409: Forest Of The Dead

409: Forest Of The Dead

Please keep in mind that that this episode has already aired in the UK. This thread will probably contain LOTS of spoilers. If you don't want to ruin the fun, you may want to come back once the episode airs on SciFi in a few weeks.

It wasn't great but was a lot better than Silence in the Library! I liked River Song's conclusion.

This was an emotional ep, it carried all of them from comedic to frightful to sad to relief and joy. Everyone kind of expected another Blink from Moffat and while the thought of the vashta nerata certainly is as unsettling as the statues from Blink, this was a different story. The baddie was a secondary thing in this two parter. The main theme I carried away is that the Doctor has even harder trials and harder choices to make. His future will truly shape him in ways that make him sound more noble and determined to keep order, at least from the way River portrayed him. How cool was the finger snap?!

So is there a soapbox moment from this tale? Sort of, more of a tippy toe stance than on a box. The whisper...

Spoiler:

This is something that has been kept as a secret since the inception of Dr Who, so does this mean we are finally to learn it? I am truly mixed on the idea. It would be cool to learn, but it's the one aspect that keeps him mysterious even to the viewer not just the companions. I hope they do share it as it seems a foreshadowing, but I also hope they don't. Again, mixed. What I really hope is shared is the tales of his and River Song's travels, although that is also a topic of mixed reaction, because of the changes it implies including the end of the 10th doctor. At any rate, this story gives a view of Moffat's range and gives me the belief that when the reigns are handed over, it really will be a great ride.

While enjoyed Silence in the Library, Forest of the Dead really brought the story together. This really makes me wonder what the next few years will hold for the Doctor. They have a lot of ground to cover before Tennant hangs up the screwdriver and I'm afraid much of it will go the way of the Time War. I hope we get a few answers.

As I haven't seen it yet (I'll wait), but based on the basics of what was created in the original stories (yet the whole "kids" thing, which would entail The Infinite Doctors would apply), the whole "loom" idea, and of course, The Other, especially since this reminds me more and more of what McCoy's Dr was trying to portray....

That's my two cents.

I really think The Doctor's "real" name should never be revealed except in the instance of the cancellation of the series and saved for the absolute final episode, and even then I'm not sure.

I just think the fact that he has a real name, yet goes around calling himself The Doctor, lends such a great air of mystery around him. Same with The Master.

Most fans will never think of him as anything but The Doctor even if his true name was revealed, but still, I think it would diminish a very important element of his character.

As forDr. River Song...future companion? wife? sister? 11th, 12th or 13th regeneration?

SPOILERS BELOW (I don't know how to do that highlighted "spoiler" thing greatdj did above. How DO you do that?....)

Whatever the answer, I think Moffat is laying the groundwork for a brilliant story arc, beginning with the DEATH of a major new character before we really even get to know her.

I imagine there will be answers in the specials next year.

does anybody have a pic of the doctor where he's glideing in that blue light,going down to the core of the planet?

Clavius wrote:

(I don't know how to do that highlighted "spoiler" thing greatdj did above. How DO you do that?....)

There are actually two ways to do this...
1.If you use the "post reply" button at the top it will take you to a box with several "tag" options or
2.If you use the "quick reply" feature located at the bottom of each thread you read, then select the preview feature. When you scroll down to the reply your posting you'll now see more options than those in the "quick reply"section.
Either way you get to the "tags" one of those is the Spoiler. simply click on spoiler

Spoiler:

click spoiler again when you've finished typing the parts you want to hide. I always use the preview either way because I usually like to proof read for spelling or simple derailment of train of thought before actually submitting a post.

jon wrote:

does anybody have a pic of the doctor where he's glideing in that blue light,going down to the core of the planet?

I rather like 2 and 5, but here are some to pick from...

https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/11/34/71/02/bluedo10.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/11/34/71/02/bluedo11.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/11/34/71/02/bluedo12.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/11/34/71/02/bluedo13.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/11/34/71/02/bluedo14.jpg

It's from a cap, mine came from VOTD this way.

thanks gregtdj,your a star!
you see,i wanted it for my windows live messenger acount.

Thanks greatdj, I usually use the quick reply without previewing, so I never noticed that feature.

Spoiler:

Oh love the pict of the blue tunnel gregtdj.

As for the forest of the dead...very complex and it is nice to add more spice to the mystery of the doctor. I doubt we will ever know his real name (I think it is Bob...just Bob) but that is my theory. Don't ever take me seriously....

River Song was a nice outer space Indian Jones type A personality character. The one who really intrigued me was Doctor Moon...love that voice. Moffat is really good at creating non cookie cutter characters that seems to stay in one's head. You really do care for them and you also feel you are being drawn into their struggles. As for Donna...poor gal- she thinks she could travel with him forever! Have a nasty feeling poor fella will be left alone at the end.

OH EVEN BETTER!!! thanks CJSchmidt

So the did the Doctor reveal his name because Riversong was a True Love(gallifreyan spouse or something) or was it because he new his previous self would not trust her unless she had something special to prove that his future self trusted her? Shame about Donna's companion from cyberspace.

I suppose the Ood were talking about this episode when they said the Doctor's Song was ending.

Definatly the best story of season 4, although The doctor's daughter was pretty cool

Having re-watched these episodes, and having Season 5 under my belt, this Episode raises a lot of questions, especially in regards to its ending.

River's Voice Over constantly talks about how "everybody lives", yet they're all Data Ghosts trapped in Cal's mind. Further, while Cal could probably bear the load of six separate personalities, she's still just a child - left alone on a planet filled with Shadows. And River's reading from her diary at the end - and the diary (as far as we know) was never uploaded into the data banks.

I think there's a segment of this episode we're not seeing, or haven't seen yet.


It works perfectly fine as it stands right now, but Moffat gave himself an incredible amount of wiggle room (Not to mention a chance for Tennant to guest star down the road) if River Song's character proves popular enough, to bring her back at the end of her character arc.

CJSchmidt wrote:

jon wrote:

does anybody have a pic of the doctor where he's glideing in that blue light,going down to the core of the planet?

Found one here:
http://doctorwho.sonicbiro.co.uk/gallery/displayimage.php?album=23&pos=772

rust, i hope not. river's death was incredibly powerfull(even though i don't really like her character). bringing her back after she was uploaded into the library would seem too "comic booky" for my tastes.(ex. kill someone off, then retcon the story, saying you hadn't seen the whole thing, and they are really alive, i.e. norman osborne)

I enjoyed this episode very much.