Arachnids in the U.K. (3704 / 1104)

[Gatefan1976]

Yes, I've seen all episodes from 2005 and on. I've seen many moments of insecurity of the Doctors of past. I'm just not sold on her as the doctor yet. Even with Capaldi showing insecurities, I could see right away what kind of personality he was going to have as a Doctor. Much more abrasive and cutting than the previous three Doctors, who also established what kind of personalities as Doctors they were going to have very early in. At least to me they did.

I suggest going back to the transition between 4 and 5, I really do.

I don't know what kind of Doctor Jodie wants to be. I feel like I am watching an actress who doesn't quite know what to do with this role. However in all fairness, it's early. Maybe it is just going to take her longer to find her footing that the others did.

Sure, but lets look at Capaldi. You say you got he was going to be more cutting and abrasive right out of the gate, and that's completely fair, What I have noticed is that Jodie's Doctor is more empathetic and compassionate right out of the gate.
It took time to see how those traits would mesh with the "default doctor" sensibilities.

[Coco Pops]

I don't think the companions are boring at all. I think they represent ordinary people who don't have any special qirks or such that would annoy the hell out of me. There's no "impossible girls" or whatnot just regular guys and a girl.

[gatechick]

I completely agree with you, however IMO the solution is a meaty story. Nothing so far has really tested her or her companions. For example, the 1st episode of Bill Potts made me cry and Clara has a lot of mystery around her. These companions are pretty boring TBH.

I'm thinking either this next one or maybe Demons of Punjab could be the one story to show us what this Doctor can really be like. Or at least I am hoping.

[GodAtum]

Yes, I've seen all episodes from 2005 and on. I've seen many moments of insecurity of the Doctors of past. I'm just not sold on her as the doctor yet. Even with Capaldi showing insecurities, I could see right away what kind of personality he was going to have as a Doctor. Much more abrasive and cutting than the previous three Doctors, who also established what kind of personalities as Doctors they were going to have very early in. At least to me they did.

I don't know what kind of Doctor Jodie wants to be. I feel like I am watching an actress who doesn't quite know what to do with this role. However in all fairness, it's early. Maybe it is just going to take her longer to find her footing that the others did.

I completely agree with you, however IMO the solution is a meaty story. Nothing so far has really tested her or her companions. For example, the 1st episode of Bill Potts made me cry and Clara has a lot of mystery around her. These companions are pretty boring TBH.

[gatechick]

Yes, I've seen all episodes from 2005 and on. I've seen many moments of insecurity of the Doctors of past. I'm just not sold on her as the doctor yet. Even with Capaldi showing insecurities, I could see right away what kind of personality he was going to have as a Doctor. Much more abrasive and cutting than the previous three Doctors, who also established what kind of personalities as Doctors they were going to have very early in. At least to me they did.

I don't know what kind of Doctor Jodie wants to be. I feel like I am watching an actress who doesn't quite know what to do with this role. However in all fairness, it's early. Maybe it is just going to take her longer to find her footing that the others did.

[Gatefan1976]

I guess I should have finished my thought. (I just couldn't until you posted that, because you said what I couldn't think of at the time.) Your right, that that part of the doctor is believable since it is well established that the Doctor always does the right thing. That take charge persona comes out and you just know, that is the Doctor. I guess it's the other times where it is driving me nuts.
I've been watching the previous seasons of New Who, and by this time I felt like I knew each Doctor, and who they were going to be. I am just not getting that with Jodie's take on the character outside of those defining moments that have already been established with each Doctor. I realize we are a few episodes in and admittedly it took me a while to warm to Capaldi, so I am hoping to warm up to Jodie as well. But I did feel like Capaldi had a handle on the character and how he was going to play it. Jodie's character comes off as insecure and unsure, to me, and I am not used to seeing that with the Doctor. It just feels awkward and hard to watch.

Gatechick, have you ever seen a previous doctor before Capaldi ask if they are a "good man"?
Isn't she just as insecure as Capaldi at the start of his run?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not 100% sold on Jodie either, she needs that intergration point where the persona of "The Doctor" becomes the same as the actor portraying the role, and she has not got there yet. I have high HOPES for her ability to do so, but they are no more than hope at this stage.

[gatechick]

I think some of that comes down to the core emotional drives of what defines "the Doctor" as a personality are like a pre-set radio station. The doctor knows what to do, but each particular incarnation has a different way of going about it. This is far more evident in New Who (especially the Capaldi run), but I think it started creeping in more with the 5th doctor.
We KNOW the doctor will always do the right thing, just not sure how the current incarnation will do it.

I guess I should have finished my thought. (I just couldn't until you posted that, because you said what I couldn't think of at the time.) Your right, that that part of the doctor is believable since it is well established that the Doctor always does the right thing. That take charge persona comes out and you just know, that is the Doctor. I guess it's the other times where it is driving me nuts.
I've been watching the previous seasons of New Who, and by this time I felt like I knew each Doctor, and who they were going to be. I am just not getting that with Jodie's take on the character outside of those defining moments that have already been established with each Doctor. I realize we are a few episodes in and admittedly it took me a while to warm to Capaldi, so I am hoping to warm up to Jodie as well. But I did feel like Capaldi had a handle on the character and how he was going to play it. Jodie's character comes off as insecure and unsure, to me, and I am not used to seeing that with the Doctor. It just feels awkward and hard to watch.

[Gatefan1976]

Well... I think this episode had a lot of promise. I thought the plot was pretty good. Unfortunately where it fell flat for me, was the energy. There was none. Everyone seems too low key and it is taking me out of the episodes. It all just feels too careful. The only part I really enjoyed was when Ryan was playing the music and the spiders were marching back to the room. That was pretty funny.

I love Chris Noth, but that was way too heavy handed. I think it would have been better to just be a plain old evil business, rather than trying to channel Trump.

The episode did make care for that spider at the end. I hate spiders but I was feeling for this one.

I just cannot read Jodie's take on who she is as the doctor. She's playing it as hyper and socially ill at ease, which feels awkward to watch, because it doesn't look natural. (Acting wise) Where she really shines is when she gets serious and becomes no nonsense. Those are the moments I believe her as the doctor.

I think some of that comes down to the core emotional drives of what defines "the Doctor" as a personality are like a pre-set radio station. The doctor knows what to do, but each particular incarnation has a different way of going about it. This is far more evident in New Who (especially the Capaldi run), but I think it started creeping in more with the 5th doctor.
We KNOW the doctor will always do the right thing, just not sure how the current incarnation will do it.

[gatechick]

Well... I think this episode had a lot of promise. I thought the plot was pretty good. Unfortunately where it fell flat for me, was the energy. There was none. Everyone seems too low key and it is taking me out of the episodes. It all just feels too careful. The only part I really enjoyed was when Ryan was playing the music and the spiders were marching back to the room. That was pretty funny.

I love Chris Noth, but that was way too heavy handed. I think it would have been better to just be a plain old evil business, rather than trying to channel Trump.

The episode did make care for that spider at the end. I hate spiders but I was feeling for this one.

I just cannot read Jodie's take on who she is as the doctor. She's playing it as hyper and socially ill at ease, which feels awkward to watch, because it doesn't look natural. (Acting wise) Where she really shines is when she gets serious and becomes no nonsense. Those are the moments I believe her as the doctor.

[BruTak]

Much credit to Kevin the bodyguard (despite his poor trigger discipline) who still managed to fire off at least four shots while being attacked by a giant spider.

[Coco Pops]

6.4 million that's good viewing figures for a single episode.

http://news.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/a...llion-viewers/

[Gatefan1976]

And in the "Ooops" department, she said that she had been a sister before. How? This is her first female incarnation.

Missy actually mentioned this previously in the magicians apprentice.

[Annoyed]

And in the "Ooops" department, she said that she had been a sister before. How? This is her first female incarnation.

[Coco Pops]

OK this was an alright episode but nothing special, in fact it felt rather ordinary. It made my mind jump back a billion years to the episode "The Green Death" and pollution makes monster mutants, although not as much fun as that episode.

The "not Trump" guy was kind of useless and I wanted him to be Spider chow. The family parts with Yaz's family were pretty much how I had expected them to be, it wasn't bad it just was.

Overall 6/10


Edit:

Was it just me or the end of the episode when "not Trump" left the episode they tried to make it look like "he'll be back" and there was ominous music? or was that just my imagination?

[GodAtum]

Didn't like the Doctor's attitude in this one ... it was Ok for her to to go off when he shot the spider, but she makes no mention on the cruelty of animal testing!

And what happened at the end? Was his malpractices exposed to the world? Did they save the people who had been cocooned?