I haven't caught up with the Doctor Who from this past weekend, but the one before that, "Kerblam!", continues the...
I haven't caught up with the Doctor Who from this past weekend, but the one before that, "Kerblam!", continues the trend toward overall improvement with a completed plot. Also continues to Make a Point about something current, although the messages get a little confusing as to if they are taking a side or not and if so, which one.
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A few nods to other Who moments? Check.
Violate rules about the TARDIS that have been explained before but who cares why be consistent with imaginary science? Check.
Pointed and obvious lessons and opinions on current issues and events? So much check.
Actual plot?! Check and double check!
Mind you, I cannot tell whether this episode was supposed to be pro-tech, anti-tech, or just a general warning about tech is afriend, not food just a tool and human input has a significant impact. I am pretty sure it was supposed to be sending a message about the inherent importance and value of living beings.
Part of the obligatory heavy handed messaging both pulls straight from history (popular but untrue etymology of saboteur) wherein the protestor fighting the machine (tad literal?) becomes the evil he is fighting (destroying humanity, terrorism is bad even if it's for a good reason, etc.).
But I kind of love that the actual device used by the worker to sabotage/destroyAmazon the big bad company is such a great visual joke.
I am greatly afeared that someone decided that a permanent characteristic of this Doctor is being a tad loquacious. By which I mean she babbles. I know that many Doctors have had the tendency to witter on, wander off on tangents, and so on. However, as the first female Doctor, and knowing that there are stereotypes of women who chatter pointlessly and can't shut up, I am concerned. I am concerned that this may not be a manifestation of an intelligence that is so energized that it runs at hyper speed and we sometimes hear it verbalized, but people not realizing that they are dancing on the edge of that stereotype.
P.S. I have to think that somebody at the Who team was aware of the potential meta SF aspects of a postman/mailman/delivery man in an implied dystopia where humans are imperiled? If so, kudos.
P.P.S. Did they intend to dump on Millennials? The idealistic kid who makes a speech about his generation changing things for the better for humanity is the terrorist willing to kill hundreds just to make a point about the value of living beings? For a moment I thought they were going pro-Trump or something.
P.P.P.S. The System kills the terrorist's girlfriend/crush to try to get him to feel sympathy for all the people he will kill? Only if it can use it to manipulate him into not following through on the terrorism he has planned. Not because the system has feelings, but because the terrorism is highly likely to succeed in ruining the Company/System and the Company/System can't have that. That is seriously cold. It's also equally likely that it will just really piss him off and make him even more determined. Wonder what the System calculated that made it think he was more likely to feel sympathy? Especially as it clearly miscalculated because it totally did not have that effect on him.
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p
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c
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it
is
very
cold
in
s
p
a
c
e
A few nods to other Who moments? Check.
Violate rules about the TARDIS that have been explained before but who cares why be consistent with imaginary science? Check.
Pointed and obvious lessons and opinions on current issues and events? So much check.
Actual plot?! Check and double check!
Mind you, I cannot tell whether this episode was supposed to be pro-tech, anti-tech, or just a general warning about tech is a
Part of the obligatory heavy handed messaging both pulls straight from history (popular but untrue etymology of saboteur) wherein the protestor fighting the machine (tad literal?) becomes the evil he is fighting (destroying humanity, terrorism is bad even if it's for a good reason, etc.).
But I kind of love that the actual device used by the worker to sabotage/destroy
I am greatly afeared that someone decided that a permanent characteristic of this Doctor is being a tad loquacious. By which I mean she babbles. I know that many Doctors have had the tendency to witter on, wander off on tangents, and so on. However, as the first female Doctor, and knowing that there are stereotypes of women who chatter pointlessly and can't shut up, I am concerned. I am concerned that this may not be a manifestation of an intelligence that is so energized that it runs at hyper speed and we sometimes hear it verbalized, but people not realizing that they are dancing on the edge of that stereotype.
P.S. I have to think that somebody at the Who team was aware of the potential meta SF aspects of a postman/mailman/delivery man in an implied dystopia where humans are imperiled? If so, kudos.
P.P.S. Did they intend to dump on Millennials? The idealistic kid who makes a speech about his generation changing things for the better for humanity is the terrorist willing to kill hundreds just to make a point about the value of living beings? For a moment I thought they were going pro-Trump or something.
P.P.P.S. The System kills the terrorist's girlfriend/crush to try to get him to feel sympathy for all the people he will kill? Only if it can use it to manipulate him into not following through on the terrorism he has planned. Not because the system has feelings, but because the terrorism is highly likely to succeed in ruining the Company/System and the Company/System can't have that. That is seriously cold. It's also equally likely that it will just really piss him off and make him even more determined. Wonder what the System calculated that made it think he was more likely to feel sympathy? Especially as it clearly miscalculated because it totally did not have that effect on him.
I thought the moral message of the episode was too garbled for the episode to be considered good (by me). I mean...
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Why the fuck did the Doctor order the postal robots to pop the bubble wrap? It was an extra step that was not needed, and it basically parsed as the Doctor willfully murdering that guy.
As noted, the messaging was confusing and that is a problem. I guess I'm focused on the arc of improvement over the season? But ...
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I'd have to watch again to see if there was more justification than that they couldn't leave an unstoppable army on the loose. Also, I'm pretty sure that it was clear she couldn't unprogram the delivery except to change where they went. I don't remember how they then justified the bubble wrap. A lot of people have pointed out that it was very un-Doctor-ish, though, at least in the current versions, to not save the baddie or give the baddie a chance to save themselves.
I'm just glad they seem to have figured out how to have a story with an ending. Mysterious help message, Doctor goes to help, investigates, finds problem, solves problem, goes "home".