@missy– but he (in the simulation at least) plugged his brain into a device that would temporarily restore his sight at some great cost he knew not what- further regenerations, maybe. So his sight was pretty important at that point. (Before it occurred to him to use text to speech on the laptop). And then in what we can assume was the real world…[Read more]

Having quite an interesting conversation on the Guardian thread, about the misstelling of the frog and scorpion story – though someone has pointed out that there are other versions of the story – and the similar but different old woman and the snake story. Is the Doctor actually the old woman, taking in a freezing snake that begs her to save its…[Read more]

@tardigrade– yes to me too. I know Moffart doesn’t control all the information that comes out before the episodes. But I can’t really see any reason for the regeneration scene other than to make us all think- if we saw it there the first time or already knew about it- that he’s going to regenerate. The jokes more on us than Bill. And so avoidable,…[Read more]

@RorySmith– you’re right. Pearl was amazing. They all were, this was fantastically acted. I have some issues with the pacing and conclusion of these three episodes, but it is a good story done well and the dynamics playing out between the Doctor, Bill, Nardole and Missy are fantastic. Just as with the Smith area, one can always find flaws, but the…[Read more]

@wolfweed– good point. In an episode in which he helps the Monks in the attempt to convince them that they’ve convinced him and he’s had a change of heart- Missy helps him, and even starts crying. Remorseful Missy is about as unlikely as willing propaganda stooge doctor.

@MissRori– good point, although it’s hard to see the rational for the fake regeneration, given that Bill doesn’t, as far as we know, know about regeneration, and even if she did, her shooting the doctor was the point…
It’s weird with this episode. One of A three parter, but so much shorthand necessary. I almost wonder if they could have made the…[Read more]

Just rewatched this because I was at a friend’s house last night for drinks and apparently it is ‘widely anti-social’ to disappear into the living room to watch a tv program half way through the evening. Went onto vodka redbulls at one point so I could stay and watch it when everyone else went to bed, but unfortunately this morning I discovered a…[Read more]

@steffstaff, @missrori @thane15: re: regeneration. There is always a sense of the idea he might not regenerate. That he has regenerations left was made explicit (if anyone had missed the episode where he was gifted them) by his comments about the sight restorer.
(and I repeat, this episode would have been a great time to have the sight restorers…[Read more]

@blenkinsopthebrave, @cathannabel, @mudlark, @whisit thank you- would have replied earilr but I premitvly took @pedants advice and indeed did ‘drink drink drink’ and now its a bank holiday weekend, when will it all end…
@bluesequeekpip thanks again for your help with the creative writing modules. You were a big factor in getting my overall…[Read more]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>@steffstaff– well the book talked of a demon wanting to take over the world by creating a shadow world, so they had the gist.</p>
<p style=”text-align: left;”>but yeah, though I suppose he was on higher alert. Could he have done something before he got tardis-napped? He was talking to Missy. Possibly the next episode…[Read more]

Incedentally got a slight gnostic resonance. ‘You are corpses to us’, the simulations running with people personalities and no body. Finding freedom in death. How tangible are the monks?

@steffstaff– true, good point.

still, one thing the monks don’t know is how people would fight them in real life. Everyone who read the book killed their selves. No one tried to fight them- because that would give them information and because, what’s the point?

So they haven’t see anyone do anything after finding out the monks plan do anything…[Read more]

@missrori– ah but he didn’t agree. He would rather have died. But then they would have just waited for the next crisis.  Bill had a point that wasn’t entirely sentimental.

Frankly this would have been a good time to plug in the temporary sight restorers, I’d have thought. Was that actually an invention of the monks?

I do see a flaw in their…[Read more]

Just rewatched, one thought… before the bombs go off, the scientist says they’re ‘saving the world’. Obviously this isn’t something the ‘real’ Doctor will see. But before she pixilates, Bill says ‘save me’. And every time someone says this I think of the original Moffat library episodes. She’s says save me, not help me.

and the doctor did/was,…[Read more]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Just submitted the final assignment for my OU degree after six years of study. Think a drink is in order?</p>

@CountScarlioni yup! he went full Moffart. I’ve enjoyed the sequence of new episodes, but I was pretty sure/hoping the whole seasons wouldn’t carry on that way.

I’m interested by the fact that River would not approve of the Doctor killing Missy. I remember Martha getting angry when she saw ten getting ready to forgive him, it seemed like a…[Read more]

@rorysmith– don’t use’ I could write better’ as an insult then. It signifies lack of ambition! Why would being better than Moffat be ‘sad’?

Your novel sounds very interesting.

@rorysmith– if cheeto has done one good thing, it’s making ‘sad’ as a sign off unacceptable.

Saying you could do better is something that really ought to be accompanied with a script or at least a synopsis. Not as good as you’d found yourself taught to expect is quite a different matter.

people loved Shakespeare not for his brand new invention-…[Read more]

@Craig– I know, right?

sad.

@Rorysmith you can easily outwrite Donald Trump at least…