Early Access - Doctor Who | Reaction & Review 8x4 "Listen"
Added 2023-02-17 04:44:47 +0000 UTCPlease excuse the post episode audio, unfortunately the Gain dial was cranked to max somehow π΅ Tried to tinker with it a bit in post.
Comments
The day I watched this review I started (and procrastinated!) a comment to encapsulate how I feel about this episode, which I continued adding onto for a few weeks after. It ended up being so long that I scrapped it entirely, deciding to give up on my mini-reviews. That was probably a mistake given how I'm returning to these (My goal was in the break from S8 to S9, but hey before the end of S9 feels appropriate too), but I don't mind a do-over and there was a LOT of fat to cut from that essay, haha so maybe rebuilding from the ground up is best. I just have to accept I won't be able to sum up everything I feel about this strange, strange episode. Firstly I love the slice of life aspect of it. You can go back to my comment on the 8x2 reaction and see my ROT-coded message about it, but I didn't realize until then that there was a twin scene in that episode, to this episode. That time we got Danny's hindsight cringe and regret as their interaction played over in his head, and this time we get Clara's POV for the actual date itself. It's such a memorable scene to me, that gorgeous orange lighting and the general late-night ambience as Clara puts her shoes on the counter and makes tea, her palpable exhaustion brilliantly acted and edited... As someone going into adulthood I can appreciate the more down-to-earth character interactions and just how entertaining these realistic situations are (as Moffaty and clever the dialogue may be). I love the way they are both afraid, and how openly Danny communicates that at the end. It feels so raw and there's something refreshing about seeing an adult relationship with adult communication (problems and solutions) depicted on the show for arguably the first time. How Clara's personal issue ties into the Doctor's personal issue and the way the plot is tied together feels so new, mature and nuanced. I'm sure my original (somehow much longer) write-up had a list of quips, but I love, love Capaldi/Twelve's humor in this and the way he arrogantly bounces back from any resistance in such an alien yet human carefree/dismissive way (Clara *is* still wearing her make-up?, "Oh you probably just missed a bit now come on, come on!"; Clara is saying she's confident she never stayed at an orphanage?, "You probably just forgot, have you seen the size of human brains? They're hilarious!"). He's in his own world. And when Clara has to remind The Doctor that she shouldn't interact with her past self ("potentially catastrophic..."). For some that may be an example of a problem many have with Clara/This era, one that you briefly touched on (And people who aren't a fan of Clara express this by calling her tenure "Clara Who"), but for me Capaldi's delivery is done so well, along with Clara's bemusement, that not only does it work, not only is it absurdly funny, but it actually feels like a refreshing subversion of the companions only asking questions as audience inserts so that the Doctor can give exposition to the audience. It's a brilliant subtle way for the show to demonstrate the progress of the show's audience and Clara as a companion by having the roles be reversed, managing to serve as exposition but somehow (in my opinion) feel like it's not holding the audience's hand and instead going "You should know this by now". So on "Clara Who". I personally love the role she takes as a protagonist and don't think it's too over-the-top. I am more than okay with such a significant moment in the Doctor's past being explored, as it's not used in an action climax to up the stakes for dramatic effect, it's used for a slow burn episode that puts its emotions at the forefront; it's purposeful. I feel like this episode does a good job of exploring this Doctor's psyche while he's still very closed off. Gone are the days of the companions being audience inserts there so the Doctor can bounce ideas off of; Clara has agency, wit, insecurities/vulnerabilities and problems of her own. To me The Doctor remains the most compelling character of the show in this episode, as he should be, though I love the dual dynamic of Twelve/Clara. For me that's even reflected in the last shot with Clara placing the toy soldier, and this is just my dumbness but I thought it was the Doctor somehow because all I saw were the rings even though they are very clearly female fingers, lol. I still like it though, their jewellery as a shared character design (as well as wearing black) is a way of visually tying them together in this ep for me. In typical me fashion, I have more to say about the small random metatextual ideas in this episode than I do about the big obvious things, so I'll just say the themes and tone in these episode are great. Beautiful call back to Day of the Doctor, beautiful bootstrap paradox, beautiful ambiguity, and beautiful emotional resonance at the end. And them hugging! You're into S9 by now, so you've seen the progression from Twelve realizing he doesn't like hugs (Deep Breath), being hugged anyway in a moment of understanding (Listen), willingly hugging Clara and explaining why he doesn't like them (Death in Heaven) and actively hugging her (I believe so anyway, will have to watch it soon and see; The Magician's Apprentice). Oh, and the acting is on point. I like silly little moments, and I already mentioned Capaldi's humor but his sternness and reluctant trust of Clara are peak, and Jenna Coleman's perpetual-exasperation the entire episode, from the date to dealing with the Doctor talking to little Rupert, to meeting Orson and having to process this all, to her amazing reaction when the Doctor mentions the dream he put in Danny's head that defines his entire aspirations as an adult, and finally the almost catharsis and hope she gets when talking to Twelve and telling him to trust her. And that "Do as you are told", which we get Doctor-->Clara in Deep Breath, Clara-->Doctor in Listen, and then which I'm sure I'll repeat in my Dark Water review, them saying it to each other as a representation of the constant power struggle of these two dominant personalities. God, I love their dynamic. Great episode, and to the 2, maybe 3 people who get curious and read this whole thing after already getting curious and wanting to rewatch Im's patreon reaction of this episode, thank you! :)
tom
2023-08-21 10:31:00 +0000 UTC"Fear doesn't have to make you cruel or cowardly. Fear can make you kind." Stunning.
MattyIce777
2023-03-11 05:47:47 +0000 UTCThis is in my top 3 DW episodes! Capaldi era is the superior era lol!
Gazi Nuzhat
2023-02-24 16:46:43 +0000 UTClmao the contrast between the beautiful ending then max gain Im, gave me a good laugh
jibbmn
2023-02-24 10:26:46 +0000 UTCThere actually is a Lego set of this Tardis interior! Came out in 2015: https://brickset.com/sets/21304-1/Doctor-Who
Marcel Wannieck
2023-02-24 10:25:06 +0000 UTCAlso the music at the end is on a track called βfearβ if you wanted to listen without any other series spoilers.
Carys Barnes
2023-02-18 01:25:17 +0000 UTCThis episode is a masterpiece from all angles; script, cinematography, acting and score. It did a very good job at setting up 12-Clara relationship as equals. They both get their chance to tell the other to do as they are told and have to trust one another. I also love how ambiguously the creature of the episode is left. I do agree there is a little unclarity about the tardis going to Gallifrey. I guess you can say that Clara couldnβt have let the doctor interact with himself as a child or in a way couldnβt trust him not to try and change this earlier gallifrey to prevent the time war so couldnβt tell him that they had been.
Carys Barnes
2023-02-18 01:23:04 +0000 UTC"fear makes companions of us all" is a call back to the first doctor (the one clara talks to in the barn) who said it to his first companion. This is a beautiful episode and one of my favorite of S8! Thanks <3
Belinda
2023-02-17 06:25:16 +0000 UTCI thought I jumped into an alternate universe for a second there xD Then I looked up to see if the name was changed in the bluray or something
tom
2023-02-17 06:20:50 +0000 UTCItβs called Listen not Silent
I have no name
2023-02-17 05:40:25 +0000 UTCYou're definitely not wrong about this one being a classic.
Jak
2023-02-17 05:34:33 +0000 UTC
