[Spirit of Jazz]

Gridlock is the best episode of new Doctor Who, and possibly the best 45 minutes of television in the past 15 years. Abase yourself, heathen.

Dermot Morgan being a furry and having his human wife carry a litter of literal kittens alone made the episode terrible. Other than that I found the episode to be pretty dull when I watched it a few weeks ago.

[godelsmetric]

Gridlock is the best episode of new Doctor Who, and possibly the best 45 minutes of television in the past 15 years. Abase yourself, heathen.

[Exterminieren]

That's 90 minutes of TV, silly.

That two-parter is wonderful because of the slow burn over the two episodes, whereas Gridlock's wonderful because of its kinetic pace, worldbuilding and genuinely effective character development all within 45 minutes.

[DrForester]

I would not call Gridlock the best, but it was a fun episode.

[EleventhDoctor]

Gridlock was a good idea executed poorly.

[The Technomancer]

Gridlock was a good idea executed poorly.

I wouldn't go so far as to say poorly but it could have been much better, yeah

[Exterminieren]

I'm a sucker for world building, and Gridlock is the best example of that in Who for me.

Tremendous character work sketched quickly and efficiently, great acting, the best closing shot in the history of the show, advancement of the series' arc in a meaningful and interesting way, old obscure monsters used in a creative new way, imagery, thematic depth, the slow-burning horror of what happened to the upper city and the length of the traffic jam... I just love it so, so much, in all its bonkers, creative beauty.

[EleventhDoctor]

I wouldn't go so far as to say poorly but it could have been much better, yeah

Take away the cats and the bad actors and cheese-and it could have been great.

[maharg]

Gridlock is the best episode of new Doctor Who, and possibly the best 45 minutes of television in the past 15 years. Abase yourself, heathen.

...

Maybe if all you watched in the last 15 years was Doctor Who, and not even all of that.

Seriously? I mean, really? Come on.

[Fuu]

Not sure about this episode. It's reiterating the whole 'doctor getting mean when left alone' thing from the dinosaurs episode, but beyond that there wasn't much. Why was Amy so vociferous about defending the scientist guy? And 'we give people second chances' is a bit rich if the town doc turned out to have killed countless people in horrific experiments. Just jarred a bit. And then Amy telling the doc he needs them around, and a couple of minutes later saying 'oh drop us off at home, we'll be older than our friends'. The 'Amy being less needy' card has been played in every episode so far.

Amy saying "oh, come pick us up after a few months" in Dinosaurs and Mercy isn't supposed to suggest the Doctor should travel by himself, just that he should drop them and immediately fast forward the TARDIS to sometime later to get them back again, so they have time to sort real life stuff. What she doesn't notice (for now) is that what's an off-hand comment to her is affecting the Doctor in a bigger way, and instead of doing it in 5 minutes like she expects he's probably going off by himself for a while when she says that.

[Spotless Mind]

Just watched. It had some great moments strewn around and it looked absolutely fantastic, but it was let down by an extremely heavy handed script, an overblown score from Murray Gold (this has been problematic for a while now), and poor direction of key scenes. Marshall Crichton's death made me eyeroll with the ultra cliche'd overhead shot pulling back. Some restraint from the director would have done wonders. It's like they tried to give the material more emotional weight than it deserved and it just came off as overly cheesy... and not the good kind of cheese either.

Gridlock is the best episode of new Doctor Who, and possibly the best 45 minutes of television in the past 15 years.

I enjoy Gridlock, but this is just crazy talk!!

[Amir0x]

This season certainly is a curious one so far. Really liked the first episode and dug this episode, and thought the second episode was ok. I hope they keep exploring the Doctor's attitude as he travels alone for longer periods of time, although I guess with Jenna coming that's going to be backdoored for a while

[ag-my001]

I just had a thought. With the pace of the episodes so far, I don't believe the Ponds will be gone after episode five. I'm almost positive they'll be back for 12 and/or 13. I know the next two seem very Pond-focused, and though something major will happen, I just think they're too involved with the Silence not to be there at the end of that story. Considering they were able to hide JLC's early appearance, it's conceivable that the "final scene" for Karen and Arthur hasn't quite been filmed yet.

[ScreenSplitter]

... Maybe if all you watched in the last 15 years was Doctor Who, and not even all of that. Seriously? I mean, really? Come on.

This. I don't know what wonderful version you all watched. I came for the Face of Boe. I stayed because... well, I just did. The episode was about as fun as sitting in a traffic jam.

D-

[The Technomancer]

The third episode was honestly fantastic up until the Marshall's death and only...reasonably enjoyable after that. Overall felt it was a strong one though.

[bengraven]

Felt too much like RTD era Who. I could almost picture Tennant in this role.

Could explain why I didn't like it as much. Can't believe they made a weak Western.

[gblues]

Dermot Morgan being a furry and having his human wife carry a litter of literal kittens alone made the episode terrible. Other than that I found the episode to be pretty dull when I watched it a few weeks ago.

Pretty sure that was Ardal O'Hanlon (who I loved from My Hero).

Really enjoyed Town called Mercy. I like the hints about the Ponds pulling away from the Doctor ("this is what happens when you spend too much time on your own!"). Next episode looks like it'll be another step down this path.

I disagree that this series has been weak. While Series 6 had a very strong focus on its theme, Series 7 is being much more subtle about it. The theme being the Doctor's identity. In the opener, he becomes anonymous to the Daleks. In Dinosaurs he gets scanned by the pirate captain and comes back anonymous. In this episode, we learn that the Doctor is not the only one who goes by the name of 'the Doctor' and we get to see a little of the Doctor's inner turmoil.

[PhoncipleBone]

Finally got to watch it tonight. Good, but not great episode. It was fun, but pretty bland in the end. I expected more from Whithouse.

It was great to see Ben Browder being awesome again. I miss that man. And he did rock the hell out of that bowler hat.

[Vinci]

This episode was better than the 2nd, weaker than the 1st. Overall, this season feels enormously awkward to me: I'd prefer to see some of the Doctor's adventures without the Ponds. I don't personally have as much issue with them as others in here seem to, but it's hard to get a sense of separation when they're conveniently thrust into every episode. The whole 'traveling alone' aspect is weakened by the fact that, well, we never see the Doctor traveling alone. Amy and Rory are always there, so it makes the payoff to the combination 'Dinosaurs' / 'Mercy' scene with Amy chastising him feel like it has no legs.

I'm all for showing the impact of isolation on the Doctor, but... it feels like we're missing a few dozen beats in the process of it happening.

And frankly, I'm looking forward to seeing the Angels again. I've enjoyed every episode centered on them.

[Quick]

Finally got to see it in its entirety just now.

I enjoyed that episode a lot. Special shoutout to Murray Gold for the fantastic music (am I alone with this opinion?).

One critique I have is the townsfolk. I get that they only had 40 minutes to tell the story, but an extra scene or two of the people in general interacting with the Doctor would've made the showdown with The Gunslinger more impactful. I just didn't give a shit about the people highlighted in the episode.

Excited for next week, and I'm happy to see Mark Williams make another guest appearance.

[wwm0nkey]

Has it been pointed out here yet that the titles are getting darker each week?

[Gray Man]

Has it been pointed out here yet that the titles are getting darker each week?

I noticed this too.

Has anyone else worried a little about the Doctor's increasing anger and aggression? I actually thought he was going to use a gun, the doctor doesn't use guns :(.

[maharg]

I noticed this too. Has anyone else worried a little about the Doctor's increasing anger and aggression? I actually thought he was going to use a gun, the doctor doesn't use guns :(.

In before montage of the Doctor shooting guns.

[Ventilaator]

the doctor doesn't use guns :(.

[Fiction]

In before montage of the Doctor shooting guns.

I can't wait to use all the gun footage in a horrible fanvid.

[Box of Bunnies]

I actually thought he was going to use a gun, the doctor doesn't use guns :(.

In before montage of the Doctor shooting guns.

Wibbly wobbly

Shame to have a western and get no clips worthy of adding to this though. Any excuse to post it some more, really

[Spiffy_1st]

I liked this episode too. This could be the first time in the history of forever that ever episode in a Doctor Who season is good. I probably all comes down to next weeks episode.

I hope the Doctor kills Amy, that'll disturb the kids.

[Jintor]

I can't wait to use all the gun footage in a horrible fanvid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzmnPs64K74

/edit ah lol i knew i'd seen it linked again recently

[Sober]

But it is isn't as scary. Them wanting to kill you is one thing, but them displacing you in time to feed off the energy left over just seems a helluva lot creepier. Having said that, there were things in Time of Angels that made them even scarier. Like the videotape of the angel. And that one shot where you could see them actually move.

I don't remember this at all. At least I don't think. I might've just blocked it out of my memory because from what I'm reading that sounds really dumb.

[Andrex]

I don't remember this at all. At least I don't think. I might've just blocked it out of my memory because from what I'm reading that sounds really dumb.

It's handled really well, and creepily.

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

But it is isn't as scary. Them wanting to kill you is one thing, but them displacing you in time to feed off the energy left over just seems a helluva lot creepier. Having said that, there were things in Time of Angels that made them even scarier. Like the videotape of the angel. And that one shot where you could see them actually move.

It's handled really well, and creepily.

Yeah, that genuinely freaked me out. The "Image of an Angel" is definitely one of those unnerving sort of horror things. Very eerie. And the way they moved creeped the fuck out of me. It was just so... off. I read once that they hired dancers and then they walked backwards and they ran the tape backwards to make it look like they were moving forward. It was really eerie.

Angels are still creepy to me. The Silence, not so much. They started out really creepy in the first episode and then most of the second episode of Season 6, but once the Doctor inserted the video instruction into the Moon landing tape, they lost the mystique. Otherwise, there was so much creepy potential there.

"A Town Called Mercy" was pretty good. I liked it. Some interesting stuff on the effects of war here that I really liked.

[Jintor]

the main thing about the silence is that they don't do shit

they just stand there

and are freaky

and occasionally electrocute people but it's not really that freaky

[Vesmir]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcwllbB4lEU

So this channel has all three intros of this series so far. And I usually get a drink when this pops on, but shit is getting all kinds of dark (the red vortex kinda just fades out)...will the Angels one be all black? Makes sense with what's been going on lately.

[Hot Coldman]

More importantly, we still don't know what the hell they have against the Doctor. I mean, I know he wiped them out in 1996 but if they actually established their mass army of eye-patch wearing loonies solely to destroy the Doctor just because he beat them once, and learnt the inner workings of a TARDIS from scratch just to kill him regardless of the consequences... that's a level of revenge you don't normally see from a Who villain. :lol

Not sure whether clearing up what their goals are would help or hinder their scare factor, though. At least with the Angels we know they're just scavengers, plain and simple.

[Alphahawk]

I just had a thought. With the pace of the episodes so far, I don't believe the Ponds will be gone after episode five. I'm almost positive they'll be back for 12 and/or 13. I know the next two seem very Pond-focused, and though something major will happen, I just think they're too involved with the Silence not to be there at the end of that story. Considering they were able to hide JLC's early appearance, it's conceivable that the "final scene" for Karen and Arthur hasn't quite been filmed yet.

I forgot where I saw it but some interview asked about Amy and Rory leaving and Moffat's response was like "The Pond's storyline is far from over." Of course within the context of the answer it made it sound like it was going to be a major focal point in these next few episodes. but I wonder...

[isny]

Previously sold my Matt Smith Blu seasons, looks like it was a good call.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-C...QNMENMBAX87DHT

Pick up Season 5 for around $20 on Blu while the price lasts!

[HolyCheck]

ok so we have

title screen gets darker every week
dr is involved in some kind of classical music composition lots
people forgetting the doctor
electricity flickering

what else?

[Worthintendo]

ok so we have title screen gets darker every week dr is involved in some kind of classical music composition lots people forgetting the doctor electricity flickering what else?

Christmas being bought up a few times I think as well

[isny]

Christmas being bought up a few times I think as well

Every episode, indeed.

[Jintor]

Previously sold my Matt Smith Blu seasons, looks like it was a good call. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-C...QNMENMBAX87DHT Pick up Season 5 for around $20 on Blu while the price lasts!

Thanks for the link!

[Fuu]

I don't remember this at all. At least I don't think. I might've just blocked it out of my memory because from what I'm reading that sounds really dumb.

It happens in Flesh and Stone when Amy has to get to the control room without opening her eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8rgLNHiGS8

[Exterminieren]

Christmas being bought up a few times I think as well

Yeah, the Christmas thing is jumping out at me, particularly as Jenna joins in the Christmas episode.

I watched The Vampires of Venice the other day, and what immediately jumped out at me was how much the scale of Moffat's version has been raised. I mean, in that episode, thousands of lives are threatened and Venice is on the verge of flooding, but it just doesn't feel like it matters. Ditto Victory of the Daleks; we're faced with the rise of a new Dalek Empire, and all they do is turn London's lights on and set up a ludicrously-easily defused bomb. By contrast, A Town Called Mercy swings around saving a small amount of lives, and most of the episode deals with one life, but the stakes feel much higher and the threat is way more tangible. Ditto Asylum.

Also, the CGI, having dipped significantly for most of Moffat's first year, is genuinely excellent by any comparison now. Compare the CGI of Asylum or Dinosaurs to that of the Doctor walking up the tower in Vampires; there's no comparison at all.

[Jintor]

Terrible decision. the monster unseen is scarier.

[Exterminieren]

Terrible decision. the monster unseen is scarier.

I agree in principle, but the actual moment was exceptionally well done. I don't know if it was because of the performance of the actresses, the direction or the editing, but I found the Angels moving the creepiest thing in that episode.

[ScreenSplitter]

ok so we have title screen gets darker every week dr is involved in some kind of classical music composition lots people forgetting the doctor electricity flickering what else?

Is there a hidden arc I am unaware of? Please explain :P

Also, nice to have mention of The Master this week.

[marrec]

Is there a hidden arc I am unaware of? Please explain :P Also, nice to have mention of The Master this week.

Moffat has included something to do with the main antagonist/storyline in every episode of every series (Doctor Who anyway) he's worked on so far so we're trained to look for repeating themes/images.

[Jintor]

The darker intro sequence is fascinating.

[Exterminieren]

It's the flickering lightbulbs that intrigue me. No way was all the lights shorting when the Doctor picked up Kahler-Jax's cable a coincidence.

Maybe the Doctor wasn't as immune to the Daleks' nanocloud as we thought? Might explain his more aggressive behaviour since, and the lightbulbs shorting.

The darker intro sequence is fascinating.

I'm torn as to whether that's a hint, or the production team being unable to leave it alone.

The title and writer credit in A Town Called Mercy was white, whereas it had been black previously.

[ScreenSplitter]

It's the flickering lightbulbs that intrigue me. No way was all the lights shorting when the Doctor picked up Kahler-Jax's cable a coincidence. Maybe the Doctor wasn't as immune to the Daleks' nanocloud as we thought? Might explain his more aggressive behaviour since, and the lightbulbs shorting. I'm torn as to whether that's a hint, or the production team being unable to leave it alone. The title and writer credit in A Town Called Mercy was white, whereas it had been black previously.

My god... DoctorDalek :|

[marrec]

I'm torn as to whether that's a hint, or the production team being unable to leave it alone. The title and writer credit in A Town Called Mercy was white, whereas it had been black previously.

Ya, I'm not sure. In watching them all just now I don't even know if it is intentional or not. There's a lot of black in the orange during Asylum and Dinosaurs, but there certainly is more during Mercy.

I don't know if I'm looking for a pattern or not though.