Doctor Who

That's great news about John Hurt. I hope he stays well.

I feel like the whole "Clara is turning more Doctor-like" plot needs a way better payoff than what we've gotten up to this point. Like, apparently her big moment was supposed to be in Death in Heaven when she pretends to be the Doctor, but that was actually just a deeply clumsy and irrelevant moment to the larger plot. And at the end of the episode still amounts to the Doctor essentially "protecting" her from crossing some sort of line.

Which is why it's doubly disappointing that S9 to date has consigned her to "stand around and say Clara-ish lines". And like, Moffat and Whithouse have given her some pretty good Clara moments, and Coleman delivers them predictably well. But it doesn't feel like the character is being pushed anymore

It's been four episodes. Two, if you count the fact that they are both two-parters. I think, perhaps, you will have to wait until the end of the season for the actual payoff.

The entire trope of a happy Slave Race has always bugged me. I don't get how people add it to their stories without realizing the Unfortunate Implications. I'm not going to accuse the writers of advocating anything, but its sorta one of the tropes that have rather obvious issues.

As for Clara's role in this season, I agree with alliterator. We aren't that far in. Give it time. We do need a good payoff to "Dr. Clara" and Clara's addiction to traveling, though. Hopefully one that is sad.

edited 16th Oct '15 7:30:27 AM by SilentColossus

I think the intention behind the Tivolians is Douglas Adams-esque absurbist humour. Like, an entire race of subs who love being oppressed. "Oppress me more, master! Take away my right to vote! That'll show me!"

Mind you, I don't think its a particularly successful or funny attempt at Adams-esque absurdist humour but I think that's the intention?

I mean, Earth is constantly invaded too but the Doctor takes the time to help us. You'd think he'd do the same for the them. The Fridge Horror that the Doctor is a massive racist ruins the joke somewhat.

I just had the image of the Doctor trying to stop an invasion and a Tivolian swatting him with a newspaper.

Hm.

My guess is the Tivolians would just kill him in order to appease a powerful invader.

Death By A Thousand Swats

I can see a logic behind them, if you are known to be willing slaves, the people who invade you will see no reason to kill you. If they live in a war torn part if the universe, then they alone wouldn't need to have soldiers.

The problem is, Toby doesn't write them with much respect. Characterising them as comidic cowards or loony fetishists robs the topic of its potential to be taken seriously.

If we spent any amount of time actually looking how different people of the race react to the status quo of eternal Les Corrabitors, it would be interesting, but for now it's just really uncomfortable.

Happy Slaves.

I want the Tivolians to get a "Planet of the Ood"esque episode that reveals that their planet is actually an alternate version of Earth from a universe that didn't have the Doctor around to save it.

This could actually be a part of the finding-Gallifrey arc thing but I don't think the writers are as clever as I am to think of it.

...Huh.

Zarek confirmed to be a writer with more interesting ideas than Whithouse.

I...will try to take this as a compliment.

One day I hope to also reach such a peak.

Well, lots of writers probably have more interesting ideas than the writers who actually get published.

It's just a matter of letting people know it.

I propose we lure Toby Whithouse away with Chocolate and replace him with Zarek.

It's the only logical thing to do.

edited 16th Oct '15 1:07:12 PM by HandsomeRob

I wanted to cybermeme you but you already said logic so.

Alternatively, we could always turn Whithouse into a flea, a harmless little flea, and then we could put that flea in a box, and then we could also put that box inside of another box, and then we could mail that box to ourselves, and when it arrived, we could SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!

...Then again, the chocolate idea sounds good too.

I don't want to kill nobody man.

Who'd clean it up?

I also have a greater level of elegance than a Dalek.

I mean. That's not hard.

Platypi are more elegant than a dalek.

Platypuses? Those things that look like a duck and a beaver performed a fusion dance.

Hey, that ballerina Dalek was pretty elegant.

...Come again?

Asylum Of The Daleks.

There was a little ballerina girl who was actually a Dalek twirling around in the Asylum.

Ah.

If Twirling required elegance, all Daleks would be masters of style and grace now wouldn't they?