@Juniperfish

I don’t think it was meant to be ‘adult-subtle’. I think this was fairly and squarely aimed at the kids; as I said on T’Other Place, the battles for this war are often being fought in the playgrounds. Rather than a load of information leaflets, Peter Harness is telling it as a story.

Is Osgood human or Zygon? Both. Is a child…[Read more]

BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

@Phaseshift

I read your impassioned plea in the pub just before the episode, and really smiled afterwards – crikey you must be psychic 🙂

Meanwhile, The Times should get a grip, the lines about bombing not being a solution because it radicalises could apply to Blair as much to the recent Tory ordered British drone strikes in Syria.

The Zygon…[Read more]

@pedant  @PhaseShift   Well, the first thought that leapt to my mind in the first 10-15 minutes was ‘Those who complain about Doctor Who having a socio-political agenda are going to be really pissed off with this one!’

Apart from that … Whoof!  Edge of the seat stuff, even if I am well beyond hiding behind the sofa.   Wonderful how many threa…[Read more]

@PhaseShift     Well said!

I raise a glass of seasonal beer to you.   🙂

@phaseshift

Let’s not forget “The Flipside of Dominick Hide”

@PhaseShift

Apologies – I was typing while you were posting and didn’t see your #45936

@JimtheFish

Hello old fish friend.

Glad you are on board with the tarot theme. It was @kharis who first spotted it on here in relation to this series, although @Phaseshift had been talking about Who and the tarot in the previous one, but, I am a believer.

As you say, there may not be a supreme coherence to it, it’s just a piece of symbolic…[Read more]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Reference to Captain Jack Harkness… !!!!! (I’d love him to pop up again in future).  I also agree with @bluesqueakpip and @phaseshift that at least one of the possible people Ashildr has met that may have told her about the Doctor is probably Missy.</p>
<p style=”text-align: left;”>I enjoyed this episode. The…[Read more]

@Phaseshift

I really enjoyed this one as well; the A plot and the B plot fed off each other. Highwaywoman hi-jinks because Ashildr had become both bored and conscienceless. Which feeds into the question: how do you deal with being effectively immortal?

I definitely got the impression that Ashildr had met Missy; we also got an explanation of why…[Read more]

@lisa, @blenkinsopthebrave, @purofilion, @ichabod  cheers! It was a very cool trip. Rewatched Fires Of Pompeii last night. Loved it even more now! No jet-lag, only 1 hour time difference from the UK so no probs there.

Ok, now caught up with comments. Overall I really enjoyed the episode. The scene cut from the practicing with real swords to the u…[Read more]

@phaseshift: For the first few hundred years of her life, I think Ashildr’s problem won’t be that she’s immortal.  Her problem will be, to quote another franchise, that

Everywhere in the world, they hurt little girls.

@janetteb—

I disagree regarding Susan. I would not want her to return as a companion which is something that often seems to be suggested. I would however like to know what became of her, a Gallifreyan presumably with the ability to regenerate left on earth

Actually, that’s probably fair enough. There are ways that a return to Susan might be…[Read more]

Post #44963 @PhaseShift and @purofilion and @Arbutus and @Bluesqueakpip and @Ichabod and @CountScarlioni Yup loved the Third Doctor reference to reversing the polarity (plus @ anyone else who squeed at it too 😀 )

Welcome @Starla

Not sure what to add (perhaps could point out that the Normans were Norsemen so we are still living with the…[Read more]

@countscarlioni   if he gives her the chip, Clara too has the potential to become another destructive tidal wave. The Doctor, as he shouts at the end of The Girl Who Died, can do anything, but here he grasps, after Ashildr has hugely sharpened his understanding of this, he shouldn’t save Clara. No wonder the Doctor has to go off by hi…[Read more]

Reading all the wonderful discussion here is every bit as good as watching the actual episode and certainly makes rewatching so much more rewarding.

I made notes, rather a lot of notes so here goes;

@lisa I agree re’ Ashildr and Arya from GoT being very similar, something that irritated me a little as the time though I also agree with @Ichabod…[Read more]

Loved all the great retro stuff that has been put up here lately, ghosts, witches, and villains. @purofilion, I loved your story about sneaking in a bit of Bowie (or trying to) and your dad lying in wait for you behind the door!

@Whisht    I am compelled to point out that Feist is not the name of a band, but a person, a Canadian si…[Read more]

@Phaseshift

“God of Battle = Minister of War?”

Very good! That’s a distinct possibility. It also explains why the Doctor hadn’t heard of the minister of War in “Before the Flood”. In his time line he hadn’t created her yet… I hope your idea bears fruit.

@PhaseShift   (or any available mod)    I wonder if this monster/villain conversation is deserving of a place on its own blog? I’m having a hard time keeping track of it and it is a fascinating discussion!

Great points and thoughts here as always. Some replies.

@Juniperfish    Yes, it did seem as though the Doctor might have known or guessed what would happen to Ashildr, and I was waiting for Clara to call him out on it. As far as Clara wondering why he wouldn’t give her the chip (especially in light of their earlier conversation), he clearly does…[Read more]