The Doctor Who Thread.....

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Thanx!

Is it sci-fi or fantasy?

[Quintus 6,499]

It's political fantasy in an alternate universe, so a bit of both!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Yay!

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I highly recommend the The Thick of It too. Also, there aren't exactly too many episodes of it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

That's quite normal for the Beeb. Quality over quantity.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

The Waters Of Mars.

Well done special that offers a slight variation on the "getting out alive" scenario that many Who episodes have. Many elements of this one are familiar. Space base invaded by a hostile force, a motley crew trying to escape, most will die. The twist is that this time they are supposed to die. the Doctor is NOT supposed to save them. Doing so may alter time too much. In this way it's a variation of The Fires of Pompeii.

The best stuff comes near the end, when The 10th Doctor takes the law of space and time into his own hand and, as the last of the Timelords, dictates the course of events. only have have the rug pulled from under him by a companion (of sorts) who goes further then ever in resisting The Doctor. All this is pure gold.

The rest of the ep is, like I said, effective but familiar. And it has a silly robot.

The End Of Time. part 1 and 2

Has many many similarities, both good and bad with The Stolen earth and Journey's End.

After delivering quite tight and focused stories for the specials, RTD once again goes hog wild for his final adventure as showrunner.

The Master is back! (why not?) He has bolts of energy shooting from his face (sure!) He has a ferocious appetite! (well it's Christmast time!)....EVERYBODY JUST LIKE HIM!!!!!

For all of this to work it's best to just go with the flow and enjoy it for what it is. A last hurrah! RTJ dumping whatever ideas he didn't have time for in other episodes into this one, and sorta, kinda succeed in making them kinda sorta work.

I would have dumped or dramatically reduced the screentime of those green cactus aliens, and the Naismith's (with their subplot that goes no where) and focus on the stuff that is more interesting. Namely Gallifrey, Timothy Dalton as it's fearsome leader (what a voice!) and The Master.

Bernard Cribbens is back as Wilf, and becomes the emotional centre of this 2 parter. He has a wonderful scene in a cafe with Tennant, who gives his all in this swansong episode.

So The Master takes over the world, gallifrey returns and the universe is all but destroyed. Lots of scenes of people running, screaming, lots of CGI.

But after the dust clears....he knocks four times.

Basically the last 15 minutes or so are an emotional powerhouse. Tennant as a Doctor clinging on to live, but knowing he must do the right things.

His "farewell tour", while technically unimportant to the episode basically closes the Tennant/ Russel T. Davies era. Starting with Martha and Mickey and ending with Rose. (i would have had The Doctor visit nurse Redfern herself though, rather then her grand daughter). Eventually The Doctor retreats into his Tardis. Murray's splendid Vale Decem playing, and he dies....and is reborn. And while Matt Smith would make the role his own pretty much straight away. It is still a sad ending.

Tennant was a hell of a Doctor!

[Jay 46,245]

106 Doctor Who episodes uncovered in Ethiopia featuring William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/106-doctor-who-episodes-uncovered-2343474

[Wycket 36]

106 Doctor Who episodes uncovered in Ethiopia featuring William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/106-doctor-who-episodes-uncovered-2343474

106 is highly improbable, especially considering that The Feast of Steven was never officially telerecorded and sold abroad. Of course, two episodes of Sky by Night turned up recently which also were never sold abroad, so anything is possible. Its much more likely, however, that at the most 90 episodes have been found, as that's the rumor that's been circulating the entire year. Enemy of the World and Web of Fear have always been at the forefront of the discussion, and supposedly they will be made available for download this week. Hopefully this will be a large haul, but it will take a miracle for everyone to be found.

And for those who rightfully question the accuracy of The Mirror, the Radio Times have also reported similar news as well as The Guardian, though neither state a specific number.

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/07/doctor-who-early-episodes-recovered-bbc

[Brónach 1,330]

That quote was taken in 2011, long before the Doctor married River. It's a shame to think it was a loveless marriage because Alex Kingston is a fine woman.

Why would it be loveless?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

I don't know if it's loveless, but it's too half arsed, the way it was done.

The River Song from Silence Of The Library / Forest Of The Dead was portrayed as his ultimate future companion. the one who knew him better and more intimately then anyone in the universe. And that's something we didnt get to see in series 5, 6 and 7.

It's mostly a bunch of random, but perfectly times encounters where River is used as a plot device more then an actual character. A riddle to be solved. Kinda like Clara is more of a riddle thus far then someone The Doctor is truly emotionally invested in.

I LOVE Alex Kingston in the role, she nails it every time, and actually has a great and very believable chemistry with Matt Smith. But their story seems fragmented and rushed.And Moffat screwed up the time line stuff in The Wedding Of River Song.

[Brónach 1,330]

Ah, in that sense, yes.

There have been problems in showing the relationship between these two, but also (and this bothers me more) between River and her parents.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Yeah that really bothers me. At almost no point do Amy and Rory seem to regard her as theirs. And vice versa. In their final episode, all the focus was on The Doctor losing Amy. Not River.

The biggest difference I think between Moffat and RTD is that Moffat seems more interested in plots while RTD is very much a character writer.

The Eleventh Hour

Starts out with an exciting, but slightly redundant scene of the TARDIS near crashing near London (the scenes makes the dramatic reveal of the new Doctor in Amy's garden a bit silly).

This ep is reminiscent of Rose in that the alien threat story is fairly standard Who stuff, but the new introduction of The Doctor and a companion makes it worth while.

We can already see vast differences when compared to the RTD era.

First of all the story is set in a sleepy English town rather then London. RTD always has the world on edge with his big invasion stories. This is tones down considerable from now on.

This story introduces several supporting characters which are never seen again. Unlike RTD, who always has a colourful family background with his companions.

Amy Pond, particularly in series 5 remains my fav companion apart from Rose, and it's a very very close call. Moffat does brilliant things here. Setting up a childhood meeting, so that The Raggedy Doctor becomes a major influence in her life (as Rory said "You made me dress up as him").

She is the main focus of the series 5 arc, the crack in her wall being deeply ingrained in her. But she is treated like a character rather then just a mystery to solve (unlike Clara up until now)

Matt Smith almost straight away nails HIS Doctor. Tennant was a hard act to follow, but he manages effortlessly.

Despite his younger age he seems more authoritative and alien.

The "trust me for 20 minutes" scene has possibly my favourite lens flare ever. It actually enhances the emotion in the scene.

Series 5 looks better too. The move to HD means it's now a very attractive show to look at. The CGI would shift between outstanding and barely adequate though.

Music, the new theme is certainly inspired by 160 BPM from Angels and Demons, but Gold manages to "just' give it enough personality of it's own. It has to be said that the theme isn't as flexible as The Doctor Forever.

This remains my favorite series opener.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Victory Of The Daleks

Gets the tone wrong. The second story is the regenerated series to be set during the London Blitz. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances used the Blitz as a dramatic background. This one feels like a pastiche of old British WWII movie cliches. It has a distinctly naff Dad's Army feel. Winston Churchill is given no dimension at all. It all feels like a pantomime.

Lee would hate this episode for fawning it's mock Britishness!

The Dalek story serves to get rid of the old models and introduce the bigger, coloured ones. That in itself is fine, and there are a few good scenes (I AM YOUR SOLDIER!). But there's a pretty noticeable plot error.

According to this story the old Dalek models seen are supposed to be unpure. But the last time Daleks were seen, they were bred from the flesh of Davros itself. Meaning they can't get purer.

If you take this into account the whole plot makes no sense at all.

The only really weak entry into this season.

[Wojo 2,458]

The Progenitor does not accept Daleks made from Davros' DNA as being pure enough to access the pure DNA stored in the Progenitor. Right, wrong, or otherwise, that's reflected on the Progenitor's programming. Remember, a previous batch of reborn Daleks were made with human DNA, after the Battle of Canary Wharf annihilated most of the Genesis Ark refugees. They tried to rebuild the race every chance they got, and while Davros' DNA gets them close to their distant origin, it's not exactly the same.

That episode had a cut line where the Doctor tells the Daleks they've changed their DNA so many times over the years just to survive. That, plus the presence of Davros' DNA being so prominent in these versions, is enough to make the Progenitor stop them. Is it a plot hole? Maybe. It's very deus ex machina because we haven't seen this Progenitor before and know nothing about it. It exists as the reason the Doctor, whom the Progenitor recognizes even in a new body, must give testimony of what they are, because you know these Daleks were saying "we're Daleks" and the Progenitor didn't buy it. I think that's clever because it shows the Daleks beating this Doctor; he can't win every time.

Or it's just an excuse to make the shiny new colorful models of Dalek. A marketing ploy. But if the Progenitor contains pure Dalek DNA, it would be extremely old and established. But these are new Dalek shells. Aaaaaaaargh.

I didn't like the episode either.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Its the worst Dalek ep so far. Moffat would do a better job with the fossil Dalek in the season finale.

We actually only had 2 "traditional" Dalek eps in the Moffat era. Though we are bound to see more in November.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

Its the worst Dalek ep so far.

"Destiny Of The Daleks" is pretty awful, but that's what happens when a story gets all "Doug Adamsed-up" .

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

I was referring to the "regenerated" series.

[Wycket 36]

I think Evolution is far worse than Victory, though neither are on my rewatch list anytime soon. Victory might have been better if they reverted to a more classic design to perhaps draw some nostalgia, while also being a two parter to perhaps let it breath and explain stuff more. Either way, both are stinkers, and the new series proves that with Daleks, less is more.

BTW, did you purposefully skip The Beast Below, or are you just rewatching episodes at random?

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

"Daleks In Manhattan" tells us absolutely nothing about The Daleks, but it's grest fun to watch.

Wycket, there was nostalgia in "VOTD". In fact, there was more than nostalgia, there was a direct quote from "Evil Of The Daleks".

So, "less is more", eh? I guess you don't like "AOTD", where more is, definitely, more...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

BTW, did you purposefully skip The Beast Below, or are you just rewatching episodes at random?

I Saw The Beast Below on TV recently, like Blink, Love And Monsters and other eps i didnt review here.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

106 Doctor Who episodes uncovered in Ethiopia featuring William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/106-doctor-who-episodes-uncovered-2343474

106 is highly improbable, especially considering that The Feast of Steven was never officially telerecorded and sold abroad. Of course, two episodes of Sky by Night turned up recently which also were never sold abroad, so anything is possible. Its much more likely, however, that at the most 90 episodes have been found, as that's the rumor that's been circulating the entire year. Enemy of the World and Web of Fear have always been at the forefront of the discussion, and supposedly they will be made available for download this week. Hopefully this will be a large haul, but it will take a miracle for everyone to be found.

And for those who rightfully question the accuracy of The Mirror, the Radio Times have also reported similar news as well as The Guardian, though neither state a specific number.

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/07/doctor-who-early-episodes-recovered-bbc

Call me a sceptic, but is it really a coincidence that these episodes are found so shortly before the 50th Anniversary celebration of Doctor Who

[Wojo 2,458]

I think it's ironic they were found when so many troops are intervening in Kenya and Somalia.

[Wycket 36]

http://www.doctorwhomagazine.com/the-enemy-of-the-world-the-web-of-fear-found/

Coincidence no more. Phil Morris, who found the episodes, said that he hopes he crosses paths with the fans again. Looks like the rumor of a larger haul might be true, as its been said for a while that there might be an initial, smaller announcement to test the waters/earn money to pay for the finds. The DVD for Enemy comes out at the end of November, Web in February. As much as I'd like to go and drop $20 and buy them now, they're only available via iTUNES, and since I won't support that, guess I'm waiting. What's a little longer?

"Daleks In Manhattan" tells us absolutely nothing about The Daleks, but it's grest fun to watch.

Wycket, there was nostalgia in "VOTD". In fact, there was more than nostalgia, there was a direct quote from "Evil Of The Daleks".

So, "less is more", eh? I guess you don't like "AOTD", where more is, definitely, more...

I did enjoy the whole "I am your servant," bit. And I did enjoy Asylum quite a bit. I think most of my problems with Victory due with the flying Spitfires and other problems. I would have watched 45 minutes of just the Doctor and the Daleks on the ship.

[Wojo 2,458]

Yeah, Spitfires in space in the RAF would have been enough to win the war long before 1945.

[Melange 448]

Call me a sceptic, but is it really a coincidence that these episodes are found so shortly before the 50th Anniversary celebration of Doctor Who

I wanna belieeeeeeeeve!

[Brónach 1,330]

I would have watched 45 minutes of just the Doctor and the Daleks on the ship.

TARDIS BANG BANG DALEKS BOOM

[Melange 448]

Comment noticed on the BBC Website

90. DynamicEntrance - 23 Minutes ago

Another colonial adventure by the murderous British to steal and exploit the heritage of the proud Nigerian people.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

I think we all know what happened.

Subject: Classic Doctor Who tapes
From: Ignatius Shiluwenenene Isulakoko

Mr. British Broadcasting Corporation.

My name is Mr. Ignatius Shiluwenenene Isulakoko, I am a senior partner in the firm of the Independent Republic Of The State Of Nigeria Video and Audio Recording Archive. We have conducted a standard process investigation of our inventory dating from the 1960 and 1970 of the 20th century.

This investigation led to the fortunate discovery of a large number of tapes containing episodes of the BBC series Dr. Who. Upon further investigation we found that it is unlikely that there are any other copies of these particular episodes in existence.

The essence of this communication with you is to request that you provide us information/comments that will lead us to determine that you are the rightful owner or owners of these classic episodes. Some with feature an old grey hared man, and some who feature a slightly younger black haired man.

To determine legitimacy of your ownership claim, and top facilitate the speedy exchange of these classic material to your possession if indeed you are found to be the legal owner.

I must request that you deposit an amount of five million Pounds Sterling on the account designated below.

You must appreciate that we are constrained from providing you with more detailed information at this point. Please respond to this mail as soon as possible to afford us the opportunity to provide you with more information on this investigation.

Thank you for accommodating our enquiry.

Mr. Ignatius Shiluwenenene Isulakoko

For: Independent Republic Of The State Of Nigeria Video and Audio Recording Archive

Lagos, Nigeria

[Melange 448]

I must request that you deposit an amount of five million Pounds Sterling on the account designated below.

And the Beeb probably payed up and hope to claw back the debt from DVD sales

[Wycket 36]

Considering the way the Beeb handled the whole affair, with fans knowing since March yet having to wait til yesterday to actually get them, I wouldn't be surprised.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone

Joins together the two most popular elements of Moffat's writing during the RTD era. the weeping Angels and River Song.

Alex Kingston makes a excellent come back into the series, making river both mysterious, sexy, annoying and rather wonderful. Her and Matt Smith play of each other very well.

Lot's of great elements in this story. Love the Home box opening, the Cleric Soldiers, the awesome scene where they figure out every statue is an Angel.

The Weeping Angels aren't as terrifying as in Blink though. The most frightening scene is the one with Amy and the lone Angel on the view screen.

Moffat does manage to set up a nice catch 22. With Angels, if you blink, you die...but if Amy even opens her eyes..she dies...

The second ep suddenly brings back the crack in Amy's room. While all of this is well done, it does shift the attention away from the Angels, who become something of a secondary concern all of a sudden.

Because of this the climax falls apart a bit. But it's still a damn good two parter. With some great foreshadowing to the season closer.

Vampires of Venice

Fun and well made vampire story. Adding Rory into the mix is a stroke of genius. Arthur Darvil really makes a great addition to the cast, and breaks the cliché of the companion falling in love with The Doctor.

Helen McCrory has a solid guest role as Rosanna. A fish alien thingy trying to save her race. She has just the right mix of allure and sinister for this role.

The location shooting gives this episode a classy feel that isn't quite supported by the rather cheap looking CGI. Also the climactic scene where The Doctor saves the day seems a bit fragmented.

The ep ends with strong hints about the Silence. Consider what they would turn out to be in series 6, I would say that what we hear and see here doesn't quite match up with that. I wonder if at this point Moffat and his team hadn't fully thought out what The Silence would end up being.

Solid, if somewhat familiar episode. (it's pretty clear it's from the same writer who did School Reunion)

Amy's Choice

Excellent mystery story with some cracking character bits. Rory fits like a glove on the TARDIS and the way he and The Doctor slightly compete over Amy is fun.

This ep would introduce two recurring elements of the series. One the "in joke" of Rory dying and then coming back to live again. The second one is The Doctor being quite bored with "normal" life, as humans live it. Something that would be developed further in The Power Of Three. The Lodger would also play on the theme that The Doctor, even though he has been with humans for ages, has not got a clue about the finer points of a regular life.

Both Smith and Gillan are in good form when a mysterious being called The Dream Lord asks some tough questions of them. The switcheroo between the supposedly real world and the dream world is well done. Love the bird tweeting motif.

Both scenario's, a village attacked by elderly with eyes in their mouth and a near collision with a star that burns cold rather then hot are both so unlikely, yet soooo a Doctor Who plot that It's in deed hard to decide which reality is true and which false.

The life of Amy and Rory 5 years later is quite different that the one we would see of their life in the next 2 series. Not pregnant in sleepy Upper Leadworth.

The denouement is just a bit of a let down. Turns out both realities were dreams, and The Doctor knew who the Dream Lord was all along. Not sure that's was the right way to go!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

The Hungry Earth

Does a decent job in reintroducing the Silurians (love the term Homo Reptilia) and set and interesting ethical dilemma.

Some interesting choices made in this episode, Amy is absent for the most part, after been swallowed up by the earth in a rather poignant scene.

Smith's Doctor is shown as he usual blustering and confident persona, but he isn't able to convince everyone this time. The Doctor actually makes a few errors of judgement here.

Also he utters the famous line "Today everyone will live" from The Doctor Dances an Forest Of The Dead, but this time you know it's not gonna be like that.

The redesign of the Silurians were not to everyone's taste. The brief here was obviously to make them look more human, for the further development of this story in Cold Blood

It has to be said that the prosthetics look best on actress Never MacIntosh, who gives an excellent dual performance and would later play Madam Vastra in series 6 and 7 (although the way this story ends, I'm actually not sure how that's possible)

Cold Blood

Parts of this episode are strong. The stalemate between humans and silurians. for example, but other parts don't ring true. Amy and Nasreen as ambassadors on behalf of the human race. Negotiating a truce and for humans and Homo Reptilia to side side by side. I never got the feeling that was actually gonna happen. In quite a small scale setting of a cut of Wales village, 2 people supposedly deciding the faith of Earth.

The deck is stacked, and as a viewer I knew it was, so the hope an effort portrayed on screen never rang true.

This episode features narration by the Silurian leader to give it weight. The whole planet seems to be at stake, it's set up like a classic Russel T. Davies calamity episode, but....nah....

A big difference in the way RTD and Moffat operate is in their season arcs. RTD would scatter clues throughout the series, which you could pick up, but played no role of significance in how the plot of a particular episode went. And would only reveal how things tied together in the season finale story.

Moffat puts his arc far more up front. In this episode it happens with all the subtlety of a sledge hammer.

All of a sudden one of the cracks in time just appears. For seemingly no other reason then because it needs to be there to tie into events later in the series. All of the supporting characters from the Silurian story disappear for a few moments, Rory dies (again), the crack in time eats him up, there is quite a moving scene where Amy tries to to forget Rory, but fails....aaaand suddenly the supporting characters from the Silurian story appear just on cue to watch things unfold.

I like the scene on it's own, it's the only time a Rory "death" has worked emotionally. But the ways it's just shoved into a completely different story is a but crude.

Strong character scenes stop it from becoming a dud, but after Victory Of The Daleks it's my least favourite episode, and a big notch down from The Hungry Earth.

Interestingly The Doctor and infact the episode seems to judge the humans harder then it does the Silurians.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Vincent and the Doctor

While series 5 has been of very consistent strength, up until this episode it did not have a masterpiece, a great episode.

I would personally rate this amongst the best of the revived series. Up there with Blink and Turn Left. It's an episode where everything works. Script, acting, the way it was shot, the score.

The Doctor and Amy team up with Vincent van Gogh to find and kill a monster that has been on a killing spree in a sleepy French town.

All of this sounds like pretty standard Doctor Who, but it's actually just a backdrop for a wonderful portrayal about imagination, depression, hope, and sorrow.

In The Victory Of The Daleks earlier in the series they featured Winston Churchill, but failed to make the character anything other then a caricature of himself. In this one, the script by Richard Curtis an the performance of Tony Curran manage to portray (no pun interned) Van Gogh as a complex person. Love the short scene where Curran's Vincent asked Amy if she is Dutch too, because they have the same accent. (both actors are Scottish).

There are many hilarious and moving scenes dealing with Van Gogh, from him spilling coffee on a painting he considers having no worth, or painting over one of his works so he can sketch out the alien he saw (The Doctor and Amy's looks are priceless) to him succumbing to depression because he knows he is going to be left again.

The alien in this story is largely invisible. As always this is a clever ploy to save money, but it always works in adding suspense and actually keeping this episode away from sci-fi and focused on it's human story. It's a very nice touch that the killing alien doesn't turn out to be as ruthless as first suspected though.

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan do some of their best work in this one. The usual madness is toned down a tad and we find that Amy is indeed grieving for Rory, even though she doesn't realize it. And The Doctor, who is usually all to eager to let famous historian figures enter into the action actually realizes the enormous historical loss if Van Gogh would come to some harm because of him. So this time when a important figure from history wants to join the action he says "No....You're Vincent van Gogh....No!"

The last few minutes of the episode, can only happen in the world of Doctor Who. Vincent is taken to a museum in 2010 and discovers that he works is indeed valued, and loved an admired.

That scene, with a fun cameo by Bill Nighy is incredibly moving.

One of my very favourites, nearly flawless...apart from the fact that everyone mispronounces the name Van Gogh. (for heavens sake, it's not Van Goth....sigh)

[KK 3,313]

The Day of the Doctor teaser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hRy2N2CMhQ

[pixie_twinkle 60]

Fun, but waaaaaayyyyy too nerdy! Lovely to see Lis in there though.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Well it's Doctor Who, aren't they the original nerds?

There's already a blog listing 50 things and characters from the teaser. Trying to gauge the significance of Jelly Babies.

The Lodger.

What should have been a rather forgetable episode is rather elevated by it's actual premise.

The Doctor spending a few days on Earth without his TARDIS, living...or trying to live like a normal human being.

The main point of The Lodger is to see Matt Smith stretch his funny bones. He is hilarious as a Doctor who seems completely out of the loop when it comes to everyday live on Earth. It's customs and tradition. How people actually live.

This is a sharp contrast to David Tennants Doctor, who spew pop culture references every other episode and felt far more comfortable around humans (see the fisrt part of Midnight)

The rom com will they/won't they plot is recycled from a 1000 sitcoms, but manages to not completeley bore. And James Corden makes a good straight man for Matt Smith.

The sci-fi elements might actually be the weakest part of the episode. The conclusions leaves a lot of answers.

The "attempt at building a TARDIS" from this ep shows up in Day Of The Moon in the next season, connected to The Silence, but what iut's doing here, why it was created etcetc is never made clear.

Interstingly The Lodger has a few moments that in retrospect seem to set up The Silence from Series 6. Amy seeing something, and seemingly forgetting about itr. This episode was one of the alst shot. So I guess Moffat had a decent outline regarding what he wanted The Silence to be. (unlike Vampires of Venice)

Fun ep, occasionally hilarious actually.

The Pandorica Opens

Series 5 may not always have inserted elements of it's season arc in the most graceful of ways. But it's conclusion is really masterful. Opening with a fun, if unlikely trail from Van Gogh, to Churchill, to River Song etc, The Doctor finds himself in England under Roman times. Dealing with an impossible box.

Despite having quite a lot of expositional dialogue the narrative always remains clear.

Rory returns! As a roman...and plastic! But it's still Rory, kinda. The way The Doctor completely misses the obvious is hilarious. Gillan and Darvil hit the right notes in their scene together, which starts out happy, but ends in tragedy.

This episode feels quite epic in scope, even though the bulk of it takes place in the Underhenge. There is a good action scene with half a Cyberman, and a hell of a scene were The Doctor makes an army flee away from him.

The concept of an alliance between Who viullians to stop The Doctor is quite fanboyish, but works. Even if you do ahve to wonder how "Pete's World" Cybermen came to be there, and Silurians (the events of Cold Blood would make it inpossible). The ending bloody well works though. The universe destroyed by an exploding TARDIS, unraveled like an Van Gogh painting, underscored by Gold's beautiful "The Life And Death OF Amy Pond"

[pixie_twinkle 60]

Is anyone else following these rumours of more missing episodes being recovered? Some people seem convinced that the real number of 60s episodes recovered is close to 90, meaning that all but a handful of previously missing episodes have been returned to the BBC for eventual release on DVD! Trying not to get my hopes up, but it's hard not to get excited, especially given that these rumours are coming from the same sources that first suggested that Web of Fear and Enemy of the World had been recovered.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

I'm still convinced it's a Nigerian SPAM email.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

Is anyone else following these rumours of more missing episodes being recovered? Some people seem convinced that the real number of 60s episodes recovered is close to 90, meaning that all but a handful of previously missing episodes have been returned to the BBC for eventual release on DVD! Trying not to get my hopes up, but it's hard not to get excited, especially given that these rumours are coming from the same sources that first suggested that Web of Fear and Enemy of the World had been recovered.

I've never seen "Enemy Of The People", but I remember being scared to frackin' death by the Yetis in the Underground, in "The Web Of Fear"!

Even if just these 2 are found, then I'll be grateful. Of course, I'd like "Mission To The Unknown", and the complete "Dalek's Master Plan"...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

What are you talking about? These two were found.

They are matters of pure fact, not conjecture!

The BBC even released trailers for them.

[Wycket 36]

What are you talking about? These two were found.

They are matters of pure fact, not conjecture!

The BBC even released trailers for them.

They've been available on iTunes for about a month now. They were the number 1 and 2 downloads for like a week.

As for the 90 rumor, the people that are spreading the information were the ones that were talking about it since the Spring, and had Enemy and Web correct so I am inclined to believe them. Marco Polo was originally rumored as well, but now it seems its being held off until after the anniversary. The initial release of the two is suspected to be a way to test the market to see if it was worth the BBC paying this Philip Morris guy who has found them. Given the popularity so far, I expect them to pay up.

And Richard, Mission is not reported found, but two episodes of DMP have supposedly been located. Considering that it was never sold abroad, having 5 out of the twelve is quite the miracle.

[pixie_twinkle 60]

Marco Polo has long been a favourite of mine based on the recons and audio versions. But there are soooo many other's I'm hoping for too!

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

What are you talking about? These two were found.

They are matters of pure fact, not conjecture!

The BBC even released trailers for them.

I know they have been found! If the rumours about the 90 are false, and only those 2 are found then I will still be happy!

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Even for someone who isn't a devotee of Classic Who. The upcoming Dr Who: An Adventure in Space And Time TV movie looks quite interesting.

They certainly nailed the look. And the actors look the part.

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Indeed, the ones playing the main cast are all very close to the original cast (Ian is the only one that doesn't really work, but close enough I suppose) and Jessica Raine looks like a great match for Verity Lambert. The Day of the Doctor is the celebration for the new fans, An Adventure in Space and Time is for older fans. Of course, if it works out right, both groups will enjoy the specials.

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Trailer for The Day Of The Doctor

Snippets old the RTD era TARDIS interior, Clara using what looks like a Vortex Manipulator, Rose possible under some spell, and The Two Doctors.

Can't wait.

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Tennant looks like he never went away!

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Piper had trouble finding her Rose again in series 4 though.