[Note: Charlie would like me to forewarn you that there maybe some spoilers in here. So watch the episode first.]
So, we’re on hold from recording until tomorrow’s final session so not much to report but if you know us, you should know that we’re a pretty pathetic group of geeks and I for one am a huge fan of Dr. Who. Many a Saturday was spent watching Tom Baker as the 4th Doctor on the local PBS station battling Daleks, Cybermen, The Master, and a host of other baddies across space and time. In fact, Dr. Who is part of the great trifecta of Sci-Fi dorkdom (aka – Star Trek, Star Wars, Dr. Who) that so oddly shaped our view of the world.
For quite a few years I’ve been happily engaged by the rebooted Dr. Who and particularly Steven Moffet’s reimagining of the doctor and his world. The production values are greatly improved and the writing has been by and large stellar. So, for those of you who were unaware, Saturday night’s season finale was quite the mind blower that threw a lot of assumptions we Whovians may have had about the Doctor out the window and left as many questions open as it revealed. It also rescued Clara’s character from what appeared to be a future of being marginalized as just someone along for the ride. As a fan that was particularly frustrating given that she started off so brilliant and engaging in the Asylum of the Daleks and The Snowmen episodes then seemed to get lost in the writing for a few episodes this season. But with Neil Gaiman’s amusing Cybermen episode, she seemed to finally regain her place as an equal to the Doctor and the final Moffet season closer had her not simply being treated as this plot point to be smugly manipulated but as an active character with some real choices to be made – choices upon which the future of Doctor’s and the galaxy’s depend. Of course, Richard E. Grant’s return as the Great Intelligence is pitch perfect as a baddie. It’s always great to have River Song in an episode and the little bit between her and the doctor was sweet. Then of course, Vastra and her companions are always fun particularly Strax whose “This planet is now property of the Sontaran Empire! Surrender your women and intellectuals!“ is right up there with some of Conan’s finest quotes. In short, it was likely one of the series’ best episodes and the big reveal at the end had me caught between WTF and wanting to applaud the creator’s cleverness.
So, yeah, this has nothing to do with our music (well at least not directly, though Dr. Who inspiration is hidden in our music if you know where to look). I was just pretty excited about the season finale and just wanted to say that if you are too cool for Dr. Who, then you’ve missed out on one of the best sci-fi dork-out experiences out there.
So, well done Mr. Moffit, Mr. Smith, Miss Coleman and the rest of the creators! It’s nice to not be talked down to like some other big budget sci-fi movies I could mention that happened to open this last weekend. I plan to revisit the entire reboot over the summer and yes, already have my DVR set to record the series’ return in November.
