The Fox Inn

[Anonymous @]

@arbutus

brilliant-that is exactly right. They will “dispute” and disregard information as they’re drowning!

Whoa. It’s weird but I recall this same issue with music: there was evidence that conductors, when faced with obvious problems in technique, would simply repeat over and over “it’s the damn first violin” or the “damn cello – he’s always hated me” rather than enlist help when help’s needed. Whole symphonies have come crashing down during performance. These are the recordings the public never hears….

Actually, that last line starts off like a film with Trent Reznor music…:)

Mojhitos! Delicious. You know? It’s been years. Obviously the computer knows this as there’s squiggly lines under said drink.

Beer! I’ve never been able to drink much beer. Overwhelmed at pubs by small women drinking pints while I’m stuck on a G&T or a coke….too hard.

Corn beer sounds good,  however….:) Microbreweries have been popping up all round Aus too  -there’s truth to them, then.

[ichabod @ichabod]

@arbutus   Happy to lightly share these thoughts . . . I think I got my first dose of perspective-exploding by reading a bunch of SF by early 20th c author Olaf Stapleton.  “Last and First Men”, among others (the title kind of gives it away, doesn’t it?).

[ichabod @ichabod]

@1997whovian  Thanks for your comment on itFotN — I thought it was clever and funny and didn’t mind the wonky “science” of the thing, which was mostly magic anyway.  Haven’t re-watched it recently, but there’s plenty of time (way too much plenty!) to look at the last two seasons before the promised Xmas special.

[ichabod @ichabod]

@miapatrick  Yep, that makes it worse — people who so lack understanding of what “human rights” means scare me when I think of them in the role of husband, wife, or parent.

A smart car!  I’d love to have one, but around here there are so many huge truck-like things (including those mini-hummers) that I wouldn’t feel safe enough in such a neat small vehicle to go out on the streets and roads.  I admire the folks who drive smarts and minis anyway, but I have brittle bones these days . . . so, no, alas.

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish @craig and other mods. We have a problem with the particle board seller above.

I never knew flexural was really a word.

[Craig @craig Emperor]

@puroandson Many thanks. Dealt with.

[Missy @missy]

@1997whovian (Blimey it worked this time)

I didn’t exactly dislike Forest of the Night, it simply isn’t one of my favourites.  I still watch it

Missy

[1997whovian @1997whovian]

@missy ah fair enough. which is your fave from series 8?

[Missy @missy]

whovian.

I shall check and let you know.

Missy

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

Those of you who were following the Dyfi Osprey project will be saddened by this, a salutary reminder of the challenges – and really tough decisions –  that come when repopulating wild species.

[Anonymous @]

@pedant

In my moments (the quieter ones) I’ve been watching the Osprey Project. Very sad indeed. These people who work so hard are to be congratulated for their disciplined work and compassion.

 

[Missy @missy]

@pedant

We haven’t seen this, so don’t know what you are talking about. Has a speicies died out?

@1997whovian

I enjoy all of the episodes – even Kill the Moon, which I watched again last night. Probably the Forest episode is not top of my list.

Missy
<div class=”bbp-reply-content”></div>

[Anonymous @]

@missy @pedant

this is the Osprey project Mr Pedant mentioned some months ago? Mum and I have been watching the osprey live feeds. I actually used that as a Science project and hypothesis which was interesting to the teacher as it was obviously based in Wales.

So, no, no species has died out -that’s not the point. One of the beautiful birds died peacefully -relatively. It’s a voluntary project, I think?

Anyway, thx, Puro’Son

[1997whovian @1997whovian]

@missy I didnt like Kill the moon or robots of Sherwood in season 8 but apart from them it was an alright season

[Missy @missy]

@Puro’Son.

Ah, I see. thank you for explaining.

@1997whovian

Like you, I din’t care for Kill the Moon, but after a third viewing I rather enjoyed it. The fact that the Doctor left three humans to decide their own fate – for once – I found interesting. Clara’s reaction was wrong, he trusted her and the other two to make the right decision, and they did – well, Clara did. As for Robots of Sherwood, I found it hilarious! What do you think of the The Caretaker? I giggled most of the way through it like a teenager.

Missy

 

[1997whovian @1997whovian]

@missy   I loved The Caretaker it was so funny

[MissRori @missrori]

Of the Series 8 episodes I’ve seen, I did think “The Caretaker” was slightly bogged down by the fussing over Clara’s changing personality in the late going (I just couldn’t get into the Clara-Danny thread of the season’s story arc, though it was tolerable and certainly had a purpose), and it has one of those plot structures I generally can’t stand — the kind where everything could easily be resolved if the characters were just honest with each other from the beginning, whereupon no one would jump to incorrect conclusions.  (I’m a pretty honest person by nature, and just don’t see why other people do that!  This effectively makes whole subgenres of comedy inaccessible to me, alas.)  But it is certainly one of the funniest episodes of the season and is an extremely clever use of the Coal Hill setting, so I can forgive it its flaws.

Fans of this episode should check out the wonderful Time Lord Letters book, which has several hilarious “letters” that expand upon Mr. John Smith’s tenure at Coal Hill!  He left behind some interesting suggestions for the head teacher when he was through, based on his observations….

[Missy @missy]

@1997whovian

I laughed so much when The Doctor greets Clara “You look lovely today, have you had a wash?”

Tactful he ain’t!

@missrori

I have a confession to make. Danny kept getting in the way, I found his character irritating.

*goes and sits in the corner and waits to be jumped on from a great height.*

Missy

[MissRori @missrori]

@missy I’ll protect you!  I wasn’t a big fan of Danny either; Series 8 just didn’t need to give over sooooo much time to a romantic subplot.  Clara adjusting to the new Doctor, and the Doctor having his identity crisis of sorts, could have been enough.  Still, it was tolerable.  (I think Samuel Anderson was put to better use in some of the audiobooks — he was the reader for “Lights Out”, the terrific Twelfth Doctor short story that appears in the “12 Doctors 12 Stories” anthology.)

[Anonymous @]

@missy @missrori @1997whovian

I didn’t know there was such dislike for S8? To me, in conception and delivery it was both captivating and compelling -whilst not a volte face for the characters it was interesting to see a meta change within Clara whose ‘impossible girl’ arc had closed thus opening to us, the viewer, and to the Doctor, Clara’s internal composite: one which delineated the character with a strong personal life, who enjoyed teaching; who was extremely good at her job and who valued connections with young teenagers. Finally it was Clara in S8 who could understand this new iteration in a way that perhaps others might not.

Certainly it was S8 and Clara’s (often time) stability which afforded us a glimpse of this very new and possibly autistic doctor*; a man who benefitted from Clara’s inner focus, a life possessed outside of the Tardis and yet dovetailing effectively with our introduction to a completely different Doctor played so effectively by Capaldi.

It’s always difficult to adjust to a new Doctor (in this case the differences were less marginal and more distinct) and I feel that Clara’s initial attitude to Twelve mimicked some of our own. ‘Listen’ and the symbology of throwing the Sonic to the Doctor represented the devotion to his capacity as time-lord, Doctor and protector whilst underwriting our own acceptance of his peculiar inner journey and turmoil, which in many ways didn’t (yet) subside.

This episode, together with Mummy on the Orient Express and the very first episodes of S8 remain classic Who episodes which, I believe, will stand the test of time: excellent dialogue, witty repartee, a close and intimate understanding of Clara’s life with Danny and Danny’s notable suspicion of the Doctor and the relationship shared with this companion.

By the end of S9, in Face the Raven and beyond, we hark back to this unique role (a hybrid even), where two very different personas – both capable personalities in the Doctor and Clara – can love each other, be exacting and particular and which through a thoughtful script highlight the consistencies contingent within this unique friendship. To me, S8 held significant watershed moments.

I actually enjoyed, after the fact, Danny’s presence -there was no equivocation, no sense of “this guy is just arm candy” but rather a significant connection to Clara and the Doctor. I felt his presence was secure and authentic – but very different, in execution, to Rory and Amy Pond’s arc.

@missrori I agree -Joss Whedon and a gentleman who is currently reviewing each Buffy episode on line also has words to say about the comedic role and issues with plots that are based around the “if you’re honest then the story would be sewn up within two minutes” type of thing. I appreciate that difficulty.

I wonder what others here can add to that perception of Season 8? @arbutus @ichabod @mersey @jimthefish and @pedant.

Kindest

Puro and Son (Son is doing the typing -any mistakes are all mum’s in grammar and discussion. LOL)

* I’m riffing off the recent discussion here about autism and I thank those contributors

[Anonymous @]

I will help you, Miss Rori. (*Scans overhead for falling bodies.*) 😉

A little while back, I started to re-watch season 8, and so far am not finding Danny anywhere near as, “irritating,” as I did the first time around, but I’ve only watched the first two episodes; so, it’s early days. But it’s possible that he may have grown on me a little, you know, maybe like something like a Krynoid. 😉 LOL

As for the jumping bit, after an evening of cooking, cleaning up, baking bread and cleaning up some more, I am much too tired to climb to any great height, let alone jump on anybody. 🙂 In any case, I prefer throwing rotten fruit, that is, when I have any, which I rarely do, as I tend to use up any that I have before it gets to that point. 😉 LOL

[Missy @missy]

@stitchintime. I don’t find the actor irritating, just the character – and I still do.

 

@puroandson: When did I say that I didn’t like series 8?  I love it, always have. Wires must have become crossed somewhere?

Missy

[Missy @missy]

@missrori.

Much obliged. I was anticipating trouble. *grins*

Missy

 

[Anonymous @]

@missy

No, I realise that. I was discussing the general sense that I felt -not necessarily on this Forum. I was including you and others in the discussion?

Puro

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@puroandson et al

I personally really liked s8 and thought it an improvement on s7, which, barring a few high points, namely the ‘of the Doctor’ sequence, was starting to look a bit tired. I suspect that at least to begin with there was some general ambivalence to Capaldi’s Doc — for reasons that I’ll raise in a blog I’m currently writing — and I’d agree that Danny Pink did not help either. He was to my mind a character that never really worked. He could have if perhaps he’d been a regular TARDIS traveller but the just dropping in and out of episodes, combined with the fact that he spent a lot of that time being a passive-aggressive arse didn’t really help.

[1997whovian @1997whovian]

@missy   I also laughed at when the Doctor said to Clara if she had  a wash

[1997whovian @1997whovian]

@puroandson   I did like season 8 a lot but only mummy on the orient express, the caretaker, in the forest of the night and the series finale. The other episodes i didnt like. But i preferred season 9

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish

Yes! He was difficult -by the end he’d matured somewhat which time was far too late. His arsey-ness was authentic to me -and this is strictly my opinion-  (I know words like ‘authentic’ are bandied about considerably) but those annoying qualities weren’t farcical. I remember water-cooler conversations discussing Danny Pink -the good and the …not so good. To me he wasn’t a blank slate.

 

[MissRori @missrori]

@puroandson The negativity surrounding a lot of reviews, etc. of Series 8 initially scared me off from it, and when I finally saw it I was heartbroken to have not given it a chance sooner!  I think it’s terribly underrated, in fact.  It does have rough spots — a little more script polishing might have worked wonders — but the story arc of the Doctor and Clara’s evolving relationship is compelling, Danny is a worthwhile character if not a favorite of mine (I have a friend who wishes he hadn’t died simply because he had an interesting, fresh perspective on the usual space-time hijinks) and the even better Series 9 is clearly built on its foundation.  That says a lot right there!

@missy Hey, we fans have to stick together!  There’s too much negativity these days.  Better to be positive and respectful of opinions!  I love this forum for that.

[janetteB @janetteb]

@jimthefish. I did not think Danny was passive aggressive. He was suffering PSTD and clearly had some issues relating to that, which made him “touchy” which became important in the end but really needed more screen time perhaps to better develop a character that the audience could empathise with. He was often hurt but mostly all he asked was the Clara be honest with him. Clara was lying to him constantly and he knew it. He did not order her not to travel with the Doctor though she acted as though he had. Her lies often seemed to be unjustified. I think though the problem with Danny as a character is the way he was “jumped” into the story. We did not see their relationship develop, those essential moments of harmony that I assume they experienced so their attachment to each other felt artificial. Given that every time we saw there together there was tension and grief there seemed no reason for either to care about the other.

@puroandson

I may be easily pleased when it comes to Dr Who but I enjoyed the series. There were some episodes which didn’t really work, always are some that don’t quite hit the mark but PC Doc was compelling from the moment he lumbered out of the Tardis. Listen remains one of my all time favourites. I have lost count of the number of times I have watched it.

Cheers

Janette

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@jimthefish

Wot @janetteb sed.

And, anyway, it all built up do “I didn’t die to save the World, I died to save her. The rest of you got lucky,” moment. Which rocked beyond the telling of it.

[Missy @missy]

I really enjoyed reading the comments.

Danny, to my mind, was a little contrived. He irritated me because of his unjust attitude towards the Doctor. He didn’t know him, and yet he judged him. Although I realised what he meant about ‘officers” getting others to do the hard  and dangerous work, and therefore likened the Doctor to them, I felt that some jealousy was at the root of it. Clara did lie to him and shouldn’t have.

As for series 8, I really loved all except the Forest, and even that one improved with watching. Series 9, was more sophisticated, the only duds (in my opinion) being the Girl who died and the Girl who lived. I’ve only watched these two twice. Sleep no more? Not sure about that yet. Series 10 can’t come quickly enough for me.

Missy

[janetteB @janetteb]

@missy To be fair to Danny the Doctor immediately assumes that because he was a soldier he must teach P.E. He couldn’t possibly be intelligent enough to teach Maths. I think they misjudge each other and yes, at the heart of that misunderstanding is good old fashioned jealousy over Clara. The Doctor is being quite possessive too.

I always like episodes better on second watch.  I didn’t warm to Heist at all on first watch but after several re watches it became one of my favourite episodes. Even with those episodes that I don’t think work as a whole there are good moments.

Cheers

Janette

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@janetteb and @pedant et al–

Yeah, I get the PTSD thing, although I think there’s a danger in overstating it. From memory, I think it’s really only implied, mostly in that scene with his class. I don’t think it was ever really returned to. Which is just as well because it’s a hell of a thing to just throw in there for a companion to deal with.

I agree that his final pay-off was good but we didn’t really spend enough time with him for it to work. Rory (and Mickey) had the same problem initially and it wasn’t until he spent some time actually on TARDIS adventures that he really came alive as a character, I think. For Danny’s character, and subsequent sacrifice, to be truly meaningful, we should really have seen him spend more time as crew, butting heads with the Doctor, offering an alternative approach etc. He would have really worked in Time Heist, for instance.

But I do think s8 is a really good one, if a little different from the breathless, kinetic style of Tennant and Smith’s best series. I also suspect it’s one of those ones whose reputation is going to grow over time.

[Arbutus @arbutus]

@puroandson        Well, I loved S8, but as I have written here before, Peter Capaldi had me the instant he poked his head out of the TARDIS. He is without doubt my AG Doctor. It also did what I hadn’t expected, in that it was a complete turnaround for Clara’s character. I hadn’t found her time with Matt Smith hugely engaging, except for the 50th anniversary and Christmas specials. I thought that her connection with 12 was so much more immediate and worked much better, it felt like a much more mature relationship than it often did with 11. While I did find her behaviour frustrating at times, and felt that the Doctor/Danny antagonism got a bit much, in the context of the long story it all ended up making sense. I think @janetteb put all that really well. I also agree with @jimthefish that it would have been helpful to see Danny interacting with the Doctor and the TARDIS a bit more than he did.

Also this from @jimthefish:  a little different from the breathless, kinetic style of Tennant and Smith’s best series.   This states exactly my feeling at the time, and personally, I preferred the pace. (Although don’t misunderstand, I loved Series 4 and 5 as well.) I loved the balance of humour and sobriety throughout the series, as well as the change of pace and mood between different episodes. There were none that I didn’t enjoy, and most of them I really loved. I haven’t watched it in quite awhile, but in some ways I actually liked it better than S9, which I also really enjoyed. I actually think that it is the only time in the run of the AG series that I thought a pair of back-to-back series were of such high quality. (Although 3/4 might qualify for me, despite some problems I had with S3. 4/5 can’t really count, as they were split up by the Tennant specials.)

[Anonymous @]

@missy
I don’t find the actor irritating, just the character – and I still do.

Yes, that is what I meant too, although the second time around I may be softening a bit towards him.

[Missy @missy]

Danny is too quick to judge the Doctor because he’s a Time “LORD.” he has a thing about the Aristocracy and Officers Of course Danny went through hell and killed a few inocent people, but he was never in the position of mass genocide!

Perhaps, as has been said, if the two had got together and talked, their attitude may have been different. With regard to Clara, the doctor wanted her to love anyone but a soldier – whom he didn’t trust – and Danny was simply jealous.

This is how I see it anyway.

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish @arbutus @missy @missrori @stitchintime @pedant

Hello to you guys.

I think that the PTSD diagnosis is an interesting one as @janetteb mentioned and which I think mum forget to mention. I didn’t remember it either.

I think that S8 and 9 were a terrific series but I did believe that last years was the best. As mum writes -this is strictly my opinion -and Im saying that too.Well, writing it, anyways.

On this topic

but he was never in the position of mass genocide!

I thought that genocide was “mass” or involved the murder of a particular race or peoples, based on something very specific: such as destroying for political and religious reasons a whole group or groups of, people?

I don’t know, as Doctor Who is a fantasy/sci-fi show whether we can or should use a term like that? Asuuming that the Doctor is commiting “mass genocide” in order to kill the daleks? Or, even to kill all  Gallifrey? It’s a specific political position & a religious one and if that’s so that killing all of Gallifrey isn’t “mass genocide”

I’m just checking to receive perspective or understanding of that as as the moment at school we are reading a novel about a boy whose father is helping the gestapo in Germany and who ends up being gassed or incinerated in the german holocaust even though his father believes in what HE is doing. So the end is tragic. We are also just now learning about the war in Europe -here in Australia we study the pacific war after we look at how the war in Germany and England unfolded over the long term naval race, the race for colonies and the invasion of Poland. I guess that’s why I am confused as to why we might use a term like genocide in a context of a show like this. I suppose if it helps people to understand that, that’s good then.

I didn’t like Danny’s character at all -this is strictly my opinion too (mum writes that and I think its a good way of just saying it’s how someone feels themselves) and I got mad when he was angry at the doctor and rude to him -and then  rude to clara. I did like it when she wore the invisible watch and how Dan knew that the Doctor knew. It showed how immature Clara could be and that Danny didn’t want any part of those silly games. I did understand the officer v soldier ‘underclass’ as it connected the Doctor back to Gallifrey where he was a member of the officer class on Gallifrey and in the high council. Thing is, hes the same doctor who was the war doctor and the war doctor mucked in with all the rest. I liked that too. McGann is probably one of my favourite actors of all time -but its a long, long list! I love William Shatner, Ralph Fiennes, John Hurt, Peter Capaldi, Mat Smith, Candice Bergen, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Hugh Laurie the actors in the film The Breakfast Club, James Marsters and Clint Eastwood. Also Matt Damon.

anyway its an expanding list!! XD

Thankyou,

Son of Puro

[Mersey @mersey]

Danny was the best character in season 8. The only person who was ready to take the responsibility for his action, who knew what he wants and what’s really important to him. He was honest, protective, smart and brave. Much more mature than Clara and Doctor together. And Doctor was really awful for him acting like a jealous papa. You have to make choices in your life and Clara was selfish and dishonest, didn’t want to make such choice. Shame Danny didn’t find a girl who would appreciate him fully. He didn’t deserve his fate.

[Mersey @mersey]

And Danny wasn’t jealous. He was worried that Clara will end up dead. And he was right.

[winston @winston]

Thanks to you all for the great conversations here about series 8 , I am inspired to start a rewatch from the start and see how  I feel about it now that I know how it all ends. Danny Pink grew on me and he certainly died a hero protecting Clara and again to let the boy come back. But when he refused an invitation to travel on the Tardis with the Doctor I groaned in disbelief…..” go you idiot, it is the TARDIS and the Doctor” Oh well thats just me. Anyway it is time for a rewatch.

[Anonymous @]

He certainly died a hero and yes it was a bit unusual that he didn’t want to go in the TARDIS, or… maybe he knew what he was doing there too. Perhaps he hoped that would discourage Clara from continuing to follow the Doctor into danger.

[ichabod @ichabod]

@pedant  The rest of you got lucky

Yah — great line!  I liked Danny, and wanted just a bit more dimension to him, a scene or two of him with other people in his life; orphans have friends, and soldiers have old army buddies, but they never gave him any time as himself, on his own and in his own milieu outside of work, which I think would have helped a lot.

@1997whovian   I also laughed at when the Doctor said to Clara if she had a wash

And she pops right back with, “Oh; you’re being nice.  Why?”  Ha — so that’s being nice, is it?  Doctor Doofus — what’s he do, dry clean himself clothes and all?  Loved it.  Banter?  Or by-play?  Or are they the same thing?

@missrori  Of S8: It does have rough spots — a little more script polishing might have worked wonders —

It’s funny, but I *liked* that lurchy, almost dream like shifting of tone and content from episode to episode, and that off-kilter roughness — not that I think it was deliberate, but that I think it went so well with the story situation of the Doctor regenerating instead of dying and coming up all shaky and bewildered and snappish with fearful insecurity about everything and everybody, and Clara in alternately outraged and fascinated by who on earth her beloved Chin Boy had become.  It all fell together in a pleasing way for me.  Wonder how I’ll feel about it when I re-watch later on.

@puroandson  Certainly it was S8 and Clara’s (often time) stability which afforded us a glimpse of this very new and possibly autistic doctor*

Yes, agreed; and thanks, @missrori, for your observations on and from autism — I don’t think I got back to you after asking about that.  I was preparing for a parathyroidectomy, which was successfully accomplished the day before yesterday, so I’ve been a bit distracted but am no longer in danger of being terminally mugged by a longtime cumulative overload of unabsorbed calcium in my blood; so, good outcome.  And belated thanks for your thoughtful and considered answer.  I’ve not come across that perspective, so clearly described, before, and I want to think about it a while before commenting.

@janetteb  Danny the Doctor immediately assumes that because he was a soldier he must teach P.E. He couldn’t possibly be intelligent enough to teach Maths. I think they misjudge each other and yes, at the heart of that misunderstanding is good old fashioned jealousy over Clara. The Doctor is being quite possessive too.

Possessive — oh, yes.  It’s easy to forget in that episode that the Doctor is still trying to get his balance as a newborn, because he seems at ease and in rather relaxed command of the situation in the school; but Clara is still, as in all the early episodes of S8, his one fixed point of reference for who and what he himself is (when she’s not spinning off into her own conflicts and anger, that is, which is what makes their awkward dance with and against each other so compelling).  He could happily see her cosy up to the teacher reminds CapDoc of his previous self, but not charging away from himself with a total stranger who is, what’s more, a soldier, ie Danny.  It’s a complicated jealousy, as much alien in flavor as human, IMO.

@jimthefish  But I do think s8 is a really good one, if a little different from the breathless, kinetic style of Tennant and Smith’s best series. I also suspect it’s one of those ones whose reputation is going to grow over time.

I agree — and I liked that unpredictability in the pacing and rhythm of the twelve’s first series of stories.  It was a rough ride that signaled loud and clear, this isn’t your dashing carousel ride any more, it’s something else, riskier, more shadowed and nuanced.

@puroandson  I love William Shatner, Ralph Fiennes, John Hurt, Peter Capaldi, Mat Smith, Candice Bergen, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Hugh Laurie the actors in the film The Breakfast Club, James Marsters and Clint Eastwood. Also Matt Damon.

I like your taste in actors, Son of Puro; Richard Schiff is A-list in my book too, as are Hugh Laurie and James Marsters, Helen Mirren, Toni Colette, Eva Green, Idris Elba, and so many others — we’re so lucky to live in a golden age of performance, despite its more ghastly qualities as well.

@mersey  And Danny wasn’t jealous. He was worried that Clara will end up dead. And he was right.

To be fair, though, the Doctor came to be just as worried about the same thing — and just as right.  Only he was too wound up in his own anxieties and confusions to realize it, in S8.  So S9 starts with him realizing it all too clearly.  Pity he couldn’t have had a line to spare for Danny’s earlier perception, admitting that the soldier was right about that.  Maybe Clara in S8 is in some ways a version of Edward Rochester, or maybe Cathy Whatsit in Wuthering Heights — a person with a flighty, selfish, passionate side that brings her to wisdom, ruin, and victory all together in the end.  We’re not used to seeing female characters act like this — another that comes to mind is Scarlett O’Hara, of Gone With the Wind.  These are troubling figures.  So is the Doctor (as Capaldi has played him), in his own way — which is what makes the two of them the magnetic center of S8, with Danny as a solitary comet drawn by her into orbit around them.

I think you’re right, people who think there could have been more, and more varied and textured, interaction between the Doctor and Danny — but maybe not so interesting to younger viewers; pretty adult stuff, of which there’s already a generous amount in S8 (the “See me” theme, for example, is still startlingly deep material IMO, for a “general” or “youth oriented” or “casual” viewership show).

@stitchintime  Of Danny refusing the Tardis: Perhaps he hoped that would discourage Clara from continuing to follow the Doctor into danger.

Oh, yes; his lines definitely positioned him against all this zipping around from peril to post, not a man to join in and make it a folie a trois.  I liked seeing a male character take a stand for the rewards of the upright solid citizen making a safe and solid life for those he or she loves rather than the wandering adventurer, living by his wits.  Usually it’s the wife or girlfriend who makes that case, trying to stop her errant man from going off to war or the dangerous caper or the dangerous errand of justice.  I liked the reversal here; it made Clara’s more Quixotic and wonder-seeking nature more real for me.

 

[MissRori @missrori]

Hi!  Looking over these comments — I agree that the character/story arc of Series 8 is strong and thoughtfully drawn conceptually (Danny and his concern for Clara, the Doctor and his identity crisis, etc.); it was just bumpy in its execution at times.  Also, glad to hear you’re feeling better @ichabod .

[ichabod @ichabod]

@missrori  Oh, I am — I am feeling much better, and enjoying not having to lie down and nap at odd times during the day any more.  I’m going to the gym today, but gently.  Just the treadmill, thanks, at a sedate speed.

[Missy @missy]

When you boil it down, both Clara and the Doctor lied and Danny didn’t.

The Doctor had good reason to mistrust soldiers, but he shouldn’t have judged Danny Pink because of that – fair enough I’ll buy that. BUT, DP shouldn’t have judged the Doctor because he was a Time LORD either.

As I’ve mentioned before, it would have been interesting to see  the outcome, if he and the Doctor had been able to talk.

As my OH would say, “it’s in the script!”

Missy

[Arbutus @arbutus]

@puroandson    I thought I’d respond in the pub, as that is the appropriate place for sports talk, is it not?  🙂

Thank you for your kind thoughts. That young swimmer is quite a success story, I believe she’s only sixteen! The Australian team is seeing some nice results as well. But I picture Australia as a kind of perpetual beach party, so it doesn’t surprise me that your athletes would be great at summer sport. We just returned from a weekend spent over on Vancouver Island, with some dear friends and their two little boys. Some time was spent in the woods and on the beach, we watched the Olympics (swimming, diving, and volleyball), and generous amounts of wine and spirits were consumed! It was a great time.

[winston @winston]

@arbutus  That sounds like a nice weekend! Woods, beach , sports and spirits sounds so Canadian eh?  Canada is doing pretty good today with a bronze in the decathalon and silver in the 100m mens sprint. Andre De Grasse came in second behind the Bolt!

[janetteB @janetteb]

@arbutus I missed your post. Your beach holiday does indeed sound lovely. I haven’t been following the Olympics, sport being really really not “my thing” however there has been much talk around town about a local youth who has done very well.

We live a fair way from the nearest beach, about 40k but that involves urban driving which always in effect doubles the distance. Wine however is at hand or at least just up the road, though right now the weather is not conducive to venturing abroad. Our local pub though has an open fire and they have finally headed my request and started to do mulled wine. Just perfect for a Friday night in winter/early spring and we have to make the most of it because in a couple of weeks time it will be summer and blisteringly hot. We really only have two seasons here.

Cheers

Janette

 

[Arbutus @arbutus]

@winston  @janetteb

Yes, spending time with our friends over there is our version of cottage time, as they live in a beautiful area just outside Victoria, surrounded by nature. And they are enthusiastic wine drinkers, so a great time altogether. It has been hot here (hot for us, anyway) so windows open 24/7 and fans going all night long. As Janette says, we are enjoying it while it lasts, because all too soon, it will be raining. (Although we do, as a rule, have four seasons.)

And by the way, welcome @blenkinsopthebrave to the beautiful west coast!

Last week, Arbutus Jr. made his first camping trip sans adults, up to Garibaldi Park with three friends. They made a three-hour hike into a back-country campground, got wet at night as our old tent is apparently no longer waterproof (oops!), climbed up to a glacier, and saw the Perseid meteor shower. They also ran out of camp fuel so could not boil water on the last day (they only drank what they scraped from the glacier) and couldn’t cook their oatmeal. So when I picked them up at the trail head after three days, they were thirsty and hungry as well as tired. I bought them all burgers and drinks, and then the three boys in the back seat all fell asleep! A.J. said it was entirely worth it.  🙂

@winston   That De Grasse is some piece of work, isn’t he? I think he’s great fun. I think Canada is doing pretty well at the Olympics considering that we are more of a winter sport country as a rule!

I’ve been lurking a bit recently and enjoying the conversations about canon and so on, without feeling the need to add anything. Preoccupied currently with a lot of writing, and trying to improve my grasp of jazz harmony. (I hope the Bach is coming along well, @puroandson!) Also trying to integrate our recently-adopted rescue cat. He’s a gorgeous boy named Kramer, who due to some unknown amount of time spent living rough, has become thoroughly nocturnal and really, really wants us to be nocturnal with him! We’re working on his re-education as far as letting us sleep is concerned.  🙂  But after ten months of catlessness, we are very happy to have him around.

 

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