The TARDIS did not refuse to translate for Clara.
Did you think every alien on the rock except Doreen was actually speaking English?
No, for the sake of a gag, the TARDIS, for whatever reason, cannot translate Doreen’s barking.
It also can’t translate horse nickering or baby babbles, even though the Doctor can perfectly understand both, meaning there is meaning in them that can be translated.
A more serious version is the pre-universe glyphs from The Impossible Planet.
I saw BBCA’s “Fourth Doctor” episode last weekend and it was established that the Tardis only opened for the Doctor. Given the debate about Clara and the Tardis, I’m assuming that’s changed since then?
Wayyyyyyyyy before my time.
Interestingly the actress who played Susan in the very first episode is not only still alive, but still performing as Susan. She just played the role again in a Big Finish Audio production, for the 50th Anniversary.
I expect that we’ll get little iconic bits from each of the Doctors in these next few episodes. This time it was the grandfather/granddaughter relationship.
It’ll be fun to watch for other small clues from the prior years.
Are you sure? I thought that was the Third.
Fourth, third, whatever. Regardless, it was established at one time that the Tardis only opened for the Doctor. Did this change?
I was going to be bummed if I missed Four. Just looked it up. Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – The Fourth Doctor premieres Sunday, April 28, 8:00pm ET/PT.
Anyway, with a show that’s been airing off and on since 1963 it’s got to be hard to keep the canon straight. I found this on the TARDIS key:Entry to the Doctor’s TARDIS was allowed by inserting a key into the lock, just like a real police box. However, the locking mechanism did not respond to police-issued keys, and would not even open when unauthorised persons used the Doctor’s keys. The Brigadier was prevented from opening the TARDIS in the Third Doctor’s absence, because of the metabolism detector on the lock. (TV: Spearhead from Space) Nevertheless, there were occasions on which strangers were able to successfully use the Doctor’s key, suggesting either a flaw in the metabolism detector or a choice on the part of the TARDIS. (TV: The War Machines, Shada, Doctor Who, Blink)
Pretty much whatever services the plot, I guess.
I’m a little weary of companions having mysterious back stories. I think the Doctor stalking Clara through her life is creepy.
I am liking the little nods to the past Doctors, like saying the last time he was there was with his granddaughter.
Bleh. I didn’t care for the doctor’s speech at all and I found the dispersal of the parasite to be overly sentimental, cloying and apparently asking far more of Clara than the doctor and felt far more appropriate as a season finale sort of gesture. I rather liked the singing though. I was more intrigued by the odd reaction of the lone priest and wanted to find out more about that.
The scooter stuff was dumb; I had the same thought and since the Tardis moves in time, doy, I was expecting a lovely little scene where Clara berates the doctor’s back for being so callous only to turn around and see him guide Merry into the open Tardis at which point Clara would be arrested for interfering and they’d have a lovely chase and tackle second half in the bowels of the planet. The actual episode turned out far less exciting than the one I expected.
Apparently Clara’s mother died on the day that “Rose” took place - killed by Autons?
I personally assumed the TARDIS was just mad about being called a snog-box.
So the decision was budgety-wudgety?
Nor was it digitally composited in well. Terrible all round.
Note that viewership for this episode was down by 1 million. Possibly because Whodom feels they’re repeating and played out; possibly because we’re only getting 8 episodes; possibly because the Great Intelligence wants it that way…
Or perhaps more people than normal (beyond the die-hard Whovians) tuned in for Bells of Saint John given that it was the season premier and advertised heavily. Obviously there are a bunch of dilettantes that only tune in for the big episodes. But now it looks like we’re into mid-season territory in terms of ratings. Looking at the overnight numbers: Asylum of the Daleks 6.4 million (premier)
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship 5.5 million
A Town Called Mercy 6.6
The Power of Three 5.49
Angels Take Manhattan 7.82 (final Amy/Rory ep)
The Snowmen 9.87 (Christmas special)
The Bells of Saint John 6.18 (premier)
The Rings of Akhaten 5.5
I found Akhaten to be a bit of a clunker but no one would know that going in. Still the numbers appear to be on the same level as Dinosaurs and Power of Three.
I don’t know if anyone has already said something like this – but it occurs to me that Clara is almost the opposite of a time lord. While the doctor is “reborn” / regenerates into a new body with the same memories as before, Clara is reborn into the same body but without the memories of her previous lives. That, and the off-hand reference to his granddaughter, caught my attention.
I didn’t care for this episode.
Seriously, that ending was straight out of the Grinch, Cindy-Lou-Hoo and all.
I watched a few seasons of the 4th Doctor and never really liked the later Doctors when I caught the show later in life. My little knowledge of early Who is simply from reading about it Wiki or TVTropes or message boards like the Dope. I love the revival though and David Tennant passed Tom Baker as my favorite Doctor. This Matt Smith Doctor is overall not very good at all sadly and the Amy & Rory stuff went one season too long I think.
I agree, it was a dumb move. My kids did not even think it was well done and they are less critical especially the younger one.
Ah, I figured that was an important date and guessed it coincided with the beginning of the reboot. Cool cool cool. /Abed