Thin Ice (Grade & Discussion Thread)

[Lonemagpie]

The interaction between the Doctor and Bill was fantastic, as was the scene when the kid gets pulled under and the Doctor only goes for the sonic.

I suspect that if he'd grabbed the kid's hand, he'd had been left holding a hand and sonic, and no kid - which probably would have freaked her out more... (and if the kid was still alive, his hand sticking through the ice would have been flapping around in panic, so....)

 

[The Four Doctor]

Bill's concerns about being snatched of the street by slavers are based on a mix of the ignorance of a 21st century British comprehensive education and the myths propagated about the past.

The fans praising this appear to be completely un-aware that slavery was technically not legal in England either.
In the rest of the Empire yes, but since Somerset v Stewart in 1772, it clearly had no validity.

As Androzani.com said, The Doctor is going to get a pretty sore hand if he metes this treatment out to everybody in this era who thinks the same as Sutcliffe

 

[Guy Gardener]

Are you spoilering me Magpie?

Torchwood was founded in 1879.

10 years of their eyes to the stars and they might have "acquired" a star ship some one else didn't lock up too well.

Although if Jack really wanted advanced tech, then he'd tomb rob the Silurians or Atlanteans, either of which would have the necessary machine shops to get a Victorian or Edwarian to the moon.

 

[TommyR01D]

Bill's concerns about being snatched of the street by slavers are based on a mix of the ignorance of a 21st century British comprehensive education and the myths propagated about the past.

The fans praising this appear to be completely un-aware that slavery was technically not legal in England either.
In the rest of the Empire yes, but since Somerset v Stewart in 1772, it clearly had no validity.

As Androzani.com said, The Doctor is going to get a pretty sore hand if he metes this treatment out to everybody in this era who thinks the same as Sutcliffe

Yes, little bits of nuance such as this are invariably forgotten during these discussions.

 

[Guy Gardener]

She didn't mention global warming either?

It may seem a far-fetched idea nowadays even when it feels bitterly cold outside, but the River Thames has frozen over at least 23 times since the 1300s. The last occurrence was two centuries ago in 1814, but in the past a number of festivals known as the River Thames Frost Fairs sprang up on the river.Dec 25, 2013

So it's always been rare, and not something that happened every other year before the coal industry took off. The more you know.

 

[marillion]

Damn... I'm really going to miss Capaldi.. He has become the Doctor for me... I really like where he has taken the character and we're only two episodes in... He seems to be channeling the classic Doctors' personalities... Nothing "in your face"... Just subtleties. The episode itself was great.. Nothing spectacular, but pretty solid.. What is putting it over the top for me is Capaldi OWNING the role now.. Just in time for him to leave.

 

[starsuperion]

It was a good episode, but yea extremely built on the beast below story. I really wish Doctor who could get back to a bit more episodic series like historical with events that were legendary. The fall of Rome. The great wall of China. I haven't seen much Asian trips like I think the classic series tried to do sometimes. It would be interesting for the Doctor to see the yellow emperors tomb and pyramid in China. It would be interesting to see Bill meeting the Buddah. I wonder if they plan on going to Mars again, or Tally's star with recent science telling us it's a Dyson sphere being built out there. Anyhow, I have a suspicion that the vault holds a certain lady renegade, whom the Doctor promised Gallifrey would remain under wraps. But that's just my hypothesis.

 

[Romulan_spy]

Damn... I'm really going to miss Capaldi.. He has become the Doctor for me... I really like where he has taken the character and we're only two episodes in... He seems to be channeling the classic Doctors' personalities... Nothing "in your face"... Just subtleties. The episode itself was great.. Nothing spectacular, but pretty solid.. What is putting it over the top for me is Capaldi OWNING the role now.. Just in time for him to leave.

Yeah, I feel the same way. Capaldi seems so comfortable in the role now. It feels effortless like he has become the character and is not acting anymore. I will miss him.

 

[Psion]

What is this, a bad Reddit thread?!

What's in the vault?!

 

[Lonemagpie]

What is this, a bad Reddit thread?!

What's in the vault?!

Who's in the Vault?

 

[Mr Awe]

Somehow I doubt it, seeing as the Ice Warrior episode has Victorians on Mars, according to the Radio Times season preview. I'm wondering if she's changed things so stuff is advanced for that Space 1889 kind of thing. Which would then have to be sorted out.

That's interesting speculation. I could see how the special fuel could affect history. Although, how would releasing the creature actually increase the availability of the new fuel? (Am I the only who one who thought the creature wouldn't fit under that little bridge without wrecking it?) I suppose some plot detail could explain this. The creature reproduced and multiplied. That implies there is another. Although, there are other ways to reproduce so maybe not.

Also, the Doctor and Bill have returned to the present day and there were no mentions of a sea monster, much less an expedition to Mars! Some of this comes down to how DW handles the effects of time travel, which I'm sure has been inconsistent. Perhaps there's no record because in a future story, the Doctor and Bill go back and change things so it doesn't happen. (This would contradict Pyramid of Mars.) In other words, we're seeing the results of their personal future because it happened in Earth's past, if you get my meaning.

Or, maybe the Ice Warrior story is completely unrelated to Thin Ice. It could be that the Ice Warriors brought the humans to Mars.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Treading water.

The best parts were the Doctor/Bill interactions. The downside is that the overall story felt like something we'd seen many times before. Feels like filler.

 

[Venardhi]

This episode is a near perfect example of what I come to Doctor Who expecting. It isn't the best written example of it, and there are certainly flaws, but it is entirely on point regarding what I think an average, stand-alone modern Doctor Who adventure should be. If you're writing an episode of Doctor Who and hit a wall, look at this episode.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Who's in the Vault?

The Doctors next regen....i bet my last custard cream on it.

 

[Mr Awe]

It's got to be the Simm Master. Can't imagine it being anyone else.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

It's got to be the Simm Master. Can't imagine it being anyone else.

Seems pretty clear to me, with the intentional or not call back to "He will knock four times" moment (even if that wasn't The Master).

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

"He will knock more frantically, this time" - someone, probably

 

[MadMan1701A]

Anyone else think that John Simm is actually the new Doctor, and everyone is just assuming that he will be appearing as the Master?

-Ricky

 

[The Nth Doctor]

As neat as that would be, there's no way that's the case.

 

[Photoman15]

That would be cool.