Doctor Who: Deep Breath

[unheard_secret]

 Was that awesome? Or was that awesome?

I am determined not to have my glee over this episode plunged into sadness by reading other people's less happy opinions (... I've already failed in that once by accidentally clicking on the meta of someone who I normally trust to have the same taste as me... in this case, I don't think we were even watching the same show...)

Still, my decision not to read other people's meta doesn't extend to not writing my own, so my thoughts are under the cut for anyone interested in reading them. Head's up: They're gleeful. So much glee.

1. A dinosaur in London. I love several things about this dinosaur and what it says about London, about the characters, and about how much the Doctor has changed, but first, simply, wasn't that cgi wonderful? It was wonderful. I know it was.

I love the fact that the dinosaur almost immediately become something more than a 'monster' to be overcome. When I first saw it, I was terribly afraid that this would just become a 'hunt the dinosaur through London' episode (sort of like Jurassic Park, but not)... so I was ever so grateful when that didn't happen. 

I particularly loved Vastra pointing out that the dinosaur was female, and was entirely prepared to keep it, and London safe, by setting up a cage of sound (?) light (?) things.

I also loved the small 'it laid an egg', 'your grasp of biology troubles me' exchange.

2. Jenny, Vastra and Strax. I have always been a little underwhelmed by the Paternoster Gang. I know that the rest of fandom was going mad, but I sort of... failed to lock into it?

I wasn't going to love them just because of the lesbian interspecies romance (for me, whether or not I like a romance is always more dependent on character interaction than it is on a random bunch of characteristics). 

This episode, however, rectified that. From start to finish, I was more than happy to be hanging out with Vastra, Jenny and Strax... most of the things I've found frustrating in the past seemed to disappear almost immediately. 

I think it was little character moments like Vastra remembering her childhood (and being concerned by Lestrade's biology), that sold me. (Vastra was always the character I needed to be sold on, weirdly enough. There is so much there for me to love, but I wanted to know that she was going to live up to it, before I inflicted my utter adoration on her... It may sound entirely backward, but she is so entirely my type that I was hesitant to get my hopes up...)

3. The Doctor and Clara. So the doctor's got a new face, and the dynamic between him and Clara has change dramatically. I'm glad that this was immediately obvious... I'm also glad that the Doctor was initially on his feet and trying to boss everyone around as per usual. 

I loved the Doctor's inability to recognise people, or distinguish between Clara and Strax. I especially loved the way he spoke to the dinosaur.

I almost felt like there was a missing exchange in there, which should have gone like this:

Clara: Doctor, stop. What are you doing? She's a dinosaur!

Doctor: So? You're and alien, Vastra's an alien, Strax is an alien. She's just another alien. What makes you think I should treat her any differently to the way I treat you?

4. I really enjoyed the fact that the Doctor emerged while trying to figure out if Strax was one of the seven dwarfs. I felt like this was a remnant of Eleven shining through. Eleven was always the storyteller, enamoured of everything and anything that was a little bit fairytale. I like that it was echoed here.

5. The doctor's forgetfulness upon emerging from the TARDIS just felt so right... not only has he aged incredibly since he last saw everyone (somewhere in the realm of 4 or 5 centuries), but he's also just gone through one of the biggest/worst regenerations ever... as well as having another entire set of regenerations thrust upon him. 

The only thing I didn't like about this? His remembering Handles. I would like to not remember anything about the Christmas episode, at all, ever. Handles in particular.

6. In my opinion Jenny's 'I don't understand. Who is he? Where's the Doctor?' was misplayed. She should have known something was up... I don't agree with making Jenny ask the stupid question just because she's not got the cool assurance of Vastra. Perhaps Vax should have asked it (getting his humans confused again) or Vastra should have just said something along the lines of 'that's the Doctor, isn't it?'

7. The new credits: YES and again YES! I loved these when I first saw them on youtube, and they finally (FINALLY) replace the horrible, horrible ones that prevailed throughout season 7. Also, the new music doesn't bother me much... I'm getting more and more flexible when it comes to mixing the opening sequence up.

8. Victorian London: Rounding off from the awesome new credits, I feel I should say that I love the steampunk vibe that they're going for. Victorian London, combined with a steampunk doctor, combined with *clockwork* monsters = really fricking awesome.

9. The Doctor's confusion of the bedroom, and his refusal to sleep, and his belief that doors are not 'him' are all building into a compelling picture of Capaldi Doctor. I can't wait to see more.. I can tell that he's going to be more alien, more intractable, and even more maverick.

Matt Smith's Doctor had much softer edges and an ability (and more particularly, a desire) to empathise with others. I can tell we're not going to get much of that from Capaldi's doctor.

I particularly love here, that Moffat chose to use the extra minutes in his episode to squeeze in some character building and soft, almost meta-like moments, rather than trying to use them for an even crazier adventure. I feel like his writing is almost at its best when he lets himself do that, so I'm more than (much more than) happy to be along for the ride.

10. Standing-up cat naps. Enough said. :)

11. Interesting fact: the Tardis translator lets you pick up accents. I'm sure I knew this before, but it only came home to me when Vastra started speaking in a scottish accent to make the Doctor feel more at home.

12. How do we fix him? How do we change him back? Interestingly enough, the person whose negative review I read, said that one of the things they hated about this episode was the way Moffat (and I paraphrase): thrust all the meta about Capaldi being old and not young and handsome down their throat and made them suffer (through Clara) for not wanting an old guy to be the Doctor.

Can I just say... WHAT?

Some of the best moments in this episode were generated by that tension. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the best moment for Clara EVER SINCE SHE BECAME A COMPANION was generated by that tension. For the first time ever, Clara was forced to stand up and get angry... letting us in the audience know (AT LAST) what her 'deal' is... where she draws her line in the sand, and how she wants other people to view her. 

All I can say is: an angry Clara (not a helpless, hapless and hopeless Clara) is the Clara I like best. I want to see her more often. I want to see that backbone have a chance to shine.

13. Also... hmmm, it occurs to me that Jenny did get some short shrift in this episode. In this exchange:

Vastra: Fetch me my veil.

Jenny: Why? Are we expecting strangers?

Her response is entirely too stupid. A simple and *knowing* 'yes ma'am', would have sufficed, before chucking a more detailed 'Strax, bring the stranger in our midst to see me in my rooms,' into Vastra's mouth.

14. Clara's uneasiness with Vastra is beautiful. 

15. Not sure that I'm sold on the 'these faces have to come from somewhere' concept when it comes to Pompeii and Capaldi. I almost would have preferred it if they just expected us to suspend our disbelief just a little more.... stilll....

it did give rise to a lot of talking about the doctor's new face. and most of that time was golden. (particularly the bit about the eyebrows.)

16. Doctor translating in his sleep: awesome... see above for why all the dinosaur bits were awesome. 

17. Strax = perfect comedy relief. Beautiful.

18. 'It's the government!' - I was waiting for that line (as soon as I saw the dinosaur, I was waiting for it), and it finally came! Yay!

19. Is Vastra's veil psychic in some way? Do people see it, if they expect and/or want to see it? I don't understand the full implication of what happened here.

20. I love Vastra's conversation about the Doctor's face... I almost wish I hadn't read the review where she's angry about being moralised at.... because that was (and still is DAMMIT) probably my favourite part of the episode.

21. What is so important about the chalk, and what is the Doctor writing. Enquiring minds want to know.

22. There was no sadder moment than when the Doctor was promising to take the dinosaur home and she erupted into flames. Not a one.

23. I can tell that the Doctor is going to have better relationships with animals than humans this time around... "I'm going to have to relieve you of your pet...' 'I was talking to the horse.' :)

Also... what tree was the Doctor hanging from? When they pan out, there's not a tree in sight...

24. Vastra eats humans... oh-kay?

25. The 'sport' inside Clara's brain ;)

26. The Doctor and the tramp!!! Yes, perfect. 'These eyebrows are independently angry.'

27. Jenny and Vastra - they have a very strange relationship... it doesn't weird me out too much (I've read even weirder things in fic because y'know a power/knowledge dom/sub dynamic sort of does it for me... but it's soooo weird having it turn up in Doctor Who. I mean, I like it. But it's weird.

28. I KNEW I WAS RIGHT!!!!! The woman who gave Clara the phone number in the shop - she was important! Also: Do you know how hard it would be to arrange for that particular ad to go back to back with the ad about the family restaurant. Lots of time and effort hard. Lots and lots of time and effort. I know... I work at a newspaper.

29. The whole restaurant scene deserves its own post. Just love. Every second of it, from the smell to the egomania jab, to the pulling out Clara's hair. Perfect, and such a great indication of things to come. 

30. Goodbye his favourite watch. That makes me sad. 

31. I can say so much about the Doctor leaving Clara behind to fend for herself, but it's late and I'm tired and I'm struggling to figure out whether it is a genuine 'maximum gain for minimum pain' approach, or more of a 'she'll be ok, I have faith in her,' thing. I think I might need a few more episodes to figure it out.

32. The Doctor didn't push the chap. He jumped... Weirdly enough it doesn't worry me that the Doctor talked him into suicide. I think the Doctor was right when he said that he didn't want to stay.

33. Jenna's acting was impeccable throughout this episode. Absolutely impeccable. 

34. And last, but OH MY GOD MOST CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, HOLY HECK THIS WAS THE MOST AWESOME THING EVER, EVER, EVER MAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTT SMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You should have seen my face. It was, and still is indescribable. 

Matt Smith was, in so many ways my Doctor, and I was overwhelmed with love at seeing him again. 

*Falls over and clutches this episode while sobbing with joy*

 

 

I want more. Now please.