Doctor Who - The Caretaker
Well, that was interesting... *g*
The Doctor goes to school - dressed as a caretaker, because Coal Hill School (which was also the school that the Doctor's granddaughter Susan went to, and where his first companions were teachers (I need to watch my Series I dvds all the way through from start to finish!)) is where Clara is now teaching. I hadn't sussed this until it was pointed out via the Radio Times (see above, I need to watch my Series I dvds...), and I find it quite interesting... *g* It's also very close to where there's a Big Baddie, which seems an odd coincidence, but I gather the Doctor's been back there before too, and I'm totally able to make sense of it having had a concentrated dose of magic powder artron energy which attracts that sort of thing. *g* I'm less convinced by the parent's evening - have any of the writers actually been to one in a comprehensive...?!
It was all very let's-get-sorted-out this ep, I thought - the Doctor dealing with an alien at the school meant he also had to deal with Clara's new boyfriend, who she'd not told him about. I loved who he thought it was, and why - so very Doctor! (Though being me, I didn't get the resemblance until it was pointed out either... *headdesk*) *g* So... the Doctor didn't like him when he found out, cos he'd been a soldier, and that made sense to me, from his reaction to soldiers earlier this season. Which of course mean that Danny had to do something brilliant to prove himself - and I wasn't totally convinced that he could really have done what he did (though I'd love to know someone who could!)
The other thing I struggled a bit with was Danny's acceptance of Clara timetravelling - I mean honestly, he was mostly peeved because she'd kept it a secret from him? Hmmn - maybe I take that back, he is a bloke, of course he thinks its all about him... Although perhaps I can also take it back a bit because of the history of the world according to DW - all those aliens etc, particularly at Christmas. Maybe Danny did his shock back then, and never forgot. But still - he has to ask why Clara goes with the Doctor? He has to ask why someone goes travelling through time and space when they're given the chance? What is wrong with that man?!
I rather liked Courtney - though I'm a bit sorry she got her come-uppance by being space-sick at the end... I liked that that the Doctor was far more interested in her when he thought her name was Disruptive Influence, and I wish she'd been kept around for him to tease Clara with when she got too bossy... *g*
Clara's had another wee growth spurt on me - the Doctor putting her in her place now and then with You look nice - you've washed! and the like is still helping. *g* And she's getting things wrong now, which makes her a bit more human. Although I'm not mad keen to see her submit to Danny (even though he was right to an extent about the secret thing) the way she did.
So... yeah, overall I liked this one well enough too. And I'm curious about the whole paradise thing... Yeay Doctor Who - remembering that it was on today gave me something to look forward to! *g*