**Spoilers** Series 9, Episode 4 - "Before the Flood"

pixelburp

I don't think it's a stretch or mad theory to suggest the Doctor will somehow avoid the fate suggested at the end of part 1, and hopefully this will be another strong 2-parter with a second part to match the first

On again at 8:25pm on BBC1 tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_sJqDr9qQY

Angron

Finally getting to watch an episode of the new season when it airs

corkie

What Paradox did the Doctor ask us to google in the opening scenes?


Edit: Answering my own question, I believe it was bootstrap paradox

And by googling it you can get some interesting links about the episode!


Also Maisie Williams (a.k.a Arya Stark from GOT) will be in the next two part episodes!

FloatingVoter

corkie wrote: »

What Paradox did the Doctor ask us to google in the opening scenes?


Edit: Answering my own question, I believe it was bootstrap paradox

Demonstrated to able effect by Nicholas Lyndhurst in Goodnight Sweetheart when he became quite the song and dance man knowing the
Beatles back catalogue in Blitz era London. As you do.

BlitzKrieg

I kind of enjoyed it. I like the look of the fisher king, but it really was a design that needed to be kept more out of sight as seeing it in full walking around in the scottish sunlight it just looked awkward and fake.


this 2 parter reminded me a lot of the impossible planet/the satan pit similar plots on some points and the same sort of left turn at the end of episode 1 leading into a very different 2nd part.

But it was weaker overall, just not a very tight script, felt very much the writer was second guessing themselves at a lot of points and falling back on humour to jump over issues that would slow everything down.

the_barfly1

I thought that episode was bloody brilliant!
Going to watch again to pick up on the finer details but am finding this season incredible thus far. Peter Capaldi IS The Doctor. I'm also loving the rocked up theme tune, hope it's here to stay.

dori_dormer

Enjoyed it for the most part! Didn't like the bit at the beginning where he talked directly into the camera.

Mr Bloat

"This regeneration, it’s a bit of a clerical error anyway"

jasonb

I felt this was the weakest of the episodes so far, but to be honest, it's because I didn't really understand it! The plot lost me, and it started to feel like it was being clever for its own good.

I'm probably being stupid, but could anyone please explain the general plot to me? Thanks!

J.

jasonb

Sorry, I should clarify, I meant the plot of the second part, I followed the first part last week ok!

J.

BuffyBot

dori_dormer wrote: »

Enjoyed it for the most part! Didn't like the bit at the beginning where he talked directly into the camera.

Assuming, it was a fourth wall break. Personally, I thought it could be him seen from Clara's POV, getting exposition after the events (with a byproduct of giving us a neat little outside the normal stylistic quirk) :P

Not as strong as the opening part, but still pretty cracking as episodes go. As a pair, it's right up there with the best of the revived series.

I wish they'd keep they "rock" theme.

(For anyone who hasn't seen it, the Doctor Who Extra of Skipknot's Corey Taylor [who provided The Fisher King's screams] visiting the TARDIS is pretty hilarious. Especially "the phone" moment. I think most Who fans would have a similar reaction :P)

pixelburp

I was actually somewhat disappointed by that: felt a bit flat or something compared with the first episode, but then that's hardly uncommon for this kind of format; a mystery is always more intriguing than the answer. Especially a mystery that allows your imagination to bubble away. The concept of a Bootstrap Paradox was interesting, but the narrative seemed to handle it a little clumsily, with the explanation at the end feeling a tad too hurried & pat. The show has handled the thread of the Doctor scheming around his "death" much better and with more grace in the past.

Also, and this is just a personal preference, but I'm actually somewhat fed up with these latter-day Who stories consisting of 4 people stuck in a conveniently empty location. Most of the time the scripts have been clever about writing around these slashed budgets, but there's a point where I just don't have the patience anymore for yet another set of empty rooms. The old series, cardboard sets n' all, managed to give a better sense of scale than these recent stories manage. Heck the earlier series of the 2005 relaunch had dozens of extras and locations, a real sense of living, breathing spaces. Now it's just one empty maze after another.

BlitzKrieg

Also plotwise shouldnt the O'Donnell ghost should have been there from the beginning? In the same way the Prentise ghost was. but she only showed up after we'd seen her killed. might have made the whole plotline with her and the other scientist a bit more interesting if there was a sense of ticking clock with her from the get go and her over eagerness conflicting with it.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I thought this 2 parter was brilliant. I've seen quite a few people say it's up there with the best of the New Who eps. I can't comment on that as I've only seen Matt Smith/Capaldi episodes. Easily better than any of the Matt Smith ones, and probably my favourite of Capaldi's too.

I saw a review on the Guardian website that mentioned how Capaldi and Coleman might be the most successful of partnerships since the show has come back and they can hardly remember the brief time she spent with Smith in a partnership that just didn't work. I'm inclined to agree, although, as I said, I'm not familiar with the Doctors before Smith but there is just something very very good about Capaldi and Coleman. It will be interesting to see

what they do and where they go companion wise once Clara leaves. There are rumours of a couple of one off specials next year instead of a regular series which may suggest no regular companion for a while. Which is probably a good idea.

The_Valeyard

How did the fisher King know The Doctor was a Time Lord?

the_barfly1

The_Valeyard wrote: »

How did the fisher King know The Doctor was a Time Lord?

Prentice also knew, he said something along the lines of "great, and humans, too!" (paraphrasing here) when meeting the Doc, O'Donnell and yer man

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

the_barfly1 wrote: »

Prentice also knew, he said something along the lines of "great, and humans, too!" (paraphrasing here) when meeting the Doc, O'Donnell and yer man

Aliens always seem to know the Doctor.