It was meant to be Azerbaijan but they changed it to a fictional title.

They do indeed. There is strong historical evidence that the Vikings crossed the Atlantic and travelled to America.

Not sure about that, Earthshock was pretty damn good.

I've got to be honest, I really hated it. I felt the episode was the possibly the biggest example of wasted potential in the shows history. It also completely undermined Clara's character and made me really dislike her. The fact that there were no consequences at all for her selfish actions just felt like a slap in…

Yes, that is what I was referring to. It had a lot of potential but it was completely undermined by the awful ending and complete lack of consequences for Clara's actions.

It is beyond me how anyone could be in the pro "Kill the Moon" camp. But his script last series had a lot of potential so he might not balls it up so bad this year.

No, there is a big difference between Moffat editing a story (as he does will all scripts) and him specifically co-writing a script. Mathison is co-writing his story with Moffat, Harness isn't. The 'reasoning' you have presented smells like pure conjecture to me.

It's ridiculous that Jamie Mathison (by far the best writer for series 8) is only co-writing one episode with Moffat and yet Peter Harness (after his awful work in series 8) is writing a full episode.

Oh come on, they managed it for years back in the classic series. If Moffat can't handle it then he should move on and someone else should take over.

Absolutely awful story in my opinion. Feels like watching a very poor pantomime. Ridiculous over-the-top villains and awful dialogue. One of my least favourite (potentially my absolute least favourite) of 4th Doctor stories.

That's fine. However, I know he didn't write the script but that doesn't mean The Ark in Space didn't influence him and the film. He might not have even chosen to do the script if it wasn't for him seeing the production of The Ark in Space. We'll never know.
As you say, let's agree to disagree. :)

I would consider the fact that Ridley Scott was working at the BBC in close connection with Doctor Who at the time The Ark in Space was made to be evidence.

Oh, I was talking about onscreen deaths. As in stories where people are actually seen directly dying rather than a ship blowing up and that counting as a bunch of deaths.

It really was.

I don't think any real people die in Castovalva and I think everyone lives in Kinda and Enlightenment as well.
It's a big contrast with new Who, where there are loads of episodes in which nobody dies. Especially since Moffat took over.

I can't stand The Armageddon Factor. Absolutely awful. I'd take this over it any day. It was like a pantomime, especially the villain.

I'm almost 100% sure that isn't true. The seaweed monster thing pulls several people under and kills/eats them.

Alien was also inspired by the Doctor Who story 'The Ark in Space'.

IKR! :)

Karen Gillan really isn't that good looking.