Rate and Discuss: Series 6 as a Whole

[Zbigniev Hamson]

To be fair, there have been, over the course of the last two series, around fifteen stories that haven't tied in to the arc, or not very greatly.

That's three years' worth of Pertwee.

I was just talking about River Song popping up all the time specifically. She was in 4 episodes last year and 5 this year (unless I've forgotten some). Even the Daleks haven't had the nerve to show up as regularly as that.

[Perry Vale]

No, but Jackie Tyler & Mickey did. Each were in 5 eps in S1 (and the Xmas special). Mickey was in 6 eps of S2, and Jackie specifically in 4.

And of course there's UNIT...

[Alex Me]

Some very good ideas and episodes, but on the whole these tended to be the Stand Alone ones.

The arc episodes I found to be rather underwellming, and I am still not sold on some of the character reaction to events.

As such the season really felt less then the sum of its parts, it sill gets 7/10 for having some of the best ever episodes of Doctor Who in it.

Looking forward to the Christmas episodes though, fun stand alone stories seem to be what this team do best.

[J.R. Southall]

To be fair, there have been seven stories* this year that haven't tied in to the arc (where the A-plot has been of a standalone variety), and the last time the classic series managed as many as that was back in Season Six (unless you count The Keeper of Traken and Logopolis as unrelated to one another). So I do believe we're getting the best of both worlds.

(* Eight if you count either A Christmas Carol or the as-yet unbroadcast 2011 Christmas Special.)

[Andrew Curnow]

You'd make a good politician with that answer, JR. You're correct of course (assuming you don't include the Ganger 2-parter as part of the arc, nor the Lodger) but forget to mention that the underlying reason is that after season 6 no season (other than season 18) had as many stories as we get nowadays. If you were to do it as a percentage (ie, 100% arc-free for a good deal of the classic series) then things would look quite different I think!

Not that I'm all that bothered, I'm just saying...

[J.R. Southall]

You'd make a good politician with that answer, JR. You're correct of course (assuming you don't include the Ganger 2-parter as part of the arc, nor the Lodger) but forget to mention that the underlying reason is that after season 6 no season (other than season 18) had as many stories as we get nowadays. If you were to do it as a percentage (ie, 100% arc-free for a good deal of the classic series) then things would look quite different I think!

Not that I'm all that bothered, I'm just saying...

That's kind of what I mean, though: these days, there are enough Doctor Who stories on the box, that those fans that like the arc get an entire series' worth, and those fans who don't like the arc get an entire series' worth, too...

[Stuart Wallis]

Whether we like the arc or not, or indeed whether we want the arc or not. Definately spoken like a politician!

[Zbigniev Hamson]

That's kind of what I mean, though: these days, there are enough Doctor Who stories on the box, that those fans that like the arc get an entire series' worth, and those fans who don't like the arc get an entire series' worth, too...

Or you could argue that now we get seasons full of Black Orchids and Rescues and King's Demons

[J.R. Southall]

Or you could argue that now we get seasons full of Black Orchids and Rescues and King's Demons

Well, yeah ...

... but that's modern telly for you.

The final series of Spooks is on at the moment (the final series), and Spooks fans are bowing out with a grand total of six episodes for the entire year.

[wombatskidude]

Moffat and Smith have rekindled my love for the series. I loved Eccleston, but much as I wanted to like Tennant, he always left me a bit cold. I know he was the most popular Doctor since records began / Tom Baker ended, but for some reason it never really gelled for me.

Since Season 5, I've loved the characters and the dynamics between them. Long may they continue. From my perspective, this is a golden age, and I'm enjoying every story. Even the obviously rubbish ones.

Overall, I'd place Season 6 as the best and most consistently good of the revived series. There are half a dozen stories that I could watch again and again.

It's just a shame that it's going to be so long till Season 7.

[Rob McCow]

Moffat and Smith have rekindled my love for the series.

That's great to hear. There are a few people who have been put off by the Moffat era and it appears most of the 'middle-aged women' contingent have been turning off in droves. Personally, I'd find it hard to say that this was the best we've had so far - but I think that Series 6 has been consistently very good* and remarkably intelligent.


*Bloody pirate episode excepted

[SiHart]

We're starting a rewatch this evening- will be very interesting to see if it all hangs together better or less than i thought after the season finished. s it started, i really enjoyed The Impossible Astronaut/ Day of the Moon, but my memories of what's to come are a bit sketchy, so i'm going to post in here my thoughts as I have them.

[Rob McCow]

I was surprised and delighted at how many things from The Impossible Astronaut and Day of The Moon made more sense in retrospect. Two really enjoyable episodes, especially now we don't have to worry about whether anything will ever get answered.

Also, it seems Amy was replaced right at the end of The Impossible Astronaut. The Doctor has suspicions already!

[J.R. Southall]

Also, it seems Amy was replaced right at the end of The Impossible Astronaut. The Doctor has suspicions already!

To me, it always seemed the most likely place for Amy to have been replaced is between the first and second episode. The Impossible Astronaut ends with Amy revealing she's pregnant, and Day of the Moon begins with her revealing that she was mistaken. It is such an obvious point that I can't believe Moffat missed a trick in not pinning it down that exactly...

[Nyder]

Glad you're enjoying it Mr McCow. Is it time to revisit the bloody pirate episode yet? Or is it a bit too soon? ;-)

[Rob McCow]

Bloody Pirate Episode is up next.

I won't enjoy it.

[Stuart Wallis]

Look out, it's Marvin the Paranoid Android!

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

Look out, it's Marvin the Paranoid Android!

Sigh!!!!

[SiHart]

You called?

[Si Hunt]

I think he meant me!

Si.

[SiHart]

Oh my apologies Si. It's terribly confusing these days.

[Stuart Wallis]

Well everyone knows that PS is the Boris Johnson Memorial Home for the Terminally Confused...

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

I had this feeling that I would get exactly this reaction to my previous post.
I don't blame you guys; if I was called Si I'd have done the same!

[Rob McCow]

We watched The Wretched Pirate episode the other night.

What can I say? I found the whole thing flat and wretchedly clichéd. It's not the fault of the production team, who gave us a beautiful sailing ship, a fancy alien vessel and a great siren monster. The acting was generally great, although Huuuuuuuuge Bovril wasn't all he was cracked up to be. The Kid was kind of OK and the regulars were on form.

No, it was all about the writing.
- The Rory-near-death-experience scene was meant to be dramatic but went on for far too long.
- The whole idea of the Captain's son sneaking away on board for weeks and NOT REALISING THE CREW WERE PIRATES was annoying. And Father + Son + Absent/dead Mother is a pretty over-familiar trope.
- Rory falls under the siren's spell! For five minutes, then he's fine again.
- Amy is locked in the Galley! Where she finds a sword and a hat and re-emerges on the deck to save the day. Didn't anyone think to lock her in, or hit her on the head or something?
- The basic premise is ripped straight out of 'The Doctor Dances'. It's a fine premise and if it was a better episode I might not mind so much, but it's as though someone was told to write it more like Moffat - so decided to copy him exactly.
- The aliens died of a cold?! Crap! Try harder!
- Too much was predictable, such as "Captain Avery! Get rid of all the treasure or we're in trouble!" and he keeps one bit of treasure and it gets them in trouble.
- The pirates were straight from the 7 Year Old's Bumper Book of Pirates. The ones in The Smugglers were more convincing.

And on, and on, and on.

[Rob McCow]

The Doctor's Wife is mighty fine. It has a forbidden feel to it, like a story we were never meant to see, or a season finale from a parallel Universe.

I think the scenes where the Doctor is chasing the Police Box in the ramshackle TARDIS are some of my favourite in all of Doctor Who. Absolutely wonderful.