New Who Review the Monk Trilogy
Jun. 5th, 2017 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puppetmakerI am talking about the past three episodes of Doctor Who being “Extremis”, “The Pyramid at the end of the world” and “The Lie of the Land” since they are really one story told over three weeks.
Now it is going to be very hard to not spoil things if you haven’t seen these episodes or have only seen the first because they do tie into each other so tightly. And if you haven’t seen Oxygen, then close this window and don’t come back until you are all caught up please. I really want this to unfold for you the way it unfolded for me.
Over all this season is making me even sadder that this is Capaldi’s last hurrah as the Doctor. Now I come to find out that Michelle Gomez is bowing out as Missy, which pains me to my core especially with the banter in “the Lie of the Land.” Pearl Mackie just keeps impressing me more each week. She can do so much with so little and has put Bill among my favorite companions. It is really going to suck if she leaves as well. I am figuring that Nardole is this season only. Matt Lucas has brought so much to the table and every off hand comment makes me so want to know more about Nardole who has gone from comic relief to interstellar bad-ass in 10 episodes (the 8 we have seen and the two Christmas episodes.)
The new threat to the human race is the Monks, which have a weird set of rules that they follow. I have to give Moffat credit for creating an alien race that wants to conquer Earth in a different method than any other alien race has done so far. In many ways it was even scarier than the usual war-like invasion especially with the current political situation here in the US.
This is probably one of the best cautionary tales of social media and gaming I have seen so far. I am never going to be able to play a first person shooter the same way again much less Mario Cart.
Extremis
OK so the Doctor is blind and Nardole can understand why he is keeping this from his enemies but why not tell Bill? Then Nardole shows such insight because then it would be real. The Doctor can just shrug this off but if Bill knows then he will have to deal with it.
Then there is Nardole’s speech to Bill about how he is the only person who is authorized to kick the Doctor’s ass. My appreciation of Nardole just grew and grew.
The framework with Missy and the Doctor worked for me. We all knew who was in the box, it was just nice to see that we were correct. And everyone running when the Doctor’s body count was revealed was a nice touch.
And I called it. The sonic sunglasses were going to play a role again as the Doctor used them to ‘see’ like Daredevil.
I didn’t mind the reveal that it was all a simulation because it was based on what the monks know of the real world. And what they learned in there is used to save the planet by the information getting to the Doctor in time.
But again I am never looking at video games the same way.
The Pyramid at the End of the World
Clever title number 2 in the trilogy.
This pointed out something that I have been saying for years. We are not going to go out with a nuclear blast but rather something biologic. Something is a lab is going to escape and that’s it.
I loved that Erika was a scientist with a sense of humor. Her height had nothing to do with the character at all and we need more of that in film and television.
The Doctor thinks he is so clever until he discovers he’s not. Yes, there were half a dozen ways to solve the problem including cell phone photo but I am putting it down to panic.
Bill sacrificing for the Doctor out of love for him was touching. I really like the relationship between the two of them and how it has grown. And she was right to yell at him. If he has JUST TOLD HER then they wouldn’t have found themselves in that situation.
But they do and this leads to the 3rd part
The Lie of the Land
Clever title #3.
The opening was creepy as creepy could be. When the Doctor gave that insane smile at the end, Caroline and I had the same reaction where we both shuttered.
That some people still remembered a time before the Monks was a nice touch proving how resilient that human mind can be.
The Doctor can be a real bastard at times. I know he had to test Bill but that went a bit far even for him.
Love Missy! Love Missy! Love the idea of her really trying to reform. The commentary on what is good is some great writing and acting on everyone’s parts.
I want more adventures with the Doctor and Missy! Big Finish, don’t disappoint me.
Bill as the lynchpin that first condemned and then saved the world worked for me. She is willing to make the sacrifice to repair what she did to save the Doctor.
I liked the character development over all and I thought it was a well-told cautionary tale.
Looking forward to the Ice Warriors.
Now it is going to be very hard to not spoil things if you haven’t seen these episodes or have only seen the first because they do tie into each other so tightly. And if you haven’t seen Oxygen, then close this window and don’t come back until you are all caught up please. I really want this to unfold for you the way it unfolded for me.
Over all this season is making me even sadder that this is Capaldi’s last hurrah as the Doctor. Now I come to find out that Michelle Gomez is bowing out as Missy, which pains me to my core especially with the banter in “the Lie of the Land.” Pearl Mackie just keeps impressing me more each week. She can do so much with so little and has put Bill among my favorite companions. It is really going to suck if she leaves as well. I am figuring that Nardole is this season only. Matt Lucas has brought so much to the table and every off hand comment makes me so want to know more about Nardole who has gone from comic relief to interstellar bad-ass in 10 episodes (the 8 we have seen and the two Christmas episodes.)
The new threat to the human race is the Monks, which have a weird set of rules that they follow. I have to give Moffat credit for creating an alien race that wants to conquer Earth in a different method than any other alien race has done so far. In many ways it was even scarier than the usual war-like invasion especially with the current political situation here in the US.
This is probably one of the best cautionary tales of social media and gaming I have seen so far. I am never going to be able to play a first person shooter the same way again much less Mario Cart.
Extremis
OK so the Doctor is blind and Nardole can understand why he is keeping this from his enemies but why not tell Bill? Then Nardole shows such insight because then it would be real. The Doctor can just shrug this off but if Bill knows then he will have to deal with it.
Then there is Nardole’s speech to Bill about how he is the only person who is authorized to kick the Doctor’s ass. My appreciation of Nardole just grew and grew.
The framework with Missy and the Doctor worked for me. We all knew who was in the box, it was just nice to see that we were correct. And everyone running when the Doctor’s body count was revealed was a nice touch.
And I called it. The sonic sunglasses were going to play a role again as the Doctor used them to ‘see’ like Daredevil.
I didn’t mind the reveal that it was all a simulation because it was based on what the monks know of the real world. And what they learned in there is used to save the planet by the information getting to the Doctor in time.
But again I am never looking at video games the same way.
The Pyramid at the End of the World
Clever title number 2 in the trilogy.
This pointed out something that I have been saying for years. We are not going to go out with a nuclear blast but rather something biologic. Something is a lab is going to escape and that’s it.
I loved that Erika was a scientist with a sense of humor. Her height had nothing to do with the character at all and we need more of that in film and television.
The Doctor thinks he is so clever until he discovers he’s not. Yes, there were half a dozen ways to solve the problem including cell phone photo but I am putting it down to panic.
Bill sacrificing for the Doctor out of love for him was touching. I really like the relationship between the two of them and how it has grown. And she was right to yell at him. If he has JUST TOLD HER then they wouldn’t have found themselves in that situation.
But they do and this leads to the 3rd part
The Lie of the Land
Clever title #3.
The opening was creepy as creepy could be. When the Doctor gave that insane smile at the end, Caroline and I had the same reaction where we both shuttered.
That some people still remembered a time before the Monks was a nice touch proving how resilient that human mind can be.
The Doctor can be a real bastard at times. I know he had to test Bill but that went a bit far even for him.
Love Missy! Love Missy! Love the idea of her really trying to reform. The commentary on what is good is some great writing and acting on everyone’s parts.
I want more adventures with the Doctor and Missy! Big Finish, don’t disappoint me.
Bill as the lynchpin that first condemned and then saved the world worked for me. She is willing to make the sacrifice to repair what she did to save the Doctor.
I liked the character development over all and I thought it was a well-told cautionary tale.
Looking forward to the Ice Warriors.
