Avast ye scurvy dogs! This here be the latest episode of Doctor Who, The Curse of the Black Spot. Tell us what you think of this here salty tale in the comments section, and let us know if she belongs with the treasure or in Davy Jones’ locker…
Posted by Graeme on Saturday, May 7 at 8:03 pm
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Here comes a TARDIS file to chop off your head…
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The psychic paper says monsters. Let’s investigate.
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15 Comments...
That was a fun episode, I thought. It had a different type of atmosphere than we’ve been used to, and of course Amy rocks with a sword!
Perfect episode? Hardly. But the fact is you need middle of the pack episodes, otherwise where would the classics come from?
I only wish we’d seen more of the Time Tot from last week, but we got to see the Eye Patch Lady again.
I also see the US-style series intro is back after taking last week off. Although I approve of the general concept it does feel like it’s making it into the Amy Pond Show, which could leave some newbies in the dark when she leaves the show (that’s NOT a spoiler or a reflection on recent announcements - no revival era companion has ever gone past 2 full seasons, so do the math; it was pretty rare in the original series, too).
Sadly, looking at some of the comments on other forums, this episode has become “bash bait” - I even saw one call it worse than Fear Her, which is unlikely. Oh well, I’m sure the Neil Gaiman episode next week will make up for it!
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/07 at 11:26 PM
Not a classic but a little more lighthearted than the 2 parter. I think if Rory ever does die we will be waiting for weeks for him to turn up again!
Posted by DrWhoSkins on 05/08 at 11:53 AM
Fun enough, though some historical quibles, and the pacing was all over the place - certainly could have used another 10 minutes of runtime to smooth it out.
Main thin though, the series needed a complexity break after the opening two parter and this cerainly fit the bill.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/08 at 01:08 PM
Oh my God! They killed Rory!...You Bastards!
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/09 at 12:29 PM
I agree with Morgan on the pace: Action with Amy, then sappy father/son bonding moments. Slow revelation about the siren.
Would anyone know if “the crew” will be a spin-off show to replace SJA?
Another question: was the black spot on Rory’s hand the same one used for the “Silent” button?
What irked me was the doctor used his sonic screwdriver on a wooden (water) barrel and on a wooden door.
And I won’t start on Amy’s CPR techniques - she said she’ll wouldn’t stop, right?
I’ll stay calm as I’ve heard all the episodes will be broadcast out of order.
But these “grains of salt” may raise my blood pressure.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/09 at 03:25 PM
UPDATE:
There is a new message on the BBC website (as I mentioned in last week’s comments) and so the whole message runs as follows:
“All the secrets you can seek can be found here on the Webb”
“Found your message! You’re alive but what secrets d’you mean my friend?”
“I mean I glimpsed him! And may the gods help him or perhaps you can.”
Any ideas on what this means? Am I just crazy?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/09 at 06:30 PM
Can someone help me out here because right now I am really sad (not in a real life way but in a TV viewing way).
I had some problems with CE but that was more about the kind of character the Doctor was in Series 1 (The UnDoctor). When he actually was allowed to be the Doctor (like Bad Wolf, Dalek, Father’s Day) I thought he was fine.
I had problems with DT especially in his first season and while I thought he was lacking a centre a lot of the time I found he did have one especially when Moffat wrote him. To me he was without an even keel too much either too high (wibbly-wobbly) or the angry god(grrr)Doctor. “I’m 900 and twee years old you know!”
With Moffat taking over I really hoped that he would bring that centre to the part as a writer but I don’t see it or feel it this year or from ACC. I said before that what I’m seeing is a guy who is acting all the time. He’s a mass of facial, verbal and bodily ticks and every other kind of tick you can think of. It’s like every scene is crafted to draw attention to him being this way. As Moffat said in an SFX interview “it’s instinctive but he becomes much dafter, much sillier, and curiously more the old boffin than David ever was, in a way, even though he’s the younger one. Just more sort of basically mental!”
Personally I really can’t stand it. I am looking for the Doctor and I can’t really see him. I find Smith the least entertaining. I love Doctor’s 1-7 and all the different versions of the character therein. I enjoy the different portrayals on audio of McGann. In the past they’d had him more movie-like and with the BBC7 series they made him a bit sterner and prickly but that’s fine as well. I’ve talked about 9 and 10 and there are many things I don’t like about the writing of the character in that time from the “pacifism” angle to what I consider the worst moment in the series ever “I don’t want to go!” but with 11 I find myself for the first time ever really being intensely bored and really turned off. So for me the Doctor as a daft child just doesn’t work. Can the Doctor do daft things? Yes. Can he be childish? Yes but he shouldn’t actually BE on most of the time.
I didn’t find this last year until maybe late last season but since ACC it’s completely seized me and I can’t shake it.
So as I stated from the start could someone help me to understand the character that calls himself the Doctor in the current TV series?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/10 at 03:31 PM
I love how the new Doctor doesn’t seem to know what’s going on, and is constantly distracted.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/10 at 03:40 PM
> So as I stated from the start could
> someone help me to understand the
> character that calls himself the Doctor
> in the current TV series?
Pretty sure you need to work that one out yourself. And as with anything, your mileage will vary. For example, I found Tom Baker mostly annoying (and one of my least favourite Doctors) so common opinion often doesn’t help.
But if you’re sad, there’s an easy answer: watch something else. It’s like turning off the TV Movie, suddenly you’re way happier for so many indescribable reasons!
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/10 at 03:53 PM
PS: Matt Smith is well on his way to becoming my all-time favourite Doctor
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/10 at 03:55 PM
No there isn’t one new series story that I find is better than Doctor Who and only a couple that even approach it. The Doctor is so well done in that one and that is actually the most important thing about the show. If the Doctor isn’t right then the rest doesn’t really matter.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/10 at 04:17 PM
As I say, you’re mileage will vary.
> The Doctor is so well done in that one
> and that is actually the most important
> thing about the show.
For my money, I would say the Doctor is the weakest part of the TVM.
It’s not really McGann’s fault, he’s given nothing to work with. But what the script demands is the “generic Doctor” - a distillation of the history of the character, rbringing nothing new or interesting to the role. This is an aspect epitomized by the EDA novels, taking it a step further to the bland and inefectual Doctor.
The Doctor in the TVM is like a coffee table book of the impressionists - something all your guests can look at and think “that’s very nice” - but the book isn’t going to upset anyone or stir the soul by stepping outside of McDonald’s level safe harbour.
Safe. Polite. Ultimately ignorable. Unlike all three of the new series leads.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/10 at 07:23 PM
“The scene where the Doctor, Rose and Avery look back on to the pirate ship while on board the alien spacecraft. It’s just cool.”
Didn’t anyone else notice this? Rose? hehe, I guess we know who the best companion is
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/12 at 02:04 AM
‘‘Given that this was the only episode of the first half of the season that wasn’t either going to be part of an epic two-part story or written by Neil Gaiman’‘
I really dont see why everyone loves to ‘name drop’ neil gaiman. ive read a few of his books & he’s not especially good. the only thing i find interesting about him is that he’s a big gene wolfe fan.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/13 at 06:58 PM
I found this episode entertaining - my 5 year old loved it beginning to end. I agree that Amy’s CPR was quite terrible - and cringed when it apparently worked. The Doctor’s expression throughout that scene was very interesting, and his tone of voice towards Amy in the next scene was quite fatherly I thought. The Doctor is clearly worried about whether Amy is pregnant or not - though I don’t think he suspects that the child can regenerate (hence is somehow his?)
Looking foward to the next episode!
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/16 at 01:30 AM
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