There may be fewer TV shows to discuss this week, but there are many interesting episodes, both successes and failures, giving us plenty to talk about this week on the podcast. First we take a look at the comedies, including a spooktacular Gravity Falls, the pilots of Bad Judge and Mulaney, and Bob’s Burgers’ musical […] More
There may be fewer TV shows to discuss this week, but there are many interesting episodes, both successes and failures, giving us plenty to talk about this week on the podcast. First we take a look at the comedies, including a spooktacular Gravity Falls, the pilots of Bad Judge and Mulaney, and Bob’s Burgers’ musical […] More
In “The Caretaker”, the Doctor expressed a level of ownership over Clara, demanding an explanation for her relationship with Danny. In “Kill the Moon”, any ounce of paternalism is removed, as a fun and scary adventure on the moon gives way to an exploration of choice, responsibility, and respect.
The episode starts out fairly typically, with the Doctor heading off on an adventure with Clara and Courtney (who he’s accidentally traumatized). There’s a lot to like right off the bat, with the episode switching nimbly from comedy (nice to know there’s an official TARDIS anti-hanky-panky rule, though that might be a post-River addition) to suspense. Writer Peter Harness delivers an entertaining script and director Paul Wilmshurst adds fantastic visual flair to a rather standard monster-in-the-dark story. More
Remember when the Doctor was nice? Let’s not even reach that far back: remember when he wasn’t an asshole? “The Caretaker” should be a lighthearted episode, a character-heavy look at what happens when Clara’s two worlds come crashing together. Instead, the episode’s lighter moments are weighed down by the Twelfth Doctor resuming old habits and treating Clara just as disrespectfully as the Eleventh Doctor. After weeks of promising developments (Clara’s front and center in “Deep Breath”, “Robot of Sherwood”, and “Listen”), after thoughtful, honest conversations between the Doctor and Clara and episodes that took their time, with “The Caretaker”, writers Gareth Roberts and Steven Moffat put the two right back where they were last season. More
After weeks of memorable episodes, series eight of Doctor Who has its first dip with “Time Heist”, which sees the Doctor and Clara embroiled in a bank heist. Despite some fun visual flourishes and production elements, the story itself is underwhelming, failing to commit to or fully explore its promising premise. More
The fall TV season is nearly upon us, bringing with it a slew of summer series finales and pilot previews and giving us plenty to discuss this week on the podcast. Simon Howell is back and helps break down a full week in TV, starting with previews of the New Girl and The Mindy Project […] More
The fall TV season is nearly upon us, bringing with it a slew of summer series finales and pilot previews and giving us plenty to discuss this week on the podcast. Simon Howell is back and helps break down a full week in TV, starting with previews of the New Girl and The Mindy Project […] More
Steven Moffat loves childhood fears. He’s mined them for some of nuWho’s most effective villains: Something lurking in the dark (the Vashta Nerada), a threat waiting to pounce the moment you look away (the Weeping Angels), and now, the monster under your bed. These creatures tap into the intense, pervasive fears so many experience as children and like its predecessors, “Listen” is hugely successful drawing from this well. It also takes a common and, when explored, curious habit and exploits it for significant dramatic potential: why do people talk to themselves when no one’s around? Both ideas have been explored by Moffat to some extent already (“The Girl in the Fireplace”, the Silence), and so here he puts them together, hoping that between the two, there’s enough new material to make the story work. More
Series eight of Doctor Who has started off with a bang, establishing a new and improved dynamic between the (Twelfth) Doctor and Clara, slowing down the pace, and prizing character work over plot twists. That threatens to falter here, with the series returning to the Doctor Who as fairy tale theme that so heavily infused series five through seven, but fortunately the episode’s sense of humor keeps it on track. “Robot of Sherwood” is a lark, but it’s a self-aware one, with enough pathos peppered in to temper the treacle. More
Due to Labor Day weekend, a number of series took the week off, giving us a lighter show list for once. First we kick things off with a little reality talk (SYTYCD’s Performance Finale) and the comedies, including a preview of The League’s new premiere. Then we look at some genre and drama, including Doctor […] More
Due to Labor Day weekend, a number of series took the week off, giving us a lighter show list for once. First we kick things off with a little reality talk (SYTYCD’s Performance Finale) and the comedies, including a preview of The League’s new premiere. Then we look at some genre and drama, including Doctor […] More
The Daleks aren’t going anywhere, but with massive Whovian Peter Capaldi’s Dalek story out of the way, they’ll hopefully go on hiatus for a while and take their tiresome plot retreads with them, leaving behind the significant structural and character-based improvements demonstrated here. It would seem many of the season eight premiere’s most prudent choices are here to stay; only two episodes into the Twelfth Doctor’s tenure, there’s already a lot to be excited about. More