Series 7b Episode 5 - Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS - Review

This episode has been one of the the most anticipated episode of the new series. The title is enough alone to make any fans knees tremble with excitement. I think the episode lives up to excitement even if the ending was a little bit of a let down but I'll get to that later. We get to see plenty of glimpses of rooms such as the swimming pool and the library. I loved the design of the new areas even if some areas such of the library were just like any library. But I quite liked that as it felt like a nod to The Invasion of Time. The Architectural Reconfiguration System was a fantastic idea as I had always wondered how the TARDIS created new rooms just like that and this helped to explain that. It also gave the good feature of being able to twist corridors around and create a labyrinth.

Like last week the show had a really small cast but this gave Matt and Jenna time to shine. There relationship was pushed to the max and this really brought out the best in the both of them. The scene of them just outside the engine room really showed how good these 2 are together. The guest cast were OK but not really that great. They were very forgettable if I am honest.
The episode was action packed from the beginning and I did like how the end linked in with the first scene on the TARDIS in the episode. The revelation of what the creatures was really dark. Definitely one of the darkest ideas in whos history and I did not guess that that was what they were. I liked the fact that the camera was always going in and out of focus during the scenes of them as it didn't give you chance to focus on what they looked like.

This episode really could have been a 10/0 up until the ending of the episode. Though I did like that fact it linked to the beginning, I didn't like that it was basically reset button that saved the day. I think it would have been nice to have another way to have saved the day as I have never been a fan of the reset button. But other than that, it really was such a fantastic episode which I am really looking forward to rewatching. 9/10

Series 7b Episode 4 - Hide - Review

I think one of the reasons why this episode excels, is down to its very small cast. Alongside The Doctor and Clara, you only have 3 other characters in the episode. This helps as it gives you much more time to get to know the new supporting characters and this makes you care for them much more. It also helps that the cast we have is so strong. Joining Matt and Jenna this week we have Dougray Scott as Alec Palmer and Jessica Raine as Emma Grayling. With these 2 you have a little love story going on which leads perfectly onto the resolution of the episode. Also in this episode, I think the relationship between the Doctor and Clara has not firmly found its feet. You can see that they are the best of friends but with Clara not being scared to challenge the Doctor, which is what I like in the TARDIS team.

The episode is split up into 2 parts. The first half being the ghost story and the second half being the pocket universe. I liked the first half first and I wish that this had continued on a bit longer as there were some generally scary moments in this. I'm not saying that I disliked the last half as that had some great moments in it too but I preferred the ghost story much more.
We got a bit more interaction between Clara and the TARDIS this week which I am loving. Its going to be interesting to see where they lead this to. The scene with Clara talking to the voice interface was nice but I do hope its not going to be overused. Wondering if they are setting it up for usage in 50th anniversary episode.

This episode continued on the usage of references to the past which have been present throughout this second half of the series. This week we got the crystal from Metabelis 3 and a referance to the Eye of Harmony. These were lovely though it was a shame that Metabelis 3 has pronounced incorrectly. It was also nice to get to see a shot of the TARDIS flying though the vortex for the first time since The Pandorica Opens in 2010.
The alien (was going to put villain but he isn't really) looked fantastic. Such an inhuman design which we do lack sometimes. And it looked really creepy. The woodland scenes worked really well and the frantic camera work helped you make you on edge like the Doctor was. I think that this episode was the most scared I have ever seen the Doctor.
I would give this episode an 7/10. It lost a few marks due to a few points that I wasn't keen on and the ending scene seemed a little rushed for me, again. And while I like the love story ending, part of me wishes they had left it as a villain who wants to make you fear.

Shroud of Sorrow - Review

This was the book that most intrigued me from the first batch of 2013 novels. I was looking forward to them all but the fact this one was set in 1963 really did get me looking forward to it and it did not let me down. The Doctor in this was spot on to me. The eccentricity is there but with the seriousness and the moaning about wet bow ties. Clara was also very well written. I didn't know what to expect with her as this is her first novel and it was interesting to see if they would get her character right. I think they got her good but at times she felt more like her Oswin character than the Modern Clara she is meant to be. But that is probably due to the fact they might have been working off Asylum to get the character. There were many interesting characters in this book. I enjoyed Mae and Warren and I thought they would end up getting close in the end but they didn't. But the main characters I loved were the clowns. I just love that they had come together to save the other humans just because they were so kind. There would be some humans that would have just killed those affected but they rehabilitated them and made sure they were fine in the end.
The villains in this were fantastic. The Shroud latching themselves onto you and destroying your grief. As Clara said in the book, you expect a planet with no grief to be a good thing but in the book you find that to be wrong. Other emotions take up that space and you get tribes. I love the idea of this. Its an original idea that I really do love. There is a big revelation about the shroud near the end of the book that is a good idea but part of me wonders if it was put there just to make the resolution a bit easier.
Now this book to me feels like the perfect tribute to the shows 50 years. A brand new story but packed with references to the past such as the return of the fast return switch and lovely little scene in chapter 14 which will have you in tears. I have to give this book a 9/10.

In Memory of Elisabeth Sladen

As I was only introduced to Doctor Who in 2005, my first introduction to Miss Sladen was in School Reunion where she reprised her role as Sarah Jane Smith which she had played many years before. I thought she was amazing in this episode. She had not lost any of her energy and still looked amazing. Due to the success of the episode, she then got her own CBBC series, the Sarah Jane Adventures. Now even though this was meant to be a children's programme, it was still a very enjoyable series to watch. I enjoyed every minute of it and this was mainly down to Miss Sladen and the amazing team behind it. I of cause since gone back and watched all of her episodes from her time on the show in the 70's and I really grew to love her. She was a breath of fresh air. I loved the fact that she stood up for herself and didn't just do what the Doctor said. She questioned what he told her and was much more than just person who was there to just ask "Why Doctor?" and "Look Doctor!"
I can remember the day that I logged onto Gallifrey Base and read that she had died. My heart just felt like it stopped. It really did feel like I had lost a member of my family and that wound is still fresh. I really cannot believe it has been 2 years since her passing. When I rewatch any of her episode, I just cannot believe that she is not still out there. She was an amazing woman who brought joy to many generations. And for that I thank you. Thank you Lis for bringing me and many others many hours of entertainment.
Rest in Peace Lis. We will never ever forget you!

Plague of the Cybermen - Review

Plague of the Cybermen is one in the first batch of books released in 2013. It features Matt Smith as portrayed by Matt Smith on the BBC tv series. This is the sixth book to be written by Justin Richards for the range. I thought it was a very enjoyable story. The charactorisation of the Doctor was near spot on in my opinion, though there was some points where I felt it was a bit off such as when he belched. He really captured Matt's little gestures such as when he sticks his chin out and where he plays with his bow tie. He did go a bit over the top with the "... are cool" lines in the story though.
They Cybermen were much quieter than they have been in the TV series over the past few years even though they did keep the stomps. They felt much more like how it sounds they will be in the new 2013 episode, Nightmare in Silver. I did like the little harks back to the past such as the Cybermens problem with radiation and some lines such as "We will survive." The story felt like a modern take of Tomb of the Cybermen which I really enjoy so I had no problem with that. I liked the addition of a cyberised creature but I will not say what as I do not want to spoil it for you. It was a surprise to me even though it was mentioned earlier on in the story.
The most interesting of the supporting characters in this book for me were the family and guards up at the castle. While the villagers were likeable, they went large amounts of time not in it and were not that memorable. I did like the unrequited love between Olga and Klaus.
I think one problem with the story was that there was a lot of back and froing but overall it was a very good story. There were a few moments in the story that made me go "I never expected that" and I found the last chapter to be quite emotionally charged at times. I would give this book an 8/10

Series 7b Episode 3 - Cold War - Review

This episode just hits the ground running. The Doctor and Clara arrive on a sinking sub in the middle of the Cold War. And if you thought that was bad enough, there is also an Ice Warrior on the loose on the sub. Not seen since the Jon Pertwee story the Monster of Peladon in 1974, the Ice Warriors make their long awaited return after a few failed trys over the years. I really like the redesign of the Ice Warrior as its really is the most faithful redesign since the Daleks back in 2005. I have always loved the Ice Warriors since they are not all evil like some of the creations in Doctor Who. They have the good and the bad ones so you never quite know what you are going to get and I think that this episode really does continue this on. Even though this is one of the bad ones, it shows that mercy at the end of the episode. And in this episode, we finally get to see bits of the creature inside the armour. I did like the design even if the CGI of the head did look a bit ropey. Its not exactly what I had expected and I am not sure on the long thin fingers as I'm not sure how they would fit inside the armor but other that that I do think it looked good.

I had already fell in love with Clara but this episode took it to a new level. I think she is one of the most believable companions that the show has done. She tries to act brave and go and face the Ice Warrior on her own but once she sees the death, it hits her how dangerous it is travelling with the Doctor. I think if she keep it up like this, she might over take Donna as my favourite companion.
The series carried on getting some really good guest starts. In this episode we had David Warner and Liam Cunningham. I was really impressed with both of them. I had not really seen anything with Cunningham but I thought he was very good as the captain of the sub. And David Warner I have known from the Big Finish Doctor Who audios where I have admired him in. I have found him to be a great actor and he doesn't let us down here. I would love to see him return again as Professor Grisenko.

Overall, I did really enjoy this episode. Mark Gattiss has written one of his best Doctor Who scripts here. I have read some comments over the internet that there was not much plot in this episode but I really disagree with this. It was all about the threat posed by the Ice Warrior which was massive since he had access to the missiles. and could have pushed the world into a nuclear war. Since we find out at the end of the episode that there are more Ice Warriors out there, I would love to see more of them again in the future. I would give this episode a 8/10