Doctor Who is back! Deep Breath - S8E01

[Joelist]

Tonight both BBC in the UK and BBC America premiered the new season of Doctor Who. And this was a BIG premiere as it was a longer episode, also has a theatrical release and is the first full episode with Peter Capaldi as The Doctor.

Overall this was a strong episode. Acting from Capaldi was very strong and so was the performance of Jenna Coleman as Clara. The overall story was strong and brought back an unexpected Who adversary (the clockwork droids from "Girl in the Fireplace" way back in Tennant's first season).

Also well done was the whole feel or tone of the episode and of the characters. Starting last season in Name of the Doctor, show runner Steven Moffat has changed the tone of the show from a semi fairytale feel with an almost wacky Doctor to a much more serious tone bordering on somber. That change is continued here and it gives the whole story a feeling of gravity that suits it well. Capaldi plays into that tone perfectly and we are seeing the most serious and indeed slightly edgy Doctor since the series came back in 2005. Likewise Coleman took to the new tone excellently well.

If I had to identify one thing that grated on me it was having to put up with the stupid Paternoster Gang (Vastra, Jenny and Strax) again. I didn't care for them in even more lighthearted installments and they really feel out of place in borderline dark episode like this - plus in all reality the plot could have been written to not include them at all. Oh well.

Overall an excellent introduction for Capaldi's Doctor and it makes me look forward to the season to come.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Tonight both BBC in the UK and BBC America premiered the new season of Doctor Who. And this was a BIG premiere as it was a longer episode, also has a theatrical release and is the first full episode with Peter Capaldi as The Doctor.

We got it too

Overall this was a strong episode. Acting from Capaldi was very strong and so was the performance of Jenna Coleman as Clara. The overall story was strong and brought back an unexpected Who adversary (the clockwork droids from "Girl in the Fireplace" way back in Tennant's first season).

Also well done was the whole feel or tone of the episode and of the characters. Starting last season in Name of the Doctor, show runner Steven Moffat has changed the tone of the show from a semi fairytale feel with an almost wacky Doctor to a much more serious tone bordering on somber. That change is continued here and it gives the whole story a feeling of gravity that suits it well. Capaldi plays into that tone perfectly and we are seeing the most serious and indeed slightly edgy Doctor since the series came back in 2005. Likewise Coleman took to the new tone excellently well.

Beware my Eyebrows!!

If I had to identify one thing that grated on me it was having to put up with the stupid Paternoster Gang (Vastra, Jenny and Strax) again. I didn't care for them in even more lighthearted installments and they really feel out of place in borderline dark episode like this - plus in all reality the plot could have been written to not include them at all. Oh well.

I disagree with that, I think they taught Clara how to deal with a new doctor. If anything, they could have done without the token Matt Smith appearance.

Overall an excellent introduction for Capaldi's Doctor and it makes me look forward to the season to come.

Agreed.

 

[Joelist]

The thing is, they could have had a different character written to serve the same function for Clara. I'm just sick of the Paternoster Gang. Also, I liked the Matt Smith cameo (which was actually filmed at the same time they filmed Time of the Doctor) - it both explained the TARDIS exterior phone being out of place and served as a bit of additional transition from Smith to Capaldi.

 

[Gatefan1976]

The thing is, they could have had a different character written to serve the same function for Clara. I'm just sick of the Paternoster Gang. Also, I liked the Matt Smith cameo (which was actually filmed at the same time they filmed Time of the Doctor) - it both explained the TARDIS exterior phone being out of place and served as a bit of additional transition from Smith to Capaldi.

They both served a similar role, we just disagree on what worked "better"

I think we both agree it was a good episode on the whole however.

 

[heisenberg]

We got it too

Beware my Eyebrows!!


I disagree with that, I think they taught Clara how to deal with a new doctor. If anything, they could have done without the token Matt Smith appearance.

Agreed.

Yeah, but it was at 4:50am :p. I need to catchup on Doctor who though.Still on season 6. I hope I can watch them on abc iview though

 

[Bluce Ree]

Why do they have to keep mucking up the opening theme? They come up with a good one then eventually screw it up beyond recognition. They did the same shit in series one when they got to Collin Baker's Doctor.

 

[Illiterati]

I really enjoyed the first episode of the new series.

I am a very happy inhabitant of the Planet of the Pudding Brains.

 

[Joelist]

I actually like the new credits with the "mechanical" theme. It creates a slightly "steampunk" feel that goes well with the show.

 

[Illiterati]

"More round things".

ROTFLMAO

 

[Gatefan1976]

We can melt them.............
with ACID!!

 

[Illiterati]

Did you hear about the idiots who have their panties in a twist about the same sex/human lizard kiss?

Some people should realize that there are far more important things to worry about:

Like whether or not the fridge light stays on when you close the door.

 

[Joelist]

I was more interested in the tonal shift in the show (which I like). Also in Capaldi's Doctor (which I also like). I liked very much the slightly slower pace and the lack of out and out wackiness. With the rather more serious tone, Capaldi feels very much like an old series Doctor (kind of Hartnell-ish with overtones of Pertwee).

I want to see how well and how long they keep this up for. Our current ADD addled generation seems to need everything to be fast paced and getting immediately to the point. Deep Breath took its time and let its story unfold at a deliberate pace. I enjoyed that.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I actually like the new credits with the "mechanical" theme. It creates a slightly "steampunk" feel that goes well with the show.

Funkadelic has been tried before.



They just used an orchestra this time.

 

[SciphonicStranger]

Enjoyed it. I'm glad to have a Scifi show back on the air for a bit.

 

[Joelist]

Both the US and UK ratings were big.

UK has 6.8 million same night projected to be about 9 million when they do Live +7 (which is what UK uses as officials ratings because they have a LOT of time shifted viewing due to their iPlayer being so ubiquitous.

US same night 2.6 million which is by far the highest rating ever for BBC America and actually got them #1 rated cable show on Saturday night.

In both cases viewership steadily climbed throughout the episode which is a very good sign.

I'm hoping we see healthy ratings next week as well, as that would be a sure sign the fanbase is liking the change in tone. As I stated earlier I love the new tone and more serious Doctor.

 

[shavedape]

Why do they have to keep mucking up the opening theme? They come up with a good one then eventually screw it up beyond recognition. They did the same shit in series one when they got to Collin Baker's Doctor.

I wasn't thrilled with the new opening but I suspect it might grow on me. The clocks threw me for a loop but the more I thought about it the less I minded them.

 

[shavedape]

If I had to identify one thing that grated on me it was having to put up with the stupid Paternoster Gang (Vastra, Jenny and Strax) again. I didn't care for them in even more lighthearted installments and they really feel out of place in borderline dark episode like this - plus in all reality the plot could have been written to not include them at all. Oh well.

I knew you'd have an issue with this part of the show, lol. No worries though as I tend to agree with you regarding the Paternoster Gang. Those characters felt out of place with the new Doctor. And their dialogue seemed very forced almost as if they were beating us over the head with each word spoken (Strax can be funny though). Why they didn't go with entirely new characters as Victorian era compatriots of the Doctor is beyond me. I would have liked to have seen that instead of getting leftovers from the Matt Smith version of the show. With the Doctor's regeneration it was a chance to start over almost completely but alas, they are still using the same old stuff that they always do. (I saw Daleks in the preview for next week -- Yawn!)

 

[Joelist]

I just felt the Paternoster Gang was completely out of place in this episode. They come off as comic relief and with the tonal change in the show they just irritated me. My issue wasn't "that" issue - I just get bored by them as to me the Doctor doesn't need a "scooby gang".

Aside from them (and they could easily have written a different victorian character to advance Clara's story the way Vastra did) the episode was actually quite good. The whole tone plus Capaldi's performance made it feel almost somber and very "old Who".

 

[shavedape]

I just felt the Paternoster Gang was completely out of place in this episode. They come off as comic relief and with the tonal change in the show they just irritated me. My issue wasn't "that" issue - I just get bored by them as to me the Doctor doesn't need a "scooby gang".

Aside from them (and they could easily have written a different victorian character to advance Clara's story the way Vastra did) the episode was actually quite good. The whole tone plus Capaldi's performance made it feel almost somber and very "old Who".

I get what you're saying and tend to agree. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce new recurring characters or even just a one-off character. But I think the problem is the writers (producers) have a thing for the Paternoster gang and that's why we're subjected to them endlessly.

I wasn't keen on the slow development of the story at first what with the Doctor being crazy and all, but the more it went on the more it made sense. In the end I think they did a good job of sussing out the new guy so to speak. Now if they can only come up with some new enemies for him to fight instead of always falling back on the Daleks and the Cybermen, etc. then I would be happy. But honestly, when they retread the hell out of these old villains I just lose interest in the show. They need to give them all a good, long rest while they create new antagonists.

 

[Joelist]

I'll fess up - I actively liked the slower pace and the near total lack of wackiness. Plus the much calmer Doctor and the almost dark tone. It didn't feel like a fairy tale this time but rather like a serious story. Having the "villain" be the clockworks droids was a great idea in part because while they were doing grotesque things they weren't actually "evil", they were trying to fulfill their directive with a bloody literal mindedness.

This season appears to have a theme of the Doctor wanting to try to address some prior mistakes he made. And unless I miss my guess that is why we're getting the Daleks next week - one of those mistakes involves them. If they keep this pace and tone this could be quite the season of Who.