@miapatrick  People [here] tend to engage on the mad theories level more than on criticism, because that’s really what this forum is about.

I think, from the comment in the private message to puro, that 109 wanted a place to pick apart the *structure* of recent S8 and 9, second-guessing and condemning decisions made by the creative team about ho…[Read more]

@purofilion  Beethoven started to lose hearing in 1796 between the ages of 25-27, possibly even earlier

Good grief — the poor fellow!  How horrible.  It couldn’t have been from syphilis, could it?  Wasn’t there a ton of that going around at the time, or was that later on?  The 19th c had so much going on in it that’s fascinating from an arts…[Read more]

@lisa   You’re right.  He won’t run.  I just looked again at that phone call — “You made yourself essential — die on the one that comes after me — you *don’t* leave me — ”  Clara is still wrecked by Danny’s death, and the only thing holding her back from the brink is the Doctor.  He says we all have to go sometime, and she says she’s not read…[Read more]

@arbutus   Does anyone know why the groups of black birds might be given such interesting names (Conspiracy of Ravens, Murder of Crows)? There must be a reason, historically, presumably something to do with the negative image of those birds. But it would be interesting to know more about how it came about.

Ravens and crows are carrion birds, f…[Read more]

@scaryb   Nice portrait!  LvB looks very young there . . . how old was he when the deafness set in, do we know?  The death of O’Donnell is a kind of hark-back to MotOE, isn’t it — in this 2-parter, there’s a mystery to solve and no energy spared (by the Doctor) in mourning the already-lost or enormous efforts to keep the rest alive.  This is pre…[Read more]

@arbutus et al   When someone new joins the Forum, they most often start out by saying something like, “Hi, new poster here. Looking forward to lots of cool DW discussion!” Sometimes they show up on the Sofa to tell us a little about themselves. They almost always mention how long they’ve been a fan. What they do not generally do is announc…[Read more]

@supernumerary   I think the rock theme more came down to “wouldn’t this be cool, guys!”, and having Capaldi’s guitar right before the theme provided a nice excuse.

Sounds good enough to me!

@jimthefish  . . . despite the comprehensive embracing of the BG show in these episodes, the troll-brigade on t’other place are still baying for cancella…[Read more]

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@purofilion   Those who have criticised the opening use of Beethoven’s 5th perhaps forget that Beethoven, next to Bach, was a most feared extemporiser and improviser of his own, and others’ motifs. That Murray Gold did the same with the Doctor Who theme in Before the Flood was an historical nod to Beethoven.

Ooh, lovely — and our Doctor is hims…[Read more]

@lisa River will be reappearing after Clara leaves. She told the Doctor in ‘Name of the Doctor” that she was connected to Clara.

But MissMaster is connected to Clara too, having “chosen” her somehow?  And I thought I was confused before . . .

@purofilion  I read the Dan Martin Blog which was great. In that, he had a link to Bootstrap -a 13 mins short film but it wasn’t in English, so ahem, having no attention span, I stopped it.  Did anyone persist? Is it helpful to Clara and her continuing story?

I couldn’t make head nor tail of the clip, and stopped watching.  But I think the poin…[Read more]

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@mersey   I usually listen to the new episode without watching it for the second time so kudos for great dialogs and music.

That sounds like an excellent idea; must try it.

@arbutus  I wonder if Clara is actually turning herself into the Doctor because, lacking Danny, she can no longer be Clara?

I’d say so; Clara-the-human (Coal Hill School, g…[Read more]

@arbutus  I have been thinking lately about how much TV has changed in recent years. This is the first show that I have regularly watched that actually requires a second viewing to get everything you can out of it. I know that there are other shows out there like that, but I don’t happen to watch them. But it seems to me that Moffat’s DW is a show…[Read more]

@denvaldron  I think that the Tivoli dressing as a Victorian undertaker is a bad, weak choice.

In terms of sense, yes; in terms of the visual effect, wonderful, particularly the sly suggestion of that sort of Dickensian hypocrisy and general deceptiveness in the interests of genteel appearances.  Loved it!

@blenkinsopthebrave  the Doctor was wi…[Read more]

@denvaldron  Thank you — that analysis gives lots to think about.

@arbutus  I feel the same way about this casual tossing out of possible future companions — and of perfectly inoffensive DW fans!  What gives, here?  A weird hostility vibe, or what?

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@charlie-cook  did you read the inscription on Prentice’s card: May the remorse be with you

Thank you!  That went by to fast for me.  I liked the base crew very much — beautiful detail in the relationships there, looking forward to re-watches.  Loved the fourth wall business — what could be nicer than having the Doctor talk to us watchers direc…[Read more]