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Post by nucleusofswarm on Nov 25, 2018 19:35:36 GMT
Of our three historicals, it's the best constructed of the three, but I also see it as the least of them. Rosa was more admirable for just how unapologetic and daring it was, and Demons definitely had a bigger heart.
That's not to say Witchfinders is a bad or even mediocre effort. It is good and on the higher end of the season. Sallie directs the hell out of the episode, it's got great atmosphere and tension throughout and it doesn't shy away or paper over the more problematic elements like Shakespeare Code. Also, Graham gets to have some real fun here and Bradley's timing is solid: the hat scene was splendid.
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Post by fitzoliverj on Nov 25, 2018 19:39:18 GMT
So-so, I thought. Not as good as "Kerblam" but probably better than other episodes to date. Another attempt to giving everybody something to do (not altogether succesfully, perhaps). Not quite as issuesy as I was expecting.
But isn't the conclusion of this story pinched from Titan's 8th Doctor comic "Briarwood"?
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Post by sherlock on Nov 25, 2018 19:47:33 GMT
All round solid episode. Some decent exploration of the historical elements and Whittaker’s Doctor showing some real outrage (which I think is what had been missing thus far).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2018 19:57:57 GMT
That was so good up until the last 15 minutes. How generic, how boring, and overall, how disappointing.
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Post by doctorkernow on Nov 25, 2018 20:04:20 GMT
Hello again.
Great historical romp with a smashing performance from Alan Cummings as James I. His confrontation with the Doctor was well-played as you think the Doctor has got through to him, but of course she hasn't.
Siobhan Finneran is less a villain more a victim of her own foolishness and fear. She too, works hard to give the character believability.
The regulars are really working well together. This episode had much more for Jodie to work with. I like this Team TARDIS. They are like the Scooby Doo team, "Let's split up and search for aliens."
The direction this week was superb. The bleak landscape reflecting the dark mood of the story. The monsters first reveal was creepy. However, they were too easily defeated. This was a shame because the preceding 45 minutes had been really enjoyable.
Probably one of three or four this year I'd watch again.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2018 20:11:00 GMT
I really loved this, up until the ending this was heading for a 5/5 episode as I thought The Witchfinders was jolly good fun. The ending was rushed and a bit of a let down after the excellent set-up, but I did enjoy this so it's still a 4/5 for me. (Alan Cumming as King James was great casting, I'd love to see him cross paths with Jodie's Doctor again one day.)
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Post by ollychops on Nov 25, 2018 20:13:12 GMT
Really enjoyed this one, though it's one that I think I'd have preferred if they kept it as a pure historical. Did the zombies vaguely remind anyone else of the Haemovores, or was it just me?
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Tony Jones
Chancellery Guard
Professor Chronotis
Still rockin' along!
Likes: 2,132
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Post by Tony Jones on Nov 25, 2018 20:23:04 GMT
Poll added (apologies for the delay - I was watching Strictly!)
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Post by themeddlingmonk on Nov 25, 2018 20:52:37 GMT
0/5 The King didn’t get his Nubian Prince. 😤
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Nov 25, 2018 20:53:16 GMT
First off, any episode of Doctor Who that ends with an Arthur C. Clarke quote is okay in my book. Best musical score of the series. Alan Cumming is fantastic and man, what a great Doctor he would have made. Also, I am starting my petition to have King James become a member of Team TARDIS! This is the most tightly constructed of the historical episodes but it also the most lightweight. Which didn't distract from my enjoyment one bit. It is one of the funnier episodes of the series. I rather enjoyed the Morax as a villainous species. All in all I find this series picking up steam as it rounds into its final two episodes.
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Post by CookieMaster on Nov 25, 2018 21:22:30 GMT
That was so good up until the last 15 minutes. How generic, how boring, and overall, how disappointing. It could have been a 5/5 for me, but I didn't click with the Morax from the moment they revealed their evil plan. I would have preferred a more X Files 'black oil' explanation to it all. I'll still give it a 4 as everything else was brilliant.
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Post by pazzer on Nov 25, 2018 21:31:51 GMT
Weird episode and not at all what I expected. Disappointed not to see the Tardis arrive but understandable given how much they managed to pack in. Scene with the Doctor diving into the river didn't really work for me. Thought Alan Cumming was great and the Tardis team worked really well. Reminded me a bit of Robot of Sherwood and Curse of Fenric. Sure the ending felt rushed and was a bit of a let down but was still a really enjoyable episode.
7/10
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Post by shallacatop on Nov 25, 2018 21:45:28 GMT
Great historical romp. Jodie is on fine form, Alan Cumming is clearly having the time of his life and Siobhan Finneran put in a great guest turn. The final twist with the alien was a little odd for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s a reveal that’s well seeded throughout the episode and the final 10 minutes following it are good, with some lovely visuals. Yet it seems odd to me. Perhaps it could’ve done with coming 5 or 10 minutes beforehand?
Enjoyed it anyway!
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melkur
Chancellery Guard
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Post by melkur on Nov 25, 2018 21:47:09 GMT
A great episode for me, with Alan Cumming being his usual hammy self
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Nov 25, 2018 22:00:29 GMT
I loved having 13 locked up for using her sonic aka magic wand.
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Post by shallacatop on Nov 25, 2018 22:01:06 GMT
Oh, I forgot to mention Graham’s Tarantino gag. That was brilliant, had me chuckling all the way until the next time trailer!
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Nov 25, 2018 23:30:00 GMT
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Post by SG. on Nov 26, 2018 1:25:43 GMT
This is the first episode all series that I genuinely have no complaints about - to the point where I think it's the best episode so far. For once, the generic Tennant/RTD throwback vibe actually worked/was up to snuff. Also, I'm glad the non-interference policy got ditched, because it's a dumb policy that doesn't match up with continuity and also doesn't really make sense if you think about it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2018 2:02:29 GMT
I mentioned elsewhere loving Alan Cumming's work since he broke through in Scotland with Forbes Masson, first as the Victor and Barry duo then in The High Life - the campest sitcom ever made anywhere on Earth. In years since I've really enjoyed his more serious work and he's become quite the stage star on Broadway. I didn't know which Alan Cumming we'd get here, the camp icon or the thespian but I was so happy to find it was both. He was having the time of his life here. Hitting on Ryan, making up the rules as he went along yet being brave and not backing down in the face of danger. It's about as accurate to James VI as McNiece's Churchill is but I don't care - the Who version of James is like this and that'll do for me.
The story itself was slight and normally I go in to quite a lot of detail and break things down but....you know what - I had such a great time cuddled on the couch with the other half watching Cumming I'm not going to bother. Like Michael Robbins in The Visitation he didn't just chew the scenery - he made you wish the set was bigger so he could chew more.
I had a BLAST. I might post further through the week but for now....I'm too busy feeling good.
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Post by newt5996 on Nov 26, 2018 2:16:28 GMT
That was mixed. Most of it I was really enjoying, but the ending brought it down quite a lot. This is the type of story that NEEDS to be fleshed out into a two-parter with the reveal of the aliens being the end of Part One because there could be a lot of good done there. I wanted to see more explanation and this isn't an episode where leaving the audience wanting more is a good thing. Like The Power of Three before it the ending takes any good will I had and smashes it to pieces as the ending of the story is the most important part. Out of 10 it's a 5 or a 6.
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