GooseMcGoose Reviews

Doctor Who: Flux: Chapter One - The Halloween Apocalypse (2021) Season 13, Episode 1

Funny, messy, ridiculous and pretty confusing.

[5/10 · 31 October 2021]

As the first installment of 'Doctor Who: Flux' this episode is a disappointment. Virtually nothing introduced in this episode is wrapped up satisfyingly (or at all, really), Dan, our new companion, seems to be just as boring as those who have come before him and so many plot threads are shoved into this one episode when they really need a couple episodes that spend more time to develop them over other things. The Halloween Apocalypse also feels incredibly rushed all around and the cold open in particular almost feels like another TV show made with the aim of mocking what this series is. The doctors visions are also never explained, something that we should really understand early on.

Our dog-faced aliens are admittedly quite cool, I can see the potential for them becoming iconic and their role of protecting humans is an interesting one. The Flux seems to be a worthy threat, but we know absolutely nothing about it.

I have a feeling the entirety of series 13 might work better binged all at once.

Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (2021)

Decent film let down by an awful ending

[5/10 · 21 July 2021]

As a whole this film played it relatively safe untill the conclusion, nothing too unexpected happened (maybe with the exception of Strickler's death) but that the same time it was still fun and entertaining. But yeah... the ending ruins not just this film's story, but the story we've been following through the entirety of the Tales of Arcadia franchise.

Firstly the "main baddie" was just weak and uninspired. The Arcane Order have alright motivations but as individuals they're just very generic evil characters with the exception of Nari. So the fact that the big baddie of this Trollhunters series is just another 'evil wizard' that has plenty of opportunities to kill people but just doesn't is just a big disappointment.

But my main issue with this film is the atrocious ending. The story we've been following has pretty much been de-canonised into a version of Trollhunters with Toby as the main character. Yeah... Really not sure what went through the writers minds here.

Doctor Who: Demons of the Punjab (2018) Season 11, Episode 6

A welcome addition to and otherwise weak series 11

[8/10 · 12 June 2021]

With virtually all the other episodes of the series being either complete crap or just about mediocre, it's nice to get one genuinely good episode. Sure, it's flawed, and if it were in any other New-Who series before this one then I think it's safe to say that it wouldn't be getting as much attention - but it's still pretty good.

The monsters-of-the-week are actually quite interesting. Sure, they have yet another backstory that involves their planet getting destroyed which many characters in Doctor Who have had at this point, but their role in mourning the dead and travelling all throughout space is a cool concept. The (human) characters in this story all feel solid and believable and the companions and the Doctor are better in this episode that the others. The partition of India was also explored decently in this story, all leading up to pretty sad conclusion.

Having said all of this though, this episode really didn't feel like Doctor Who. It felt more like a period drama from some other programme that just so happened to have the Doctor and Co. In it. And that's probably why this one feels so odd to me. Still, episodes do sometimes have to break the mould and I'm thankful they do.

Doctor Who: The Doctor Falls (2017) Season 10, Episode 12

A brilliant finale to series 10, albeit with some flaws

[9/10 · 28 April 2021]

As a whole this finale is probably my favourite in the entire show. The concept of the different floors on the spaceship, the use of time dilation, and the cybermen as villains are all extremely brilliant ideas and this really does show that Moffat still had some brilliance in him after many series as showrunner. Capaldi is at his best, as are the other actors, with John Simm's master being a delight on-screen, along with Missy. Bill's mind fighting against the programming of being a cyberman was displayed really well and I really did feel sorry for her. Although she ended up getting a good ending these past two episodes have been absolutely heartbreaking and that message is certainly got across. Nardole got a decent ending too, it's quite sad knowing that he'll never see the Doctor or Bill again and eventually will be killed by the Cybermen.

So yeah, they're some of the main praises I have for this epsiode. However like with all finales there's some issues.

Missy and the Master really don't do a whole lot. And while this wasn't a massive issue (there were still some brilliant moments) I would have liked them to do more then just sit around and kill each other. Bills rescue is also a bit nonsensical. Heather could have returned at any time, I think it makes sense to assume that Bill would have got pretty upset while being turned into a cyberman - and yet she leaves it till the last minute?

But once again, this this still a very good finale and serves as a mostly solid ending to Capaldi's run in the series. Twice Upon a Time is decent, but I think I would have preferred it if this had been Capaldis last story considering how good it is. But hey, both are cool.

Doctor Who: Praxeus (2020) Season 12, Episode 6

So much wasted potential

[4/10 · 21 January 2021]

Once again, the political messages in the show are rammed into our faces (though not as bad as orphan 55). While I certainly agree with the points they are getting across, there are better ways to go about it. Less talking, more showing. Make it more shocking and less forced. The main thing about this episode that annoys me the most though is the incredibly underdeveloped characters who I do not care about whatsoever and the wasted potential with plastic being used in the episode. Imagine if the autons came back! It would have made perfect sense to bring them here. While watching people explode was fun, the autons would of been a greater threat. In fact, it could be finale material.

I feel like that's one of the issues with doctor who at the moment. There's good ideas and there's evidence of good ideas but they're always mishandled and just make an even bigger mockery of the show.

Doctor Who: Rosa (2018) Season 11, Episode 3

A good attempt with some very good scenes, but did we really need the villain?

[6/10 · 21 January 2021]

Although this episode was pretty underwhelming (especially after I heard all of the good reviews from others) I have to admit - some of the scenes were very well done. All the scenes of Rosa in the bus were perfect - and Graham realising that he is a part as to why this event happened was crushing. It's the best moment for Graham's I feel that has been presented to us so far. Rest of series 11 lacked any scenes with this emotional power with him (aside from the woman who fell to Earth I feel) and series 12 basically did nothing to his character. It's a shame he's gone now, but I'd I ever want to watch a good episode for Graham, I'll always pick Rosa. The doctor on this episode still doesn't feel right. Her showdown with the villain (who shouldn't have even been in this episode as they were so useless) was pretty good although I still felt it lacked some energy. And for crying out loud, what is it with the over exaggerated sonics movements!

Doctor Who: Spyfall: Part One (2020) Season 12, Episode 1

Chibnall's writing isn't good, but at least this episode had a decent story

[7/10 · 10 January 2021]

I actually quite enjoyed this episode and it's second part. Yaz actually gets character development of some type (this doesn't really continue for the rest of the series, which is a shame) and while Graham and Ryan (more so Graham) don't have as much of a focus I didn't find them annoying either. Jodie's acting was an improvement in this episode as well. She still doesn't feel like the doctor but I'm certainly getting the feeling she's trying (even if sometimes the only reactions she can so is squinting her eyes and grinning). I can still say that this doesn't beat The Woman Who Fell to Earth - but I think I might have been more intrigued with this episode.

It goes without saying that the writing for this wasn't brilliant, but I can't expect anything too good at this point.

It's still unfortunate that even good episodes in Chibnall's era don't get over a 7/10 from me (and I'm sure many others) but chibs himself has certainly seen the criticism of series 11, and although I would still say he isn't fit for show runner, he has tried to improve. And that's a start I guess.

Doctor Who: Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror (2020) Season 12, Episode 4

A pretty mediocre episode that feels like it belongs in the RTD era

[6/10 · 10 January 2021]

This episode wasn't bad, but sure, it had its flaws. But it really does feel like an episode that belongs firmly within another era. Say, for example, if this was an episode in the RTD era. I bet it would be one of the weaker episodes of the series, but not a bad one. And that's what's important I guess. This wasn't a bad episode, and a mediocre episode in the Chibnall era is a welcome surprise.

Doctor Who: Fugitive of the Judoon (2020) Season 12, Episode 5

One of thirteenths most interesting stories - but that doesn't make it brilliant

[5/10 · 10 January 2021]

When I first watched this episode I was blown away by the fact that I was actually engaged in doctor who again. Jack, after being gone for years, has finally returned, the time lords returned kinda and there's another incarnation of the doctor we never knew about! But after a rewatch (to be expected) the flaws revealed themselves quite rapidly.

Something I did notice when first watching was the fact that Jack does virtually nothing apart from getting the companions to warn the doctor about the 'lone cyberman', a villain who we encounter in the last three episodes of the series and while this does create a sense of danger, at the time it just felt like an annoying reminder that yes, there will be a finale to the end of the series, and yes, the lone cyberman will probably be in it. And since the finale of this series ended on a low note, that certainly decreases the quality of this episode (or my feelings towards it).

The Ruth doctor, who I bet isn't going to be fleshed out in any other episodes, was interesting but her introduction was confusing. Why is her tardis already stuck in its police box form? It's such an obvious mistake, as this doctor is more or less confirmed at this point to be a past incarnation, before the first doctor even. Why was it made? My only guess is that Chibnall did it deliberately just so newer watchers of the show would at least have a small amount of knowledge as to what was going on (after all, police box = the doctor).

The writing of this episode wasn't great either, and while an improvement from some of the earlier episodes, it still isn't up to the standard of Moffat or Davies. Say what you want about Moffat, but I think we can all agree if he wrote this episode it would probably be more interesting, and have a better chance of having a good ending, as the actual ending to this episode is one I done really like.

In conclusion, this is an episode you enjoy at first but everything falls apart in rewatch. The inclusion of Jack was obviously made to keep fans watching, and possibly to bring old fans back and the Ruth doctor comes with so many questions attached that I don't really know where to start. I remember when many fans were getting worried over this episode because it just added more content for the finale to contain. Fortunately though, many plot points were wrapped up. In a dreadful way.

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time (2017) Season 11, Episode 0

A decent episode, but 'decent' doesn't really cut it for a regeneration story

[7/10 · 10 January 2021]

Alright, I'll admit this episode isn't as bad as I claimed it was when I first watched. The writing is pretty good, and I ended up liking the fact that there was no real baddie for this story - the doctor was quite shocked to find that out also! Although I don't like Moffat style of almost giving companions a 'second chance' after they have seemingly been killed off or left the show in another fashion, it worked here because it wasn't actually Bill and Nardole who returned, it was just their memories. I found it quite neat. Also Clara's cameo made sense and when Bill was revealed to be the doctors 'memory' I knew exactly how she would be written into the story one last time.

The doctors monologue at the end though was not great. Not every doctor needs to have a massive 'speech' before they regenerate, and I much prefer it in RTD era when they would go more quickly. Sure, a few last words should be said. But not a whole speech. Mind you, it did make more sense with the twelfth doctor then it did the eleventh.

I also didn't really like how the first doctor did not do much. He was good every now and then as a bit of comic relief and a reminder of how much times have changed, but I sort of found his addition quite unneeded. The idea of both him and the current doctor refusing to regenerate, and at the end of the episode both giving in and accepting that they do in fact, was poetic but aside from that he does hardly anything of interest. The acting was good though, from both doctors and all other characters.

All in all, not a bad episode. But it was disappointing to a certain degree. Still, it unfortunately beats all of Chibnall stories.

Doctor Who: The Woman Who Fell to Earth (2018) Season 11, Episode 1

Decent enough episode, but doesn't feel particularly original

[7/10 · 10 January 2021]

As far as series openers go this one is 'alright'. It plays it rather safe, using many tried and tested concepts from past post-regeneration stories and as a result doesn't feel particularly original. It serves it purpose and.... that's it, basically.

Probably better than New Earth out of all the series openers from the new series but below everything else in terms of ranking.