S7E7: The Bells of St. John (SPOILERS)

SeaDevil wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

I rather like this episode.

I rather did, too. I found it compelling and my interest never faded. Clara was fine to me, too. I rated it as "good."

I want that bike. And I still love how weird the doctor is! Who in the world leaves a half eaten jammie dodger on a plate? seriously? who else but the doctor.

SeaDevil wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

I rather like this episode.

I rather did, too. I found it compelling and my interest never faded. Clara was fine to me, too. I rated it as "good."

I did the same for the same reasons as you & timewarrior. I'm curious to see what, assuming they go that route, a 21st century version of a yeti would look like.

The story has some interesting points, but poor, poor execution.

Moffat didn't give Clara anything to do that really impressed me. She got uploaded twice in the same episode. I don't think that would have even happened to Rory.

The second half of the story was better than the first, and the last ten minutes, where the Doctor saves everyone, kept me from voting "Bad" on the episode.

Also, the Doctor didn't even seem the least bit interested in saving the other hundred people trapped in the WiFi. What a hero...

neogeo wrote:

SeaDevil wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

I rather like this episode.

I rather did, too. I found it compelling and my interest never faded. Clara was fine to me, too. I rated it as "good."

I did the same for the same reasons as you & timewarrior. I'm curious to see what, assuming they go that route, a 21st century version of a yeti would look like.

Think Sheepsquatch, but on who aide.

timewarrior wrote:

neogeo wrote:

SeaDevil wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

I rather like this episode.

I rather did, too. I found it compelling and my interest never faded. Clara was fine to me, too. I rated it as "good."

I did the same for the same reasons as you & timewarrior. I'm curious to see what, assuming they go that route, a 21st century version of a yeti would look like.

Think Sheepsquatch, but on who aide.

Thinking ...thinking ...thinking ...gagh! Sorry, got a whiff of 'em.

neogeo wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

neogeo wrote:

SeaDevil wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

I rather like this episode.

I rather did, too. I found it compelling and my interest never faded. Clara was fine to me, too. I rated it as "good."

I did the same for the same reasons as you & timewarrior. I'm curious to see what, assuming they go that route, a 21st century version of a yeti would look like.

Think Sheepsquatch, but on who aide.

Thinking ...thinking ...thinking ...gagh! Sorry, got a whiff of 'em.

(in gravely voice)

Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti!

I said okay. It was solid, it just didn't blow me away.

timewarrior wrote:

neogeo wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

neogeo wrote:

SeaDevil wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

I rather like this episode.

I rather did, too. I found it compelling and my interest never faded. Clara was fine to me, too. I rated it as "good."

I did the same for the same reasons as you & timewarrior. I'm curious to see what, assuming they go that route, a 21st century version of a yeti would look like.

Think Sheepsquatch, but on who aide.

Thinking ...thinking ...thinking ...gagh! Sorry, got a whiff of 'em.

(in gravely voice)

Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti! Yeti!

Yeti! I love you, but you ran to the forest! Yeti! I love you, but you're bad in the forest! Yeti! I love you, but you're wet and you're furry... And funky.

Totally missed this on the first viewing.

Hint: Look at the author's name.

I'm with Scary -- for many of the same reasons -- but I think I hated it even more. I voted "awful," and paused the show to wander around the house before resuming because I just couldn't sit there and watch it straight. I couldn't even stomach the idea of spoonheaded robots downloading souls. If the robots could show up anywhere, and if anyone could be hacked, why was it necessary for people to access the wifi to be uploaded? AND HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT EVEN WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE. Not that it absolutely couldn't have been explained satisfactorily, but it didn't even try... so it just seemed incredibly stupid to me.

And aside from having an even dumber premise, it was essentially the same episode we've seen a dozen times (at least) from the 2005+ series -- aliens seed world with something commonplace (or something that becomes commonplace, in the case of the black cubes) and do evil things; the Doctor bounces around for most of the episode and then FIXES EVERYTHING in the last 10 minutes -- but every previous instance was so much more tolerable.

I guess the classic series had a lot of superficial rehashes, too, but I'll totally take warring political factions operating in rock quarries over this crap. At least the length of the classic serials allowed each one more time to explore the particulars of that serial's issues and landscape in more detail; all the new series episodes can do is exchange running down corridors for motorbiking up buildings.

And yeah, I noticed the author's name on my first (and only) viewing. Yawn.

(If there was anything positive about the episode, though, it gave me an excuse and the motivation to check back in. I almost never agree with you guys, but I like you just the same )

Scary wrote:

Another flaw I spotted was that everyone could see the TARDIS when it's supposed to blend into its surroundings... Taking pictures in front of it and clapping for the Doctor, etc... Why? Why are they clapping for him? Do they know who he is now? If so, when did that happen?

This part, at least, I can clarify for you.

If you observe the background, you'll see street performers (a clown a such) standing there looking like their show has just been ruined. Their audience is applauding because they just saw a cool magic trick... the appearance of a blue box that people came out of.

... one thing jumped out at me... I have no idea what Moff was picturing, but the Doctor certainly did not invent the Quadricycle if he built one in 2013. Henry Ford did that in 1896.

The Ford Quadricycle

letmebestormy wrote:

I liked it. Of the many fleeting things I noticed, Clara's 101 Places to See had no age 23 in it. 1-24, but no 23. That'll come back.

Hmmm... Good catch... just went back and noted that 16 is also mising. And 19, while there, has been double crossed.

23 is the day in November that Doctor Who first aired...

Found it rather boring on the whole. An hour of watching people sit around typing on computers just isn't entertaining tv imo.

And while I've liked Clara in her last two appearances, she just came off rather flat in this episode.

I heard River will be back. Who wants to bet she gave Clara the TARDIS' number?

As the song says...

things can only get better!

It would not be good to start the series with such a bang that the next few episodes cant compare... I am hoping that it will get better and better until the big finale (as it should)

My 6 year old son loved the episode, found the Dr. funny, Clara pretty and the Spoon heads rather scary! It is well known at Church that I am a Who Fan and many tuned in to Dr. Who for the first time, the kids loved it, some of the dads could not keep up with the plot lol BUT over all the ones that would watch it on PBS that are finally getting caught up and the new viewers seem to enjoy it very much and will be tuning in next week.... yes its was Who conversion at Church this morning haha

Rust wrote:

Totally missed this on the first viewing.

Hint: Look at the author's name.

nice catch!

Calixar wrote:

Scary wrote:

Another flaw I spotted was that everyone could see the TARDIS when it's supposed to blend into its surroundings... Taking pictures in front of it and clapping for the Doctor, etc... Why? Why are they clapping for him? Do they know who he is now? If so, when did that happen?

This part, at least, I can clarify for you.

If you observe the background, you'll see street performers (a clown a such) standing there looking like their show has just been ruined. Their audience is applauding because they just saw a cool magic trick... the appearance of a blue box that people came out of.

that's totally what I got from it,, and then the doctor hams it up and makes clara the lovely assistant! lol

I gave it an amazing, reminded me of a modern matt smith helmed classic pertwee feeling story from the letts/dicks era! the intro credits just get me so excited again, with matts face in it, idk I just get pumped everytime now!lol Richard e grant!!! the great intelligence! I can't wait. I thought clara was awesome. im not going to dissect it, I give up like who you want, don't who you don't, I don't care. lol
I thought the spoon heads were awesome, reminded me of old autons, or a lot of other old monster of the week monsters and they were just fun. plus easiest custom ever, just cut off part of your figures head. lol

on the question of sexual innuendo, im sorry if that offends anybody, but other than the doctor and his companion doing it, it has gone on through out the whole show, its just as times advance, the language changes, what was once taboo becomes novel, etc. i personally believe that stuff goes over kids heads all the time, i remember watching Hercules the Disney animated movie with my nephew when he was ten and theres a line in the movie where Hercules and the girl are coming back from a play and he says "boy i thought i had problems, but that edipus guy, wow". i laughed my butt off by how seemingly inappropriate that was, but he had no idea. the reality is this show has been on a long time, it lost its quote unquote kids show status along time ago, it is for young people to enjoy and targeted at them for sure but its audience ranges from 6 to 60 now, sooooo that's a large gap to fill, i think its done quite well.

anyway, i liked it, im excited for the rest of the season and bring on the 50th!!

just watched this after coming back from canada...had a bit of jet lag so still drooling and eyes burning. On first viewing my brain has still not caught up with this episode- kind of give it a c for now. Sometimes I need to see again to not judge it too harshly- but I was thrilled beyond thriled that who is back- too darn long of a wait

I liked this episode too. I don't use Wi-Fi so I should be safe. The anti-gravity motorbike was fun. It was nice to see the Doctor outwit his foes again.
I'm disappointed that the Clara they'll be using will be from modern Earth. All the modern companions come from there. I want variety! I don't understand why the Great Intelligence decided to give her hacking skills? How does that benefit it? Whywouldn't she be able to make a Twitter joke before the infodump?
I'm also confused by the Great Intelligence appearing as Dr. Simeon. I have to watch the Yeti episodes, but I was under the impression that the present GI was supposed to be completely inhuman. Since it's been retconned that the GI was Dr. Simeon's psychic split personality, shouldn't it be speaking with Ian McKellan's Snowman voice? Is GI the voice that told River "Silence will fall" when the TARDIS inexplicably exploded?

I have not seen this episode, but the Great Intelligence in the old days would generally take a person over and then have them do it's bidding. The Yeti were robots first seen in Tibet, with one being taken back to England by Travers, it then created more when the Great Intelligence was brought back into being.

I only saw The Snowmen once so will have to look at it again to see any clues that might help explain the new way it is being presented.

The only time I have seen the G.I. was in the spin off movie Downtime. The were using technology then to take over people, and the had the little metal spheres as a conduit to do this. I assumed the "spoon heads" were just a substitute for these. I am not getting all of the criticism of Clara being a different version of Moffs other characters. For most of the classic series, companions would not even get this much of a story. Not until Ace, really. But, until her mystery is revealed, I will reserve my judgement.

As for this episode, I enjoyed it as just another fun Doctor Who adventure. I just can not get enough of Matt, I really enjoy his performance. I hope he hangs around a bit longer. I did enjoy the banter between Clara and The Doctor. I hope the can keep that up. I am looking forward to each new episode.

I called it "Good." Fun bits, good character moments, brisk pacing, and a companion with some intellectual and technical abilities the likes of which we really haven't seen much of in the modern series (and it's about time, too).

Now, I have to say, it never ceases to amaze me how many fans complain about the modern series by saying the Doctor fixes things in the last 10 minutes. That's not new, people. He's been pulling crap like that for about 50 years now, only we used to have to sit through 4 to 6 episodes padded by corridor chases and repeated captures (the Doctor and his companions, the Doctor by himself, the companion by herself, etc. etc.) before the last-minute resolution. At least now it's done in a single episode.

Fandom needs to stop taking everything so frakking seriously. Part of the fun of this show, both modern and classic, is that it's always been a little ridiculous. I think that truth, and the inability to deal with it without feeling sheepish, is why some fans reject the modern series, and Smith in particular, so vehemently (Smith's childlike glee is the quintessential embracing of ridiculousness, after all). And enough with the Moffat-hate! It's about as tired as Lucas-bashing. At least Moffat hasn't yet had the TARDIS drag a bundle of planets across the universe; how people can attack Moffat's quirks while forgiving RTD for that kind of silliness (and all the bloody tear-jerking) just plain confuses me.

Doctor Who is kind of a goofy show. That's part of its charm. How that goofiness manifests changes depending on the producer, and it's all just part of the Doctor Who experience. Pity so many fans (not necessarily on this board, just in general) are so uncomfortable admitting and dealing with that silliness, and enjoying it for what it is: science fiction television.

Wow, just dawned on me.....the World Wide Web was the new Web of Fear! LOL