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[neadods]

Sorry for the folks who follow for Who commentary - I didn't love it. I didn't loathe it. Thirteen episodes later, my feelings remain much the same they've been all along - I adore moments and characters, but overall am frustrated, especially by the number of plotlines left undone, including and especially the season arc. I know a lot of people are thrilled at the idea of a multiseason arc, but I feel like it's one more loose thread not sewn up.

Comments

[bewarethespork.livejournal.com]

You know, I wish you did love it, but I can understand why you don't. Some of the things I really enjoy are things you don't like as much (and I assume the converse was true for the RTD years). I hope the Christmas special/next series restores your squee! In the mean time, I'm just glad you like it enough to keep watching, even if you don't really love it at the moment.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I wish I loved it too, and in a way I set myself up to fall because I was so convinced that the Moffat season would be win with awesomesauce on top.

Which it is.

For a whole bunch of people who aren't me.

Everything is always YMMV. At least after the specials and CoE, I'm not flinching at the idea of what's going to be onscreen, y'know? There's enough that I do like that I can go to other journals and say "that bit? Yeah, that bit was so cool."

I hope the Christmas special/next series restores your squee!

I'd sure like it to, but I also want to scream "RESOLVE YOUR STORYLINE!" On further thought, I think the burr under my saddle there - aside from the nits I've picked all season - is my fear that the Silence/explosion will be the only big bad in all of Moffat-Who. And I intensely dislike shows that have only one overarcing Big Bad; that kind of thing *does* make me stop watching, when we already know who the baddie is and every episode just becomes a variation on "smack 'em down again this time." It's why I got bored of dalek finales, it's why I stopped watching Stargate, etc.

I'm going to be really upset if Moffat - who until this season surprised and delighted me in Who and in Jeckyl - goes that route.

[bewarethespork.livejournal.com]

There's enough that I do like that I can go to other journals and say "that bit? Yeah, that bit was so cool."

That's basically what kept me going through the Year of Specials - well, that and the idea that Mofftiem was coming soon, I guess.

I have a (spoiler-based) theory on what the Silence thing might be about, and if I'm right, then it may be resolved next series, but I really don't know. I love multi-series arcs (could you tell from my reaction post? XD), so this is actually a plus and not a minus for me. On the other hand, I hated the Daleks being the Big Bad almost every series, so I do understand what you're saying, even if I disagree in this particular instance.

That said, if Moffat ends up running the show for as long as or longer than RTD did and the Silence is the one big over-arcing theme that is never resolved? Well, yes, then I will be a little annoyed.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I have a (spoiler-based) theory on what the Silence thing might be about,

Do tell! I don't mind spoilers now that the season's over.

so this is actually a plus and not a minus for me.

That's one of the big YMMV things. From my POV - well, Buffy faced vampires & demons every season, but never the same ones, y'know?

[bewarethespork.livejournal.com]

It's a potential spoiler for the next series. Do you still not mind hearing it?

As for the multi-series thing, well, they never really faced whoever was behind the voice/"Silence will fall", did they? I mean, whoever it was was a key player, but they took a back seat to the rest of the action. So in a way, it's a bit like a comic book where the hero has just fought off a lesser villain, only to find that there was a bigger one pulling the strings. I actually love that sort of story, provided they don't just keep replacing every villain with a bigger one each series.

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

as with many things, that does have the ring of the classic series. examples include Frontier in Space being all run by the Daleks (shame on Terry Nation for ruining all that drama with the rather pedestrian Planet of the Daleks). Also the Invasion of Time with the 2-part Sontaran coda, Fenric and Ghost Light with their multiple layers of baddies, and anything involving the Black Guardian.

As for a multi-season "arc", that has precedent as well, with the development of Ace over the 3 years she was on the show (or would have had they let the show continue in '89).

There's rumor mills going on about possibly Omega returning...if each series/season brings back one classic alien (1 daleks, 2 cybermen, 3 the master, 4 sontarans, 4's specials time lords, 5 silurians) then 6 and/or Christmas is due something like Omega, Yeti, or Ice Warriors (who at least got a mention in Waters of Mars), or possibly the Black Guardian himself.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Hrm. I'd prefer Omega over the Black Guardian, but I think I'd like a different classic villain than either one of them. It's a pity Rassilon has already been dusted off.

[bewarethespork.livejournal.com]

I'm a huge Seven fan so I did know about Ace and Fenric and Ghost Light, but I'm less educated on other Classic eras, so thanks for the comparisons! And yes, I've heard the rumours about Omega and am very much hoping they're true, but I've also heard something about Yeti in the Christmas Special, so maybe we'll get both! And if we get the Black Guardian too, well, that'll just be the icing on the wincake for me. :D

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Spoil away. Potential spoilers have never bothered me (okay, unless it's someone holding to some ridiculous theory that seven seconds thought should explode, like "Harriet Jones stole the Master's ring and became the red dalek!") And non-plot or vague plot spoilers don't bug either; I like 'em. ("The Doctor finally mentions Gallifrey!") It's "...and ten minutes in, this huge plot point happens, and in eleven minutes in, they react this way" details that I avoid.

provided they don't just keep replacing every villain with a bigger one each series.

As long as they're not pulling an Anita Blake, and upping the power and the threat levels to ludicrous heights. Although how do you get bigger than EEEEEEEEEEville from the DAAAAAWWWWNNNNN of TIIIIIIIIIIME!

(Potential) spoilers!

[bewarethespork.livejournal.com]

Word is that Jason Isaacs has been cast as Omega to appear in Series 6 (and I've heard this from a number of sources, some of them apparently quite reputable, so I'm wondering if it might actually be true). If so, the voice could be his, and he could easily be behind the mis-piloting of the TARDIS. The cracks in the universe might have been designed to help him escape back into our universe, maybe?

Re: (Potential) spoilers!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

As Omega has already been mentioned in one of the threads, I'm not even sure this counts as a spoiler - although who is cast is.

Hmmm. We shall see. I remember all the "Patrick Stewart is the Meddling Monk!" spoilers.

Re: (Potential) spoilers!

[bewarethespork.livejournal.com]

If Patrick Stewart ever came in as the Meddling Monk, I wouldn't live to see it, because I'd have died of squee first. XD

Re: (Potential) spoilers!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

:D

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

With THAT pointed out, I have to say that you are not the only one who will be upset if "The Silence" turns out to be the only BB. ESPECIALLY when Moffat has already shown that he can come up with such innovative and scary big-bads that are NOT Daleks.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Yeah - I want innovation! He can do it - so he ought to do it!

[taiamu.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed the finale, and have enjoyed the season overall, but I do understand your reticence. I liked the season, and thought it came together surprisingly well, but even so, the season wasn't perfect for me.

I didn't care for "The Beast Below," for example, which a lot of people loved.

I find that I tend to get caught up by the little things. Example: If the Doctor died/was dying in the museum, why didn't he regenerate? Other than the fact that MS has signed on for another season, I mean.

IMHO, Moffat is very good at the thematic overarching bits, but tends to stumble on the details.

So, even though I thought this season was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it, I wouldn't say it's 'perfect' Who. If that makes sense.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I've seen perfect Who.

...oh, wait, I have. It was Empty Child/Doctor Dances, and that's why I'm so surprised at how little I squee over the Moffat season.

I find that I tend to get caught up by the little things. Example: If the Doctor died/was dying in the museum, why didn't he regenerate?

Like Amy, I think he was "mostly dead" (because the dalek wasn't up to anywhere near full power) and once he staggered to the Pandorica, it did its restoration thing. Oddly, that's one of the plot points that doesn't bug me at all.

[mondyboy.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of the multi-season arc. The biggest problem with RTD's finale is that he tried to shoe-horn too much into the last episode, and often eschewed plot for big, sweeping emotional moments.

Moffat does the smart thing of focusing on one aspect - the cracks and the end of the Universe. And those are resolved in the finale. Those other questions about who controlled the TARDIS and why it exploded on 26 June and what the silence is... well he's now got a whole 13 episodes to explore those. And I personally think that's smart.

But, as they say in the classics, YMMV.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

This!!

I found the finale very satisfying - but with enough loose threads to leave me wanting more and soon...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

The biggest problem with RTD's finale is that he tried to shoe-horn too much into the last episode, and often eschewed plot for big, sweeping emotional moments.

Agreed. And also that with one exception, the last episodes were "just like last time, only with more daleks and a weepier companion/Doctor breakup."

As for the rest - yeah, it's all subjective.