[initial reactions] Doctor Who 11x02 - The Ghost Monument

[grimorie]

I really liked it, still not perfect but I liked it!

Things I liked:

• I'm getting that Chibnall is a bit of Star Wars fan but is Chibnall also Farscape fan? Because of the translator microbes type translation thing on the necks thing really reminds me of it! And the way the space ships are like Star Wars and Farscape: worn down and used.


• I know a lot of people are 'meh' on the Stenza but I kind of like it. I think they're building them up like the Scarrens from Farscape. And so far, I like the way Chibnall is seeding in the series long arc for the series. Its not just saying 'Bad Wolf' or 'Hybrid'. There's actual consequences here and the Stenza has a culture that seems to affect the systems they've conquered. Re: space race.

It's like... if we walk it back, we're seeing the effect of being conquered by a race like the Stenza, a species that puts a lot of metric into competitions.

• 
  I know people are again 'meh' about the villains but IMO that's because there are no villains in the episode, they have antagonists but no real bad guy, bad guy. Only peril.
  There's just people, even the person who ran the contest isn't all bad. I mean, considering. There are a lot crueler rich people in the Whoverse and from the scale of Oxygen depriving capitalism to this one, he's not as bad.

He's like Epzo, a product of his own circumstance. Ilen won the rally that way, and he's just doing the same thing to other people because he doesn't know any better.

• Epzo himself isn't all that bad. He's like a really down on his luck guy who saw Han Solo in a movie and wanted to be as cool but fails to really get who Han was and is actually not as cool. He's not unfeeling nor mean, just a jackass.


• Angstrom and her grief and capacity to be kind and compassionate, I liked that.
• BTW, Thirteen’s unimpressed: ‘Did you practice those lines in a mirror.’ FAVORITE.
  


• Yaz looked amazing but I'm hoping she can do more in the next episodes.


• Ryan and his Leroy Jenkins scream and backtracking.


• 'Timeless Child' Oh Chibs, I knew you had an arc, you thought you'd fool me! You won't be able to help it, you're a drama writer who seems to be really heavily influenced by Buffy, Star Wars, and maybeFarscape.


• The Doctor's name dropping. LOL. Never change, Doctor. Never change!

The Doctor and her TARDIS.

First of all: Jodie Whittaker has really great chemistry with a literal wooden box. Second: HER LITTLE FACE WHEN THE TARDIS APPEARED.

And the way she spoke to the TARDIS!

Also, 'Come to Daddy!' is not the first time the Doctor has uttered those words to the TARDIS. People commenting how 'weird' that is, seem to be forgetting because Twelve is less demonstrative and his link to the TARDIS more metal, that the Doctor is always weird with the TARDIS.

The TARDIS is the Doctor's truest love and the longest committed relationship!

BUT OH HER LITTLE FACE.

I'm reminded of this moment (pardon the pun) from The Day of the Doctor

MOMENT: You know the sound the Tardis makes? That wheezing, groaning. That sound brings hope wherever it goes.

WARRIOR: Yes. Yes, I like to think it does. MOMENT: To anyone who hears it, Doctor. Anyone, however lost.

(The sound of the time rotor is heard.)

MOMENT: Even you.

-- Transcript

And that was exactly what Thirteen looked like, she was so lost and then, interestingly, Yasmin hear the TARDIS first and then Thirteen immediately saying: 'I really need you right now!'.

God. Break my heart more why don't you?

The thing is, Thirteen might be all optimistic like now but I like the sense that this, losing the TARDIS is what will break the straw on the camel's back. Everything that happened to Twelve, happened to Thirteen. All the loss might be easier to bear now but it wasn't too long ago from her perspective that she failed Bill, Nardole, everyone on the Mondasian Ship, and Missy. And then she lost the TARDIS, literally, the only thing she has in the universe.

Seeing Thirteen heartbroken made me heartbroken for her too. It's like the constant mantra in her head during the whole thing was: 'If I get the TARDIS back, everything will be okay. If I get the TARDIS back, everything will be okay.'

Also, the TARDIS interiors mirroring the new Sonic screwdriver made my theory about the TARDIS and the Doctor being mentally linked more and more plausible. My theory is, once the new regeneration nailed down their aesthetic, the TARDIS rebuilt itself to match.

And, awww, the TARDIS wore a new 'dress' for Thirteen. Also, she built food giving into her console because she knew her Time Lord often forgets to eat! The Doctor is practically giddy the moment she stepped into the TARDIS!

• Twelve's console is my favorite but I like the call backs to the 7th Doctor / 8th Doctor console room.

Things that make me go 'hmmmm'

• I actually kind of like that the Doctor is still a bit of a hypocrite though they are laying it on a bit thick but at least she doesn't go raging about it or attempt to destroy people's lives over it.


• 'Knives are for idiots', next episode the Sonic doesn't work on cloth and a knife did. Heh.

Things I didn't like:

• I am still not a fan of the direction, the way the cameras push in to the faces when I want more of a wide shot to get full reaction from other people around the Doctor.


• Chibnall wrote the Doctor too exposition-y IMO. When Thirteen's allowed to slow down and react poignantly, that's where Whittaker excels at.

Comments

[eve11]

Chibnall wrote the Doctor too exposition-y IMO. When Thirteen's allowed to slow down and react poignantly, that's where Whittaker excels at.


Yes, this. This is my main beef with the episode. And thank you for pointing out all of the positives! Usually I am one to focus on the good bits in a kind of messy whole, but this mess of a plot plus that above made it hard for me in this episode. But I do like the parts you point out as well.

Also Ryan going "Can I touch this button?" as soon as he got into the TARDIS. :D

But I also agree, way too many face-close-up shots.

[grimorie]

The exposition really didn't work for me, and I get that it's for new viewers but there is such a thing as over explaining and I think Chibnall over did it a lot. There were a lot of times when the scene spoke for itself but he had to do the extra mile of spoon feeding it too.

If anything, I'd like most of the questions to go to the other people in the group, have Angstorm, Epzo, or even Ilen do some explaining and give poor Jodie a rest from all the memorization.

Also Ryan going "Can I touch this button?" as soon as he got into the TARDIS. :D

I love how that's a running gag now, and the Doctor's: NOPE was so funny!

Oh god, the face close-ups is not a favorite. I wish Jamie Childs didn't establish that in TWWFE because now it's part of the series bible. I wish we got Rachel Talalay to establish the visual language of the show, I can only imagine what she'd do with the new anamorphic lenses!

[winterfish]

First of all: Jodie Whittaker has really great chemistry with a literal wooden box. Second: HER LITTLE FACE WHEN THE TARDIS APPEARED.

Favourite moment in the episode. When she went "I really need you!" and then the Tardis appeared. :D And I agree totally with wanting more wide shots. There wasn't a lot of space (ironically) for them to react to what was going on.