Heads up! Dr Who starts Saturday....

[Kim]

Any sufficiently effective religion is indistinguishable from technology?   

[hulver]

mini ao (11) described it as a 'filler' episode.  Mark Gatiss story next week.

I had my 2 with me, and a niece, and all three described it as "Rubbish".

[andyoxon]

mini ao (11) described it as a 'filler' episode.  Mark Gatiss story next week.

I had my 2 with me, and a niece, and all three described it as "Rubbish".

Yes, mini aos also said...  didn't like it, soppy - not scary, rubbish story line,  tatty special effects.    So I reckon for the main target audience,  the "The Rings of Akhaten" rates as a fail. 

[Flynn]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TalkingTheMonsterToDeath

Though I did like the idea of the Long Song and there were teases that the whole thing was acoustic tech to contain in, which never made it to fullness; they'd have given it a Lost Tech Ritual Purposes cleverness.

Yes, good point.  I'm never any good at finding the TV Tropes, there are too many, and all too often they have clever names which makes them hard to find.

The apparent use of sonic weapons by the Vigil, and the opening of the door using a song, does led credibility to the argument that the Choristers are using some sort of acoustically based technology to control the Old God and Grandfather.

I had a hunt for a TV Trope relating to old technology being mistaken or forgotten about, and being viewed as a mystical magic or religion (pretty much the same thing, just with different names), but couldn't find one, although I'm sure it's there somewhere.

It would have made for a slightly more complete storyline, if they'd played that card, and it would only have taken a brief mention by the Doctor alluding to the technology to do it, so it's a shame they didn't, but some authors prefer the mystery of such actually being magic or religion, rather than rationalising it as lost science and technology.

I think the film Zardoz  has that theme.

[TimO]

I think the film Zardoz  has that theme.

Oh, it's not particularly original, but very little fiction is.  Mostly plots are taken from a limited set (although how many members that set contains, is open to argument), and then there are various plot elements and devices placed around.  The overall originality of a particular film or TV series depends a lot on both the variety of which elements are combined, and the exact detail of them.  The basic plot in this episode is fairly predictable, but some of the elements around it are moderately original, such as the apparent sonic technology.

Zardoz is an odd film, it has some nice bits, but as I recall, it does tend to drag on a bit.  Sean Connery's "clothing" leaves a lot to be desired, but what is seen cannot be unseen.

[Cunobelin]

One of the girls at work reckons thatthe "Great Intelligence" dates back 40 odd years to early Patrick Troughton episodes and a quick Google shows her to be right

If so then it is not only the Doctors appearing in this anniversary year!

There is a scene where in the "Market Place" Clara asks if he has been there before, and the reply is "Yes with my Granddaughter"

Was that another Troughton era reference?

[Adam]

One of the girls at work reckons thatthe "Great Intelligence" dates back 40 odd years to early Patrick Troughton episodes and a quick Google shows her to be right

If so then it is not only the Doctors appearing in this anniversary year!

There is a scene where in the "Market Place" Clara asks if he has been there before, and the reply is "Yes with my Granddaughter"

Was that another Troughton era reference?

That goes back to the start with William Hartnell.

[Cunobelin]

Yep = you are right, the link is still to the early Doctors though.

[Cunobelin]

The other one that has come up is the Tardis and Clara.


In previous episodes there has never been a problem understanding aliens because the Tardis "enables" translation and understanding for the Doctor and the Companions.

Then there comes the line where Clara thinks that the Tardis "doesn't like her".... has the Tardis not enabled translation because of this?

[Andrij]

Perhaps something to do with Clara being a bit 'different'?

[MattH]

That aspect is getting a bit worn out now. It's no longer good enough that the Doctor finds some girl to prance around the universe with, using her normality as a counterpoise and viewpoint for us on the fantastical nature of the adventures. Now it appears that every single one of his companions has to be someone that the whole universe revolves around and who, handled incorrectly or not protected, could cause the destruction of the fabric of time itself, and the unthreading of all of creation.

[TimO]

To be fair, we don't know that this is the case with Clara, we haven't really been told what the explanation is with her.  You also can't expect every character to be bog standard normal, uninteresting, and of not particular significance, because there wouldn't be much story if that was the case.  It's better that the companions are sometimes woven into the plot, rather than just being a mechanism to allow the Doctor to explain things to the audience (which is always one of the reasons for the existence of a secondary character like this).

[citoyen]

I agree with MattH - they overdo it. Weaving the assistants into the plot is fine, and plenty of great Doctor Who stories over the years have been built around the fortunes of the assistants, but it's all getting a bit much (and a bit tiresomely repetitive) when the fate of the entire universe hangs on the pretty young lady every bloody series.

[LEE]

I agree with MattH - they overdo it. Weaving the assistants into the plot is fine, and plenty of great Doctor Who stories over the years have been built around the fortunes of the assistants, but it's all getting a bit much (and a bit tiresomely repetitive) when the fate of the entire universe hangs on the pretty young lady every bloody series.

Has he ever actually just said "bollocks to all this time-travel paradox and butterfly effects" and just shagged one of his assistants?

He's in the perfect position to go back in time and not shag them if any resultant kid is ugly or Welsh.

[mattc]

He may well have done ... but it didn't make it into the scripts. Possibly one for the red-button?

IIRC he doesn't shag them cos he's not interested. Being an alien or something. This 'fact' seems to have got a little blurred since Ms Pond arrived on the scene, but it was my understanding. And I don't pay much attention anyway - it's for kids innit?

[woollypigs]

Just a wee warning tonight it is on at 1800 not 1815 or 1830 or what ever random time the BEEP decide to broadcast it on. Please BBC do settle on one time slot and stick with it. Because I for one would hate it missing the start because the BBC moved the time and I forgot the random time the BBC decided to show it.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Did I just see Padbeat?

[padbeat]

Not unless they're at the Mos Eisley cantina (where I was this week - photos to follow)

[woollypigs]

Padbeat : I didn't know you had Martians at your works place, now that makes your work place sooo much cooler

Pretty good show today, even if it was late. Was hoping that the monster would take over the sub. The sound was a wee bit better though we had to put it loud.

[TimO]

I did miss the start, but just downloaded it with get_iplayer, and plugged the netbook into the TV.

Not a bad episode, and we did get to see what's inside an ice warriors suit, but I doubt it'll particularly become a classic.

(click to show/hide)

I wonder if they'll make any issue of getting the Tardis back, or will it just magically be back in use next week?

No real mention off anything unusual about Clara this week, which is good. I'm sure that'll come back eventually, but it's nice if it's something a bit unusual, and not used in every episode.

[woollypigs]

(click to show/hide)

They did get it back, just the wrong pole, he explained that with a lack of time to tweak it, since it is new, didn't he ?

[TimO]

(click to show/hide)

They did get it back, just the wrong pole, he explained that with a lack of time to tweak it, since it is new, didn't he ?

(click to show/hide)

Knowing where it is, isn't the same as getting it back.They did ask for a lift, but I can't see the cold war era Russians giving them that, or indeed even letting then go, for just being such nice people.

[Rhys W]

I'm afraid I found very disappointing again. Extremely shaky plot (random mistaken Baker-era style Tardis landing, and how come this is the first time we get to hear about the Tardis's babelfish talents?) They resurrect a classic monster, but there's only one of them. The voice was amateurish and a cliche. The "creature inside a robotic suit of armour" trope has been done to death, not least with the Daleks. The climax was predictable, bordering on a deus ex machina. And did the Soviets really have decent LED torches in 1983?

[Dibdib]

how come this is the first time we get to hear about the Tardis's babelfish talents?

The Tardis's translation ability has been a staple for as long as I've watched it (everything since the reboot).

[Valiant]

I really like that episode. I was aware of the translation matrix too.