tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670069258372374568.post1822641528588948906..comments2024-03-28T06:42:11.183+00:00Comments on Hypnogoria: DOCTOR WHO 6.03 - The Curse of the Black SpotJim Moonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834711093704256462noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670069258372374568.post-43480286565145594132011-05-08T13:06:37.405+01:002011-05-08T13:06:37.405+01:00Thanks for that excellent comment Mr Medcalf!
And...Thanks for that excellent comment Mr Medcalf!<br /><br />And you're bang on that new Who does seem to have something against the medical profession! Of course physicians of all stripes tend to get a bum deal in scifi - if there's a doctor, it's odds on they're are doing something mad!<br /><br />But that said, Who HAS been heavy on the sinister medics front and I suspect this ties in with the recycling in this episode. Since the 2nd RTD series, they have tended to hire writers from outside of genre fiction and frequently these visitors to scifi serve up overly familiar tropes... Which explains why we get the blatant borrowing in this story or John Lumic as Trigger Does Davros and why so many stories feature menacing medicine - you can see the thinking : what's science fictiony and a bit scary? I know a mad doctor/hospital/nurse...<br /><br />OF course it might just be a zeitgeist reaction to the parade of assorted health nazis infesting the media with their contradictory advice on what's good for you! <br /><br />Sorry to hear the Silence were a bit much for your little 'uns - but I'm not surprised as they creeped me out a fair bit! But I was fairly confident that we'd get something lighter to follow it. Who should always be for a family audience and arguably RTD played too heavily to younger viewers, taking it too near kids show territory for many viewers.<br /><br />When Moffat took over many were hoping for a horror show every week, but his first season showed that things weren't going be that different tonally - so as good as he is at the creepy stuff, I don't think he'll forget that Doctor Who is as much about humour, fun and magic. <br /><br />Of course it's tough writing for all ages and I can understand why some felt the opener was tilting too far to the dark and complex. But as I've said before Who is something of an anthology show in that you tell all manner of different stories. And naturally sometimes it goes too far in one direction or another. <br /><br />But as long as it keeps on being varied and steers clear of getting stuck in a rut at either end of the spectrum becoming either Fart Time With The Slitheen or Frank Miller's The Dark Doctor Strikes Again, we should be ok!Jim Moonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15834711093704256462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670069258372374568.post-59914022629128627832011-05-07T22:50:10.418+01:002011-05-07T22:50:10.418+01:00I have to say I agree with your review of this epi...I have to say I agree with your review of this episode Mr Moon. It was a flawed but enjoyable romp and certainly a welcome relief from the timey wimey darkness of the two part opener. <br /><br />While I liked both the first and second part (with some notable issues not worth addressing here at the moment) I was left with a creeping dread that it signified the beginning of the end for Dr Who in a more populist position as the darling of the Saturday night telly.<br /><br />Not wishing to sound like a Daily Mail reading idiot. But, the first two eps, had me anticipating a arc heavy season catering predominantly to the disenfranchised hardcore Who fans, driven away by RTDs more lightweight fare. <br /><br />In some ways I would celebrate this return to the more sinister side of Who and certainly wouldn't lament the abandoning of Cbbc style villains like the bloody Absorbalov.<br /><br />Yet one thing about this darker tone I am lamenting, is that its too much for my kids, arguably the target demographic these days. However what this episode did was allay those fears that light and fun were off the Dr Who menu any more. The kids seemed to like it too. <br /><br />But away from that thorny issue, which I am sure has been discussed to death elsewhere on the interweb. My one criticism of this weeks story falls in line with your own. That the writer is plundering from past episodes.<br /><br />If I were a more paranoid man, given to conspiracy theories at the drop of a hat. I'd be inclined to think that the writers of the show have a very anti medical science / medical facility attitude.<br /><br />As far back as I can remember in the RTD and now Moffat run, rarely a season goes past without a medical facility or technology going bananas and creating a monster or a global catastrophe.<br /><br />From the medical nanites in Moffats "Empty Child / Doctor Dances" two parter, right through to the end of Tennants run when a medical device turns the entire population of the Earth into "The Master Race". Medical facilities are frankly the most evil things in Dr Who.<br /><br />Other examples of this include; the cat run hospital in "New Earth", the medical repair systems on the good ship Madame de Pompadour, in "Girl in the Fireplace", the medical procedure developed by John Lumick in "Age of Steel / Rise of the Cybermen"... The list is endless. Medicine, it seems, is not the cure in Dr Who.<br /><br />Anyway, great review sir. I look forward to many more.Lee Medcalfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903719569848396593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670069258372374568.post-13505518731386727432011-05-07T22:30:19.509+01:002011-05-07T22:30:19.509+01:00Good spot sir! Now I think about it it was also re...Good spot sir! Now I think about it it was also reminiscent of Jenny, the Doctor's daughter jetting off the stars too!<br /><br />Mind you, I'd love to see the pirates return at some point :)Jim Moonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15834711093704256462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670069258372374568.post-37941312250572113012011-05-07T21:45:05.027+01:002011-05-07T21:45:05.027+01:00I'd also say that the pirates flying off at th...I'd also say that the pirates flying off at the end was reminiscent of the end of Planet of the Dead when Lady Sarah flew off in the bus.Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04217080956915676867noreply@blogger.com