Doctor Who- "The Long Game" (SPOILERS)

[HellCat]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/casarbi/doctorwhonewpromo.jpg


"Father's Day"
Written By Paul Cornell

Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper
UK: BBC1, Saturday 7pm GMT
Canada: 8pm EST on CBC




www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho)


Since SJJ hasn't posted one yet, I hope he doesn't mind me starting a talkback for this episode.

Generally I thought it was ok. The obvious main theme was the dangers of having the media as your information source. Simon Pegg played the Editor really well. Not quite as creepy as the preview made him seem but still good. The brain jacking technology was pretty disgusting for a squeemish person such as myself. Adam's decision to get the surgery was really selfish and I'm glad to see he got what he deserved in his end (I saw the joke with his mum at the end coming a mile off). Looks like the Doctor is back to just travelling with Rose (by the way, 14 year old Adam is the winner of the contest on Mickey's fictional site ran by the tycoon from last time. They've also created a website for his company, including various little in-jokes).

Previous Doctor Who talkbacks:
Episode 1:"Rose" (http://showthread.php?p=1688065)
Episide 2: "End Of The World" (http://showthread.php?p=1688065)
Episode 3: "The Unquiet Dead" (http://showthread.php/?p=1696595#post1696595)
Episode 4: "Aliens Of London" (http://showthread.php?t=138914)
Episode 5: "World War III (http://showthread.php?t=139493)
Epsiode 6: "Dalek" (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=140084)

[Lord Dalek]

This is got to be the most polarizing episode yet at the OG forums. And there doesn't seem to be any real reason why except "That just didn't do it for me.".

[HellCat]

This is got to be the most polarizing episode yet at the OG forums. And there doesn't seem to be any real reason why except "That just didn't do it for me.".
I can imagine where those who don't like it are coming from. At times it felt like there was too much plot for 45 minutes. The villains didn't seem to have much motivation other greed and Adam seems only introduced to make Rose look even better by showing how other companions might not be so noble (there's a major theme this series with the problems of greed, eh? Cassandra, the Slitheen, the Editor and Adam). They also only briefly touched over the timeline problem- the...alien slug thing had sidetracked Earth's development as the Doctor knew it by nearly a century. But there was no answer as to how this happened, unless by now we're just expected to nod and say "the Time War".

[Matt-a-Tastic]

I thought it was great, mostly due to the plot that was... i dunno... my scence, I agree w/ u guys, it is hard to explain why I dis/liked it.

I go into more depth later, right now Ultimate Force is on:)

[Conan-san]

I realy didn't like the fact that Adam seemed to be an also-ran party member. I've had my fair share of 1-3 episode gropings but this was ridicilious. And did anyone catch onto the idea of Adam and Knowlage? Like a certain begining of the evolutionary scale of the same name?

Anyway, if they touch back on Adam following Rose's own misdimeners with time (And It would be realy worring if they didn't, besides, it was HER who gave him the Tardis Key anyway [isn't that a fake anyway?])

Other wise, the ep was okish, not anywhere near as good as last episode but it had it's moments.

I'll wait to see what effect (if any) Rose's own screwing around with the past will have on the current Adam Stiuation before I add to this...

[Matt-a-Tastic]

Hey, Conan, why didn't you vote? It seems to happen a lot, a lot of people discuss in the talkbacks but not that many vote.
I agree, it is annoying that they got rid of adam so quick, compains should be for at least a season or so.

Another improvement I noticed on the episode was the acting of the non-main charcters. Prevoislly in other episodes the charcters other than Rose/Doctor have had terrible/annoying acting (Mickey,Mum,Tree Woman, Maid, Dickens, the "President", the annoying reporter woman, the head american guy) but Adams acting was very very good, Id say better than billies but not as chirs's


I saw the joke with his mum at the end coming a mile off). Ditto, but I'm glad they did it though, it was a good ending

I'm doubt adams coming back, the ending of the episode defentlly seemed like the end of adam (I don't think the producers would of done it if they knew that they were gonna have to deal with the awardness of him explaing his head thing to his mum, plus it just seemed like a good way of ending the charcter)

Another reason is that in the promos and the box art for the 1st season they make it seem very much like its just a "Doc and Rose" affair

[HellCat]

Hey, Conan, why didn't you vote? It seems to happen a lot, a lot of people discuss in the talkbacks but not that many vote.
I agree, it is annoying that they got rid of adam so quick, compains should be for at least a season or so.

Another improvement I noticed on the episode was the acting of the non-main charcters. Prevoislly in other episodes the charcters other than Rose/Doctor have had terrible/annoying acting (Mickey,Mum,Tree Woman, Maid, Dickens, the "President", the annoying reporter woman, the head american guy) but Adams acting was very very good, Id say better than billies but not as chirs's

Ditto, but I'm glad they did it though, it was a good ending

I'm doubt adams coming back, the ending of the episode defentlly seemed like the end of adam (I don't think the producers would of done it if they knew that they were gonna have to deal with the awardness of him explaing his head thing to his mum, plus it just seemed like a good way of ending the charcter)

Another reason is that in the promos and the box art for the 1st season they make it seem very much like its just a "Doc and Rose" affair
I thought Jabe (the female tree alien) had a good actress. I do agree some of the others haven't been too good.

I kind of wish Adam had hung around a few more episodes, then it might have made what happened to him have a bit more of an effect. As it stands, he's basically been used to show how good Rose is (something the show might be nearing overdoing). What the Doctor did by just giving up on him was kinda cruel, but understandable in alot of ways. He'd shown concern only for himself (there was no sign he wanted the knowledge to help humanity but rather to make money himself) and leaving the now useless and disgusting implant is a constant reminder of his selfishness and something that will keep him quiet about what his seen and out of further trouble.

[James]

Ditto, but I'm glad they did it though, it was a good ending Yeah, it was an intentionally panto moment IMO. They knew you knew it would happen, the fun was waiting for it to happen.



I'm doubt adams coming back, the ending of the episode defentlly seemed like the end of adam (I don't think the producers would of done it if they knew that they were gonna have to deal with the awardness of him explaing his head thing to his mum, plus it just seemed like a good way of ending the charcter) RTD seem to imply his inclusion was partially to give Doctor and Rose (or should we say Billy and Chris) a break from filming by having another lead taking some slack. I think it was a nice change of scene and while I didn't particularly like Adam, I found his inclusion refreshing.

As for the story, I found it the most like old Doctor Who so far. There was an air of maturity, with a mix of the old style visuals. The clothing, dialogue, sets and use of English Alphabet really made it feel like the old Doctor Who of yore, yet the idea, pace and conclusion felt far more "new Who".

I thought it was a good solid romp. I would maybe prefered this as two parts rather than AoL. I think the Editor had enough to go a couple of rounds against the Doctor rather than one. Aside from that, I liked it. A slower pace, but again, I think RTD's intent is diversity.. silly episode, scary episode then scifi episode. He seems to want to keep the show varied and a little unpredictable as to how the atmosphere and pacing will play out.

Overall, good. Just one question, I didn't understand what the dead skeleton's were doing on level 500 and why that Spike set was unused....?

Another reason is that in the promos and the box art for the 1st season they make it seem very much like its just a "Doc and Rose" affair.

Thanks for putting the thread up Hellcat. I'm very snowed under with work at the moment. Appreciated.

[HellCat]

Overall, good. Just one question, I didn't understand what the dead skeleton's were doing on level 500 and why that Spike set was unused....?
Maybe they were test subjects for the technology? With as much riding on the plan as seemed to be, those involved probably wanted some assurance everything would go well. Either that or I'd say they were victims of level 500 who required to run some technology in the early days of the station.


Thanks for putting the thread up Hellcat. I'm very snowed under with work at the moment. Appreciated.
No problem, man :) I was a little worried since these threads tend to be your thing.

[James]

Maybe they were test subjects for the technology? With as much riding on the plan as seemed to be, those involved probably wanted some assurance everything would go well. Either that or I'd say they were victims of level 500 who required to run some technology in the early days of the station.

Too many maybes. Expected that to be clarified as it was so story relevant. Still cool though.

[Zero-V]

I loved the episode actually, Outpost Gallifrey are a biased and immature group most of the time on the forums, so their opinion barly matters to me.

Simon Pegg portrayed the editor well enough, the "alien in charge of Earth's development" angle is as cliched as you can get. Adam's role as a companion who tries to alter his own history for personal greed as opposed to happiness (which Rose attempts in the next episode) basically showed, that not every companion is going to witness events in the future unfold and not act on it.

Adam ate the apple, and the (Time) Lord tossed him out of Eden. Glorious, the acting was decent enough here, but we could have done with seeing Earth in the future, and not ANOTHER space station. Come on...

[James]

I loved the episode actually, Outpost Gallifrey are a biased and immature group most of the time on the forums, so their opinion barly matters to me.
There is a section of fans across fandom who do seem eager to post their opinion as a thread title - something we discourage here.. like "My god that was utter rubbish" and that seems to be happening week in, week out... or "RTD can't write.." erm, yes he can - go educate yourself on his other works.. and on the ratings.. and that this show has fulfilled it's mandate..

I hate it when people put their opinion almost as fact, especially when the opinion has such little foundations... and they have a talkback thread for opinion and yet some fans continue to feel their opinion must be spotlighted more so than other people in that thread.

I've noticed this on several message boards. Fans just seem not to appreciate what they've got.

How many cult shows out there have been killed before their time? How many fans of such shows would have LOVED a 40 year existence and a NEW successful series? WHO fans seem to take their luck for granted. Big pity.

[Bradley316]

There is a section of fans across fandom who do seem eager to post their opinion as a thread title - something we discourage here.. like "My god that was utter rubbish" and that seems to be happening week in, week out... or "RTD can't write.." erm, yes he can - go educate yourself on his other works.. and on the ratings.. and that this show has fulfilled it's mandate..

I hate it when people put their opinion almost as fact, especially when the opinion has such little foundations... and they have a talkback thread for opinion and yet some fans continue to feel their opinion must be spotlighted more so than other people in that thread.

I've noticed this on several message boards. Fans just seem not to appreciate what they've got.

How many cult shows out there have been killed before their time? How many fans of such shows would have LOVED a 40 year existence and a NEW successful series? WHO fans seem to take their luck for granted. Big pity.
I refuse to make any posts on Outpost Gallifrey. I know Jim(SJJ) has had his dealings with the posters there and I applaud his efforts!:anime: When I first joined that site, I read through some of the threads there and I knew I didn't want to waste my time on a forum that has a high level of stupidity.

Anyway, will post my review as soon as I see it. Having watched Shaun of the Dead and Spaced recently, I'm on a bit of a Simon Pegg kick, so I'm looking forward to it.:)

[Lord Dalek]

I refuse to make any posts on Outpost Gallifrey. I know Jim(SJJ) has had his dealings with the posters there and I applaud his efforts!:anime: When I first joined that site, I read through some of the threads there and I knew I didn't want to waste my time on a forum that has a high level of stupidity.I agree. The smart reviewers are the ones that get published in the review section.

[Conan-san]

My one complaint, the whole Adam Issue aside [I'm still voting for seeing him in some from in the future. An ousted compainion bent with revenge with the ability to jack into the 'net a good who villan makes] was the music, we went form full out in "Darlek" (With somthing more akin to Nobu's 'sepharoth' work for FF7) to sonics I can't even rember to well in "Long game" (the only thing I rember was 'max's "LIARLIARLIER" gargled rant as it went and killed that rebel).
All the while I was waiting for somthing akin to "Underneath the rotting Pizza" or "Opressed People" from FF7 to play but I might be expecting a bit much.

I fell the weakest part of Dr Who is it's music, it's certainly not stuff I'd buy on a OST (and to be honest makes me think too much of Edited Yu-gi-oh) so maybe I'm being a perfectionist here...

[Matt-a-Tastic]

What don't you like about the DR Who music? Are you talking about the opening intro or the music througout the episode?

[Conan-san]

What don't you like about the DR Who music? Are you talking about the opening intro or the music througout the episode? The Opening intro is alright, but the music trhoughout is a bit, well, unremermeable.


They also only briefly touched over the timeline problem- the...alien slug thing had sidetracked Earth's development as the Doctor knew it by nearly a century. But there was no answer as to how this happened, unless by now we're just expected to nod and say "the Time War".Well, the alien slug thing could also fall under "Being a right dyke" but I get your point.

[Lord Dalek]

The Opening intro is alright, but the music trhoughout is a bit, well, unremermeable.Agreed. Murray Gold is no Dudley Simpson. Heck, he's no Malcolm Clark either.

[SimpsonGuy100]

It was good, but not the best episode in the world. However, I did get scared so I'll give it a B.

[Matt-a-Tastic]

The Opening intro is alright, but the music trhoughout is a bit, well, unremermeableumm, *Tries to rember DRWHO music* ummm, no your right it is unremberable

[HellCat]

It was good, but not the best episode in the world. However, I did get scared so I'll give it a B.
I think the scariest moment was given away in the preview last time (the dead bodies on level 500). Not that I'm complaining as it let me know when to look away...:o

[Matt-a-Tastic]

Wimps :p

[MonkeyFunk]

Hmm... liked the idea behind this episode, but looking back it wasn't too memorable.

Bonus points for a Face of Boe cameo and a reference to Mutt and Jeff, though.

[Matt-a-Tastic]

Who are/were Face and Boe? And were did they cameo? Were they that black bradided woman and the woman who gets promoted?

[Lord Dalek]

Who are/were Face and Boe? And were did they cameo? Were they that black bradided woman and the woman who gets promoted?The Face of Boe was the big face in End of the World. Have you really been watching these?

[MonkeyFunk]

He was shown in one of the news reports near the start, announcing that he's pregnant. *thumbs up* that's my Boe.

[Lord Dalek]

He was shown in one of the news reports near the start, announcing that he's pregnant. *thumbs up* that's my Boe.Probably carrying Cassandra's baby if you ask me. :p

[Matt-a-Tastic]

Oh I rember him now :sweat:

He was hardly in "End of the World" at all, he just kinda sat there in the background

[Bradley316]

I liked "The Long Game". Not a bad episode at all. Nowhere near the level of say "Dalek" or "The Unquiet Dead", but still it was entertaining.

I liked the social commentary of the news media and how it controls the world in this episode. This is basically true. The majority of people are influenced by the news media no matter how they get it, whether it is radio/TV/internet. It does make me wonder if there are aliens behind our news media! I wouldn't be surprised.;)

Chris and Billie were great. They have such a great chemistry together!

Simon Pegg gives an interesting performance here. He was menacing as the Editor, but injected his brand of "Pegg humor" into the character. Especially funny at the end when The Editor tries to make a hasty exit once The Editor-In-Chief starts to deteriorate and gets squashed!

Adam. What a fool. I liked how the Doctor had no tolorance for him at the end and sent him home with his silly brain computer. I thought the snapping fingers gag was funny as well. It made that last shot work. I do wish that they hadn't off dumped Adam off so soon. We still don't know much about him apart from the fact that he is selfish, but that does make for an interesting companion.

Overall, it was a good episode. It seemed like a "breather" episode after the two-parter and "Dalek" and not much more than that. Still, it was good, but it's not an episode I have any desire to see again soon.

Next weeks episode looks very awesome! To me anyway.;)

Brad's OFFICIAL RATING of Episode 7/The Long Game is: 7.5/10(About 3.5 stars if you prefer.)

[Lord Dalek]

Note of interest: the Contact The Webmaster section of whoisdoctorwho.co.uk has what may or may not be a clue regarding the Doctor's Regeneration.

[Conan-san]

Probably carrying Cassandra's baby if you ask me. :p No...Jus jus no, alright? We're not going there, no. No way, Joecé

[James]

This is got to be the most polarizing episode yet at the OG forums. And there doesn't seem to be any real reason why except "That just didn't do it for me.".
I've not read many of the replies, but the votes don't reflect this.. I wonder if those who are against it are more vocal... yet don't know why. :)

[HellCat]

'The Long Game' is one of those episodes. It's basically there to set up later plot threads, leaving the actual episode a bit bare. Add in that this is where the Rose gushing started and...well.

I really wish they'd kept in the idea that Adam did what he did to find a cure for his dieing father. I think that not only makes his character more sympathetic but draws greater parallels (and ire) when Rose does the same in the next episode. As is, Adam is relegated to a selfish bunglar.

I'm not a lover of gore and squeem, so obviously alot of this episode is uncomfortable to watch. I think it speaks of how past this the show has toned down somewhat as the 4 seasons have gone, not really doing anything too gross anymore.

Simon Pegg does well as the Editor. Not the most memorable villain but clearly a fanboy loving his role. Much like Ricky Gervais, Pegg has been attracting criticism for seemingly dumping England to mingle with Hollywood stars, so some judgemental bias may creep in. Probably not helped that the related Confidential is almost completely focussed on him.