Posted in: Movies, Recent Updates, TV | Tagged: bbc, doctor who, entertainment, Pac Man, steven moffat, toby whithouse, tv, under the lake

Ten Thoughts About Doctor Who: Under The Lake… And Pac Man? (SPOILERS)

1. A later Doctor Who tonight, delayed an hour due to Strictly Come Dancing running long. And the rugby before that probably. Anyway, a better time, a later time, a darker time as the nights begin to set in, for a ghost story… and strangely some more Narnia touches too.

2. 1. Yes, I Said Pac Man

3. 

Three ghosts, chasing someone through a maze, seen and directed on a screen… Doctor Who has become Pac Man. It's just that right now there are no blue pills… unless you count the change from night into day. All that's missing is a fourth ghost.

2. Global Warnings

This warning has been brought to you by Vector Petroleum. Reminds me of the apology signs put up by Tesco with the line "Every little helps" at the bottom. Or doesn't. This is a world where credit has to be grabbed, even in the f*ck-ups.

Looks like Scotland has suffered some bad global warming in a hundred years…

3. The Black Guy Ghosts First

If the Doctor's ghost can somehow be reversed, then so can the Commander of the base. It is unlikely that the decision to kill of the only black guy on the base first and see him revived as a ghost was made in ignorance of this most classic and mocked trope. So the question is, what is Doctor Who going to do with it.

Note, the look of the ghosts are based on the look of Grimdyke from the seventies Tales From The Crypt movie played by Peter Cushing – who played the Dr. Who in the two sixties movies.

Not how they also mirror the Doctor's new sonic shades. Out again I see…

4. Public Knowledge

The Doctor is a known figure in 2119. And has a fan. Is she a member of LINDA? But at this point in history everyone knows who the Doctor is. What would have been the tipping point? Have we yet to see it? And UNIT is well known and respected too…

5. The Ambassadors Of Deaf

We have a deaf character, though the TARDIS cannot translate sign language for the Doctor. Played by a deaf actor as well, the kind of thing Doctor Who hasn't really worried about before.

It also mirrors the silent speaking of the ghosts of course, so we have plot points. But also a greater diversity of communication on the screen, and someone who can dominate the Doctor in a way that avoids having to shout over him. It's a welcome dynamic for the show.

And the TARDIS also cannot translate the glyphs on the wall, for very different reasons…

6. The Ghost Complex

The non-human ghost is from the planet Tivoli. You may recall Gibbis from a previous episode also written by Toby Whithouse, The God Complex.

Tivolians were one of the oldest civilisations in the galaxy and the most invaded, with cities prepare to accept and and all invaders to make them comfortable.This Tivolian ghost is a little more violent.

7. The Doctor Has Had Work Done

Clara has been working on the Doctor's social skills, even if it's by rote. Making him a better… not exactly boyfriend. Not exactly a better person. Just one who hurts others less with his insensitivity. Long way to go Clara.

Oh by the way, the Doctor dropped Sarah Jane off in Aberdeen instead of Croydon back in the day. Probably a reference…

But he's reverting too, going full Tom Baker this week. "Look at you lovely chaps… what's happened to you then?" with the crack of his voice. And addressing his TARDIS in that over familiar way as well… "why have you brought us here…?"

But just as the cards are there to change the Doctor, so the words on the wall are there to change everyone's minds…

8. The Willing And The Curious

Now this is interesting. The Doctor putting, willing people into danger, but everyone choosing to step up based on who they are and what they do. When/if they die horrifically, it will have been their own choice, and the Doctor will move on and forget them…

He is turning them into weapons again.

9. A Tale Of Two Time Zones

The Doctor looks like he is increasing his messing with time. Going back in time to see the young Davros to teach him mercy. And now going back before the flood, not to change history but simply to learn from it. Except when has that ever worked?

10. The Death Of The Doctor

One more time. Great cliffhanger, a promise of timey-wimey, non-linear storytelling and somehow Pac Man got eaten and became that fourth ghost … and my seven your old daughter screaming, not in terror but in annoyance at another two parter which she wants, demands, to be on right now…

Bonus Card: Will this still be true by next week?

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