So, we finally get a follow up to the 50th Anniversary episode. But how does it fare? Well, lets get into it shall we.
I will say this right off the bat. This is not the best episode of this season, nor the best of Peter Capaldi's tenure as The Doctor. But it comes very close. If anyone wrote a textbook on how to write the first part of a two part serial in a science fiction TV show, this episode would be chapter and verse. They built up the suspense brilliantly, with an enemy that was more mind-games than brute-force. And if there's anything that Doctor Who does best it's psychological episodes. They did the right amount of give and take as well, in terms of obvious Zygon infiltrations and those that would completely blind-side the audience. There were some really obvious ones, such as the Sheriff from Truth Or Consequences (because hey, the whole town was wiped out, how did the Sheriff survive?) and then they had ones that they played close to their chests (which I'm not going to spoil, you have to see this episode for that one, it blew me away). Having said that, I was sure that half the soldiers were Zygon at one point or another, but still…. yeah.
So, with all that said and done, I'm not actually going to say anything else in terms of major plot points, because if you saw the episode, you know that it was a good episode and if you haven't, go watch it. But I will end on a few minor observations:
- This entire episode could have been avoided if Clara had just answered her phone. Honestly, what was she doing to miss 127 calls?
- Osgood, you fan-girl legend! I love the outfits she wears. In the first scene she manages to reference the 4th, 7th and 11th Doctors. I fully approve. But where's the frilly shirts and the leek? And please don't do Colin Baker. Just don't.
- So, could someone please explain who thought it was a good idea to send ONE PERSON to a place with confirmed Zygon sightings with no back-up? Fail much? And also, it wouldn't be New Mexico if there wasn't a tumbleweed or two.
- I resent the No British sign.
- How big are Zygon tunnels if they can get Osgood from America to Central Asia? And how did they get her there so fast?
- The scene in-front of the Church was weak. Sorry, but honestly, whose mother cannot remember or won't say the date and place of their child's birth to prove that they are the real mother and avoid getting shot? After she refused to answer that question the guy should have shot her because it was too obvious at that point she was a Zygon. But still, who wants to shoot an alien pretending to be their mom right?
- Anyone else think the stuff in the bins looked oddly like tumbleweeds or was that just me?
- And finally, why would Clara know any of U.N.I.T's codes? She has security clearance yes, but she isn't actually part of the Taskforce proper.
And of course, with that.
JR out.
Hey there, the idiot me is back. Don’t worry though, I’m not going to complain or spoil your mood this time…much. Although you still definitely need some good imagination, it will greatly increase the fun you get after watching a show with any amount and quality of special effects, so I’m not apologizing. But anyways, it’s not the topic
On the topic – this time I actually agree on most of the points. Except maybe the church part which I can clearly understand. If a guy is not the dumb sioldier he has to be then shooting someone who looks like his loved person would definitely be hard, even if that person said something like “Hey I’m definitely a Zygon, a Cyberman AND a Dalek and I’m going to kill your butt dead”.
1. Don’t think that I’m a misogynist (I hope I spelled it right), but some (not all) females have very weird relationship with their phones. And not just in Britain, so this scene is understandable, too. It’s still weird though.
2. I agree. The Sixth Doctor’s costume was good, but only for an old and wise alien in the dimensionally transcedent police box. It would look weird on a regular human.
3. With all my love for the series I just can’t disagree with that. For the head of UNIT it was very stupid…unless she is a Zygon too and this is all a part of some weird plan.
4. The “No Humans” sign would be too obvious.
5. If they can turn humans into tumbleweed using the lightning from their palms they probably can use some high-speed or teleporting equipment.
6. commented that already
7. Totally like sparkling tumbleweed.
8. Probably the Zygon commander plucked them out of some other guy’s memory. Or UNIT trusts Clara too much. If they were smart enough to throw their Brigadier alone in the Zygon nest they would probably trust their secret codes to a Dalek if it said it was the Doctor’s companion.
The stuff in the bins looked like wire wool to me.
As for Clara getting in to U.N.I.T, the evil Zygons had just captured 20 odd unit troopers, so they used the pods to mind read them.