The problem with the finale is that it's a finale that would have made sense for where the show was after its second or third season but not at all a finale for the show that HIMYM became, and especially not for the final season. As the show wore on, Ted's pining for Robin became repetitive and obnoxious. Ted's…

Neil Cross wrote Clara as an actual character in his episodes. But my favorite thing about "Rings", apart from the dialogue, is how it takes so long for the conflict to show up. Normally that would be a bad thing, but, in "Rings", it allows us to spend a lot of time seeing what it's like to travel with the Doctor when…

"Looks like you're looking for dragons. In the future."
"Actually…"
*cut to titles*

It is too bad about Tom MacRae, as "Girl Who Waited" is fantastic. I feel the same way about its spiritual predecessor "Amy's Choice". Whatever happened to Simon Nye?

Yeah, I had the same thought watching them. They also reminded me a bit of the Seventh Doctor's black TARDIS team from the whole Black TARDIS/White TARDIS Big Finish arc.

This was easily the best Thompson episode, but that still just brings it to the level of competent. The review is right about his episodes having an inert quality. He has this amazing ability to turn fun concepts into boring episodes. It's his superpower. His stories are never inventive enough as their concepts…

Definitely. As great as his audios are, there's something magical about being able to actually SEE the Eighth Doctor.

I would kill for a Gareth Robert's penned Tate and Tennant audio. He can write directly for their comedic strengths.

I sincerely hope that that's more than wishful thinking.

I'm really glad to see people coming around on "Rings of Ahkaten". It's so much better than it's given credit for.

Whithouse is the only one that's even close. I've been championing Neil Cross, but I'd need to see him write at least one more to be sure.

I think he's been doing that for a while, actually. Series seven's "blockbuster" format felt like an overcorrection from series six heavy arc-focus, which itself was a reaction to series five's success.

God, I had forgotten how Rory's dad has the same name as the NBC Nightly News anchor. I agree that he's the best thing about that episode though. And that's an episode that has Mitchell and Webb in it, for Christ's sake.

It's definitely a subjective thing. I'm much more on board with Wasp's brand of silliness than Dinosaurs on a Spaceship's.

It's definitely gonna top anyone's list of best Thompson episodes.

I dunno. Empathy for a monster seems like a pretty Doctor Who concept.

Yeah, it's funny because I've been going through Farscape for the first time lately and had just been thinking about how Doctor Who could use a little Farscape flavor.

It honestly I couldn't figure out what angle you were talking about for a minute. Then it clicked and I went "OOOH! Oooh." Yeah, that is unfortunate.

Even the Rings of Akhatan speech didn't actually work and it took Clara showing up again to save the day.

This is even better than what I thought this was going to be, which was just a remake of the film Ever After where everyone is high.