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Okay. Very late on this, because there was just SO MUCH in the episode and it took me days to work myself up to having enough brainpower to watch it again in order to try and form some coherent thoughts. Which… are probably not so coherent (and probably even less so because it's now some time since I rewatched and wrote the notes), but here goes.
Ada in the nexus (or whatever we're calling it – I haven't had time to read many reviews yet) was awesome. I liked her the moment I met her.
The Master storming into the inventors' convention and randomly killing people for moving. Very him. Telling the Doctor to kneel, and then asking her to use his name – loved it. So very, very different from the same thing with Simm and Ten. Simm was cocky, full of himself, confident to a T. This Master is much… softer? Much less sure of himself, and I loved the way the Doctor was acting like she was doing him a favour.
I mean, I couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable at the whole thing, and I think it's because of the male/female thing; I can't help feeling uncomfortable when it's this way round, in a non-consensual setting. But this wasn't entirely non-consensual, and the Doctor certainly didn't come across as weak for doing it. There's soooo much history between the two of them, and it totally felt like she was pretty much just humouring him here, kind of just do what he says because he's not stable, but I thought there was a lot of tenderness in her face and tone, even while she was rolling her eyes at him making her repeat his name.
I would kind of like to know how he found her, though, to follow her there? It's not like he could have tracked her TARDIS, because she didn’t use it. And OK, he could look through the history books to tell she was there, but how did he know that was the next time chronologically in her timeline?
Loved "Don’t have a TARDIS, do have an Ada." Loved Ada's "This is the future. A world on fire." Reminded me of Reinette venturing onto the spaceship, and realising that perhaps there were reasons why seeing the future is not a good idea.
And was I the only one squeeing there at the potential of having another companion aboard the TARDIS – a non-contemporary one! Ada would have been brilliant. Oh well.
The gang on the run had severe overtones of The Sound of Drums to me (probably because I've watched it too much), and I kept hearing Simm!Master in my head telling them to run. I liked very much how well the guys worked together there, that they didn't need the Doctor. And Graham's soft shoe shuffle with the laser shoes was hilarious!
Doctor and Master in World War II Paris – the telepathy – I didn't realise "contact" was a reference to classic Who episodes but it's wonderful that it was! I'd always thought the Doctor was only a touch telepath so it was great to find that this was actually canon! Loved the Jodrell Bank reference and the whole scene between them on the Eiffel Tower.
The Master's "how else would I get your attention"? Putting into words the fact we all knew, that *everything* he does is all about getting her attention.
First time round, I'd been confused as to why the Doctor and Yas had both been able to escape from the nexus but the Doctor's explanation that the artron energy confused the aliens was a relatively good one. That artron energy is useful stuff!
The Doctor stealing the Master's TARDIS – that was unexpected, and a nice reversal of him stealing hers before.
The idea of the Master living through 77 years was also unexpected – especially as it was apparently without trying to fiddle with any of the (many, many) of the Doctor's visits to/stays on Earth that he'd have lived through! Feels like a missed opportunity there, unless they do revisit it, at least in the odd mention!
Didn't like the Bill & Ted-ness of the Doctor remembering she had to go back and do the "how to fly a plane" video. I know DW has always changed the rules regarding whether or not you can go back on your timeline, but this is a bit much, really, and a bit of a cop-out. I was expecting something more clever than that.
Definitely didn't like the memory removal. I thought the Doctor had learned from Donna, and then Clara – after all, when Bill asked him not to wipe her memory, he agreed. So this, really? Completely unnecessary, and very uncomfortable.
Lenny Henry was chilling and amazing. Very impressive.
Overall, a fascinating episode and one I'm definitely going to come back to a lot. One day, when I find some time!
Ada in the nexus (or whatever we're calling it – I haven't had time to read many reviews yet) was awesome. I liked her the moment I met her.
The Master storming into the inventors' convention and randomly killing people for moving. Very him. Telling the Doctor to kneel, and then asking her to use his name – loved it. So very, very different from the same thing with Simm and Ten. Simm was cocky, full of himself, confident to a T. This Master is much… softer? Much less sure of himself, and I loved the way the Doctor was acting like she was doing him a favour.
I mean, I couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable at the whole thing, and I think it's because of the male/female thing; I can't help feeling uncomfortable when it's this way round, in a non-consensual setting. But this wasn't entirely non-consensual, and the Doctor certainly didn't come across as weak for doing it. There's soooo much history between the two of them, and it totally felt like she was pretty much just humouring him here, kind of just do what he says because he's not stable, but I thought there was a lot of tenderness in her face and tone, even while she was rolling her eyes at him making her repeat his name.
I would kind of like to know how he found her, though, to follow her there? It's not like he could have tracked her TARDIS, because she didn’t use it. And OK, he could look through the history books to tell she was there, but how did he know that was the next time chronologically in her timeline?
Loved "Don’t have a TARDIS, do have an Ada." Loved Ada's "This is the future. A world on fire." Reminded me of Reinette venturing onto the spaceship, and realising that perhaps there were reasons why seeing the future is not a good idea.
And was I the only one squeeing there at the potential of having another companion aboard the TARDIS – a non-contemporary one! Ada would have been brilliant. Oh well.
The gang on the run had severe overtones of The Sound of Drums to me (probably because I've watched it too much), and I kept hearing Simm!Master in my head telling them to run. I liked very much how well the guys worked together there, that they didn't need the Doctor. And Graham's soft shoe shuffle with the laser shoes was hilarious!
Doctor and Master in World War II Paris – the telepathy – I didn't realise "contact" was a reference to classic Who episodes but it's wonderful that it was! I'd always thought the Doctor was only a touch telepath so it was great to find that this was actually canon! Loved the Jodrell Bank reference and the whole scene between them on the Eiffel Tower.
The Master's "how else would I get your attention"? Putting into words the fact we all knew, that *everything* he does is all about getting her attention.
First time round, I'd been confused as to why the Doctor and Yas had both been able to escape from the nexus but the Doctor's explanation that the artron energy confused the aliens was a relatively good one. That artron energy is useful stuff!
The Doctor stealing the Master's TARDIS – that was unexpected, and a nice reversal of him stealing hers before.
The idea of the Master living through 77 years was also unexpected – especially as it was apparently without trying to fiddle with any of the (many, many) of the Doctor's visits to/stays on Earth that he'd have lived through! Feels like a missed opportunity there, unless they do revisit it, at least in the odd mention!
Didn't like the Bill & Ted-ness of the Doctor remembering she had to go back and do the "how to fly a plane" video. I know DW has always changed the rules regarding whether or not you can go back on your timeline, but this is a bit much, really, and a bit of a cop-out. I was expecting something more clever than that.
Definitely didn't like the memory removal. I thought the Doctor had learned from Donna, and then Clara – after all, when Bill asked him not to wipe her memory, he agreed. So this, really? Completely unnecessary, and very uncomfortable.
Lenny Henry was chilling and amazing. Very impressive.
Overall, a fascinating episode and one I'm definitely going to come back to a lot. One day, when I find some time!
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