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Post by number13 on Mar 8, 2020 16:52:58 GMT
Even though Peter Capaldi is firmly in place as my top New Who Doctor, imo this was the best series of New Who yet. Which I found extra impressive after last year, which had some excellent highlight stories and was generally good, but a bit flat in places.
By contrast I enjoyed every one of this year's run right up to the finale, with some real crackers along the way. Now I've made no secret of the fact that I didn't like 'The Timeless Children' (for more reasons than 'just' the "new origins story") or that I think 'Orphan 55' is a simply wonderful and misunderstood spoof, but if you can permit me those aberrations from the norm, I'll shut up about both of them in the future. And possibly in the past too.
So Series 12 : 9/10. Very, very impressive.
Best story: 'The Haunting of Villa Diodati'. Brilliant.
Best moment: RuthDoctor. Wow. And double wow!
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 8, 2020 19:38:32 GMT
So, kinda gonna have a slightly contrarian opinion. I... liked Series 11 a little more. (Cue stock booing sound effect)
Okay, I kid. But I do indeed prefer S11 just a hair more, and have some mixed feelings about S12, even though I'm positive overall. It's faster, punchier and more pulpy-adventure-fun than S11; the scale's bigger, Akinola's score more playful and inventive, and it's been bolstered by a string of great guest performances (Dhawan, Visjnic, Martin, Gelder, O'Kane) and writers. For ladies behind the scenes, this year has been a big winner - Sullivan and Manzoor knocked the guys out in direction, while Alderton, Metivier and James all produced interesting stories, the first two bringing us new classics. I can't wait to see Alderton's next episode, and I hope the other two do make a comeback sometime.
What worked about S11 still works here, and what were issues have magnified, now that we're past the first go. The clunky dialogue, the inconsistent use of the companions (with Ryan probably getting the least to do this series), the presentation of topical themes in more hamfisted ways. The story arc was, now with hindsight, implemented clunkily and I wish it had more build-up, rather than dropping in and out without much effect on most of the stories. If Chibbs want to evoke RTD, then remember why RTD's arcs worked. In addition, I feel like the show's traded in some fo S11's risk factor for a more conventional series. As joyous as Tesla and Haunting were, they were more cut-and-dry pseudo-historicals - we didn't have a Rosa or Punjab this year, a confrontational and thought-provoking examination of our failings, and I personally felt it sorely absent. In conjunction with how well they handled Graham's pain over losing Grace and how it didn't magically bring her back, I felt that S11 gave the show some teeth back in discussing more difficult subjects with its younger audience members, as well as giving little prods to the older crowd. For those who found S12 better than S11, I totally get it. This one was more business-as-usual, a big rollercoaster that firmly recemented this era back into the show's mythology. For me, I just miss that bit of bite.
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Post by doctorkernow on Mar 11, 2020 0:20:25 GMT
Hello again.
I found series 12 totally undermined by that last episode. It reminded me of how I felt when Hell Bent went out. For me, Timeless Children was a complete mess. There were bits I liked, notably the confrontation between the Doctor and the Master. Unfortunately, she spent long periods of the episode as a passive observer. The CyberMasters made no sense to me whatsoever, they looked ridiculous, I laughed I'm afraid. The whole revelation of the Timeless Child being the Doctor left me cold. What was the point?
Anyway, like Nucleusofswarm, I missed the true historicals although Tesla and Haunting were a lot of fun. I didn't feel the regulars had much development, though Jodie Whittaker, obviously more confident this year; has really come into her own as the 13th Doctor. After the events of Spyfall, which was a great opener, she has become much grimmer and determined due to her encounter with the Master.
Direction this year and production values have been very good. Once again Andy Pryor has found some great guest stars, we finally have some really good villains in Zellin, Ashad and Sacha Dwahan's fascinating Master. Ashad in particular was not very well used after a phenomenal introduction in Haunting. He was like a CyberDavros, would have been a great recurring villain.
I really enjoyed Fugitive of the Judoon. A great exercise in misdirection. I really think Jo Martin nailed it in only a few short scenes as Ruth Doctor. While I think it was an odd choice to bring in yet another hidden Doctor, like John Hurt's War Doctor, she was excellent. I would have no problem having her as the Fourteenth Doctor when Jodie decides to hand in her TARDIS key!
Overall, I enjoyed this series. I had a good laugh at Orphan 55,a necessary message told in a really odd way. I was really freaked out by Zellin's movable fingers! I loved the reappearance of the Judoon in Gloucester and while episode ten was indescribly awful for me, I'll let it go. I am looking forward to the Daleks and to a series 13. I wonder if we'll get a classic like Season 13 of Classic Who... I can dream can't I?
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Mar 13, 2020 15:11:05 GMT
I will have to rewatch to get my final episode order but as far as the season as a whole goes, I have enjoyed this more than any season of Who in decades! 10/10!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2020 15:12:23 GMT
Virtually unwatchable.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Apr 3, 2020 9:44:26 GMT
I'm sure many of us will agree that the score by Segun Akinola was brilliant. It has been released today.
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,669
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Post by shutupbanks on Apr 4, 2020 0:33:39 GMT
Quite late to the party here but I really enjoyed Series 12. The only low points for me were Orphan 55 - and if it had been the length of Voyage Of The Damned or a two-parter that wouldn’t have been a problem - and Praxeus - which needed a little more exposition for me to really be enjoying it, although the story of a plague travelling at lightning speed around the world is also probably a little too on-the-nose at the moment. The rest made up an exciting and really enjoyable season. Yaz was the standout companion for me in this season, while Graham and Ryan seemed to have a little less to do than last year. Jodie was tremendous again: I loved her optimism from last season being properly tested and put through the wringer.
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