Heads up! Dr Who starts Saturday....

[TimO]

It was interesting watching Confidential, and seeing the Silurian and Sontaran being made up, and realising that the makeup is now so good, that I pretty much just accepted them as their alien characters, and didn't even think what they looked like as "humans" !

[MattH]

Or get distracted by the zip up their back 

[BrianI]

Hang on, didn't we see slidey panel woman slide her panel open later on when Amy was holding the Plastic Baby after the battle against the headless monks?   

[redshift]

"...to fool you twice the same way..." covered that.

I have to say I've been underwhelmed by the whole series.

[TimO]

... but the previous implication was that Amy was seeing it because she was locked up on their asteroid, and it was somehow "leaking" through into her consciousness inside "The Flesh".

If it was her baby who was made of "The Flesh" (as it was), then Amy shouldn't have been able to see the sliding panel bit.  Unless this Amy is also made of The Flesh, and is another copy.

[Cunobelin]

Interesting, but left a lot of questions.

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Given River Song's skills with the Tardis etc, it suggests that she must be travelling with the Doctor for some considerable time.We also haven't had the link between the child in the space suit and regeneration.

[Si]

... but the previous implication was that Amy was seeing it because she was locked up on their asteroid, and it was somehow "leaking" through into her consciousness inside "The Flesh".

If it was her baby who was made of "The Flesh" (as it was), then Amy shouldn't have been able to see the sliding panel bit.  Unless this Amy is also made of The Flesh, and is another copy.

I thought it was the 'flesh' baby that saw the slidey woman - wasn't Amy looking the other way?

-

Anyway, pretty crap episode overall - tried to pack too much into too short a time.  And we really have ODed on the super-epic battle to end all super-epic battles, not to mention the Dr becoming the feared warrior (I thought Rose was meant to have sorted all of that out with Chris Ecalstone?).  Or is his next regeneration as Paul Muad'Dib ?

[TimO]

... but the previous implication was that Amy was seeing it because she was locked up on their asteroid, and it was somehow "leaking" through into her consciousness inside "The Flesh".

If it was her baby who was made of "The Flesh" (as it was), then Amy shouldn't have been able to see the sliding panel bit.  Unless this Amy is also made of The Flesh, and is another copy.

I thought it was the 'flesh' baby that saw the slidey woman - wasn't Amy looking the other way? ...

Ah, that might make sense.  Obviously I need to watch it again, more carefully,

[Tourist Tony]

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But Melody is River! Isn't she? I haven't really worked out the killing the doctor bit - why and how. I guess that's what the autumn season is for.

Nice bit of satire on religion there as well. Never seen a Welsh Sontaran before either, but many of these Valleys boys are stocky, bald and have no necks.

Do we have to hide spoilers now the episode has been broadcast. If you haven't seen it yet, don't read this thread - obviously!

I am NOT a valleys boy.

[Biggsy]

"I’M OLD. I’M FAT. I’M BLUE. YOU CAN’T NEED ME."

That's the only bit I really liked.  A slowed-down and simplified DW would be so much more enjoyable for me (though I suppose boring for the kids).

[TimO]

Yes, that comment by Dorium made me chuckle as well!

Interestingly, towards the end of the credits it says:

Cybermen created by Kit Peddler & Gerry Davis
Silurians created by Malcolm Hulke
Sontarans created by Robert Holmes
Ood and Judoon created by Russell T Davies

... but there were no Ood in that episode.

I wonder if this means that the Ood will appear in the next episode, when they complete this story (or complete some of it hopefully) in the Autumn.  I quite like the Ood, although they do tend to speak in somewhat mysterious ways.

[rower40]

Interestingly, towards the end of the credits it says:

Ood and Judoon created by Russell T Davies

... but there were no Ood in that episode.

There was one in each Spitfire, pedalling furiously.

[BrianI]

That Silurian did look rather, ahem, hot, in a female lizard type way....    http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/characters/Silurian

 

[TimO]

That Silurian did look rather, ahem, hot, in a female lizard type way....    ...

Possibly more to do with mannerisms than anything else.  Would anyone care to explain why a lacertilian lifeform has breasts?

[nicknack]

That Silurian did look rather, ahem, hot, in a female lizard type way....    http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/characters/Silurian

 

That's a relief. Not just me then.

And  I hope all you miserable fuckers that didn't like it will be submitting superior scripts to auntie asap.

[Adrian]

That Silurian did look rather, ahem, hot, in a female lizard type way....    ...

Possibly more to do with mannerisms than anything else.  Would anyone care to explain why a lacertilian lifeform has breasts?

They are idealised breasts, for decorative and recreational purposes?

[andrewc]

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/05/anime-doctor-who.html

Anime Dr Who, via BoingBoing

[mrcharly-YHT]

Right, that's one really big question answered, although it still leaves us with wondering if the person who River killed was the Doctor, and did we see that at the start of this series?

Even if that's the case, it doesn't explain exactly who she killed, since I don't think the Doctor can be killed as the current Doctor for dramatic reasons, since it would mean that the Doctor could never regenerate again, which would be a bit of a git for continuing the series!

Answer

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There are two doctors. One made of flesh, one 'real'. River kills the 'flesh' one when she is a little girl and has been raised specifically to kill him.

The 'flesh' episode never clearly showed him being destroyed.

[gonzo]

Proof that a great episode is not just lots of cool bits put together!

[border-rider]

I really liked that.  Lesbian jokes, gay married Christian soldiers, Thunderbirds, epic battle fleet being destroyed - what's not to like ?

Seems clear to me that the YACF collective have it nailed:

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Melody is the weapon prepared to kill the Doctor; he allows it to happen (the Flesh version is killed in Arizona by Melody in the spacesuit) so River can be free of the destiny/curse thing

[mrcharly-YHT]

There are some good lines:

"Don't give me those blank looks"

"We're the fat thin gay soldiers, we don't need names"

[Cunobelin]

Interesting that the speech abut the meaning of "Doctor" as a healer was a "folk memory" of the Doctor's deeds, was in fact suggested many years ago in a fan site by a young fan.... Setphen Moffat

[gonzo]

Thinking about it, I'm quite looking forwards to the prospect of the new series; building up to an end of series that's not DOCTOR SAVES EVERYONE'S LIFE EVERYWHERE!

[citoyen]

Interesting that the speech abut the meaning of "Doctor" as a healer was a "folk memory" of the Doctor's deeds, was in fact suggested many years ago in a fan site by a young fan.... Setphen Moffat

Nice story but not quite...

It was on usenet, 1995 - by which time Steven Moffat was in his mid-30s and already an established TV writer:

Dr. Who's real name - rec.arts.drwho | Google Groups

SM's script - 15+ years in the making - Doctor Who and Torchwood - Digital Spy Forums

d.

[woollypigs]

This Saturday at 7:10PM