WATCH ALONG | DOCTOR WHO | 9x5 | The Girl Who Died
Added 2023-07-14 15:46:24 +0000 UTCA Few Notes:
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Comments
Yep I agree with you and with everyone else, such a great episode. Maisie is a really good actress and Ashildr is such an interesting character. I love how from the start The Doctor feels like he's seen her before which peaks the viewer's curiosity. Very clever. I also loved when Clara jokingly said that she'd fight The Doctor for Ashildr. Clara's bisexuality is always there in throw away lines like that which many people don't notice. Like her saying she had a crush on a girl called Nina and her saying Jane Austen is a phenomenal kisser. As a bisexual woman myself, sometimes it's nice when a character's sexuality is in the background. I totally understand why it's blatant with many LGBT+ characters and the exposure is important, but with Clara it was nice to just have it be seen as something completely normal and every day. Which it is. I hope this makes sense. And the moments in this episode between The Doctor and Clara melt my heart. You're totally right that he's getting more and more comfortable touching her. Like in The Magician's Apprentice at the start of the season he initiated the hug with her and then in this episode he did the same. He ran and grabbed her and twirled her in the air which was adorable. And he also liked it when she put her hand on his face and he looked so happy when he was holding hands with Clara and dancing with her in the barn. But more than just with physical touch, this Doctor is also getting more comfortable sharing how he feels about Clara. He still can't say he loves her, he's never said that to anyone (not even River) because he's too scared of losing them, but his words show that he's in love Clara. His "duty of care" line that he keeps using, the way that he said losing her would make him feel like he can't breathe, the way he avoided looking at her because he knew she'd persuade him easily to stay and the way he implied that he can't bare to lose her all show his love for her. And it's beautiful. Finally I really like that they came back to the Fires Of Pompeii story. I remember watching this Doctor for the first time and wondering if they were ever going to explain this Doctor having the same face as the man he saved in Pompeii. They hinted at it in Deep Breath but that was it, so I assumed they'd never explain it. So when this episode came out and they did explain it I was so surprised, in a good way. It was an awesome moment. 👌 And I just want to say sorry, I didn't think that telling you about this series all being two parters apart from the finale which is 3 parts would be a problem. You seemed a bit iffy last week about it being another two parter so I thought explaining that to you would make you understand more what was going on so you wouldn't be wondering about them. I didn't think it counted as a spoiler at all. I didn't mean to annoy you. 🙈
Siobhan Linehan
2023-07-15 00:14:34 +0000 UTCI'll echo what others have said: Maisie is outstanding and portrays her character brilliantly, the score is top notch, the pacing is perfect... I'm so happy that you're here.
David Blau
2023-07-14 22:28:48 +0000 UTCCompletely agree, Maisie is INCREDIBLE in this role. There's something in the weight and presence of her acting that stands out among all other guest stars. If you liked young Ashildr I think you'd likely love Arya in game of thrones too, and if you ever want to give that show another shot I'd watch it with you in a heartbeat!! I don't rewatch this ep much because of how boring I find the antagonists but after rewatching with you I'm like... ok what's wrong with me. It was so good?? Ashildr and her father's relationship got to me, Clara's conversations with the doctor got to me (she also looked absolutely beautiful, not that she doesn't always but wow), the cheesy baby poet stuff got to me, and that end sequence with Ashildr's face slowly shifting got to me. It also definitely felt like the Doctor was more vulnerable/honest with Clara throughout this episode! The "One day you won't be here and the memory of you will hurt so badly I won't be able to breathe" line, the "She might find someone she can't bear to lose. That happens, I believe" line, and the "what have I done to you, clara oswald" lines were all.... oof...
Otso Casey-Stewart
2023-07-14 20:04:36 +0000 UTCThe music in this episode is indeed brilliantly done, but equally notable is how sparse it actually is -- in the really serious scenes between the Doctor and Clara, or the Doctor and Ashildr, the music drops away entirely to leave only their voices on the soundtrack. And that reveal of the Doctor's true reason for choosing his current face is just exquisite, taking the totally unplanned coincidence that Peter Capaldi had previously guest-starred in an episode several years before and weaving it into the very fabric of the show. The initial idea came from Russell T Davies; after Capaldi was announced as the Twelfth Doctor, Davies contacted Steven Moffat and told him he had a suggestion that would explain why the Doctor now looked just like someone he'd previously met. Moffat was then able to seed the idea into "Deep Breath", in the scene where the Doctor examines his new face ("It's as if I'm trying to tell myself something"), while delaying the full answer until the most effective moment.
Steven Cooper
2023-07-14 18:15:58 +0000 UTCI completely agree with absolutely everything you said in your comment. It's funny because the music was a big part of what I loved about this episode and a big part of what didn't quite work for me in the second part. So, it really can make a BIG difference.
Britany Felix
2023-07-14 18:03:59 +0000 UTCMaisie Williams is a fantastic actress. That ending scene was superb. Very well directed & written. The expression on her face from happy to be alive to sadness and then emotionless. The music in this episode may be my favourite song from the Whoniverse. Murray Gold is such a crucial part of this show. Without his music, it isnt the same.
Tommy
2023-07-14 17:51:52 +0000 UTC
