It was this (following last episodes' iconic "Hello, I'm the Doctor" scene) that cemented Matt Smith as The Doctor for me, back when this first aired. The visceral reaction to what he discovers in this episode so perfectly encapsulated the disappointment and betrayal of the Doctors faith in humanity, absolutely one of my favourite 11th doctor moments
"And then... I will choose the new name, because I won't be the Doctor anymore" - hits deep. At first time watching this before this phrase you wouldn't even think of the consequences for him alone for willingly killing the Star Whale, the last of its kind. And then it hits you. Love this scene.
Everyone thinks Matt Smith is lighthearted compared to Tennant and Capaldi, but this Doctor has just once again sent his entire planet and species into the void of the Time War, while losing his best friend. The sad clown carries on laughing.
With what we learn later about choosing his name, it makes that line hit so much deeper now. That's about as ambiguous as I can make it to avoid spoilers as best I can. Hopefully those who know.... know
One of the best episodes for a companion realizing WHO The Doctor is in a realistic, dense manner. Most others knew conceptually, but had to have information learned over time about him being the last of his kind, being old, being kind, etc, but Amy had literally only imagined what he must be like before he came back when she was an adult. Everyone else took time to acclimate. Only Amy truly grasped so much in two episodes. And only one other got it faster, when Donna met him in 1 special, and was the one to tell him that he could stop. The two best companions of NuWho.
I forgot to say it last week, but I absolutely love the "I am the Doctor" theme for Matt Smith's Doctor. So upbeat, bombastic and stirring, I've had it as the wake-up alarm on my phone for years.
> I've had it as the wake-up alarm on my phone for years. Yeah! Me too! Also it starts softly so doesn't freak you out from the sleep, and then just inspires you to win the day. (Also "500 miles" worked for me - th-cam.com/video/2c6qENWh2jQ/w-d-xo.html if you haven't seen this)
I liked matt Smith straight away, but it was this episode that made me think of him as the doctor. Love Amy too, how she did what she thought was right instead of just going along with the doc.
Agree on all points, its rare to see a NuWho companion who has the courage to stand up against the Doctor in what can be considered one of his darker moments, the only other NuWho companion I can think of is Donna who tells 10 to stop in her first episode. Both are among my favourite companions
One of my favorite lines that didn't make it into your reaction is how Scotland decided to go out on their own...I thought that was a pretty good encapsulation of Amy's character too...the tenacity of her people. Great reaction.
"Are you a parent?" *changes the subject* Nobody.. nobody HUMAN! Has anything to SAY to ME TODAY!" "What if you were really old, and really kind and lonely, your whole race dead. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry." I didn't care for this episode when I first saw it, but it really is incredible.
Fun Fact, the star whale is the same species as the "Cash Cow" in the Torchwood Episode "Meat"! Space whales dont have a great track record running into humans in the Whoniverse and if anything I think that only adds to this story that it still chose to be kind
I honestly think that if you take this setting as it was before the Doctor shows up it would fit perfectly as the framing device for a Lovecraftian sci fi story.
"And then I find a new name because I won't be the The Doctor anymore!" Angry Matt Smith is amazing. He crosses the line of childish to anger so well! Though 12 is still my favourite. "You have no idea who's___!!" Without spoilers
Great parallels to Donna's second episode, where the companion gets a moment to showcase how their humanity contrasts with the Doctor's alien-ness and save the day (or in Donna's case, part of the day)
Matt is such a great actor and he had a grandiose predecessor to take over. David Tennant just killed it. So the young Matt had to really put in everything. He delivered. I had little faith but at the first episode I was impressed. The youngest ever and delivered.
I'm thoroughly enjoying your discovery of the Doctor and the many facets of his character. It's very true though. The one thing the Doctor can not go without is a companion.
Terrence Hardiman would have been familiar to millennial Doctor Who fans as the Demon Headmaster in the live action adaptation of the Demon Headmaster books, meanwhile Sophie Okonedo was in Doctor Who before she played a companion/supporting character in the 2003 webcast animated serial Scream of the Shalka with Richard E Grant as the Original Nineth Doctor.
This is one of my all-time favorite episodes. It's part of a sci-fi trope I've loved since I first saw the Devil in the Dark episode of Star Trek when I was eight: the monster is us.
"Or if the hypothesis were offered us of a world in which Messrs. Fourier's and Bellamy's and Morris's utopias should all be outdone, and millions kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torture, what except a sceptical and independent sort of emotion can it be which would make us immediately feel, even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain?" - William James This quote inspired an Ursula le Guin story, 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas', which portrays this dilemma eloquently. And it (and/or a similar passage in Dovstoevsky's Brothers Karamazov) clearly inspired this story.
22:17 Amy's speech about the Star Whale / The Doctor is such an underrated one - which is fare, as there are so many amazing ones throughout New Who. But damnit, this one is just so wonderful.
I loved her as Amy Pond. Absolutely. But watching her play Nebula through all the stages of the character's arc, especially in the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie, blew me away. 👏👏👏
I nearly met her & Arthur but their tour of Oz with Matt was cancelled. I’d have loved that. HOWEVER, it was rescheduled with Alex & Freema instead. I did love that. When Alex saw me in my curly blonde wig & denim outfit, she squealed, “It’s me!” Talk about a high! Then I got 2 hugs from Matt because my wig moved during the photo. Happiest day of my life? Maybe, certainly close.
all those years ago when david left and matt came on i didnt think i would like him, but dang his acting is soo good. he perfectly captures the young child like face he has but then when things get dangerous , comepletly switch to the dark side he has inside him. i love it
"She has very expressive eyes..." I said exactly the same thing when I first saw the first episode with Amy. I felt Matt Smith was channelling a little too much David Tennant, and that it would take him a few episodes to really make the role his own, but Karen Gillan (and specifically her eyes!) won me over immediately. And by the end of this second episode, Matt had proved me completely wrong. He WAS the Doctor!
"Very old and very kind and the very, very last." One of the best lines of this season. And the running away because he scared leading to "Hello"... IYKYK. Someone just wanted to say "hello". I can't wait until Chris gets to that episode.
I am so excited to go down this season's rabbit hole with you! This series and next series, I feel, are some of the BEST stories also some of the most mind blowing as well, and I am totally here for it!
This is one of my favorite episodes, from all modern Who. And it reminds me of Fires of Pompei in certain ways, presenting an impossible choice and the Doctor needing an empathetic companion.
I love the design of the Smilers. Having them have 3 faces when they should only have 2 gives the "where did that come from" feeling. As weird and wonderful as Doctor Who is, 3 faces just doesn't make sense.
Moff himself feels like this is one of his weaker episodes. I beg to differ, I think it's beautiful and heartbreaking and then beautiful all over again.
Thanks! I sat as I just changed it all up again 🤣 hopefully for the better! I finally got a second light. Something to look forward to in series 6 because I already finished this season. So good.
As you know, the Beeb is non-commerical public TV. However, Doctor Who is made for international distribution and hence for TV stations that do have commercials. Thus the “normal” length. Also see Moffat’s and Gatis’s Sherlock...
If I have one complaint, it's that the Doctor gets very hypocritical when he's angry at humans, as if he and the Time Lords haven't done far worse. But this is a great episode. It riffs on the classic sci-fi short story "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. LeGuin. You should read it. Anyway, I love how swiftly Amy establishes herself as a great companion. Just as Donna was perfectly matched to Ten, Amy is the perfect companion for Eleven.
holy shiz i only now just noticed the fun easter egg they put in this episode and i missed it all these years: 9:03 thats a throwback to magpie from the episode the idiots lantern with the wire. daum what a realization. and 11:12 her travel age taken into account means the sun burned quite soon in that universe
11 is one of my fave doctors :) and the "primeinister" (guy with the white hair and glasses was also in a kids program called "the demon headmaster " it was ace :)
Yeah it's understandable how she a little manic when she first stepped into the tardis. Most other companion met the doctor like that day while Amy waited what 12 years?
Most people cite David Tennant as their favourite Doctor, and they might be right, his acting ability and portrail of the Doctor is very excellent. However for me it's the writing that makes Matt smiths stint as the Doctor (as well as stirling performances from both Matt Smith and his co-stars and guests) that make this Doctors series's (made up word) the very best. ❤ let's go!
Hi Chris, you'll never hear from me without this: Thank you. Though the Doctor Donna will always be my #1 The Pond era is my favourite 'long-term' team. I love how much you're enjoying this.
This season and especially this episode is so nostalgic for me. Watching Amy grow to be one of my favorite companions is so satisfying. Liz 10 is perfect, so mysterious and interesting! I wish she got a spin off on starship uk.
This era of 11 just has a bunch of minisodes that are inbetween episodes or completely separate stories or clips that work as prequels to episodes. None of them are actually deleted scenes, moffat just wanted to tell fun little day in the life stories outside of the 13 episodes a season
During the first series of Moffit he over shot almost every episode.... A lot of those character scenes were sent to the chopping block. SOME were recut for minisodes.
There is one minisode towards the end of the next series which was probably a deleted scene. All of the others were purposely written as episode trailers, DVD extras or for charity telethons. I trust you have the necessary information on when to watch them. The set dressing for this episode is fantastic. It's stuffed with British design icons - Victorian pillar boxes, TfL roundels on the lifts, early nineties British Rail benches.
That lead-in was indeed a deleted scene. They cut it less for time as they did for story pacing reasons. I would have loved if they managed to integrate that chameleon circuit explanation into an episode, though.
I am so glad you enjoyed this episode. Some are divided. I like the character development and the callbacks as well as foreshadowing to all the royal interactions.
This is a bit of an underrated episode. The acting and the relationship between the Doctor and Amy are so good. I think that DW had an hour time slot but during RTD’s run they filled in the time with a short behind the scenes show. Some of them are on TH-cam. Steven Moffat had a few episodes that ran longer, usually for good reason.
Building a world for a 45 minute episode of a TV show is not an easy task. You start out with a concept, and you build it up with mythology and then find ways to explore that environment with your characters to allow exposition and excitement and curiosity... and hopefully, at the end of the 45 minutes you've entertained your audience and given them something coherent to enjoy. In the classic WHO era there was a story called Paradise Towers. If you spend about 5 minutes thinking about how the Towers came to be in the situation they are in when the Doctor and co arrives, it really just falls over. There's so many plot holes. For me, this story is that. Sure, it's enjoyable while you're watching it, and I finally had "my Doctor" moment for 11 when he was checking out the glasses of water. That was top notch Doctor right there. But for me the concept falls over after 5 minutes of consideration. Not saying it's not a good story. It entertains, it's got great characters, Liz 10 is da bomb! But aside from the fact this was one of my oldest kid's favourite episodes, I would not have given it much rewatching. (I've watched Paradise Towers much more, because of course, Red Kangs are best.)
Fun fact, Moffatt has stated in the past, that The Beast Below is one of his least favourite episodes he has written, believing it to be a bit of a mess at times and just average in comparison to other works he’s done for both 11 and 12. Personally I think it’s fine. Not one I go back to, unless I’m doing a marathon but it’s a fun enough time
'you could've killed everyon on this ship' 'you could've killed a star whale' Look, I have my problems with this episode (& isn't it depressing we still have a monarchy this far into the future?!) but it really has its moments, even if it does hammer them hom quite heavily lol
This is the beginning of my love for new Who. I first watched Doctor Who with the 4th Doctor. When new Who came along, I watched, but didn't love it. I watched a little more with David Tennant. But Mat Smith got me back to loving the Doctor.
I do really like this episode, but i feel like it shouldn't be the 2nd episode. It seems too soon for Amy to understand the Dr that accurately. I mean, yes, all the clues are technically there in this episode, but to me it doesn't feel like an authentic conclusion for Amy to reach. Just sort of a plot point that needs to be reached. Don't get me wrong, it's not that i think Amy is wrong -- it totally works on me, and get choked up every time -- it just seems premature for her to be so right about him.
"Nobody.. nobody HUMAN! Has anything to SAY to ME TODAY!" One of my favourite scenes, i love Matt Smith's emotion
I'm just waiting for the day that I shout it myself
It was this (following last episodes' iconic "Hello, I'm the Doctor" scene) that cemented Matt Smith as The Doctor for me, back when this first aired. The visceral reaction to what he discovers in this episode so perfectly encapsulated the disappointment and betrayal of the Doctors faith in humanity, absolutely one of my favourite 11th doctor moments
@@NyxK3 Matt did a great job with this line. You can totally hear the pain in his voice by the last word.
“I’m the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule!”
I love that line. Liz 10 was hot!
"And then... I will choose the new name, because I won't be the Doctor anymore" - hits deep. At first time watching this before this phrase you wouldn't even think of the consequences for him alone for willingly killing the Star Whale, the last of its kind. And then it hits you. Love this scene.
Everyone thinks Matt Smith is lighthearted compared to Tennant and Capaldi, but this Doctor has just once again sent his entire planet and species into the void of the Time War, while losing his best friend. The sad clown carries on laughing.
With what we learn later about choosing his name, it makes that line hit so much deeper now. That's about as ambiguous as I can make it to avoid spoilers as best I can. Hopefully those who know.... know
One of the best episodes for a companion realizing WHO The Doctor is in a realistic, dense manner. Most others knew conceptually, but had to have information learned over time about him being the last of his kind, being old, being kind, etc, but Amy had literally only imagined what he must be like before he came back when she was an adult. Everyone else took time to acclimate. Only Amy truly grasped so much in two episodes. And only one other got it faster, when Donna met him in 1 special, and was the one to tell him that he could stop. The two best companions of NuWho.
Very old, very kind, and the last of its kind.... that line HITS ME IN THE FEELS
I forgot to say it last week, but I absolutely love the "I am the Doctor" theme for Matt Smith's Doctor. So upbeat, bombastic and stirring, I've had it as the wake-up alarm on my phone for years.
you've just given me a brilliant idea for a new alarm sound😮
It is an amazing piece of music and I loved hearing it performed at the proms by a full orchestra. Incredible!
> I've had it as the wake-up alarm on my phone for years.
Yeah! Me too! Also it starts softly so doesn't freak you out from the sleep, and then just inspires you to win the day. (Also "500 miles" worked for me - th-cam.com/video/2c6qENWh2jQ/w-d-xo.html if you haven't seen this)
I liked matt Smith straight away, but it was this episode that made me think of him as the doctor. Love Amy too, how she did what she thought was right instead of just going along with the doc.
Agree on all points, its rare to see a NuWho companion who has the courage to stand up against the Doctor in what can be considered one of his darker moments, the only other NuWho companion I can think of is Donna who tells 10 to stop in her first episode. Both are among my favourite companions
@NyxK3 And they're both gingers... maybe the Doctor is on to something with wanting to be ginger!
“The next word is kind of a scary word. You probably want to take a moment, get yourself in a calm place.”
"tongue."
Matt Smith kills it as The Doctor, next episode you will see how he cements his take for the rest of his run.
One of my favorite lines that didn't make it into your reaction is how Scotland decided to go out on their own...I thought that was a pretty good encapsulation of Amy's character too...the tenacity of her people. Great reaction.
I was waiting for that, too. Just doesn’t seem as important to a yank, I guess.
"Are you a parent?" *changes the subject*
Nobody.. nobody HUMAN! Has anything to SAY to ME TODAY!"
"What if you were really old, and really kind and lonely, your whole race dead. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry."
I didn't care for this episode when I first saw it, but it really is incredible.
There are so many mini episodes in this era, many were DVD exclusives. All of them are worth watching.
"And every 5 years everyone choses to forget what they've learned. Democracy in action." Yikes that aged a little too well.
So we voted to remember.
@@Dularr You just keeping telling yourself that. Repetition =/= truth.
Somehow, I never understood what that meant until today
@Pixelologist guess you don't believe in democracy. I'm perfectly fine to judge the next 4 to 12 years.
@Pixelologist I am interested in how many Supreme Court nominations we see in the next four years.
So much compassion Chris. Go you!! 👍
Thanks so much!
Fun Fact, the star whale is the same species as the "Cash Cow" in the Torchwood Episode "Meat"! Space whales dont have a great track record running into humans in the Whoniverse and if anything I think that only adds to this story that it still chose to be kind
You have the best reactions to Doctor Who. It’s lovely rewatching this alongside you. 🖖
Yes!!! The Beast Below is underrated, honestly I love it. To be fair Series 5/Season 31 is my personal favourite.
9:03 Magpie Electricals! Nice throwback.
I honestly think that if you take this setting as it was before the Doctor shows up it would fit perfectly as the framing device for a Lovecraftian sci fi story.
... I'm not sure but if you, or someone else, decided to write it, I'd love to find out.
Glad you're enjoying this era of the show : D
"And then I find a new name because I won't be the The Doctor anymore!" Angry Matt Smith is amazing. He crosses the line of childish to anger so well!
Though 12 is still my favourite. "You have no idea who's___!!" Without spoilers
okay im gonna need you to watch the rest of the series like today...
like right now and then post it right away.. thank you very much
"they have knock out gas in their ring"
Don't most of us?
Thanks dude. Chewed dinner all over my keyboard. 😂
Great parallels to Donna's second episode, where the companion gets a moment to showcase how their humanity contrasts with the Doctor's alien-ness and save the day (or in Donna's case, part of the day)
From what I understand the minisode was the original opening to episode 2 but they couldnt't make it fit properly so they made it a seperate thing.
Matt is such a great actor and he had a grandiose predecessor to take over. David Tennant just killed it. So the young Matt had to really put in everything. He delivered. I had little faith but at the first episode I was impressed. The youngest ever and delivered.
I'm thoroughly enjoying your discovery of the Doctor and the many facets of his character. It's very true though. The one thing the Doctor can not go without is a companion.
Terrence Hardiman would have been familiar to millennial Doctor Who fans as the Demon Headmaster in the live action adaptation of the Demon Headmaster books, meanwhile Sophie Okonedo was in Doctor Who before she played a companion/supporting character in the 2003 webcast animated serial Scream of the Shalka with Richard E Grant as the Original Nineth Doctor.
This is one of my all-time favorite episodes. It's part of a sci-fi trope I've loved since I first saw the Devil in the Dark episode of Star Trek when I was eight: the monster is us.
"Or if the hypothesis were offered us of a world in which Messrs. Fourier's and Bellamy's and Morris's utopias should all be outdone, and millions kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torture, what except a sceptical and independent sort of emotion can it be which would make us immediately feel, even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain?" - William James
This quote inspired an Ursula le Guin story, 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas', which portrays this dilemma eloquently. And it (and/or a similar passage in Dovstoevsky's Brothers Karamazov) clearly inspired this story.
I was hoping someone would mention Omelas. This episode is a pretty clear riff on LeGuin's story. Thanks for the added context of the quote.
Did you notice how the first thing Amy said was “I’m in my nightie.” 😂 not sure the Doctor ever heard that before
22:17 Amy's speech about the Star Whale / The Doctor is such an underrated one - which is fare, as there are so many amazing ones throughout New Who. But damnit, this one is just so wonderful.
its tough to believe Karen Gillan plays Nebula in Guardians Of The Galaxy
I loved her as Amy Pond. Absolutely. But watching her play Nebula through all the stages of the character's arc, especially in the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie, blew me away. 👏👏👏
She was also in the episode 'The Fires of Pompeii' as one of the Sybiline Sisterhood.
@@Jumpyman_thegamerYTI know and I was a bit sad that that crossover didn't happen.
@@torontomame meeting her in person and taking a pic with her was amazing. she was soo sweet i froze lol
I nearly met her & Arthur but their tour of Oz with Matt was cancelled. I’d have loved that.
HOWEVER, it was rescheduled with Alex & Freema instead. I did love that.
When Alex saw me in my curly blonde wig & denim outfit, she squealed, “It’s me!” Talk about a high! Then I got 2 hugs from Matt because my wig moved during the photo.
Happiest day of my life? Maybe, certainly close.
all those years ago when david left and matt came on i didnt think i would like him, but dang his acting is soo good. he perfectly captures the young child like face he has but then when things get dangerous , comepletly switch to the dark side he has inside him. i love it
This episode always makes me cry. Very old, very kind, and the very very last.
"She has very expressive eyes..."
I said exactly the same thing when I first saw the first episode with Amy. I felt Matt Smith was channelling a little too much David Tennant, and that it would take him a few episodes to really make the role his own, but Karen Gillan (and specifically her eyes!) won me over immediately.
And by the end of this second episode, Matt had proved me completely wrong. He WAS the Doctor!
"Very old and very kind and the very, very last." One of the best lines of this season.
And the running away because he scared leading to "Hello"... IYKYK. Someone just wanted to say "hello". I can't wait until Chris gets to that episode.
I am so excited to go down this season's rabbit hole with you! This series and next series, I feel, are some of the BEST stories also some of the most mind blowing as well, and I am totally here for it!
This is one of my favorite episodes, from all modern Who. And it reminds me of Fires of Pompei in certain ways, presenting an impossible choice and the Doctor needing an empathetic companion.
The fonts are 1950's BBC.
The Girl on the elevator screen is playing Noughts and Crosses (Tic Tac Toe) with the clown doll in Test Card F (G & W)
I love the design of the Smilers.
Having them have 3 faces when they should only have 2 gives the "where did that come from" feeling. As weird and wonderful as Doctor Who is, 3 faces just doesn't make sense.
'They have knock-out gas in their rings'? Sounds like you've never had Tacos and chilli before. 🤣
Moff himself feels like this is one of his weaker episodes. I beg to differ, I think it's beautiful and heartbreaking and then beautiful all over again.
Episode 1 of this season was Matt Smith proving himself as the doctor and this episode was Karen Gillian proving herself as the companion
Whatever you did with your setup lighting recently compared with older reactions, nice job! :)
Thanks! I sat as I just changed it all up again 🤣 hopefully for the better! I finally got a second light. Something to look forward to in series 6 because I already finished this season. So good.
As you know, the Beeb is non-commerical public TV. However, Doctor Who is made for international distribution and hence for TV stations that do have commercials. Thus the “normal” length.
Also see Moffat’s and Gatis’s Sherlock...
This is my fave doctor and companionship 😊
If I have one complaint, it's that the Doctor gets very hypocritical when he's angry at humans, as if he and the Time Lords haven't done far worse. But this is a great episode. It riffs on the classic sci-fi short story "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. LeGuin. You should read it.
Anyway, I love how swiftly Amy establishes herself as a great companion. Just as Donna was perfectly matched to Ten, Amy is the perfect companion for Eleven.
This episode got a lot of critcism when it first came out, even The Moff called it "A bit of a mess" but people were wrong, it's great.
Blimey, what a great reaction. Again you manage a very good episode... well, letting me see how great that episode really is. Thank you.
I love 9 and 10 but episodes like this are why 11 is my favorite doctor and I adore his connection To Amy.
holy shiz i only now just noticed the fun easter egg they put in this episode and i missed it all these years: 9:03 thats a throwback to magpie from the episode the idiots lantern with the wire. daum what a realization. and 11:12 her travel age taken into account means the sun burned quite soon in that universe
11 is one of my fave doctors :) and the "primeinister" (guy with the white hair and glasses was also in a kids program called "the demon headmaster " it was ace :)
Yeah it's understandable how she a little manic when she first stepped into the tardis. Most other companion met the doctor like that day while Amy waited what 12 years?
Most people cite David Tennant as their favourite Doctor, and they might be right, his acting ability and portrail of the Doctor is very excellent. However for me it's the writing that makes Matt smiths stint as the Doctor (as well as stirling performances from both Matt Smith and his co-stars and guests) that make this Doctors series's (made up word) the very best. ❤ let's go!
Hi Chris, you'll never hear from me without this: Thank you.
Though the Doctor Donna will always be my #1 The Pond era is my favourite 'long-term' team. I love how much you're enjoying this.
This season and especially this episode is so nostalgic for me. Watching Amy grow to be one of my favorite companions is so satisfying. Liz 10 is perfect, so mysterious and interesting! I wish she got a spin off on starship uk.
This era of 11 just has a bunch of minisodes that are inbetween episodes or completely separate stories or clips that work as prequels to episodes. None of them are actually deleted scenes, moffat just wanted to tell fun little day in the life stories outside of the 13 episodes a season
I expect “Liz 10” to be a play on “listen”.
Ooh, clever!
During the first series of Moffit he over shot almost every episode.... A lot of those character scenes were sent to the chopping block. SOME were recut for minisodes.
There is one minisode towards the end of the next series which was probably a deleted scene. All of the others were purposely written as episode trailers, DVD extras or for charity telethons. I trust you have the necessary information on when to watch them.
The set dressing for this episode is fantastic. It's stuffed with British design icons - Victorian pillar boxes, TfL roundels on the lifts, early nineties British Rail benches.
Flashes of Nine in 11. The angry 11 sounds quite a bit like angry Nine. 11 so quickly established himself as the doctor.
Season 5 is easily the best of nuWho. It's just perfect, every god damn episode.
Easily? I think 4 is a really close second.
14:10 it’s actually kinda like a different creature from Star Wars. A Purrgil
Enjoyed the episode and your reaction to it.
That lead-in was indeed a deleted scene. They cut it less for time as they did for story pacing reasons.
I would have loved if they managed to integrate that chameleon circuit explanation into an episode, though.
I am so glad you enjoyed this episode. Some are divided. I like the character development and the callbacks as well as foreshadowing to all the royal interactions.
Lexx (1997 - 2002)
Farscape (1999 - 2003)
Peak season of WHO; you’re in for a treat!
Today I give thanks for a new DW episode🦃
This is a bit of an underrated episode. The acting and the relationship between the Doctor and Amy are so good. I think that DW had an hour time slot but during RTD’s run they filled in the time with a short behind the scenes show. Some of them are on TH-cam. Steven Moffat had a few episodes that ran longer, usually for good reason.
My wife says that I 'Have knock out gas in my ring!"
Building a world for a 45 minute episode of a TV show is not an easy task. You start out with a concept, and you build it up with mythology and then find ways to explore that environment with your characters to allow exposition and excitement and curiosity... and hopefully, at the end of the 45 minutes you've entertained your audience and given them something coherent to enjoy.
In the classic WHO era there was a story called Paradise Towers. If you spend about 5 minutes thinking about how the Towers came to be in the situation they are in when the Doctor and co arrives, it really just falls over. There's so many plot holes. For me, this story is that. Sure, it's enjoyable while you're watching it, and I finally had "my Doctor" moment for 11 when he was checking out the glasses of water. That was top notch Doctor right there. But for me the concept falls over after 5 minutes of consideration.
Not saying it's not a good story. It entertains, it's got great characters, Liz 10 is da bomb! But aside from the fact this was one of my oldest kid's favourite episodes, I would not have given it much rewatching. (I've watched Paradise Towers much more, because of course, Red Kangs are best.)
Fun fact, Moffatt has stated in the past, that The Beast Below is one of his least favourite episodes he has written, believing it to be a bit of a mess at times and just average in comparison to other works he’s done for both 11 and 12.
Personally I think it’s fine. Not one I go back to, unless I’m doing a marathon but it’s a fun enough time
I'm so glad u liked this :)
Ty ❤
'you could've killed everyon on this ship'
'you could've killed a star whale'
Look, I have my problems with this episode (& isn't it depressing we still have a monarchy this far into the future?!) but it really has its moments, even if it does hammer them hom quite heavily lol
This is one of my favorite episodes 😅
I told you you'd love Matt Smith's era ❤
Amy is up there as one of the best companions on par with Sarah Jane
This may be my favorite episode of Doctor Who! Of any show!
This is the beginning of my love for new Who. I first watched Doctor Who with the 4th Doctor. When new Who came along, I watched, but didn't love it. I watched a little more with David Tennant. But Mat Smith got me back to loving the Doctor.
Agreed, i loved that episode.
the beast below eats adults, it still needs to eat
⚡️
I do really like this episode, but i feel like it shouldn't be the 2nd episode. It seems too soon for Amy to understand the Dr that accurately. I mean, yes, all the clues are technically there in this episode, but to me it doesn't feel like an authentic conclusion for Amy to reach. Just sort of a plot point that needs to be reached. Don't get me wrong, it's not that i think Amy is wrong -- it totally works on me, and get choked up every time -- it just seems premature for her to be so right about him.
i need a box
This episode makes less sense on a rewatch
:3
The whole difference between Rose and Amy, summed up nicely.
Rose: My mom!
Amy: Me!
Well Amy's mum is already gone
That why Amy feel more realistic.