I think that this episode has been largely polarising for many viewers of Doctor Who; both loyal fans from the classics, to the new fans of Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, and Capaldi. There's a certain depth to this episode 'Kill The Moon', and while I don't usually review singular episodes of television shows, I had to make an exception this time.
I largely believe that the reaction to this episode has come to characterise the reaction to the way that Moffat has taken Doctor Who in recent years. Some have loved it, while others have hated it. The brilliantness is that there's a cleverness underneath the fun and action driven moments that deals with morality, existential freedom, and arguably pro life/pro choice debates. These are wonderful moments and I think that there's credit due to the episode writer - Peter Harness who wrote some very strong dialogue. Indeed, this dialogue was delivered with absolute brilliance by the actors of the show. To me, Capaldi is going from strength to strength in his role as The Doctor. He's demonstrating an incredible ability to deliver not only shallow, superficial lines, but also in the deliverance of the emotionally charged speeches. He has brought us a Doctor that we have come to question and delivered a freshly needed take on the Time Lord.
However, while there was much strength to this episode (which I think is arguably one of the stronger episodes of series 8) there's a lot of poor choice. There's certainly been a plug towards the tumblr fan- base recently with references to the site (in this episode), and the creation of a few characters deliberately to serve towards those ends. While there's little wrong with this, I feel like it may set a dangerous precedent that the show could begin to deviate away from the silent majority and towards the loud few. This is a process that I think may already be under way. Furthermore, the lens is beginning to feel like it's deteriorating away from The Doctor and towards Clara, and while I feel like it was justified in this episode, it seems to be a trend which is becoming too common. Furthermore, this episode started very strongly in creating a great setting, alone on a moon; a wonderful introduction of which many story lines could have be derived. Though, it makes me wonder why they went down the direction that they did. This could have been a much stronger episode.
Ultimately, this entire episode is just another stand alone in a show that feels like it's missing any kind of strength in a bigger arc. 'Heaven' is featured so infrequently the show is left kind of going towards no real end, it just fades from one stand alone to another. There doesn't seem to be much progress. Maybe a bigger arc is what is needed to step out from the grogginess which has began to hurt the show and alienate viewers since series 7.
I largely believe that the reaction to this episode has come to characterise the reaction to the way that Moffat has taken Doctor Who in recent years. Some have loved it, while others have hated it. The brilliantness is that there's a cleverness underneath the fun and action driven moments that deals with morality, existential freedom, and arguably pro life/pro choice debates. These are wonderful moments and I think that there's credit due to the episode writer - Peter Harness who wrote some very strong dialogue. Indeed, this dialogue was delivered with absolute brilliance by the actors of the show. To me, Capaldi is going from strength to strength in his role as The Doctor. He's demonstrating an incredible ability to deliver not only shallow, superficial lines, but also in the deliverance of the emotionally charged speeches. He has brought us a Doctor that we have come to question and delivered a freshly needed take on the Time Lord.
However, while there was much strength to this episode (which I think is arguably one of the stronger episodes of series 8) there's a lot of poor choice. There's certainly been a plug towards the tumblr fan- base recently with references to the site (in this episode), and the creation of a few characters deliberately to serve towards those ends. While there's little wrong with this, I feel like it may set a dangerous precedent that the show could begin to deviate away from the silent majority and towards the loud few. This is a process that I think may already be under way. Furthermore, the lens is beginning to feel like it's deteriorating away from The Doctor and towards Clara, and while I feel like it was justified in this episode, it seems to be a trend which is becoming too common. Furthermore, this episode started very strongly in creating a great setting, alone on a moon; a wonderful introduction of which many story lines could have be derived. Though, it makes me wonder why they went down the direction that they did. This could have been a much stronger episode.
Ultimately, this entire episode is just another stand alone in a show that feels like it's missing any kind of strength in a bigger arc. 'Heaven' is featured so infrequently the show is left kind of going towards no real end, it just fades from one stand alone to another. There doesn't seem to be much progress. Maybe a bigger arc is what is needed to step out from the grogginess which has began to hurt the show and alienate viewers since series 7.