Review: Death in Heaven

The final episode of Series 8 of Doctor Who aired last Saturday, just before Remembrance Sunday. Whilst the two are not comparable, there was a distinctly valedictory mood to the episode, with farewells, saluting soldiers and sacrifices leaving this the most bittersweet of Moffat's finales.
We were promised dark, and this was pitch black in places. Rather than analysing the episode in its entirety, I'm going to pick out those threads which will have people talking until Christmas.

1) Dan, Dan the Cyberman

(Yes, okay, a poor pun. But this post isn't going to be heavy on fun and giggles, so I've got to squeeze them in where I can.) As soon as we saw the Delete option on the iPad handed to Danny in the Nethersphere last week, we had a suspicion Cyber-conversion was on the cards for Pink. I admit I was worried. Not that he would get turned into a Cyberman, but that they would change him, then cop out.

It's even a meme. A MEME. 

 Death has become a rather blasé concept in Doctor Who; remember the shock when we first saw Captain Jack exterminated in The Parting of the Ways? Messing with Daleks had consequences. Then he was brought back to life, but there was a cost. Immortality was not a get out of jail free card, but a burden. The Doctor died saving Rose, and he regenerated. Fantastic, that's what Timelords do! Rose 'dies' in this universe, but that's because she's relocated to a parallel one. Okay good, I didn't want her to die. The Master dies...but he'll be coming back because that's just his thang. River Song dies, and we're only just getting to know her...what a story there is to be told here. The Master comes back and probably dies again. Amy's parents are probably dead. Oh but they're not now. Rory's dead! Now he never existed! Now he's plastic! Now Amy's dead! Oh no she's not, they put her in a magic box (why aren't the Alliance patenting the Pandorica and selling it around the galaxy as the ultimate immortality device?). Now the Doctor's dead. And he's not. Rory, Rory, Oswin,  Rory, Amy, Rory, Clara...when even your own characters joke about dying again, you know death has stopped being a threat.
When death becomes familiar and it loses its permanence then it becomes rather weak as a device. Moffat has finally realised this, and, being the Evil All Powerful Show Runner Overlord that Tumblr thinks he is, he asks the question HOW FAR CAN WE GO? The answer seems to be, pretty darn far, for a beloved, primetime family show.

Bleak is not the word.

The idea of everyone in their graves being turned in Cybermen (presumably every character we've known and loved...what happened to Jack if he was killed during this period??) is extremely disturbing, but Doctor Who doesn't just show Cybermen rising from graves. Oh no. It goes the whole hog and shows us the horrific, corpse-like face of Danny pulled tight into the Cyber suit. Every time there was a close up I cringed and all but hid my face. Was this too far? Narratively, not at all. However, it's interesting to consider how much this was 'okay' because we didn't know Danny that well. Can you imagine if we'd seen Rory like this? Or Mickey? Or Clara even? It would have been beyond shocking. It would have been bordering on traumatising. Perhaps Danny has been deliberately kept at a distance throughout this series, in order for this to hit just the right note.

Danny's meaningless death in front of a car is, from the point of view of Clara's narrative arc, far more satisfying. Hear me out. Clara has been learning the reality of travelling the Doctor throughout this series. In amidst the moons and monsters are the dark parts of being the Doctor; the lies, the impossible choices, discovering the things you never wanted to know about yourself. Clara's reaction to Danny's cruelly mundane death was perfect, sadly realistic. It encapsulated the sense of emptiness one feels about the death of a loved one, with a companion's sense of disappointment that this death was pointless, and somehow less real because there was no great act involved. This fits perfectly with Clara's story as we see her becoming someone who would struggle to honestly answer the question, 'am I a good person?'. This would be the ultimate marker of her trajectory from someone who judges the Doctor to perhaps someone who sees that 'good' is a lot more subjective from the other side.

 But not for Doctor Who. Although this a show that has always dealt with the dark, it always brings  torch along to brighten the way forward. Here it is important Danny Pink is given the opportunity for noble sacrifice twice after his original 'death'. We finally see the soldier and the school teacher as one man as he uses his suffering to do the 'right' thing, and uses his ticket out of death for redemption instead. For the first time we see the similarities between the Doctor and Danny, and perhaps why Clara loves them both.

 2) This Girl is On Fire

The Master is a fun but difficult character to work with. S/he is both mad and evil, needing to be both funny and scary. The Master is supposedly as intelligent as the Doctor, and yet must be foiled each time. This is a difficult balancing act to perform, and therefore there is a tendency to shy away from including the Master in episodes. John Simm did a excellent job as the Master, even when given some slightly preposterous things to work with (remember CGI Gollum-Doctor in cage?), making us believe this is a man who could hug you or stab you in back, and would probably do both at the same time, whilst singing something by the Scissor Sisters.

With this being the only Master experienced by most of the current audience, and the moustache-twirling of the classic series unlikely to cut the mustard today, there was a lot of pressure on Steven Moffat and Michelle Gomez to make Missy distinctly the same character yet fresh and compelling. Say something nice? Oh go on then. I think they did a rather excellent job. I wouldn't have minded seeing some more of Missy during Death in Heaven, but considering everything they packed into the episode, this would have been a tall order. Everything we saw was exceptionally good stuff however.

Missy was by turns disarmingly charming and then psychopathically callous, she knew how to use a situation to her advantage, could exploit the Doctor's weaknesses and could see just how to rub salt in his wounds. I liked that her 'master plan' was all just a way of making the Doctor feel bad about himself. It's just the sort of monumentally petty thing that a best friend turned nemesis would do. Especially if they were insane. There's always a sense that underlying the Master's stupidly complex plans, s/he is almost just doing it to get the Doctor's attention, like the silly things people to do to make a crush notice them. On that note, I'm glad they steered away from the whole 'the Master is a woman and therefore must fancy the Doctor' danger. The kiss last episode was completely excusable as there has always been a frisson of obsessive competitiveness and desire for ownership in the Master's relationship with the Doctor. This episode played this card well; instead of flirting, there was only the pathetically sincere sounding request for him to see how similar they really are.

No homo-erotic subtext between the Master and the Doctor? HAHAHAHA.

This is a good time to also bring out a defence of Steven Moffat writing (not a complete defence, he has PLENTY of faults, but doesn't everyone). One of the most frequent criticisms of Moffat's tenure is that he has a cardboard cut out 'feisty, flirty' template that he brings out for each female character. This episode is a good example of the opposite; Missy is an excellent character in her own right, rather than hinging on her gender, Clara is a flawed person trying and struggling to do the 'right' thing, and ultimately choosing to lie, Kate Stewart is brisk, brusque and efficient, yet it's evident she has a heart behind her practicality. Osgood, a blatant representation of the fandom, is smart, unashamedly geeky and sweetly naive (She's grown on me. Now she's dead.). These female characters are certainly not interchangeable, and I'm glad that Moffat has decided to show us that he realises that strong women aren't automatically perfect. Osgood's gone (she was the sacrifice for raising the stakes), Kate will no doubt be back, and so will Missy. Of course it was a teleport. If she's not, we riot.


3) Rule 1: The Doctor Lies

'Never trust a hug, it's just a way to hide your face.'

As I have said previously, I love the relationship between Clara and the Doctor. It is challenging, complex and moving. Companions and the Doctor don't need to be in love to love each other very much and do foolish things motivated by their tenderness. Clara lying to the Doctor, and him lying to  her, both believing it is for the greater good, is both very human and very Doctorish. The two have absorbed some of the traits of the other during their travels, and I think this works excellently. Clara is growing into a really compelling character and I don't want her to leave yet. She is confirmed to be in the Christmas special, yet as it's supposed to be about 'dreams and reality' I'm hoping that it's the actual Clara that is in it. I'd better put that on my christmas list. It was an effective, but bravely bittersweet ending to this series that we see both Clara and the Doctor putting on a brave face to protect the other, whilst we simultaneously the sad realities of their circumstances. These two really are lying to themselves if they think they can live without each other.


P.S. Santa Claus! Nick Frost as Santa Claus! Hoorah!
I'm hoping they really explore this further next series. Onward!


P.P.S. little game; you get kudos points if you can name the 4 wives of the Doctor that Clara mentioned.

Review: Dark Water

Doctor Who. There are only (realistically) two posts I can potentially make about Doctor Who until Christmas; now there's a spur to post if ever there was one. So...DARK WATER.

WARNING- SPOILERS.

Part one of the epic two part finale of Series 8, Dark Water, has certainly grabbed people's attention. Theories galore abounded as to the identity of the mysterious Missy (is she the Master?), Clara's relationship with the Doctor (is she the Master?) and the true nature of the references to 'paradise' (is the Master involved at all perhaps?).

Firstly, three things to love about this episode:

1) TWO PARTER

Two parters, I have missed you. We haven't had a good old fashioned cliffhanger since The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People in 2011. In some cases I feel episodes have been weakened by the attempt to cram too many story strands into 45 minutes, and finales in particular have suffered from this. Dark Water has room to breathe, with most of the episode being a set up for the next episode, Death in Heaven which appears to carry the weight of most of the action. This being said, there is enough meat in this episode; Danny's death, Clara's grief, the 'revelations' about the Nethersphere and white noise, the arrival of the Cybermen, Missy's reveal... Death in Heaven will need an hour to tie everything up, in addition to introducing UNIT.

2) CLARA

Wasn't Jenna Coleman FAN-TAS-TIC in this episode?! For so long I wanted to like Clara more than I actually did. At first she felt like a plot point mystery rather than a legitimate character, and then she flirted with the dangerous realms of the hatefully perfect. Now however she has some beautifully human flaws that we can actually get on board with. She lies. Oh, how she may criticise the Doctor but perhaps she should first look at the plank in her own eye. Her choice in boyfriends is iffy; Danny handsome but man is he controlling. Clara needs to respond to all this 'I know what's best for you' lark with 'Look, I know you want what's best for me, okay, but I can look after myself. I was a dalek once you know.' More importantly, we can see the truth of the previously self claimed control freak-ery.

Depicted: A better threat than most enemies manage with decades of  planning

The scene in which Clara threatens the Doctor is so brilliantly performed; you really believe in her grief, the spiteful pride that would rather see them both stranded than have to back down, and ultimately her guilt for her behaviour. Jenna Coleman proved she has the ability to really push Clara out of the average and into the phenomenal.  Let's hope she stays now that Clara is really developing as a character.

Her relationship with the Doctor is proving to be one of the most interesting and challenging in companion history. This is ultimately what most of us would become if we travelled with the Doctor; we'd feel like the world owed us something, and we'd be only be able to think the death of a loved one as 'boring' after the glut of things experienced after travelling in the TARDIS.  Capaldi's Doctor also teases us with a softer side to his character; his line "Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make any difference?" was both reassuring but characteristically direct. You can just imagine 10 looking at her with melting eyes, or 11 softening his voice and saying 'oh Clara, my Clara' as they said this. Capaldi's Doctor on the other hand genuinely expects her to know how he feels, rather than having to spell it out.

On a side note (literally): one of the post-its stuck to Clara's wall said '3 months'. Is she pregnant? This would fit with Orson Pink (Listen) but man, that is dark.


3) MISSY

Oh, Missy. Missy Missy Missy. We all thought we knew who you were. But surely, Missy = Mistress = Master was too obvious, but there it was, hidden in plain sight. And let's be honest, we would have been disappointed any other way.

No one will believe me, but when the topic of the casting of the 12th Doctor was on the horizon, there was much talk of the possibility of a female taking over the role. I was unsure, as I think it'd have to been written very specifically i.e. it NOT made a big thing out, for it work. I did however add a caveat; 'if I was writing for the show, I'd make the Master female. How great would that be!' When asked who I'd want to cast, I made a short list, including (I swear this is completely true), Michelle Gomez. Then lo and behold; Missy!

I've seen Michelle Gomez exercising her slightly scary comedic chops as Sue White in Green Wing.  I've also had the great privilege to see her on stage at the RSC as one of my all time favourite characters, Katherina Minola in The Taming of the Shrew. She's got a commanding presence, sass, comic timing and a strangely attractive allure. She is the ideal woman to be the Master. She doesn't feel like a gimmick, whereas say, casting a younger, more traditionally attractive woman, such as Alexandra Moen who played Lucy Saxon (the Master's wife in The Sound of Drums/Last of the Timelords) could have felt a little gratuitous, a 'sexing up' of the role. As it is, I feel completely sold on a female Master, she's fabulous. I'm looking forward to a bit of explanation as to which regeneration this is, and whether she has come from Gallifrey.

I'm also not adverse to a bit of lip-locking with the Doctor either. There has always been this love/hate relationship between the Doctor and the Master, and a lot of history between them. I am au fait with a touch of sexual tension, as long as it stays on the side of Master. I can't see Capaldi's Doctor getting into that.


Other thoughts:

What a start to the episode. I knew Danny was going to get run over as soon as Clara said 'I love you.' It was pretty much a death sentence considering the title of the next episode. On the other hand, it was a brilliant pre-credits sequence, and deftly directed.

I won't go into detail about the Cybermen, as I feel we'll be seeing more of them in the next episode, except to say: what an entrance. I saw it coming as soon as they said that the dark water only shows organic matter, but that didn't stop the thrill of seeing those skeletons rise out of the tanks as Cybermen. Although imagine if they'd been able to keep their inclusion secret...that would have been a terrific reveal.

The white noise...ah. Now this was somewhat problematic. I can't ignore the fact that if you have had a bereavement recently then the whole 'consciousness after death' concept is somewhat troubling. 'Don't cremate me' is EXTREMELY effective for adults in producing chills, but I hope that Death in Heaven proves that this isn't the 'actual' case as it were, in universe. Children in particular need reassuring; it'd be simple enough to say that it was propaganda by Missy in order to ensure there are plenty of bodies for her Cyber Army. I await how this progresses, and hope that they emphasise that this is NOT the definitive 'afterlife'. Perhaps even only one where they recruit ex-soldiers to become Cybermen?

Dark Water raises many questions, but fortunately it has you begging for answers, which I await impatiently within Death in Heaven.

The Best Laid Plans Of Mice and Men...

Okay, so last time you heard from me I was full of hope and enthusiasm for blogging. I promised it'd be regular, full of fascinating articles, even v-logs.  I pretty much promised I was going to run a marathon before I'd even made it up off the sofa. I think you know where this is going next.

I lied.

Rule #2 So does everyone else.

Or more accurately; I made bold, ambitious claims, and then fell into a deep lethargy and failed to deliver. It's a feeling I think many students can relate to, but I think it's now time to fight it. I'll be 21 very soon (then I'll be able to...er...adopt a child? Get a helicopter licence?), and I'm shockingly aware that many of my friends are graduating in a matter of months. That would have been me, had I stayed at Cardiff. They've got to think about full time jobs, private renting, mortgages or (most probably) going to live back at home in order to save up to do any of those things. I am faced with searching for some appropriate experience for my placement next year (not only is it difficult in its own right, but I'm surrounded by people doing AMAZING placements...sooo disheartening!), with an awareness of the emptiness of my CV.

So. So herein lies the crux of the issue. I did the most adult thing I've ever done. It may well be my coming of age. No, not drinking alcohol or voting, or renting, not living away from home, nor getting a part time job; I made a schedule for myself. Unprompted. I have a little plan, stuck to my wall, with little time squares shaded in, colour coded, which I am to stick to.

By the end of this year, I want to be able to say to myself, yes, I did yoga twice a week, I now have a nice chunky portfolio of spec scripts, I have a regularly updated blog (hopefully with some followers), I did all my uni work AND I didn't drown in a mountain of washing.

And so, the blog. That's the bit you're interested in. As you can see I've redecorated, and hopefully this, along with my plan, will be enough to ensure that each week, there will be a post for you to read. It'll be similar content to before, just more of it, more frequently.

Here's to November resolutions.

...Share Some Good Advice

2013 is over, 2014 is just beginning. (Just in case it escaped your notice.) Time for endings and new beginnings. This year I promise not to neglect this blog, but to give a fancy new frock, post lots and maybe even attract some readers (yes, I'm dreaming big). This is just a small, taster post; I'm taking it for a spin, you might say. My actual posts will consist of TV reviews (Sherlock: The Empty Hearse is first in line, naturally), monthly film reviews, topical discussions (e.g. The impact of violence in film and TV, Writer or Director? and Miranda Hart isn't funny: How a nation was dragged back into the 70s), guest posts, photographic interludes,  maybe even an occasional video log.

 As everyone has overdosed on indulgent, sugary treats over Christmas, I ask you to forgive me for this one indulgent, sickly-sweet post, and shall counterbalance it with the promise that my normal sour, bitter self will be present in every other post. Now, I could be really predictable and talk about New Year's Resolutions, but I'll spare you. Instead, I'll be really predictable and talk about Doctor Who.* This Christmas we lost Matt Smith (the 11th Doctor, stop arguing Tumblr.**) I'm the first to say I'm going to miss him, even as I look forward to Capaldi's Doctor with great anticipation. There was a beautiful speech given just before the regeneration, which was rather deep for a Doctor who (haha) wears silly hats and eats fish fingers with custard...and it made me think. Last year was, overall, one of the strangest and hardest years of my life. There was bereavement, displacement, loneliness, birth, friendship, fun...I spent half the time trapped in one place, then began a new life in another; finding new ideas about life, work, culture, university, growing up... Two beautiful new baby cousins, my first ever, the loss of my wonderfully eccentric grandad... I feel like I've changed a lot since this time last year. Sometimes I don't whether that is good or bad. And well, here was this Doctor, my hero, talking about change.

*brushes away a tear*

Isn't that beautiful? And it's so right. Change is about moving forward, but looking back occasionally to see how far you've come. I realise this is quite soppy, but trust me, it's things like that which sometimes just keep me moving forward. So, hello 2014... I'm going to keep on moving, keep on posting and embrace every opportunity. 2014, be good to me and I'll give you a big hug.
Just like this:

The hills are allllliivvvveeee with the sound of musiccccccc!

See you soon everyone...normal service shall resume very very soon!

*Cue cheering. Bring out the fezes. Can any moaners please be escorted from the building. WHOVIANS UNITE!
**11th Doctor, 12th regeneration, body 12:
Hartnell 1st Doc No regen (born) 1st body
Troughton 2nd Doc 1st regen 2nd body
Pertwee 3rd Doc 2nd regen 3rd body
Baker 4th Doc 3rd regen  4th body
Davison 5th Doc 4th regen 5th body
Baker 6th Doc 5th regen 6th body
McCoy 7th Doc 6th regen 7th body
McGann 8th Doc 7th regen 8th body
Hurt War 8th regen 9th body
Eccleston 9th Doc 9th regen 10th body
Tennant 10th Doc 10th regen 11th body
Tennant x2 Metacrisis Doc 11th regen (energy used) 11th body
Smith 11th Doc 12th regen 12th body

That took a ridiculously long time to type out, so it best be appreciated.