Doctor Who Series 7 (Spoilers when broadcasting)

**Loerwyn** · September 2nd, 2012, 12:55 PM

Not particularly sure what I think about this episode.

The acting seems a bit wobbly. Didn't particularly find a lot of it convincing (for example, that scene where the dead people come back), and that killed a bit of the tension for me. And then there was Rory sliding... Oy. And the redheaded French Dalek woman in bondage gear...

As for the woman who's obviously the next companion. Easy on the eye (sigh...) but she seems like she could be fun. Not sure a skirt that short was anything other than something for the older male viewers

I laughed at the twirling Dalek, though. I also thought it was quite good that it seemed slightly self-referential with regards to seemingly pointless minutiae like the milk for the soufflés.

Overall, though. I think it was a bit wibbly-wobbly flimsy-wimsy. That whole stuff with Rory going AH LURVE YOU MOAR was just rubbish, though. Vom. Yet... that stuff with Amy is sad, though. But still... eh. But isn't Rory a robot still? Or partially? Or what's going on. I DON'T GET HOW THIS WORKS.

As for the end? Uh. Explained a few things, but... what. Human Daleks? Jeez. And the Daleks have the worst chains in the universe.

Ugh. My brain exploded. All that just for that pun?

**sink_plunger** · September 2nd, 2012, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Loerwyn

As for the woman who's obviously the next companion. Easy on the eye (sigh...) but she seems like she could be fun. Not sure a skirt that short was anything other than something for the older male viewers

Seconded!

In fact, the inclusion of Jenna Louise Coleman was a nice surprise and I think she'll make a good companion. She seemed to be the central character in this adventure, certainly, as she basically instigated the whole thing and solved every problem encountered by the main characters on their journey through the Asylum. Not sure why she was able to speak to the Doctor using her human voice when she'd been a Dalek from the start though.

**Loerwyn** · September 2nd, 2012, 03:43 PM

From what I saw that episode, it's possible she'll be a good companion. She seems intelligent and fun enough, but...

Eh. I have to admit I'm not overly excited.

**JunkMonkey** · September 2nd, 2012, 07:11 PM

I think I lost any respect I had for NuWho while watching this. The 'eggs' joke was thin at best but to use it twice? - and as for the moment where the Doctor says "If it gets too explodie-woadie in here...."

I shall continue to watch the show though. My daughters expect it of me and let's face it. Karen Gillan is serious crumpet:

http://anotherjunkmonkey.blogspot.co...octor-who.html

**Loerwyn** · September 3rd, 2012, 01:37 AM

I'm quite jealous of her.

**sink_plunger** · September 5th, 2012, 02:11 PM

For those that want it, you can find a spoiler-free preview of this Saturday's episode, 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship', by clicking here.

It doesn't bode well, frankly.

**symbolhunter** · September 7th, 2012, 04:51 AM

This episode gets quite different reactions from viewers. Lots of people thought Asylum of the Daleks was only average or marginally good and had some quite strong reasons for thinking so. I'm a big fan of Matt Smith and Stephen Moffat. So perhaps I tend to be biased in favour of the new season's first episode.

That admission made, I veey much enjoyed Asylum of the Daleks. {IMO}There are some amazing sequences in this very original entry. One that I really liked was the moment when Amy--entering the Dalek mindset and perception watches the figures in a room--including a pirouetting ballerina. She then returns to human perception and sees them as they really are. But does she? Which is the reality? Is reality configured entirely by perception?

Another feature of the episode is the constant focussing on questions, answers, and memory. I really admired the way in which the visuals foreshadowed crucial moments in the plot. Above all, Moffat brilliantly prepares us for the wonderful final twist. And when I say that, of course it isn't just that Oswin is a Dalek--though Moffat really does play fair with the viewer and a great deal of the pleasure of the episode comes from watching how he does this--it is the way the entire thematic use of questions, answers, reality and perception comes to a brilliant climax with her question to us . . . Remember . . . ?

I ran across this link to a great minisode prequel to Asylum of the Daleks. Explains why we see the doc on Skaro in the first place….

http://www.kasterborous.com/2012/09/...aleks-prequel/

**Priestvyrce** · September 7th, 2012, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by symbolhunter

This episode gets quite different reactions from viewers. Lots of people thought Asylum of the Daleks was only average or marginally good and had some quite strong reasons for thinking so. I'm a big fan of Matt Smith and Stephen Moffat. So perhaps I tend to be biased in favour of the new season's first episode.

That admission made, I veey much enjoyed Asylum of the Daleks. {IMO}There are some amazing sequences in this very original entry. One that I really liked was the moment when Amy--entering the Dalek mindset and perception watches the figures in a room--including a pirouetting ballerina. She then returns to human perception and sees them as they really are. But does she? Which is the reality? Is reality configured entirely by perception?

Another feature of the episode is the constant focussing on questions, answers, and memory. I really admired the way in which the visuals foreshadowed crucial moments in the plot. Above all, Moffat brilliantly prepares us for the wonderful final twist. And when I say that, of course it isn't just that Oswin is a Dalek--though Moffat really does play fair with the viewer and a great deal of the pleasure of the episode comes from watching how he does this--it is the way the entire thematic use of questions, answers, reality and perception comes to a brilliant climax with her question to us . . . Remember . . . ?

I ran across this link to a great minisode prequel to Asylum of the Daleks. Explains why we see the doc on Skaro in the first place….

http://www.kasterborous.com/2012/09/...aleks-prequel/

More of a trailer than a prequel, still it wa pretty neat.

**Hobbit** · September 8th, 2012, 04:32 PM

Much happier with that one, though rather bonkers, and in no way to be seen as serious.

Kids will be in arms about

Spoiler:

the death of the triceratops

, though, weirdly, at the same time Pond and the hunter are attempting genocide of another sort - but it is only tranquilizers, kids, so that's OK...

Not new ideas but a lot going on.

And some misfires: camp robots (for the kids), some dodgy dialogue.

Must have been a slow day at the Harry Potter casting agency....

but I quite liked the support (with the exception of the Peep Show bickering robots...)

8/10

**JunkMonkey** · September 8th, 2012, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Hobbit

8/10

Which is about twice what I would have given it. I don't think I'd bother If it wasn't for my kids' insistence that I watch it with them and the fact that the BBC (quite wisely) pander to the middle-aged men in the audience by stuffing the screen* full of ethnically diverse female crumpet. Tonight we had La Pond (wide angle lenses not good for Karen G), Queen Nefertitti, in a low cut booby lifting dress** and a rather yummy Indian woman in uniform.

* Or at least those few spaces not not occupied by Matt Smith's increasingly annoying buffoonery / I'll turn suddenly serious with a wee bitty dangerous frown / buffoonery act.

**I was very dubious about the dress' collar which from the back looked like a badly drawn together net curtain.

**Hobbit** · September 8th, 2012, 05:12 PM

It surprised me too, JM. My thinking was that it was better than the Daleks last week, and I gave that 6 1/2.

And better than most episodes I can think of of the Matt Smith series. There's still a lot wrong: but compared with the other episodes I've seen, better.

Compared with older episodes I've seen though: not in the same league. But I am trying to see it from the perspective of modern (younger) audiences...

M.

**Loerwyn** · September 9th, 2012, 05:32 AM

There were some funny little moments in it ("What kind of man doesn't carry a trowel?"), and some grating moments ("I don't take orders from a woman" - but you do from an eccentric alien? You hardly looked like you were taking charge, too. Oh, and then the willy joke later on...). Good to see The Late Lord Walder Frey/the Gardener in this, though. He could probably out-act everyone put together. Thought the robots were okay but probably better suited to a comedy series like H2G2, Red Dwarf or something. Their tone didn't quite fit in this episode, but they were no worse than other things that have happened.

And... those robots? Stormtrooper syndrome or what? And the resolution (R.E. the piloting) towards the end was just so forced that it was unbelievable.

But Amy's pronunciation? Si-LOO-rians? I thought it was Si-LUR-ians. She looked okay on that lens, not sure what JM meant (still uber-jealous of her).

Gotta say I'm siding with JM on this one, though. Smith's acting is just *censored* this series.

I'd go between Hobbit and JM and say it's probably a 6/7 out of 10. It wasn't particularly terrible but it wasn't hugely great.

**Chuffalump** · September 9th, 2012, 06:38 AM

I thought it was far, far better than the first one. No. 1 felt like a disorganised mess and I guessed that Oswin wasn't what she seemed five minutes after her first appearance. No. 2 started out a bit of a mess with the rapid gathering of Nerfetiti and what'shisface the Quatermain character. After that, I enjoyed it all (ok, ok, apart from the robot squabbling).

I thought the humour was pretty good and I've always liked Matt Smith's Dr Who who reminds me of the lighter hearted original doctors. Amy Pond is delectable...... if they could just get her into a Leela costume........

**Inconnu** · September 9th, 2012, 08:58 PM

The show looks better than it ever has....but the plots are terrible. I've watched since the Pertwee years. And some of them were really bad.

There was so much wrong with the Asylum episode and then we get dinosaurs, and the Doctor is amazed..WHY??!?! Has Moffat forgotten the Doctor has a time machine and can go look at dinosaurs when ever the he!! he feels like?

Spoiler:

I watch this show with my nephews (11,14) and they really liked Eccleston (dvds)((they were shocked when he regenerated!), hated Tennant more as the series went on and then loved Smith, but haven't like either of these first two episodes. They both thought the triceratops would get hurt or killed and weren't surprised.

And is it me or is Karen Gillan mailing it in? She looked completely disinterested in the Asylum and little better in the dinosaurs.

**JunkMonkey** · September 10th, 2012, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by Inconnu

And is it me or is Karen Gillan mailing it in? She looked completely disinterested in the Asylum and little better in the dinosaurs.

She wasn't exactly given a lot to do though was she? Apart from the "I can't have kids I had to give you up!" moment in the first episode it's all been a bit "Yes, doctor", "No doctor".