I undersold it with watchable, but it's still not what I'd consider a great episode. I always get hung up on the technical aspects, but TV is a visual medium so I think it's fair to critique directing and sound design in TV as much as in cinema, especially when it used to be much better before. That said, I did like the script and thought the actors did well.
Originally Posted by Rafflesiac
Hm. But what was wrong with the sound design in it?
"Demons of the Punjab" was one of the weaker episodes this season for sure.
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
Admittedly nothing more than any other episode in the season, but the music and SFX were uninspired (primarily the music). There was a good track near the start that I believe was used again near the end, but for the most part the music just took me out of the experience. I know Murray Gold was infamous for his overscoring, but that wasn't every episode. If anything, the flaws were overabundance of musical stings that didn't add anything (which was done away with as the show went on the RTD era and into Moffat's run) rather than overbearing scores in more low key episodes. His music gave episodes personality and contributed a large part of my excitement in watching Doctor Who. I think that his work from series 8 onwards was really lackluster, but looking back on it I'd still take him over the new composer. Again, Punjab had better music and SFX work than other episodes in the season, but it doesn't take away that it still felt lacking to me.
The universe being a frog on a chair had me rolling on the floor with laughter.
Whatever the writer was smoking, I want some.
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
Definitely my favorite episode of the season. Great concepts, the technical aspects were either well enough or they didn't outright bug me because of how interesting the bulk of the episode was. My biggest complaint is I wish it were longer. Had it been structured like a classic series episode, the final conversation could've filled 16 minutes of a 24 minute episode. Wish that conversation had been a little more dynamic, as well. I'm not expecting something as compelling and creative as Evangelion eps 25 and 26, but it was a little plain. Still, overall strong 8/10; probably 7 and a half with a rewatch, as the Doctor might say (yes I know she said it backwards but bear with me). Last week's dialogue with King James while tied up and this week's scenes at the Antizone have been the best character scenes for this Doctor. I'm not expecting much for the finale, but I am coming into it with a more eager disposition thanks to this episode, even if the next one is penned by Chibnall. Also, this episode earns some more goodwill for finally letting Ryan call Graham granddad.
I was really liking "Kerblam", but the fridging of Kyra left a bad taste in my mouth.
Onwards to "Witchfinders", now!
Just finished "Witchfinders".
Ok, I found the plotting actually weak, but I did like the plot, and Alan Cumming was simply a delight!
I'm not sure if anyone cares about the audio adventures, but a second round of the War Master is happening.
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
Ah, a decent episode to close the season out. Just a shame it came too little too late. Can't say the episode even felt like a finale itself really, more of a mid-season climax sorta thing.
Hmm... so the New Years special will revolve around the "most deadly species in the Universe"... you know what that means, the Pting must be returning!
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
And finally caught up with the last two episodes, too. Overall, I liked them both quite a bit, especially, "It Takes You Away". My main criticism about the season finale is that it didn't feel grand like a season finale should, even with all the planets being threatened. On the other hand, we also had no eleventh-hour, completely-insane Deus Ex Machinae like we often did in the RTD era,* so that's a step up.
* I mean, it was my favourite era of the show, but "Last of the Time Lords", in particular, was egregious with that.
Decided to take my day off recovering from new years to marathon the entire season, since I dropped off after episode 2. Wow, Rosa was the least subtle thing I've seen in a while. And Spiders was terrible as someone who hates spiders as much as some of those characters. And again, unsubtle Trump parody. I'm down for some social commentary, but whoo boy are they being heavy handed.
Binged All Of Gundam In 4 Years, 1 Week and All I Got Was This Stupid Mask
FF XIV: Walked to the End
Started Legend of the Galactic Heroes (14/07/23), pray for me.
Hmm... An ancient creature sealed away that after losing its body becomes a parasite on a woman's back controlling her....The Dalek in today's episode will forever more be remembered as Esidisi.
Anyways, this episode was passable at best but otherwise pretty forgettable.
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
So having gone through the season in a day I feel the opposite of how I felt about the last season. The Doctor was bland, but the companions were really enjoyable. And the overarching plot was non-existent, but the character development was really good. Overall, I feel about the same as I did last season.
Binged All Of Gundam In 4 Years, 1 Week and All I Got Was This Stupid Mask
FF XIV: Walked to the End
Started Legend of the Galactic Heroes (14/07/23), pray for me.
Hey, this Doctor's got some moves! Nice!
Overall, I liked it. I especially liked the twist of not actually sacrificing Aaron to defeat the Dalek.
How very interesting, putting the lost episodes on vinyl. You could argue Auntie is just trying to make a quick buck but I think having the lost episodes turn into audio dramas works better than how they tried to animate them in the past with shoddy CGI.
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
I'm a big fan of Doctor Who! It's the best British series ever.
In Genesis of the Daleks, the Doctor refuses to kill the baby Daleks himself, but he does try to force Davros to order them dead. If it were mercy, he wouldn't want them killed at all. Is that just the Doctor not wanting to stain his own hands? If so, Goblin Slayer is at least a better man than him in the same sense that Genghis Khan is a better man than the villain of the first Kingsman movie (you know, the one played by Samuel L. Jackson).
Such edge, much wow.
If I'm remembering Genesis correctly, the moral quandary for the Doctor was whether or not he had the right to commit genocide despite knowing the evils the Daleks would bring (without taking into account the paradox it would create). I recall him having tried to convince Davros to shut down the production line, not necessarily euthanize the mutated Kaleds, by appealing to Davros' better nature, which failed as depicted in the virus speech that'd later be mirrored in The Stolen Earth and Journey's End. That said, it's not like the Doctor's beyond being morally shady. 7 in particular was known for manipulating his enemies into taking their own lives.
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