Either way, it's not like you need to know who won the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, or what happened in the "Dance of Dragons" civil war. It is just extra detail for those who want it

Maybe it has to do with what platform I'm watching these on, but I remember the title sequence always getting auto skipped when I watched Sense8 this year, but never for Orange is the New Black.

I'm sure it'll bring joy to at least a couple dozen people

I anticipate a downer ending, even if she isn't stuck as a cyberman. But it also be that she just quits because this experience was a bridge too far.

The Doctor is always portrayed as an alien do-gooder with varying levels of eccentricity. But I don't see the wide-eyed, touch-y feely "bow ties are cool" Doctor reacting to Robin Hood or Danny Pink the same way. 12 is a curmudgeon in direct contrast to 11.

Dear lord, I'm still learning random stuff about the Tolkien universe.

You can go A Song of Ice and Fire wiki and get a full family history of the Stark family. I have no idea what that takes away from watching Game of Thrones

It informs possible interpretations of events over long before Harry's birth that we only hear about second hand. But just because Rowling says Dumbledore is gay does not mean he ever had a romantic relationship with any named character.

Someone else remembers Worst Witch!

Paying extra money to interact with stuff with your wand is kind of pointless (especially if you went at a super crowded time like I did) but going into that park and feeling like you've legitimately stepped into the world of the movies is so crazy just waiting in line for rides is fun … because you are still…

I haven't found the expansions on the lore any more intrusive than all the crazy stuff you can learn about the Game of Thrones universe if your start wiki-ing the backstory.

@jlk7e:disqus
@marablanxart:disqus

I actually got so caught up in this episode I forgot about the John Simm until the final scene where it was like "this guy has to be John Simm." If I had no clue about that though the reveal would have been crazy

Either way, the 12th Doctor only has two episodes left. This duo is breaking up … we hardly knew ye

I don't think it even matters when it happened. Getting the information would only be a cool fan-service-y nod. It isn't essential to me comprehending the story

The Master had to have escape Gallifrey after "The End of Time" but regenerated into Missy much later.

For me, in S3 the show fell in love with itself, went into a holding pattern, and became about having a good time with the characters. That makes no sense given how inherently dark this material is. This show is set in a prison, prison sucks.

Moffat went into this season knowing it would his last, and probably the end of 12/Bill too. So there is also a good chance the finale will lead directly into XMAS somehow

I don't get this argument, at all. The bouncy, hooting and hollering, affectionate, "bow ties are cool" Doctor is a thing of the past.

I think it is maybe 60/40 Bill's condition is reversed and she isn't written out until the XMAS special, vs this two-parter is the end of Bill Potts and the Doctor will go solo in December