Ward

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8

It was a good episode, if a tragic one, and another damning indictment of the doctor.

A few months with the doctor cost over 20 years of her life. A life of failed relationships, a broken relationship with her mother, and a constant stalker upon her life which she never got the answer to who it was or why it was happening, until the end of her life.

How pitifully sad.

And she lived the rest of her life, affected by the constant presence of the woman following her, resulting in more abandonment. She said everyone abandoned her, and there were no one at her bedside when she died. I guess her family must have tried to interfere with the woman following her, or maybe she never had a family. Thus Ruby ended up a bit of a bitter old woman, who lived a lonely life, yet never truly alone due to the woman following her.

How sad. Because of traveling with the doctor. Though it wasn't all his fault, as it was her choice of how to live her life afterwards.

At least she helped saved the world after the first 20 years, probably, even though it was strange how that plotline lined up with the notes in the circle, doesn't really make sense.

But she still lived the rest of her life in a state of fear, confusion, and sadness. Because of the doctor.

And even though they're in a time loop (somehow) it's then broken (somehow). Doesn't make sense.

How does it make sense the prime minister would resign? Previously the people ran away and just hated her/wanted to be away from her. That's it. Plus, the effect of how it happens and why it's so powerful and permanent and a perception filter doesn't really make sense except to artificially disguise the mystery, along with UNIT being totally defeated, no. Though it was nice seeing UNIT and Kate again, and i liked some parts of the episode that felt a bit scary. I also liked the mystery aspect, though it went on far too long, and the resolution was disappointing, and we didn't really get enough of an answer. I liked seeing more of Ruby and her aging and her interactions with people, though there wasn't much depth in the conversations except the one with Kate. The prime minister plotline felt a bit rushed as well. And as someone else said, where did the doctor go and why? And all for stepping on that barely put together cotton circle? What if the wind broke it? Could it? Eh.

And the doctor nor Ruby know the torture Ruby experienced in this episode, all due to her travels with the doctor is how she ended up enduring this.

The doctor ruined her whole life from the age of 18.

It's sad, melancholic, and the doctor is a villain, and i'm tired of hiding it anymore.

Edit: The more i think about this episode the worse it gets, which is the same for all episodes this season so far except maybe Boom. This is what happens when you lean more into nonsensical supernatural and fantasy stuff rather than sci-fi, and because it's more imaginative, more people will fall for it. Most people don't like to engage their mind critically with the creative media they consume, so it's understandable, and i also acknowledge personal taste is subjective in what we like. Might lower the rating to 6. 6.5 would be perfect, but that's not an option.

Good episodes and the best ones are those that you always like to think back on, and the good parts persist in your mind over time.

Wow. It's a slow paced doctor investigation light horror drama that follows the events of the previous film, but doesn't feel like much of a true sequel. It feels like a standalone film or a generic horror franchise film in some ways, but it does mostly respect the events of the previous film but not so much the characters. In regards to the horror, there isn't much at all except a bit of creepy moments and atmosphere, but the best way to explain is, why should i be scared when Sadako KISSES the guy during the "scary" part. I enjoyed it, i liked seeing it, but it doesn't fit in this story, and it takes me completely out of the horror.

It's a decent drama film though. Though often strange, and becomes much moreso towards the end or in the second half. The doctor is investigating what happened but he's also grappling with his own demons.

It's feels more like a standalone film, what with a minor character from the previous film playing a supporting character in this. At least, i think it's the right character, though she was called his student in the previous film and his girlfriend in this, but i think we can assume she was his girlfriend as well but wanted to keep it secret because she was also his student, i guess.

The structure of the film is strange enough that i like it in a way, and there's some oddly deep moments.

It gets strangely low-key sci-fi with it's scientific explanation for what is going on. Which would have been good if this was kind of the first film, but, even so as the second film, it still kinda works, and it's interesting

But it still leaves some things unexplained. Well, while we do get some answers for some of the films previous questions like with the scientific explanations, it still doesn't really make sense, which is compounded by the things that don't make sense in this film.

Later on in the film it gets super weird and absurd, but in bad ways. Sex with Sadako? The instant giving birth thing? Genetic fast growth of a human and ressurecting/cloning? And all manner of nonsensical things and science ideas. What??

But even with how ridiculous it kept getting, i actually kinda liked it in a very strange and absurd way. Maybe also in a so bad it's good way.

What was once a supernatural kind of mindless evil being, becomes... Through accident, a supernatural evil being looking like it will conquer the world? I don't know. It's all just... Strange.

Though i say accident, they retcon as that psychic guy helping Sadako, i guess. Or maybe he was convinced or controlled by Sadako after death.

The ending goes completely absurdly epic and worldwide changing in scope. It's absurdly ambitious and strange and just plain weird as a sequel to the first film.

The film isn't good, but i definitely think it's interesting enough to be worth watching.

This. THIS, is what Doctor Who should be. Trust Moffat to knock it out of the park with his standalone episode.

THIS is what Doctor Who should be like. Impactful, emotional, good story, good characters.

I loved this episode. I loved it. This shows that Doctor Who can survive, and even thrive in the new era. But i fear this is going to be the exception in this season. The old-school Moffat delivering a classic style of episode that is probably going to end up the best in the season.

When do you ever see a doctor leave their companion at the start? I thought that was interesting.

The kid was kind of annoying.

Doesn't make sense Ruby was on a timer to stay alive instead of being killed.

Doesn't make sense that guy beat the whole AI algorithm.

But apart from those quibbles, i quite enjoyed this episode and felt emotionally impacted from it. The Doctor was good, though i would have liked him be a bit more persuasive or powerful, like if he ended up proving to the Anglican soldier that he had knowledge or support of the higher ups or he had some special kind of clearance. I just wanted a bit more from the Doctor in this situation. But i still liked what he done and how he was this episode, and i liked Ruby as well in some of the things she did, but i just wanted more from her too. Maybe i'm a bit greedy when it comes to what i want these days, but i still enjoyed the episode, and i liked the banter between the Doctor and Ruby, and i liked The Doctor calling her kinda stupid when he would get off the mine, which surprised her. That moment gave us some of the classic early Doctor moments with their companion, and it shows us a bit more of this incarnation's personality, though of course we know he's a more positive incarnation in general still, which i like actually, as it's quite different to previous ones. But this incarnation still has some of that darkness like what he expressed towards the Anglican soldier. I guess i wanted more darkness though, more anger, or maybe if there was a conversation between the Doctor and the AI, and then we'd see some of that darkness and anger, especially towards such a powerful being/algorithm as he was up against here. Instead, this planet wide algorithm barely had a personality. There were some seeds of a personality or sentience (which should have been compounded by the showcase of the AI of the cannisters) but instead it pretty much turned out to be nothing and the algorithm AI was beat in seconds.

It also doesn't really make sense about these soldiers just fighting against their own technology. It doesn't make sense from an individual soldier point of view, nor futuristic technology point or view, nor corporate, societal or cultural point of view. Basically it doesn't make sense at all if you think about it even a little bit, except in the only sense of the story as in it being the theme of anti-capitalism. That we see the portrayal in the story of unchecked futuristic capitalism, which is nonsensical realistically, but it makes for a good and interesting story, and i did enjoy watching it and seeing the themes of capitalism and religion explored somewhat.

But even with that story and the themes, we still have the emotional heart of the episode, as the Doctor is stuck and people are dying. I enjoyed it, it's a really good episode.

Music is the plot.

Ugh.

Sigh.

The story was okay, but you hardly see the beatles, and of what little you see isn't that good until the end bit. And that's it. That's pretty much the only good or important bit about going to the past. That and some rubbish dialogue about music in various eras.

The Doctor and Ruby are saved because the companion is SUPER SPECIAL WITH SUPER SPECIAL POWERS BECAUSE OF HER BIRTH.

Ugh.

Jinkx Monsoon was good as the main villain. Maybe a little overacted, but they were a good villain, entertaining while also believable in their dark moments and moments of madness. It was a pretty good character too, and we got a bit more interesting lore.

Why is the episode so damn awkward? The music battle was awkward, both in concept and execution, and with the actors not really playing the instruments. The deeper moments and dialogue between The Doctor and Ruby felt awkward. But Millie has better acting this episode, and Ncuti is still good. Plus, there's a better balance of the serious and campy this episode, though there's still room for improvement. I liked how stylish everyone was this episode.

Why did the doctor win a music battle against the literal personification of music? Stupid.

And then afterward, the doctor only came one note away from banishing them? But then failed on the last note even after doing the other ones?

Ugh.

And of course, The Doctor and Ruby are saved, again, this time by the beatles. And in this timeline the beatles went their whole life not producing music, just sounds. Then they're able to make such powerful music randomly that they beat the Maetro.

Ugh.

Sigh.

Don't even think about trying to make this make sense in the timeline. It doesn't make any sense at all that now "music" has been reintroduced to the world at this moment in history.

Stupid.

It was a decent episode, better than the first one for sure.

Then, even though every episode is short of time, they do something at the end here which is an amazing use of time.

Sorry, i mean a huge waste of time.

THEY LITERALLY DO A MUSICAL AT THE END INSTEAD OF ANYTHING STORY OR CHARACTER ORIENTED.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, childish.

In most tv shows and movies, it's generally agreed that when kids are there, they can easily be annoying, and make the film/episode more annoying.

So Russel T Davies, for the first episode of a new Doctor Who season, decided to introduce an array of child characters.

Child characters nearly always fail. Child oriented plots always, always, always fail. Yet here is another, and of course it fails.

I tried to give it a chance. I liked it up until the kids.

This was supposed to be the proper start to a new season of Doctor Who, and the proper start for this doctor and companion rather than the christmas special "The Chuch on Ruby Road" which was a decent if lackluster special, and this first episode is exactly the same quality. Many fans were displeased with the christmas special or thought it was okay like i did. Those were the general consensus rather than it being particularly good or bad. We were hoping this first episode would be a lot more better, and maybe even more mature, or at least a more mature start to show us what Russell is capable of, like with how in the past he often managed to balance the serious with the campy quite well, and sometimes he would write really dark episodes like Midnight. This episode was supposed to be a glimpse into what the season would be like, and Doctor Who as a whole in this new era.

And i am sorely disappointed.

I am happy to say at least that Ncuti Gatwa FEELS like The Doctor. He thinks and acts and talks like The Doctor but a new incarnation of him. Except there is a certain wisdom and old age missing from the dialogue. Which you would think there would be more of, given The Doctor's age. In-universe i can only surmise that this doctor wants to escape that kind of past of himself. That he's a new, fresh person, wanting to reconnect with his youth and fully embrace that side and role of him. That of the young man enjoying himself and traveling and not having many connections. I find it a bit superficial though, and even a bit reckless to have this kind of attitude, though it's still only early days in analyzing this incarnation of the doctor. He didn't talk to Ruby much about the potential dangers of his travels, adding to his recklessness.

I was surprised by how funny The Doctor was this episode, i liked it. Some laughs surprised me though, like with how he made the babies cry. I thought that seemed a bit out of character, but it wouldn't exactly be, if this incarnation's morality was a bit skewed as i already suspect. He's still The Doctor though, and you do see and feel that clearly in the episode. He has his cleverness and wonder and cool side, along with moments of depth and wisdom. I liked it, and i like Ncuti in the role.

Ruby as the companion though, i have more issue with. Millie Gibson does a decent job, but it's clear to me that she is inexperienced acting. Her facial expressions and mannerisms and speech look to to me as inexperience in the acting field. Maybe part of that is how young she is, being 18 or 19 when she filmed this, or maybe she just isn't very good. However, she does a decent job, and she isn't too bad. As for the character herself, i'm sure not sure. I kinda like her, but i need to see more of her and i need to see her properly tested, and i need to see how she acts with various people and aliens and when she's away from The Doctor. I don't know much about her or what she's capable of. I know she's got a tough streak in her, and i know she can be caring and kind, and curious too, so i guess we'll wait to see more of her.

It was a weak episode in general really. No strong villain, and the supposed villain wasn't really a villain. The nani does something supposedly wrong later on, gets told off and then she's alright again.

There is a disconnect in tone between the aggressive and creepy nature of the monster and it's behavior contrasted against the silly cringe child people. Then there is only a silly tone throughout the rest of the episode when we find out the creature is made from bogey's and other such sillyness. I intensely disliked it all.

One of the babies goes to fight the monster. Stupid. But listen to this. So the baby then hides after it hears the monster roar, right, and goes to hide. Then, the doctor finds the baby because he can smell the baby had shit itself.

That's literally the plot of what happens.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I hated the baby characters.

You would think given the political leanings and activism of the creators and stars that there would be a political message concerning the babies and the baby farms, and well, there is, but it isn't overt or targeting at a specific group, not that it matters as it's clumsily and thinly written. But it's not the focus of the episode nor does it derail it, and nor is the political message overt in an annoying or patronizing way. It's a very small aspect of the episode and it doesn't really mean anything.

The episode feels too rushed over the deeper moments. The dialogue feels less good compared to doctor-companion interactions in the past, for every single pairing.

I liked the doctor in the air lock, even though it didn't really make sense with how powerful the pressure would be from venting an air lock.

We saw about 10 babies, and in only 6 years, they managed to produce enough shit to power the engine of a spaceship. This is a literal plot point.

Makes no sense at all. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

It's an okay if mediocre episode with decent moments, and it sure ain't good. It's possibly one of if not THE worst first episode of a Doctor Who season. I am sorely disappointed. It's too silly, childish and cringe for the most part. The balance between serious and campy was not done well at all.

Directors cut, which adds 30 minutes.

After 2 damn hours, Dan is already supposed to be this powerful psychic, but we see almost none of it in the whole 2 hours. Then when it really matters, it just doesn't work, and he's about to be killed by some normal power level psychic ghost person. He will literally die, until he's saved by his friend. Ugh. And then there's ANOTHER opportunity, where he could save his friend from killing himself, but no, Dan isn't powerful enough to stop him. Ugh. It's annoying.

It's kind of annoying how much of the plot is centered around the psychic girl too, rather than Dan himself.

He has some cool moments though. And good build up.

And while he still does some good stuff near the end, i was still disappointed that not enough was done with him at the end.

It stops becoming scary though after about an hour, because the good guys are so strong. There's also much less personal drama, and it turns into more of a violence drama and psychic fights and mind games.

It becomes less like a pure horror and more about a fight between psychic good guys and psychic bad guys. Some good scenes though.

And i do like in the story how the villains face challenges and horrors. Needed much more of that in the hotel, we hardly had anything. The main villain just had a random encounter with the lift full of blood, hardly reacted and then walked on. It's a complete disconnect in tone with the film and the audience. Whereas in Kubrick's film, it was at least delivered dramatically, and had impact on the screen in a heavily visual scene and feeling. Here it was just copying, and there was nothing, no feeling or dramatic or themeing. Ugh.

Still, the end villain gets dispatched in a quick and mediocre way, especially after her "power up" from the flasks, yet all it amounted to was... Oh yeah she knew when the girl would sneak up on her (after already having been stabbed a few times) then grabs her, then gets forced off. Okay, so this is 1 scene of about 5-10 that will showcase her improved power, right?

Nope, that's it. One scene. One crappy showcasing scene like that. And that's it. Stupid.

Most of the film should have been is a battleground in the hotel, as everyone slowly starts to become mad.

Kid was kind of annoying throughout.

It's annoying there's an obvious setup for a sequel with the annoying kid. Just get lost Flannagan.

Don't have your plot centered around, and/or later centered around an annoying kid. It's such simple logic and an easy thing to do, yet this film fails at it. Stupid.

Don't disrespect your legacy character, which they do to Danny here. While it isn't distateful disrespect, it's more about ignoring and weakening him, and putting a lot of the films focus on an annoying kid. Ugh. Stupid.

I remember watching this show as a kid sometimes in the 2000s, and it felt chilling sometimes. Being a kid, and a kid in the 2000s, you don't really know much, and your imagination and mind is open to the world and possibilities. Then you have this program which aims to be scientific, but inside a package of entertainment, along with the "psychic" Derek Acorah acting like he's posessed, and you have some occasionally chilling tv, and a concept of ghosts you may want to believe in.

As an adult, it is nostalgic, cringe, and oddly tense.

It's funny the host says that they've told the spiritual medium Derek Acorah (a confirmed faker) nothing about the location he's going to. But this is 2002, he still could have done a google search, or looked up other information, or somehow been given it behind the scenes.

In one moment they're in a circle talking, and the dog is staring at someone/the camera, and they think the dog is staring IN BETWEEN people, and that the DOG IS SEEING A GHOST RIGHT NOW, and then DEREK ACORAH SAYS THE GHOST IS THERE, AN APE, HAHAHAHAHA. It's so cringe.

They used this same psychic on the show for 5 years.

Treat the show as weird entertainment.

I definitely preferred earlier in the season the more dystopian horror and mystery-like feel (along with the answers we got). The transition from dystopian seemingly sci-fi to post-apocalyptic is not done in a very good way, but it's done well enough, and enough to keep me interested to see more. I like the kind of creatures which are kind of zombie like (and i love zombies) and being in the far future, and i can't wait to see more. I hope there is an evolution with their threat in the next season (or the season after that, since the next one looks to have reset everything basically), and the characters and factions are decent enough to want to continue following.

Though it was a huge mistake killing off their best character with Ethan Burke. It's a fatal blow i don't think the show will recover from, and i think it was a mistake to make his son in a coma for 3 years/have a 3 year time skip in the show, along with doing a FULL reset button on the events of the show and put it back to like how it was at the start, now with the kids having somehow taken over (even though most should have died in the last attack, and the adults outnumbered them and had the best weapons and technology), and put all the adults in suspended animation. Stupid. It's a hugely unnecesary reset on what's happened in the shows events. Doing that and killing off your best character downgrades the episode an entire point. It's not a good ending.

Now next season i imagine we'll have to watch and deal with a lot of annoying full of themselves zealous youngsters.

Ugh.

It's a good twist, but there are a ton of questions that need to be answers and that need to have logical sense behind them, and i don't think the show will be able to do it.

The abbies aren't that powerful. They're just herds of pretty much animals. Strong and agile animals, but just animals it seems.

They have various technology in the far future, so why not reclaim the world?

Why are they trying to kill people who try to leave? Why not let them? Why aren't they advancing technology and civilization to reclaim the world?

This arc for the future had hibernation technology to keep people perfectly alive? This technology was started in the 20th century? Because that woman programmer disappeared in 1999. And this hibernation technology kept people alive in it for 2000 years? And who and why is chosen to be in these hibernation pods? How many are there? Why is there only one town left with one wall? Is there other more powerful creatures out there? Why weren't we told of them in orientation? Why aren't there tons of towns with high walls, since that's all that's needed to keep the creatures out. Why isn't there more advanced technology? How did humanity die out? It can't have only been the abbie's. Where is all the advanced techology from future humanity? Since they existed until at least the 2090's.

Why were people revived at this specific time in the future? Why only around or at least 12 years ago or something were people being revived and the town being built? Why are they trying to retain a 1990's aesthetic for the town?

Why did the nurse and then Pilcher want to do surgery on Ethan at the start of the show?

Why does Pilcher allow psychotics to rule the own? And enforce brutal justice?

Are we supposed to believe humanity somehow naturally evolved into the Abbie's? Or was there genetic experimentation or a virus or something?

Kids are supposed to keep this from their parents? Even though parents are adults and it may help to know the secret and make them less want to leave?

A secret society of kids who share a secret. Ugh. Annoying.

And Pilcher managed to hide the bodies of all the ALIVE people to put in the hibernation pods? The people he FORCED into and then FORCED into this future.

In the present was the arc a part of a government experiment or test or backup too? Or was it his own independent operation? How did he get people to go along with it? How long had he been building the program? So did he have it on automatic to wake himself up after 2000 years once he was ready? Did he then build the town with other people who he awoke? Did they also build the wall? How did he gather resources in their remote location? Did he have enough resources stockpiled? Underground? So there's a huge base underground too? He even has helicopters now. So then he can wake up engineers and scientists to rebuild advanced technology right?

And while i'm here. The story has been pretty good, and some of the characters are decent, even if some are annoying. And there's also a really unnessary annoying kinda love triangle or past affair plot. Apart from that, it's a good show, but i don't know yet if it's going to answer a lot of the questions that need to be answered, and if the story and characters will end up good with what they've build up and happens next, and what the ultimate goals and ends are.

The only thing i really don't like, is giving Hawkgirl an ex/current boyfriend she was betrothed to. It's just annoying, given the development between her and John, and especially in recent episodes with them cementing their relationship.

Then she mostly brushes that and their development aside this episode. There's no deep conversation between them. We need that depth of dialogue in order to truly understand her point of view. We do get some depth in how he reacts to this information, but she's written too stoic this episode.

I understand as well that without her old love interest, it would create a problem with her motivation in betraying John and the Justice League for her people.

But instead of giving her a fiance, i would have kept the military commander, and had multiple deep conversations between them about loyalty to her people. That she's been with humans, and she's not human, she's Thanagarian, and lived most of her life with Thanagarian's. This might be enough to make her betray John and the Justice League. But what would really make her betray them is if the commander TOLD her about their battle for survival against the Gordanians, and how the Thanagarian's may be on the verge of extinction. That paints the drama and the moral choice of her love for John, her friends and humanity, against the race of her own people. It's a beautiful moral dilemma while keeping the love and tragedy of her relationship with John, and we can have depth of dialogue about this and show her tortured emotional and mental state about it all.

But no. We get a fiance. We get a love triangle. We get stoic Hawkgirl. Who just goes along with it all, at least in this episode.

I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

It just kept getting better and better and better.

It started off a bit boring to be honest, with Grundy just doing some action stuff (and he isn't a particular interesting or charismatic character) against army. Then Aquaman rescues him (it was great seeing him) though i was puzzled why. Then we see Dr Fate (cool) and we get some talk stuff. It's just not that interesting, and their whole secret plan. But then we get some interesting stuff with Grundy's backstory and his slight personality shift. I would have liked more of the questioning of himself/personality. Just more existential dialogue.

But this episode really stood out in the fights. They were awesome. Hawkgirl got more focus this episode with her quips at poking fun of the league's cliches. Then she really stood out in the fights and KICKED ASS. I love the showcase of her resistance to magic, i loved the showing of Superman's weakness to magic and even Wonder Woman's a bit. I loved how Hawkgirl was the most powerful in these situations. I loved the fight with Superman and Grundy, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and how she beat him on land but he beat her in the water, it was awesome, and well choreographed and made sense, and was fair to both characters. I liked the fight between Fate and Hawkgirl. Ordinary he would be much more powerful than her, but because of the situation and/or her apparent resistance to his kind of magic, she beat him! Wow. Loved it. Hawkgirl was the MVP this episode. I love her. And then at the end we get the lovecraftian tease, love it love it love it.

It's mostly a clip show, most of the rest being Rev wandering around shouting. Such a disappointing return and possible conclusion to the Rev Bem character, who was part of the core cast for season 1 and part of season 2. In truth, the show wasn't really the same when he left, and it was the same time when the original showrunner left as well. Rev brought more depth of dialogue and exploration of religious mythology, along with the perspective of being a Magog, and other races reactions to him.

And the end result is Rev no longer being a magog, but half-human half-magog. What happened to accepting one's self for who they are? And how they look? And where they come from? That as a magog and part of the way, it would be harder to make peace in the galaxy, but that's part of the point, of the struggle to make allies and friends, when it shouldn't be a struggle because you shouldn't judge someone by their race, but by their character.

Ugh.

It was nice to see him again though. Now that he's half-human (and the actor no longer has to wear the fur he was allergic to), why can't he stay on with the main cast again?