Current Status of the USS Hadhafang
Doing good for the most part. Getting off my period. Also had a snafu yesterday on Tumblr, and there's the matter of student meetings tomorrow to pick classes (and if that won't get me to sleep easier, who knows what will. :P). So yeah, generally stressed. And it doesn't help in regards to...other things that have happened.
On a brighter note, got around to finally ordering Season 7b of DOCTOR WHO. Had "The Snowmen" Christmas special apparently sold separately from the rest of the series. Anyway, watched "The Bells of Saint John". How was it? Really, really good!
First off, what a whammy of an opening. Seriously -- the sight of all of Earth covered in red Wi-Fi signals (really showing the Great Intelligence, Ms. Kizler, etc. having captured these people and imprisoned their consciousness in a series of computers), as well as the people trapped, terrified, in there. And the guy giving the video message warning others not to click on that one Wi-Fi location with the odd lettering, because of more of them popping up on your computer and sucking you completely in. I mean...goddamn. That was just scary as shit. All those people saying, over and over again, that they didn't know where they were... *Shivers* Yeah, that scared me. Ms. Kizler herself also scared me, really. She had a bit of an entertaining element to her and was a hell of a lot of fun to watch (if despicable), but yeah...she was pretty scary. For example, her speaking through some of those people at the cafe. That was pretty scary, really. And tinkering around with the settings of stuff like "paranoia" -- just the idea of your emotions and thoughts being tinkered with without you knowing...yeah. *Shivers* And her sheer determination to capture Clara. And speaking of her client (the Great Intelligence)'s plans and acting like he's doing them a favor... *Shivers* And I confess, the Doctor using his Wi-Fi robot double to get her imprisoned in the Wi-Fi with the others was pretty scary too. I think it's something about her just screaming at the others to put her back...yeah. *Shivers* On the other hand, the others having to download the Cloud to get the others out...yeah, that was pretty fucking awesome.
I think another thing that I found scary were the Wi-Fi bots themselves. For example, the one of the little girl that turns its head completely around a la THE EXORCIST that captures Clara, and the robot double of the Doctor that Clara's talking to about where the consciousnesses of these people are without realizing that he's not the Doctor...yeah, also terrifying. And that instance with one of the women in the shop when the Doctor's going to but some bakery goods and such, when Ms. Kizler speaks through her (from what I can recall -- honestly, the entire scene was so damn creepy it literally felt like something out of a nightmare. Then again, I guess the fact that I have a bit of a headache * did not help)...yeah.
*Shivers*
This is taking a right turn into more Nightmare Fuel. Here's a Charlie Brown/Doctor Who crossover: http://cheezburger.com/7474082816.
But even in the midst of all this, there was plenty of humor to be found. For example, Clara calling the Doctor while he's off in Cumbria, as well as their first meeting (especially him begging Clara to let him in, as well as "Monks are not cool!"), and Clara's jab at Twitter stealing people's souls. Also, the matter of the Doctor not knowing how to fly a plane, apparently -- as well as the reactions of the pilots when they wake up from their Wi-Fi induced coma, and the Doctor apparently coming last in the anti-grav Olympics. That was priceless. XD Also, in a really sort-of-scary-at-the-same-time way, Ms. Kizler saying that she won't kill one of her employees for failure until he gets back from vacation as she doesn't want to be unreasonable. Ms. Kizler may have been awful (with some pitiable qualities that I'll get to later), but she was also really bizarrely fun to watch.
And I really, really liked the scenes with Clara and the Doctor, such as her conversation with the Doctor while he's down in her garden doing investigation on the Wi-Fi and such. And earlier, when he's just taking care of her after she's gotten her consciousness back from the bots -- giving her flowers and whatnot (also a bit funny with him taking a bite out of one of the jammie dodgers. XD) and just stroking her hair. And his joy after she's been revived. Those were really sweet moments. I really like Eleven and Clara's relationship so far, and I can't wait to see more of it!
And on another note, the episode had some really honestly sad moments. For example, just the little touches, like one of the kids that Clara is babysitting reading a book called SUMMER FALLS...by Amelia Williams. You know, Amy Pond. Something about that touch really got me. Although I can definitely picture her and Rory just living happily in 1930s New York, and being magnificent, so there is that comfort. I just really miss them both, to be honest. Redundant to say so, but it is true. And on another note, I liked the little meta touch of "[Chapter] [e]leven's the best; you'll cry your eyes out." Good touch, Moffat. :)
And on another note, I have to say that Ms. Kizler's fate was pretty sad too. True, she was just horrible (even if, again, she had her entertaining moments), but the scene where the Great Intelligence wipes her memory is pretty hard to watch. I know stuff like her saying, basically, that the Great Intelligence has been with her so long that she doesn't know who she is anymore...yeah, that was pretty "ouch". And when UNIT (BTW, good bringing UNIT back, Moffat!) shows up to arrest her, she's on the floor, completely helpless, all but curled into a ball, and she looks up at the soldiers and asks where her parents are. Yes...basically, she was just a little girl when the Great Intelligence got ahold of her (all while believing, no doubt, that he was doing something good. **) And now that she's had her memories wiped, she's just lying before those soldiers, frightened, confused, and so very vulnerable (hell, some found humor in that one guy there to fix the toilets, and I suppose that was funny as well, but the rest of it -- just imagine being these guys with their memories wiped and just having no clue why these soldiers are about to shoot you), not a monster, really, but just a scared, lost little girl wondering where her parents are. *Shivers* It wasn't one of those break-down-sobbing moments, but it was heartbreaking. And yet really well-done -- the actress who plays Ms. Kizler did a really excellent job there, she really did. And I think it takes a lot of skill to take a villain that the viewers no doubt previously hated and make them pitiable. So yeah, awesome job, Moffat. Seriously.
I also really liked stuff like the Doctor and Clara talking about why she's a nanny, and the Doctor saying, basically, how Clara is better than him because she doesn't abandon those she cares about. Which...ouch. Poor Doctor. *Hugs him* I can definitely imagine him still feeling guilt for things like Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy and Rory (and no doubt others) so...yeah, that really hurt. And I like the detail of him carrying around Amy's reading glasses. Sort of like...well, they're the only thing he has left of her. She and Rory might have lived a happy life in the end, but it doesn't really make him miss them any less. Because...well, Amy was there for him in his darkest hours. And so was Rory , in a way (though not as much as Amy). And they're his family, so I don't think he'd forget them that quickly.
*Sighs*
Yeah, I think I got depressing again. Here's some STAR TREK humor: http://cheezburger.com/7479418624.
But overall, I really liked the ending. Just a really sweet hopeful ending with the promise of more adventures to come. And honestly? I can't wait for them.
* It's died down now; it's more of a slightly noticeable ache.
** I confess he actually reminds me a bit of the Borg from STAR TREK, just in mindset, and the fact that he mentions collecting minds. Some would say that he's like a dark mirror image of the Doctor, but I confess that I personally don't see it. At least, I don't think the Doctor would ever do something like the Great Intelligence did. At least, the Great Intelligence is just the Doctor without any semblance of empathy or morality, and with a warped belief that somehow he's doing good. A shepherd to their flock as Ms. Kizler put it, even though really he's anything but.
So overall? Loved it. Definitely recommended.
On a brighter note, got around to finally ordering Season 7b of DOCTOR WHO. Had "The Snowmen" Christmas special apparently sold separately from the rest of the series. Anyway, watched "The Bells of Saint John". How was it? Really, really good!
First off, what a whammy of an opening. Seriously -- the sight of all of Earth covered in red Wi-Fi signals (really showing the Great Intelligence, Ms. Kizler, etc. having captured these people and imprisoned their consciousness in a series of computers), as well as the people trapped, terrified, in there. And the guy giving the video message warning others not to click on that one Wi-Fi location with the odd lettering, because of more of them popping up on your computer and sucking you completely in. I mean...goddamn. That was just scary as shit. All those people saying, over and over again, that they didn't know where they were... *Shivers* Yeah, that scared me. Ms. Kizler herself also scared me, really. She had a bit of an entertaining element to her and was a hell of a lot of fun to watch (if despicable), but yeah...she was pretty scary. For example, her speaking through some of those people at the cafe. That was pretty scary, really. And tinkering around with the settings of stuff like "paranoia" -- just the idea of your emotions and thoughts being tinkered with without you knowing...yeah. *Shivers* And her sheer determination to capture Clara. And speaking of her client (the Great Intelligence)'s plans and acting like he's doing them a favor... *Shivers* And I confess, the Doctor using his Wi-Fi robot double to get her imprisoned in the Wi-Fi with the others was pretty scary too. I think it's something about her just screaming at the others to put her back...yeah. *Shivers* On the other hand, the others having to download the Cloud to get the others out...yeah, that was pretty fucking awesome.
I think another thing that I found scary were the Wi-Fi bots themselves. For example, the one of the little girl that turns its head completely around a la THE EXORCIST that captures Clara, and the robot double of the Doctor that Clara's talking to about where the consciousnesses of these people are without realizing that he's not the Doctor...yeah, also terrifying. And that instance with one of the women in the shop when the Doctor's going to but some bakery goods and such, when Ms. Kizler speaks through her (from what I can recall -- honestly, the entire scene was so damn creepy it literally felt like something out of a nightmare. Then again, I guess the fact that I have a bit of a headache * did not help)...yeah.
*Shivers*
This is taking a right turn into more Nightmare Fuel. Here's a Charlie Brown/Doctor Who crossover: http://cheezburger.com/7474082816.
But even in the midst of all this, there was plenty of humor to be found. For example, Clara calling the Doctor while he's off in Cumbria, as well as their first meeting (especially him begging Clara to let him in, as well as "Monks are not cool!"), and Clara's jab at Twitter stealing people's souls. Also, the matter of the Doctor not knowing how to fly a plane, apparently -- as well as the reactions of the pilots when they wake up from their Wi-Fi induced coma, and the Doctor apparently coming last in the anti-grav Olympics. That was priceless. XD Also, in a really sort-of-scary-at-the-same-time way, Ms. Kizler saying that she won't kill one of her employees for failure until he gets back from vacation as she doesn't want to be unreasonable. Ms. Kizler may have been awful (with some pitiable qualities that I'll get to later), but she was also really bizarrely fun to watch.
And I really, really liked the scenes with Clara and the Doctor, such as her conversation with the Doctor while he's down in her garden doing investigation on the Wi-Fi and such. And earlier, when he's just taking care of her after she's gotten her consciousness back from the bots -- giving her flowers and whatnot (also a bit funny with him taking a bite out of one of the jammie dodgers. XD) and just stroking her hair. And his joy after she's been revived. Those were really sweet moments. I really like Eleven and Clara's relationship so far, and I can't wait to see more of it!
And on another note, the episode had some really honestly sad moments. For example, just the little touches, like one of the kids that Clara is babysitting reading a book called SUMMER FALLS...by Amelia Williams. You know, Amy Pond. Something about that touch really got me. Although I can definitely picture her and Rory just living happily in 1930s New York, and being magnificent, so there is that comfort. I just really miss them both, to be honest. Redundant to say so, but it is true. And on another note, I liked the little meta touch of "[Chapter] [e]leven's the best; you'll cry your eyes out." Good touch, Moffat. :)
And on another note, I have to say that Ms. Kizler's fate was pretty sad too. True, she was just horrible (even if, again, she had her entertaining moments), but the scene where the Great Intelligence wipes her memory is pretty hard to watch. I know stuff like her saying, basically, that the Great Intelligence has been with her so long that she doesn't know who she is anymore...yeah, that was pretty "ouch". And when UNIT (BTW, good bringing UNIT back, Moffat!) shows up to arrest her, she's on the floor, completely helpless, all but curled into a ball, and she looks up at the soldiers and asks where her parents are. Yes...basically, she was just a little girl when the Great Intelligence got ahold of her (all while believing, no doubt, that he was doing something good. **) And now that she's had her memories wiped, she's just lying before those soldiers, frightened, confused, and so very vulnerable (hell, some found humor in that one guy there to fix the toilets, and I suppose that was funny as well, but the rest of it -- just imagine being these guys with their memories wiped and just having no clue why these soldiers are about to shoot you), not a monster, really, but just a scared, lost little girl wondering where her parents are. *Shivers* It wasn't one of those break-down-sobbing moments, but it was heartbreaking. And yet really well-done -- the actress who plays Ms. Kizler did a really excellent job there, she really did. And I think it takes a lot of skill to take a villain that the viewers no doubt previously hated and make them pitiable. So yeah, awesome job, Moffat. Seriously.
I also really liked stuff like the Doctor and Clara talking about why she's a nanny, and the Doctor saying, basically, how Clara is better than him because she doesn't abandon those she cares about. Which...ouch. Poor Doctor. *Hugs him* I can definitely imagine him still feeling guilt for things like Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy and Rory (and no doubt others) so...yeah, that really hurt. And I like the detail of him carrying around Amy's reading glasses. Sort of like...well, they're the only thing he has left of her. She and Rory might have lived a happy life in the end, but it doesn't really make him miss them any less. Because...well, Amy was there for him in his darkest hours. And so was Rory , in a way (though not as much as Amy). And they're his family, so I don't think he'd forget them that quickly.
*Sighs*
Yeah, I think I got depressing again. Here's some STAR TREK humor: http://cheezburger.com/7479418624.
But overall, I really liked the ending. Just a really sweet hopeful ending with the promise of more adventures to come. And honestly? I can't wait for them.
* It's died down now; it's more of a slightly noticeable ache.
** I confess he actually reminds me a bit of the Borg from STAR TREK, just in mindset, and the fact that he mentions collecting minds. Some would say that he's like a dark mirror image of the Doctor, but I confess that I personally don't see it. At least, I don't think the Doctor would ever do something like the Great Intelligence did. At least, the Great Intelligence is just the Doctor without any semblance of empathy or morality, and with a warped belief that somehow he's doing good. A shepherd to their flock as Ms. Kizler put it, even though really he's anything but.
So overall? Loved it. Definitely recommended.