Doctor Who season eight

[Bad Wolf]

Regarding the Cybermen... why is it that they need the skeletons, again? Why take the useless part of the body and use that exclusively? Why not just build them robotic and upload the consciousness there? It's not like there's anything particularly unique about human skeletons that they need.

The methods the cybermen use to convert humans seems to vary. The first time we see them in the reeboot in that parallel universe, I think they just took the brain out and put it inside the suit.

And then in that torchwood episode with the half converted cyberwoman, they said that the cybermen started converting entire bodies in the doomsday episode because it was quicker when they were fighting the daleks.

Basically, the way they convert humans depends on the storyline and what makes sense.

[Aractus]

Regarding the Cybermen... why is it that they need the skeletons, again? Why take the useless part of the body and use that exclusively? Why not just build them robotic and upload the consciousness there? It's not like there's anything particularly unique about human skeletons that they need.

Yep that's exactly what I was thinking. They only need the brain, the vital organs, and some muscles they don't need the skeleton at all! And yet we don't see any of these organs!!

---

WARNING: Spoilers

When they revealed who Missy was, I completely bought out of the episode. It could have been so many things, any number of Time Lords/Ladies, and yet they decided to bring back the most boring one. That's not a slight on the classic Masters, just the John Simm one and where we left off with him. There really wasn't anywhere else to take that, and I just know we're not going to get any explanation about what happened to him after last time.

I also have to agree here as well. I was hoping Missy's character would be more interesting - since we only saw her collecting peopled the Doctor failed to save, but then it turns out that actually that was purely incidental to her motives. Also, I had an inkling weeks ago that it would be some form of computer program back when I wrote this:

Whether they are actually saved by Missy or whether they're just computer programs (as in the "echoes" in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead) and whether she is or is related to River is yet to be seen, however I have a very strong feeling that Clara will "die" and be collected by Missy at the end of the season. I have a strong feeling the story arc will be dismally disappointing, Clara's already died enough times as it!

And as we can see it is just a computer program; although I liked the possibility of saving people the Doctor didn't and where that story could have gone. I didn't seriously think she would be River because I think her character's done now, but it would have been nice if she was going along saving people the Doctor left behind for dead!

The "don't cremate me" nonsense was so poorly done! Yes, that line does explain how the institutes got set up - by convincing investors that the dead needed to be put into nice cosy crypts instead of being burned or buried - but seriously at least make the scene better!! I did however like how Missy read W3's mission statement or company slogan or whatever you want to call it - that was well written.

Also, I don't buy how there's so much space in these open walk-in crypts set up by W3. As if you don't have corridors with the crypts facing each other! And as if they need to be so wide - to utilise space better they'd be much more narrow, but people will still be able to see their deceased relatives. Also, why is there no flowers and nowhere for the family members to put the flowers? Normally in crypts there are concrete vases etc to hold the flowers, there's none of that in this episode - again the attention to detail is lacking.

[ManMachine]

Missy-Mistress-Master!

Really? FFS

MM

[Cyberman]

I've not seen it yet, but the spoilers haven't really spoiled very much anyway. How disappointing. A perfect opportunity to resurrect the Rani wasted.

Unless there's a deeper double bluff thing going on. Which, this being lowest common denominator television, there probably isn't.

[Well Rounded Rectangle]

I like the old guy.
The latest face like a doll has started to bother me.
I love him, I love him I've known him three weeks.
I don't care if all falls, I just want to see him again.

[Aractus]

To be honest I hope the BBC cancels season 9 for next year and only comes back to it when a new and fresh team is ready to take the show in a better direction.

You know what else makes absolutely no sense in the context of the episode? Missy saying to Doctor Who and Clara "hello how may I assist you with your death".

[Cyberman]

Now I've seen it, with the foreknowledge of the spoilers, I could appreciate more of what was going on. That line actually struck me as something the Master might say, given that s/he was in disguise and baiting the Doctor at that point. So it gets a pass from me. The Cybermen were a bit more troublesome though. I didn't mind the whole skeleton thing, if we assume that these are newly 'upgraded' from the recently deceased and sort of retooled for the purpose. I know it doesn't make sense in the context of their redesign, which is a continuity error of sorts, but I could see how it fitted in with the Hallowe'en broadcast slot if that's what they were going for. I just want to know how they were able to manufacture a Cyber army right in the middle of London. Maybe it all happened somewhere else and they were transported there? Did the Mistress née Master get his TARDIS back and use that? How did he manage to escape from Gallifrey anyway, and does his new appearance have anything to do with it?

One thing that struck me was that if only organic matter is visible in this dark water, does that mean the the Cybermen's chairs were also organic? Why were their skeletal arses so obviously in ciontact with them, given they were encased in Cyberarmour?

I was intrigued by the whole Danny Pink storyline and I'm actually looking forward to seeing how it all ties together. That little boy is probably the key.

I hope they don't pull an RTD and throw everything out of the window in the final instalment, Dick Barton-style (and with one bound he was free!). For example, Danny downloads himself into a Cyberman and uses his soldier skills to destroy all the bad guys, while the Doctor (or more likely Clara) waggles the Sonic Screwdriver at Missy and Magic Happens. If so, I'll probably put my TARDIS through the telly and send UNIT the bill (thanks, Viz).

[Bad Wolf]

The chairs they were sitting on were made of wood.

[Aractus]

The chairs they were sitting on were made of wood.

Ah yes, but Dr. Cheng puts his arm in and his suit and shirt are not visible?

[ManMachine]

Now I've seen it, with the foreknowledge of the spoilers, I could appreciate more of what was going on. That line actually struck me as something the Master might say, given that s/he was in disguise and baiting the Doctor at that point. So it gets a pass from me. The Cybermen were a bit more troublesome though. I didn't mind the whole skeleton thing, if we assume that these are newly 'upgraded' from the recently deceased and sort of retooled for the purpose. I know it doesn't make sense in the context of their redesign, which is a continuity error of sorts, but I could see how it fitted in with the Hallowe'en broadcast slot if that's what they were going for. I just want to know how they were able to manufacture a Cyber army right in the middle of London. Maybe it all happened somewhere else and they were transported there? Did the Mistress née Master get his TARDIS back and use that? How did he manage to escape from Gallifrey anyway, and does his new appearance have anything to do with it?

One thing that struck me was that if only organic matter is visible in this dark water, does that mean the the Cybermen's chairs were also organic? Why were their skeletal arses so obviously in ciontact with them, given they were encased in Cyberarmour?

I was intrigued by the whole Danny Pink storyline and I'm actually looking forward to seeing how it all ties together. That little boy is probably the key.

I hope they don't pull an RTD and throw everything out of the window in the final instalment, Dick Barton-style (and with one bound he was free!). For example, Danny downloads himself into a Cyberman and uses his soldier skills to destroy all the bad guys, while the Doctor (or more likely Clara) waggles the Sonic Screwdriver at Missy and Magic Happens. If so, I'll probably put my TARDIS through the telly and send UNIT the bill (thanks, Viz).

I'm becoming more and more despondent as time passes.

Firstly, they over-hype David Tenant who is at best a lightweight actor with a leaning for comedy (his Hamlet came across as desperately inadequate up against Patrick Stewart), but he got great scripts.

Then they hire Matt Smith, who was one of the best actors I've seen in the role, and give him poor scripts that got worse and worse as the series progressed.

Now we have another mediocre comedy lightweight and to add insult to injury, with poor scripts, it simply can't get any worse unless they change Clara for Cheryl 'face-like-a-smacked-arse' Tweedy/Cole/Tweedy.

Uuuuugh!

MM