring.

 

[The Wormhole]

Than what is he playing on the tank?

Well, I'll be damned, according to Radio Times Moffat confirmed it was the Doctor Who theme. I wonder how they got away with that?

 

[Mr Awe]

Fan beliefs about BBC agreements are often based on rumors and guesses more than hard information.

 

[The Wormhole]

Presumably there's a reason for why in over 50 years the Doctor Who theme has only been used in opening/closing credits and preview with only one exception.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Presumably there's a reason for why in over 50 years the Doctor Who theme has only been used in opening/closing credits and preview with only one exception.

Maybe it wouldn't be good incidental music? Maybe because it's so recognizable as the opening credit music it would take people out of the story?