My take is that in a collapsing society like the Time Lords', it makes perfect sense that in the last days of the War, the military was doing its thing, the politicians/religious establishment (i. e. Rassilon and that soothsayer) were doing theirs, and the two groups were either ignoring or openly antagonistic to each…

I don't think it's that the General and the War Council are the 'real' leaders whilst Rassilon and the High Council aren't, or vice versa, it's that the military and the politicians are on completely different pages wrt how to end the War, and have obviously stopped talking. 'The End of Time' and DOTD are basically…

All of Sylv's stuff (w assists from Peter Jackson and Ian McKellen!) was golden. Colin Baker was very funny too.

Really well said. The Doctor (all of him) is a big damn hero again, and I love it.

This episode really redeems the 'impossible girl' arc and establishes the prime iteration of Clara as a top-tier companion, imho. The fleshing out of her character (the Coal Hill gig, and everything she does to challenge the Docs on using the Moment, w a pretty big assist from not-Rose as well) finally makes her as…

That was Capaldi.

Yeah, him not even finishing off the Hurt regeneration was particularly painful. Only bum note in the whole thing for me.

A rewatch (or seventeen) is in order, but I'm struck by the (positive) lack of frenetic pacing that has marred several of Moffat's 'event' episodes. This thing breathed, and had long scenes, and I loved that.

Dear god, yes. Tom as an old curator/possibly future Doc wearing Four's face/himself??

Worst Cybermen story of the classic series: Everything after Tenth Planet (except Tomb and The Invasion). Search your heart, you know it to be true.

I personally think its editing is some of the best the series has managed, but I can maybe see how it could come across as gimmicky. Anyway, this is the ep that sold me on Whithouse as the next showrunner, should it come to pass.

well, shit, I like Black Orchid quite a bit.

definitely Black Orchid. The Doctor dresses in that clown costume. Overall, I think it's considered a harmless trifle of a story, but I personally love the atmosphere. It's meant to be a lark, I think, but there's an undercurrent of real creepiness that I'm not surprised a kid would pick up on.

um, I like Name of the Doctor. Quite a bit, actually.

One day, I'm gonna just scroll past a list thread. Today is not that day.

I don't hate Series 7B like some seem to, but I agree that killing off Victorian Clara and not having her as the companion was a HUGE missed trick.

And those humans are young, lithe pretty things more often than not.

I'd be ok w Gatiss or Whithouse at this point. I think we'll find out after Series 8.

Just remember that Victor Kennedy is Ian Levine. If you're one of the sad people like me who knows who Ian Levine is, that makes even the Absorbaloff silliness palatable. Almost.

Agreed. Only I'd swap City of Death for Caves.