h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The whole ending depends on the assumption that the Doctor can't go there, so it pretty much has to be New York. It is replete with plot holes (they can't travel? 50 years of space/time turbulence? etc.) but it works on a thematic level,so we have to accept the problems.

I kinda got the idea the angels could only send people one way at a time. At the start of the episode they sent Rory across space, not time, so he was in the right place for going back in time and being trapped in the building.

I thought the cemetery was in New York, so the angel just sent Rory back in time to that cemetery.

But that was just my very basic understanding as I don't tend to overthink an episode until I come on here and find everyone else doing it! Generally I just take an episode at face value. But last season I ended up watching every episode twice - once when it was on and later after I'd digested what everyone here had said. I'm not doing that this time round though.

Deb

I didn't notice the dates on the gravestone. Bad fan.

I have to say I think the angels get less effective (in terms of how scary they are) every time they are used. Possibly just because Blink was so frightening and original and each time we see them subsequently they are more familiar.

Some good points to this episode (the realisation that River broke her own wrist, the rooftop scene, Amy's farewell) but I had hoped for a little more.

Curious as to how the new companion will be introduced!

One thing that occurred to me is that in River's timeline this episode is between the crash of Byzantium and the Library, as she is now a Professor and out of the stormcage. Not sure if that means anything though.

Oh, it does mean that the Byzantium wasn't the last time she saw her mom.


Geggs

So it turns out all you naysayers were wrong and folk like me and Peanut, fervently building happy endings, weren't far off the mark:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zn6ff

They *have* to film this and include it in the DVD extras.

That was fabulous, made my cry!

Deb

Err so then anyone watch it?

I saw it on Xmas day, so utterly sozzled I can barely remember it. Watched it again tonogight.

Couple of conclusions:-

1) It was, and by some distance for me, the best Xmas special of New Who yet.

2) I think Clara is going to be a great companion.

FB

Also what is going on. It is north of 48 hours after broadcast of a Dr Who Xmas special and that was the first post.

Ususally hootoo is a hot bed of hot nerd chat post who!

FB

I had wondered that myself. What, no comment on how 2 companions seem to have come back from the dead? The Doctor's Victorian gang?

<BB<

I actually went looking for this conversation thinking I might have unsubbed accidentally, but no. And I didn't want to be the first to comment as I'm completely not a geek and can't offer up any interesting facts like Bluebottle's about dead companions. I must have forgotten they died so it didn't raise any questions for me.

I enjoyed it, it had a nice fear factor and I do like Clara. The teaser trailers at the end whetted my appetite - do we have any idea when they'll be shown? Coming soon is so vague and it's usually been in all the papers and magazines I don't read before the BBC Dr Who homepage catches up.

Deb

I was wondering too.

I was busy xmas, and only just today caught up on Iplayer.

I *really* liked it.

I liked the idea of 'a gang' for the Dr.

What not to love about Richard E Grant just chewing up the scenery (with help a notable performance from Sir Ian Mckellan as a malevolent snow globe.)

I had no idea Women of the Victorian age were quite so...sassy.

Nevertheless some really interesting things to come from the companion this time around me thinks.

Also the newness - we approve.

Word is next Season Neil Gaiman is back to do a Cyberman / Ghost Story.

The Doctor's Wife was far and away the best scripted episode of the previous season* and one with the greatest pathos.


"Biting’s excellent! It’s like kissing, but there’s a winner."


"Oh do you have a name?”
"700 years and finally he asks.”
"So what do I call you?"
"I think you call me… Sexy"


I think I'm looking forward to what that might be - A LOT....

"I'm a lizard from the dawn of time, and this if my wife."
(or words to that effect, my memory isn't *that* good!)

We really liked it. I especially liked that Clara died again, as we were a bit worried that her tenure as Assistant would be overshadowed by the knowledge of her death, but it looks like it will be a least a little bit more complex than that.

Is it just in Brunel that that post looks like a snake?

Mol

Oh. I've spoilt it now, it's all normal. Sorry.

Mol

"What not to love about Richard E Grant just chewing up the scenery (with help a notable performance from Sir Ian Mckellan as a malevolent snow globe.) "

I thought it was Ian McKellan for the first sentence or two as well, but it was actually Patrick Stewart.

Loved this episode. Clara looks to be a great companion, but I don't really remember what happened with the lizard woman, the maid/wife and Strax in A Good Man Goes To War. I take it they died in the battle?

My favourite bit was "It's bigger on the outside!"

Strax died, and Oswin died. But who wants to get too technical about death in a television series in which the main character regularly dies and the Daleks have been completely wiped out about a dozen times to date...

<BB<

If "it was actually Patrick Stewart", why was he credited as Ian McKellan?

' My favourite bit was "It's bigger on the outside!" '

I guess you folks will have seen this:

DIY Tardis looks bigger on inside with augmented reality: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20836747

Rudest Elf

' My favourite bit was "It's bigger on the outside!" '


I thought she said: It's smaller on the outside.

Moffat really is trying to avoid the 'It's bigger on the inside' line...nice running gag.

Also, he really is ageing the Dr the Dr is now over 1000years old....although just looked on this link and his age bounces around:


http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/The_Doctor's_age

And than you get Moffat saying:

"The thing I keep banging on about is that he doesn't know what age he is. He's lying. How could he know, unless he's marking it on a wall? He could be 8,000 years old, he could be a million. He has no clue. The calendar will give him no clues."