Dr Who

Relief. It's hard to be objective because I am comparing this episode to last week's, but apart from another slightly rushed summary it was quite good. It had mild twists and mystery, and the viewer got to learn what was going on at the Doctor's pace. It also didn't answer everything, which keeps you wanting more.

We now know that Wilmshurst and Mathieson is a good partnership. Stylish direction from Wilmshurst again but a much better script than last week with Jamie Mathieson in charge. Peter Harness stay away please

(12-10-2014 09:38 )biggles Wrote:  ...
Good acting especially from the guest stars even Frank Skinner wasn't too bad.
...

Really? I thought Skinner was awful, he clearly isn't an actor, and his delivery/accent was Dick Van Dyke-esque. For me he illustrated why they should just stop the guest appearances and hire proper actors instead. The show is aimed more and more at its american audience, but guests like Skinner are anonymous to the yanks, so why even bother?

The sub-plot of Clara and DW 'splitting up' was nonsense, and Clara's last minute turn around was laughable.

As mentioned already, a train full of scientists and experts gathered to study this being, and only a couple of them had any contribution to make, with the engineer being centre stage

The reveal that the mummy goes after the weak, then lo and behold, the conductor or whatever has PTSD and how convenient, he becomes the next victim. Then the first victims grand-daughter is grieving, so conveniently she becomes the next victim. There's a train full of people there, surely someone-else could have been the next victim, just sloppy convenient writing. It's writing like this that puts the show on a level with childrens programming.

Not to mention the very notion of a space Orient Express, hot on the heels of the Titanic previously, been there done that, new ideas please.

Oh, and the 'mummy' turns out to be an old soldier, spot the oh-so subtle theme running through this series, guess that will be a central feature of the finale then, such creative writing!

The one thing I'll say is that they seem to have learnt the lessons from the David Tennent 'running manically around waving the sonic screwdriver' era. Still just loads of pointless running around and shouting to try to generate a sense of excitement and danger, but much less of the all powerful sonic screwdriver, good move

the episode wasn't long enough to really develop some points, but think of the scientists as Gus's selected Mummy bait, people who could describe what they saw to the only capable being there, the Doctor. Yes, some things were rushed with time constraints, but it didn't have gaping holes like last week's. They did explain that most passengers were holograms, leaving only the invited guests and staff... and the old woman and granddaughter but you have to assume that it was Gus's plan and that she was there due to her age as it would make her victim one, without wasting a scientist. That's how I took it.

Clara was never going to leave, as hinted a few times throughout by other characters. Danny even told her she wouldn't be able to last week, so it wasn't really a last minute turn around, she was just trying to convince herself that she would. Really she would die before she would leave

All I'm saying is the Brummie didn't ruin it which was what everyone's fear going into it was.

I know it's on at 8:30ish now but isn't Dr Who a children's programme, or at least family entertainment. It's not hard Sci-Fy in any sense. Didn't see a trailer for next weeks episode so don't know what to expect next week.

Clara's "last minute turnaround" is obviously so bad that Virgin Media are censoring it in the Catch Up view - the episode keeps cutting out before it gets to the end, so I can't comment on it .

^^^

Ah, her one and only topless scene. Tough break

Edit: here's a cap

^^



I was wondering why they'd moved the time slot to 8:30.
Boy I bet the digital recorders of all the geeks are gonna go crazy at the end of the BBC3 repeat tonight

(12-10-2014 10:39 )munch1917 Wrote:  As mentioned already, a train full of scientists and experts gathered to study this being, and only a couple of them had any contribution to make, with the engineer being centre stage

The reveal that the mummy goes after the weak, then lo and behold, the conductor or whatever has PTSD and how convenient, he becomes the next victim. Then the first victims grand-daughter is grieving, so conveniently she becomes the next victim. There's a train full of people there, surely someone-else could have been the next victim, just sloppy convenient writing. It's writing like this that puts the show on a level with childrens programming.

They couldn't afford more speaking parts, I guess

Thought Skinner was OK. Compared to David Walliams' turn the other year, for example.

Haters and going to hate.

Seems like mixed reviews of Mummy On The Orient Express - I haven't seen it yet and don't know if I will bother catching it on the iplayer.

At the moment I'm getting really disillusioned with this TV show and that saddens me - because there was a time when I would have never said anything like that about Who. Frankly (pardon any puns there - not intended), there's better television on offer at the moment such as the Leftovers, CSI, Gotham and the Walking Dead. Doctor Who can't compete at the moment for me - another thing I'd never thought I'd say.