In the eleventh episode of the fifth series of Doctor Who, the Doctor becomes separated by Amy, who is stuck in the TARDIS, and is forced to go undercover as a human being while he tries to discover who lives in the flat above his new flatmate, Craig Owens.
I’ve been waiting for an episode in series five that was much more silly than the others, and I dearly hoped that “The Vampires of Venice†was not that episode. With “The Lodger,†writer Gareth Roberts (WHO HAS PENNED SOME RATHER FANTASTIC EPISODES, I MIGHT ADD) not only gives us one of the funniest episodes of the show’s run, but he manages to show us a side of the Doctor we’d not seen before, especially by forcing him to try and live in disguise.
The set-up for this episode is really rapid, but things do settle down right after this. The Doctor is pushed out of the TARDIS and Amy is trapped inside as it is impossible to land. We’re shown flat 79B, with that creepy person who lures people inside with some sort of hallucination representing the one thing that would cause them to walk up the stairs to that room. But all of that is nowhere near as important as Craig Owens.
Beautiful Craig Owens. What a rich, layered, and fantastic character he is. This script is not bad in any way, but James Corden is about as perfect of an actor as there could be for the role. We meet him at the same time as Sophie, his best friend, and it’s pretty obvious that he has the world’s biggest crush on her. I wasn’t too excited about how obvious this plot point was, but it proved to be a crucial focus of the entire episode. And not in a way that was irritating, either!
Of course, the great reveal in the cold open was that Craig’s advertisement for a new flatmate is answered rather quickly. By the Doctor. Who wants to be Craig’s new flatmate. FOR REAL.
It’s magical. PURE MAGIC. Hogwarts is jealous of this shit. Watching the Doctor interact so flawlessly with Craig is one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever seen. The Doctor is an intensely knowledgeable being, but here we get to see him out of his element in a way that’s not destructive or frightening. He spends a lot of times with humans, but it’s a reminder that he’s not actually a human, either. In this situation, it’s the details that count. The Doctor knows humanity in a grand, sweeping gesture sort of way. But does he know how to make a good omelette? (Ok, wait, he does. How does he know that????)
Despite that I felt that Craig and The Doctor’s dialogue could have fit virtually any incarnation of The Doctor, Matt Smith makes this role unmistakably his. Of all the Doctors I’ve seen, he’s the most whimsical of the bunch. With the severity of the situation in the TARDIS threatening to send Amy spiraling into the Time Vortex, the Doctor seems to gravitate towards keeping his sense of humor to keep himself grounded. I didn’t expect him to also have the ability to stay in contact with Amy either, as these companion-lite episodes are usually missing the companion far more than in this episode. Still, after the harrowing last two episodes, full of so much sadness and grief, it was really pleasant to get this story right before the series finale. (OH GOD I AM SO CLOSE)
I also don’t think I expected to see Matt Smith stumbled out of the shower half naked, either. He’s really pale, isn’t he? As Craig began to walk up the stairs to 79B, I didn’t actually believe he’d go inside, but part of me wanted him to. Because…WHAT THE FUCK IS IN THERE. Were people dying upstairs? Why could the entity change its appearance? Fearing the worst about whatever was in the flat above him, the Doctor rushes out of his flat, clad only in a towel, his sonic screwdriver in hand. But the man upstairs rejected Craig’s help and the Doctor is actually holding Craig’s toothbrush. Which is just the best thing of all time, really. I might just start pretending my toothbrush is a sonic screwdriver, but that’s just sad.
ON TO SOPHIE. I like her quite a bit, and I totally understand why Craig is smitten with her, and the Doctor sees how unbearably obvious it is that they both like each other when he meets her. In a towel. Holding Craig’s toothbrush. Seriously, I love you, Matt Smith. And let’s just talk about Matt Smith, who must have a history with football. When Craig finds out he needs another player for his local league, the Doctor offers himself up, despite believing that football is the game with sticks. Sticks. Seriously. And to everyone’s surprise (mine included), THE DOCTOR IS RATHER BRILLIANT AT FOOTBALL. Actually, he is FRIGHTENINGLY GOOD. Aside from the joy of watching Matt Smith play football, this scene also sows the seeds for another important point: The Doctor cannot be human. Over the course of “The Ledger,” the Doctor really does try his best to fit in, but the football scene is evidence to how oblivious of a Time Lord he is. Craig is absolutely crushed that the Doctor is so good at the sport and that Sophie seems so genuinely interested in him. I was worried that this episode would end with Sophie declaring her love for the Doctor and that would just be icky and gross, but Gareth Roberts proves me wrong.
If anything, I believe this story is about the Doctor bringing out the best in other people. Sure, he’s entirely oblivious to the effect he can have on people, and I think football and “date” scenes exemplify that. Craig feels that the Doctor is competing with him, telling Sophie about orangutans and her future as a way to impress her, when in actuality, the Doctor is just doing what he does. He’s trying to instill inspiration in Sophie. That being said…I have to say that Craig was justifiably angry at the Doctor for taking over his job. Only a little bit. I do understand that after touching the rot and becoming sick, the Doctor was honestly doing what he could to help Craig out. He was trying to be a friend! But I can imagine how invasive it felt for Craig to show up to work and learn that the Doctor not only gave his presentation, but has now gotten rid of his biggest client. (And that being said, watching the Doctor work on a telephone is PURE JOY. It was like the heavens opened up and announced, “YES, THERE IS A GOD, AND HE IS CALLED MATT SMITH.”)
But all of this had to come crashing down, as the Doctor was having a harder time hiding his “other” life from Craig. (And Amy’s position in the TARDIS was getting all the more perilous.) When Craig finally discovered the scanner dish in the Doctor’s room, that was enough for him. I’m glad that the Doctor didn’t think to keep up his charade beyond this; he knew it was time for them to move forward to confront the being in the flat upstairs. I know that I am a very new fan to Doctor Who, but I still really enjoy when the newer series shows bits and pieces of the original eight Doctors, and that scene where the Doctor shares his memories is really well done. (Well…did he have to headbutt Craig? Ow.)
And really, the main plot of this story surely isn’t the best point of the episode, but that’s 100% ok. This show is all about the interaction between the Doctor and Craig. That’s why the big reveal about flat 79B is so fantastic: the plot doesn’t really matter, since it’s just the vehicle for the stunning character development, and yet IT IS STILL AWESOME. I mean, I would have never guessed it in a million years. THERE IS NO SECOND FLOOR. THE WHOLE THING IS A PERCEPTION FILTER. That is bloody BRILLIANT. As I’ve said before, I like when mysteries are unexplained in the end, and Gareth Robert’s script doesn’t tell us who the spaceship belongs to or where it comes from. We never find out. In the end, is it really necessary? This is about the experience, and this experience ends in a gloriously cheesy (but entirely necessary way): with Sophie and Craig realizing they both don’t actually want to leave because they are in love with each other. (I don’t even want to bother with the science of this all. It’s too much for me.)
Sure, this episode goes out on a sweetly positive note. Craig and Sophie are in love! The Doctor gets Amy back! All is well! And while I do love when Doctor Who gets bleak, I also think this show has room to be hopefully optimistic. If so, this is exactly the way to do it.
THOUGHTS
- I TOTALLY SPOTTED THE VAN GOGH ADVERTISEMENT ON THE FRIDGE.
- Have we ever heard the Doctor state his number of regenerations before this?
- “No, I’ll fix it, I’m good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister. No, I’m the Doctor, don’t call me the Rotmeister.”
- “Hello, I’m Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue, please state the nature of your emergency.”
- “Six billion people? Watching you two work, I’m starting to wonder where they all come from.”
- “Don’t spend it all on sweets. Unless you like sweets. I like sweets.”
- “Oh, I will. I’ll shout… if that happens. Something like… I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS!”
- THAT GODDAMN CRACK. OH GOD, PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS PLEASE
It's it wonderful just how alien the Doctor (especially 11) is when in a domestic environment. The casual way he hands over the brown paper bag full of cash. His obliviousness when he's obviously crashing a moment that Craig had been trying to set up for a long time. His attempt to explain the device in his bedroom "a statement on modern art" indeed! His wonderful, wonderful phone manner (plus of course Craig coming in and seeing how odd it all was that everybody in the office just seemed to love the bloke, and seemed to have accepted him as Craig's replacement for the day, they fed him biscuits and went along with everything he said and did, even when he got rid of a major client! No wonder Craig at that moment seemed to think he was the only sane man in the room).
Loved the way that what the Doctor and Amy said was scrambled, so Craig just heard random nonsense. Then recuiting the cat as a spy and having a chat on the stairs. Lovely.
Matt Smith's first career choice when he was at school was footballer and he was in the youth team for Northampton Town, being scouted by bigger teams, but he had a serious back injury on the pitch and although he got over that, he was never able to really get back into the game at professional level, so at 14 he seemed to go through the awful experience of his life's ambition being destroyed. Until his English teacher took a hand and got him to try acting (giving him a second chance when he didn't bother to turn up to his first audition).
And a round of applause for a) the nod back to the Third Doctor singing in the shower and b) the briefly dropped towel (even though frame by frame analysis apparently (so I'm told…) reveals that he was wearing tight flesh-covered shorts).
Of course, the crack behind the fridge. Erm, doesn't that eat people? Farewell Craig, Sophie and your sofa!
But does he know how to make a good omelette? (Ok, wait, he does. How does he know that????)
Space chickens.
Also:
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XD ICANHAZROOMMATE?
THAT'S SO UNCANNY.
Confession time: When this was first broadcast I recorded it but couldn’t bring myself to watch it until just before the next episode thanks to James Corden who, ordinarily, I can’t stand. Which is a shame because after I watched it I had no complaints at all but had been somewhat spoiled for the best bits! Ah well, live and learn.
Originally this was a nine page comic with the 10th Doctor and Mickey having to live together (not like that you bunch o’ pervs) but it doesn’t suffer from being extended to episode length and I think it works FAR better with 11. Matt Smith’s Doctor is so off the wall normally that seeing him in our world with time passing in a long, boring straight line and no shortcuts to use is an absolute delight. The script works surprisingly well and it’s a genuinely clever way to do a bottle show in much the same way Blink, Midnight and Turn Left were. Better yet it remembers to keep things FUN and is a genuinely enjoyable 45 minutes as a result. There’s so many great lines here that you really could spend ten minutes just quoting them.
It must be said up front this is Matt’s show, plain and simple. He gets to flex so many acting muscles here it’s easier to just scoop the whole lot up, tag it as ‘awesome’ and move on. Nice bit of showing off doing the football scenes too, no surprise he was considering a career in the sport before getting injured. I think I’ve said this before but his Doctor is just a joy to watch and has a real presence on screen (I credit the hair, it has mystical powers). All credit to the producers too for being equal opportunity exploiters – there were a dozen ways they could have done the shower / rescue scene and they went for the sexiest one, though yet again I see those complaining about Amy’s outfits didn’t pick up on this… strange that.
Talking of the delightful Ms Pond, Karen doesn’t get a whole lot to do here but she makes the most of her screen time. This is the first real chance in the new series we’ve had to see a companion alone in the TARDIS when it’s actually doing something and it’s handled beautifully. Her “why won’t you land!” while dashing around the console cracks me up every time and we now have proof the TARDIS controls are context sensitive! For some reason her conversation with the Doctor about being a normal bloke always makes me laugh, especially the ‘have you SEEN you?’ line and the ‘bowties are cool’ *facepalm* bit. It says a LOT not just about how well the characters are defined and written in general but also the chemistry between Matt and Karen that those scenes work so well despite the physical separation between them. Karen also seems to have gotten very good at ‘thrown around the TARDIS’ acting, always a useful skill for a Who regular to have. Also, in my own head cannon anyway, that qualifies as flying the TARDIS!
The guests do a good job too, both James and Daisy lend their characters a great big lump of reality and it feels like a very real relationship. Their reactions to the Doctor are great as well and while the story doesn’t exactly give them a massive range of character development they make both Craig and Sophie feel alive and they both come across as changed by the experience.
Other random stuff: Infodump headbuts are a great idea! The cat as a spy is absolutely nuts but fits in with 11 so well I don’t care. “The Oncoming Storm” – YAY! Troy Handsome of International Rescue, *snerk*. “Of course I mean it do you mean it?” “I’ve always meant it! Wait, do you mean it?” “Yeuch”- LMAO. The dark TARDIS looked incredible and was a great example of using cheap and easy to build empty space to add impact to a set. Amy’s exasperation (and Karen’s delivery) of “I pulled the Zig Zag Ploter” is fabulous. There’s a part of me that would have loved Amy to get utterly hacked off, channel 10 and just whack the TARDIS with the mallet. Actually, now that I think about it, have we ever seen a companion (in the new series at least) spend as much time in the TARDIS as Amy has?
Anything else… hmm, no, nothing stands out… there certainly WASN’T a huge WTF ending with a ring to leave everyone on the edge of their seats for a week. No sir, none of those shenanigans here!
It must be said up front this is Matt’s show, plain and simple. He gets to flex so many acting muscles here it’s easier to just scoop the whole lot up, tag it as ‘awesome’ and move on.
THIS.
So many hilarious moments, a great episode!
I am super weird in that “The Lodger” is actually my favorite episode of series 5. LOL. I cannot even really articulate it. First things first. WAT IS THIS PAINTING. I CAN’T EVEN…
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Like, I don’t really know or care about the plot at all (something about building a fake Tarids… blah blah), but this episode makes me lol so hard that I really don’t care. Hahahah. Although the intercom and dark stairwell bits were sufficiently creepy, and I can even over look the fact that this episode is another time loop story which I normally loathe.
This was also the first episode where I really loved Eleven. The thing that I loved about Ten was how human he was, but here we see just how alien Eleven is and surprisingly, it actually endeared him to me. I mean as I’ve said many times before, the thing that makes me like Eleven is that he is such a Dorky Dad, and this episode really feeds into that what with him Not Quite Getting It and being a bit odd and awkward. ILU, ELEVEN.
There is just so much about Eleven in this episode that makes me happy and smiley. Like when he kisses everyone he meets on both cheeks because he thinks that’s what people do as greeting. LOL. Or when he uses Craig’s electric toothbrush in the place of a sonic screwdriver. Or when he spits the wine back into the glass. And the Doctor talking to the cat or “recruiting a spy” as it were. And the Doctor headbutting Craig in order to transfer memories. And I love when he tries to pass off the contraption in his room as modern art, a statement on society. LOL. Also adorable is Matt Smith getting to play football. Apparently when he was a kid, he wanted to be a footballer when he grew up, and you can just see how much fun Matt Smith is having playing football. Although, poor Craig, getting shown up at the football match by his new flatmate, and then Eleven is even better at doing his job than he is.
I also love that moment when Eleven gets all intense about not being violent before he realizes that the football player is talking metaphorically about beating the another team.
Other favorite quotes:
“No I’m the Doctor, don’t call me the Rot Meister.”
“I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS.” as a signal for have a ~special friend~ over.
I love the conversation that the Doctor has with Sophie in which he gets her to realize that she should take a chance and realize her dreams. The Doctor is good at making people want to get out there and do things. <3
Also, I thought Sophie and Criag were cute and charming and yeah. They made for good one-off characters. James Corden was really great as Craig, even though I usually don't care for him all that much.
And then the end! Amy found the engagement ring. DUN DUN DUUUUN
There are four posts in a row that mention the creepy picture! <3 I love it.
Is it just me, or does the man in that creepy-ass painting look like Nick Cave?
Oh shit. I will never be able to unsee this. Yes, it does look a bit like Nick Cave.
Yeah, I thought that, too. WHAT IF the creepy painting is a plot point which will come back to haunt us in a future episode? It seems to bizarre to just randomly be there as set dressing.
On rewatch though, the set dressing in this whole episode is CRAZY. The painting made a lot more sense once I took a look at the bright, loud wallpaper in every room. (And every room has different bright, loud wallpaper.)
No, and the uncanny similarity makes it a million times creepier.
Great gif, haha. He's such a dorky dad! I loved seeing him act human, too, because like you say, he's endearingly alien. Odd Couple Doctor Who was a lot of fun!
I also love that moment when Eleven gets all intense about not being violent before he realizes that the football player is talking metaphorically about beating the another team.
You'd think someone who runs around calling himself The Oncoming Storm would have a better grasp of metaphor 😉
The thing that I loved about Ten was how human he was, but here we see just how alien Eleven is and surprisingly, it actually endeared him to me
Yeah, I feel like making Eleven super alien was really the best way to make him endearing because it's so different from Ten. David Tennant was so incredibly popular and beloved that I feel like anything other than his direct opposite (inasmuch as you can get "opposite" versions of the same character) would have been a dismal failure.
You are not weird. It's my favorite episode of Series 5, too. I believe that Vincent and the Doctor is the BEST episode, but The Lodger is my favorite.
Such a fun episode! And probably much needed after the endless sadness that came before. So a much sillier review/comment is required:
-Companion-lite episode? Intriguing…
-Nod to Vincent van Gogh on Craig’s fridge. Aw!
-The Doctor at Craig’s door looks adorkable. I had to find a screencap and post it because, well – let’s just say I’d probably be answering the door with “I love you” if Matt Smith was behind it. Embarrassing but true.
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–“Frankly, I’m an absolute dream.” No arguments there.
-3000 pounds? Do we want to know?
-The Doctor’s air kisses. You are so alien and most definitely not French, Eleven! This is why I love you! Have I already said that? I’ll shut up now.
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-No one must ever EVER call you the Rotmeister, Doctor!
–“I’ve got one of those faces; people never stop blurting out their plans when I’m around.” Really ? Well, I’d never noticed. 😀
–“I can tell by your sofa. You’re starting to look like it.” Tactless Doctor coming through!
–“Those keys…you’re sort of fondling them.” Endless LULZ.
-JAMES CORDEN. I know a lot of people hate him but I think he was really good in this episode!
–“I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS!” And I cannot stop laughing!
–“Bow tie! Get rid!” Bowties are cool, Amy.
-Doctor in the shower. You know all the fangirls/boys had simultaneous heart attacks right about then. I seem to remember extensive screencapping at some point.
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Your hair is rivaling Karen’s in fabulousness, Matt Smith.
-Number 11 football shirt? How oddly appropriate!
–“Annihilate, no. No violence, do you understand me, not while I’m around, not today, not ever. I’m the Doctor. The oncoming storm… And you basically meant beat them in a football match didn’t you?” Your issues, Doctor. They are showing.
-Gooseberry-Doctor.
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-WHAT IS THAT CREEPY PICTURE? I WON’T EVEN POST IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
-Basically, matchmaker Doctor, mothering Doctor, Jack-of-all-Trades Doctor etc.
–“THERE IS NO UPSTAIRS!” A#$%DFGH#$%^T6h
-SOMEONE BUILT A TARDIS??? HOLY…
–“FOR GOD’S SAKE, KISS THE GIRL!” Basically everyone watching this must have yelled this at the screen – I know I did.
-SUBTLE CRACK IS BACK AGAIN, I SEE.
-THE RING! OH GOD, THE RING.
"-3000 pounds? Do we want to know? " – The funny thing? The Doctor actually got it right! 6 months rent plus a month and a half deposit, 6 x 400 + (400×1.5) = £3,000
The question is, where did he get it? I suppose he attacked some poor ATM with his sonic screwdriver. Again.
That was my assumption.
I never mind that the Doctor does that though. Taking money from banks doesn't feel particularly wrong to me. It's like the Doctor is exacting the kind of vengeance I have sometimes wanted to about unnecessarily punitive overdraft fees…
Yeah, he's just saved the world again for about the millionth time, free of charge. He never uses the money for personal gain. I think we can cut him some slack if he occasionally raids the odd ATM for the cash that we humans insist on using.
Plus, in this case the money is going to the excellent Craig and Sophie, who will totally need it for travelling.
He got it in the same place he got the money to give Craig's old flat mate 🙂
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for putting up most of my favourite funny parts of this episode. I don't think it's possible to watch 'The Lodger' without a smile on you face!
The only other one I can think of is where Craig finds the Doctor's machine in his room and, like the smooth operator he is, the Doctor covers flawlessly. "It's art! A statement on modern society, 'Ooh, ain't modern society awful?'"
Haha, yeah, that part cracked me up! Funny thing is, I'm sure Eleven would be the person to appreciate that sort of art anyway!
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NO.
I agree, it was nice to have a light-hearted episode. And I can't believe that there are only two episodes left! The ring! And the crack! I'm excited.
It cracks me up to no end that this picture has already been posted so many times.
It kind of makes this post the MOST TERRIFYING POST EVER, though.
That picture is so creepy and so DISTRACTING – you can't really focus on Craig or Sophie while having that creepy face stare at you. When I watched the episode for the first time, I was utterly convinced that it would hold some significance later, because it's no way they could've put it there just for decoration. Maybe it will crop up again in a future episode? I don't know, but I hope yes, because otherwise it was a very poor decision on the set design department – it completely took the focus away from Craig and Sophie.
And have I mentioned it's CREEPY AS HELL???
Let's be honest, it can't be mentioned enough. But I'm totally okay if the Doctor never meets up with the creepy-sad clown. I'll let it slide!
That picture needs to disappear into the crack…
This episode is just so much fun. From beginning to end, it is so, so fun. I love the whole concept, of the Doctor having to live pretending to be a human, just a normal guy. And it’s the perfect Doctor from the new series to do it, in my mind. Ten would have had a bit too easy of a time doing it and Nine wouldn’t have been interested in actually becoming friends with anyone, but Eleven has this interest in making people happy while still just completely not understanding people at all. Like how he double kisses everyone and doesn’t bother giving a fake name and all that. He just genuinely has no idea how to act in normal, day to day life. Because he is so lovable and kind hearted about it, people end up being charmed by him anyway, but there are definitely moments when you can see people being “…” in reaction to him.
And he is apparently a good cook! I guess he finally got his taste buds sorted out or just practiced how to please human stomachs or something. I bet Amy helped teach him, we know she has been a good cook ever since she was little.
Some moments I just adore:
When the Doctor asks where the on button is on the sonic screwdriver.
The entire football match, but especially when he gets all SRS BUSINESS about the guy saying they would annihilate the other team. ~I AM THE ONCOMING STORM~ oh, Doctor. It’s amusing to see him make one of his badass speeches when there was no need for it.
When the Doctor realizes that Craig thinks he might bring someone home and he says he will shout something along the lines of “I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS”. Just don’t bother him if he mentions anything about weaving and/or looms, Craig.
Sophie and Craig were so sweet and awkward. I really believed in them together. I like how the show both showed people having dreams and also being content where they are as being equally good. Not everyone has to be doing some amazingly important job to be worthwhile. You can work in a cubicle and still be awesome.
And, aw, they gave the Doctor keys and wrote THE DOCTOR ROCKS on their fridge. Too cute.
On the plot of the episode, it’s interesting. Amy stuck in the TARDIS and Eleven on Earth. And someone was building another TARDIS, or something similar, on the “second floor”. I wonder who the original, now dead crew were and where they were from? Why did they land there? How did they die? We never found out a lot of the backstory.
Into the land of SADNESS: when Amy asks the Doctor if he’ll find her a man and he ignores it 🙁 It made me wonder how the Doctor will react when she does start up a new romance? She flirted a bit with Vincent but that seemed very different in my mind. But if she started up an true new relationship? I mean, obviously she shouldn’t be SINGLE FOREVER because Rory died but it’s such a hard situation since she can’t remember and so can’t really grieve and the Doctor knows but can’t say anything.
And then she found the wedding ring. Which, of course it had to come back since it was given so much significance before, but still, heartbreaking. Will she remember anything? She definitely had some kind of emotional reaction to it. And, aw, the Doctor couldn’t bring himself to take the ring out of his pocket! He misses Rory, too.
Also, more cracks, whoooooo. It would hilariously horrible if Craig and Sophie got eaten by the crack right after they finally got together and the Doctor saved them. Good job, Doctor!
There were one or two things that sort of… not bothered me, exactly, but I could see how they could bother someone else. The first is that the story of a spaceship killing humans to try to repair itself in some way is reminiscent of The Girl in the Fireplace, especially since there was another psychic mind link info dump. Secondly, the “there is no second floor” reveal fell flat to me since it seemed a bit too repetitive of other plots. Still, neither took me out of the show itself, maybe because the first plot is something I respond to very appreciatively, love that kind of plot since there is a villain that has no morality, good or bad. The second was fine by me since it was pretty small and they had to explain how a big spaceship could hide like that somehow.
In conclusion:
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" Just don’t bother him if he mentions anything about weaving and/or looms, Craig."
BWAHAHAHAHA that is glorious.
Is she saying "Bring it" I can't remember exactly but that's what it looks like.
She's saying "Big Yay!" because she thinks they've won.
Ah, that's right. Thanks 🙂
FUNNIEST EPISODE EVER, Y/Y? 😀 I am kind of madly in love with this episode and want to give it all the hugs and kisses because it is so amazing and hilarious and just plain fun. Of all the comedy-oriented episodes, this one is the best IMO and certainly my favorite.
This one is hard to really review the way I normally do, or even in the listy style, because if I listed all the things that made me laugh uproariously, we'd be here all day as I rehashed the entire episode with redundant "LOL"s all over the place. So we'll just assume I laughed my ass off the whole way through, shall we?
We can also assume correctly that I have nothing coherent to say about that amazing incredible wonderful shower scene and Eleven running around in a towel. We all know how I feel about seeing that. So I'll just sum up with a request for MOAR OF THIS, PLEASE in every series with Eleven. 😀
The episode is also a fine showcase of why Eleven is a dorky old professor in a young body. He thinks it's so easy to pass himself off as human, when really he pretty much fails miserably at coming off as ordinary, and I kinda think he doesn't really care that much about fitting in (see: bow ties). He's so weird and alien that he can't possibly come off as anything else, can't possibly be mistaken for an ordinary human being. As I'm sure a million people will point out, Gareth Roberts originally wrote this as a comic involving the Tenth Doctor moving in with Mickey, and adapted it for Eleven. Personally, I'm glad it worked out like this, I think it's much better as an Eleven story. He's less adept at fitting in with humans (and like I said, doesn't really seem to care that much about it), so it's much funnier this way. (I'd also rather see Matt Smith in a towel, if it comes to that.)
Which is not to say, however, that he doesn't excel at being a marvelous person, because he does. Even failing to pass for human, he ends up being a better human being than some actual humans. He plays the teacher with Sophie, tricking her into standing up for herself, showing her that she does believe in herself and encouraging her to do her best and live up to her potential. He genuinely cares about Craig, tries to save him with a toothbrush, and takes cares of him when he's hurt himself investigating the stain on the ceiling. That scene is one of my absolute favorite Eleven moments of all, specifically when Craig says that he has to go to the planning meeting, it's important, and Eleven simply replies "You're important." There is so, so much conveyed in just those two little words. He really and truly believes that everyone's important, no matter what we think of ourselves personally. There's no one that doesn't matter, and anyone can be the best of humanity if we simply try, if we go for it, if we believe in ourselves and do our best. As I've stated before in other reviews, the more understated style of this Doctor suits me incredibly well, and this scene is a shining example of that. He gets across so much in two simple words, and it works so incredibly well because of Matt Smith's soft, quiet delivery. It may not seem to be a big moment, but that's why it resonates with me so much: because it doesn't have to be. You learn a lot about real people in your life just from little things they say, and so too do we find out so much about this Doctor from a little thing he said. It feels really realistic to me, and subtly powerful. Exactly my kind of moment.
The monster plot, at first glance, seems rather perfunctory and nothing special at all. I didn't think much of it on first viewing. But on closer examination after seeing the entire episode again, I found myself really intrigued by how some things seemed to parallel what's gone before. The beast here is above, rather than below, and like the Dream Lord, it's a dark mirror of the Doctor, and all that he offers and represents. Additionally, the Doctor himself must hide his identity, unlike in The Beast Below where it was the key to solving the mystery.
(cont)
The flat upstairs contains a machine very similar to a TARDIS; the Doctor even explicitly says that someone's been trying to build one. The Doctor and the TARDIS are freedom and adventure; every companion has wanted that adventure, to travel with him and get away, even if only for a little while, from "real life" down on Earth. The Doctor seeks out these adventurous types for his travels, so that he can see time and space the way they see it, through their eyes. He promises them so many wonders, the opportunity to be better people, and usually does deliver. However, there is a darker side, as we all know so well: the dangers of his lifestyle, the life or death situations he encounters on a regular basis. The machine in the flat also seeks out people who want to leave the place they're in, the people who want to get away and go somewhere else. But what it gives them is only death, none of the wonders. Lured by the chance to help someone else, they are tricked into dying meaningless deaths. Craig, uninterested in these things, is likewise deemed to be unsuitable by the thing. But where this could be a weakness, here it is a strength, all the more because of what is really keeping him there: love, a very human emotion that can be the source of so much good in this world. The Doctor, our kindly old professor, encourages that in him, draws Craig's better qualities out of him in order to save the day. And in the end, by using his desire to stay to save the world, Craig will now reach out and see the world, with Sophie. By choosing to stay, they in turn can now choose to leave, to have real adventures together. It mirrors, then, the way Amy had to choose the Doctor in order to choose Rory in Amy's Choice.
So all in all, I see The Lodger as not just a rip-roaringly good comedy, but as a good look at Eleven's personality and a continuation of the mirroring that we've been seeing throughout this series.
I love what you say about the machine. I'd never really thought about it too in depth before but that is a wonderful insight into it.
<3 and YES and THIS to everything in your review
(I'd also rather see Matt Smith in a towel, if it comes to that.)
I'll likely always find David Tennant to be more attractive. That said, that man is so frightfully skinny that I don't think he'd pull off the wet and betowelled look nearly so well as Matt 😉
This is going to sound really creepy but I love you and your brain for coming up with these really lovely analyses of this series!
AMAZING REVIEW IS AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU, ARCTIC_HARE! <3
… I'm getting repetitive, aren't I? 😛
It bears repeating. She may be an arctic hare, but her rabbiting never leaves me cold!
(I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.)
It's funny how Ten tells Donna that she isn't important in the Runaway Bride (And then she slaps him! ILU DONNA!) and Eleven strongly believes that everyone is important and mentions it quite quite a lot I've noticed. But just add that to the list on the things I dearly love about Eleven.
He really and truly believes that everyone's important, no matter what we think of ourselves personally. There's no one that doesn't matter, and anyone can be the best of humanity if we simply try, if we go for it, if we believe in ourselves and do our best.
This is beautiful <3
I love what you have to say about the "you're important" line. I love that line and it's a big part of why I like Eleven even better than Ten–he's kinder, full stop. From the way he works so hard to get Amy to realize she loves Rory, to this episode where he (a) gets Sophie to believe in herself and (b) tells Craig that it's not a bad thing to be how he is, to be a person who stays. I feel like we usually get the idea that adventure = good and staying = bad, but this episode shows that there are some things worth staying at home for, and that doesn't necessarily mean you're lazy or boring or unimaginative. Anyway, I love you Eleven, you can come live in my flat.
"Aside from the joy of watching Matt Smith play football, this scene also sows the seeds for another important point: The Doctor cannot be human." – DING DING DING! See THIS is exactly why a lot of us went off the tenth Doctor – he was way too human. Too comfortable, too normal, he fit in far too easily.
"Over the course of “The Ledger,”" – Psst, Mark, Lodger, not Ledger. The Ledger was the Vogon version of this episode….
"THAT GODDAMN CRACK. OH GOD, PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS PLEASE" – The crack was hungry so stopped for take out. Hope Sophie and Craig have fun spoiling their friendship as the next time they go for a beer they're getting wiped from history… Oh, you meant in context of the show? Umm….. no, shan't, neh :p
> "Over the course of “The Ledger,”" – Psst, Mark, Lodger, not Ledger. The Ledger was the Vogon version of this episode….
Thumbs up for the Carnival of Monsters reference! 🙂
"The Ledger was the Vogon version of this episode…."
Inventory Slip #927
Replacements required for:
One Monitor, cola-stained
One Keyboard, same
One Mouse, same
One Mousepad, shredded by one startled formerly snuggling cat
I'm sorry but we can only accept Inventory Slips that have been signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public enquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters. However we value your custom and have sent you a complimentary three disc set of The World Poetry finals for you to enjoy…
Awkward confession: watching Matt Smith play soccer was SO HOT to me. He is already incredibly attractive, but his confidence and skill was just so SEXY. (And he did play in real life – an injury prevented him from going professional, I believe)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1741002/bio
IMDB mentioned it. 🙂
Hello there Vincent!
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This episode should be titled ‘The Doctor and how he hilariously fails at basic human interactions.’ I mean he gives Criag £3,000 and says ‘Don't spend it all on sweets. Unless you like sweets. I like sweets.’ And later interrupts the night in he was told to stay away from in order to ask where the on switch on a normal screwdriver is.
<img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2mcvv2g.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"> Never change Eleven. Never change. (Apart from when you inevitably have to regenerate but you know what I mean.)
‘I've got one of those faces. People never stop blurting out their plans while I'm around.’
I love the Doctor in this episode. I’m not going to lie this paragraph is just going to be a list but I can’t help it because otherwise I would end up listing everything he did in this episode. He seemed so amused at the concept of having a room. He sings while taking really long shower! He bounces on the bed while talking to Amy. I love his no annihilation on my watch speech when the guy was only talking about football. He recruits a cat as a spy! I love that he knows what’s wrong with the TARDIS just by listening to her. Doctor/TARDIS OTP! ’It's art! A statement on modern society, "Ooh, ain't modern society awful?"’ He tells Craig he’s important.
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I love how overwhelming the Doctor is to Craig, as he would be to a lot of people. It’s perfectly understandable that he wouldn’t exactly be pleased with the Doctor. Here comes this guy out of nowhere who’s great at football, great at your job and the girl you love fancies him. He’s weird, he’s building strange contraptions in his room and he’s invading every aspect of your life. And all in the space of a few days. It’s no wonder he gets a bit frustrated.
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I really like the relationship between Craig and Sophie. I think it’s oddly sweet how bad they are at admitting their feelings for each other, especially when they’re trying to be supportive and go along with what they think the other would want to hear. You kind of just want to lock them in a room together until they figure it out. The Doctor playing matchmaker and trying to nudge them in the right direction is pretty adorable to. ‘Can’t you find me a fella?’ But you had one Amy and he was brilliant.
On a completely shallow note, it’s nice to see Matt Smith naked and in a towel. I’m quite fond of the braces hanging from the waist with shirt sleeves rolled up look as well. His hair is extra magnificent when damp though.
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Randomly, because it’s impossible to ignore, what is up with that picture in the hallway? It is one of the freakiest things I have ever seen. Even on rewatches I still expect it to do something or move. I don’t know whether to applaud whoever found or ask them what on earth they were thinking.
I really like the relationship between Craig and Sophie. I think it’s oddly sweet how bad they are at admitting their feelings for each other, especially when they’re trying to be supportive and go along with what they think the other would want to hear. You kind of just want to lock them in a room together until they figure it out. The Doctor playing matchmaker and trying to nudge them in the right direction is pretty adorable to. ‘Can’t you find me a fella?’ But you had one Amy and he was brilliant.
Seriously, how have their friends and coworkers not intervened yet? I really liked that the Doctor was playing matchmaker again, because he spent a couple of episodes trying to sort out Rory and Amy. I had a little twinge of sadness when she asked about a fella. 🙁
I will forever be sad whenever they even remotely refer to Rory 🙁
THE WINE DRINKING SCENE. I forgot that!
I love it because it's meant to be the whole adults having serious discussions and talking about life plans while drinking wine thing, like it's all a sign of maturity, but the Doctor totally fails at it.
I also love it because it's exactly what I'd be like if I took a mouthful of wine because I cannot stand the taste of alcohol at all.
The wine drinking was so out-of-the-blue and random and quirky – ELEVEN, I LOVE YOU FOREVER.
I think I like his hair all damp and disheveled and messy even better than normally. 🙂
Ah, you beat me! And yes, the eyes follow you as Sophie walks down the hall. I have no idea what they were talking about in that scene, either.
You know why I love this episode? Because it's the Doctor at his most alien and that's how I love him best.
"Call me the Rotmeister. No, I’m the Doctor, don’t call me the Rotmeister.”
"Paris, in the 18th century. No, hang on, that's not recent, is it? 17th? No, no, no, 20th. Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order"
"Oh, I will. I'll shout if that happens. Yes. Something like… I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS!"
Rushing out naked with an electric toothbrush, and giving air kisses whilst undressed. (also, thank-you for the fan service, show)
"Now, football's the one with the sticks, isn't it?"
"No violence, not while I'm around, not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor, the oncoming storm… and you meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?"
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Pouring tea into Craig's mouth!
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"It's art! A statement on modern society, 'Ooh, ain't modern society awful?'"
Headbutts!
"I've worked it out with psychic help from a cat."
"Hello, I'm Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue."
And yet, what's interesting about this episode is that even if Eleven is so, so alien, he also understands humanity pretty deeply. He knows how to get Sophie to admit she has bigger plans in life, and you know that he cares about her and Craig's well-being. Plus, he's kind and gentle and even though he can piss Craig off, and also that humans can irritate him especially when they don't listen, he still takes the time to nurse Craig back to health. He also "tells" Craig the truth, even though he probably didn't need to. Plus, it's Eleven that realizes it's Craig's…Arthur Dent-ness that's necessary to save the day. He understands human motivation and he understands that it's Craig's nature and love for Sophie that will save them, and so the Doctor not only understands humanity but celebrates it.
Also, I find it really fitting and in character for Eleven to have been carrying around Amy's ring in his jacket the whole time. He wants to protect her, but it's also important that Rory not be forgotten to him. I see him carrying it as a reminder to himself to be careful, and to remember that which others have forgotten, but above all to take care of Amy (as Rory would want him to).
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You're damn straight it is. This may be not be Amy's episode to shine, but I love Amy in it all the same, even if it is sort of an Eleven character study episode to me.
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I love your whole post, but I especially want to second your enjoyment of Amy in the episode. It's such a little thing, but I love that we see her playing with the stethoscope and the magnifying glass. It shows us that she's good at entertaining herself with anything that's around.
I love the Doctor giving Craig tea through the teapot spout because it's strange but also really practical since anything else would just spill everywhere. I also love how he just took teabags out of the bin without batting an eye to try and make the tea as strong as possible.
Rory 🙁 Sadface forever.
I always figure that it's not quite your basic black blend in that teapot…the Doctor's probably thrown in something disgusting but healthy into the mix that only he knows the benefits of…
THIS to your comment and ESPECIALLY THAT LAST GIF.
The tea scene really hits me where it lives somehow. (Maybe it's because I always think one of the worst things about being a grown-up is dealing with being sick alone.) The way the Doctor takes care of Craig makes my heart melt every which way. It's so sweet. It's on a par with the "You have to trust me" scene in the forest in Flesh and Stone. Eleven is tender in a way that we haven't really seen in New Who. (And from what little I've seen of Two, I'm betting that's another thing Matt pulled from Troughton's Doctor.)
"Eleven is tender in a way that we haven't really seen in New Who."
YES. THIS A LOT. Of course I love them dearly, but it's a bit of a jolt when I switch from Eleven back to "rude and not ginger" Ten or Nine's post-war anger.
I hate being sick by myself. Watching the Doctor care for Craig was amazingly sweet. Tea cures all ills.
THIS. My heart was a little puddle on the ground after that scene. Eleven is so sweet sometimes, it's a big part of why I love him so.
All the upvotes for the GIFs alone! 😀
UGH THAT CREEPY PICTURE!! the first time I watched this episode I kept thinking the picture was going to move D: D: D:
Warning- I have an irrational love of everything in this episode. And there will be pics of Matt Smith looking stupid, because I love him.
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Bless.
So yeah, despite being essentially filler, this might be my favorite episode. Everything clicks for me- the humor, the "minor" characters, the admittedly silly storyline…. It's just so funny and enjoyable! The chemistry (not like that, except maybe when the Doctor was nursing Craig back to health) between James Corden and Matt Smith was great. Episodes where we focus on the non-TARDIS crew, like "Blink", can be excellent, and though the storytelling is definitely weaker than "Blink", there's still that charm. Admittedly, it helps that we got to see Matt Smith both play soccer/football (did you know he intended to be a footballer, but he injured his back too badlyto become a professional?). The "LOL PSYCHIC HEADBUTTS" crack me up every time. Also, shirtless Matt Smith.
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Yes.
Really, I think the majority of why this episode works can be attributed to how nicely James Corden and Matt Smith play off each other, as well as how Corden and Daisy Haggard (Sophie) interact. Like I said, real chemistry. The writing's good to- that end scene, where Craig tells the Doctor he know the weird bow-tie-man won't come back because "I've been inside your head", but to keep the key anyway kind of breaks my heart. The Doctor always does that- swoops in, messes with your life, and then disappears. It would be nice to see Craig and Sophie again- I think, considering how well they put up with weirdness, and how brave they both are, they'd make nice future companions. Unlikely, but still. But I still think I'm leaving someone out…
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Ah, yes. Thanks, Craig! Yeah, not much Amy in this episode, but I don't think the episode suffered for it. There are a couple plot holes, like where that pseudo-TARDIS came from. I think that it fell through the crack behind Craig's fridge, like what happened with the aliens in Vampires of Venice- OH SHIT, THE CRACK! AND IT'S GLOWING! AND AMY'S FOUND THE ENGAGEMENT RING! FUUUUUU-
Here, have Matt Smith with an accidental mohawk.
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"Here, have Matt Smith with an accidental mohawk." – YOU GENIUS!
Why thank you! :3 That was literally my first thought upon looking at that picture.
Awesome comment, thank you for posting. :))))
Thank you!
And now in Technicolor! 😀
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I LOVE THIS AND YOU MORE THAN I CAN POSSIBLY DESCRIBE IN WORDS :DDD
This is my favorite season 5 episode. James Corden tends to get a lot of abuse in the UK for some reason, people forget that he is actually a really talented actor and he was fantastic here.
Why is this? What else has Corden done?
HISTORY BOYS aka my favorite movie of all time (seriously, a summer went by where I watched it nearly daily. DON'T JUDGE).
THAT WAS FILMED IN MY SECONDARY SCHOOL. AND DOWN THE ROAD FROM MY HOUSE.
Only… I am so slow that I spent the entire film thinking that…basically EVERYWHERE looked really familiar but couldn't figure out why till I went and looked on imdb. That they put the headmaster's office in the main hall and filmed some of it at the boy's grammar school as well didn't help.
You should check out Fat Friends, its the first thing i saw him in and is really quite good. He's become quite successful in the UK in recent years because of his sitcom Gavin & Stacey, which i personally don't like but a lot of people love. There were lot of people that actually refused to watch this episode because James Corden was in it, his chatshow persona tends to put people off.
Gavin and Stacey and the History boys.
But he balanced it out by being irritating and full of himself.
He's calmed down a lot recently though, not too bad any more.
Living in the UK myself, I can firmly say that I do not understand it. I love him, I think he's adorable!
Looks like he got over his dislike for cats. Must have been just Ten's hangup, Nine seemed to like them too.
Ten totally liked kitties, he was just jealous of that one in fear her.
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I think it's just a case of *Ten* liking kitties, but David Tennant not really so much (really not a pet guy, our David).
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YAY KITTIES.
Brace yourselves…this is gonna take awhile. feel free to eat a biscuit as you read.
After the beauty of Beauty of Vincent and the Doctor, The Lodger gives us a complete contrast, as only Doctor Who can. A typical British house in a typical street, split into 2 flats, the lower of which is owned by a typical bloke, Craig.
The TARDIS has kicked the Doctor out and is taking Amy for a time and space equivalent of a ride in a car down a hill with no brakes. In order to save the day, all the Doctor has to do is live like a normal human being for a bit…what could possibly go wrong?
Of course, it's not that simple, because from the Doctor's perspective, he has to try and fit himself into the middle of a strange alien culture. And I don't think human beings have ever seemed more alien to him than they do now.
It's interesting that this story started life as a 10th Doctor comic strip in DWM. I've never read it – comic strips aren't my thing – but it seems to me that this story has to work so much better with Eleven. Ten was the most human and the most naturally social incarnation of the Doctor we've ever had, so I'm not convinced he would have had as much of a problem `passing for normal` (whatever that means) as Matt Smith's Doctor does here. Of course, it's not that the Doctor has forgotten all that. All those social ideas are still in that brain of his somewhere, but since his regeneration, it's like someone has taken his nicely ordered deck of cards, taken them out of the box and scattered them to the four winds. So it's not quite as easy to find the right ones as it used to be.
This is a brilliantly funny script, crammed full of quotable dialogue and half a dozen laugh-out-loud moments every minute.
* Not really a young professional. More of an ancient amateur.
* Those keys. You're sort of…fondling them.
* People call me the Doctor…don't know why. I call me the Doctor, too…still don't know why.
* Just call me the Rotmeister!
* I just have one of those faces. People can't stop blurting out their plans when I'm around!
Oh, Doctor, come and be my lodger, please! You can talk as much gibberish as you like, have conversations with my cat and build a non-technological technology modern art statement in your room – your gaff! I need weirdness like that in my life to help save me from starting to look like my sofa!
He's still clueless about money, too, turning up with £3,000 in a paper bag, and I can't deny that would come in handy, too!
But amid all the fun and games, there's something sinister going on upstairs. Something that is luring people off the street – luring them to their death – and somehow interfering with the TARDIS.
Brilliant scene follows brilliant scene, as the Doctor gets his kit off (again), and rushes to rescue Craig…with his toothbrush! Then later he gets his kit *on* and goes to play football. (No, Doctor, that's not the one with the sticks. Foot…ball…the clue's in the name!)
Where are you strongest? / Arms!
Of course, when the moment comes, he's amazing, at least in terms of the mechanics of the game. As a social event, though, he can't see how annoying he is starting to be from Craig's perspective. But he's not happy about the idea of annihilating the opposition next week.
"Annihilate? No! No violence, not now, not ever, not while I'm here! I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm…and you basically just meant beat them at football, didn't you?"
Oh, Eleven, you are so adorkable!
Craig’s growing irritation is compounded when he uses some clever reverse psychology to help Sophie see that she could do anything with her life if she put her mind to it.
"Work out what's really keeping you here."
Sophie has no idea, nor does Craig. No ideas that they'll admit to, at any rate. For goodness sake, you two! Even the most clueless alien can see how you feel about each other!
Craig ignores the Doctor's warning and puts his hand in the `rot`, and the Doctor has to save him with some extremely strong tea. Tea really is the cure for all ills in the Whoniverse, isn't it? Then, while Craig recovers, the Doctor decides to go and work at the `communications exchange` for the day, where he sets out to make Craig better in a different way. Craig never had the confidence and drive to present his ideas for the company to his bosses, so the Doctor does it for him. At the same time, he's able to deal with customers, get rid of nasty Mr Lang and experience the ritual tea break.
"Can you hold? I have to eat a biscuit."
All the while, Karen Gillan is doing some of her wonderful face acting as Amy Pond in the runaway TARDIS. There are two particular highlights from this plot strand. First, there's the way she drops her Scottish accent to mimic the Doctor.
"I'm moving the zigzag plotta!"
And second, there's the concept that the controls of the TARDIS do different things depending on where you're standing. THAT IS GENIUS!!!!!
Back at the flat, though, things are coming to a head for Craig…literally! He's determined to kick the Doctor out, so Eleven is forced to reveal the truth…via a headbutt! And we get yet another visual reference to previous Doctors! They're coming in thick and fast, this series, and isn't it wonderful?
Sophie's newfound sense of adventure now makes her a target for whatever is upstairs! Craig and the Doctor rush upstairs to her rescue…but Amy tells them it's a one storey building – there is no upstairs! Instead, as they burst through the door, the room is bigger on the inside – it's a TARDIS! Or something very like one. This is what has been interfering with the TARDIS – (the Doctor's TARDIS) and preventing it from landing. It looks amazing. I mean, I wouldn't trade Eleven's console room for this, or even Nine/Ten's, but it still looks great.
The emergency hologram needs a pilot – someone who wants to leave, which is what wasn't interested in sofa-man Craig or Sophie – until she starting thinking seriously about monkey business! The Ship wrongly identifies the Doctor as `the correct pilot` but if the Doctor touches the panel, the solar system blows up. (Whoops, butter fingers, etc.) Got to be careful using hyperbole, but this makes sense: Get it a bit wrong, bad stuff happens. Get it *very* wrong, even worse stuff happens. Can't argue with that logic.
It's up to Craig. If he touches the panel, and thinks about why he wants to stay everything will be OK.
CRAIG: Are you sure?
DOCTOR: Yes!
CRAIG: Is that a lie?
DOCTOR: Of course it's a lie!
CRAIG: Oh well. Here goes. GERONIMO!
We haven't heard that word for too long!
CRAIG: It's Sophie! I love Sophie! I don't want to leave Sophie!
At last!
Sophie puts her hand on the panel, too, touching Craig's, and we get, `Do you mean it?/Yes I mean it, do you mean it?/etc…`
AMY: Bleurgh!
And so say all of us! At last the Doctor and Amy shout out what we've all been wanting to say for the last 40mins.
"KISS THE GIRL!!!!!"
The Ship implodes, the perception filter around the house cuts out and everything's back to normal – but better. Because that's what the Doctor does: he makes people better.
Still, I can't help but wonder where that Ship/TARDIS thing came from and what it was doing there.
Story over? Not quite! There's a sting in the tale, because as Amy searches in the Doctor's jacket for a pen, she finds instead…an engagement ring!!!!
And finally, just in case we've forgotten about them, a crack opens in Craig's wall!
This is the 4th contribution to Doctor Who from Gareth Roberts and it's his best by some margin. If he keeps improving at this rate, he could even be a future showrunner. Not yet, and not immediately after Moffat, but maybe in 10 years' time he could be introducing us to the Thirteenth Doctor. He's definitely one to watch.
He made an interesting comparison between RTD and Moffat's approach to the scripts from other writers like himself. He said (paraphrasing) that if they were swimming instructors, Russell would be there by the side of the pool, talking you through every stroke. Steven would push you in the deep end and tell you to figure it out yourself because he knows you *can* do it yourself. You just need that push.
Read into that what you will, but it suggest to me that Moffat has a much less hands on approach to rewriting. If that is the case, then I'd say Gareth is becoming increasingly comfortable in the water, and I wouldn't be surprised if Moffat took him up in a plane and said to him, "OK, that's swimming sorted…let's move on to flying!" *PUSH*
*noms on biscuit while eagerly awaiting interesting thoughts*
Probably the most fun episode of series 5. A much-needed change of pace after two episodes on the trot of sadness and despair.
Matt is amazingly funny throughout and naked, can't forget the nakedness. He's also incredibly sweet throughout, especially when taking care of the sick Craig. Where is my Doctor to come make me tea when I'm ill?! *sad*
In amongst all the funny there's SERIOUSLY CREEPY stuff going on, the little girl's voice coming out of the intercom is scarily close to "Are you my Mummy?" and then there's this:
<img src="http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3999/thelodgerface.png">
WHY DOES IT STARE AT ME?!
"Hello, I’m Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue,"
The Thunderbirds fan in me ROFLS like crazy every time I rewatch.
Finally, and it has to be said, MARK YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW UNPREPARED YOU ARE!
Matt is amazingly funny throughout and naked, can't forget the nakedness.
I totally haven't rewatched that scene independent of the episode about a zillion times. No. Nope. Never. *shifty eyes*
Matt was naked in this episode?
I hadn't noticed.
*ahem*
Eek! That face is distracting! And it looks like the eyes follow Craig and Sophie around. I still have no idea what went on during that scene, it creeped me out so much.
I need to read a transcript one of these days because to this day I still have NO idea what they were talking about.
THAT PICTURE IS STARING INTO MY SOUL AND PLOTTING MY MURDER!
This episode is absolutely wonderful. One thing I love in speculative fiction is when writers show incredible nonhumans being out of their element in human interaction. It's just kind of charming, and I don't want to say it's "humanizing" cause that's kind of the opposite of the point, but you get the picture. It makes the character seem more real than just "That guy with a spaceship time machine who saves the Earth from aliens."
It didn't hurt that, as Mark noted, the whimsy is strong in this episode. Modern art! Hah. Apparently Matt Smith wanted to become a footballer before he became an actor? In any case, he's great at it and I didn't mind that the story kind of seemed to go in random places because it was just so fun to watch. I could probably watch a whole episode of "Eleven Does Something Wacky."
But the spaceship twist holy shit. You want X-Files? Cause we got some serious X-Files shit going on here. The thing with the rot and the creepy illusions on the stairs and the fact that there was no Floor 2 were just incredibly creepy, and made even moreso by the fact that the rest of the episode is so light-hearted.
And Craig and Sophie were so cute. It cannot be said enough how wonderful the minor characters on this show tend to be. They really held the episode together.
Oh man, I was watching this episode with my mom ('cause I'm a dork), and when that picture came up, she screamed. That picture knows my name.
Three things:
First off,
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/2libyhs.png>
Secondly, LULZ to this episode. I don't mind James Corden, but I'm not a massive fan. But I thought he was great in this episode and I loved his and the Doctor's dynamic. And I've adopted the phrase "special favorite." You've no idea how many times I've had to edit that out of reviews I've posted because we weren't at this episode yet.
Lastly, the blond, specky, British student in the beginning? TOTALLY MY TYPE, YO. marry me unnamed student. I'd send you into the Disco Room but I DON'T WANT TO SHARE YOU.
Re the blond, specky student: GET IN LINE.
Oh, drat, I'm already married. Never mind, I hope you'll be very happy together.
*cries into handkerchief*
I always thought he looked like Hank Green (vlogbrother and nerdy musician and owner of ecogeek, for those not in the know :P)
*sigghhhh*
I thought so too.
Also, i feel that those not in the know need to be educated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Gt9m64LBg
After all this is the man who danced for 4 minutes straight on live internet to raise money for Haiti. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAErtXKg700 )
Mark's positive response to James Corden makes me want to suggest he watches Gavin and Stacey. MARK AND NESSA BFFS Y/Y?
More on topic XD
I do love this episode, James Corden pretty consistently makes me lol but in this I think he is spectacularly funny. And that coupled with Matt Smith who is already amusingly quirky makes for a brilliant episode all around. I think the ~creepy~ of the dude upstairs balances pretty perfectly with the ~funny~ of Matt and James and the ~adorable~ of the Craig/Sophie love story.
You're riddled, Dave.
Tidy.
YES. It is short as well, and so fun!
My love for this episode–and for Craig and Sophie and how utterly normal and human their emotions are in contrast to The Doctor–is slightly unholy. If I tried to type out for you exactly how I felt about it, it would mostly be a keymash with some added GIFs for flavor.
So instead I'm just going to say that this episode serves as reason #889 as to why Matt Smith is MY Doctor and agree: in the end, it's hardly the plot that matters here. It's Eleven and Craig, and Craig and Sophie.
(When Craig finally spits it out while detailing his reasons for being content where he is, I may or may not do a little dance every single time. Possibly.)
Not to diminish the awesomeness that is "Vincent and the Doctor", but honestly, I like this episode maybe just a bit better. It's just so much fun.
Eleven is completely out of his depth, and he doesn't seem to realize it or care. Sure, he knows he's not a normal bloke, but he figures that he'll do fine if Amy gives him some pointers. Not enough, Doctor. Not nearly enough. I'm partial to the very alien type of Doctor, and while I did at times love Ten's humanity, I really prefer it when it's clear that the Doctor is totally, totally alien. And it's never clearer than in "The Lodger".
So many amazing quotations I'm not even going to bother, but suffice it to say I'm laughing constantly. And I must say that I love that Rose is part of the Doctor's psychic headbutt information transfer. I like knowing that, even though she's out of the story now, she's still that important to him. I would have been even happier if Donna had been in there, but you can't have everything in life.
In short, this episode is perfect madcap fun before…The Finale ::ominous music::
The way I see it, Vincent and the Doctor is a work of great beauty and The Lodger is a work of great comedy. They may both be loved equally without diminishing the impact of one another.
Such is allowed by the versatility of the format.
Completely agree. This is the genius of Doctor Who.
And I must say that I love that Rose is part of the Doctor's psychic headbutt information transfer. I like knowing that, even though she's out of the story now, she's still that important to him.
Awwwww. I didn't notice that. Now my wobbly shipper heart will melt some more. I find this episode SO heartmeltingly sweet amidst the funny.
You're right, Mark, Matt does have a history with football! Citing the Wikipedia:
He had planned to be a professional football player, having played for the youth teams of Northampton Town F.C., Nottingham Forest F.C. and Leicester City F.C. After a serious back injury, his drama teacher, Jerry Hardingham, introduced him to acting by surreptitiously signing him up as the tenth juror in an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men. Although he took part in the play, he declined going to a drama festival that his teacher had signed him up for. His drama teacher persisted, and eventually persuaded him to join the National Youth Theatre in London. After leaving school, Smith studied Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.
Did I mention I love a good fun romp? This is another hilarious one with the Doctor at his weirdest. Never change, Gareth Roberts!
I've heard about several actors who were big into sports before an injury sidelined them, and that's when the discovered the joys of acting and theatre. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who grew up not far from me, wrestled in high school, and while he was benched with an injury, his interest in a girl lead him to get involved with drama
Heheh, I like how his teacher was basically like, "YOU WILL ACT!!" And we are very grateful for it.
Such a cute and silly episode. The Doctor is just so strange, and no one says anything about it until Craig catches him talking to a cat. I wonder how long a person could get away with that in real life, social experiment time.
"Annihilate? No! No violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around, not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor. The Oncoming Storm. And you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?" I mean, if someone called himself the "Oncoming storm," I'd at least ask him what he was talking about or back away slowly.
Craig and Sophie were so adorable. Normally, I don't like romantic love saving the day, but this relationship seems real and it doesn't feel like a cop out ending.
Hey now, lots of people talk to cats!
I love that everyone just sort of takes the Doctor's behavior in stride, especially after his annihilation speech. He's good at football and pays the rent, so why not! Everyone was sweet in this episodes. I totally got the warm fuzzies from it.
The Doctor is just so strange, and no one says anything about it until Craig catches him talking to a cat.
If that gets you into trouble, then I'm doomed. I don't always talk to cats in English either. Sometimes I suspect they might understand another language better.
Out of everything the Doctor does, talking to cats is the most normal thing that he does. It crack me up that cat talking is what gets Craig to question him.
I agree. I talk to cats all the time… of course, I'm pretty much the standard definition of a crazy cat lady so maybe that's not such a good argument. 😉
It was "Doctor Who: The Sitcom". And I loved every minute of it. I laughed throughout the entire episode – it was delightful. It was whimsical and funny. I really liked Craig and Sophie – they were cute and their unrequited love situation felt real.
The Doctor in aviator shades, the Doctor in a towel, the Doctor in a football uniform, the Doctor spitting out his wine. This episode was just so much fun-the writing was really solid
The TARDIS-looking spaceship is weird, huh? Who built it, and why? Hmmmm.
It's all happy and fun and then OH GOD THE CRACK. IT'S FINALE TIME. YOU ARE NOT PREPARED.
"I can't just go to my mates and say 'hey this is the doctor' it's weird" then they all just accept it LOL. love that 😀
I really like this episode. It's so entertaining. Lots of great lines!
(After what happened on Mark Reads, was waiting for the episode 12 review, awwww oh well :P)
"Over on the spoiler blog, we have a new headcanon of Donna living with Craig and Sophie with Handy (having never gone to Pete's World because he should have stayed with Donna) as their wacky nextdoor neighbor, and plenty of adventures with Grampa Wilf. It needs to happen."
I love that headcanon, and everyone on the spoiler blog, so much!
<img src="http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6100/thecrack.jpg" alt="Crack" />
The hell is this?
That…doesn't look good.
Is anyone seeing a really bright light? What in the…
…Okay, that's kind of disconcerting.
Should… should we poke it?
I think we ought to hang back a bit, till we know what it is.
You guys are sissies, it's just some kind of crack. What's the worst that could happen?
I feel like I've seen it before…it's hard to say but I think we should leave it alone; you never know wh
Never know what? What?
Who are you talking to? Look, if you guys are gonna be wimps, you can stay here.
I'm going to investi-
Who are you talking to? Look, if you guys are gonna be wimps, you can stay here.
I'm going to investi
I – I don't know. I think I just had a brain fart.
flamingpie?are you OK?where are you?
Who's flamingpie?
The poster who just asked you…I could've sworn…
LOL, never mind, I don't even know why I said that. That light must be making kinda dizzy!
Nobody asked me anything, how weird.
What light?
Who is flamingpie?
Dunno.
I think there might be another review site that people are getting confused about.
Must be.
OMG deja vu! I'm sure I'll be able to sor
someone over in reads maybe? I can't think of anyone here called that, but i just checked my comments and i said that name too! Must have gotten that name from another site…and I am pretty hungry!
Yeah, maybe we all need to get something to eat/drink or have a nap or something.
For a second there I thought I was talking to someone. But, I don't know, I must've been confused…Is anyone else feeling a little weird? I think it might be that light…
If you're feeling lightheaded, you might want to lie down or eat something.
Strange how we're all feeling weird today.
Yeah, that light is weird. I thought it was just me since no one else seemed to have noticed it… maybe someone should go check it out.
What are you talking about? Did you post this in the wrong place? Flamingpie was not talking about knowing anything…?
Is that someone over on Mark Reads? I haven't been over there lately except to delete spoilery comments that got reported, so I don't know any new readers over there.
WHAT THE HELL I'M LATE AND THERE WAS BEER MAYBE AND IT WAS TASTY
….
What's that light over there? I'm durnk, but not that drunk. I don't think. may-
I'll go run to the hardware store. It shouldn't be too hard to fix this.
If you need a screwdriver, learn from the doctor- they don't NORMALLY have on switches! Although… I would be a bit careful around that thing…
Doctor who?
Nah, no screwdrivers needed. You hold the tape while I nail this shu
Where'd this tape come from…?
Hey, free stuff is free stuff!
I seem to have misplaced it… oh well, it wasn't mine anyway.
dunno…you reckon i should use it to try and fix that crack in the comments? It won't take long, plus I mean, remember the lost finale- duct tape was a total life saver!
I'll be right-
Oh sure, take it.
…Kaybee?
Who's Kaybee?
No one, I guess. For some reason that word just was in my mind.
Haha, that happens to me sometimes too!
No kaybee, please come back! I have a really bad feeling about this thing.
Who's Kaybee? What are you TALKING about?
Who's kaybee? Why is everyone acting so weird? What's going on?!!!
I have a bad feeling too, it's making people light headed and they keep getting confused between reads and watches! Although who's kaybee?? Are you feeling ill too?
How can all three of you have forgotten her? She was just here she was going to….
Wait what was I talking about?
It's okay, seems a bunch of people are feeling weird. Maybe something's going around?
Oh man, what have I started?
Wait, was someone here?
Not that I noticed?
I don't know either.
With a stick, perhaps?
What's occuring, Crack?
*strong welsh accent* Alright, ffyona, alright?
wait- we were doing gavin and stacey (well, nessa) impressions, right?
Tidy Kaybee, tidy.
I'm not gonna lie to you, this thread is riddled with cracks. As I said to the Doctor while he was looking for 'is bowtie: stay away from that crack, if you knows what I mean.
Who are you talking to? Doctor who?
…I have no idea what I was just posting. Who are Gavin and Stacey? What does the Loch Ness Monster have to do with this?
I think I need to get some sleep!
There were cracks. Some were tiny. Some were as big as the sky. Through some we saw worlds with people and through others we saw Silence and the end of all things.
What do you think we would see if we got closer to i-
Where'd you go?
Where did who go?
… Never mind, I think I haven't woken up properly yet or something. Weird.
I think something is wrong with intense debate, its making arctic_hare's comments go nuts and post in random places. Maybe that's what that thing up there is?
Yeah, it's had some problems here and there lately, I wouldn't be surprised if this is some new error.
That's strange.
what is? the big light thing? Maybe we should tweet mark or get karen to send a mod over and check it out?
Yeah, it doesn't look too good and seems to be doing weird things to people's comments.
Mark is so busy and Karen has to work hard being the only mod, we should try to take care of it ourselves. I'll just take a qui
We have two mods, actually. The other is Openattheclose.
Listen- if we had a mod who is so obviously a big Harry Potter fan, I think I'd remember her.
Can all these trolls go home? Or better yet, maybe we should stop feeding them. They're just looking for drama, and this who crack nonsense obviously has to do with drugs, which nobody likes.
I agree, this is getting ridiculous.
Who now? It's just Karen, always has been.
Karen is the only one I remember, I don't know how or why people are making these names up. Do they even really go here, or is this some elaborate prank? If so, not funny. Just stupid.
Woah, wow, I promise, I really don't remember writing that. Why would I? It's obviously not true and and it's just a totally random comment sitting there without any context.
Maybe Karen and/or Mark are playing a practical joke on us or something.
Maybe some troll is stealing anon names to post comments that don't make sense and stir up some trouble.
Probably Karen, I think it's April Fool's Day already where she is.
Just run away, and don't look at it.
It sounds like you know what you're talking about! This sounds like good advice!
I think you two are blowing this out of proportion. Look, I'll even prove it to you. I'll go look and see this thing, not too closely, and see what I can find. Shouldn't take long.
Okay, there's NOTHING here, just a bunch of bright light. Is this what you're all scared of? I don't think there's any harm in going a little closer, what a bunch of
Emmeline? Oh no it got her too!
Who?
who the heck is Emmeline? o_O
You must remember Emmeline, she was right here a second ago!
I don't remember anyone with that name. Like, ever.
Yeah, me neither.
There are times to be a hero and there are times to be a survivor. Occasionally, very occasionally, you can be both. This isn't one of those times. I choose to survive.
Well, that's nice and cryptic. Wish I knew what you meant.
Are you about to burst into a chorus of `I Will Survive`? Is that light a kind of nightclub? Is it kareoke night? I'm So Confused!
What's with this crack? Is it supposed to be come kind of `Rose Loved Drugs` thing? I don't get it.
I don't remember Rose loving drugs, what are you talking about? Unless we're talking about a different Rose here.
There was a rose on some tv show i watched one time? I think they did an after school special type thing with her doing drugs? maybe that turned into a joke in some corners of the internet?
So it's some internet meme thing? Should've known.
No! You guys can't forget Rose Loved Drugs, you just can't. I don't know what's been going on while I was at work, but this is getting serious. I'll have to go look at that light over there and inve-
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/tumblr_lijm4ysaVm1qdma11o1_500.gif>
Maybe the Doctor's clothes should go check it out.
Just to, yunno, make sure it's safe… for… *ahem* …fabrics.
Eh? There aren't any clothes here. There have never been any clothes!
O.O
Since when did the Doctor wear clothes?
I remember his earlier incarnations use to wear clothes. But Eleven's always been a bit of a free spirit.
I have to say, this incarnation's clothing choice, personally, is my favorite.
MINE TOO.
Mine too, though he looks even better without them on…
(that was the joke)
You! You were the ones that did this to me! Here I am, trying to save the universe, and what do I get for it? All of my clothing is erased from time! There's a bit of a draft here, you know. If I catch cold I shall be extremely cross!
Well, at least I managed to save my bow tie.
So many wonderful images in my head right now…
Anyway, I never had anything to do with your clothes. I don't remember you ever having worn clothes. It's a bit distracting, actually.
I've found your clothes
:/ The uploader has not made this video available in your country.
You truly are evil.
HAHAHA OMG
YOU ARE BRILLIANT, MISTER SAXON
Oh! I do love this song! How kind of you to link it! You *are* getting better, Koschei! I mean, you wouldn't have been so thoughtful a few-
Oh.
Oh dear.
Koschei, you're a wonderful person, but I'm afraid that I don't feel the same way about you. You see, you've tried to murder me multiple times, take over the universe, and you've insulted my mother. It's not a good foundation for a lasting relationship. But I'm sure that there's some other Time-Lord bloke out there who'll love you for you.
Oh wait. All the other Time-Lords are dead. You'll be alone forever! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Now, how do I get my clothes back from that dancing young man?
You shouldn't be worried about me, dear Doctor. I'm safe where I am. As for you, well, silence will fall.
Bow ties are cool!
And don't worry, I'll keep you warm~
How kind of you. Does that mean you have some clothes for me to borrow? Maybe a jumper?
You could consider me a human jumper, yes… *snuggles*
Oh. Uh. You're quite…. close, aren't you? This is a very nice offer but-
…..Who just pinched my b-
KOSCHEI! Hands to yourself!
Yeah! Hands off, Mister Saxon! Give us some privacy here!
Well hello Doctor! I don't know exactly what is going on here, but I sure like it. What do you say to the two of us getting together and investigating cracks?
Why, hello, Captain. Care to join my investigation already in progress?
It's very important that we check this. Very important indeed.
I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE FABRICS. I care about fabrics so much.
I feel a bit woozy looking at it, but I can't look away…
This has all given me the urge to read the Flesh and Stone comments, I wonder where that's come from?
Did people pull a weird joke there too?
Flesh and Stone? I don't remember Mark doing a review for that one…
Not this again! I thought I'd already gotten this sorted! Right, well, stay far, far, away from the nasty crack or else you may find yourself somewhat deleted from the time stream. Which would be rather bad actually since we don't need any more peopled sized holes in the time stream. It's already starting to look a bit swiss-cheesy as it is!
If you feel yourself starting to feel a bit erase-y then run as fast and as far as you can away from the crack.
If you start forgetting people then…. I'm sorry.
And can anyone tell me what happened to all of my clothes!? It's getting a bit drafty….
Not sure who you are, but you have FANTASTIC hair. And ooh, whoever stole your clothes is my hero of the day! Looking good, Doctor Whoever You Are! *whistles*
And to think people commented on my attire. At least I had the decency to wear trousers. And undergarments, for that matter.
I still have the bow tie though! Those are cool.
Though I am starting to be followed around by women and a few men asking for directions to Chippendales and it is starting to worry me a bit…
After the 7th Doctor decided to dress up in absurd Question-marked outfits, I was convinced The Doctor would just never be able to pull off punctuation.
And then I saw 11's Exclamation Point…
…Gr-grandfather?!!!! What are you WEARING!? Or, rather… What AREN'T you wearing?!
DON'T LOOK! I am attempting to make a loincloth out of my bow-tie and if you look the surprise shall be RUINED!
Doctor, I am writing to inform you that a warrant has been issued for your arrest. Your fellow Time-Lords request that you turn yourself in before we are forced to come arrest you.
Well I’m not sure who you are, Doctor, but it doesn’t seem fair that you’re doing all this to help us when you don’t even have clothes on. Here, have some clothing! (You look like the kind of guy who would steal clothing from hospitals – no hospitals near me so these are from the Metropolitan Museum of Art instead.)
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/1975.34.13ab_F.jpg>
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/83.51.1a-c_front_CP4.jpg>
And a few hats! (Do you like hats? Why do I feel like I KNOW you must love hats? Do I know you?)
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/CI43.12.47_B.jpg>
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/CI41.110.213.jpg>
Well I’m not sure who you are, Doctor, but it doesn’t seem fair that you’re doing all this to help us when you don’t even have clothes on. Here, have some clothing! (You look like the kind of guy who would steal clothing from hospitals – no hospitals near me so these are from the Metropolitan Museum of Art instead.)
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/1975.34.13ab_F.jpg>
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/83.51.1a-c_front_CP4.jpg>
And a few hats! (Do you like hats? Why do I feel like I KNOW you must love hats? Do I know you?)
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/CI43.12.47_B.jpg>
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/ci/regular/CI41.110.213.jpg>
Oh, would you just go away!? Everything is fine! Shoo, and take the clothes with you! We'll keep the hats, though…
Yeah, well, you'll notice no one bothered to steal YOUR clothes. He ought to be flattered!
I can't even tell you what I'm thinking right now.
I CERTAINLY DIDN'T TAKE YOUR CLOTHES, SUNSHINE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, BUT IT AIN'T FUNNY!
I don't know why, but I feel compelled to trust you, strange doctor-man. It must be the bow-tie. That's seriously cool.
O_O
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/4zwpl.jpg">
Is that the Flying Spaghetti Monster? OMG EVERYBODY COME QUICK AND KNEEL BEFORE HIS NOODLY APPENDAGE!
We give glory to The Almighty Fl
Oh come on, not this again! I was sucked in and spit out all the way across the state last time! Took me a while to get back. This one looks a little different though, so we should probably stay away from it. Sort of glowy-er, or something. I'm guessing that's not a good thing… It does make you wonder, though…
… no. No. I'm going to stay my distance.
… Maybe.
SHIT! Guys! I ended up right below one! It looks hungry!! And is that- oh my god. There's one in my icon. Oh my god! Get inside the TARDIS! Where is the TARDIS? I DON'T HAVE A TARDIS! Help me! I'm going to get eaten like everyone else!!! I don't want to die! I don't want to be unborn! I have so many reviews to live for!!
Please can you help me? Can you help me, please? Can you help me?
It's closing in. I'm done for. I guess all I can do is to ask you guys- please remember me? swimmingtrunks? I make funny shops and sometimes I draw? Just- please- don't forget
Noooooooooooooooo! I was too late! Please, come back!
How can I help you? What do you need me to do?
Why are you asking that? Are you like the customer service of this blog or something? I would like to lodge a complaint, actually, because it seems like a lot of people are trolling.
– huh? Oh… I must have typed that in the wrong tab, sorry! I always have a bunch open at the same time, sometimes I get mixed up. I can't help with the troll issue, sorry. 🙁 I wish SOMEONE would do something about it, though!
It looks really pretty to me! You said it took you somewhere else, right? I've been needing a vacation, maybe I'll "accidentally" get spat back out somewhere cold, since it's so hot here right now! C'mon, Antarctica…
See you guys on the other si
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/qzghw2.jpg">
Evil crack! I shall throw some complicated space-time events in you!
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/es/large/39814.jpg>
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/es/regular/207508.jpg>
<img src=http://www.metmuseum.org/Imageshare/es/regular/231725.jpg>
Uh-oh…it wasn't enough…
Does anyone have more complicated space-time events to add?
Why are you posting pictures of angels? How will that help anyone? Are you proselytizing? That sort of thing isn't welcome here.
Maybe this is complicated enough?
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/72ymhc.gif">
Ooh, I think that helped! Doesn't the crack look smaller now? Let's see if this will finish it off! In memory of all those folks we can't remember:
<img src="http://www.time-traveling.org/images/time3.gif">
You want complicated? I'll give you complicated.
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/lost_title_card.jpg>
I like complicated. I don't like lenses flair, so I'm torn.
<img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/20teypy.gif">
…but lensflares are so big of a scifi staple!
If I could remember what either of those two things were, I'd be very sad that they were just thrown into the crack.
We'll always have Farscape.
Shhh, don't remember the crack! We shouldn't mention Farsc—
What was I talking about again?
I don't know, but would you like to have gay sex, with me?
Perhaps this will help?
<img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/j11qf8.jpg">
MUSIC, ANYONE?
Oh, music – that’s a good idea! Music can be a complicated space-time event without any time travel at all. Here, Crack, nom on this piece of ultra-complicated avant-garde classical music from the 60s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8vupkPfMk
Oh, well if we're going that route, let me help!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQal-lJrSLI
Some Steve Reich, anyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPBIwQyPWE
I didn't like this one anyway.
The DW fandom is truly the greatest thing ever.
I spent so much time reading this that I'm now late for work. But I'm sure they'll forgive me if I just go over and take care of this crack and save everyone.
Seriously, there's nothing to worry ab–
I love this entire comment thread.
After ALL THAT WORK HE PUT INTO EXPERIMENTING WITH BACKCOMBING. DID SHE NOT NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL VOLUME?
And let’s just talk about Matt Smith, who must have a history with football.
He was a football star! But then he got a back injury. Bad for football, good for TIME AND SPACE.
In conclusion, this adorable anecdote from that article:
In fact, his acting was so convincing that a classroom almost burned down because of it.
Mr Evans [his drama teacher] said: “My lasting memory of Matt is burning down the drama studio. I’d popped to the office when he came running in shouting, ‘Sir, the studio’s on fire’.
“You never really knew when Matt was acting and when he was serious, so I told him not to be stupid. Within 10 seconds smoke was coming down the corridor.”
Thank you for the link! Of course he was a central defender, I love central defenders!
I'm going to paraphrase Dr Johnson here: "when a fan is tired of 'The Lodger', they are tired of Doctor Who". This episode is a summary of everything that is brilliant about Doctor Who and the Eleventh Doctor in particular. Yeah, I'm just going to post my favourite exchanges.
"Is that a reference from the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY?"
"I'm his special favourite."
"All I've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being. Simple! What could possibly go wrong?"
"Have you seen you?"
"So you're just going to be snide, no helpful hints?"
"Hmm, well, here's one: bow tie – GET RID!"
"Bow ties. are. cool."
"Now football's the one with the sticks, isn't it?"
"You are so on the team. Next week, we've got the Crown & Ancho, we're gonna annihilate them-!"
"'Annihilate'? No, no violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around, not today, not ever, I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm – and you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?" < – cue me DYING OF LAUGHTER
Tea brings you back from the point of death and reverses enzyme decay.
"It's important."
"You're important."
VINCENT VAN GOGH POSTCARD. OH SHIT CRACK IN WALL. OH DOUBLE SHIT SHE FOUND THE ENGAGEMENT RING.
Sorry, I have to get this out of my system.
Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
Possible she wants you, too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl
Sing with me now!
Getting teary-eyed when Craig and Sophie are all, "I love you!" isn't very helpful to your head cold, regardless of how adorable they are. Just sayin'.
Everytime Amy shouts "KISS THE GIRL!" my mind adds in a "Whoa whoa! Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la, my oh my!"
….. Now I really want to watch 'The Little Mermaid.'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXmLRHnoSAs
It's the only logical response, really!
Why can I only upvote this once? WHY?
Also, now I will have this song in my head ALL DAY. Just saying.
I totally got that stuck in my head when watching.
I just love everything about this episode. I think my favorite moment for pure laughs is when The Doctor puts the guy on hold so he can eat a biscuit. I think my favorite moment period is when the Doctor "rescues" Craig half naked and with a toothbrush.
Matt Smith was going to be a professional footballer, but then he got injured and became an actor. How guilty should I feel about being glad someone got injured?
Also, look at this progression:
Ninth Doctor: shirtless in his sixth episode
Tenth Doctor: [clone] naked at the end of his third season
Eleventh Doctor: naked (or close enough) in his first episode, running around in a bath towel in his eleventh.
Logical conclusion to the progression: Twelfth Doctor goes streaking in his first episode. Probably because some aliens are allergic to naked Time Lord.
That or the Twelfth decides that he just doesn't NEED clothing because it's a silly convention and he's putting an end to it.
LOL, funny and true! I have a friend who adores David Tennant, and she will occasionally rant about how he only got ONE SHIRTLESS SCENE in THREE SERIES whereas Eleven HAD TWO IN HIS FIRST 11 EPISODES NOT FAIR.
I just smile and nod and wait for her the start breathing again. It's all you can do, really.
I like this episode a lot more in retrospect because when it aired, I couldn't get past how SICK I WAS OF JAMES CORDEN.
For realz, I was at the Isle of Wight festival last year and Paul McCartney (PAUL MCCARTNEY) was introduced by a video of James Bloody Corden. WHY GOD WHY what POSSIBLE reason could there be for this. I kept expecting to open a door and find him just sat on my sofa or in my bath. He was EVERYWHERE last year.
So yeah, I kind of missed how brilliant this episode is. Now, I love it. Eleven playing football, Eleven tricking Sophie into believing her goals… just love. I even love James Corden in it, which is an impressive turnaround for me.
THAT GODDAMN CRACK. OH GOD, PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS PLEASE
NOPE. Just going to inform you that you are FOREVER UNPREPARED WITH THIS SERIES.
Yes Matt Smith was going to be a football player. He got some injury or another and he became an actor instead.
A. This was based off of a 10th Doctor story. The other character in that was Mickey Smith.
B. This episode was mistakenly entitled Reality Check and Don’t Go Up The Stairs.
C. This is the first time in the new series that the Doctor has definitively stated how many incarnations he has had — he tells Craig he is the eleventh.
D. The Doctor playing football in the episode is a coincidental reference to the fact that Matt Smith originally wanted to become a professional footballer before a back injury, caused him to focus on acting instead. However writer Gareth Roberts has stated that the football scene was always going to be carried over from the comic story and he began writing it prior to the casting of Smith. Good man Gareth.
E. The 2010 FIFA World Cup England vs USA match kicked off just as The Lodger finished, on a rival channel (ITV), the timing noted by writer Roberts as a “happy accident” HAAA HAAA HAA!
F. The Doctor wears only a blue bath towel for one scene. Incidentally Matt Smith appears similarly in the show Secret Diary of a Call Girl as one of Billie Piper’s clients. An online stir was caused when many viewers claimed that Smith briefly ‘flashed’ the camera when his towel fell, however the BBC and Smith have denied he was completely naked for that scene. INTERNET!!
G. Gareth Roberts, the writer of this episode, revealed in an interview in Doctor Who Magazine Issue 423 that he had planned to return the classic enemy Meglos in this story, but decided against it after the similar-looking aliens the Vinvocci made an appearence in DW: The End of Time. The magazine also showed an early draft of the script which showed the meeting of the Eleventh Doctor and Meglos in which Meglos remembered the Doctor but the Doctor didn’t remember Meglos.
Any more trivia?
>An online stir was caused when many viewers claimed that Smith briefly 'flashed' the camera when his towel fell, however the BBC and Smith have denied he was completely naked for that scene. INTERNET!!
<img src="http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff199/elf_maid/Barrowman.gif">
F: If he was naked, i am sure we all would have seen either a ton of GIFs or caps by now!! And perhaps even more so…if he really was flashing, and we didnt get to see it…i'd be deeply disappointed! ^^
HAVING ALREADY SEEN ONE DOCTOR'S PRIVATE PARTS…
I wouldn't be disappointed with another.
Dont tell me you mean the rather infamous David Tennant play… O.O I've never actually managed to find that one…(not for a lack of trying though -whistles-)
I only came on it by accident (no really!). Someone on Mark Watches posted a google image search of SOMETHING related to David Tennant and that image was on the 3rd or 4th page or so. And I was like O.O; and I said, "Is that really him?" And everyone said it was.
Wish I could remember what that was, though it doesn't look like "David Tennant" by itself causes that image to show up. And it wasn't even at the website, either. It was some cached image by Google Search.
Are you sure you wanted to phrase that first sentence quite like that? O.o
Buahahaha. It literally took me a couple times to read the sentence to figure out what you meant. I salute your pervertedness.
I don't think I would have ever thought of it that way. And of course, since you replied to my comment, I can't edit it. 😉
I aim to please…as the bishop said to the actress.
There were some caps floating around where it looked like you might be able to see something but they came out and said he was wearing some sock thing to cover himself so there were a lot of disappointed people.
Matt Smith wasn't a client in that episode actually. He was a guy Belle picked up to try and be more normal. (Love that that's the definition of "normal" for that show.) And then he wouldn't take the hint that she wasn't that into him.
But, can we all take a moment to envy Billie Piper for getting to make out with BOTH David Tennant and Matt Smith?
I think this was the episode with the lowest ratings for season 5, a distinction which really should have belonged to Victory of the Daleks.
I really do like Victory of the Daleks. It’s easily my least favorite of the series and I despise the new Dalek design but it’s a decent episode.
The thing is i want to like it because i think Mark Gatiss is great, everything he's done outside of Doctor Who is pretty much brilliant. But that episode just annoys me in so much, the only episode of his in Who that i liked was the Charles Dickens one. I'd rather he concentrated on writing for Sherlock and just forgot about Doctor Who to be honest.
Sure, he’s entirely oblivious to the effect he can have on people
The Doctor just doesn't get it, ~the effect he can have~.
/Hunger Games crossover time
I don't think that Katniss and the Doctor would get along, it would be awesome.
Katniss would totally get along with Nine. She would tolerate Eleven for about six seconds, then bite his head off and storm away.
I have a friend who was resisting series 5 of Doctor Who like the plague because she just adores David Tennant too much. She was convinced that Matt Smith could never ever compare, even though I told her that train of thought was stupid because they are both amazing in different ways. Anyway, she finally said "show me an episode that will make me like Matt Smith." Needless to say, I immediately picked this one and by the end of it, she said "ok he's wonderful." MATT SMITH VICTORY!!
Also, I definitely rewatched this episode 3 times in one week. it was a rough week and it makes me SO very happy! And I love Craig SO MUCH. Ahh everything about this episode. OH also:
"Has anyone ever told you that you're weird?" "They never really stop."
SO PERFECT
That last quote literally describes my life. ELEVEN AND I ARE CLEARLY SOULMATES!
YOU ARE NOT PREPARED. Any preparedness you ever had has been erased from time by the crack.
Huh, that's definitely not normal, I wonder what that
Wait no come back! Please!
Who the heck are you talking to?
arctic_hare! One of the mods! Please tell me you remember her!
What? We don't have a mod by that name.
There's one called karen, maybe nb2000 knows her on a different site with a different name?
All right, this is getting ridiculous. Maybe if I just stick my hand through the monitor-
What, the hell is this?
<img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/wan4t4.jpg"/>
It looks so… familiar…
Police TF
FR
Anybody got any ideas what it stands for?
It obviously says "Police Troll Free," and trolls are exactly what this thread is apparently full of. We must police them or something. The blue on top is clearly a mod bar.
What could this possibly mean?!
Maybe the police is on the other side, and they're the ones who took arctic_hare and the others!
You… you know what I'm talking about, right? The names seem all confused and jumbled in my head…
I have no idea who you're talking about. Are those characters in some book I've never read?
… maybe. I'm still new here- I don't know all the commenters. Still, it feels like there's something missing.
I sympathize, it takes me a while to learn people's names when I'm new to a place too.
Thanks for being so nice and understanding! :3 Still, wish I could figure out where I'd seen that picture… ah well, it'll come to me eventually.
I'm sure it will! Good luck~ 😀
You know, I think I saw a documentary about aliens once and they had this blue police box that they used to have in like, the olden days or something? Maybe you've seen one of those boxes in a museum?
although you should have seen the alien documentary- it had all these TERRIBLE cheap special effects that looked like they got them straight from the seventies! haha!
That souns like fun. I love those terrible documentary effects. I can see your shaky walls 😀
Haha, that sounds weird, but awesome! In the "so bad it's good" kind of way. I dunno, I have a soft spot for that kind of thing.
I do love alien documentaries and terrible 70s special effects… it sounds very likely.
"What what is?
What WHAT is?!?!"
—
Hey, you guys, I worked out what that crack thing is doing! Look what I found typed into this box already! I didn't write a word of that! Maybe the mods are doing an april fools on us? It's not till tomorrow guys! 😛
SERIOUSLY. I know we made the switch to DST in some parts of the world, but it's only an HOUR ahead, not a whole day! Some people just can't wait, I guess. Sheesh. It's not as funny early or late, you know.
Are you sure you should do that? I don't have a good feeling about this.
But that light is really bothering me…
*shrugs* It can't hurt to look, though, can it? And maybe I'll find a switch or a plug or something to shut it off.
Now, what have we
nanceoir! NO! DON'T GO NEAR THAT THING!
I dunno man, maybe just wait for Mark to tell us what to do?
No, ur doin it rong, Rose loved drugs! 😉
Guys guys guys, we mustn't fight. Here is a handy chart to help us keep track.
<img src="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Doctor/tumblr_lg9vbrYluT1qd2ddio1_500.png">
Good chart! 😀
This seems vaguely familiar. Look, I don't know where you come from, Narnia or Looney Tunes or wherever, but here on Earth, RABBITS CAN'T MODERATE.
But she was always here! Why would I need to focus on her if she's only gone over there…
Sorry were you saying something?
…No, I wasn't.
Look, why don't you take the rest of the day off, maybe do something you really like? Just because.
Are you sure? That's awfully nice of you to suggest. Why are you being to nice to me?
Who are you, though?…
I mean, who are you *really*?
What's there to remember? I think you're a little confused.
Maybe, I could have sworn there was someone by that name here…someone with a…red avatar? Can't imagine why I thought that though.
I suddenly feel really sad though, not sure why.
Awww, I'm sorry. 🙁 *hugs* I've had days like that. Find something to do that you love, a comfort movie/book/show for example, to take your mind off this.
*hugs back* Yeah, something nice, something to cheer me up. It might stop me crying, I don't know why I'm doing that.
All the hugs! 🙁 I'm worried about you now!
No I'm fine. Really, I'm fine!
Beats me. What's with people making up all these weird names? Is this some elaborate troll plot? I'm afraid the joke is lost on me.
Look, I know this sounds crazy but I swear there was a poster here just a second ago called nanceoir! And – urgh – my head is killing me! That damn light is…
What was I saying? LOL, ignore me, I've been posting gibberish lately.
"Please state the nature of your emergency"
Anyone else notice that little call-out to Star Trek Voyager's Emergency Medical Hologram? 😀
I'm a doctor, not a doorstop!
'Gavin and Stacey' was actually created and written by James Corden and Ruth Jones. The Smithy character has also been used to great effect in sketches a few times for the BBC charity shows Comic Relief/Sport Relief. He currently has a comedy sports quiz panel show at the moment called 'A League of Their Own'.
Ah yes, I should have mentioned that he co-wrote "Gavin and Stacey'! The newest Smithy sketch for Comic Relief was one of the best ever.
It was simply stunning. Should we link to his Comic/Sport things? They don't really make much sense if you're not familiar with British TV and celebs. Or Fake That since it's both Catherine Tate and James Corden?
I think the most recent Comic Relief sketch is best, as most of the people on there are internationally famous and you don't need a deep knowledge of British culture to get most of the jokes. 🙂
Also, it has "Ron Weasley and that albino kid."
Rupert Grint: "The words 'quidditch' and 'Hogwarts' mean nothing to them."
Shhhhhhh! *makes frantic River Song gestures* Don't spoil it!
Here's the link to this year's Comic Relief sketch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW12S4-KB1I
The funny thing is, I watched this whole sketch the day it aired thinking, "This guy looks really familiar. What do I know him from?" and COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT. Even though I've seen this episode so many times! I must've been really out of that day.
The funny thing is, I watched this whole sketch the day it aired thinking, "This guy looks really familiar. What do I know him from?" and COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT. Even though I've seen this episode so many times!
OMG that's hilarious! I would have loved to see your face when you realised who it was. 😀
Not going to lie: I only noticed the creepy picture the most recent time I watched this episode (and I've seen it way more than once). I was so stunned that I paused and pointed and made weird noises before finally managing to get a whole word out–"WANT". Seriously love the creepy picture.
Thanks! And yeah, Matt Smith photographs either really badly, or really awesomely, and I can't tell which.
I guess not, it just seems a bit sudden to be so nice to someone for no real reason.
Oh, how much a love a good comedic romp.
This is really such a fun episode, and one of those ones where I don’t really care about the plot. The thing I love about this is how we get to see the Doctor so totally out of his element; both in general and in terms to Eleven, since some of the other Doctors were far more human than Smith’s. The absurdity of him having to navigate the human world- paying rent, remembering what century he’s in, interacting with people who aren’t used to his quirks, was amazing. I especially love the moment with the Doctor going into full ‘Oncoming Storm’ mode before coming to understand pre-game banter. XD
Another particularly lovely moment was definitely the Doctor’s homemade technology, and him passing it off as modern art. Hey, I laughed, and felt completely sorry for Craig.
That’s another point I need to make; how amazing the supporting cast was, Corden in particular. Amy didn’t do very much in this episode, but her moments were wonderful, and while I can’t remember feeling particularly compelled by Craig’s love interest Sophie, I thought it seemed very natural and sweet. I don’t ship much, but it was nice.
What I really loved about this was it seemed like a sort of meta-commentary on the Doctor. He’s so often pumped up at being good at everything, but then, we always scoff, he’s only good at the adventurous, strange things. But what if he showed up in normal life, and he was still pretty amazing? He had tonnes of money, and could cook, and play football, and be the best employee at work? It highlighted the absurdity of the Doctor’s character. It kind of made me think that it was like a ‘Gary-Stu’, a overly perfect male character suddenly dropped into a fanfic, but Craig was the only character who realised how much it sucked that this guy was taking over his life. XD
I know I mentioned earlier that I don’t care much for the plot of this episode, but let me make a few points. The stair thing was very creepy, although it may have gotten overused just a tad by the end, and I think the Doctor was a bit slow on investigating the stairs thing (I know why, though. How else would we get crazy hijinks?!?) But the revelation that there’s a second TARDIS- OMG. I mean, that should blow everyone’s mind. Someone is trying to make a TARDIS, and actually seems to be succeeding! We must learn more.
And then, the episode ends with Amy discovering her engagement ring…something somehow beautiful, happy, and endlessly sad. How does she react to it? Tune in tomorrow!
NOT PREPARED.
Mark, I'll comment in a minute, can you hold on?
I HAVE TO EAT A BISCUIT!!
Welp, I liked this episode. I really liked Craig. The only thing I didn't like was shirtless Matt… No I am being sincere. It's not Matt, it's just… nevermind. Anyway, yeah. Also, there are two things you need to know.
You are not prepared.
Neither are we… BUMBUMBUM.
this is actually based on a comic about ten having to stay with mickey. the second of the new series to be based off old doctor who comics/books (family of blood being the other one) both turned out pretty damn well
"Blink" was also based on a short story from one of the Doctor Who annuals.
Sounds vaguely familiar, but I just can't place it.
– "Can you please hold? I have to eat a biscuit." (I SO want to use that in my work one day! 😀 )
I've successfully pulled this off, but only with doughnuts.
"All I've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?"
"Have you seen you?"
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v40/kretch1967/gifs/Doctor%20Who/NowallIvegottodoispassasanordinaryhumanbeingSimple.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
A lot of hair action in this episode. Not that I'm complaining, TBQH.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v40/kretch1967/gifs/Doctor%20Who/image-5-2.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
Also, when I started that drinking thread over Rory's death the other day, I so wanted to include this gif but couldn't. So here it is now!
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v40/kretch1967/gifs/Doctor%20Who/image-4-1.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
I've always thought that he started greeting people with air kisses because that's how Van Gogh greeted everyone in the last episode. He didn't ever do it before now. That's my theory and I'm sticking with it!
I really don't have much to add because everyone's already elaborated on why this episode is SO GOOD OMG I LOVE IT, so I'll just instead say… SERIES FINALE! YOU ARE SO NOT PREPARED! No, really. You think that you're at least prepared for how unprepared you are but you're not.
Also. I currently have an unoccupied second bedroom in my apartment. The Doctor is TOTALLY welcome to come live with me. I'd accept his weirdness and I have FIVE cats for him to talk to!
If anything, I believe this story is about the Doctor bringing out the best in other people.
And that's the kind of Doctor I like best.
Doctor spitting out wine + crazy post-shower hair + spy!kitty + headbutting knowledge into someone's head = THE BEST. THE ABSOLUTE BEST.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W32iOZvMENg&fe…
I had to. It's epic <3
My favorite episode of Series 5, hands down.
SO. MUCH. LOVE.
It has continuity with S1-S4, which I love:
<img src="http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4894/dw1090268.jpg" alt="Nine">
<img src="http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/640/dw3030493.jpg" alt="Ten">
<img src="http://img853.imageshack.us/i/dw5111525.jpg" alt="Eleven">
See? It continues on the fine tradition of the Doctor being totally adorable with a cat. CONTINUITY
Also? Rose is in this episode, in the Cliff's Notes version of the Doctor's life:
<img src="http://img291.imageshack.us/i/o5xlvt.jpg/" alt="Rose">
This is me, and what I used to look like.
These are the monsters I've faced.
This is Amy, who's kind of in danger right now.
And by the way, this is Rose. She's kind of special.
I loved this entire episode. Even the terribly obvious crack showing up. (Beat us over the head with this season's arc, won't you?) It was hilarious and Craig and Sophie actually had character development and inspired genuine emotions!
A couple of images aren't working for some reason.
Eleven: http://img853.imageshack.us/i/dw5111525.jpg/
Rose!: http://img291.imageshack.us/i/o5xlvt.jpg/
Oo I hadn't noticed Rose in there! Awesome!
I’ve so been waiting for Mark to get to this episode. So much fun! Someone above posted that this one felt like a sitcom episode, and its true- can’t you imagine the 80s style opening credits? Matt Smith in a towel- thank you.
The only little thing that irritated me was the way everyone asked “Help you?” when the thing asked for help. Everyone! By the time Sophie said it, I was like “Yes, help, h-e-l-p!” If that it had been a solid creature, it should have just grabbed them by the arm and dragged them upstairs.
The Doctor and Sophie sharing a brofist while Craig looks on baffled was beyond adorable. Actually this whole episode was beyond adorable.
I don't even care, Eleven would be the best roommate ever.
I don't know if anyone's posted these yet but here is the original 'The Lodger' comic strip from Doctor Who magazine.
Page 1: http://icyjadexoxo.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3e8a0d69…
Page 2: http://icyjadexoxo.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3e8a0d69…
Page 3: http://icyjadexoxo.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3e8a0d69…
Page 4: http://icyjadexoxo.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3e8a0d69…
Page 5: http://icyjadexoxo.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3e8a0d69…
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Last page: http://icyjadexoxo.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3e8a0d69…
Thanks for posting these!
<3 Thanks for posting those, i've been wondering what the 'original' was like
Craig and Sophie are THE CUTEST AND SWEETEST COUPLE EVER, Y/Y???
I'd want to say yes, but just:
<img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/masakochan/jifkgi.gif">
How 'bout a tie, instead? 😀
I dunno, I love Amy and Rory to bits, but I wouldn't necessarily describe them as "cute" or "sweet"… Tell you what, Amy and Rory can hold the "COOLEST AND AWESOMEST COUPLE EVER" title, and Craig and Sophie the "CUTEST AND SWEETEST COUPLE EVER". What say you? 🙂
Deal.
Say what you like about Corden, but he plays this role like a boss. I'm glad that mnnppfff*spoilers*
Speaking of football, this episode aired just before one of the big World Cup matches last summer (it may even have been USA/England). I liked the synchronicity of it all. 🙂
Matt Smith is pale THERE IS NO SUN HERE IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.
(sorry for the triple post!)
Probably indecent exposure or something equally stupid like that. You know how those other Time Lords are, so stuffy…
Just once I'd like the TV-couple-everyone-thinks-is-a-mismatch (straight couple division) to have a conventionally good-looking man (even if he does have a biggish nose) and a plus-sized woman. Am I right, girls? Am I right?
Otherwise, I agree with everything everyone has said above about this episode, including the seven thousand folks pointing out its and its cast's history with comics and football. I am wildly enthusiastic about Eleven in a way I wasn't about Ten even at the beginning, but to be honest I think that was because I hadn't (of course) got tired of Nine.
'The Vicar of Dibley' ended up doing that, didn't it? I kind of remember hearing about it, but I'd stopped watching it by then.
Yeah, shed ended up a guy played by Richard Armitage (*swoon*)
All I have to say is I NEVER NOTICED THAT PICTURE BEFORE YOU GUYS POSTED IT AND NOW IT IS STUCK IN MY HEAD DDDDD:
IT WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOW.
SAME FOR ME.
God, I love this episode.
Things I love:
1. Matt Smith in a towel. So pale, but so attractive. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE APPEALS TO ME, BUT HE DOES.
2. The Doctor spitting the wine back into the glass. I love it. It's ridiculous.
3. HOLY SHIT PERCEPTION FILTER, THERE IS NO SECOND FLOOR.
4. HOLY SHIT THE CRACK IN SPACE TIME (It's the two-part season finale next, so I guess that'll be explained.)
Things I didn't love:
NOTHING, I LOVED IT ALL.
BECAUSE HE IS AWESOME. WHATEVER I APPRECIATE PALE SKINNY DUDES AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS. YESSS THIS NEEDED TO BE IN CAPS.
DAMN RIGHT
<img src=http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/GIFs/Glee/e8ac8f00.gif>
Oh boy, I would love it if that could be true. Can you imagine if the painting… I don't know, is the face of some future villain or something?
Oh okay all the appropriate air kissing gifs have been posted and like every line of dialog has been quoted, well done!
I'll just add, after all the funny in this ep (and the nekkid) I love, love, love 11 taking care of sick Craig. Matt Smith is just so good at being old and my love for him grows about 1000x every time he acts like such a dad. <3timelord dads.
Hassibah, today I resumed where I left off in season 3. Now, I have found something to love about every episode so far; whenever I question the plot something happens to keep me guessing. But "The Lazarus Experiment" and "42" took every cliché known in storytelling and laid them out in a row. I am begging you, please, strap me into the stasis pod––my fiery RAGE is returning. A mad genius! Science gone bad! Oops, someone wronged nature; let us do the right thing at the last second to survive!
Terrible episodes; even the bits of the larger plot are dull. G Men that know who the Doctor is? Are you kidding me? I just went through this in the Torchwood storyline! Hassibah, was it your plan to raise my hopes and then crush them under your heel? Or are we just destined to never agree?
Hate to jump in here, but brad, you are now at the (almost) universally agreed BEST BITS OF DOCTOR WHO. the next few episodes and series(how do you pluralise series? should i just say seasons instead?) after this are practically flawless…well as flawless as doctor who gets any way. (Although, you disliked 42 but didn't mind Daleks in Manhattan? You are an odd one!)
Ha,ha,ha, yeah, I usually think the 'going to New York' idea is overdone. But it was my first full episode of Dalek madness! What can I say––I was amazed.
And what!? The next few episodes and serii are the best!? I am sitting here waiting for the air conditioning guy; I will try to get as far as I can! O_O
Brad my friend. Every season has its bad shit regardless of my opinion of it. But for my future reference, did you also think that the first 3 episodes of series 2 were good? Have we diverged that far apart? Please keep watching and report back at the series end. (But try very hard not to read any of comments on Monday and today's posts, srsly.)
In all srsness though I thought 42 pulled out a lot of the same tricks as the Impossible Planet, if you want to go there:)
Yes, you are right, as usual, Hassibah. But I loved those first episodes! The first with Tennant! I mean, they had a Klingon-style battle on top of a FLOATING ISLAND! And then Torchwood! SHABOOM.
"New Earth" got me so excited, I ran to my brother shouting, "The Doctor just cured every disease! Can your 'House' do that, sucka!?" It also set up that one episode I saw, that one with the traffic jam and the giant head.
Then that one with the queen used real history, mixed it in with the Doctor's history, and then topped it off with my total ignorance of history to make something that I can only assume was completely accurate! 😉
As promised, here is the end of season report, Hassibah!
"Human Nature" – A boring Doctor that can't remember his life makes for a dull episode. And the villains are yet ANOTHER family of body-snatching monsters. The non-stop smirking and head-tilting was just too cheesy. I dreaded playing the second half of this two-parter.
"Family of Blood" – Holy crap, I take it all back: EVERY slow bit from the previous episode pays off. I don't know much about acting, but I'm pretty sure this is how you do it––I was in awe. "The family" took their villainy to the next level as well, with their army of nightmarish golems. Then they took it a step further: actually BOMBING some poor town in an effort to drive the Doctor out. Martha even came through after having to put up with non-stop belittling. Amazing, I love it when I'm wrong.
"Blink" – "Quick––have a staring contest with this statue while I tug on locked doors for a full minute!" Oh man, this is boredom defined. I know you told me that there would be more episodes without the regular cast, but this is just bottom-of-the-barrel pathetic. Now, I liked it when the Absorbatron episode did it; that club was formed through the mythology of the Doctor; it felt like he was a part of the episode. "Blink" has none of that, with the Doctor tacked-on through lazy DVD messages. The heroine we're stuck with, Sally Sparrow, is a character that only Stephenie Meyer could be proud of. I mean, the guy meets her for two minutes and then waits his entire life because "you are hot?" Unbelieveable.
And the plot itself has too many holes; there is no way I can take this seriously. If the angels had the key, why didn't they use it? Why didn't they get it back from Sally why she was walking around, OBLIVIOUS, for half an hour!? Why in the world would they throw a ROCK at her!? I also didn't understand why sending someone back in time would rob them of potential; the people displaced all claimed to have full lives. The idea goes against the spirit of the show––this episode is a travesty.
"Utopia" – An episode worthy of its name. And holy crap! JACK RETURNS! The dialog when he shows up again is priceless. Actually, everything about this episode is. I was peeing my pants when I saw the watch in the professor's hands at the end. Man oh man, I never saw it coming. I was satisfied with the episode even BEFORE that; I mean, that explanation for Jack's revival was brilliant. But there is another Time Lord, he's evil, and he HAS THE TARDIS!? I had to load up the next part at once.
"The Sound of Drums" – I have been waiting for a competent villain to rival the Doctor, and every dream I ever had about this show came true here. I'm speechless. He was there, as Paxton, the entire time. And he has killer balls as friends. The Master is a perfect counterpart; the Joker to the Doctor's Batman. Taking a page from Final Fantasy and adding in airships for no reason is a good thing, too. 😉
"Last of the Time Lords" – This storyline could honestly work as the conclusion to the entire series. I have no idea how this can be topped. Even the Face of Bo was explained; I can't even imagine how much work had to go into this. I can even forgive the use of the cheap "resetting time" trick; at least Martha remembers, and is using the experience to go on with her life without the Doctor. Amazing.
Okay, starting season four:
"Voyage of the Damned" – Such outrageous, non-stop spectacle––I love it, love it. And did they add an electric guitar bass to the theme song this time!? YEEEEEEAH! Cyborgs on an intergalactic Titanic have never rocked this much! I can't believe the Doctor gave such an unabashed introduction, either, with the whole telling what planet he's from and all that.
"Partners in Crime" – Hassibah, this is the companion from the very first episode I watched!!! Donna! I thought she'd get left behind again, but she found him! Oh man, that silent conversation was hilarious. And fat babies!? Are there plush toys of these!? And why in the world was Rose standing around at the end!? Was that theme they played there from the "Doomsday" episode!? And how will Donna's mom find her car now!? These mysteries makes me want to watch this entire season in one night, holy crap!!!!!!!!
"The Fires of Pompeii" – I think it's pretty cool when the Doctor goes back to major events like this one. Solid character development between him and Donna, too. And zany plot aside, they really captured the horror those poor people must have been facing when the disaster hit. 🙁
"Planet of the Ood" – Uh … not really sure what happened. Did that guy just fall into a brain? The dude changing at the end was disgusting. Although I loved it when Donna chided the Doctor on all his "The humans! It's always the humans!" lines. I mean, geez. He's starting to sound like Demona from "Gargoyles." I also saw Martha; the previews for the next episode came up too fast. 🙁
I only had time for one episode today: "The Sontaran Stratagem." Now, why in the world would a proud warrior race stoop to using cheap tricks? Is this a flaw in the episode, or will the genius plot be revealed next time? I don't care––Martha is back!! And she's a soldier in some secret army place! Okay, sure, whatever, welcome back! That fake goodbye scene had me cracking up, too. All we need now is Rose; don't even tell me they're going to wait 'till the season finale to bring her back, though. >:(
Amazing video. That's much better than the ominous, discordant opening I'm seeing in season 5.
I've never seen Firefly; I don't see the point in watching ONE season that wasn't even completed.
Ha,ha,ha, how is Plutarch an obvious villain name!? It doesn't start with a Q, V, X or U!
Season 5 of DW or Buffy?
Firefly is very much worth your time(even if it is so little of your time.) Esp if you're a Star Wars fan, which most people are.
Google the word plutocracy!
Doctor Who, with the lightning and the scariness. And I just remembered that I saw "Serenity," so that's pretty much the entire story in movie form, right?
And dang it! I thought that Plutarch was the ONE character without some silly meaning to their name! Oh, Hassibah, you destroyer of blissful ignorance!
Haha Plutarch is the only name meaning I knew about, the others I just thought were gibberish.
Serenity is like an epilogue to the show but it was kind of rushed and not as good imo. I like Buffy and Firefly about equally, but unlike Whedon's other shows it doesn't take a season and a half to get awesome. I really can't recommend it enough.
Geez, you're reading this faster than I can skim through it. And I thought that Plutarch's bit about the weapons was a bit weird. I mean, they have teleporting, invisible hovercrafts––but they can't make a rocket to shoot a spy satellite into space? The technology is so weird. And that song is soooo bad. 😉
But did you get why the country is called "Panem?" It's a tiny detail you might have missed. Collins knows that you might not have had the Mark Reads commenters to tell you zillions of times, so she added a quick, inconspicuous clue. 😉
I'm so glad to hear you reason that this part needed to be shorter. Back in the reviews they all thought that being in the cellar built dread or something, ha,ha,ha. Are you really going to read through the book in one night, though!? "Let the games begin," or whatever, I guess!
I've heard of Bread and Circuses a bunch of times but yeah I never knew it originate in Rome and I never made the connection. Sneaky.
Oh god I need a drink.
Hey Brad I thought I'd move all these over to markreads since they'd fit more there so I copied & pasted everything into a reply to your comment on this post including my reaction to the end: http://markreads.net/reviews/2011/03/mark-reads-m…
Matt Smith in a towel. BEST EPISODE EVER. Right?
Let's just say it was research that Captain Jack would approve of.
*wink* We meet again, Miss Hare.
Or is it Mister Hare? My apologies, I was going by your lovely photo.
Miss is right. And I'm pleased to be reunited, Captain. *grin*
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Doctor/tumblr_lhew4yAHa81qhobx1o1_250.gif>
Oooh, I forgot to mention! Not only Eleven taking shower is a nod back to Three's first episode, where he also took shower (I think he was the first Doctor to get shirtless on screen), but he also sings "La Donna E Mobile", which was also sung by Three while driving Bessie (I forget in which serial).
I love it when Eleven is chanelling Three. 😀 IMHO he did it when he said to little Amelia "Trust me. I'm the Doctor."
I think it's just supposed to be another way of illustrating Craig's laziness. He moved in and there was a terrifying and ugly painting in the hallway and he didn't bother doing anything with it. Suppose it was the hallway so he might not be allowed to do that. Meh it's probably just some crazy picture someone in the crew has wanted to put in an episode for awhile.
The part with the drawn father was the deal-breaker in "Scribbles." I think it makes sense when an artist wants to depict things they enjoy AND things that scare them. I was freaking out when he came to life at the end. The real title of that episode was bad though, and we should all forget about it. 😉
Into? Like as far as TV goes? Anime? Video games? I do have every season of the masterpiece sci-fi sitcom, "Red Dwarf!" I used to tape it on VHS back in high school––on some grainy public broadcasting station––and I actually remember seeing bits of the old "Dr. Who" before some episodes. I remember bellbottoms. O_O
I've heard of Red Dwarf, and I think it's getting rebooted too but I could be wrong about that. I have very vague memories of DW back in the 80s with what I now know is the 6th Doctor. I don't remember caring for it much, but watching the old ones now they are growing on me.
I'm on Catching Fire right now btw. I thought the first book was kind of boring and predictable but I'm liking this one lots so far. i'm on the waiting list for the last book though so I'll have to wait a while before I can get ENRAEGED by it.
Oh man, what!? You predicted all the fireballs, killer bees, and genetic monsters tossed around in "Hunger Games?" Or are you referring to the emotional ties that were formed, stuff like that? I need DETAILS, Hassibah! Be as descriptive as Katniss at mealtime!
Speaking of details, I'll put my thoughts on the end of season three down lower. 😉
I dunno, I think I've just seen the deadly game show story done enough times that I was kind of expecting more to happen than that and the "romance" wasn't really enough of a twist. I liked the way her world was set up but it seemed like there was a lot of potential for things she could have explored there not to mention satire of reality tv and it just seemed like there were a lot of missed oppourtunities and jokes and I couldn't get too into the characters and the story at this point. I LIKED them allright, but it didn't come to a lot more than that.
Holy crap that changed in the 2nd book though. I can't believe I have to wait weeks for the next one (and this is me knowing that a lot of people hate it.)
Oh man, I wish you had been around for the reviews in real time(the family of blood reaction made me lol.) I'm glad you enjoyed the finale-lots of people underrate season 3 imo but it has one of the best storylines and villains. But yeah; Blink(also in general): don't ever try to make the logics and Doctor Who collide. Flying dinosaurs come out of the sky and eat the universe.
Have you started s4 yet?
Yeah, I was disappointed at all the missed potential as well. There were tons of opportunities for a good antagonist to appear, and they were all wasted. But wait, did you finish book 2? One part blew me away, and another didn't, ha,ha,ha. 😛
And pf, who are these people that don't like the Dr. Who season three villain and end storyline? I can't stop thinking about how fantastic it was. I even forgot to mention the music; that four-beat and undulating violin they used for the Master's theme was freaky. I hope he comes back like how Murdoc came back every season for "Macgyver."
And I DID start season four! I'll put it down there, too. 😉 This will be our secret place.
Hahaha, oh man you like Voyage and hated Blink. I don't judge but that is considered a little odd-but then I has lots of unpopular opinions too. Isn't Donna amazing? The lady has an amazing range and it shows so much in Fires of Pompeii-people always shortchange comedians but they always bring the acting skills because comedy is the hardest thing you can try to do, ever. And I totally watched more than half this season in one sitting, till about 4am or so. I pretty much never do that!
I can't speak for everyone, but I think a lot of people that didn't like season 3 were really into the Rose/10 relationship and just didn't know what to do when it was over or something. I loved Martha though.
I finished the book last night. ALSO it is the only one that made me laugh. When Finnick came up to her and was like "want a sugarcube, they say they're for the horses but fuck that": that's like the equivalent of a rich person going into a Mcdonalds and filling up their pockets with ketchup packs CAUSE THEY CAN and going "fuck the police!!!"
I don't devour whole seasons or book series much either, but it can give you a different perspective. Who knows what I would have thought of the Titanic episode if I had seen it during a months-long dry spell. "I waited all this time for a flashy disaster flick!? Outrageous!"
And the actress that plays Donna is a comedian? Shoot, I don't even know her name. Kate? Tate? I'm terrible with pop culture. She's doing a good job––that's all I care about.
Finnick was a much-needed character, yeah. Having him along for the ride made the second Hunger Games way more bearable. The ending was a total disaster, I thought. What did you think of all that?
Yeah, I don't think I would have enjoyed these books nearly as much if I read them a chapter a day. Overall I think the pacing is pretty good but I can't take in that little story at a time.
Yeah apparently Catherine Tate has her own show in the UK, which I didn't know untill Mark mentioned it here. Her stuff's all over youtube.
The very end of Catching Fire? It didn't bother me too much. I wasn't really crazy about the idea of K/P having to go back and do the games again. I was so into everything else that was happening in district 12 and I just didn't want to see repeats. I was kind of worried that they'd make them go back every book like it's summer camp so I was pretty relieved that there was a end to it when they broke out of the dome and it wasn't as drawn out as it was in the first book. It was pretty obvious that Plutarch was signalling Katniss with his watch way back at the beginning but I didn't think that that necessarily meant he was part of a resistance against the capitol at the time, just that he supported her, but then I didn't think that the country would basically be up in flames untill the last book either. That they were flown away to safety was kind of an easy out, sure but on the other hand, the world is in open warfare and lots of people she knows and cares about are either dead or in danger so there's that.
Besides all that, Peeta's development is awesome in this book and I think he could have a really interesting role in the 3rd one and I hope they don't blow it. I'm just hoping and praying that Collins wasn't totally uncreative about the conclusion and that I won't hate it too much-but the lowered expectations will probably help a little!
So that's what you hated? What was the thing you thought was awesome?
Lowered expectations always help! Just don't lower them so much that you stop reading for ten years, ha,ha,ha.
Okay, so here's what I thought about "Catching Fire." I liked the mystery of District 13, and found myself disappointed when they abandoned that plot thread for yet another Hunger Games. (Many people down-voted my lovable sarcasm that day.) However, the watch thing blew me away; I'm amazed that Collins was able to misdirect me like that. I got angry again at the ending, where Katniss was made to be stupid just to keep the break-out a secret from the reader. And then District 13 and the war was explained in a few sentences. Ptttbbhh. 😛
Wot, did we actually agree on something? I totally wanted MOAR district 13, then the Games came and it was like Q@#@$ these people AGAIN. But they changed things up just enough that it wasn't frustrating like I thought it would be.
I thought it was kind of cool though that Haymitch being in denial about district 13 and making out like Katniss was stupid was an act and he was in on it the whole time. I actually put NO thought into that at the time, I just figured he wanted to stop her from doing something stupid. Besides, he already knew that the capitol was angry at her and that people had been assassinated over what she'd done already, so I could see him thinking that the less info she had to give her ideas the better-she does tend to make impulsive decisions that get her in a lot of trouble. Besides that I liked HM's backstory and actually all the backstories we got were pretty good.
As a concept right now I think the idea of Katniss being kept in the dark is a double edged sword and it's actually kind of cool. It means her and Peeta were used both as a mascot by the rebels and as a piece of entertainment by the state: in both cases they have no control over their role and the reason why they're a symbol for rebellion in the first place is for something that was almost an accident and not really meant to be a political gesture. So that part(storytelling wise) didn't bother me too much, I actually thought it was a pretty interesting piece of irony.
Or maybe I'm overthinking it. My opinion of this will prolly change lots based on how it's all handled in the next book, so we'll see I guess!
We agree! Amazing! Let's see if we can keep the streak going:
"The Poison Sky" – Oh man, so many great, unexpected lines. I'm sure you already know what they all are, though. So the airship is called Valiant? Ha,ha,ha, why do these guys have it? And the plot was just for cloning more warriors!? Sontarans, how cowardly! You hide in your ships like dishonorable Toh-pah! By the sons of Mogh, even a spineless nerd has more courage than you!
"The Doctor's Daughter" – Step aside, there's a new heroine in town: the ultra-perfect and spunky Jenny! What's that? We have TWO amazing, balanced characters in Donna and Martha? Well let's just give them the shaft to make way for this new, AWESOME girl someone came up with! Man oh man, what a crock. I cheered when she was shot, and cried when she came back to life. Please, please stay dead forever.
And wow Hassibah, your train of thought for CF is quite different that what I witnessed from the other commenters. You should go put all that in the reviews so future generations can appreciate it!
Oh god yes the Sontarans were hilarious. But stuffy British people in comedy is one of my favourite things ever. I liked the scene at the end of the Doctor's Daughter when 10 starts yelling at everybody-it cracks me up when he does that cause I'm a terrible person. Sadly, I see us disagreeing majorly on some future episodes but it's all good. It looks like you could even get caught up in time for episode two of the new season-not that there's really a rush at this point.
Yeah, I've def learned from the internets that I have what are considered some weird opinions. Why's that the case with CF though? Did people think HM is evil?
Hassibah, how could you laugh!? They are poor clone babies born two days ago! And don't scare me with this 'I foresee your anger' stuff. Ugh, Jenny IS coming back, isn't she? Along with those angel things, I bet. She'll be dodging bullets while Donna gets stuck with 'staring duty.' At least I have Rose to look forward to. She appeared on the screen for like half a second––don't think I missed her!
And you just did a better job at explaining what you thought of the book. I would have rather read that than the millions of messages saying "Peeta's adorable!" and stuff like that. 😉
Oh hahaha. Oh man I really like Peeta very much as a character right now. They've developed him so much as a guy who's really gifted at leading and influencing people-and really strategic to boot-I just hope they don't waste all of that potential for awesome a la Ginny in book 7.
Oh man I'm not saying anything. Don't chide me for laughing Mr I Was Glad When She Died. I can't help it if Tennant's shoutiness isn't working for him :/
Hm, he does have his good shouts! I wish I had that "AND I'M NOT LISTENING!" clip to play for telemarketers when they call. Anyway, I was able to watch two today.
"The Unicorn and the Wasp" – I thought that the nouns in the title would be code names, but, indeed, there is a monstrous wasp flying around! So not only is this a homage to Agatha Christie novels; this episode also pays tribute to Scooby-doo! Who is the killer? Who is the monster? And again, my ignorance of famous people throughout history probably works out for the best.
"Silence in the Library" – Okay, here's me half-way through the episode: "Ooh, there are bad things in shadows! Wow, how original! No one's EVER thought of that before!"
And then here's me at the end, as the suit shambles forward, still carrying the deceased man's skeleton, still repeating his final words: "AAAAAAH! I'm sorry! Forgive me for doubting; please oh please don't kill me!"
And on top of that we have TWO mystery girls threaded into the plot. Quite creepy, and very entertaining.
"And on top of that we have TWO mystery girls threaded into the plot. Quite creepy, and very entertaining."
Glad you think so!
Hassibah, I just finished the other half. Holy crap, this is how you make a story; this is how you do it. So much going on, and yet everything connects.
Is River actually going to appear in the show later on!? Did we just see her final appearance before she was even introduced!? O_O
Okay, Hassibah, I finished off season 4! Let's see how thin we can make these replies!
"Midnight" – Easily one of my favorites. I love the dialog-driven plot, and how it escalates a boring group of tourists into a frothing mob. I was a bit angry at Donna being left behind at first, but now I see that the Doctor's isolation from the group couldn't have happened with her there.
"Turn Left" – Oh, sweet, a Donna episode to make up for her absence! It was interesting to see how other people would have stepped in to act as heroes, even with the Doctor deceased. And of course, that mess with the Master wouldn't have happened at all. Then Rose finally shows up at the end! I KNEW it would take all season. >:(
"The Stolen Earth" – Okay, who in the world are all these guys!? I remember Sarah Jane––but her son? And a talking computer screen!? Did I miss something? Who were those people with Jack? At least I get to see the creator of the Daleks, along with the Shadow Proclamation and that Medusa Cascade everyone's always talking about. All that's left to see is the Silver Devastation, whoo-hoo!
"Journey's End" – Pretty good, but I knew they couldn't top the Master storyline. There was just way too much 'push buttons to fix everything' this time around. And besides the nostalgia, all of those guest stars didn't seem to do much; they just popped out and shot a big gun whenever it was needed. The Daleks disco dancing to their doom was pretty freakin' hilarious, though!
Jack and Sarah J both have their own spinoffs. He runs Torchwood and those two are his employees(Torchwood is supposedly meant for adults and Sarah Jane Adventures is a kids show, DW is somewhere in between, or so I'm told.) Sarah J got her son since the last time we saw her, so he's new. I don't think they ever explained the computer, she just has that stuff and we don't know how.
Yeah the season's end was pretty random, but Donna's end is so tragic.
Ha,ha,ha, thanks for explaining all that. I'm watching these in the order Tivo taped them, so I was worried that it might have started skipping around. And I agree; Donna's departure is sad––until she's brought in for the next crossover, that is! Duplicate Doctor husbands for everyone! 😛
"The Next Doctor" – The fake Doctor reminded me of Gilderoy Lockhart. So hilarious. When the Cyberking was revealed to be a woman with all-black eyes I thought it was a bit of a rip-off of the Borg Queen, though. But then the giant robot popped out and I forgot about complaining. 😉
"Planet of the Dead" – Did the Doctor just say he was at the ORIGINAL Easter!? Oh man, forget this desert crap; I think it's time for the ultimate team-up! Ha,ha,ha, no, they would never do that. Jesus fighting the Daleks would be amazing, though.
"The Waters of Mars" – Hassibah, what is the Doctor doing!? 'I'm the winner!?' This is so bad-ass, yet so disturbing. But isn't this season five now? Ha,ha,ha…where's that different guy I see in all the commercials? Such anticipation.
I'm trying to guess why people hate the last book so much now. I'm hoping it's not over something as lame as shipping but sadly I could totally see that being the case.
I WANT TO SPECULATE:
When they revealed Peeta just happened to have been in love with her his whole life despite never talking there were not enough eyebrows in the world for me to raise. They developed him a lot more in the last book though so I really got into him as a character this time. If they decide to go the route of either making him turn evil/doubleagent or having him stay ultrapure only to be killed off saving her I'll be pretty annoyed. I just really, really hope the last book isn't centring around "WHO WILL KATNISS CHOOSE" or I'll be required to hate it(I don't mind a little bit of that, but if it's the most interesting point in your book you have serious problems.)
Oh man, it sounds like you're ready to read it! Will eyebrows be raised!? Will Katniss choose team Peeta or Gale!? Play the scratch-off game at Burger King to find out!
The way I understood it was in the way that people say dog owners begin to look like their dogs. If you're around something long enough, you're going to start resembling it! 🙂
Just watched this episode again and did the Doctor seriously put mayonnaise in an omelette?
As a long-time eater of egg-based foods let me assure you that you can put pretty much anything in an omelette. They're just stuff binded together with egg and I can attest that mayo-omelettes are yummy.
plus mayo is made of egg.
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Okay, Hassibah, I was in Nashville, Tennessee for a while, but now I'm back and watching again! Did you get the book yet?
"The End of Time" – Yeah, it's nice to see the Master again, but man oh man the plot goes nuts. Why in the world would sending the Time Lords back to their time STOP them from ending time? And I know they're not fighting AT the end of time since the Doctor's BEEN to the end of time, and he said Time Lords never went that far. And what happened to the Master at the end anyway!? He shot lightning at the head dude and was never mentioned again. Where did he get these powers anyway? Is he the first Super Saiyan to emerge in over a millennium? Part of me was sad to see Tennent go, but the other part just wanted all of the pointless cameos to end.
"The Eleventh Hour" – I actually watched this one first on accident, ha,ha,ha. But the new Doctor made quite an impression, I must admit! I mean, here I thought that Kirby was the only one that could stand up to floating eyeball monsters!
And here we have a new girl: yet ANOTHER person that obsesses over someone they met for five seconds a decade earlier. I forgot her name, but I think I liked the younger girl better, ha,ha,ha. And what are kiss-a-grams? Is she a prostitute?
I'm a little jealous I always hear great things about TN. Did you catch any hockey or does nobody care about the NHL over there?
I have no idea what happened in the End of Time, how the time lords all came back and how they got rid of them so easy again, so weird! I was wondering how you'd react to the new season cause it has a very different feel to the last four, and of course the new Doctor helps. Not everyone cares for it (I do, a lot, but that's me.)
I don't think kiss-a-grams do anything more than a girl in a kissing booth does, ie a peck on the cheek, but with travelling and outfits so….sort of?
I've been waiting for my library to have a copy of Mockingjay that's free and entertaining myself with classic Who in the meantime. It's in transit to me now, so I'll have the book in about a week, finally! I was actually just reading up on the comments on the last couple of chapters of CF and wow people are calling for pretty much everybody to die.
Are you going to read along for His Dark Materials?
Hockey? Was there something amazing there that I missed!? Dad and I just picked that random city to meet in for my birthday; I didn't have any other reason for going. I wanted to see Opry Land, but flooding closed off everything when I tried to walk over to it. That's how my Dr. Who adventures go––I just wander around, give up, then take out my DS and play for an hour.
I just watched "The Beast Below." I thought it would be another snore-worthy 'save the whale' show, but I never expected the queen to have been in on the plot! And the beast WANTED to carry the people anyway!? Amazing. And you're right: there IS a different feel to this season. I can't tell what it is, though. If only this were a book; I could at least do a good job of pretending to know why!
Yeah, if all the people die that those guys guess would, the book you'll get in a week will just be five hundred blank pages bound in a cover, ha,haha.
Oh, is Mark done with "Book Thief?" Man, I fell behind and just couldn't get caught up again. I sure hope the next guy can write sentences longer than three words. Isn't that Dark Material series incomplete, though? I'd always heard that Pullman wrote it out of spite for C.S. Lewis, but I suppose his motivation doesn't matter if the story's good enough.
Well Nashville was in the playoffs…up untill yesterday. I was just curious, really I get pretty floored when I see people in N Carolina and Florida who are all into hockey now. But don't mind me I'm boring and obsessed.
EDIT: whoa I just googled those floods, I had no idea :/
Russell T Davies left the show after season 4 and another writer took over producing, so he writes the opener and finale and the season arc now. But it's not just that it looks really different, too.
re: THG I have a bad feeling that something worse than death is going to happen to a bunch of people, but that's not much of a prediction since people have already had their tongues cut out and been mutated with wolves, but you know, this time I'm expecting it to happen for a character we know better.
His Dark Materials has been finished for a while, it's three books, and yeah he really doesn't like CS Lewis. That's not ALL there is to them of course and a lot of people love em to pieces but I won't say much more if you're planning to read them cause I have a lot of Opinions. I just kind of wish Mark was doing Narnia too because I love picking stuff like that apart.
And I think the Book Thief should be finishing soon-ish?
Yes, Missouri even blew up its own levees to flood its own land, so that other states might be spared down the line. You're welcome, Illinois. 😛 Oh well, let's see what the Doctor's been up to!
"Victory of the Daleks" – Tremble, mortals, as the Daleks return––in not one, but FIVE sleek designer colors! Cringe as they shoot off the arm of an android! Cry out in horror as they further the Allies' cause in World War II for a month! And what of the pastry they forced the Doctor to consume!? Oh, horrors and lamentations!
UGH. I had seen that title in my Tivo list for quite a while, and man oh man was I disappointed. They escape, AGAIN. That's their big victory. Pptthhhb.
"The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone" – These episodes were pretty good. They fixed everything that was wrong with the angels, for starters; snapping necks is always so much scarier than sending you back in time to get married. And of course you can't go wrong with popping out of TV screens and stealing cerebral cortexes.
I think it would be hilarious if the Doctor does something to prevent all future encounters with River. She'd be all like "But I have this whole book!" Then he'd be all "Screw that––I'm the Doctor!"
Anyway, it looks like Mark will be starting Dark Materials next week. What was the first book? Golden Compass? Is that the one with the armored polar bear on the front? Man, this series might be pretty good!
There was so much mocking of the skittles Daleks in that episode's post. Not the greatest one for sure!
The next two were my introduction to both the Angels and River, and yeah, both are a lot more dangerous in these. All the Doctor has to do to avoid meetups is stop answering her texts though, silly Doctor!
Yep, Golden Compass is the first book! Then the suble knife, then the other one. I haven't read it in a while, so, uh, hopefully I'll be able to contribute more than off-topic arguments about the catholic church.
I will have Mockingjay in a couple of days I'm pretty stoked!
I thought the colors had some meaning that was going over my head. You know, like a call-back to the original series or something. Guess not.
And you watched these episodes before season three? What's the story? Did I miss it in the comments somewhere?
I also got "The Golden Compass" today. I am ready! It's not the one with the armored bear, though. Just…normal bear. And a rat. I also saw that there's a new "Dark Romance" section of Barnes and Noble. Man, they should just put Twilight-type stories in their own STORE. >:(
"Vampires in Venice" – These aren't real vampires either!? Space fish? SPACE FISH!? Man, I hate seeing all these misleading titles on the Tivo list; I was all psyched for a Buffy/Doctor crossover. Pf, I suppose the thing that opens won't even be a pandorica. And that astronaut, will, in fact, be possible. At least Venice appeared.
"Amy's Choice" – Okay, this is cool; I love dream episodes. Done very well, at least. I liked seeing the Doctor's character be attacked again, even if the culprit did manage to end up being himself.
OHHH DAMN ARE YOU A BUFFY FAN? Okay that's not too shocking cause lots of people are, but awesome all the same. I was thinking of sending some dvds to my nieces who are all into Twilight/ Vampire Diaries now-more a gift for their moms than for them I guess!
I watched season 5 first, for no real reason I just randomly decided to check out the show in December and it was available to me at the time. Then I went back and watched the rest of the show from the beginning, and now I'm watching random episodes of the oooold show when I can. I'm kind of partial to the Doctors in the order I saw them.
The army coloured Daleks amused me with their little cargo belt w pockets considering they have no arms so I don't see how they could get stuff in or out of them. But yeah it's a pretty pointless episode. I thought the Vampires had some good moments, of course Amy's Choice was rad and totally holds up after a bunch of viewings-plus they get to wack old people.
Mockingjay is in my possession now, so it begins!
Some seasons might have put me to sleep, but I am a fan! I flipped out when I saw Giles in that Sarah Jane episode! Anyway, I hope that DVD gift works out. I have a cousin that loves Twilight, and she decided to watch the first season of Buffy to "see what all the hype was about." She watched one episode, then said it was ridiculous. Unbelievable.
And you got the book!? I actually missed the first chapters when Mark did the review, so we can just have a little comment party right here. Do maybe a chapter per day––
You finished it already, didn't you? ;P
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