Deep Breath (3401/801)

[cosmichobo]

Before anyone beats me to it, cos I hate being beaten in public....

The eyebrow thing harks back to Pertwee's debut, Spearhead from Space, when he noted his new eyebrows would be useful on the planet Delfin, where they use them to communicate... Pertwee obviously being this new Doctor's most common ancestor...

Ignored the 4.55am simulcast on the ABC and watched it first at 11am in a crowded cinema with my 6yo. He loved it; surprisingly no loss-of-11-remorse, just straight into it. Some of the talky bits lost his attention, but during our second screening back at home this evening, he paid more attention, as well as explaining quite a lot to my wife... (:

Darkly Dreaming Doctor... ... The dinosaur's death... The exchange with the homeless man... The leaving Clara at the door... And the doorway struggle, all very much proving Moff's claims of this being a new darker era of DW..! And I loved it!

Regards 11s cameo, and the in-your-face "But the Doctor has regenerated, so he's going to be different..." stuff - yes, the new era is 9 years long, with numerous regenerations under its belt, but ultimately they still need to help the newer/casual viewers along, so I don't mind... Of course - you could just have had the cinematic pre episode Strax run through Re regeneration, and then move on...

Last night I had a dark foreboding that I was going to hate the episode/Capaldi... Thankfully I was just dreaming.

[rushy]

I think it's meant to be very 1970s, which means more subtlety and a story arc not going to end with some big battle for the universe.
I've come to the conclusion, that Capaldi is somewhat similar to Matt Smith in his energy, but in a natural way. He's also really not interested in humanity, like Tom Baker. But those are the only similarities. He's a very sincere, confused, but determined character. He knows his flaws, he's got his eccentricities, but like all Doctors, that iron will is always there.
So to sum it up, he's a crackling grasshopper. I love him already.

Things that I seriously hated: the influence of public opinion. Would anyone, even the Doctor really go "attack eyebrows!", not to mention the phone call. And didn't Clara "always know it was him"?
And what's with the paranoia that people won't like the new Doctor? There's a line taken from The Power Of The Daleks in here somewhere. If Moffat had a script of that(or even an idea of what happened), he'd know that the audience's willingness to accept the new Doctor is only, I repeat only determined by how good he is. No matter what Smith said in this or the last one, it's only about Capaldi's performance.
Therefore, I found the Clara subplot exaggerated. It would've worked better if it was actually Madame Vastra(whom we've only seen interacting with the Eleventh Doctor) who was confused.

[P-90_177]

I think it's meant to be very 1970s, which means more subtlety and a story arc not going to end with some big battle for the universe.
I've come to the conclusion, that Capaldi is somewhat similar to Matt Smith in his energy, but in a natural way. He's also really not interested in humanity, like Tom Baker. But those are the only similarities. He's a very sincere, confused, but determined character. He knows his flaws, he's got his eccentricities, but like all Doctors, that iron will is always there.
So to sum it up, he's a crackling grasshopper. I love him already.

Things that I seriously hated: the influence of public opinion. Would anyone, even the Doctor really go "attack eyebrows!", not to mention the phone call. And didn't Clara "always know it was him"?
And what's with the paranoia that people won't like the new Doctor? There's a line taken from The Power Of The Daleks in here somewhere. If Moffat had a script of that(or even an idea of what happened), he'd know that the audience's willingness to accept the new Doctor is only, I repeat only determined by how good he is. No matter what Smith said in this or the last one, it's only about Capaldi's performance.
Therefore, I found the Clara subplot exaggerated. It would've worked better if it was actually Madame Vastra(whom we've only seen interacting with the Eleventh Doctor) who was confused.

The paranoia is quite understandable. This is the eldest Doctor ever, and since the show's return the public have been used to this handsome and dashing character with a lot of youthfulness to him. So I think the fact they addressed it in this episode was good. Yes Clara knows the Doctor regenerates and that there are lots of different doctors but Eleven was HER Doctor, just like he was to many other fans. This was a good way of basically saying "Yes this is very different to what came before, but please just bare with us cos we think you'll like it."

Personally I thought Clara shone in this episode. It was clear that she and Eleven had a very special relationship, and she's the first companion since Rose who has had to deal with a regeneration first hand, so it's only right and proper that they show her needing to adjust.

[Flyboy]

I've been giving fairly sporadic replies... unavoidable, alas.

I was delighted to see Matt Smith's cameo. Maybe a little *too* delighted. I personally think it worked, even if it was quite clearly was a message to viewers as well as Clara...

What I'm slightly concerned about is Capaldi's recent statement that he hasn't quite got made his mark on what The Doctor is, even now. I'm eagerly looking forward to Into The Dalek, because I am still looking for that 'I AM the Doctor' moment...

There were some moments that I thought definitely worked, I really liked the Doctor offering the robot a drink. It was quite serious and calculating. In a lot of ways he somehow reminded me both of Petwee's Doctor and The Master at the same time.

Strax was, as always, a joy. But then I love the Sontarans. I'm going to throw out a controversial statement and suggest that the most powerful moment of the whole episode was Strax's attempted suicide. Understated but it worked so well.

Back to the negatives, however, I think the music was a bit of a let down, and music colours everything. The Eleventh Hour was MADE as much by the soundtrack as it was Smith's glorious performance. I don't think Murray Gold really delivered on this one... but that's just me.... I'd be interested in knowing what others felt about the soundtrack....

[P-90_177]

I've been giving fairly sporadic replies... unavoidable, alas.

I was delighted to see Matt Smith's cameo. Maybe a little *too* delighted. I personally think it worked, even if it was quite clearly was a message to viewers as well as Clara...

What I'm slightly concerned about is Capaldi's recent statement that he hasn't quite got made his mark on what The Doctor is, even now. I'm eagerly looking forward to Into The Dalek, because I am still looking for that 'I AM the Doctor' moment...

There were some moments that I thought definitely worked, I really liked the Doctor offering the robot a drink. It was quite serious and calculating. In a lot of ways he somehow reminded me both of Petwee's Doctor and The Master at the same time.

Strax was, as always, a joy. But then I love the Sontarans. I'm going to throw out a controversial statement and suggest that the most powerful moment of the whole episode was Strax's attempted suicide. Understated but it worked so well.

Back to the negatives, however, I think the music was a bit of a let down, and music colours everything. The Eleventh Hour was MADE as much by the soundtrack as it was Smith's glorious performance. I don't think Murray Gold really delivered on this one... but that's just me.... I'd be interested in knowing what others felt about the soundtrack....

Personally I found the soundtrack enjoyable, but it was far more incidental than in the past. It'll pick up though probably.

[P-90_177]

One other thing I did note which I thought was a nice touch, is near the end when The Doctor returns and Clara sees the new inside of the TARDIS for the first time, she goes straight for the console and strokes it a little and kinda sticks by it for the rest of the conversation. It kinda felt like Clara feeling a need to be near the TARDIS and just saying "I guess you must be having a rough time with this too, old girl."

[Arica15]

Y'wanna bet?

In Glasgow, I have seen, with my own eyes, two complete sets of Teletubbies - eight guys - knocking lumps out of each other on the concourse of Glasgow Central Station. All because the "Tinky-Winky" of one lot mistook the "Po" of the other lot for his mate.

Oh how I miss nights out in Glasgow.....

[cosmichobo]

When I heard that the new titles were based on that YouTube clip, I was elated for the fact that a fan's concept was being used... but also not entirely sure about the idea... If that makes any sense... (And I seldom do, so that's fine) Ultimately I think it is ok... though I think they'll find a new one by 2015.

As for the new theme tune... I just sat here, and listened to it with my eyes closed... and the first thing that popped into my head was "strangled cat"... I don't think it fits the visuals at all... Nor the "dark" theme...

[P-90_177]

When I heard that the new titles were based on that YouTube clip, I was elated for the fact that a fan's concept was being used... but also not entirely sure about the idea... If that makes any sense... (And I seldom do, so that's fine) Ultimately I think it is ok... though I think they'll find a new one by 2015.

As for the new theme tune... I just sat here, and listened to it with my eyes closed... and the first thing that popped into my head was "strangled cat"... I don't think it fits the visuals at all... Nor the "dark" theme...

The new theme isn't as bombastic as the last one but by all means I think it fits the sense of mystery and darkness very well. It's slightly off kilter, which is exactly what this Doctor is right now.

[min min light]

The new theme really threw me. I'm sure I'll get used to it but yeah, "off-kilter" is a good way to describe it.

[Quizziard]

Now caught the episode a second time and liked it much more. There's something about not waiting for every scene to reveal itself, to truly take in what's actually happening. Possibly.

Having also just rewatched "The Girl in the Fireplace" it was obviously a design decision to make the two sets of androids different: so the real question is the so-called "Sixth Sense question", i.e. when did you realise that they were basically the same sort as "The Girl in the Fireplace". Personally, I'm going to admit it was almost at the exposition point. I'm also going to suggest that SM deliberately chose a previously encountered antagonist, albeit in a new format, to detract away from the newness of the Doctor himself.

There's a lot chatter about the amount of the episode spent on Clara's interaction with the new Doctor. Personally I don't have a problem. It's a really big deal. Someone you've been with, during really intense experiences on multiple occasions and, to potentially multiple meanings of the word, you love, suddenly changes his appearance and personality. I don't care how worldly-wise you might be or emotionally mature, but that's gotta take a little time to adjust to!

Finally, the titles. Don't mind the music but the visual feedback (i.e. "space time vortex") harks back to day 1, episode 1. Doesn't need to go back to previous levels, SM, but add a few more percent eh, please?

Just in passing, since it was Ben Wheatley directing, doesn't anyone think how truly horrifying it actually was that the Doctor hide by wearing a whole-head mask made from a real person's skin? Seriously? I mean that's "Silence of the Lambs" stuff, if you think about it... or even "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". And it's now tea-time Saturday family entertainment...

[maneth]

A promising start for Capaldi. I wonder what's coming next...

[GodAtum]

cannot see a forum for this, so what did people think?

Spoiler:

Maybe Missy is Bad Wolf or River from the Library

[Greenee]

Just found time to watch it yet, and I'm too leazy right know to read teh whole discussion. Just want to say THIS was bluddi brillant an beautyfull. I laoughed, I cried, I gazed,I wonderd...
Soo good to have the paternostergang back in and I loved the phonecall from 11 and all that Clara-Doctor stuff. Never was so convinced from a doctor from the first moments. Capalidi seems to be a wonderfull choice. The way he plays him is exactly the right balcence between, carrying on, what Matt gave to the caracter, brnging back a littlebit from David and roundig it all up with a lot of his own doctor. Can't wait to see the next bit.

[rushy]

Yes, I did like that Capaldi's Doctor is very much a planner, kinda like a Sylvester McCoy and Jon Pertwee cross. But really, the scary straightforwardness and icyness are very much his own traits.
I think his best moment was when he discussed whether or not he was gonna murder the droid guy or whether the droid guy was gonna jump.
Loved the droid guy BTW.

Something that didn't click: his focus on where his new face came from. Other than Moffat, he has absolutely no business asking that. It's a regeneration! Why so curious?