The best opener of a season yet, start as you mean to go on and let us forget, foetal moon eggs and Skovox Blitzers, forests of doom and squiggles that shiver us. Catch our attention with your deep imagination, put us in suspense and leave us hanging in suspension. Use this fine Missy to master your viewers, if you get it right, we're trapped like sausages on skewers. Most important of all to keep at bay the fog (or smog), carry on the wit and banter of this great sparring dialogue (drop the guitar though).
36 Reviews
Varies in tone too much
pjgs20029 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The Magician's Apprentice was one confident episode. The direction was pretty good, and the script was shocking, but there was way too much humor. What happened to the serious 12th Doctor that we all knew from season 8? Now, the Doctor is some silly rocker who makes jokes out of everything. The mid-life crisis was played out well, but when did this huge transformation happen? Capaldi is still great as the Doctor, and his performance in this episode is good, but I have no idea where this all came from.
My biggest complaint about TMA is the guitar scene. Although funny and a great way to introduce the Doctor to the episode for younger viewers, for more mature fans it is a bit over the top, and was way too long. Also, the part where Clara and Missy died and the Tardis was destroyed is totally unbelievable. It's awesome for shock value, but we all know they're not gonna really die. Otherwise, the part where the Doctor is about to exterminate boy Davros is one of the best Doctor Who cliffhangers ever.
Overall, this episode was good, but the writers just need to take Doctor Who a little more seriously and stop injecting humor into serious plot lines- It just chops up the episode. The Magician's Apprentice's biggest problem is that it doesn't stick to one tone. It tries to be funny, gets dramatic all of a sudden, and then makes a joke again in a span of a few minutes. It's almost impossible to keep the tension and intrigue going with so much silliness in nearly every scene. If an episode has a serious premise, then make it a serious episode. I'm fine with silliness and jokes, even in serious episodes; but not when every other line of dialogue tries to be funny when it doesn't need to be.
My biggest complaint about TMA is the guitar scene. Although funny and a great way to introduce the Doctor to the episode for younger viewers, for more mature fans it is a bit over the top, and was way too long. Also, the part where Clara and Missy died and the Tardis was destroyed is totally unbelievable. It's awesome for shock value, but we all know they're not gonna really die. Otherwise, the part where the Doctor is about to exterminate boy Davros is one of the best Doctor Who cliffhangers ever.
Overall, this episode was good, but the writers just need to take Doctor Who a little more seriously and stop injecting humor into serious plot lines- It just chops up the episode. The Magician's Apprentice's biggest problem is that it doesn't stick to one tone. It tries to be funny, gets dramatic all of a sudden, and then makes a joke again in a span of a few minutes. It's almost impossible to keep the tension and intrigue going with so much silliness in nearly every scene. If an episode has a serious premise, then make it a serious episode. I'm fine with silliness and jokes, even in serious episodes; but not when every other line of dialogue tries to be funny when it doesn't need to be.
The finale season 8 deserved. Restores my faith in Doctor Who.
TouchTheGarlicProduction19 September 2015
Doctor Who has always been equal parts smart and silly. This is a tonal blend that has often backfired, such as last season's finale. This, however, is an example of when it really works. It's an amazing setup, and I really hope it doesn't get wasted like the last finale.
For the first minute or so, it seems to be a typical Doctor Who episode; weird creatures (that look like the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth) attack a young boy, and the Doctor shows up to save him. Then, things took a huge turn that brought back the moral ambiguity I loved from last season in a very interesting way.
Then, the show rights one of the wrongs of last season's finale, bringing back Missy, and reciprocating her tonal clash. She provides Clara a chance to shine in a scene demonstrating what a great companion she is.
Now, the two of them reunite with the Doctor, and this is where the silly comes in. As hilarious as the Doctor's entrance is, I almost started to worry that it was going to go too far and ruin the wonderful thing they had going, but Moffat pulled back just in time.
The final act involves Daleks, and is very clever in the way it ties in to the old show. It all ends with a shocking conclusion/cliffhanger, that makes you wonder how much is going to stick in the long run, and how much is going to be conveniently fixed in the next episode. We can only hope that this won't be wasted like last season's penultimate was.
For the first minute or so, it seems to be a typical Doctor Who episode; weird creatures (that look like the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth) attack a young boy, and the Doctor shows up to save him. Then, things took a huge turn that brought back the moral ambiguity I loved from last season in a very interesting way.
Then, the show rights one of the wrongs of last season's finale, bringing back Missy, and reciprocating her tonal clash. She provides Clara a chance to shine in a scene demonstrating what a great companion she is.
Now, the two of them reunite with the Doctor, and this is where the silly comes in. As hilarious as the Doctor's entrance is, I almost started to worry that it was going to go too far and ruin the wonderful thing they had going, but Moffat pulled back just in time.
The final act involves Daleks, and is very clever in the way it ties in to the old show. It all ends with a shocking conclusion/cliffhanger, that makes you wonder how much is going to stick in the long run, and how much is going to be conveniently fixed in the next episode. We can only hope that this won't be wasted like last season's penultimate was.
This felt like an epic finale!!
Sleepin_Dragon20 September 2015
Now there will be spoilers as I try to piece together this story for myself, and you.
We see a little boy running across a wore torn field containing Hand mines, stranded, suddenly the Doctor appears, offering a helping hand The Doctor is surprised when the boy reveals his identity.
This was simply pure brilliance, watching this I'll be honest I found myself thinking, can life get any better then watching this? So many elements to it, I felt like it had been written purely for my own personal enjoyment. Where to begin, I'll start with the scare factor, the hand mines and Colony Sarff both hit the mark, really scary ideas, snakes too, yikes!!
I fell in love with Missy in Season 8, for good reason, she was once again truly magical, her return was so big and bold, I loved it. She just owns the screen.
What I particularly loved was the story itself, they dared to reference Genesis of the Daleks, how bold was that, Davros posed a question to the Doctor, could he kill a child if it grew up to be totally evil. I loved seeing UNIT, Ohila, the Shadow Architect, classic Daleks, Skaro, Jay Griffiths, the list just goes on. The humour was great too, Missy tickling the Dalek, and the Doctor calling Colony Sarff a snake nest in a dress.
The rebirth of Skaro is long overdue, and it looked awesome, even the doors used were reminiscent of the ones used in the 60s.
10/10 Pure brilliance, next Saturday cannot come quickly enough.
We see a little boy running across a wore torn field containing Hand mines, stranded, suddenly the Doctor appears, offering a helping hand The Doctor is surprised when the boy reveals his identity.
This was simply pure brilliance, watching this I'll be honest I found myself thinking, can life get any better then watching this? So many elements to it, I felt like it had been written purely for my own personal enjoyment. Where to begin, I'll start with the scare factor, the hand mines and Colony Sarff both hit the mark, really scary ideas, snakes too, yikes!!
I fell in love with Missy in Season 8, for good reason, she was once again truly magical, her return was so big and bold, I loved it. She just owns the screen.
What I particularly loved was the story itself, they dared to reference Genesis of the Daleks, how bold was that, Davros posed a question to the Doctor, could he kill a child if it grew up to be totally evil. I loved seeing UNIT, Ohila, the Shadow Architect, classic Daleks, Skaro, Jay Griffiths, the list just goes on. The humour was great too, Missy tickling the Dalek, and the Doctor calling Colony Sarff a snake nest in a dress.
The rebirth of Skaro is long overdue, and it looked awesome, even the doors used were reminiscent of the ones used in the 60s.
10/10 Pure brilliance, next Saturday cannot come quickly enough.
An epic start to Series 9!
tlfirth19 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
***MAJOR SPOILERS*** Apart from the major twists involved with the Doctor's past, this premiere is very similar to Moffat's previous roller-coaster ride, The Impossible Astronaut.It's fast-paced, suitably scary in parts and sometimes quite ridiculous. Doctor Who returns in what I can only describe as an attempt by Steven Moffat to catch the attention of some Classic Who fans. I think it may have worked.
From Colony Sarff's quest to find the Doctor, to Missy's catastrophic mode in contacting Clara to help find the Doctor, to the man himself's stage performance in Medieval England to the Doctor's final meeting with Davros, it's an extravagant adventure. To top it all off, we even had extracts from previous Doctors, including the Seventh Doctor's mention of "Rice Pudding"!
There's a real sense of an epic journey happening here, but i suppose the main problem is for the new fans of Doctor Who, whether they'll have any inkling of the events that are unfolding. It's a lot to take in, with Ood, Judoon and the Shadow Architect, Ohila and the Sisterhood of Karn, not to mention Skaro and Davros himself. It's a lot to take in, but for a geeky fan like myself, it's almost heavenly to see all these things once again.
The rest is pure genius in my opinion, partnering quite a dark theme of killing a child with the comedic style of the Master. So many things happened, it was sometimes hard to find the time to say "squeee", which I was absolutely desperate to do. More scenes such as Colony Sarff's journey through time and space is what Doctor Who's all about, and pin-pointing that real sci-fi feeling, the real reason why I like A Good Man Goes to War so much. It's also great to see that the Daleks have revealed their threatening side, exterminating both Missy and Clara in one go, and the sole reason for the Doctor's anger.
This season is looking very promising, following what was a sometimes lackluster Series 8.
P.S. The Doctor playing guitar was Ace!
From Colony Sarff's quest to find the Doctor, to Missy's catastrophic mode in contacting Clara to help find the Doctor, to the man himself's stage performance in Medieval England to the Doctor's final meeting with Davros, it's an extravagant adventure. To top it all off, we even had extracts from previous Doctors, including the Seventh Doctor's mention of "Rice Pudding"!
There's a real sense of an epic journey happening here, but i suppose the main problem is for the new fans of Doctor Who, whether they'll have any inkling of the events that are unfolding. It's a lot to take in, with Ood, Judoon and the Shadow Architect, Ohila and the Sisterhood of Karn, not to mention Skaro and Davros himself. It's a lot to take in, but for a geeky fan like myself, it's almost heavenly to see all these things once again.
The rest is pure genius in my opinion, partnering quite a dark theme of killing a child with the comedic style of the Master. So many things happened, it was sometimes hard to find the time to say "squeee", which I was absolutely desperate to do. More scenes such as Colony Sarff's journey through time and space is what Doctor Who's all about, and pin-pointing that real sci-fi feeling, the real reason why I like A Good Man Goes to War so much. It's also great to see that the Daleks have revealed their threatening side, exterminating both Missy and Clara in one go, and the sole reason for the Doctor's anger.
This season is looking very promising, following what was a sometimes lackluster Series 8.
P.S. The Doctor playing guitar was Ace!
Off to a bang up start
doctor-934-20711121 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is one that we will talk about for some time! Brilliant start on a battlefield in Skaro. The Doctor meets young Davros. This is even before Davros is in a mobile wheelchair. In his own future the Doctor is being tracked down by Davros. Davros will try to trap and torture the Doctor onto death. Missy is looking for the Doctor to figure out why the Confession dial. All right does the Master really care for the Doctor? I doubt it. Suddenly the morality of the doctor is confronted. Is that Shame? Daleks and Skaro are involved. BTW , Skaro was suppose to be killed by the Hand of Omega. Rewatch. Review. Enjoy! BTW there are some things you might notice if you are really into DW.
Very solid season opener
bernlin200013 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is my first Dr. Who season I've started fresh: I've watched other episodes in random order. Great beginning to the season, I wasn't familiar with Devros (I only knew the Daleks from the Ninth Doctor's well known episode "Dalek", and Devros wasn't mentioned in much depth, that I could recall), so the episode opened in a puzzling manner for me. It also meandered quite a bit, between the time-stopped planes and the mysterious lady-villain (another character I haven't seen with doctors 9 through 11). Nevertheless, the final half of the episode is very compelling, and Devros is a remarkably broken villain for the Doctor to deal with...and certainly the arch-nemesis that has plague his mind the most.
Best cliffhanger I've seen in the series, as of late.
Best cliffhanger I've seen in the series, as of late.
What a stunning opener to the series!
masonbingley200019 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
*SPOILERS BEWARE* The Magician's Apprentice is so satisfying in many ways. I enjoyed this episode so much and i am truly terrified by some of the things that happened here.
To begin with, the CGI in this episode is absolutely fantastic. Special effects have drastically improved since 2005. Everything in this episode looked so realistic, i was truly shocked. Colony Sarff and his snake was just fantastic, the snake form looked so realistic. I couldn't believe my eyes.
The Doctor in this episode is phenomenal, Capaldi has really shown how good he is in this role and is probably my favorite Doctor of all time. That guitar scene was awesome, especially when he played Pretty Woman for Clara, that made me smile so much. The Doctor's character made me so happy in this opener. Peter plays him incredibly well and just wow.
The Daleks return was a shocker. Normally, i am not that scared of the Daleks because they rarely kill someone that i actually care about until now. Those two exterminations at the end ripped me apart. I'm sure it'll all be sorted out but i was most definitely devastated.
In conclusion, The Magician's Apprentice is fabulous, action-packed, funny and tense. Moffat has shown his true potential here. I was pretty amazed. Roll on The Witch's Familiar.
To begin with, the CGI in this episode is absolutely fantastic. Special effects have drastically improved since 2005. Everything in this episode looked so realistic, i was truly shocked. Colony Sarff and his snake was just fantastic, the snake form looked so realistic. I couldn't believe my eyes.
The Doctor in this episode is phenomenal, Capaldi has really shown how good he is in this role and is probably my favorite Doctor of all time. That guitar scene was awesome, especially when he played Pretty Woman for Clara, that made me smile so much. The Doctor's character made me so happy in this opener. Peter plays him incredibly well and just wow.
The Daleks return was a shocker. Normally, i am not that scared of the Daleks because they rarely kill someone that i actually care about until now. Those two exterminations at the end ripped me apart. I'm sure it'll all be sorted out but i was most definitely devastated.
In conclusion, The Magician's Apprentice is fabulous, action-packed, funny and tense. Moffat has shown his true potential here. I was pretty amazed. Roll on The Witch's Familiar.
contains major spoilers of this amazing episode!!!!!!
lrhughes-6002419 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
now doctor who is back and with a bang, wait not a bang but an explosion, this episode is so good bringing back big characters like Davros, the (planet) Karn women, Missy etc. the story has been portrayed so greatly and the episode leaves you with your mouth open a lot of the time. it creates a brilliant atmosphere and feel to series 9, mashing Moffat, a sort of Russel T Davies feel and classic who together. the episode includes sensational scenes with the Daleks, Davros and the doctor & Clara and Missy. this episode is great and i think the episode is better than last series opener deep breath and is one amazing episode but stay tuned for part 2- the witch's familiar.
You ARE so fine!
UNOhwen19 September 2015
The moth series of Doctor Who gets off to a terrific start.
The Doctor's missing, all planes have stopped - mid-air. Someone is trying to get our attention, but, who could it be?
Well? I won't spoil this series opener, but, I will say Capaldi and co. couldn't have started weirder, 'funner', or more large in scope, than it does in this terrific Moffat-penned opener.
As always, more questions are left unanswered - to be solved as the series' plays out.
One thing which isn't a spoiler, as it has been made official, but, sometime during this series, Clara and the Doctor will part ways. How and when are - as of now - left unanswered.
But, that's part of the reason for the popularity of this show - you're brought in, but, must keep coming back.
I know I will, and from this firecracker opening, I know many more will as well.
The Doctor's missing, all planes have stopped - mid-air. Someone is trying to get our attention, but, who could it be?
Well? I won't spoil this series opener, but, I will say Capaldi and co. couldn't have started weirder, 'funner', or more large in scope, than it does in this terrific Moffat-penned opener.
As always, more questions are left unanswered - to be solved as the series' plays out.
One thing which isn't a spoiler, as it has been made official, but, sometime during this series, Clara and the Doctor will part ways. How and when are - as of now - left unanswered.
But, that's part of the reason for the popularity of this show - you're brought in, but, must keep coming back.
I know I will, and from this firecracker opening, I know many more will as well.
What...
AzSumTuk23 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
OK, I love the show. The new show, I mean. I have never watched the old one, and, to be honest, I don't think I ever will.
However, what the new show became over the last couple of years is quite infuriating. Stephen Moffat has, I believe, lost his steam a long time ago and he needs to quit "Doctor Who" before he ruins it completely. This episode proves that beyond a doubt. It is brilliantly acted and well directed, but the writing is... Well, the writing is pretty much non-existent. "Magician's Apprentice" is written like a piece of fan-fiction. We have the Doctor literally being a rock star. We have him flat out admitting he is in love with his companion. We have the Master being turned into a woman and showing clear signs that he... she has a crush on the Doctor. We have the Daleks, of course, and we have a bazillion references to the old show.
But that is not how it works. You can't just show the Doctor saying, "Exterminate," and attempting to kill a child, even if that child is Davros. You can't just show the Doctor being friends with a cold blooded murderer like Missy/the Master. You can't just show the Doctor begging for his companion's life... And yes, we know TARDIS is going to be back in the next episode. Destroying it wouldn't make us feel anything, and it is not the first time it has been destroyed in this show. Why show it again? And we know Clara and Missy will live again. Why show them getting murdered? It is just not emotionally moving, if we know they are not in real danger.
And so on. The episode is actually very funny, but that doesn't change the fact that it is just badly written.
However, what the new show became over the last couple of years is quite infuriating. Stephen Moffat has, I believe, lost his steam a long time ago and he needs to quit "Doctor Who" before he ruins it completely. This episode proves that beyond a doubt. It is brilliantly acted and well directed, but the writing is... Well, the writing is pretty much non-existent. "Magician's Apprentice" is written like a piece of fan-fiction. We have the Doctor literally being a rock star. We have him flat out admitting he is in love with his companion. We have the Master being turned into a woman and showing clear signs that he... she has a crush on the Doctor. We have the Daleks, of course, and we have a bazillion references to the old show.
But that is not how it works. You can't just show the Doctor saying, "Exterminate," and attempting to kill a child, even if that child is Davros. You can't just show the Doctor being friends with a cold blooded murderer like Missy/the Master. You can't just show the Doctor begging for his companion's life... And yes, we know TARDIS is going to be back in the next episode. Destroying it wouldn't make us feel anything, and it is not the first time it has been destroyed in this show. Why show it again? And we know Clara and Missy will live again. Why show them getting murdered? It is just not emotionally moving, if we know they are not in real danger.
And so on. The episode is actually very funny, but that doesn't change the fact that it is just badly written.
A good start to a (hopefully) good season.
midas-jacobs20 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This review may contain some light spoilers
I really enjoyed the season premiere of Doctor Who. After last season I hope this one will redeem it self. The directing of the episode was beautiful, just like the writing. I very much like the direction they took with Missy. In the previous season she wasn't appealing enough in my opinion. The writers made me love Clara again, in the last season she looked more like the Doctor than the Doctor did himself.
The episode was a bit over the top at times. I am looking at you Doctor riding a tank while playing the guitare. But the story of this episode was very good. I a a recent fan of Doctor Who (since the beginning of 11) and I had no idea who had made the Daleks. But in this episode they explain that the Daleks are made by Davros. This episode will get a bit confusing at times and I liked it, it reminded me of how Doctor Who is supposed to be.
(in this part there are some spoilers) The creativity of this episode kind of surprised me, for example: The 'Hand' bombs, and that it is not a space ship but the planet of the Daleks. Near the ending there is some kind of twist that very much I liked. The effects of this episode where very surprising, especially to be Doctor Who, and a TV-show. The humor of this episode worked what gave the Doctor something extra
Overall this episode had some amazing acting in it, in special from Michelle Gomez (Missy). The writing was also very well done. I think that this was a really good start, and I hope that the series continues to be this good.
I really enjoyed the season premiere of Doctor Who. After last season I hope this one will redeem it self. The directing of the episode was beautiful, just like the writing. I very much like the direction they took with Missy. In the previous season she wasn't appealing enough in my opinion. The writers made me love Clara again, in the last season she looked more like the Doctor than the Doctor did himself.
The episode was a bit over the top at times. I am looking at you Doctor riding a tank while playing the guitare. But the story of this episode was very good. I a a recent fan of Doctor Who (since the beginning of 11) and I had no idea who had made the Daleks. But in this episode they explain that the Daleks are made by Davros. This episode will get a bit confusing at times and I liked it, it reminded me of how Doctor Who is supposed to be.
(in this part there are some spoilers) The creativity of this episode kind of surprised me, for example: The 'Hand' bombs, and that it is not a space ship but the planet of the Daleks. Near the ending there is some kind of twist that very much I liked. The effects of this episode where very surprising, especially to be Doctor Who, and a TV-show. The humor of this episode worked what gave the Doctor something extra
Overall this episode had some amazing acting in it, in special from Michelle Gomez (Missy). The writing was also very well done. I think that this was a really good start, and I hope that the series continues to be this good.
Ho Hum
scharfmand20 September 2015
Ho Hum. I'm a Dr Who fan since watching the 4th doctor on public television when I was younger. I think Capaldi is an excellent choice for the Doctor. but, Season 9 premiere was Ho Hum. 55 minutes of yawn leading to the last 5 minutes of decent action leading to a cliff hanger.
The last 5 minutes was true Dr Who. But the preceding 55 minutes felt like one ling commercial - little action, ridiculous opening and a vague story line mark the introduction.
This season better pick up or I just might remove from DVR automatic recordings.
The last 5 minutes was true Dr Who. But the preceding 55 minutes felt like one ling commercial - little action, ridiculous opening and a vague story line mark the introduction.
This season better pick up or I just might remove from DVR automatic recordings.
Disappointing episode.
revans-583683 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I have to say that in my humble opinion the decline in the show continues, the last two series have been more miss then hit. I had such high hopes for this episode, from the promos and adverts it looked like a blockbuster. It wasn't, it was messy, disjointed, what has happened to Capaldi, a stern, standoffish and serious man has seemingly had a massive personality transplant and turned full circle, it's hard to understand. I like Michelle Gomez, I also quite like the character, but she is not the Master, it's a pity she wasn't introduced as the Rani or a new villain. The best element to this disappointing episode is the performance of Julian Bleach, he's managed once again to bring Davros back to life and make him a true character. The dialogues between Davros and the Doctor make the episode watchable, but I felt like they were trying to force too many elements in, UNIT, Missy, The Space Police, Sisterhood of Karn etc, had it been stripped back a little and simplified I could have seen it working a lot better.
Great start of a new season
nemod1220 September 2015
There are of course people who will always have complaints about doctor who episode. I myself even have some i didn't found as good. But it never gets bored. I never feel that i am not entertained.
I am not a whovian, and i feel a shame to say i have not watched all episodes from the Tennant series. I am going but haven't come to that. I did fell in love with Matt Smit as the doctor, and i had troubles in my head when i saw Peter Capaldi the first time.
His first season was OK to good. I wanted to have more of an overall arc in the season, and that lacked a bit.
Now here we have a great opener for a new season. what a thrill ride i found it. Sometimes strange, sometimes dark, but again, never dull and always surprising. What a cliffhanger. I hope that there will be more arc related overall stories back in this next season(s). This opener however was great and i can't wait for the next one.
I am not a whovian, and i feel a shame to say i have not watched all episodes from the Tennant series. I am going but haven't come to that. I did fell in love with Matt Smit as the doctor, and i had troubles in my head when i saw Peter Capaldi the first time.
His first season was OK to good. I wanted to have more of an overall arc in the season, and that lacked a bit.
Now here we have a great opener for a new season. what a thrill ride i found it. Sometimes strange, sometimes dark, but again, never dull and always surprising. What a cliffhanger. I hope that there will be more arc related overall stories back in this next season(s). This opener however was great and i can't wait for the next one.
The Magic outweighs the flaws
A_Kind_Of_CineMagic20 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I think this episode and the whole two part story is great. There are a few little annoyances which only detract a tiny bit:
In the first part of this story I found the Doctor going a bit bonkers in medieval times playing electric guitar and shouting "dude" was a bit cringeworthy. There were also slightly over the top moments with Missy and the search for/procurement of the Doctor but even those aspects are kind of fun.
I feel there is lots of great stuff and the negatives are of minor importance. Missy is entertainingly crazy and funny and her interactions with Clara are good.
The idea of the Doctor meeting Davros as a child then facing him as he is dying is terrific and Julian Bleach is magnificent as Davros again, following on from his excellent debut in the role, in Journey's End, with the 10th Doctor. The boy Davros is good and the hand mines are pretty cool. Skaro is realised really well and is great to see. Colony Sarff is a cool villain and is done with great effects.
The themes and ideas are all strong and are clearly trying to emulate the idea from Genesis of the Daleks when the 4th Doctor has the chance to stop the creation of the Daleks. Part of me would have preferred this to be more acknowledged in a way (to register the influence of that earlier story) with the Doctor mentioning he had this chance before. Then again, it is mostly better to leave things unsaid and let us do the work as the audience so I am OK with how it was done.
My Rating: 9/10.
Series 8 Episode Ranking: 5th out of 14.
In the first part of this story I found the Doctor going a bit bonkers in medieval times playing electric guitar and shouting "dude" was a bit cringeworthy. There were also slightly over the top moments with Missy and the search for/procurement of the Doctor but even those aspects are kind of fun.
I feel there is lots of great stuff and the negatives are of minor importance. Missy is entertainingly crazy and funny and her interactions with Clara are good.
The idea of the Doctor meeting Davros as a child then facing him as he is dying is terrific and Julian Bleach is magnificent as Davros again, following on from his excellent debut in the role, in Journey's End, with the 10th Doctor. The boy Davros is good and the hand mines are pretty cool. Skaro is realised really well and is great to see. Colony Sarff is a cool villain and is done with great effects.
The themes and ideas are all strong and are clearly trying to emulate the idea from Genesis of the Daleks when the 4th Doctor has the chance to stop the creation of the Daleks. Part of me would have preferred this to be more acknowledged in a way (to register the influence of that earlier story) with the Doctor mentioning he had this chance before. Then again, it is mostly better to leave things unsaid and let us do the work as the audience so I am OK with how it was done.
My Rating: 9/10.
Series 8 Episode Ranking: 5th out of 14.
Boy is my face red
warlordartos20 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Well I did decide to keep watching and I decided I will review to hood episodes and any episode that I can't be bothered wasting my time on I will just grade and move on.
Why is my face red....well if read my review of "Death in Heaven", then you would know that I thought there was no coming back for Doctor Who and it was all over. This episode however was brilliant. The best bit has to be The Doctors anger and him begging Davros who is so arrogant just like the old days with the Kaled's.
Loved seeing the old style of Dalek on the surface of Skaro, would have been nicer to see more than just the one but oh well. The main problem stopping this being a 10/10 however is the over the top start. Everything else I loved.
Why is my face red....well if read my review of "Death in Heaven", then you would know that I thought there was no coming back for Doctor Who and it was all over. This episode however was brilliant. The best bit has to be The Doctors anger and him begging Davros who is so arrogant just like the old days with the Kaled's.
Loved seeing the old style of Dalek on the surface of Skaro, would have been nicer to see more than just the one but oh well. The main problem stopping this being a 10/10 however is the over the top start. Everything else I loved.
A thought-provoking dilemma
TheDonaldofDoom21 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Series 8 was okay, but it wasn't what Doctor Who should be- few episodes evoked the wonder and awe of futuristic or alien worlds that made Doctor Who so special. And while the Doctor may have been darker as was promised, most of the stories were focused on making unfunny jokes that the tension was ruined. Plus, Danny was a boring character and made the series too centred on the planet Earth. That's why I absolutely loved this episode. Sure, it requires you to know of the creation of the Daleks in order to fully appreciate it, but in my opinion that's a good thing. The first thing it does right is the intro, which is one of the best Who intros I can recall. In those first few minutes, I realised that this story was going to be completely different to Series 8. From there almost everything was perfect- Missy's extravagant approach to finding the Doctor, the mysterious, fantastic character of Colony Sarff (Davros's servant), Davros's return in a weakened form, the reveal that the invisible planet was actually Skaro (even if that was less of a surprise since we already saw it in the Season 9 trailer). All this is part of what makes Doctor Who so great, and it's good to see it's back. Missy adds a great deal of humour to the episode, but unlike many of the Series 8 episodes, the humour isn't so much that it ruins the serious elements. Moments like the Doctor playing the guitar in the Middle Ages are lighter moments that don't fill the episode too much. And it's a good job the humour is done right because the episode's cliffhanger- would you kill a child to save your friends- is a jawdropping one. Yes, of course it's highly unlikely that the Doctor is really going to kill a child, even if that child goes on to cause countless numbers of deaths (although not unthinkable, as Doctor Who has done dark before, such as in the three words of the excellent Series 8 finale). Even though it's almost impossible that Clara and Missy are really dead, the episode should still have focused more on their 'deaths' to make them more emotional as their 'deaths' meant less given that literally no time was dedicated to them. That doesn't spoil the cliffhanger though. Overall I really enjoyed this episode. The references to earlier DW episodes and its dark themes made it an impressive opener to the series, and I can't wait until the next episode to find out what happens. The higher amount of two-part episodes in this series is definitely a good thing as it'll allow for both developed story lines AND humour to exist without the humour ruining the storyline.
Hell's Deciple
hellraiser721 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Warning don't read unless you've seen episode.
This was a great start to Season 9 hopefully it can maintain this kind of momentum. I really like the beginning where as usual it was a mystery (or at least to some) where we see this planet at war and a little boy. Seeing the kid I was thinking this person has to be someone we already know, this couldn't be just some random person. The kid of course is in trouble and the Doctor arrives on time to help him but then of course the bomb drops when we discover the identity of the kid.
The kid's name is Davros, I'll admit I honestly didn't see it coming, hearing that just gave me a cold chill. It was also a bit heart sinking knowing that Davros use to be human and an innocent child, in a way it was sort of fate presenting the Doctor with a second chance to kill Davros and the Daliek race once and for all.
Really liked it when The Master came back, the dialog with her was just fully of snap and crackle and as usual she's funny or blackly funny. It was kind of interesting how the episode for a while in a way made The Master the main protagonist well kinda sorta because it really looked as thought she was doing things to move the story along. I really liked what the Master said about her relationship with the Doctor, despite both of them being enemies she doesn't hate the Doctor.
Sure she does lose the match with him but that also means the contest between them goes on; and her past version she or should I say he once stated that he does miss his opponents when their gone. And of course the rivalry to her is the only thing that keeps the relationship between them alive, which is touching in a very strange and confusing sense.
But of course from her we find out the Doctor has a will, and that it was given to her which I'll admit is very interesting in the relationship between the two, let alone the fact it can only be opened by a time lord when the author of the will has passed on. By it's nature this will is obviously a maguffin device for either this two parter or the whole season, we'll see.
The Doctor as usual was great really liked that moment in that medieval coliseum as he is rolling in on a tank and he is playing heavy metal music, that was just awesome it really looked it it could of been Heavy Metal Cover Art waiting to happen.
However the kicker is seeing Davros once more which was awesome because this is a villain that doesn't come around often almost mere decades. Davros has came only one time which different incarnations of the Doctor mainly 4, 5, 7, 10 and now number 12. It's also when you think about it the first time both The Master and Davros were together, which makes it even cooler. Davros we see is dying or at least so he claims, he's hard to kill but then again due to the Doctor winding down to his last incarnation it's possible this could be the very last time we see Davros, if that's true I hope they make it count. And on a side note really liked that number two Davros had, looked like he could be one of the monsters from the movie Nightbreed. In a way the monster was sort of a 3 Dimensional jigsaw puzzle but a really creepy one as it's a nest of snakes made into a humanoid and when it comes apart it just one huge snake concealed inside.
Anyway, the back and forth between both Davros and the Doctor was fascinating and a little intense. Davros biological clock is about to click toward it's final minutes but of course he's not going don't without a fight as he is doing everything in his power to hurt and spite the Doctor. We even see one surreal moment after Davros commits one act. The Doctor literally goes down on his knees and begs him to stop and kill him out instead which is something I've never thought I'd see the Doctor do ever this is the last thing he ever wants to do, but seeing that just shows how deep the knife Davros shoved into the Doctor went, he just wants to continue to hurt the Doctor for all eternity even when he's gone his legacy the Dalieks will continue that work for him.
We also discover something more heart sinking when we discover the Doctor did save Davros life and probably traveled with him in the Tardis for a while, and both had sort of a teacher student relationship for a while. This sort of deepens the conflict between the two characters because both the Doctor and Davros because it's sort of the old motif of the conflict between Teacher and Student, Davros unfortunately was the student that used the Doctor's teachings for evil; in a way it's sort of like with Ben Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.
And we see the Doctor pushed past the breaking point, from what just happened it really looks like the Doctor is about to make an exception to the rule of not changing the past and take that chance as we see him appear in a different position from the boy and point a laser gun at young Davros. Well we'll just have to wait and see which decision the Doctor makes, pray it's the right one.
Rating: 4 stars
This was a great start to Season 9 hopefully it can maintain this kind of momentum. I really like the beginning where as usual it was a mystery (or at least to some) where we see this planet at war and a little boy. Seeing the kid I was thinking this person has to be someone we already know, this couldn't be just some random person. The kid of course is in trouble and the Doctor arrives on time to help him but then of course the bomb drops when we discover the identity of the kid.
The kid's name is Davros, I'll admit I honestly didn't see it coming, hearing that just gave me a cold chill. It was also a bit heart sinking knowing that Davros use to be human and an innocent child, in a way it was sort of fate presenting the Doctor with a second chance to kill Davros and the Daliek race once and for all.
Really liked it when The Master came back, the dialog with her was just fully of snap and crackle and as usual she's funny or blackly funny. It was kind of interesting how the episode for a while in a way made The Master the main protagonist well kinda sorta because it really looked as thought she was doing things to move the story along. I really liked what the Master said about her relationship with the Doctor, despite both of them being enemies she doesn't hate the Doctor.
Sure she does lose the match with him but that also means the contest between them goes on; and her past version she or should I say he once stated that he does miss his opponents when their gone. And of course the rivalry to her is the only thing that keeps the relationship between them alive, which is touching in a very strange and confusing sense.
But of course from her we find out the Doctor has a will, and that it was given to her which I'll admit is very interesting in the relationship between the two, let alone the fact it can only be opened by a time lord when the author of the will has passed on. By it's nature this will is obviously a maguffin device for either this two parter or the whole season, we'll see.
The Doctor as usual was great really liked that moment in that medieval coliseum as he is rolling in on a tank and he is playing heavy metal music, that was just awesome it really looked it it could of been Heavy Metal Cover Art waiting to happen.
However the kicker is seeing Davros once more which was awesome because this is a villain that doesn't come around often almost mere decades. Davros has came only one time which different incarnations of the Doctor mainly 4, 5, 7, 10 and now number 12. It's also when you think about it the first time both The Master and Davros were together, which makes it even cooler. Davros we see is dying or at least so he claims, he's hard to kill but then again due to the Doctor winding down to his last incarnation it's possible this could be the very last time we see Davros, if that's true I hope they make it count. And on a side note really liked that number two Davros had, looked like he could be one of the monsters from the movie Nightbreed. In a way the monster was sort of a 3 Dimensional jigsaw puzzle but a really creepy one as it's a nest of snakes made into a humanoid and when it comes apart it just one huge snake concealed inside.
Anyway, the back and forth between both Davros and the Doctor was fascinating and a little intense. Davros biological clock is about to click toward it's final minutes but of course he's not going don't without a fight as he is doing everything in his power to hurt and spite the Doctor. We even see one surreal moment after Davros commits one act. The Doctor literally goes down on his knees and begs him to stop and kill him out instead which is something I've never thought I'd see the Doctor do ever this is the last thing he ever wants to do, but seeing that just shows how deep the knife Davros shoved into the Doctor went, he just wants to continue to hurt the Doctor for all eternity even when he's gone his legacy the Dalieks will continue that work for him.
We also discover something more heart sinking when we discover the Doctor did save Davros life and probably traveled with him in the Tardis for a while, and both had sort of a teacher student relationship for a while. This sort of deepens the conflict between the two characters because both the Doctor and Davros because it's sort of the old motif of the conflict between Teacher and Student, Davros unfortunately was the student that used the Doctor's teachings for evil; in a way it's sort of like with Ben Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.
And we see the Doctor pushed past the breaking point, from what just happened it really looks like the Doctor is about to make an exception to the rule of not changing the past and take that chance as we see him appear in a different position from the boy and point a laser gun at young Davros. Well we'll just have to wait and see which decision the Doctor makes, pray it's the right one.
Rating: 4 stars
Big, bold, brash, brilliant. Doctor Who on top form.
ryanjmorris19 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The absolute greatest thing about Doctor Who as a show is its ability to shake up its own formula time and time again. Whilst this predominantly tends to happen at the alteration of a showrunner, or the change up of the Doctor or the companion, this opening episode to the now ninth season demonstrates a massive shake up without any of the three big names changing. Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and Steven Moffat all return for their second consecutive season as a trio, following on from the fanbase dividing yet critically acclaimed season eight. I personally adore the show's eighth season. It has its misfires, mostly in the form of trees, but what would a Doctor Who season be without a few dodgy episodes chucked in? The Magician's Apprentice finds fantastic ways of shaking up a formula that worked effectively last year, and presents us with a whole new tone to explore for a whole new season.
I feel this can be best summarised with the Doctor's entrance in this episode. Well, make that entrances. Peter Capaldi (as captivating as ever) was treated to two introductions in this episode, and they seem to be reflecting the two styles of the show he will have given us by the end of the year. The first time we see the Doctor in this episode he is shrouded in mist; hidden, obscured and wary. He doesn't get a clear close up until the shocking reveal that the child in front of him is Davros. This is a perfect summary of his character last year, the Doctor spent a lot of the season unsure of who he was, his vision was blurred and he was masked with mystery. Yet the Doctor's second introduction this season is bigger and bolder, it's a brash, loud entrance featuring tanks, electric guitars and the word "dude", which he has introduced a couple of centuries early. Judging not only by this episode, Moffat's own description of the season and the plot summaries benefit this claim too, this is a more effective way of foreshadowing this upcoming year.
Doctor Who took a year off from aliens with season eight and focused on the people, what it meant to travel with the Doctor and, for the first time in real detail, the negative repercussions that can have aside from your parents getting a bit miffed. But that appears to be over now, as The Magician's Apprentice is the first part in an entire series of two part stories each seeming likely to get bigger and bigger, with more and more monsters. The episode isn't perfect, as per any Doctor Who two-parter there is the issue of about twenty minutes of plot spread to over forty, but Moffat does well to cover this up by littering the episode with an endless sequence of big moments and funny one liners. After having her character butchered in last season's mess of a finale, Michele Gomez is back as Missy again, and returns to top form. Her one-on-one scenes with Clara stand out especially due to their history, despite the fact they are shown to be on the same side, Clara is consistently visibly wary of Missy, and this helps to give even the quieter moments some edge that a lot of Doctor Who stories tend to lack. There's an impending sense of the episode blowing up any moment throughout, but luckily when that moment does come, it is not squandered.
Missy and Clara walking through space was visually spectacular, and a surprisingly light-hearted moment, until the invisible planet became visible and revealed itself to be Skaro. What was a rather slow, but consistently enjoyable, episode went full throttle to the finish line, leaving us with a whopper of a cliffhanger leading into next week's resolution. If the scale and tone of The Magician's Apprentice is comparable to anything, then its a season finale from Russell T Davies' era of the show. The type of big, loud, everything but the kitchen sink episodes that end on massive cliffhangers with everyone's lives at stake. It's a big risk to place an episode like this at the very front of a new season, but Doctor Who is a show that tends to pull off most of the risks it takes. If this episode is any indication of the series we're in for this year, it's going to be explosive. Yes, last year Doctor Who took a different route and put humans entirely before monsters, but for a show that's been running for eleven consecutive years since its revitalisation, I'm more than happy for it to dedicate one of those years to the people as opposed to the aliens. But that year is over now, and Doctor Who is back with big planets, big stories and big monsters. Bring it on.
I feel this can be best summarised with the Doctor's entrance in this episode. Well, make that entrances. Peter Capaldi (as captivating as ever) was treated to two introductions in this episode, and they seem to be reflecting the two styles of the show he will have given us by the end of the year. The first time we see the Doctor in this episode he is shrouded in mist; hidden, obscured and wary. He doesn't get a clear close up until the shocking reveal that the child in front of him is Davros. This is a perfect summary of his character last year, the Doctor spent a lot of the season unsure of who he was, his vision was blurred and he was masked with mystery. Yet the Doctor's second introduction this season is bigger and bolder, it's a brash, loud entrance featuring tanks, electric guitars and the word "dude", which he has introduced a couple of centuries early. Judging not only by this episode, Moffat's own description of the season and the plot summaries benefit this claim too, this is a more effective way of foreshadowing this upcoming year.
Doctor Who took a year off from aliens with season eight and focused on the people, what it meant to travel with the Doctor and, for the first time in real detail, the negative repercussions that can have aside from your parents getting a bit miffed. But that appears to be over now, as The Magician's Apprentice is the first part in an entire series of two part stories each seeming likely to get bigger and bigger, with more and more monsters. The episode isn't perfect, as per any Doctor Who two-parter there is the issue of about twenty minutes of plot spread to over forty, but Moffat does well to cover this up by littering the episode with an endless sequence of big moments and funny one liners. After having her character butchered in last season's mess of a finale, Michele Gomez is back as Missy again, and returns to top form. Her one-on-one scenes with Clara stand out especially due to their history, despite the fact they are shown to be on the same side, Clara is consistently visibly wary of Missy, and this helps to give even the quieter moments some edge that a lot of Doctor Who stories tend to lack. There's an impending sense of the episode blowing up any moment throughout, but luckily when that moment does come, it is not squandered.
Missy and Clara walking through space was visually spectacular, and a surprisingly light-hearted moment, until the invisible planet became visible and revealed itself to be Skaro. What was a rather slow, but consistently enjoyable, episode went full throttle to the finish line, leaving us with a whopper of a cliffhanger leading into next week's resolution. If the scale and tone of The Magician's Apprentice is comparable to anything, then its a season finale from Russell T Davies' era of the show. The type of big, loud, everything but the kitchen sink episodes that end on massive cliffhangers with everyone's lives at stake. It's a big risk to place an episode like this at the very front of a new season, but Doctor Who is a show that tends to pull off most of the risks it takes. If this episode is any indication of the series we're in for this year, it's going to be explosive. Yes, last year Doctor Who took a different route and put humans entirely before monsters, but for a show that's been running for eleven consecutive years since its revitalisation, I'm more than happy for it to dedicate one of those years to the people as opposed to the aliens. But that year is over now, and Doctor Who is back with big planets, big stories and big monsters. Bring it on.
No extermination required
Equalizer1620 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
As before, the Doctor starts us off with a huge bang and story that has us glued to the telly, filled with plenty of excitement mystery, monsters, and humour the Doctor is back and facing danger bigger than ever before.
The first episode surrounds the conflict between the Doctor and his greatest enemy Davros (the creator of the Daleks) and how they reach their final battle. As an opener to the series, they have stared on a high note, and hope to see this in upcoming episodes. Although throughout we are never sure what narrative the Doctor is following and therefore anything can happen, which is good, but we do like to see the episode on an exact path sometimes.
Jenna Colman returning as the brilliant Clara to be there whenever the Doctor needs her in the dark and light times. Although I could not find her to be too significant in the story which is surprising since it is clear o fans that she is the title role here. However this episode is a fantastic 10/10 and has got me dying to find out what happens next.
The first episode surrounds the conflict between the Doctor and his greatest enemy Davros (the creator of the Daleks) and how they reach their final battle. As an opener to the series, they have stared on a high note, and hope to see this in upcoming episodes. Although throughout we are never sure what narrative the Doctor is following and therefore anything can happen, which is good, but we do like to see the episode on an exact path sometimes.
Jenna Colman returning as the brilliant Clara to be there whenever the Doctor needs her in the dark and light times. Although I could not find her to be too significant in the story which is surprising since it is clear o fans that she is the title role here. However this episode is a fantastic 10/10 and has got me dying to find out what happens next.
What Goes Around Comes Around
boblipton19 September 2015
With the first episode of the Ninth season of the revived Doctor Who, we are offered the first of what is at least a two-part story. I'm pleased to see a return to the longer form because we are given a heck of a cliff hanger on top of the return of Davros and the Master.
After what I consider a botched ending to the last season, I am again filled with a sense of hope. Some of my issues with the Twelfth Doctor stories have been caused by the exigencies of character establishment. It's been a concern since Patrick Troughton took over the role in 1966. It's not simply nostalgia for what came before and fear that the future will not live up to the past. We, the audience, must learn to care about this new Doctor before his adventures can touch us emotionally. So we have to spend several episodes in character establishment.
One of the strengths -- and weaknesses -- of Steven Moffat's term as show-runner has been producing a complex, alien Doctor. The Doctor is an alien who is several thousand years old. He should be both. That, however, makes him difficult to understand and hard to like. We need to see him through the eyes of more understandable intermediaries: friends and enemies.
That's what this episode offers us: Clara, the Master and Davros. Friends and enemies, although how they stack up may surprise you.
It's all very interesting, but I am not yet willing to declare this episode a success. It's a two-part story. I'll get around to that next week...assuming that's when this particular story ends.
After what I consider a botched ending to the last season, I am again filled with a sense of hope. Some of my issues with the Twelfth Doctor stories have been caused by the exigencies of character establishment. It's been a concern since Patrick Troughton took over the role in 1966. It's not simply nostalgia for what came before and fear that the future will not live up to the past. We, the audience, must learn to care about this new Doctor before his adventures can touch us emotionally. So we have to spend several episodes in character establishment.
One of the strengths -- and weaknesses -- of Steven Moffat's term as show-runner has been producing a complex, alien Doctor. The Doctor is an alien who is several thousand years old. He should be both. That, however, makes him difficult to understand and hard to like. We need to see him through the eyes of more understandable intermediaries: friends and enemies.
That's what this episode offers us: Clara, the Master and Davros. Friends and enemies, although how they stack up may surprise you.
It's all very interesting, but I am not yet willing to declare this episode a success. It's a two-part story. I'll get around to that next week...assuming that's when this particular story ends.
Nerdy. Confusing. Bad.
WeeClaude20 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Another year, another season of Doctor Who. That's 35 seasons in 52 years. Impressive.
And yet, I can't help feeling the show has lost all direction. This episode, in particular, has the most gimmicky plot imaginable. Watch out, because I'm going to drop spoilers here.
So...
I'm supposed to believe that the Doctor abandoned Davros to die, when Davros was still a child, and trapped in a minefield. But Davros survived, in a hideously scarred form, and went on to create the Daleks. So really, the Doctor is directly responsible for the creation of his own arch enemies.
Aargh. First of all, the notion that the Doctor would leave a child to die is...revolting. And totally out of character. But that's all right, everyone is out of character here. Indeed, at one point, the new Brigadier stands by and lets the Master get away with murdering several people - something the original Brigadier would never have done. So now, Doctor Who has heroes who are total cowards and morally bankrupt to boot.
And while the core of this storyline is horribly depressing, it's amazing that the tone of the script is so goofy and inconsistent. At one point in this bizarre episode, the Doctor holds a rock concert in the Middle Ages, and makes a series of cringe-worthy puns. Later on, the Master drops some casual sex references to the Daleks, and makes a silly joke about male vanity in the middle of a scene that's supposed to be scary. So is this show supposed to be a relentlessly grim drama, or some kind of ridiculous farce?
The original series could, at least, inject a few jokes into an episode without destroying the atmosphere and tension. In "Genesis of the Daleks" - the classic episode that this nonsense is partly based on - Tom Baker had some good one-liners. But overall, that episode maintained a serious, brooding tone. Not so here. "The Magician's Apprentice" drunkenly veers from unfunny comedy to overwrought melodrama from moment to moment, never pausing for breath or bothering to be consistent.
And Peter Capaldi, a promising Doctor last season, is awful in it. I hated watching him panic when he realized that he was on Skaro. I hated watching him plead with Davros for Clara's life. He's so hammy he makes Colin Baker look subtle. Besides, the real Doctor wouldn't plead. He'd simply defeat Davros and save Clara himself.
Meanwhile, I have to wonder who the intended audience for Doctor Who is now. This episode contains a huge number of callbacks to the original series, which fans of the new series probably won't understand. The Sisterhood of Karn, last prominently featured in Season 13, pop in for a scene here. The planet Skaro, as seen in 1963, makes a reappearance as well. And Davros - a villain who was important to the original series, but has barely featured in the new one - is the focal point of the whole thing. In short, it's one nerdy reference to old episodes after another. I can't imagine how alienating this is for newer viewers - who, in my experience, don't care about the original series at all.
As an old Who fan, I should be happy about all this. But I'm not. I resent that I'm supposed to happily salivate, like one of Pavlov's dogs, at the sight of the 1963 Dalek city. All I can say is, the Dalek city looked better 50 years ago when it was a model, instead of cheap CGI junk green-screened in behind Jenna Coleman. Yes, I honestly think the show's special effects have hardly advanced at all, while the scripts have regressed considerably.
Anyway - I see that the ratings for this episode were down from last year. No surprise there. The 2005 reboot of Doctor Who built a new audience by introducing soap-opera drama to the show, and casting pretty-boy Doctors who flirted with their companions. I hated that formula, but I understand why it was successful. Now we have an older, angrier, almost evil Doctor in Peter Capaldi, trapped in nerdy sci-fi plots that only a lifetime fan of the show can understand. This is a disaster...if Moffatt keeps it up, he'll alienate the whole audience in a matter of weeks.
Which might not be a bad thing. If the show crashes and burns, maybe a kindly, better writer will come along to fix it.
And yet, I can't help feeling the show has lost all direction. This episode, in particular, has the most gimmicky plot imaginable. Watch out, because I'm going to drop spoilers here.
So...
I'm supposed to believe that the Doctor abandoned Davros to die, when Davros was still a child, and trapped in a minefield. But Davros survived, in a hideously scarred form, and went on to create the Daleks. So really, the Doctor is directly responsible for the creation of his own arch enemies.
Aargh. First of all, the notion that the Doctor would leave a child to die is...revolting. And totally out of character. But that's all right, everyone is out of character here. Indeed, at one point, the new Brigadier stands by and lets the Master get away with murdering several people - something the original Brigadier would never have done. So now, Doctor Who has heroes who are total cowards and morally bankrupt to boot.
And while the core of this storyline is horribly depressing, it's amazing that the tone of the script is so goofy and inconsistent. At one point in this bizarre episode, the Doctor holds a rock concert in the Middle Ages, and makes a series of cringe-worthy puns. Later on, the Master drops some casual sex references to the Daleks, and makes a silly joke about male vanity in the middle of a scene that's supposed to be scary. So is this show supposed to be a relentlessly grim drama, or some kind of ridiculous farce?
The original series could, at least, inject a few jokes into an episode without destroying the atmosphere and tension. In "Genesis of the Daleks" - the classic episode that this nonsense is partly based on - Tom Baker had some good one-liners. But overall, that episode maintained a serious, brooding tone. Not so here. "The Magician's Apprentice" drunkenly veers from unfunny comedy to overwrought melodrama from moment to moment, never pausing for breath or bothering to be consistent.
And Peter Capaldi, a promising Doctor last season, is awful in it. I hated watching him panic when he realized that he was on Skaro. I hated watching him plead with Davros for Clara's life. He's so hammy he makes Colin Baker look subtle. Besides, the real Doctor wouldn't plead. He'd simply defeat Davros and save Clara himself.
Meanwhile, I have to wonder who the intended audience for Doctor Who is now. This episode contains a huge number of callbacks to the original series, which fans of the new series probably won't understand. The Sisterhood of Karn, last prominently featured in Season 13, pop in for a scene here. The planet Skaro, as seen in 1963, makes a reappearance as well. And Davros - a villain who was important to the original series, but has barely featured in the new one - is the focal point of the whole thing. In short, it's one nerdy reference to old episodes after another. I can't imagine how alienating this is for newer viewers - who, in my experience, don't care about the original series at all.
As an old Who fan, I should be happy about all this. But I'm not. I resent that I'm supposed to happily salivate, like one of Pavlov's dogs, at the sight of the 1963 Dalek city. All I can say is, the Dalek city looked better 50 years ago when it was a model, instead of cheap CGI junk green-screened in behind Jenna Coleman. Yes, I honestly think the show's special effects have hardly advanced at all, while the scripts have regressed considerably.
Anyway - I see that the ratings for this episode were down from last year. No surprise there. The 2005 reboot of Doctor Who built a new audience by introducing soap-opera drama to the show, and casting pretty-boy Doctors who flirted with their companions. I hated that formula, but I understand why it was successful. Now we have an older, angrier, almost evil Doctor in Peter Capaldi, trapped in nerdy sci-fi plots that only a lifetime fan of the show can understand. This is a disaster...if Moffatt keeps it up, he'll alienate the whole audience in a matter of weeks.
Which might not be a bad thing. If the show crashes and burns, maybe a kindly, better writer will come along to fix it.
A Spectacular Start for Series 9!
NineTenElevenTwelve20 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This episode held no punches. Right off the bat, I was invested in what was happening. The episode didn't even wait until the opening credits rolled to drop a bomb on us! But I'll get to that.
Peter Capaldi has only gotten better as the Twelfth Doctor. His official introduction was easily one of the greatest Doctor introductions EVAH! The Doctor playing guitar while riding in on a tank in a medieval arena with everyone learning the word "dude" centuries before its time. It was confusingly amazing to see a British show screaming 'MERICA to the high heavens. All the Doctor would have needed was some guns, bald eagles, apple pie, and Jesus riding in behind him on a Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd be a redneck's wet dream. And when he wasn't busy being awesome, the Doctor was facing some incredibly difficult dilemmas. His fear at realizing the child he was trying to save was a young Davros was perfectly shown in Peter Capaldi's expressions as was his fear and sadness at witnessing Clara being "killed" by the Daleks. I'm definitely interested in seeing how the next episode will follow up on the Doctor apparently attempting to change history by exterminating Davros as a child.
Clara was great as well. Her chemistry with the Twelfth Doctor has never been better. Their rocky relationship has been left behind in Series 8. They are now on the same page and willing to work together to solve any problem they face. Of course, she's a force to be reckoned with on her own as well. It was great seeing her work with UNIT and later Missy in order to try locating the Doctor. Clara's Doctor-like qualities have only become more and more apparent with time. It was also nice seeing that her life in Earth and her career as a teacher are still continuing. But, of course, I'm pretty sure Clara nor Missy have been killed by the Daleks. Obviously because Clara's not set to leave until the end of Series 9. Secondly, that whole scene had a very similar setup to the scene in Bad Wolf back in Series 1 when Rose was "exterminated". Also, both Clara and Missy disappeared when they were attacked. Normally, your body doesn't vanish from a Dalek attack.
Speaking of Missy, it was great to see her again and Michelle Gomez has only slipped further into the role. It was great seeing her bounce off Clara and the Doctor. She's quickly become one of my favorite Masters. Of course, I'm a little disappointed that we have yet to receive an explanation as to how she's still alive and how she escaped Gallifrey but I'm sure it's safe to assume those answers are waiting to be seen in either the next episode or at some episode in the future.
Now let's move on to HOLY SH*T DAVROS IS BACK! It's hard to believe that it's been seven years since Davros last made in an appearance facing the Tenth Doctor in the Series 4 finale. I remember hearing rumors about seeing Davros as a child a while ago and I was pleasantly surprised to see them proved true here. It was interesting seeing Davros as a child and later in his death bed...thing. Since Davros is apparently dying, I wonder if this 2-parter is shaping up to be his final story. But, with Missy as a prime example, big Doctor Who villains are hard to dispose of.
Seeing Skaro and many classic Daleks was great. It was an interesting twist to see Davros make all of Skaro invisible. This episode was overall filled to the brim with returning characters and groups. Kate Stewart and UNIT, the Judoon and the Shadow Proclamation; and Ohila and the Sisterhood of Karn. They all had a fitting amount of screen time and it was great seeing all of them. Of course, I hope we get to see Kate take on a more central role in the upcoming Zygon 2-parter.
Colony Sarff was also an interesting villain: a man made out of several snakes. Quite a unique creature. The reveal of Bors being a Dalek puppet was a great twist that I didn't see coming. I forgot to make a post about it earlier but Bors made a previous appearance in the second prequel to this episode: The Doctor's Meditation. It was a fun prequel and the Doctor and Bors had great chemistry. Too bad he turned out to be a puppet for the Daleks. The hand mines were also incredibly creepy. They felt like a nice reference to Pan's Labyrinth. The callback to the Fourth Doctor's choice in Genesis of the Daleks was also a welcome reference. And it's also interesting to note that this is the first series premiere since Series 4 to not have Matt Smith appear in it. Of course, it's hard to decide the true quality of this story until we see how the second half fares next week. But, overall, The Magician's Apprentice was a fantastic first half of this 2-part series opener. Great performances, great reveals, and an excellent cliffhanger that left me on the edge of my seat.
Peter Capaldi has only gotten better as the Twelfth Doctor. His official introduction was easily one of the greatest Doctor introductions EVAH! The Doctor playing guitar while riding in on a tank in a medieval arena with everyone learning the word "dude" centuries before its time. It was confusingly amazing to see a British show screaming 'MERICA to the high heavens. All the Doctor would have needed was some guns, bald eagles, apple pie, and Jesus riding in behind him on a Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd be a redneck's wet dream. And when he wasn't busy being awesome, the Doctor was facing some incredibly difficult dilemmas. His fear at realizing the child he was trying to save was a young Davros was perfectly shown in Peter Capaldi's expressions as was his fear and sadness at witnessing Clara being "killed" by the Daleks. I'm definitely interested in seeing how the next episode will follow up on the Doctor apparently attempting to change history by exterminating Davros as a child.
Clara was great as well. Her chemistry with the Twelfth Doctor has never been better. Their rocky relationship has been left behind in Series 8. They are now on the same page and willing to work together to solve any problem they face. Of course, she's a force to be reckoned with on her own as well. It was great seeing her work with UNIT and later Missy in order to try locating the Doctor. Clara's Doctor-like qualities have only become more and more apparent with time. It was also nice seeing that her life in Earth and her career as a teacher are still continuing. But, of course, I'm pretty sure Clara nor Missy have been killed by the Daleks. Obviously because Clara's not set to leave until the end of Series 9. Secondly, that whole scene had a very similar setup to the scene in Bad Wolf back in Series 1 when Rose was "exterminated". Also, both Clara and Missy disappeared when they were attacked. Normally, your body doesn't vanish from a Dalek attack.
Speaking of Missy, it was great to see her again and Michelle Gomez has only slipped further into the role. It was great seeing her bounce off Clara and the Doctor. She's quickly become one of my favorite Masters. Of course, I'm a little disappointed that we have yet to receive an explanation as to how she's still alive and how she escaped Gallifrey but I'm sure it's safe to assume those answers are waiting to be seen in either the next episode or at some episode in the future.
Now let's move on to HOLY SH*T DAVROS IS BACK! It's hard to believe that it's been seven years since Davros last made in an appearance facing the Tenth Doctor in the Series 4 finale. I remember hearing rumors about seeing Davros as a child a while ago and I was pleasantly surprised to see them proved true here. It was interesting seeing Davros as a child and later in his death bed...thing. Since Davros is apparently dying, I wonder if this 2-parter is shaping up to be his final story. But, with Missy as a prime example, big Doctor Who villains are hard to dispose of.
Seeing Skaro and many classic Daleks was great. It was an interesting twist to see Davros make all of Skaro invisible. This episode was overall filled to the brim with returning characters and groups. Kate Stewart and UNIT, the Judoon and the Shadow Proclamation; and Ohila and the Sisterhood of Karn. They all had a fitting amount of screen time and it was great seeing all of them. Of course, I hope we get to see Kate take on a more central role in the upcoming Zygon 2-parter.
Colony Sarff was also an interesting villain: a man made out of several snakes. Quite a unique creature. The reveal of Bors being a Dalek puppet was a great twist that I didn't see coming. I forgot to make a post about it earlier but Bors made a previous appearance in the second prequel to this episode: The Doctor's Meditation. It was a fun prequel and the Doctor and Bors had great chemistry. Too bad he turned out to be a puppet for the Daleks. The hand mines were also incredibly creepy. They felt like a nice reference to Pan's Labyrinth. The callback to the Fourth Doctor's choice in Genesis of the Daleks was also a welcome reference. And it's also interesting to note that this is the first series premiere since Series 4 to not have Matt Smith appear in it. Of course, it's hard to decide the true quality of this story until we see how the second half fares next week. But, overall, The Magician's Apprentice was a fantastic first half of this 2-part series opener. Great performances, great reveals, and an excellent cliffhanger that left me on the edge of my seat.
Hello Goodbye
Lejink21 September 2015
Unlike the lukewarm first episode of the previous series which introduced Peter Capaldi to the Doctor Who role, this curtain-raiser for the second series was for me a success at almost every level. Starting off with the first of many arresting special effects of the Doctor encountering the young Davros in a war-zone and in particular a terrifying hand-mine infested area (and that's not a mistype of land-mine, believe me) we're then led into an introduction to the sinister Colony Sarff seeking out the Doctor on the apparently dying Dalek creator's final wish. The story, as it makes clear later, takes as its jumping-off point an ethical dilemma posed by Tom Baker's Doctor in an episode from the 70's.
Cut then to planet earth where Clara is naturally, with her eyes-on-the-skies, the first to witness the singular phenomenon of aeroplanes the world over being frozen in mid-air, which turns out to be a typically elaborate reintroduction to the Missy character (completed with a very humorous reference to a piece of disposable 80's pop) who's also, wouldn't you know looking, for our main man. Finally the Doc makes his first extended appearance, in the guise of a would-be rock star or should that be axe-victim and so the adventure really begins.
There are good jokes ("don't upset him or he'll go Scottish!" particularly hitting home from the pen of my fellow-countryman Steven Moffat), some more great effects, especially the metamorphosis into a bag of snakes by the Colony Sarff and then, right at the end, shocks at the double leaving a real sense of confusion and anticipation as to what happens next.
This was definitely one of the best latter-day Doctor Who episodes I've seen and I only hope that the sequel lives up to expectations although judging by Jenna Coleman's recent announcement, it sadly looks as if Clara may have gone none too gently into that good night. Or has she, time, perhaps literally, will tell.
Cut then to planet earth where Clara is naturally, with her eyes-on-the-skies, the first to witness the singular phenomenon of aeroplanes the world over being frozen in mid-air, which turns out to be a typically elaborate reintroduction to the Missy character (completed with a very humorous reference to a piece of disposable 80's pop) who's also, wouldn't you know looking, for our main man. Finally the Doc makes his first extended appearance, in the guise of a would-be rock star or should that be axe-victim and so the adventure really begins.
There are good jokes ("don't upset him or he'll go Scottish!" particularly hitting home from the pen of my fellow-countryman Steven Moffat), some more great effects, especially the metamorphosis into a bag of snakes by the Colony Sarff and then, right at the end, shocks at the double leaving a real sense of confusion and anticipation as to what happens next.
This was definitely one of the best latter-day Doctor Who episodes I've seen and I only hope that the sequel lives up to expectations although judging by Jenna Coleman's recent announcement, it sadly looks as if Clara may have gone none too gently into that good night. Or has she, time, perhaps literally, will tell.
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