Doctor Who S30E12 "The Stolen Earth" (Spoilers)

[Straha]

High point of the episode: The Pirate Planet reference.

Low point: Everything else.

[Straha]

ALSO: There's no real dramatic cliffhanger here. We know for a fact that the Doctor is stuck in this regeneration for at least long enough to fall in love with another woman and to know her well enough that he shares his name with her. We know for a fact that the Earth will not be so much as dented from the Daleks coming because it never has in the past. We know that they can't destroy Torchwood or Sarah Jane because of the fact that they have their own seperate bloody series. And they've already hinted at the Reset button being the key that Martha has. So, in short, no tension. No drama. No fucking nothing. All that's left is forty minutes in which the Doctor and friends bumble around. Then a reset button is switched. Tearful goodbye to Rose. The possible loss of Donna (oh so sad.) And everything is back to status quo ante.

[Straha]

And sorry for the triple post but WHO THE HELL ARE THE ELEVEN PEOPLE WHO GAVE THIS A FIVE OUT OF FIVE?


People deserve a friggin re-education.

[Asdeed]

Excuse me?

If I liked the episode and decided to give it a 5, so what? Oh, because you didn't I'm not ALLOWED to? Bite me.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Fuck, what a lot of shoehorning and contrivances and deus ex machinas.

Still, I liked it regardless, even if it's a far cry from last year's Master or the excellent set up of the the previous finals. Despite the sheer awesomeness of the "signal" to Earth.

Since when is Jack such a cautious pussified fearmonger? Bloody Torchwood.

[TC Pilot]

I couldn't help but think that they decided to throw their entire budget into this and next week's episodes.

Overall, I enjoyed the episode, if only because of Rose, the paintball gun, the few shots of the Daleks pwning Earth, the conversation between Davros and the Doctor, and the "wtf" factor of the Doctor's regeneration. Richard Dawkins's cameo was nice, too.

The Shadow Proclamation was entirely underwhelming (a brick wall on a space station, really?), the whole "follow the bee trail" was utterly incoherent, and the magic "All of England calls the Doctor at once" was just as bad. I also don't give a crap about Torchwood, and didn't even know about Sarah Jane. And at this point, I'm kinda getting sick of the Daleks.

That's not to say I'm not looking forward to next week's episode, to see what happens to the Doctor, Rose, and Donna.

[Tychu]

ALSO: There's no real dramatic cliffhanger here. We know for a fact that the Doctor is stuck in this regeneration for at least long enough to fall in love with another woman and to know her well enough that he shares his name with her. We know for a fact that the Earth will not be so much as dented from the Daleks coming because it never has in the past. We know that they can't destroy Torchwood or Sarah Jane because of the fact that they have their own seperate bloody series. And they've already hinted at the Reset button being the key that Martha has. So, in short, no tension. No drama. No fucking nothing. All that's left is forty minutes in which the Doctor and friends bumble around. Then a reset button is switched. Tearful goodbye to Rose. The possible loss of Donna (oh so sad.) And everything is back to status quo ante.

I am going to say 2 words "Alternative Dimension". The doctor said it himself. The area that they are in is a rift in Time and Space. It's possible that the Earth and the other planets we have seen in the 45 year history of Doctor was in a different universe from the one that Production will now make us watch. Therefore in a different universe, Earth may have a different future and the Torchwood Teams and all of the Doctor's companions will have different futures than those that we have already seen.

Im not saying I like that, that way but this is always a possibility

[Straha]

Excuse me?

If I liked the episode and decided to give it a 5, so what? Oh, because you didn't I'm not ALLOWED to? Bite me.

Because the idea that this putrid piece of crap episode deserves a 5 is shocking to me. The idea that this episode which was nothing but RTD's various characters running around for forty-five minutes wondering "Where's the Doctor? Where's the Doctor? Where's the Doctor?" getting a five, which means it's up there in the ranks of Blink, Family of Blood, Silent Library and (possibly) Midnight is downright mind boggling. It's like someone claiming that the latest Karen Traviss novel is a piece of literary genius and deserves to be held in the same culture changing light as Empire Strikes Back. The entire point of having a rating system is that the best episodes should get a five, the pretty good episodes a four, etc. down the line and the idea that 11 people gave this thing a five either speaks to a mass delusion as to what the point of the rating system is or to devolving standards of quality in science fiction.

Or, in other words, go develop some standards.

I am going to say 2 words "Alternative Dimension". The doctor said it himself. The area that they are in is a rift in Time and Space. It's possible that the Earth and the other planets we have seen in the 45 year history of Doctor was in a different universe from the one that Production will now make us watch. Therefore in a different universe, Earth may have a different future and the Torchwood Teams and all of the Doctor's companions will have different futures than those that we have already seen.

I was going to prepare a long railing rant about the idea and the very fact that this could be thought of as a genuine possibility. And how this is the worst reset button of them all. But, you know what? Fuck it. I doubt RTD has the ability to think like that and, even if he could, judging by what he's done time and time again in the past I doubt he would.

Lets just cross our fingers and hope for the best, right? :p

[andrewgpaul]

I enjoyed that,actually. I LOLed

So, it seems that the Doctor encountered Davros after Remembrance of the Daleks.

Judoon assaulting the Daleks might have meen cool; watching them get mown down by the daleks 2 seconds later, not so much.

Judoon guns are more powerful than dalek ones, that we've seen. When a Judoon shoots you, you're actually cremated. When a dalek shoots you, some funky crap happens. The Doctor would be gone by now, if the daleks had Judoon guns. And these daleks appear to have no shields.

Been a while since I saw Smith and Jones; I had forgotten the effect of Judoon guns> I also remember them not being so tough as Daleks, but that might be mistaken, too.

As for shielded Daleks, I thought these ones were; certainly UNIT's rifles (and Ianto and Gwen's, too) were having no effect - not even the usual hollywood ricochet sparks. Perhaps these shields are simply less obvious than the previous lot? After all, they'd have Caan's travel machine to inspire them.

Fogot to mention, I phoned that mobile number Nothing doing.

[andrewgpaul]

Oh, for ...

Can someone fix the italic tag, and the size tag I apparently forgot to delete?

[The Guid]

It was fanwank

But I'm a fan. 5/5

[Drooling Iguana]

Are you fucking kidding me? He tried to save the creator of his mortal enemy!

Remember, he was Paul McGann at the time. That Doctor was always a bit out of it.

[Lord Woodlouse]

Excuse me?

If I liked the episode and decided to give it a 5, so what? Oh, because you didn't I'm not ALLOWED to? Bite me.

Because the idea that this putrid piece of crap episode deserves a 5 is shocking to me. The idea that this episode which was nothing but RTD's various characters running around for forty-five minutes wondering "Where's the Doctor? Where's the Doctor? Where's the Doctor?" getting a five, which means it's up there in the ranks of Blink, Family of Blood, Silent Library and (possibly) Midnight is downright mind boggling. It's like someone claiming that the latest Karen Traviss novel is a piece of literary genius and deserves to be held in the same culture changing light as Empire Strikes Back. The entire point of having a rating system is that the best episodes should get a five, the pretty good episodes a four, etc. down the line and the idea that 11 people gave this thing a five either speaks to a mass delusion as to what the point of the rating system is or to devolving standards of quality in science fiction.

Or, in other words, go develop some standards.

Welcome to the world of people having different standards to yourself.

I actually gave it a 2 (though I'd re-evaluate it to a 3, having had time to settle on it) but the idea that you or anyone else has the right to dictate standards to anyone else is frankly odious in the extreme.

[Vaporous]

The various uses of the Sound of Drums tap means the master is involved in the finale. The only thing it will be missing is extra Doctors.

[Crazedwraith]

The various uses of the Sound of Drums tap means the master is involved in the finale. The only thing it will be missing is extra Doctors.

I hear Paul McGann is reprising his role as the 8th doctor as the plot will involve breaking the time lock and teaming up with his timewar incarnation...

I kid. I hope.

[Straha]

Welcome to the world of people having different standards to yourself.

I actually gave it a 2 (though I'd re-evaluate it to a 3, having had time to settle on it) but the idea that you or anyone else has the right to dictate standards to anyone else is frankly odious in the extreme.

Different, I can understand. It's a lack of standards that I can't stand. An example: I think Firefly, while good, is incredibly over-rated and friends of mine think that ST: TNG is far superior to The Original Series. This has spawned hours of conversation over time where we've discussed the merits of the various shows and what made them good and bad. That's different, I can respect that. However, during one of our discussions we hit on the subject of voyager, and then Threshold. During that discussion a mutual acquaintance of ours came by heard about us discussing Threshold and said "Oh yeah! I saw that! It was fun." We all turned on this poor fellow and dragged out of him how he could possibly hold that opinion. It eventually turned out (and he admitted as such) that even though it was unbearably stupid, contrived and just plain god awful it was a story on television using a premise which he knew, and thus couldn't be that bad.

And that's a major pet peeve of mine. When people like something not for its story, characters, etc. but because it's on TV and it's something you can watch for an hour. Sure you might have to supply all the enjoyment, the back story, the suspense, etc. but it's on TV and therefore it's fun. It's the same mindset that lets people watch this and say "Wow! Perfect! Everything done right! Five out of Five!"

Someone watching this and saying "Wow, CGI explosions and lots of death. 3/5" I can, for lack of a better word, respect. Ditto "Romance between Rose and Doctor!" But to say that this was perfect, or near perfect? That's just idiotic and ranks up there with people who think Battlefield Earth deserved Oscars.

[Stark]

I hear Paul McGann is reprising his role as the 8th doctor as the plot will involve breaking the time lock and teaming up with his timewar incarnation...

Don't joke about shit like that. You know who we're talking about, here.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

I wouldn't mind seeing Paul McGann again...

[2000AD]

I liked it, though the reset button is obvious. Right after Donna's heartbeat focus in the Shadow Proclamation, the servant woman said "There is something on your back" and the insect noise from last week was back. Second time beetle thing by the looks of things.

[Drooling Iguana]

Don't joke about shit like that. You know who we're talking about, here. :D

But his shoes fit perfectly! Don't you want a Doctor who's shoes fit perfectly? Are you some sort of Communist or something?

[Stark]

But his shoes fit perfectly! Don't you want a Doctor who's shoes fit perfectly? Are you some sort of Communist or something?

The last thing we need is more wistfulness, okay? I don't hate anyone's freedoms!

[Soontir C'boath]

I wouldn't mind seeing Paul McGann again...

No you don't.

[Gandalf]

3/5.

I liked the Dalek Supreme, and that Dalek Caan was now mental. I understand that Davros used his own bits to make Daleks, but did he have to do it at such a rate that his ribcage was exposed?

In the scene with shots of the characters expressing their shock at the Earth being nicked, where was last week's Italian guy going "Mamma mia!"?

So since assorted characters are dead or near death, where's the reset button? I'm tempted to think that it has something to do with the "timelocked" nature of Davros' death.

Elizabeth Sladen > All.

[Old Plympto]

The three-fold man, said Dalek Caan?

Three consequent incarnations of him next week due to some uber-paradox device? Will this mean Christopher Eccleston and Paul McGann returns?:shock: (or any 2 of the actors, but Paul McGann makes sense since they've already referred to breaking the timelock on the Time War.)

This might fail spectacularly, but if they actually pull this off I'm giving them A for ambition.

[ThatGuyFromThatPlace]

Did anybody else notice the red glow in the TARDIS at the end of e11? Immediately made me think of the red motiff of the TARDIS-turned-'paradox device' from S3, which could mean that S4 will have the same 'it was all a dream/paradox' ending .

Also, did anyone else notice how the Dalek shot that hit the doctor didn't do the negative effect over his whole body, just about half of it? I thought he might only need a partial regeneration from it, but everybody was all 'oh-noing' and then he went a started what looks like a full regeneration.

Also not a fan of HJ-FPM's magic communicator, a little more exposition would be nice (though the mention of a specific manufacturer makes it seems like some might be forthcoming) until just before the Daleks broke into her house I thought it might have been some sort of Dalek shenanigans to reveal the Doctor's accomplices.

that and the Shadow Proclamation suddenly turned Keystone Cops in spaaaaace and tiiiiiime. in s1, Eccleston was able to use the Shadow Proclamation like some sort of pseudo-religious compulsion, what happened there? And really, why did the Doctor even stop off there? Plotwise I can't think of anything they did that couldn't have been done with the TARDIS's sensors/displays, though I suppose they needed someone to notice that the bug-thing is apparently still around ( I think that was a heart-beat in that scene, not the sound of drums) Even if the shadow proclamation does turn up in the next episode, seems it would be more impressive if they didn't need the doctor to come in and solve everything for them. Just have a Fleet show up to do epic battle with the Daleks and have the Doctor toss off a few lines about what they're probably up to and how they'll probably do it and what effect that might have on the plot, maybe have soem sort of SP admiral start some hard-ass superweapon to destroyt he daleks that might also kill everyone else, giving the doctor a bit of a time limit.

Instead they'll probably show up and bumble about a bit and we'll be left wondering what everyone was so afraid of back in S1.

Other than that though, I rather liked the episode, Davros and some good old fashioned Daleks, mostly good fun I'd say.

predictions/hopes:
the Doctors Daughter shows up: seems a bit of big plot point not to have effect the rest of the series.
The Severed Hand: We've seen enough of it, but other than bubbling excitedly and grossing people out it hasn't done much, I suspect either the hand, the Doctor's Daughter, or soem combination will be responsible for the Doctor regenerating back into Tenant (though a temporary regeneration back to Eccleston could be awesome)
Rose's apparent exclusion from HJ-FPMs network thingy will be important: She certainly muttered about it
Speaking of Rose: More explanation of who, or what, ever her benefactor is would be nice, she's been teleporting around across dimensions, equipped with Dalek killing weaponry and just before the slow-motion running towards the Doctor scene she directly communicated across dimensions, time and space to something that then was able to teleport her to the Doctor's location. What's up with that?
obviously the key thing will come into play, possibly as a way to enforce a time-limit for tension? (the key's effects will begin in x minutes unless the Doctor can fix everythign and stop it)
finally, the Bug Thing: obviously still 'in play' my guess is it's somehow connected to the red-paradox-TARDIS glow and that we'll end this series with another 'it was all a dream/paradox'. Esp important this season since the next one won't be for a while so a good clean wrap up is probably desireable.

Expectations:
New series based on Rose's adventures in alternate dimensionland, seems like every other companion is getting something, Sarah Jane and Capt. Jack have their new shows, Martha Jones has a position in UNIT, etc. and since she'll probably be locked away somewhat more permanently after this season finishes, RTD will need some way to keep her around.
A series about the Doctor's Daughter: Like I said before, a seemingly pretty important development just to disappear.

as for the RTD Companions: I rather liked Martha, I know it's popular to hate on Tate, but I, being rather uncultured and generally out of sync with popular culture etc. really didn't know about any of that, I think she's a rather poor character (though her family is great) and throughout the season she's been elevated to serve some plot requirement in the last episode and is only really important because of that, she has had her moments, but I think in general she's weaker and less interesting than Rose or Martha