Couldn't agree more. I believe a lot of this episode happened exactly as Elton described, but he deffo comes off as someone exaggerating and/or making up parts of the story to make it more interesting. I actually think it's possible that the Abzorbaloff was in actuality a lot more sinister and intimidating, but Elton portrays it as an overweight, Peter Kay sounding alien as a 'f*** you' to it for what it did to Ursula and the rest of LINDA.
It's nice to find content defending this episode because when I first watched I really liked it. Given I was like, idk 13. Just the way it showed how a common interest could bring people together mirrored much of my life and just made me unreasonably fond of the episode.
You can see from Channel pup's design the Absorbaloff is supposed to be a lot bigger and scarier (there's an entire person absorbed into one of his forearms for example) so really the problem is DW didn't have the budget and had to water the thing down to a much smaller and less dangerous creature
This episode is sooooo underrated. Honestly I think the biggest problem for most people was the monster and the ending. 1. I don’t think the monster is that bad. Goofy? Yes. But the characters in this episode far outweigh one goofy monster that appears for 5 minutes. 2. I understand the problem with the ending as it’s a bit strange, but honestly that’s why I kinda like it. It wasn’t really a “happy ending”, simply the best it could be. However I love what this episode did for Jackie, it honestly made me rewatch a lot of her episodes with the thought of her loneliness and vulnerability in mind and honestly it reminds me of Donna. She’s so sarcastic in nature to everyone around her simply because she’s afraid to tackle her real emotions. Elton is also great. I’m amazed Russel was able to make such a well rounded character, with a backstory and develop believable relationships all in the span of 45 minutes. So yeah definitely underrated. It has its problems but those problems have nothing to do with the actual writing.
i genuinly couldnt stand Elton. horribly cringy to watch (that might well have been the point) but it was just painful to watch. the ending is just..... wierd. the monster is fine but in the scene where it runs are Elton at lightning speed is just.. its awful. theres a reason this episode is infamous for being the worst of the worst (actually its now lost that title, every episode in season 11 and 12 have now overtaken this mess)
The argument that the Absorbaloff had to be used doesn't even fly. The concept is great, but I can think of far better ways to incorporate a monster that absorbs living beings to survive into a story. They should have tailor made the story to the monster in my opinion
@@oswin1234 i think they made it to be as child friendly as possible since it was designed by a child I mean it makes fact jokes I think they wanted to avoid a cyber man or Darlek monster type
@@oswin1234if I remember correctly, the main villain was designed by a child who won a contest to have a fan created monster be the main bad for an episode
Come on, the Scooby Doo chase scene at the beginning is one of the best things of the episode. It shows the Doctor and Rose taking all of it not too serious, similarly to the episode they start doing Ghostbusters (sorry forgot which one). Yes Elton is a unreliable narrator, but it perfectly fits 10ths and Roses Character, Relationship and especially Arc.
Victor Kennedy walks in. Transforms LINDA from it's core. Disregards everything that made LINDA fun in the first place. Verbally assaults LINDA members that don't like the new system. Eventually he drives off (absorbs) everyone in the group, but that's ok from his perspective, because the group is still serving his political goals and those people didn't have the same goal as him. RTD predicted Series 11.
@Cian Abroad. Nice forcing left vs right wing in ,even though as you noted, the OP never even put thier political opinion in. Also the video given has nothing to refute the OP's comment, it's irrelevant and gives off the impression that you think the average person who criticises S11 (who happens to fall on the right side of the political spectrum, since that's what the video shared is talking about) are any of the things that video is just as laughable as if I'd said "anyone who defends S11 is a communist or a left wing extremist", which is stupid.
When I first saw this episode, I had no idea of it's bad reputation, and I actually liked it. Sure it wasn't the greatest story in the series, but I thought it was solid. - The Doctor and Rose hardly being in the episode gave us the sense of mystery the Doctor had back in the 60's and gave us a look as an outsider observing the Doctor and his travels which is pretty refreshing. - The monster was pretty creative and scary. Sure he's goofy looking but so are the Slitheen and even the Daleks are pretty ridiculous by concept. The big fat absorbing monster wasn't really a shock to me as it fit right into the DW universe of ridiculous aliens and monsters it was known for. - Overall I thought the episode was pretty fresh and unique. If you look at it as just being an episode that wanted to be different it is actually pretty good. Everyone who doesn't like this episode was probably taking it too seriously, but this episode was never meant to be taken too seriously, with the goofy monster and tone, but with the good meta commentary on the fandom, I think this episode is pretty solid for what it is.
I've literally had people sneer at me for liking this episode. This was so well thought out and had a lot of heart, I really like your essays and I'm now subscribed 😊
I'm glad you liked the video! I used to hate the episode but that was just because everyone had always said how bad it was! It's such an underrated episode and I hope more people can start to see its positives rather than its flaws
I've come to accept the fact that whenever there is scene involving a hallway full of doors and multiple characters that a Scooby Doo Chase will manifest.
When this one aired and I was age 6 this was no joke one of my favourites I loved it, I had maybe a dozen dr who episodes on dvd as a kid, and this and blink were definitely my favourites. I was really heartbroken 2 years ago when I got into watching the video essay community and discovered people hated this episode. I just really can’t bring myself to dislike it, I mean it’s just regular guy gets involved with a monster chase, how more relatable can the show get and the humour, I think sometimes we forget that while we enjoy it while older, dr who’s core audience is supposed to be younger, and is certainly didn’t care when a joke missed.
Dude, I saw a post on tumblr that said Amy is the Doctor's imaginary friend because she started a sentence with "The" and finished it with "end." You're Freud comparatively.
I love this story and how it mirrors the fan base and how people become real friends over doctor who . It's a lovely episode with a great cast and a cracking sound track. Peter Kay is an.... Interesting choice for the azorbaloff but ok. Interestingly this was the 2nd ever episode I saw and I found the azorbaloff so terrifying that I had to eat my tea in the garden. Though I was ok with the devil a week before. I was 4
This is actually one of my favorite episodes of the series. Thanks for giving it the time. And I love your channel. I found it yesterday kind of on accident and subscribed within the first five minutes.
My thoughts on love and monsters is simple. Everything Until Peter Kay shows up is absolutely brilliant... Then Peter Kay shows up... everything goes dark... then the preview for the next episode plays
I don't understand why people disliked Fear Her, although technically it's just a drawing in th episode, domestic abuse and having nightmares about it, is way more real than any of the monsters
I agree with you! I loved getting a chance to see Jackie in a deeper way, and I felt all the LINDA characters were well drawn out, except the monster guy. It portrayed Elton's relationship with Jackie quite sympathetically, showing how he came to really care about her, and the pain and fury Jackie felt. I do think the ending was horrific, with this couple chained together in a tortured secret relationship. I think this episode pondered some darker moral aspects of the Doctor's power, and how he can leave a trail of pain and pathos in his wake. If this episode had let itself go a bit darker, left out the fart jokes, and maybe realized the monster design a little more menacingly, it could have been seen as a fairly good psychological horror.
LINDA can also be interpreted as the fandom during the 90s. They love the Doctor, the Doctor brings them together, and they desperately search for him - this represents the fandom being formed during the entire classic run, and the void the show left after is was cancelled. They slowly grow together, moving on from the Doctor but still knowing that he is what brought them together in the first place - this represents the fandom still loving the show, all but abandoning hope of it ever returning, but they don't feel lost without it anymore, and the friendships they made within the fandom fill the void left by the show. Then a newcomer arrives and forces them to search for the Doctor, and at first its fun to be back in the search, but they grow to hate it - this represents the 8th Doctor film, and how it reignited the fandom, but then when it was released it was... well, I don't need to explain what it was. Then the Absorbaloff represents abandoning the fandom, abandoning Doctor Who. One by one, this newcomer (the 8th Doctor film) causes LINDA members to vanish (fans to abandon the fandom) until finally there's just Elton left, running from it, but then he gives up. But right before all hope is lost, right before Elton is absorbed, the Doctor arrives - the show is back. But the Doctor seems to not care about Elton at first - this is Nuwho establishing itself as independent from Classic Who. However, in the end, the Doctor saves Elton and gives him a paving slab that does blowjobs - this is Nuwho turning out to not only still be loyal to the classics, but also a phenomenal successor and a fantastic show in its own right. LINDA is the Wilderness Fandom. My interpretation is probably skewed, as I was born in 2002 and thus was introduced to Doctor Who by the RTD1 era, so my idea of the Wilderness Fandom is mostly speculation and also from my experience of not enjoying any episode that was made after the 50th (I am so excited for RTD2 because to me the show has been dead for almost a decade and RTD is bringing it back), but I still think it's quite a good interpretation.
I actually went into this video thinking I'd have a really hard time defending it, because I hadn't seen it in so long and I'd only ever see people hate on it, so I was really surprised to find how much I enjoyed it
I wouldn’t be surprised if this episode is soon considered one of the best in Doctor who history since the amount of videos who have now started to defend this episode.
I just rewatched this episode and it’s great. Didn’t mind it the first time and really appreciated it this time. I actually love “normal person episodes” like this one, they create a mystery about the main characters
You know, I've always both known about this episode's unfavorable reputation and have quite enjoyed it. And for many of the reasons you've cited in this video. It's fun and interesting to be so hooked into a largely Doctor-free episode of Doctor Who. Blink employed this element in it's story. And everyone tends to hold THAT episode in high regard. Not that I'm saying that's necessarily relevant to what does or doesn't make Love And Monsters OR Blink an enjoyable episode. ......but for what it's worth, they both ARE episodes I enjoy, and they DO both do that.
Because of what Chris Chibnall and Jody Whitaker have done to series 11 and 12 I honestly feel like I'll never watch a recent episode of Doctor Who again. It's like watching every CW super hero show trying to push some sort of agenda rather than trying to tell a coherent story. Gods and Monsters would be a massive upgrade in this day and time.
There is a difference. Some people refuse to believe that there's anything redeemable at all about Series 11 and 22. While I hate it as much as the next guy, I can appreciate Graham as a decent character, Demons of the Punjab as a good episode and not over analyze every line to the point where I think every frame has some hidden agenda.
FINALLY Someone else! It scared the fuck out of me. I genuinely still can't look at the episode without having a ptsd flashback to crying in a sweat in bed after watching it
My ONLY problem is that FREAKING slab.... I can't watch the episode because the slab. All that I love about the episode (like LINDA and the fact that is portraying in perspective of an 'outside' of TARDIS) is totally destroy by that. I don't even know why I Hate soo much that slab.
Love and Monsters is actually my fav Doctor Who episode so far. The whole fandom satire didnt rly stick with me cuz im very new to this franchise and havent interacted with the fandom much, but Elton’s story really connected with me. Finding a group of people who understand you when it feels like the entire world doesnt, bonding to the point of becoming genuine friends, and then losing all of that because of obsession and losing sight of what really mattered. I’ve been through that. I understand it, and i connect with it. The part at the end of the episode where Elton reminisces abt LINDA having fun and it cuts off to him (seemingly) alone in his room, silent as opposed to the loud cheerful nature of his memories with LINDA, that HIT me, because it does feel like that.
I’m currently watching the entirety of Doctor Who for the first time, and although I had heard people say they dislike this episode, when I got to it, I didn’t understand why. I’ve lived in fandoms for pretty much half my life now, and to see an episode all about that really made me appreciate it. It was actually the first Doctor Who episode to make me cry, because I know what it’s like to lose those kinds of friends. So who cares that the monster looks bad, it’s not what I remember it for. I remember Elton, Ursula, Colin, Bridget, Bliss, and the beautiful community that they created together.
The people doing negative reviews of series 11 are just doing what you are doing. Analysing something and giving their thoughts on it. They aren't trying to ruin it for everyone, people who go out of their way to tell you you are wrong for enjoying it are trying to ruin it for you.
I was referring to the people who are trying to ruin it for people. Certain TH-cam channels that do nothing BUT criticise every single move the Doctor Who production team and marketing team make. I'm not going to name names, but there are two particular channels that do this almost daily and those were who I was referring to. Also, full disclaimer, I actually hated Series 11, but I see both sides. I have no problem with people making measured, well thought out reviews and criticisms of the series. Those are good! But it's when people don't analyse things and create a really, really toxic environment with what they say about the series that I have a problem with
@@HarboWholmes fair enough. I haven't seen the people just constantly complaining myself. I also didn't like season 11 personally, I don't think I enjoyed any of the episodes. But I think if someone managed to like it good for them.
I really really love the idea of some random people noticing the Doctor presence on earth, they never do this again and i'm so sad for this. The Doctor should be like an Creepypasta in their human world, and cryptic like type, maybe even a tiny internet mystery, I would love to see an episode like that, someone investigating this myth
I really really like this Episode for some reason , it’s a good way to show how he effects the lives of real people and it was dark aswell and Peter kay played a blinder. Going into it you think it’s gonna be silly but it gets really really good and the end is fantastic as rose dresses down the blonde guy and scolds him for that he’s done. If you want a SHITE episode of the RTD era , watch that shitty London Olympics 2012 it think it’s called “Fear Her” it’s truly awful
Look, I'm not here to be a meme or be "unique" or "wacky", but rewatching the entire doctor who series for the first time since it aired, with my friend other quarantine, this episode was one of the most enjoyable and best ones. It's just so fun, and cool to see these side characters. Even the monster (and the weird head slate) are both hilariously weird, I honestly love it.
I've always absolutely ADORED the idea behind this episode, to be this fanbase-centered story, how the Doctor appears to the people who aren't his companions but just live their lives and happen to find something about him (same reason I love Clive from series 1 and I'm still mad he was killed). It's the execution of the episode, its main monster and stuff surrounding him (or, well, being literally part of him) that make me hate this episode and discourage me from coming back to it (I still might though, someday). I love this channel so much. Thank you, Harbo.
How I feel about things like this is that creativity is hard. Someone put a lot of work into this and worked hard on it (with a few exceptions) so who am I to judge the result. It is a feat worthy of praise that all the different elements that go about producing a show worked every time and the episode itself was released. And to those who still criticize people for the products they turn out, if you think you can do better, do it. Let you own work stand up to the same criticism you put upon others. Worst case scenario is you fail and learn a valuable lesson. Best case scenario is that you’ve given the world an enjoyable piece of work that you can be proud of.
The Run down industrial units (I lived I'm Sheffield so I know it alot) and Mr Bluesky reminds me of my gorgeous imagination and how I used it to escape
I only found out recently that this episode is pretty much universally hated. I was about 8 when it came out, and it was something that terrified me. I'd have nightmares about the abzorballof, of the people I knew in my life being secretly monsters who could absorb me at any moment. This monster scared me more than the daleks, or any other monster. Now looking back realising how hated this episode is, it makes me feel silly, for being so scared.
Cool fact about the kid who designed the Abzorbaloff he’s actually the dude ‘channel pup’ on TH-cam, I legit didn’t know this until I was watching his video on the episode and he said ‘I’m the kid who designed it 15 years ago’ and I was like ‘whaaaat’
Imagine a man unlucky enough to meet DW show back in the day not only through this exact episode, but through final scenes with abzorbaloff chase. Yep, that's me.
I've found that in most shows, fandom episodes are almost universally despised, both when breaking down _and_ when written as love letters to those fandoms. The fact that this episode is written on both sides of the coin probably goes a long way to explaining why much of the fandom hates it, or at least why it's easy for fans to hate it.
Believe it or not, this was the first episode of the entire series that I had seen. This was what ushered me into the series and I’m still a fan. I’m not saying you have to love it or change your mind, but I love it because it gave me an insight into a wonderful series. My favorite episode, however, is “The girl in the fireplace”.
This is literally the one episode of new who I skip when introducing new people to Doctor Who. I've had people watch twelve series with me, but skip this one, and then they ask I show them a couple scenes and they understand why.
Absolutely love the focus on the people who were left behind who saw the doctor once and couldn't forget. But there must have been better drawings than the absorbalov. Was the winner the kid or nephew of some executive?
The Doctor: Are you from Raxacoricophalapatourius? The Absorbalorf: No, I come from the sister planet. The Doctor: Oh? What’s the sister planet of Raxacoricophalapatourius? The Absorbalorf: Glom The Doctor: Glom?!
Apart from the goofy monster reveal (which may have been a deliberate subversion and just Elton's version of it) I REALLY enjoy this episode, especially the moments with Jackie being fleshed out and the empathy experienced by Elton.
I actually enjoyed this episode when it came out, and never changed my mind. I like it when shows have some random episodes giving other points of view of the main characters.
Agreed on all fronts here. I've always liked the episode, certainly more than New Earth, Idiot's Lantern and Fear Her from the same series. Retrospectively it probably suffers from the fact that the next series' Doctor-lite episode was Blink. Then series 4 delivered both a classic Doctor-lite episode in Turn Left AND a companion-lite classic in Midnight.
He had a bad memory of the tardis sounds because his mom died and he blocked out everything related to it. I never got the impression he imagined anything..
Those warehouses were in Cardiff bay and were knocked down a few years after this episode aired; when I found out they were getting knocked down I got my mam to take a photo of me in front of them because of this episode so clearly it made some kind of an impression haha
This is a really sweet take on the episode that I'd never considered before. Thanking fans, paying homage to them and respecting their passion? That's a really stark contrast to what I hear from writers today who seem to think fan theories are the worst thing ever and any critique is the height of rudeness.
I have a soft spot this ep tbh. Its the first DW ep i ever saw, I was so confused and amused by its weirdness that it convinces me to check out the show from the start
I am literally in love with your Channel❤️ - what do you use to edit these your masterpiece videos... reveal to me your secrets my Lord🙌🏼 Quality Content here x
I don't know how I'd feel if I was the actress in this if THIS and a ghost who haunts a bathroom stall were what everyone remembers me for! She and the kid who designed the bad guy, I will always feel sorry for. I do think the story is a good idea and should be explored more of how normal people react to the Doctor and other aliens coming to Earth and Fox Mulder types who believe they exist and want to prove it, even if half the world thinks they're nuts!
Dispite the silly monster of the week, I've always love this episode; Although it isn't one I visit too often. The performances in this episode are pitch perfect; depicting real people like this guys says... fans, quiet, shy, passionate people who find friendship. It makes me crazy that tey are so lose to the truth they are looking for, but never get it. What would they do or be if they really got to it? And the ending... where Elton realises he's built a fantasy around his mother's death... and also as a viewer knowing, he must be right about... some... all? The unreliable narrator is shown all the way through, but because it's set in the Whoniverse, you can go through assuming everything is at least in some part truth. It's a stand alone and, fan submitted moster of the week aside, tells a damn good character story all round. I'd love to see Elton come on as a companion all this time after. Who has he become after all that?
...one touch is all it takes... ...and then you're completely absorbed... ... that's actually damned terrifying when you stop and think about it... ... damned terrifying...
I didn't know this episode was hated by the fandom, it is one of the most memorable episodes for me in a good way, verging on being one of my favorites... The show has a tendency to brush off everyone not important to the plot. Every time there is a massive alien invasion on Earth the doctor says humans will just forget about it and act like it never happened which feels really unrealistic to me. So to get to see "normal" people and how past events have affected them + see a group of people bond and grow together because of the doctor, but not with him, is a really nice thing to see in the doctor who universe. I also think this episode is special because we basically got an entire episode dedicated to these peoples backstories and growth which then made their deaths hurt even more than most other episodes (which I think is impressive since the show already does a very good job creating a connection to small characters in practically every episode)
6:20 DUDE! That other monsters that almost won to the right of the Absorbaloff, drawn by some guy named Daniel, LOOKS EPIC! The Xercainian (GREAT NAME!) Reminds me of the Silence! That thing NEEDS to show up in Doctor Who!
![DID IT SUCK? - Doctor Who [LOVE AND MONSTERS REVIEW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gUem0ubFC2s/mqdefault.jpg)
I always thought the stupid Scooby Doo chase scene was the biggest clue that Elton was an unreliable narrator telling tall tales.
Briliant observation, sir! I thought it's such kind of show.
Same.
Scooby Doo? Soon as I saw it, I thought Benny Hill!
I sincerely hope that happened exactly as depicted
Couldn't agree more. I believe a lot of this episode happened exactly as Elton described, but he deffo comes off as someone exaggerating and/or making up parts of the story to make it more interesting.
I actually think it's possible that the Abzorbaloff was in actuality a lot more sinister and intimidating, but Elton portrays it as an overweight, Peter Kay sounding alien as a 'f*** you' to it for what it did to Ursula and the rest of LINDA.
It's nice to find content defending this episode because when I first watched I really liked it. Given I was like, idk 13. Just the way it showed how a common interest could bring people together mirrored much of my life and just made me unreasonably fond of the episode.
That poor kid did a good job designing a monster, I blame the adults.
You can see from Channel pup's design the Absorbaloff is supposed to be a lot bigger and scarier (there's an entire person absorbed into one of his forearms for example) so really the problem is DW didn't have the budget and had to water the thing down to a much smaller and less dangerous creature
The kid has a good imagination and that’s awesome.
Pb 207.2 You know that the kid who designed it is a doctor who critic youtuber?
Austin Playz I did not. What’s his channel name?
Pb 207.2 read lonely wanderer’s reply
This episode is sooooo underrated. Honestly I think the biggest problem for most people was the monster and the ending.
1. I don’t think the monster is that bad. Goofy? Yes. But the characters in this episode far outweigh one goofy monster that appears for 5 minutes.
2. I understand the problem with the ending as it’s a bit strange, but honestly that’s why I kinda like it. It wasn’t really a “happy ending”, simply the best it could be.
However I love what this episode did for Jackie, it honestly made me rewatch a lot of her episodes with the thought of her loneliness and vulnerability in mind and honestly it reminds me of Donna. She’s so sarcastic in nature to everyone around her simply because she’s afraid to tackle her real emotions.
Elton is also great. I’m amazed Russel was able to make such a well rounded character, with a backstory and develop believable relationships all in the span of 45 minutes.
So yeah definitely underrated. It has its problems but those problems have nothing to do with the actual writing.
For some reason Jackie is my favourite character from the Davies era.
i genuinly couldnt stand Elton. horribly cringy to watch (that might well have been the point) but it was just painful to watch. the ending is just..... wierd. the monster is fine but in the scene where it runs are Elton at lightning speed is just.. its awful. theres a reason this episode is infamous for being the worst of the worst (actually its now lost that title, every episode in season 11 and 12 have now overtaken this mess)
The argument that the Absorbaloff had to be used doesn't even fly. The concept is great, but I can think of far better ways to incorporate a monster that absorbs living beings to survive into a story. They should have tailor made the story to the monster in my opinion
@@oswin1234 i think they made it to be as child friendly as possible since it was designed by a child I mean it makes fact jokes
I think they wanted to avoid a cyber man or Darlek monster type
@@oswin1234if I remember correctly, the main villain was designed by a child who won a contest to have a fan created monster be the main bad for an episode
That’s the thing with RTD era episodes. Even the bad ones can be enjoyable.
true, certainly cant say that for series 11 and 12 (not even 1 decent episode in the lot)
Rhys Whittington kerblam was probably the best in my opinion. But that’s saying something about the rest of series 11 in my opinion.
@@coraldiamond1922 yeah it was the only one that kinda felt like a proper episode. still a crap plot though
Would much rather watch a whole series of entertainingly bad RTD episodes then the plain, by the numbers and at best average episodes from Chibnall
@@rhyswhittington8759 12 has some good episodes
Come on, the Scooby Doo chase scene at the beginning is one of the best things of the episode.
It shows the Doctor and Rose taking all of it not too serious, similarly to the episode they start doing Ghostbusters (sorry forgot which one). Yes Elton is a unreliable narrator, but it perfectly fits 10ths and Roses Character, Relationship and especially Arc.
It’s very breaking the 4th wall and I just love it for that reason.
8:40 and Mickey had just left too, the one person she could talk to about Rose and the Doctor. poor Jackie, bless
Victor Kennedy walks in. Transforms LINDA from it's core. Disregards everything that made LINDA fun in the first place. Verbally assaults LINDA members that don't like the new system. Eventually he drives off (absorbs) everyone in the group, but that's ok from his perspective, because the group is still serving his political goals and those people didn't have the same goal as him.
RTD predicted Series 11.
This comment deservers an award
Wait Series 11 has fans?
@@LLT8 I like it
Cian McCabe I don’t get it, which ones supposed to be ironic?
@Cian Abroad. Nice forcing left vs right wing in ,even though as you noted, the OP never even put thier political opinion in. Also the video given has nothing to refute the OP's comment, it's irrelevant and gives off the impression that you think the average person who criticises S11 (who happens to fall on the right side of the political spectrum, since that's what the video shared is talking about) are any of the things that video is just as laughable as if I'd said "anyone who defends S11 is a communist or a left wing extremist", which is stupid.
When I first saw this episode, I had no idea of it's bad reputation, and I actually liked it. Sure it wasn't the greatest story in the series, but I thought it was solid.
- The Doctor and Rose hardly being in the episode gave us the sense of mystery the Doctor had back in the 60's and gave us a look as an outsider observing the Doctor and his travels which is pretty refreshing.
- The monster was pretty creative and scary. Sure he's goofy looking but so are the Slitheen and even the Daleks are pretty ridiculous by concept. The big fat absorbing monster wasn't really a shock to me as it fit right into the DW universe of ridiculous aliens and monsters it was known for.
- Overall I thought the episode was pretty fresh and unique. If you look at it as just being an episode that wanted to be different it is actually pretty good. Everyone who doesn't like this episode was probably taking it too seriously, but this episode was never meant to be taken too seriously, with the goofy monster and tone, but with the good meta commentary on the fandom, I think this episode is pretty solid for what it is.
I've literally had people sneer at me for liking this episode. This was so well thought out and had a lot of heart, I really like your essays and I'm now subscribed 😊
Ah my favourite doctor who monster
Shrek
😂😂😂
Awesome video, I personally enjoyed this story so much but I had to stay quiet about it. We need more videos like this to appreciate this episode 😊
I'm glad you liked the video! I used to hate the episode but that was just because everyone had always said how bad it was! It's such an underrated episode and I hope more people can start to see its positives rather than its flaws
Hold up, you just commented on my video (Time of the Whovians United, not Harbo Wholmes. I'm not self advertising, it's just this happened today)
I've come to accept the fact that whenever there is scene involving a hallway full of doors and multiple characters that a Scooby Doo Chase will manifest.
When this one aired and I was age 6 this was no joke one of my favourites I loved it, I had maybe a dozen dr who episodes on dvd as a kid, and this and blink were definitely my favourites.
I was really heartbroken 2 years ago when I got into watching the video essay community and discovered people hated this episode.
I just really can’t bring myself to dislike it, I mean it’s just regular guy gets involved with a monster chase, how more relatable can the show get and the humour, I think sometimes we forget that while we enjoy it while older, dr who’s core audience is supposed to be younger, and is certainly didn’t care when a joke missed.
Dude, I saw a post on tumblr that said Amy is the Doctor's imaginary friend because she started a sentence with "The" and finished it with "end."
You're Freud comparatively.
Wh... what? What did you just say?
I don’t get what this means?
@@obiwankenobi687 in a story amy said "THE blah blah blah END"(idk the line)so someone thought that meant "THE Doctor's imaginary friEND"
Freud found a lot of nonexistent meanings too...
I love this story and how it mirrors the fan base and how people become real friends over doctor who . It's a lovely episode with a great cast and a cracking sound track. Peter Kay is an.... Interesting choice for the azorbaloff but ok. Interestingly this was the 2nd ever episode I saw and I found the azorbaloff so terrifying that I had to eat my tea in the garden.
Though I was ok with the devil a week before. I was 4
It's a great episode! Very interesting that it was your 2nd ever, haha!
This is actually one of my favorite episodes of the series. Thanks for giving it the time. And I love your channel. I found it yesterday kind of on accident and subscribed within the first five minutes.
Thank you! 😄 This episode is fantastic
My thoughts on love and monsters is simple. Everything Until Peter Kay shows up is absolutely brilliant... Then Peter Kay shows up... everything goes dark... then the preview for the next episode plays
I can't hate this one when 'Fear Her' is next.
GrubStLodger thank you! Fear Her was awful compared to this episode
Tom Hydra-XavieR fear her is even worse than the drivel where getting under chibnall
I don't understand why people disliked Fear Her, although technically it's just a drawing in th episode, domestic abuse and having nightmares about it, is way more real than any of the monsters
I agree with you! I loved getting a chance to see Jackie in a deeper way, and I felt all the LINDA characters were well drawn out, except the monster guy. It portrayed Elton's relationship with Jackie quite sympathetically, showing how he came to really care about her, and the pain and fury Jackie felt. I do think the ending was horrific, with this couple chained together in a tortured secret relationship. I think this episode pondered some darker moral aspects of the Doctor's power, and how he can leave a trail of pain and pathos in his wake. If this episode had let itself go a bit darker, left out the fart jokes, and maybe realized the monster design a little more menacingly, it could have been seen as a fairly good psychological horror.
I think it’s funny how Jackie just does everything as we hear Elton say it.
LINDA can also be interpreted as the fandom during the 90s. They love the Doctor, the Doctor brings them together, and they desperately search for him - this represents the fandom being formed during the entire classic run, and the void the show left after is was cancelled.
They slowly grow together, moving on from the Doctor but still knowing that he is what brought them together in the first place - this represents the fandom still loving the show, all but abandoning hope of it ever returning, but they don't feel lost without it anymore, and the friendships they made within the fandom fill the void left by the show.
Then a newcomer arrives and forces them to search for the Doctor, and at first its fun to be back in the search, but they grow to hate it - this represents the 8th Doctor film, and how it reignited the fandom, but then when it was released it was... well, I don't need to explain what it was.
Then the Absorbaloff represents abandoning the fandom, abandoning Doctor Who. One by one, this newcomer (the 8th Doctor film) causes LINDA members to vanish (fans to abandon the fandom) until finally there's just Elton left, running from it, but then he gives up. But right before all hope is lost, right before Elton is absorbed, the Doctor arrives - the show is back.
But the Doctor seems to not care about Elton at first - this is Nuwho establishing itself as independent from Classic Who. However, in the end, the Doctor saves Elton and gives him a paving slab that does blowjobs - this is Nuwho turning out to not only still be loyal to the classics, but also a phenomenal successor and a fantastic show in its own right.
LINDA is the Wilderness Fandom. My interpretation is probably skewed, as I was born in 2002 and thus was introduced to Doctor Who by the RTD1 era, so my idea of the Wilderness Fandom is mostly speculation and also from my experience of not enjoying any episode that was made after the 50th (I am so excited for RTD2 because to me the show has been dead for almost a decade and RTD is bringing it back), but I still think it's quite a good interpretation.
That is interesting
I cannot explain how underrated it is. Truly a masterpiece.
I actually went into this video thinking I'd have a really hard time defending it, because I hadn't seen it in so long and I'd only ever see people hate on it, so I was really surprised to find how much I enjoyed it
Haha what the fuck. I am scared and alone.
Wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but it was actually really enjoyable
I wouldn’t be surprised if this episode is soon considered one of the best in Doctor who history since the amount of videos who have now started to defend this episode.
Your analysis of this episode is better than the episode itself.
I just rewatched this episode and it’s great. Didn’t mind it the first time and really appreciated it this time. I actually love “normal person episodes” like this one, they create a mystery about the main characters
5:58
*channel pup leaves the chat*
You know, I've always both known about this episode's unfavorable reputation and have quite enjoyed it. And for many of the reasons you've cited in this video. It's fun and interesting to be so hooked into a largely Doctor-free episode of Doctor Who. Blink employed this element in it's story. And everyone tends to hold THAT episode in high regard. Not that I'm saying that's necessarily relevant to what does or doesn't make Love And Monsters OR Blink an enjoyable episode.
......but for what it's worth, they both ARE episodes I enjoy, and they DO both do that.
I've always liked the Linda scenes. I'm really sad they didn't all survive. But if they did I'm worried big finish would jump in with a spin off.
The Torchwood episode Empty Shoes reminded me a lot of this episode.
I don't necessarily agree when you talking about season 11 and now, season 12. I think they have a large amount of problems that should be discussed.
Since then he seen the light too. A lot of other fans have.
Because of what Chris Chibnall and Jody Whitaker have done to series 11 and 12 I honestly feel like I'll never watch a recent episode of Doctor Who again. It's like watching every CW super hero show trying to push some sort of agenda rather than trying to tell a coherent story. Gods and Monsters would be a massive upgrade in this day and time.
There is a difference. Some people refuse to believe that there's anything redeemable at all about Series 11 and 22. While I hate it as much as the next guy, I can appreciate Graham as a decent character, Demons of the Punjab as a good episode and not over analyze every line to the point where I think every frame has some hidden agenda.
@@JOEdaLinestepper I don’t think it’s Jodie’s fault, mainly Chibnall’s. He was the one who came up with the magical bullshit timeless child.
when I was young this monster legit scared the shit out of me, I couldn't even watch the episode I was so scared
FINALLY Someone else! It scared the fuck out of me. I genuinely still can't look at the episode without having a ptsd flashback to crying in a sweat in bed after watching it
I love ‘Love and Monsters’.
All the hatred for Love and Monsters is a great indication for how way too seriously people take Doctor Who. Goofy? Of course. All of it is.
I actually think it would've been a really good episode if it weren't for the slab face.
I do think a doctor cult is a really good idea, just change the absorbaloff to something more memorable and you've got a pretty decent episode
@@abby5533 I thought it was a horrific fate.
My ONLY problem is that FREAKING slab.... I can't watch the episode because the slab. All that I love about the episode (like LINDA and the fact that is portraying in perspective of an 'outside' of TARDIS) is totally destroy by that. I don't even know why I Hate soo much that slab.
Love and Monsters is actually my fav Doctor Who episode so far.
The whole fandom satire didnt rly stick with me cuz im very new to this franchise and havent interacted with the fandom much, but Elton’s story really connected with me.
Finding a group of people who understand you when it feels like the entire world doesnt, bonding to the point of becoming genuine friends, and then losing all of that because of obsession and losing sight of what really mattered. I’ve been through that. I understand it, and i connect with it.
The part at the end of the episode where Elton reminisces abt LINDA having fun and it cuts off to him (seemingly) alone in his room, silent as opposed to the loud cheerful nature of his memories with LINDA, that HIT me, because it does feel like that.
But why is his northern accent so strong when he transforms??
Lots of planets have a north!
The villain of this episode (I'm not going to try to spell it or even have speech-to-text try) is great because it is Peak old school Doctor Who
I’m currently watching the entirety of Doctor Who for the first time, and although I had heard people say they dislike this episode, when I got to it, I didn’t understand why. I’ve lived in fandoms for pretty much half my life now, and to see an episode all about that really made me appreciate it. It was actually the first Doctor Who episode to make me cry, because I know what it’s like to lose those kinds of friends.
So who cares that the monster looks bad, it’s not what I remember it for. I remember Elton, Ursula, Colin, Bridget, Bliss, and the beautiful community that they created together.
I've always really enjoyed this episode. Aside from the awful paving slab ending it's great.
The people doing negative reviews of series 11 are just doing what you are doing. Analysing something and giving their thoughts on it.
They aren't trying to ruin it for everyone, people who go out of their way to tell you you are wrong for enjoying it are trying to ruin it for you.
I was referring to the people who are trying to ruin it for people. Certain TH-cam channels that do nothing BUT criticise every single move the Doctor Who production team and marketing team make. I'm not going to name names, but there are two particular channels that do this almost daily and those were who I was referring to.
Also, full disclaimer, I actually hated Series 11, but I see both sides. I have no problem with people making measured, well thought out reviews and criticisms of the series. Those are good! But it's when people don't analyse things and create a really, really toxic environment with what they say about the series that I have a problem with
@@HarboWholmes fair enough. I haven't seen the people just constantly complaining myself.
I also didn't like season 11 personally, I don't think I enjoyed any of the episodes. But I think if someone managed to like it good for them.
I really really love the idea of some random people noticing the Doctor presence on earth, they never do this again and i'm so sad for this.
The Doctor should be like an Creepypasta in their human world, and cryptic like type, maybe even a tiny internet mystery, I would love to see an episode like that, someone investigating this myth
Bamboozled it is I Biff returning to the comments after a millennia
Oh lawd he back
I really really like this Episode for some reason , it’s a good way to show how he effects the lives of real people and it was dark aswell and Peter kay played a blinder. Going into it you think it’s gonna be silly but it gets really really good and the end is fantastic as rose dresses down the blonde guy and scolds him for that he’s done.
If you want a SHITE episode of the RTD era , watch that shitty London Olympics 2012 it think it’s called “Fear Her” it’s truly awful
I liked the episode because Peter Kay
He does do a pretty great job in it
I like the episode because of Channel Pup.
I liked the episode because of Moaning Myrtle
Peter kay hates this episode
Look, I'm not here to be a meme or be "unique" or "wacky", but rewatching the entire doctor who series for the first time since it aired, with my friend other quarantine, this episode was one of the most enjoyable and best ones. It's just so fun, and cool to see these side characters. Even the monster (and the weird head slate) are both hilariously weird, I honestly love it.
Don't you mean you...um...Love and...Monsters it! No, no sorry no no nvkrhirkmxoe4j8j
Confession: I also like The Crimson Horror
Whn I hear Mr Bluesky I can only think about that one amazing Portal 2 fanfiction xP
I've always absolutely ADORED the idea behind this episode, to be this fanbase-centered story, how the Doctor appears to the people who aren't his companions but just live their lives and happen to find something about him (same reason I love Clive from series 1 and I'm still mad he was killed). It's the execution of the episode, its main monster and stuff surrounding him (or, well, being literally part of him) that make me hate this episode and discourage me from coming back to it (I still might though, someday). I love this channel so much. Thank you, Harbo.
This is one of the few episodes that nearly made me cry at the end. Elton really deserved a whole lot better.
How I feel about things like this is that creativity is hard. Someone put a lot of work into this and worked hard on it (with a few exceptions) so who am I to judge the result. It is a feat worthy of praise that all the different elements that go about producing a show worked every time and the episode itself was released. And to those who still criticize people for the products they turn out, if you think you can do better, do it. Let you own work stand up to the same criticism you put upon others. Worst case scenario is you fail and learn a valuable lesson. Best case scenario is that you’ve given the world an enjoyable piece of work that you can be proud of.
The Run down industrial units (I lived I'm Sheffield so I know it alot) and Mr Bluesky reminds me of my gorgeous imagination and how I used it to escape
Am I the only one who wants to see Jackie telling rose about Elton
I only found out recently that this episode is pretty much universally hated. I was about 8 when it came out, and it was something that terrified me. I'd have nightmares about the abzorballof, of the people I knew in my life being secretly monsters who could absorb me at any moment. This monster scared me more than the daleks, or any other monster. Now looking back realising how hated this episode is, it makes me feel silly, for being so scared.
5:51 Yourself? Oh Bowlestrek! He has a point though, seasons 11 and 12 kind of fell off a cliff
if your watching a bunch of episodes this one is a nice refresher
I really liked this episode! I thought it was campy and funny, and gave insight into regular people's lives who happen to encounter the Doctor.
Cool fact about the kid who designed the Abzorbaloff he’s actually the dude ‘channel pup’ on TH-cam, I legit didn’t know this until I was watching his video on the episode and he said ‘I’m the kid who designed it 15 years ago’ and I was like ‘whaaaat’
This was one of my favourite episodes of Dr who as a kid
Imagine a man unlucky enough to meet DW show back in the day not only through this exact episode, but through final scenes with abzorbaloff chase.
Yep, that's me.
If nothing have I have to respect this episode for introducing ELO into my life
I've found that in most shows, fandom episodes are almost universally despised, both when breaking down _and_ when written as love letters to those fandoms.
The fact that this episode is written on both sides of the coin probably goes a long way to explaining why much of the fandom hates it, or at least why it's easy for fans to hate it.
Believe it or not, this was the first episode of the entire series that I had seen. This was what ushered me into the series and I’m still a fan. I’m not saying you have to love it or change your mind, but I love it because it gave me an insight into a wonderful series. My favorite episode, however, is “The girl in the fireplace”.
Excellent Video, I agree! It was actually good!
Thank you!
This is literally the one episode of new who I skip when introducing new people to Doctor Who. I've had people watch twelve series with me, but skip this one, and then they ask I show them a couple scenes and they understand why.
Never realized people disliked this episode. I always thought it was well done and creative.
Absolutely love the focus on the people who were left behind who saw the doctor once and couldn't forget. But there must have been better drawings than the absorbalov. Was the winner the kid or nephew of some executive?
4:57
Guy: "...Way more better..."
Me: Gets Grammarly ad
English is probably his second language
Still amazed that they ot Channnel Pup to design the monster for this episode.
In my house this was only ever known as the "Mr blue sky episode"
The Doctor: Are you from Raxacoricophalapatourius?
The Absorbalorf: No, I come from the sister planet.
The Doctor: Oh? What’s the sister planet of Raxacoricophalapatourius?
The Absorbalorf: Glom
The Doctor: Glom?!
Apart from the goofy monster reveal (which may have been a deliberate subversion and just Elton's version of it) I REALLY enjoy this episode, especially the moments with Jackie being fleshed out and the empathy experienced by Elton.
I actually enjoyed this episode when it came out, and never changed my mind. I like it when shows have some random episodes giving other points of view of the main characters.
Before watching the video (1:45) - Can it be defended? Yes. It's a brilliant Doctor-light episode, that just gets ruined by the... Ehm... Absorbaloth?
Agreed on all fronts here. I've always liked the episode, certainly more than New Earth, Idiot's Lantern and Fear Her from the same series. Retrospectively it probably suffers from the fact that the next series' Doctor-lite episode was Blink. Then series 4 delivered both a classic Doctor-lite episode in Turn Left AND a companion-lite classic in Midnight.
He had a bad memory of the tardis sounds because his mom died and he blocked out everything related to it. I never got the impression he imagined anything..
“Fandom is a welcoming community that can make people feel comfortable”.
Not the furries however.
Those warehouses were in Cardiff bay and were knocked down a few years after this episode aired; when I found out they were getting knocked down I got my mam to take a photo of me in front of them because of this episode so clearly it made some kind of an impression haha
If the azorbaloff was portrayed as menacing and evil, and less camp, I think it could of been much better
Ironically the other doctor lite episodes are some of the best in the series
Turn left
Blink
Midnight
This is a really sweet take on the episode that I'd never considered before. Thanking fans, paying homage to them and respecting their passion? That's a really stark contrast to what I hear from writers today who seem to think fan theories are the worst thing ever and any critique is the height of rudeness.
this was my favourite episode as a kid!
'Start up their little groups...That Linda lot.'- Glad to know it's origins.
Totally agree, other than with the idea that fart jokes and the opening chase scene aren't both great.
You put into words what i felt but couldn't
I've never disliked this episode, i actually remember being really scared of this episode as a kid
I have a soft spot this ep tbh. Its the first DW ep i ever saw, I was so confused and amused by its weirdness that it convinces me to check out the show from the start
The concept of a Doctor Who monster that absorbs people is cool, ngl.
Looking at this episode after seeing the Timeless children makes it look better
I am literally in love with your Channel❤️
- what do you use to edit these your masterpiece videos... reveal to me your secrets my Lord🙌🏼
Quality Content here x
Awh, thank you so much! That's so nice ☺️ I use Premiere Pro to edit my videos, but I wouldn't call them masterpieces haha!
Harbo Wholmes - well they make my days so much better❤️I’m so happy I discovered your Channel x
I don't know how I'd feel if I was the actress in this if THIS and a ghost who haunts a bathroom stall were what everyone remembers me for! She and the kid who designed the bad guy, I will always feel sorry for.
I do think the story is a good idea and should be explored more of how normal people react to the Doctor and other aliens coming to Earth and Fox Mulder types who believe they exist and want to prove it, even if half the world thinks they're nuts!
I remember hearing me blue sky played in GOTG2 and I was like hey I’ve seen this one
Dispite the silly monster of the week, I've always love this episode; Although it isn't one I visit too often. The performances in this episode are pitch perfect; depicting real people like this guys says... fans, quiet, shy, passionate people who find friendship.
It makes me crazy that tey are so lose to the truth they are looking for, but never get it. What would they do or be if they really got to it?
And the ending... where Elton realises he's built a fantasy around his mother's death... and also as a viewer knowing, he must be right about... some... all?
The unreliable narrator is shown all the way through, but because it's set in the Whoniverse, you can go through assuming everything is at least in some part truth.
It's a stand alone and, fan submitted moster of the week aside, tells a damn good character story all round.
I'd love to see Elton come on as a companion all this time after. Who has he become after all that?
I actually liked that episode.
And the monster to me seemed one of the most genuinely evil.
...one touch is all it takes...
...and then you're completely absorbed...
... that's actually damned terrifying when you stop and think about it...
... damned terrifying...
The combination of Doctor Who episodes and Pokémon music has made me wear out the like button
The episode on paper isn't to bad, I love a look into the world around Doctor Who, the villan however is kinda.. yeah..
Harbo: 5:43 - 5:51
Me: *has Star Wars PTSD flashbacks*
I know its a bad episode but i just love the home planet joke. xD
I didn't know this episode was hated by the fandom, it is one of the most memorable episodes for me in a good way, verging on being one of my favorites... The show has a tendency to brush off everyone not important to the plot. Every time there is a massive alien invasion on Earth the doctor says humans will just forget about it and act like it never happened which feels really unrealistic to me. So to get to see "normal" people and how past events have affected them + see a group of people bond and grow together because of the doctor, but not with him, is a really nice thing to see in the doctor who universe.
I also think this episode is special because we basically got an entire episode dedicated to these peoples backstories and growth which then made their deaths hurt even more than most other episodes (which I think is impressive since the show already does a very good job creating a connection to small characters in practically every episode)
6:20 DUDE! That other monsters that almost won to the right of the Absorbaloff, drawn by some guy named Daniel, LOOKS EPIC! The Xercainian (GREAT NAME!) Reminds me of the Silence! That thing NEEDS to show up in Doctor Who!