"Sleep No More" Grade and Discussion Thread

[Lakenheath 72]

The shots, from the TARDIS perspective, raised some questions for me. Like, does the TARDIS sleep, as she is sentient? When she sleeps, does she produce something like the dust from our eyes?

For me, I felt that I had wasted my time with this episode. I would prefer cutting my wrists with glass over watching this episode any time soon.

 

[Skellington]

Hmmmm. The Sandman is an Alias that the Doctor runs with sometimes in Audio, when he's visiting the local of the Clutch. In a centuries long sociology experiment, the Doctor poses as a menacing bogyman to trick them all into not being huge wanton assholes.

That could be why his eyebrows did that thing.

Although it's more likely a subtle jab at Neil Gaimen (Sandman comics are bout a dream god called Morpheus.) to get on his game and hand in a another bloody script someday soon.

"Morpheus. Never met him, but I keep bumping into his sister."

The Doctor would be nodding acquaintances with all seven Endless and their parents, I'm thinking.

 

[JRoss]

Is the video acting weird for anyone else who bought it on YouTube/Google Play? The audio turns off and the video speeds up about three seconds in.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I completely didn't follow where the monsters came from. If we don't sleep, gunk in your eye becomes a sentient monster? Why?

This is the big problem with the episode for me. I'm all for suspension of disbelief, but the whole premise of this is just stupid.

If it was just a space station with monsters running around, it would be your typical standalone Doctor Who episode. Nothing special, but not particularly offensive. But the whole idea of the monsters in this episode is just too ridiculous, and it ruins the whole episode for me.

And that was the problem with the Zygon episode, too. The premise made no sense.

I think the Poll needs an option between "Decent" and "Rubbish." Like "Meh."

It was the Morpheus sleep pods that helped create the creatures. I don't recall the explanation as it was totally wanky but it was explained in the episode. The Doctor figured it out.

BTW Babylon 5, that scientists costume was very Babylon 5

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

This is the first episode on this bored where I voted "rubbish" as I watched it turned it off but had zero desire to watch it again. It had good bits and bad bits but overall I felt it was rubbish compared to episodes like "Time Heist" and "Flatliners" which loved to bits..

BTW that guy from Flatliners is in next week's show.

 

[StCoop]

Thinking about it this was yet another episode in which Clara could have been replaced by any other Companion or the Doctor could have been on his own with no real impact. It is funny to look back at the pre-series publicity about the pair's relationship and compare it with what we got, which was mostly generic scripts written for an actor who was never cast.

 

[sttngfan1701d]

Thinking about it this was yet another episode in which Clara could have been replaced by any other Companion or the Doctor could have been on his own with no real impact. It is funny to look back at the pre-series publicity about the pair's relationship and compare it with what we got, which was mostly generic scripts written for an actor who was never cast.

And that displeases me. "The glory years of Clara and the Doctor" wasn't this at all. If I would put that moniker on anything, it would be Series 7B. But I also don't think Jenna's decision to stay in September of last year had THAT much of an impact on filming starting in January. These are production professionals. Scripts are rewritten all the time. Moffat himself said that he had the alternate ending to "Last Christmas" ready if in fact she decided to stay (because he hoped she would), so unless he's lying, he had a contingency plan all along.

I don't think these scripts are written for someone generic who was never cast. Clara's character arc throughout the season has been clear to me from at least the Lake episodes. We just haven't gotten the "glory years" that were teased, that's all. It was just Moffat blowing smoke as usual.

 

[Lakenheath 72]

In an article from BBC America, http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophen...-not-know-about-sleep-no-more-by-mark-gatiss/, Mark Gatiss said that the story, in its initial form, was a two-parter. He further states that Moffatt,

Two things I thought, at Steven’s encouragement, I said I’ll write this as a horror film, as it were going to be a movie. And then I’d rein back, and I kind of didn’t. And then I had the found footage idea, and that’s why it became a single because I don’t think it could sustain it over two. That was the reason behind that.

Later on, Mark Gatiss describes the inspiration for the Sandmen,

It’s that thing that Steven describes so brilliantly of childhood fears. The Weeping Angels are really that game Grandmother’s Footsteps. People creeping up behind you, cracks in the pavement. Really mythic things we’re always had. And I just suddenly thought one day, what if that [points to the sleep in his eye] isn’t passive. And I thought well that’s a great idea or a creepy idea because we all do it. We wake up and wipe the sleep out of your eyes, but it’s actually for a reason. You do it and it goes. If you left it because you don’t sleep, it might become a Sandman.

As a fan of this franchise, having to describe the latest creature as eye boogers is hella embarrassing. It is facepalm time here.

 

[sttngfan1701d]

Well, I think his original idea was creatures made from oil-slicks you see on pavements. But TNG already used that idea. Then it was creatures made of muddy puddles, but that would ruin all the happy memories of British kids who used to love Peppa Pig. Steam monsters from tea kettles has probably been done somewhere. So I guess that eye-crud was the only thing left.

 

[Mr Light]

Next week, on Doctor Who:

Killer Alien Hang Nails!!!

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

OK quoting not working properly ATM...

But they haven't done ear wax yet. I can't hardly wait for the monster that is made from all the accumulated ear wax.... Maybe it could "Listen" haha

 

[StCoop]

AI of 78!

The lowest since "Love & Monsters" and the only one to drop below 80 since L&M all those years ago.

In fact, barring some miracle over the next few weeks this Series will have the lowest average AI since Series 1. (Except Series 1 was produced under the old way of calculating the numbers which gave lower equivalent scores, so it could actually be the lowest since the series returned.)

 

[Mr Awe]

Good. Very torn on this one. Some aspects were brilliant. I really enjoyed the sort of horror aspects to this story and there was loads of tension. But, other aspects were WTF?! Did Gatiss really just make a monster out of eye dust?! And, the fact that the entire story was staged really detracted. So, the message got out and the sandmen are going to spread. If Gatiss thinks that the sandmen will be a good recurring monster, he's in for a surprise. Then, the story just abruptly ended.

Extremely uneven storytelling. From fantastic and epic to WTF stupid, to huh?!, all in one episode.

 

[Mr Awe]

Oh dear...

"Steven has asked me if I'll write a sequel to this one which I find in a 'Yeti' way very exciting! I'll see if I can do that. There's a history of groupings - two 'Mara' stories in Peter Davison's time, two 'Yeti' stories. It would be nice to [do a sequel]. I would certainly like to do it. I think the idea is good and the monsters are great so it would be quite nice. The Doctor loses in this episode which is an unusual place to be in so it sort of needs closure."

D'oh! Is it really a surprise given the ending. It ended in such a way that it begs for a sequel. And, Gatiss and Moffat are probably the only two how think "the monsters are great."

I supposes he's required to feign excitement about it though.

Meh.

Mr Awe

 

[Mr Awe]

Well I scored if excellent. The highest score I have given this series.
I really enjoyed it and it gave me quite a few laughs. I think this was the most I liked Clark since souffle girl. Especially the "not just this" line.

The Doctor did save the day because the station was going to be destroyed before that message got out, or that's how I took it.

Given that this is a "found footage" story, it means that the video has been recovered and is being viewed. Hence, Gatiss' sequel. Ugh.

Mr Awe

 

[Mr Awe]

I completely didn't follow where the monsters came from. If we don't sleep, gunk in your eye becomes a sentient monster? Why?

This is the big problem with the episode for me. I'm all for suspension of disbelief, but the whole premise of this is just stupid.

If it was just a space station with monsters running around, it would be your typical standalone Doctor Who episode. Nothing special, but not particularly offensive. But the whole idea of the monsters in this episode is just too ridiculous, and it ruins the whole episode for me.

And that was the problem with the Zygon episode, too. The premise made no sense.

I think the Poll needs an option between "Decent" and "Rubbish." Like "Meh."

It was the Morpheus sleep pods that helped create the creatures. I don't recall the explanation as it was totally wanky but it was explained in the episode. The Doctor figured it out.

BTW Babylon 5, that scientists costume was very Babylon 5

Just because the Doctor "explained" it, they're still laughably ridiculous creatures! Worst monster idea ever in DW. Quite an accomplishment. Let's make monsters out of eye gunk because the characters don't need to sleep.

Mr Awe

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Gatiss has a sense of humor. He Tweeted this this morning about the reaction to the episode:

Thanks for all your lovely/vile comments on my amazing/appalling episode. Thrilled to have saved/destroyed the show. Stay tuned! #DoctorWho

 

[StCoop]

Gatiss has a sense of humor.

I did think as I watched the episode, "Is he having a laugh at our expense?"

The second least popular episode in 10 years with the Fans and the General Public is more memorable than the forgettable middle-of-the-pack placing for the rest of his episodes, I suppose.

 

[Mr Awe]

Gatiss comment is funny . . . because it implies the split was about equal when it's not! It decidedly tilted in the appalling direction!

 

[starsuperion]

What a load of Rubbish BS! I mean come on!! No real resolution to the ending.. the Doctor didn't even act as the Doctor? I mean, what was the point of that?? I could not believe Moffatt let that get through..It was like a stupid pointless, and really dumb episode. It had nothing, nothing I liked.. I mean, even the ending wasn't an ending.. it seemed like a goosebumps episode that didn't have an ending just some stupid pointless and ridiculous ironic pseudo resolution, like a shabby Halloween satire... that meant literally nothing.. I mean COME ON! why? Why?

To steal a line from Arnold Judas Rimmer.
"I thought it was the worst pile of blubbery school-girl mush I've
ever been compelled to endure. I consider it an insult to my backside as
I was forced to sit here growing carbuncles through such putrid
adolescent slush."

Bring back some real writers will ya? I mean, even Neil Gaiman, or RTD I'd prefer to Gatiss!!