So, just watched the DOCTOR WHO episode "Hide"...
...and honestly? It was really, really good! Loved it.
First off, I really loved the atmosphere of things. The atmosphere of the house (yes, "it was a dark and stormy night" type settings are no doubt more than a little cheesy. Somehow, though, this episode really kind of made it work), for example, as well as the feeling of the pocket universe. The feeling like either everything's coming apart, or just that barren and empty and just plain lost feeling. Honestly, I just love both this episode's atmosphere and the atmosphere of COLD WAR, because it really feels...well, COLD WAR felt a lot like one was in this claustrophobic sort of submarine with an angry Ice Warrior about to launch the missiles. With HIDE, you really felt like you were in this haunted house, investigating ghosts and such, or in the pocket universe, feeling as if, really, this was the end for the Doctor. And I really liked the sense of jeopardy in there, such as the Doctor when he gets sealed off in the pocket universe. And earlier, when Emma's just sort of becoming increasingly unable to hold open the portal and eventually collapses, leaving the Doctor to be sealed off in the pocket universe. That was a real holy shit moment, as well as when the cloister bell started going off. I confess that noise has always been a case of Hell Is That Noise for me, even though it's so very...well, it doesn't pop up often in the New Series. (Not sure about the Classic series. *Should get around to watching more Classic Who*) And I know that in terms of the "ghost" (it's not actually a ghost; par for the course with DOCTOR WHO, there's a scientific explanation for it. Basically, it's a time traveler stuck in a pocket universe) and its build up, it was really well-done. The strange noises, the sounds, things like that.
And I really like how the episode sort of slowed down more just to build up the threat, as well as to establish the matter of the characters. I know that I really liked Emma, the resident empath -- I liked things such as her conversation with Clara (she and Clara just interacted really well together), as well as her relationship with the Major -- that was really sweet. Especially when he gives her words of encouragement to believe in herself and save the Doctor by keeping the portal to the pocket universe open. I also really loved her talk with the Doctor about Clara, how she says that really, Clara's just a girl in the end -- a perfectly ordinary girl. Not to mention her meeting up with Hila Tacorien (that's the time-traveler's name), her great-great-great-great-great granddaughter. And I loved the Doctor eventually piecing together the story of Hila and the Crooked Man that confronted the Doctor in the forest. The fact that, really, he's not chasing her, just trying to find her again. As the Doctor puts it, "This isn't a ghost story; it's a love story." And all things considered, he's right. The random frozen positions of Hila running...well, that was mostly just her trying to get back home, while the Crooked Man...well, he was trying to find her. It really gives a new, unexpected, even sort of poignant twist on these characters, it really does. Honestly, this was a pretty powerful episode all around. Stuff like the Doctor's advice to Emma and the Major ("Hold hands and don't let go."), Emma comforting Clara after Clara ends up seeing the end of the universe (a statement repeated pretty poignantly by the Doctor later), and...well, a lot more. I think that's what I like about both of Neil Cross' episodes -- even amongst the flaws, there's enough heart to balance it out. If there's enough heart and enough passion...well, that's one of many things that matters most.
But even amidst the darker/more powerful aspects of the episode , there were plenty of funny moments: Clara's Ghostbusters joke at the beginning, Clara expressing her disgust in regards to whiskey, Clara arguing with the TARDIS. And awesome moments too -- for example, Clara finally getting the TARDIS to budge and save the Doctor. Honestly, it was a pretty damn solid episode. True, it had some moments of "Doctor, what the hell?" on occasion, but otherwise? Pretty damn solid.
So overall? Loved it. Definitely recommended.
First off, I really loved the atmosphere of things. The atmosphere of the house (yes, "it was a dark and stormy night" type settings are no doubt more than a little cheesy. Somehow, though, this episode really kind of made it work), for example, as well as the feeling of the pocket universe. The feeling like either everything's coming apart, or just that barren and empty and just plain lost feeling. Honestly, I just love both this episode's atmosphere and the atmosphere of COLD WAR, because it really feels...well, COLD WAR felt a lot like one was in this claustrophobic sort of submarine with an angry Ice Warrior about to launch the missiles. With HIDE, you really felt like you were in this haunted house, investigating ghosts and such, or in the pocket universe, feeling as if, really, this was the end for the Doctor. And I really liked the sense of jeopardy in there, such as the Doctor when he gets sealed off in the pocket universe. And earlier, when Emma's just sort of becoming increasingly unable to hold open the portal and eventually collapses, leaving the Doctor to be sealed off in the pocket universe. That was a real holy shit moment, as well as when the cloister bell started going off. I confess that noise has always been a case of Hell Is That Noise for me, even though it's so very...well, it doesn't pop up often in the New Series. (Not sure about the Classic series. *Should get around to watching more Classic Who*) And I know that in terms of the "ghost" (it's not actually a ghost; par for the course with DOCTOR WHO, there's a scientific explanation for it. Basically, it's a time traveler stuck in a pocket universe) and its build up, it was really well-done. The strange noises, the sounds, things like that.
And I really like how the episode sort of slowed down more just to build up the threat, as well as to establish the matter of the characters. I know that I really liked Emma, the resident empath -- I liked things such as her conversation with Clara (she and Clara just interacted really well together), as well as her relationship with the Major -- that was really sweet. Especially when he gives her words of encouragement to believe in herself and save the Doctor by keeping the portal to the pocket universe open. I also really loved her talk with the Doctor about Clara, how she says that really, Clara's just a girl in the end -- a perfectly ordinary girl. Not to mention her meeting up with Hila Tacorien (that's the time-traveler's name), her great-great-great-great-great granddaughter. And I loved the Doctor eventually piecing together the story of Hila and the Crooked Man that confronted the Doctor in the forest. The fact that, really, he's not chasing her, just trying to find her again. As the Doctor puts it, "This isn't a ghost story; it's a love story." And all things considered, he's right. The random frozen positions of Hila running...well, that was mostly just her trying to get back home, while the Crooked Man...well, he was trying to find her. It really gives a new, unexpected, even sort of poignant twist on these characters, it really does. Honestly, this was a pretty powerful episode all around. Stuff like the Doctor's advice to Emma and the Major ("Hold hands and don't let go."), Emma comforting Clara after Clara ends up seeing the end of the universe (a statement repeated pretty poignantly by the Doctor later), and...well, a lot more. I think that's what I like about both of Neil Cross' episodes -- even amongst the flaws, there's enough heart to balance it out. If there's enough heart and enough passion...well, that's one of many things that matters most.
But even amidst the darker/more powerful aspects of the episode , there were plenty of funny moments: Clara's Ghostbusters joke at the beginning, Clara expressing her disgust in regards to whiskey, Clara arguing with the TARDIS. And awesome moments too -- for example, Clara finally getting the TARDIS to budge and save the Doctor. Honestly, it was a pretty damn solid episode. True, it had some moments of "Doctor, what the hell?" on occasion, but otherwise? Pretty damn solid.
So overall? Loved it. Definitely recommended.