Doctor Who 9x04 - Before the Flood (spoilers)

[Parallax]

Before the Flood AKA Screw the Fourth Wall.

The only other time I can recall the Doctor breaking the fourth wall was waaaaaaaay back in the Hartnell days when he wished everyone a merry christmas.
Here, the entire introduction scene is the Doctor talking to the audience about a paradoxes. Which, honestly, probably wasn't necessary since it's a fairly standard time travel paradox. It also doesn't play well into the end of the episode when he mentions Beethoven to Clara ... and she wasn't there for his pre-intro lecture anyhow.

I'm starting to wonder if Capaldi, for this series at least, has a new clause in his contract that he has to play the guitar at least once a story.
The day is saved by the means most of us guessed - the Doctor was in the hibernation chamber thing.
The villains knows of the Time Lords, which is interesting considering the whole time lock thingy. He didn't refer to them as some lost legend like previous folks have - he spoke of them almost in the current tense.
The sonic sunglasses continue to be insanely lame. We're talking Adric levels of fail, I believe. They can now wipe memories. Yes. Really.
Oh, look. We have a strong and motived female character in O'Donnel. Let's make sure she gets killed off and Mr Useless gets through. Ugh.
Minister of War ... ooooh, foreshadowing!
The TARDIS took control, which is interesting. It overrode what the Doctor wanted to do and wouldn't let him leave the situation.
Was that alien really Neelix level annoying? It seemed like it to me. It also seemed to be making homo-erotic suggestions to the Doctor "I have my items in my ship you can ... oppress me with".

[dragon]

I know it gets annoying when they keep making the comment about not being able to change time despite the fact that they do it every other episode.

[The Romulan Republic]

Pretty good, for the most part. Atmospheric, with some touching moments and a cool (if somewhat shallow) villain. But I thought the part where the ghost of the Doctor was just a hologram was kind of cheap and it seemed to be wrapped up rather abruptly. Beyond that, I think it had two big problems:

1. Its hard to make a convincing plot out of having to follow the rules of time when the Doctor breaks them so much and Doctor Who is so inconsistent.
2. Its hard to make another "The Doctor has to die" plot not make me feel like rolling my eyes.

Also, the Doctor is kind of a selfish prick. He seems to view others as expendable, but not Clara. Ditto Clara. She's willing to screw the timeline for a loved one, again (does she never learn)?

Liked Sexy stopping the Doctor from messing with time.

Edit: Still, some interesting time travel concepts as well.

The rock variation on the opening theme was gratuitous, but not bad.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Hmm..I'm considering that to be "ok/pretty good" when considering both parts. It had it's moments, and the Fisher King speaking of Time Lords in the present tense is interesting. Also, Minister of War? Another season-long foreshadowing, I really hoped they weren't going with that again.

[Broomstick]

Before the Flood AKA Screw the Fourth Wall.

The only other time I can recall the Doctor breaking the fourth wall was waaaaaaaay back in the Hartnell days when he wished everyone a merry christmas.
Here, the entire introduction scene is the Doctor talking to the audience about a paradoxes. Which, honestly, probably wasn't necessary since it's a fairly standard time travel paradox.

I think it's more the Doctor talking to himself. We saw that at the beginning of "Listen" as well.

After 52 years of the show I'm OK with them changing things or trying something a little different. It's not like they haven't done so before. I wouldn't want them to do it every time, but they need something for the folks who aren't SF aficionados.

It also doesn't play well into the end of the episode when he mentions Beethoven to Clara ... and she wasn't there for his pre-intro lecture anyhow.

True, that was for the benefit of the audience, but it's not like the Doctor hasn't spouted non-sequiturs before.

I'm starting to wonder if Capaldi, for this series at least, has a new clause in his contract that he has to play the guitar at least once a story.

I'll get annoyed if it keeps happening. For once, I sort of enjoy seeing the actor actually play the instrument instead of simply miming it.

The sonic sunglasses continue to be insanely lame. We're talking Adric levels of fail, I believe. They can now wipe memories. Yes. Really.

OK, I'm with you there - if the screwdriver is out, fine, but something other than glasses. How about a sonic watch? Or something else.

Oh, look. We have a strong and motived female character in O'Donnel. Let's make sure she gets killed off and Mr Useless gets through. Ugh.

We have a strong and motivated female character in Cass, and she does make it through.

The TARDIS took control, which is interesting. It overrode what the Doctor wanted to do and wouldn't let him leave the situation.

About damn time - Sexy knows the rules as well as the Doctor, and know where he needs to be.

Was that alien really Neelix level annoying? It seemed like it to me. It also seemed to be making homo-erotic suggestions to the Doctor "I have my items in my ship you can ... oppress me with".

Yes. Not that he was present long enough for audience to form an attachment, but I can't say I really missed him once he was offed.

One thing I did like was during the "chase" scene between Ghost!Moran and Cass - from the ghost/observer viewpoint you get sound, a distinct drag of steel across the floor. From Cass's viewpoint: silence. Because Cass can't hear him. But I do like that she bent down to feel the floor and its vibrations, because deaf people really do clue into things like that. It's not hearing, but it is paying attention to the environment.

Pretty good, for the most part. Atmospheric, with some touching moments and a cool (if somewhat shallow) villain. But I thought the part where the ghost of the Doctor was just a hologram was kind of cheap and it seemed to be wrapped up rather abruptly. Beyond that, I think it had two big problems:

1. Its hard to make a convincing plot out of having to follow the rules of time when the Doctor breaks them so much and Doctor Who is so inconsistent.
2. Its hard to make another "The Doctor has to die" plot not make me feel like rolling my eyes.

The Doctor didn't break the rules, he found a way to work within the rules. That's what makes the story and plot at all interesting. He didn't actually have to die, just appear to die.

Also, the Doctor is kind of a selfish prick. He seems to view others as expendable, but not Clara.

And waaaaaay back in the first year of the show he famously was about to bash a man's head in for convenience. This isn't exactly new. The fact the Doctor alternates between being generous and being a selfish prick kind of makes him like a lot of people I know in real life.

She's willing to screw the timeline for a loved one, again (does she never learn)?

Apparently not.

The rock variation on the opening theme was gratuitous, but not bad.

Wouldn't want it every time, but like I said, I enjoy them playing around with things a bit.

Honestly, I'm not really a fan of Capaldi's musical style (assuming he has any choice in the matter) but since I can, at best, be said to play at guitar rather than play guitar I have some respect for anyone who can actually get a tune out of one.

[madd0ct0r]

I still dont see why O'Donnell died. Her ghost wasn't even present at the start

[Iroscato]

I still dont see why O'Donnell died. Her ghost wasn't even present at the start

Wibbly-wobbly...you know the rest.

The episode didn't quite match up to the first part, but it was still pretty damn good. So far, this has been a rather splendid series, Magician's Apprentice worked much better when viewed with its conclusion.

Between series 8 and 9 so far, I think my beloved show is getting its groove back. I'm a happy fanboy

[Captain Seafort]

Between series 8 and 9 so far, I think my beloved show is getting its groove back. I'm a happy fanboy

Indeed, and I think this is part of the reason (from the thread for the first part):

Another two-parter. Interesting. Its almost like Moffat's using the old serial format.

One of the problems I've always had with the new series has been its reliance on single-episode 45 minute stories in place of what were effectively serialised TV movies in the old series. The new style restricts the amount of time available to tell the story, and therefore the amount of development secondary characters get, increases the number of stories that have to be produced, and thus risks the quality of them individually, and lacks the rhythm imposed by the cliffhangers between episodes. A move towards two parters as standard can therefore only be a good thing.

[FaxModem1]

To be fair, O'Donnell signed her own death warrant when she decided to follow the Doctor outside when she was safe in the TARDIS and then splitting off and leaving the bathroom without looking around first to make sure the coast was clear. These two episodes were rather like a horror movie(the black dude died first, after all) and she was acting quite a bit like the dumb blonde.

It's also interesting how the critiques on the Doctor's behavior towards strangers got dropped with the wrap up. I'm a fan of the Doctor being called out on how callous he is towards the safety of others, especially since this behavior made him unlikable during last year's Christmas special and the majority of last season.

Maybe they'll continue this as the season goes by, and fix everything, and make the Doctor realize what a sociopath he's become.

Also, the Doctor is kind of a selfish prick. He seems to view others as expendable, but not Clara.

And waaaaaay back in the first year of the show he famously was about to bash a man's head in for convenience. This isn't exactly new. The fact the Doctor alternates between being generous and being a selfish prick kind of makes him like a lot of people I know in real life.

The big difference between Hartnell and Capaldi was that Hartnell wasn't indifferent to his cowardice and abandonment of people, he was ashamed. Ian's interference also sparked a growth in him, and he changed into a much more compassionate man. Capaldi's Doctor, when it comes to his indifference and almost pride in letting others die, becomes this horrible person that doesn't care who else dies, as long as he and his current puppy are okay.

[ray245]

It becomes even worse when I am starting to be indifferent to whether Clara survive or die.

[Starglider]

It becomes even worse when I am starting to be indifferent to whether Clara survive or die.

Myself and my wife have been actively wishing she would die for a season or so, a situation not helped by the producers constantly teasing us with characters would would make a less annoying companion (another one in this episode; she died of course).

Nearly a good episode, brought down to mediocre by Toby Whithouse (the writer) trying to rub his cleverness in the viewer's faces with the 4th wall breaks, the flip-flopping on 'doctor is torn up by every death' vs 'doctor only cares about Clara' (pick one and stick with it), and the ending in general.

[Enigma]

I liked the episode and UtL. Just a minor quibble but it irked me that any petroleum company in a hundred years would have over a trillion dollar worth of mining equipment ( assuming that Vector didn't put all of their eggs in one basket.

[Starglider]

I liked the episode and UtL. Just a minor quibble but it irked me that any petroleum company in a hundred years would have over a trillion dollar worth of mining equipment ( assuming that Vector didn't put all of their eggs in one basket.

I just assumed that was a century's worth of inflation.

[FaxModem1]

I was wondering why we still using petroleum two centuries into the future. But hey, guess we're still chugging off that fix.

[SpottedKitty]

I was wondering why we still using petroleum two centuries into the future. But hey, guess we're still chugging off that fix.

Lots of uneconomical-to-synthesise chemicals in crude oil, with lots of uses. Pouring the stuff into a fuel tank and burning it is just one of them.

[Enigma]

I liked the episode and UtL. Just a minor quibble but it irked me that any petroleum company in a hundred years would have over a trillion dollar worth of mining equipment ( assuming that Vector didn't put all of their eggs in one basket).

I just assumed that was a century's worth of inflation.

Somehow I don't quite buy that unless it was on a global scale instead of Scotland (though it was weird that he didn't say a trillion pounds or Euros but dollars). Either that or Vector is part of a mega conglomerate.

[Batman]

Or maybe the guy was just using 'a trillion dollars' as a synonym for 'a fuckton of money'.