Doctor Who S36E1 "The Pilot" [Spoilers]

[NecronLord]

Discussion thread in the old tradition for Doctor Who!

[Bedlam]

Well I certainly didn't expect an appearance by the Movellians, silver dreadlocks and all.

[SpottedKitty]

Some interesting chemistry already between these two. Any guesses what's in the vault, and why the Doctor has to keep an eye on it? I don't think we got any actual clues this week.

[Bedlam]

Some interesting chemistry already between these two. Any guesses what's in the vault, and why the Doctor has to keep an eye on it? I don't think we got any actual clues this week.

I'm going to guess it's going to stretch out over the series, although from the trailers we've seen it doesn't look like much of it's going to be based on present day earth. The only thing I can think of like it in the past is the Hand of Omega which was kept on earth for a bit.

There's also the issue of Bill's mother, I assume it means that she's been mistaken for her other mother after travelling back in time rather than her being her own mother although I suppose it is possible that she meets her own mother in the future and the takes her own infant self back to earth to setup her past, she might not even be human in that case.

I'm wondering about Nardol, I saw some potential but it doesn't look like they're going to do much with him, it doesn't even seem like he's going to be in the next episode.

[SpottedKitty]

There's also the issue of Bill's mother, I assume it means that she's been mistaken for her other mother after travelling back in time rather than her being her own mother

Yes, I immediately wondered about a "By Your Bootstraps" scenario. Do we get a good look at her feet at any point...?

I'm wondering about Nardol, I saw some potential but it doesn't look like they're going to do much with him, it doesn't even seem like he's going to be in the next episode.

Wouldn't bother me if he just faded from view, he was all right in the Christmas Special, but I don't think I could take a full season of him.

[Parallax]

Well, that was better than I expected. I love the idea of The Doctor being a University lecturer and the touches in his office were great, from the pen holder being full of old sonics to the photo of Susan. (And I do wish they'd revisit Susan at some point, I know they did in the novels but ... meh.). I wish I had an office like that one.
I was extremely dubious about Bill, mainly because I couldn't get past the idiotic question asking from the teaser trailer and she visually reminds me of a clown, but she came across better than I feared she would. That being said, Heather was cute as a button and I kind of wish she was the new companion, though I didn't like the way they recycled the water effects from Waters of Mars.
Nardol can sod off, I don't see him bringing anything useful to the stories - maybe he should stay back and "guard the base" er, vault.

Capaldi seemed more alive in this episode than in previous stories, maybe it's the new showrunner, maybe it's Clara being gone but he really shone in this episode.
The inclusion of the Daleks felt very forced and the Dalek seemed to be there just as a punching bag, which is a very old writing mistake. I'm also very dubious about the whole time travelling super liquid, which seemed to be equal with Time Lord tech, if not superior.

[Mari Wolfe]

The inclusion of the Daleks felt very forced and the Dalek seemed to be there just as a punching bag, which is a very old writing mistake. I'm also very dubious about the whole time travelling super liquid, which seemed to be equal with Time Lord tech, if not superior.

The second I saw the ship landing burn marks I was expecting Daleks to make an appearance. It reminded me of the Seventh Doctor story Remembrance of the Daleks.

[Parallax]

Hm. We never did find out which race made that ship (and the liquid in it), did we? We did hear voices that sounded extremely Ice Warrior-ish but surely intelligent time travelling liquid tech is waaaaaaaaaaaay beyond them.

I was surprised they included the Movellans again, though the type of Daleks present for that fight seemed to be wrong. The Movellan/Dalek war happened way back in the 4th Doctor era and was a stalemate for a long, long time. Surely only classic Daleks would be present.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, that was better than I expected. I love the idea of The Doctor being a University lecturer and the touches in his office were great, from the pen holder being full of old sonics to the photo of Susan. (And I do wish they'd revisit Susan at some point, I know they did in the novels but ... meh.). I wish I had an office like that one.
I was extremely dubious about Bill, mainly because I couldn't get past the idiotic question asking from the teaser trailer and she visually reminds me of a clown, but she came across better than I feared she would. That being said, Heather was cute as a button and I kind of wish she was the new companion, though I didn't like the way they recycled the water effects from Waters of Mars.
Nardol can sod off, I don't see him bringing anything useful to the stories - maybe he should stay back and "guard the base" er, vault.

Capaldi seemed more alive in this episode than in previous stories, maybe it's the new showrunner, maybe it's Clara being gone but he really shone in this episode.
The inclusion of the Daleks felt very forced and the Dalek seemed to be there just as a punching bag, which is a very old writing mistake. I'm also very dubious about the whole time travelling super liquid, which seemed to be equal with Time Lord tech, if not superior.

New show runner? I thought Moffat was still on until Christmas.

Anyway, missed it, damn it. It just slipped my mind, probably in part because its been a while since their have been new Who episodes to watch.

BBC, this is what happens when you have year-long gaps between seasons.

[Parallax]

New show runner? I thought Moffat was still on until Christmas.

Yeah, I had a brain fart on that one.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, it might still be related to any improvement in quality. I'd like to think Moffat would put more effort in for his final season, and try to end his and Capaldi's runs on a high note.

[DaveJB]

A decent enough episode overall. It was one of those episodes where it felt less like a sci-fi show grounded by realistic characters and more like a soap opera with sci-fi subplots, but that's probably more a by-product of it having to introduce a new companion as well.

I was surprised they included the Movellans again, though the type of Daleks present for that fight seemed to be wrong. The Movellan/Dalek war happened way back in the 4th Doctor era and was a stalemate for a long, long time. Surely only classic Daleks would be present.

Doesn't necessarily have to be the same war. The original Dalek-Movellan war ended with the Movellans wiping the floor with the Daleks once they figured out that an anti-Dalek virus was a neat way of breaking the deadlock between the two. Possibly the Movellans have been minding their own business since then, and the Daleks have only just now gotten around to taking some revenge for that defeat.

[Enigma]

So Nardol is a robot? When did that happen?

[Lost Soal]

So Nardol is a robot? When did that happen?

Well his head was removed. You think the Doctor stuck his head back on his original body?

[Iroscato]

So Nardol is a robot? When did that happen?

Well his head was removed. You think the Doctor stuck his head back on his original body?

Being beheaded does seem more of a minor inconvenience in this universe, between Dorium and Nardol

Decent enough episode, I wasn't sure about checking it out but I actually really like Bill so far - she's far less annoying than I thought she'd be. Cool little micro-glimpse of John Simm's Master in the teaser too...

[Lost Soal]

So Nardol is a robot? When did that happen?

Well his head was removed. You think the Doctor stuck his head back on his original body?

Being beheaded does seem more of a minor inconvenience in this universe, between Dorium and Nardol

Decent enough episode, I wasn't sure about checking it out but I actually really like Bill so far - she's far less annoying than I thought she'd be. Cool little micro-glimpse of John Simm's Master in the teaser too...

Helps that the teaser scene had about 2/3rd's cut

[Enigma]

So Nardol is a robot? When did that happen?

Well his head was removed. You think the Doctor stuck his head back on his original body?

Either that or some other means of making him completely organic.

[Enigma]

Also, when did he get his touch telepathy back?

[SpottedKitty]

Also, when did he get his touch telepathy back?

The writer (i.e. You Know Who) suddenly remembered about it.

The more I think about her, Bill seems to work well as a companion. She can snark right back at Twelve without missing a beat, and she had some great lines.

[Batman]

Generally liked the episode. DIDN'T like the way they handled him NOT erasing Bill's memories. 'But imagine -just imagine how it would feel how if someone did this to you' complete with Clara's theme playing. This is obviously a nod to Clara and whatshername erasing the Doctor's memories of Clara. There's just one problem- the Doctor doesn't remember that happened.

[Tribble]

Generally liked the episode. DIDN'T like the way they handled him NOT erasing Bill's memories. 'But imagine -just imagine how it would feel how if someone did this to you' complete with Clara's theme playing. This is obviously a nod to Clara and whatshername erasing the Doctor's memories of Clara. There's just one problem- the Doctor doesn't remember that happened.

I thought he remembered everything by the end of the episode except for what she looked / sounded like?

[The Romulan Republic]

Or maybe he remembers it only on a subconscious level?

[Enigma]

So the latest episode gives us the Doctor's age as being over 2000 years old. I guess time spent in the pocket universe doesn't count?

[Solauren]

So the latest episode gives us the Doctor's age as being over 2000 years old. I guess time spent in the pocket universe doesn't count?

Since he kept getting 'reset' after a few days, he didn't really age.
And can't remember it.

[Lost Soal]

So the latest episode gives us the Doctor's age as being over 2000 years old. I guess time spent in the pocket universe doesn't count?

Since he kept getting 'reset' after a few days, he didn't really age.
And can't remember it.

He remembered it, just doesn't really care to. Besides,that counts as over 2000yrs old