It's not much of a secret that I am NOT a fan of Moffat era Who.
It's not because I'm a Tennant fangirl, although he is one of my favorites.
It's because Moffat is a hack. "Blink"may have been brilliant, but his re-writing of Who history is an insult to everything that's gone before. Don't EVEN get me started about Clara "The Impossible Girl"
*****IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE PREMIERE DON'T READ THIS******
Anyway......
This episode starts out with a battle. There's biplanes that shoot lasers, very cool, and people shooting at them with arrows (?)
A soldier and a little boy are in a field.
The boy says not to move.
The soldier looks down and there's a hand sticking up out of the earth.
The hand grabs the soldier's foot and pulls him underground.
The boy is left alone in the field surrounded by hands with eyeballs in the palms.
The Doctor appears.
The Doctor tries to calm the boy and says he's going to rescue him.
The Doctor asks the boy's name.
The boy replies, "Davros."
The Doctor throws the boy his sonic screwdriver and the opening sequence starts.
That's a helluva start isn't it?? I was really excited especially since it's been confirmed that Jenna Coleman is leaving the show.
From there the episode devolves into "clever" pop culture references, the return of (didn't she die last season?) Missy, and more, and I use the term very loosely, "homages" to Classic Who.
Clara, as usual, has more screen time than The Doctor, who when he appears is utterly ridiculous.
The Doctor appearing on a tank, yes an army tank, playing an electric guitar in Medieval England (where else) could be fun, but it's so un-Doctor like it's more annoying than amusing. As a Time Lord, isn't he aware of the repercussions of exposing 12th century English people to 20th century military hardware, music and slang (he teaches them the word dude)?
The Doctor, Missy and Clara are brought to a space station by some Voldemort looking guy and who's there? Davros of course! In the mean time The Doctor's new M.E. BFF turns out (shocker) to be a Dalek and the TARDIS is captured.
Missy and Clara are taken captive while The Doctor is taken to Davros. They discover that they're not really on a space station, but on Skaros!! They find the TARDIS surrounded by Daleks who are about to destroy it. Missy tries to talk her way out and gets exterminated. Clara tries to make a run for and is zapped as well. The drama of the deaths of these characters is nil since Moffat is infamous for resurrecting the dead.
This is part one of two, so we have to wait til next week to see if the ladies are really dead and if The Doctor is able to save the TARDIS before it is destroyed. They aren't and he will, but it's the journey, right?
I bet by now, if you're still even reading this, you're thinking I'm a Moffat hating Who snob. I'm really not. I LOVE Doctor Who and I hate what the show has become. I wish that instead of trying to re-write history, Moffat would come up with great, original adventures for The Doctor or let someone who can, do it. Moffat can be amazing when he wants to be, but I think in his case, he's better in small doses than as a show runner.
Needless to say I'll be watching next week.
You can hear complain in real time on twitter
@grouchyhugz
