Doctor Who: Terror of the Zygons - Review

The good old fashioned monster verses the Doctor stories have always been my favorite. Complicated plot lines and over looked ideas have always made me prefer 'classic who' to 'modern who'. As a story, 'Terror of the Zygons' is one of those classic stories: a simple monster verses the Doctor story. However, it's not just that which I think helps make this story easily my favorite story out of the whole of Doctor Who, its other abilities that help, which I will go onto now.

(As this story is approximately 96 minutes long, I will not be delving into a good percentage of this serial. Trust me, everything I miss out, is either alright or good.)

To begin with, its a nice idea to state where this story is in the 'whoniverse'. This serial is generally conceived as a UNIT story, which it is. However I believe it is not just a UNIT story, but it is also a Brigadier story. This is the last time we see the Brig' in the seventies, and the only times we get to see him in great fashion is within 'The Five Doctors'. 'Mawdryn Undead' is an absolutely shocking serial and 'Battlefield' never really caught on for me. So here really, we begin to see the end of a legend and perhaps the Doctors best and most loyal (or perhaps not loyal in some situations) male companion (sorry Adric, Ian, Harry, Rory, etc...).

To begin with, we see that an oil rig get torn apart after a sound occurs through the radio system. Quite a good opening to an episode. These scenes help bring a little bit of terror right from the start, helping to the grip onto the viewers attention. However, you can see where production values begin to sway, just as the oil rig seems to do when it gets destroyed. Don't get me wrong the model looks amazing. However, the way the rig sways a little as it crashes down, feels like someone is pushing it from side to side a little. Not a big quarrel but still.

Moving on, we find out the Doctor has been summoned by UNIT to help sort out the mess of oil rigs being destroyed. I like the idea UNIT has a little machine that sends the TARDIS a message. I also like how the Doctor itches to return to adventures in space and time. How he questions and groans at the Brig' about 'how his little oil rig issues' isn't an excuse to drag the Doctor back to a planet he was exiled on for a long while.

Towards the end of episode one, Harry ends up recovering in bed for a long while after a shot wound. There Sarah waits with Harry until he wakes up. There Sarah gets kidnapped by the nurse who happens to be a zygon in disguise. This allowed for an amazing reveal cliffhanger! Sarah turning round and lets out the best scream in Doctor Who (which makes Bonnie Langford jealous)! Standing there is an orange humanoid covered in suckers. Perhaps one of my favorite creature designs in Doctor Who. The design and costume is so remarkably alien and non-human! Even when they were updated for 'Day of the Doctor' they still looked almost the same.

Big zygon reveal!

Skipping over a little, we go onto the Skarasen. Or more widely known as the 'Loch Ness monster'. I like the design. It tries to stay original as the possible to the original Loch Ness monster photograph. However the neck isn't quite so long, probably a shorter neck was easier to work with.

I'd also like to comment on the interior of the zygon spaceship. I like the fact it looks organic. However, the way some of the zygon's were handling the suckers on the consoles, all I'm going to say is its a bit weird. However, a big issue I have with the spaceship is that from the exterior, it looks to small to host how much there is inside. Especially in the shot it launches out of the Loch Ness. However, when it lands, it tries to look completely massive, however, you can tell someone has just put a model on the ground. Then the actors try to look as if they are exiting the ship, by going far away behind the model, and running to the left.

Zygon spaceship.

There is really not much to say about this episode, as it is all great, so sorry for a shorter review.

I would give 'Terror of the Zygons' 10/10 because it's all pretty much great, and the bad things are pretty small anyway.

Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor - Review

After three series, three Christmas episodes (excluding this one) and one of the biggest anniversary events in the shows history, this eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) obviously should be sent off in an epic fashion, as well as tying a few knots throughout elevens run as the Doctor. This episode had to do a lot to send off Matt Smith well, bring in Peter Capaldi perfectly and hold up against its fiftieth anniversary predecessor. Did it manage to do this, lets have a look.

(I won't look at every detail there is in the episode, as that would be a hell of a lot to write.)

Handles

The episode starts off with the Doctor teleporting to different spaceships, including most notably the Daleks and Cybermen. My first nit-pick arises when the Doctor has the sudden ability to teleport into different places. At no point as I can remember that this was explained. It doesn't bother me too much, but it's not explained to how this can happen.

The episode also starts off with the introduction of a new character, 'Handles'. I actually really liked Handles. He provoked a bit of humor in some places. A notable example is the scene about patching the telephone into the main console unit. This is actually where a tiny nit-pick comes in, earlier in series seven, part two. I could remember seeing a hatch and a handle on the inside of the TARDIS, allowing the use of the phone inside. However, either this hatch disappeared or the Doctor is a bit of an idiot. However, it does make for a funny scene, so I'm not complaining too much.

The scenes with Matt Smith naked annoyed me a little, it didn't seem needed. The scene itself embarrassed me a little, especially if I was watching with someone else. I would fear they would question my TV tastes and turn the channel over. However, moving onto a lighter note, I absolutely loved the scenes including Clara's family. It really got touching when Clara and her Gran were telling stories. To be honest, Jenna Louise-Coleman's performance in the episode is great, which really helped to the atmosphere and how she sees the Doctor.

Tasha Lem... I could go on four hours about this. I didn't like Tasha Lem. There was too much flirting between her and the Doctor. For me, her best bits are when she talks to the Doctor about how Bringing back the Timelords would result in yet more war (which is true).

The return of the crack to some would seem forced, but it is explained perfectly, the weakest scars of the universe is the way the Timelords are trying to enter the universe. Its a great way to reference the eleventh Doctor's past.

One of the main issues I had with the episodes was how some of the monsters acted. For example, at the first, the Silence seemed to be creeping up on Clara ready to get her, yet later on we find out they are actually friendly and there is nothing to worry about. Another one is the weeping angels. they hardly do anything and we never see them again after the Doctor somehow summons the TARDIS with the key, which I will return to in a minute. Where do they go, surely they would make there way to Christmas (the village). What happened, did a Dalek get them or something? Another monster issue is a repeated one. Last seen in the absolutely shocking 'Asylum of the Daleks', we see the 'Dalek, eye-stalk out of the head, people'. The most ridiculous idea. How does a flipping eye stalk fit in a human head when there is a skull, and I don't know, maybe a brain in there? Why not go for a classic idea.

Robo-man from 1964
'Daleks Invasion of Earth'

Perhaps a more discrete version of the 'Robo-men', first seen in 'Daleks Invasion of Earth'. Then it wouldn't look as bloody ridiculous and wouldn't be as scientifically ridiculous. As well as all these, there is a wooden Cyberman. Now, I know that the shield lets anything that isn't technologically advanced onto the surface, for example, a Cyberman. However, you can't just make circuits out of wood. Think about it. I know that modern Doctor Who isn't engulfed in scientific explanations. However you can't make science absolutely redundant in Doctor Who!

Now let me return to the out-of-the-blue TARDIS teleport feature of the TARDIS key. This has obviously been used in many episodes before when the Doctor cannot access his TARDIS! (If you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic.) This is one of those times where Steven Moffat has ran out of ideas. I'm sorry Moffat but you can't just do that. Ask another writer for help if you need it Moffat, I'm sure they will gladly help.

Moving on, Clara's Christmas cracker scene with the Doctor is especially moving. There is nothing negative to say about the scene, it's just beautiful. The way Clara begs the Timelords to help tells us a lot about Clara. She feels strongly about the Doctor, and wants him in her life for a lot longer, and so he will. The issue I have just after this scene is when the Doctor shoots out regeneration energy, destroying the Daleks. Some people argue that we have never seen a Timelord gain new regenerations, however I argue that, once again, Moffat can't get himself out of what he has created.

Now, before I talk about the 'big moment', I just want to comment on Matt Smith's acting this episode. He was flawless. This episode by far his best in terms of acting. The whole episode became just that little bit better, because Matt Smith was there, doing beyond his best! This story needed a lot from him, to have to play different ages, he obviously did it superbly.

Now onto the regeneration. The speech the Doctor gave was moving and at more than one point you were sure he was about to regenerate. The shots of a little girl running around the TARDIS were not so well done. You could easily tell that the girl wasn't actually being played by the same girl who played Amelia. The return of Karen also helped spruce up the regeneration. Making it more moving. At moments though, we aren't just sad for the departure of Matt Smith, we are sad for Clara, who is being shattered by what was going on. Then came the sudden change to Capaldi. The transition itself is very different to the previous. A sudden jolt of orange-yellow light meant the regeneration was over. Some criticize the regeneration as less impressive. I for one don't mind. The regeneration has always been changing. The episode has also got criticism from some saying the Doctor shouldn't forget how to drive the TARDIS. I am sorry, but you should know by now that regeneration muddles up the Doctor's brain. The eight Doctor didn't know who he was after he regenerated!

Watch the regeneration from 11 to 12 here:

I would rate Time of the Doctor 7/10: it's alright. Nothing much to say, there is a lot of good stuff, but a lot of bad stuff as well.