milo bloom

Well. Giving Davros that jolt of energy must have taken its toll. Last weeks wasn't much to speak of but this was a step up.

The Valeyard

Didn't have a chance to watch last week's episode so I plowed through two episodes this week. The first episode had an interesting premise but overall, felt like fluff for the following two-parter.

This week also felt like a set up episode but better stylized. I'll wait for final judgement after next week's episode.

Jay G.

Oddly, I felt the first episode, "Extremis" was the stronger one, as it could really stand on its own. It has a strong existential question about what it means to be The Doctor at its core, and we see what The Doctor, even when stripped of everything, even his own existence, is willing and capable of doing.

The second episode may have been a lesser experience for me partly because my wife was constantly yelling at the screen at the extremely poor/unrealistic containment procedures for the research lab, starting with drinking coffee in the lab while in gear and getting progressively worse as the episode went on. And what was with the luggage lock for the door?

Superman07

Is this the first time we've had a three parter in modern Who?

I agree Extremis was better for the majority of the episode run time, except the Extremis ending was bad while the Pyramid ending was great!

Meanwhile, over on Class a really good episode that took place during the events of the previous episode while the kids were in detention. On the ending:

I believe next week is already the Class finale. No clue if it was picked up for a second series or not. I've enjoyed it, but it definitely needs to do more to find itself and tell a more cohesive story over a relatively short 8 episodes.

diditagain

The final three episodes of S3 form a three-part story: Utopia / The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords.

Josh-da-man

Face the Raven/Heaven Sent/Hell Bent from last season was also sort of a three parter.

Superman07

Anybody watch all of Class? Next to last episode was great and had some really interesting turn of events. Finale on the other hand took some weird turns. Honestly not sure how I feel about it.

Apparently a second series is iffy. If there isn't more, I'd love for a small amount of Torchwood with some Quill!

Jay G.

I enjoyed it overall. I'd say actually that the third-last, which is a bottle episode, and the second-last, which runs a separate story parallel to the third-last episode, were the strongest. Overall though the series focused a lot on the characters moreso than the "monster of the week," sometimes to the detriment of the monster.

I think it worked a bit better than how character development on Doctor Who can work, where they always tiptoe around The Doctor a bit, and focusing on a single companion can get repetitive and dull (such as Martha's unrequited love, or Amy's crush on the Doctor and Rory's insecurity about that). Having a group of characters that can interact with each other works a bit better with conflict and the like, especially since two of them can stay mad at each other for more than the length of a single episode.

Quill was the best character, but she might work best in contrast with the other characters. In some ways she might be too close to Missy on Doctor Who at the moment.

Overall I'll be disappointed, although not crushed, if there isn't a second season. However, that reveal at the end of the finale... ugh.

ultimaton

I thought Class started really strong and then dipped a bit in the middle to "ok" territory, but it finished nicely. Though I didn't care for the detention/meteor bottle episode, I thought the Quill centric episode was fantastic and the finale was very, very strong with some legitimately shocking turns that I didn't expect.

If there is a second series, I'm in.

Josh-da-man

The reveal of the governors at the end got me to really hoping for a second series.

Jay G.

Not a lot of talk on this thread for this current series.

The most interesting thing to me for the past few episodes have been the bits with Missy. It looks like next week kicks that arc off into high gear.


My off-the-wall theory: Missy is actually The Doctor, in a future incarnation, which is how we're going to encounter The Master, possibly wanting to confront this impostor. This could lead to the next "regeneration" being The Doctor turning into Missy.


Other, less crazy theories:

Missy/The Master have a failsafe in place where they can alert their past selves if they're ever trapped or in danger. The Master shows up to rescue his future self, but does she want rescue?

Missy/The Doctor run into a situation where The Master is causing havoc in the past. The Doctor sacrifices himself, causing both The Master and himself to regenerate, with The Master becoming Missy.

Lifepawn

I really liked this weeks episode. Felt it was a big improvement from the Victorian Mars one.

Kdogg

She was a bit too murdery (in the sociopath not savior sense) last season to be any version of the Doctor though. I've enjoyed the straight forwardness of this season so I hope there is not an overly complex over thought ending.

milo bloom

It wasn't a big canon-shattering event but it was just a good solid episode of Doctor Who.

I did love the bit about the crows: "they're remembering".

Superman07

I haven't watched trailer for next episode so no comment there.

I do agree the Roman legion episode was a lot better than the mars episode. I thought there was more mystery and an interesting resolution. Not sure they fully explained hearing music. It's not like the entire group walked into the portal allowing you to hear music whenever the door opened.

Does make you wonder what will happen. The doctor was right as their life spans are shorter. Eventually they'll all die and then what?

Jay G.

The bagpipers did walk into the portal with the Scottish and Roman fighters, so it's their music they're hearing.

My fan wankery is that the portal became unstable with too many people walking into it at once, and so the time differential between inside the portal and outside is elongating as the portal is collapsing. So their few minutes of fight are being elongated across eons.

The Valeyard

I'm so behind on episodes. Work has consumed me. I watched "The Lie of the Land" over the weekend and plan to binge the recent 2 episodes before this weekend.

"Lie of the Land" was a bit disappointing. Especially being the climax of a three-parter. The false regeneration was just BS. Will say I enjoy Bill more and more each episode.

cleaver

This season and season 6 are my 2 favorite seasons. Fast moving, less redundant episodes.

The Valeyard

Caught up with the previous two episodes this week ("Empress of Mars" and "The Eaters of Light"). I enjoyed both episodes, "Eaters of Light" a little more.

Looking forward to the first part of the Season Finale tonight!

The Valeyard

Just watched "World Enough And Time." A bit fluffy until we get to the last 15 minutes or so but it's a good build up. The cliffhanger was fun. Can't wait to see how everything fits into Cyber History.

Orbi-Wan Techno

Wow, a lot happened in tonight's episode, and next week will be another turning point in the series.

Xiroteus

Why does this season feel so solid vs the last couple?

Really enjoying it. (I did the others as well, something is just hitting better)

Superman07

Wow that was good stuff. Probably the best episode since the Tennat era. It even felt like an older episode from 2005/2006.

Loved the Gallifrey music cues while The Doctor and Bill were chatting on the roof.

The lighting and style of the hospital were well creepy. Had an eerie vibe.

Not enough Doctor.

Is this the inverse of the three doctors if you have two masters and a Doctor?

Wish this were a two parter so I didn't have to wait a week.

Supermallet

I was trying to figure out who the actor was for much of the episode. It all clicked when he was talking to Bill about the exodus while outside the hospital. I love his goatee!

A really wonderful episode that harkened back to classic Who in so many ways. I could easily have seen this being a Fourth or Fifth Doctor storyline.

I'm just annoyed from the next time on that they're already reverting back to the shitty modern Cyberman design for the next episode. The classic designs are so much creepier.

eXcentris

Being new to this show, I'm a tad confused. I thought Missy was The Master? Or is the goatee guy a previous incarnation/regeneration of The Master which Missy didn't recognize because of the disguise? But then again, woudn't she remember wearing that disguise??? And what happens if Missy sides with the Doctor and they kill The Master? Woudn't she be killing herself and promptly disappear in a puff of logic? Or since there's no death, only regeneration, would we end up with Missy and a regenerated younger Missy? Argh...

Also, I want to go back and watch prior seasons, should I just start with the 2005 relaunch?