S32 (6) 12 – Closing Time

[Craig @craig Emperor]

Repeated on BBC3 on 2 March. Featuring the return of Craig. The Doctor’s final days are upon him and when he drops in on an old friend, the Cybermen are waiting.

You can watch it here until 9 March: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0156hh8

Here’s what you originally thought:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/sep/24/doctor-who-closing-time-episode-12

[Miapatrick @miapatrick]

For all the flaws to this episode- I like the Craig episodes, mostly I think because he’s almost an anti-companion. Craig was the one who didn’t want to go anywhere, who chose instead what the Doctor calls the even bigger adventure (or something like that) when he drops Amy and Rory off in a new house. Craig’s laid back attitude ‘you can’t help who your mates are’  is an interesting contrast to Rory’s occasional (and perfectly justified) ire. Doctor Who is about adventure. But not everyone is naturally adventurous, and I get the feeling that it was his interaction with Craig here that provided some of the push in TWORS, at first to at least find out why he was supposed to die, and then to go against it. The Amy’s and the Rory’s are exceptional. Craig, who saves the day first by not wanting to move away from his home, and secondly by loving his baby son, is the best of the ordinary. The doctor has a clear penchant for human beings, that ought to include the ordinary ones.

I also thought there was a bit of a dig at RTD- we saw 10’s farewell tour in excruciating detail, lots of standing with a sad face and shouting to himself, and if I’m honest, it did a lot to soften the blow. Not a fan of protracted farewells. Here we see a portion of what 11 considered to be his farewell tour, which apparently consisted of turning up at peoples doors and chatting for a few moments, which is the essence of why I like 11 so much more than 10.

And as for James Corden- I don’t know. I like him here and in TL, I liked him in the History Boys, wasn’t keen on Gavin and Stacey, he’s apologised for The Lesbian Vampire Killers and as for his panel show, it seams reasonable to make ones buckets of money out of something like that and then for acting going back to (the relatively ill paying) theatre. I think he’s good in DW, that’s the main thing. In the Nineties who would have thought Sheridan Smith would have ended up with the career she has now?

[Anonymous @]

I loved The Lodger but this was a really disappointing follow-up, I think. Craig veered towards annoying in this one,  and the absence of Daisy Haggard was sorely felt I thought.

It’s also the epitome of treating the Cybermen like useless galactic bee-atches. They’re useless in this story. I’m really hoping that they’re going to get a serious rehabilitation in the upcoming Gaiman story.

But there are some great lines in it. I can almost forgive the episode for all its faults solely for the Stormageddon stuff…

[janetteB @janetteb]

I really enjoyed this episode. Not having been disadvantaged by negative association, (haven’t seen J.C. in anything else) I liked Craig as a character and enjoyed the raport between him and the Dr. The “love saves the day” ending is the only weak point in this story. Once again I got the feeling that Moffat was brilliant at setting up a story and playing it out but had no idea of how to end it.  I agreed with @miapatrick that this story celebrates the ordinary, the “human”, qualities that RTD appeared to despise. (thinking his initial portrayal of Micky. The Doctor referring to him as, “Micky the Idiot”, without reason.)

Cheers

Janette

[Miapatrick @miapatrick]

@jimthefish– the stormageddin stuff was brillent. Kind of makes me wish Moffit would remake ‘Look who’s talking’…

Agree the Cybermen part were terrible, like @janetteb says,  the ending fell off badly. Even the script was making retching noises. Still, interesting that the only way in this episode in which the Doctor saved the day- was by tidying up. (And then before very long he’s introducing himself as the caretaker and acting like a deranged Mary Poppins…

[Author]

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