BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

@bluesqueakpip – Art criticism challenge!

Well the crosses take us to the Bible and the two dragon-like creatures  therein are Leviathan and Satan –

Leviathan the “twisted serpent” and “dragon who lives in the sea” is to be punished by the mighty sword of God… (Isiah)

We’ve somewhat moved away from the idea of the Doc as a lonely God since…[Read more]

@Craig – thanks for the extra re Cass – nice!

@Fivefaces Yes it’s interesting the cloister bell sounded – the old girl seems to do that when a paradox threatens  –  something Timelordy would be great, as the Doc does have Gallifrey to find.

Hmm – and just to add that I am really appreciating last season for the way the psychological damage of the encounter with the Moment lingers with Capaldi Doctor – he’s going through the process of accepting what he’d repressed for so long – that the War Doctor was himself – that he was a soldier (officer class – Danny really nails that one) and…[Read more]

@mudlark and @ichabod – the Tivoli detective work is great – hats off to all.

I’m sure the Doc has figured this out too, that the beings are not really ghosts – my guess is that someone on the crew is nefariously involved and he didn’t want to let them know he was on the right track…

I’m re-watching S8 and enjoying Capaldi’s early performance…[Read more]

@blenkinsopthebrave @purofilion I  like the drawing on Slavic water spirit mythology – definitely the porcelain coffin/ porcelain cup suggests a nod to that.

@Missy In terms of this vs last season – it’s a bit early to say. Something I didn’t enjoy were the random one off kids who went on adventures with Clara  – Courteney in Kill The Moon and e…[Read more]

JUST dropping back in to say that if the Doc is Merlin then of course Gallifrey is the Isle of Avalon and it’s his job to bring it back – one day…

@kharis yes your tarot references theme definitely has legs – I don’t want the full spoilery grand theory tho! But will be looking out for major and minor arcana…

It will be very Moffat, grande…[Read more]

@phaseshift – hmm yes – the sonic glasses are suspicious – it does seem as if the doc has adopted them for a purpose – does he suspect that, as Clara was sent his way by Missy he may need to ‘shield his eyes’ from her?

Of course the sonic will be back _ the glasses are definitely there for some particular reason!

Shades guard against brightness…[Read more]

@bluesqueakpip

I like the Narina link _ Clark seduced by the space equivalent of Turkish delight? Could be that Missy offers to restore Danny Pink to her…

I thought the Doctor’s turn of phrase – that he wanted to “kiss it to death” – it being something both evil and ingenious was interesting – perhaps that’s how he feels about Missy sometimes!

@Bluesqueakpip

A Merlin arc would be wonderful – and it occurs to me that Missy as Nimue, with Clara as her unwitting pawn, is a better fit than Clara herself.

We explicitly see that Missy is in some ways the Doctor’s “apprentice” in The Magician’s Apprentice – Clara points out that Missy got her vortex-manipulator triggered by enemy fire idea…[Read more]

@Phaseshift

I wondered whether the deaf captain was also an audience clue – i.e. – don’t just listen to what people are saying (which may misdirect) – watch what they are doing.

Is Clara somehow “the enemy inside a friend”?

@Bluesqueakpip

Never saw “Battlefield” – just read the synopsis. Hmmn, a reference to that for fans, perhaps, but given that we’ve had an episode titled “The Magician’s Apprentice”, another titled “The Witch’s Familiar” and now a sword under a lake reference which links the Doctor with Merlin (as he’s already been titled “Magician”) I like to…[Read more]

Running with the tarot theme:

Death – the card is also one of resurrection (regeneration?)

The ace of swords – the power of the intellect (very Doctor).

On an aside, my one bum note for the episode was, yet another, blushing fan-girl representation. I didn’t appreciate it in Osgood’s characterisation and I don’t appreciate it here either. Why…[Read more]

I really enjoyed this – love a two-parter. The classic ingredients – an enclosed ship, a crew in danger, running, corridors, being chased, a clock ticking, a dodgy corporation… were assembled to create genuine suspense.

The Doctor’s cue cards were a nice touch, as was his clockwork squirrel. But “the cards” were also a link to the Tarot card…[Read more]

@pedant @bluesqueakpip @phaseshift

yes _ a product replacement for the Sarah June adventures rather than a tonal one given the different age target as you say.

The Fades was wonderful so if it’s half as good it will be doing well.

i keep meaning to give RTD’s Wizards vs Aliens a proper look _ I’ve seen snippets…

@pedant I’ve just seen the Guardian article – a replacement for the Sarah Jane Adventures, after a suitable pause following Elizabeth Sladen’s untimely demise.

I only dropped into the Sarah Jane Adventures occasionally, so it will be interesting to see how they frame this as belonging to the Who universe. Clara teaches at Coal Hill school – so…[Read more]

@Papermoon

Yes, I like your thoughts on the Doctor broadcasting re Clara as a warning to Missy to keep her safe as much as to the Daleks. As for the Doctor without hope… “He’ll burn us all”, I just got my copy of the Day of the Doctor and watched if for the first time since the anniversary. Capaldi Doctor’s face appears in there, from the…[Read more]

SPOILER, SPOILER, SPOILER...

@Kharis – if it’s a theory, it’s not a spoiler (unless it relies on key spoiler information to work) so post away!