Doctor Who Revival S8E1 -- Deep Breath (boxed spoilers until it airs on the West Coast)

[GargoyleWB]

An overall like, Capaldi’s Doctor Who is already on his way to being on the all-time best of list.

<whinge-on>
For the record, to this point Matt Smith has been my least favorite of the modern-era Doctors. He did serviceably well and performing the scripts, but I was always too conscious of his performing instead of being immersed in the character. Clara has also been on my least favorite companion list, in no fault to her acting chops, but because her character has been nothing more than eye candy to be pulled along in The Doctor’s slipstream.
<whinge-off>

All the good things about Capaldi have been said already in-thread. Jenna Coleman though really got a chance to shine and has finally showed signs of being a top-tier companion after a wasted forgettable tenure last season. She channeled a playful mix of Donna and Romana2 instead of the simplistic Doctor-awe and clunky flirting of last season.

…and a shout-out to Jenny’s neckline-collarbone-jaw transition modeling for that non-painting…helllooooooo nurse!

[Mahaloth]

Has anyone found an HD version of the official Peter Capaldi Doctor Who opening credits? I can only find the original fan version and a few low quality copies.

You think BBC would give us the opening credits so we can re-watch that on youtube.

[BDBoop]

@Mahaloth

And she gets better in forthcoming episodes. I feel bad now that she is leaving.

Sorry, the news that she is leaving is new news to me. Have you a link?

[BDBoop]

@Digital_is_the_new_Analog

I’ll go with that. The first episode for each Doctor seems to be him trying to find himself…so most of our impression is based on the search, not on the character he will become.

I did like the Matt Smith scene. That was unexpected.

Loved it. But then I was enamored of the entire episode. Capaldi is my age. Half my problem with Smith was his age.

[BDBoop]

@Eyebrows_0f_Doom

I loved it! I **LOVED **it!! I was so *meh *about the last season with Matt Smith (except for the 50th Anniversary special, which was awesome) but I am already in love with Capaldi’s Doctor. I know that it was the first episode and so had to introduce things, but I really liked that it wasn’t centered around some big convoluted mystery involving the Companion. More one-off stories like this one Moffat, please!

I liked that they didn’t just completely ignore Peter Capaldi having played a different character during David Tennant’s run. Whether they will spend more time on that, or if it was just a quick mention, remains to be seen.

And Holy Shit, Matt Smith!! They kept that under wraps, didn’t they! That was a total surprise!

Can you take bottle caps of with those Eyebrows of Doom?

[standingwave]

@Mahaloth

Has anyone found an HD version of the official Peter Capaldi Doctor Who opening credits? I can only find the original fan version and a few low quality copies.

You think BBC would give us the opening credits so we can re-watch that on youtube.

- YouTube

[dropzone]

A problem with hi-def is that you can see things far too clearly. F’rinstance, in closeups you can see that the outlines of scales on Vastra’s lower face and throat are airbrushed on. While I could happily spend time studying Neve McIntosh’s swan-like neck while listening to her coo in her Paisley accent, it was a bit jarring.

I said this would happen. It started with the 2002 Winter Olympics, where I could see razor burn on one of the skaters’ delicate female place. Way TMI. Give me back my lo-def!

[BDBoop]

@Drunky_Smurf

Because she is playing the audience in this episode. She is supposed to be us and the writers think wer’re a bunch of whiny morons who can’t accept change and why is the Doctor not cute like he supposed to be because we want to be his girlfriend.

I liked the epsiode despite all of the annoying “Yeah, he’s a new Doctor, yeah he’s old, yeah he’s not sexy, ‘big whoop wanna fight about it’*. Get over yourself.” by the writers.

I liked Smith popping in at the end but again it felt like the writers all agreed that we the audience are a too clingy girlfriend and the only way we could move on to a new non-boyfriend was to have the old one tell us it’s ok to move on.
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJimiVFCjJ0

Whatdya mean, he’s not sexy!?

[Mahaloth]

@BDBoop

Sorry, the news that she is leaving is new news to me. Have you a link?

We had a thread about it, but I am actually now reading it may not be for sure.

So, apparently, it is not for sure.

[Irishman]

@Smapti

This is a major aside, but the name of the OS is “Android”, not “Droid”. “Droid” is the name of one particular brand of phone manufactured by Google/Motorola that runs the Android OS.

So, exactly what I said.

@Andy_L

“Blue Peter” is an incredibly long running UK children’s program (started in 1958 and is still going on).

’

Thanks. That explains the badges they were given.

@Sean_Factotum

Why is Strax such an idiot? He seems to be getting dumber and dumber instead of more attuned to the humans he is in contact with on an almost daily basis. Sontarans are egostic, not moronic.

Unfortunately, that is a trend too common in TV shows. Something is funny, dial it up to 11. Strax gets dumber.

Why is Clara so freaked out about this change? She is the one and only companion who has seen every single Doctor. By this time, she shouldn’t be concerned with his physical appearance.

:smack:

@Miller

Anyway, liked the episode over all. I could watch an entire series about the adventures of Victorian era lesbian ninjas and their potato manservant.

Well, technically, I think Jenny is a lizardesbian. Something about a cloaca is less than sexy to me. YMMV.

[Slow_Moving_Vehicle]

@phibes

I’ve been itching to rant on this since I viewed it, and behold! A thread on the SDMB with an audience for my humble opinion far above your typical internet mope in sophistication and intelligence. Life is good.

Hated it. Moffatt seems to be pandering to fandom of late, particularly of the female fanfic-writing sort. A nod to the nerds once in a while is cute, but when it takes over the show it’s icky.

Vastra and Jenny are warmed-over Xena and Gabrielle with none of the charm and way too much of the warrior-babe ethos that has inundated fantasy and scifi media of late.

Gotta respectfully disagree with you there, phibesy, old man. Well, sorta… Vastra and Jenny frustrate me because I feel like there’s so much more that could be done with them. Neve McIntosh is a sufficiently skilled actress that I feel Moffatt and Co. could flesh out and develop Vastra’s character. Maybe she and Jenny and Strax really do need their own series - I want to know more about them.

[Jragon]

The problem with the trio is that they only really have one joke. The first time or two it was a pretty funny joke in a “a tiny alien solider, a lizard woman, and her lower-class servant-girl lover walk into a bar in Victorian London…” sort of way, but it’s not really funny enough to justify their repeated appearances, IMO.

[Prof.Pepperwinkle]

I think the Friendly Victorian Trio did a lot to establish continuity between seasons, but that they are easily overdone. If they only show up once or twice more this season, that’s fine, otherwise…

[TBG]

@Mahaloth

Here is a neat story how the BBC went and used a fan’s version of the credits for series 8. They have beefed them up, but used his idea. I assume they updated the graphics, added new music, etc. But the idea was his and they used it.
Here is the fan’s original video.

So thats why they look fairly crummy compared to previous series openings.

[C_K_Dexter_Haven]

@BDBoop

Loved it. But then I was enamored of the entire episode. Capaldi is my age. Half my problem with Smith was his age.

I presume it’s been noted before, that the prior doctors’ regenerations have always got younger. This is the first one that’s older (ignoring the hiccup one-time appearance of John Hurt.)

[DSeid]

@Irishman

Well, technically, I think Jenny is a lizardesbian. Something about a cloaca is less than sexy to me. YMMV.

But our first exposure to them established that her tongue is a point of interest …

[Kamino_Neko]

@C_K_Dexter_Haven

I presume it’s been noted before, that the prior doctors’ regenerations have always got younger.

Davison to C. Baker was also an upward swerve (mid-30s to early-40s), but that was anomalous until Smith->Capaldi, which is also the biggest upward jump (early-30s to mid-50s).

But, yes, it’s been a downward trend, and Smith was only slightly younger than Davison (the previous youngest). I expect ages to trend downward again after Capaldi leaves.

Interestingly, Capaldi has started as the Doctor at an older age than any of his predecessors - at 56, he’s a year older than Hartnell was when he started, and none of the others have been in their 50s when they started. So even a downward trend could leave anyone who follows him as the oldest aside from Capaldi and Hartnell.

[Kamino_Neko]

@Kamino_Neko

Interestingly, Capaldi has started as the Doctor at an older age than any of his predecessors

Oops, even though you mentioned him in your post, I completely brainfarted on John Hurt (73).

BUT!

As you mention, the War-Doctor was a 1-off, AND, for their regeneration scene in Night of the Doctor, they used special effects to go from 53 year old Paul McGann to a younger Hurt.

(Also, attempting to find where they GOT the original footage from (I never did - though I did find a theory that it’s from a 1979 TV production of Crime and Punishment, meaning Hurt was 39 or 40 at the time), I see that Capaldi was 55 when he started filming, so he’s TIED for oldest, aside from the asterisk of Hurt.)

[DigitalC]

I’ve loved every one of their appearances, and will continue to love them if it keeps River away.

[leahcim]

@DSeid

But our first exposure to them established that her tongue is a point of interest …

My favourite innuendo in all who-dom:

[Quote=Vastra]
Was I being insensitive again dear? I don’t know why you put up with me. <Attacks marine with exceedingly long prehensile tongue>
[/QUOTE]