Blink works with the 'shock factor', which always gets rave reviews.
Here's what's ironic, the director deserves more kudos for that than Moffat. It's the direction and photography rather than the writing that get you. Think about it. Are you more scared because of the cut aways and camera angles or because of the dialogue and story?
That's a very good point actually, I hadn't thought of it that way. Hmmmm indeed. Mind you, surely Moffat would write something in the way of how he wants to Angels to 'move'. I've never seen any of his scripts, but RTD's are usually quite descriptive in that sense. It would be interesting to compare scripts from both writers.
As someone who actually likes and does rewatch Blink, I have to agree with you there. The story itself I don't care for all that much--Stevie seems to have a thing for predestination paradoxes and it gets old after a while--but the cinematography is to die for.
I agree with Moffat's characters being flat, and on the lack of scary (Midnight=only episode to ever scare me, and that and Turn Left so pwned ANYTHING Moffat has done for DW).
I disagree, though, on rewatch value. While I was never scared of any of his episodes, I've found Blink (which, despite its cleverness and complexity, I also merely liked rather than loved) and GitF (which I still love, even if it doesn't quite fit into series continuity) have loads of rewatch value--the latter more than the former. And while I liked TEC/TDD, neither one particularly wowed me. I think that part is just personal preference rather than a commentary on the writers themselves.
As for fanboyness... Can we really judge? Moffat might be more quiet in his geek-outs, and maybe he tries to be too clever/funny/witty in interviews, but just listen to the SitL/FotD commentary. He, RTD, and DT are having the time of their lives going on and on about completely obscure Classic Who stuff, and it's adorkable (and I don't even like SitL/FotD. Like, at all).
Oooh sorry, forgot to mention this: Don't blame RTD for the lack of rewrites, it's in Moffat's contract. It's also in the contract of two other established writers (I forget which) that they all get their own rewrites.
Oh, I didn't know this. Thanks for the heads-up! And I haven't seen the commentary yet, still saving up for the box set. ^_^ I agree that TEC/TDD weren't anything special, I just thought they were so much better than any of Moffat's other episodes.
And I haven't seen the commentary yet, still saving up for the box set. ^_^
I'm not sure if it's on the box set, actually. I know they have it on the website, though, so you could listen to it from there. It's very fun to listen to, and oftentimes has nothing to do with the episode at hand.
I just thought they were so much better than any of Moffat's other episodes
I actually find TEC one of his worst (which I didn't until I did my long rewatch-review of it). He writes the Doctor and his companions out of character in all of his episodes, but he basically committed character assassination on Rose in this one.
SM seems to be a more self-conscious writer than RTD to me, someone who likes to feel that he's always in control of the creative process. "Midnight", by contrast, was very much an idea RTD grabbed and ran with, with no clear idea of where it would take him.
I can imagine SM sitting down with lots of flow charts and diagrams to write a story - of course I can be completely wrong.
TEC/TDD worked for me, on the whole. Great atmosphere, though that could have been good direction and cinephotography. Character he got away with because Jack is very much the kind of guy he feels comfortable writing, and because he has a rather cynical view of sex in general he's well placed to introduce an element of sexual rivalry (though I agree, he handled Rose badly).
What really stays in my mind, however, about the first two-parter and also, to a lesser extent GITF and Blink, are the one-liners. Particuarly the one about the Doctor blowing things up. "It's practically how he communicates."
Character he got away with because Jack is very much the kind of guy he feels comfortable writing, and because he has a rather cynical view of sex in general he's well placed to introduce an element of sexual rivalry (though I agree, he handled Rose badly).
I completely agree with this. I didn't like Rose either in this ep. I also think that Jack's character was helped along immensely by John Barrowman. A lot of the time I find his acting a little too 'theatre' for television, but he completely fits the role of Jack.
I cannot deny that SM's scripts always have great one-liners, I particularly liked the ones in TEC/TDD. Although, in my opinion, I thought the trick was beginning to wear at little thin by "I point and laugh at archaeologists".
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Here's what's ironic, the director deserves more kudos for that than Moffat. It's the direction and photography rather than the writing that get you. Think about it. Are you more scared because of the cut aways and camera angles or because of the dialogue and story?
hmmmm?
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I disagree, though, on rewatch value. While I was never scared of any of his episodes, I've found Blink (which, despite its cleverness and complexity, I also merely liked rather than loved) and GitF (which I still love, even if it doesn't quite fit into series continuity) have loads of rewatch value--the latter more than the former. And while I liked TEC/TDD, neither one particularly wowed me. I think that part is just personal preference rather than a commentary on the writers themselves.
As for fanboyness... Can we really judge? Moffat might be more quiet in his geek-outs, and maybe he tries to be too clever/funny/witty in interviews, but just listen to the SitL/FotD commentary. He, RTD, and DT are having the time of their lives going on and on about completely obscure Classic Who stuff, and it's adorkable (and I don't even like SitL/FotD. Like, at all).
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I agree that TEC/TDD weren't anything special, I just thought they were so much better than any of Moffat's other episodes.
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I'm not sure if it's on the box set, actually. I know they have it on the website, though, so you could listen to it from there. It's very fun to listen to, and oftentimes has nothing to do with the episode at hand.
*Also still needs to get the box set. :P*
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I actually find TEC one of his worst (which I didn't until I did my long rewatch-review of it). He writes the Doctor and his companions out of character in all of his episodes, but he basically committed character assassination on Rose in this one.
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I can imagine SM sitting down with lots of flow charts and diagrams to write a story - of course I can be completely wrong.
TEC/TDD worked for me, on the whole. Great atmosphere, though that could have been good direction and cinephotography. Character he got away with because Jack is very much the kind of guy he feels comfortable writing, and because he has a rather cynical view of sex in general he's well placed to introduce an element of sexual rivalry (though I agree, he handled Rose badly).
What really stays in my mind, however, about the first two-parter and also, to a lesser extent GITF and Blink, are the one-liners. Particuarly the one about the Doctor blowing things up. "It's practically how he communicates."
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I completely agree with this. I didn't like Rose either in this ep.
I also think that Jack's character was helped along immensely by John Barrowman. A lot of the time I find his acting a little too 'theatre' for television, but he completely fits the role of Jack.
I cannot deny that SM's scripts always have great one-liners, I particularly liked the ones in TEC/TDD. Although, in my opinion, I thought the trick was beginning to wear at little thin by "I point and laugh at archaeologists".
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