Hello Everyone!
So last Saturday was ‘Curse of the Black Spot’ aka the Pirate episode of ‘Doctor Who’ with guest performances by Lily Cole and the never knowingly bad Hugh Bonneville.
The story is that the Tardis follows a distress call and lands on a ship in the middle of the ocean, stranded on calm water. The Team soon discover that the ship is being terrorised by a Siren Mermaid who puts a black spot on the palm of the injured and then appears and seemingly disintegrates them.
First off this is a self-contained episode. It references ‘Day of the Moon’ in that ‘Eye Patch Lady’ (I’m not being stupid, she’s actually credited as that) makes another appearance and there’s another inconclusive scan on Amy, but other than that there’s nothing going on that involves the current story arc. This is a bit of a Marmite subject for some Whovians, I know people that get really annoyed with this kind of episode whereas I amongst others quite enjoy these little flights of fancy.
It looked really nice; the ship gave a nice oldy worldy contrast to the interior of the Tardis. It could have been used a bit better; perhaps there might have been a bit more tension if they’d have played up the claustrophobia of being on a ship stranded in the Ocean but I like it none the less.
Hugh Bonneville is at his swash buckling best. As gun toting Captain Avery Bonneville is clearly having the time of his life and it’s lovely to watch. Some of my favourite scenes were between the Doctor and Avery, talking Captain to Captain. I found the only thing about Avery that annoyed me was the inclusion of his son as a stowaway. Yes yes… it was sweet and gave a bit more emotional substance to the episode but it felt a bit superfluous to me, like a bit that had been bolted on just to tick the ‘emotional core’ box. I like that Avery is a reference to a William Hartnell episode of ‘Doctor Who’, it’s not hugely obvious but the uber fans will get it and it’s always good to appease the uber fans.
Arthur Darvill was on top form again. Providing the laughs as Rory gets hit by the curse and Amy keeps dragging him away from the Siren (“Did you see her Eyes? LikeCrystal
I think it mainly worked. It’s been likened to ‘The Vampires of Venice’ and I get where they’re coming from with that comparison. I don’t mean it in a negative way (I like that episode), but in the same way as ‘The Vampires of Venice’, this episode is ultimately inconsequential. I think this the weakest episode so far and judging by a review I read of next week’s episode it may well be the weakest of this series. Although, saying that an episode of Doctor Who is the weakest of the series is a bit like saying one of McFly is the least attractive, they’re all gorgeous but perhaps one has less defined abs or a bump in his nose but even so you definitely wouldn’t kick him out of bed.
Now it’s time for…
Reasons to be cheerful
1. I’m starting to feel like a broken record but I’m really excited about next week’s Doctor Who. It’s Neil Gaiman. Neil Ruddy Gaiman! Writing for Doctor Who! That’s like a double rainbow of amazingness! I’ve read a review (don’t worry it gives nothing away) and it just pushed me to the edge of excitement so much so I think if anyone asks me between now and Saturday if I’m looking forward to this week’s episode I might just scream in their face and collapse in a sobbing heap.
2. There’s going to be a preview of the Inbetweeners film on tonight’s L'Oreal National Movie Awards. Some think its crude but I can’t help but like it. The film is based on the boys having a boys holiday to Malia in Crete which I’m interested to see because I went on a girls holiday to Malia when I was 19 so I’m intrigued to see their take on what goes on at an 18-30’s.
3. ‘Campus’ comes out on DVD next week. This show has seemingly been damned by every critic that’s seen it but I really like it. It’s so easy to twist the knife in a new comedy, especially this one because it’s being advertised as “by the creators of Green Wing”. That is like loading a gun and handing it to the critics for them to shoot you with. Green Wing was so original and so clever and just so funny that anything that claims to have come from the same stock is going to be held up against it. I think ‘Campus’ is a fantastic, nonsensical trip into a comedy of implausible characters. It’s not for everyone, I’ll admit that, especially the first episode it’s a bit near to the knuckle, but I adore it. Watch it on 4OD!
That’ll do for today!
Goodbye till next time :-)
x x x x x x x x x x x
So last Saturday was ‘Curse of the Black Spot’ aka the Pirate episode of ‘Doctor Who’ with guest performances by Lily Cole and the never knowingly bad Hugh Bonneville.
The story is that the Tardis follows a distress call and lands on a ship in the middle of the ocean, stranded on calm water. The Team soon discover that the ship is being terrorised by a Siren Mermaid who puts a black spot on the palm of the injured and then appears and seemingly disintegrates them.
First off this is a self-contained episode. It references ‘Day of the Moon’ in that ‘Eye Patch Lady’ (I’m not being stupid, she’s actually credited as that) makes another appearance and there’s another inconclusive scan on Amy, but other than that there’s nothing going on that involves the current story arc. This is a bit of a Marmite subject for some Whovians, I know people that get really annoyed with this kind of episode whereas I amongst others quite enjoy these little flights of fancy.
It looked really nice; the ship gave a nice oldy worldy contrast to the interior of the Tardis. It could have been used a bit better; perhaps there might have been a bit more tension if they’d have played up the claustrophobia of being on a ship stranded in the Ocean but I like it none the less.
Hugh Bonneville is at his swash buckling best. As gun toting Captain Avery Bonneville is clearly having the time of his life and it’s lovely to watch. Some of my favourite scenes were between the Doctor and Avery, talking Captain to Captain. I found the only thing about Avery that annoyed me was the inclusion of his son as a stowaway. Yes yes… it was sweet and gave a bit more emotional substance to the episode but it felt a bit superfluous to me, like a bit that had been bolted on just to tick the ‘emotional core’ box. I like that Avery is a reference to a William Hartnell episode of ‘Doctor Who’, it’s not hugely obvious but the uber fans will get it and it’s always good to appease the uber fans.
Arthur Darvill was on top form again. Providing the laughs as Rory gets hit by the curse and Amy keeps dragging him away from the Siren (“Did you see her Eyes? Like
I think it mainly worked. It’s been likened to ‘The Vampires of Venice’ and I get where they’re coming from with that comparison. I don’t mean it in a negative way (I like that episode), but in the same way as ‘The Vampires of Venice’, this episode is ultimately inconsequential. I think this the weakest episode so far and judging by a review I read of next week’s episode it may well be the weakest of this series. Although, saying that an episode of Doctor Who is the weakest of the series is a bit like saying one of McFly is the least attractive, they’re all gorgeous but perhaps one has less defined abs or a bump in his nose but even so you definitely wouldn’t kick him out of bed.
Now it’s time for…
Reasons to be cheerful
1. I’m starting to feel like a broken record but I’m really excited about next week’s Doctor Who. It’s Neil Gaiman. Neil Ruddy Gaiman! Writing for Doctor Who! That’s like a double rainbow of amazingness! I’ve read a review (don’t worry it gives nothing away) and it just pushed me to the edge of excitement so much so I think if anyone asks me between now and Saturday if I’m looking forward to this week’s episode I might just scream in their face and collapse in a sobbing heap.
2. There’s going to be a preview of the Inbetweeners film on tonight’s L'Oreal National Movie Awards. Some think its crude but I can’t help but like it. The film is based on the boys having a boys holiday to Malia in Crete which I’m interested to see because I went on a girls holiday to Malia when I was 19 so I’m intrigued to see their take on what goes on at an 18-30’s.
3. ‘Campus’ comes out on DVD next week. This show has seemingly been damned by every critic that’s seen it but I really like it. It’s so easy to twist the knife in a new comedy, especially this one because it’s being advertised as “by the creators of Green Wing”. That is like loading a gun and handing it to the critics for them to shoot you with. Green Wing was so original and so clever and just so funny that anything that claims to have come from the same stock is going to be held up against it. I think ‘Campus’ is a fantastic, nonsensical trip into a comedy of implausible characters. It’s not for everyone, I’ll admit that, especially the first episode it’s a bit near to the knuckle, but I adore it. Watch it on 4OD!
That’ll do for today!
Goodbye till next time :-)
x x x x x x x x x x x
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