"The Return of Doctor Mysterio", redux

[shivver]

I just wanted to post what my husband said about the episode last night as we were talking about it.

"The more I think about it, the more I think it was a great episode. This probably isn't the best recommendation, but I didn't get angry once through the whole thing! That hasn't happened for two seasons now. This might have been the best episode since Capaldi started. Yeah, I know, Mummy was great, but even with that, oooo, Clara just completely ruined it. Thinking about it still makes me mad now. It could be that this episode was wonderful simply because for the first time, she wasn't there, but I don't think that's the only thing. The Doctor was fantastic. Maybe one of Capaldi's best performances. And that guy, Nardole? He was great! You know, with the new season, we're going to have to go through all of the teaching the companion about the universe, but this guy, he already knows the Doctor and worked with him perfectly. That one line, where he goes, "Oh, that smile! I don't like that smile!" He knows what that smile means. Yeah, the romance plot, that was pretty meh, but the superhero part was fine. Oh, but the Doctor was awesome and it just made the episode. And that Clara wasn't there making it all about her. But the Doctor!"

Comments

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

This probably isn't the best recommendation, but I didn't get angry once through the whole thing!
Well, that does say something ;)

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

Sadly, yes, that's very telling. I think there were two episodes throughout series 8 and 9 during which my husband did not either pause the playback to rant or ragequit and leave the room.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

*Covers eyes because Spoilers*

*Drive-by Squishes*

[bas_math_girl]

I need to rewatch this episode (with the sound on this time) but I totally agree about Matt Lucas and this observation:
Clara wasn't there making it all about her
Dunno about you but I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

I didn't like the episode nearly as much as my husband did (as I wrote in my previous post about it), but I did, when the opening credits rolled, point at them and squeal, "Look! No Jenna Coleman after Capaldi!"

[hezikiah.livejournal.com]

I finally just had a chance to watch it this evening. I thought it was really great and liked that we had a new villain (I'm always a fan of new baddies). Considering that we didn't have any Doctor Who this year, I do like that there were lots of references to the last Christmas special and it's a continuation of what happened after River and the Doctor's last date. Nardole cracked me up, especially that costume from 12th century China! I love that he was flying the TARDIS and snapping at the Doctor not to touch things. Clearly there's some kind of trust there if the Doctor's letting him touch his baby. Nardole's supposed to be in some of the Season 10 episodes with Bill and I'm really looking forward to this season now. Bill looks like a fun companion, but I was feeling a bit ambivalent towards the upcoming season. The Christmas Special has given me some hope that we'll see some good ol' shenanigans again instead of DRAMA DRAMA CLARA DRAMA ME DRAMA DRAMA ANGST ANGST DINER TARDIS GALLIFREY ANGST DRAMA. Ugh.

[dtstrainers.livejournal.com]

Yep. I want to make this perfectly clear- I adore Capaldi. He's part of my triumvirate of perfect Scottish Doctors and, as far as I'm concerned, he can do no wrong.

Having said that, Clara was my all-time least favorite companion, and even though Moffat tried to give her an overly dramatic tearjerker exit, I shed not one tear at her demise. I won't go as far as saying I was happy she died, because as a Moffat avatar, of course he would give her immortality and a way to come back, but I sincerely hope no one is ever tempted to reference her or, Rassilon forbid, bring her back.

I am serious about Clara being an avatar for Moffat, since I believe his arrogance overshadowed his considerable talents during his time as showrunner. His constant need for validation as the supposed savior of Who irritates me to no end since it was really all down to RTD. Moffat took the reins of a show that was poised to explode and the BBC finally put some money into the sets, effects and, most importantly, into promoting the program.

To give him his due credit, Moffat writes the most heart-rendingly gorgeous dialog ever heard, on Who or anywhere else. Some of my favorite episodes were directly written by him. His talent is undeniable but his hubris and his pathological need to make DW all about him made Clara's arrogance inevitable. She wasn't 'born to save the Doctor'. She was born so Moffat could retcon the entirety of Doctor Who history, putting his character there from the very beginning and making himself the Boy who Saved the Doctor. It's only now, at the end of his tenure, that he's let go of that in Clara's absence and written an episode that reflects his talents.

Here endeth the rant.