**Spoilers** Series 7, Episode 6 - "The Bells of Saint John"

pixelburp

I should be looking forward to Easter to begin with, but Easter with new series of Doctor Who & Game of Thrones? Jackpot.

So: Clara returns, albeit living in modern times. Will we learn what/who she is? Oh god no, it's guaranteed we'll be teased a little longer on that score, but no doubt there'll be a few hints or eyebrow-wiggling from the script.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2FTWhU5TIw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IROtC6cAT4

Daemos

Doctor Who is back, and pixelburp is starting the thread for discussing the upcoming episode

All is right with the world again

Doctor DooM

Pixel bee, you complete me

pixelburp

Haha, what can I say: I have my uses

SparklersJo

It's time!!! Eeeeeekkkk!!!!

MMAGirl

Was looking forward to this, but it turned out to be probably the worst episode I have seen.
Very poor start.

off.the.walls

That was awesome!!

SparklersJo

Who is 'the woman in the shop' who gave the Tardis number to Clara??!!

TheIrishGrover

I loved it. Thought it was fun. The

riding up the Shard on the motorbike

should have been cheezy but I thought it was just plain fun. And is it me or does Clara look deadly in a morotbike helmet

On a side note. without giving anything away: BBC must have SOME security. I did NOT expect that on the screen towards the end!

ixoy

Decent if not spectacular episode - Internet portrayals on TV always roll my eyes (and yes somehow still on a show with Doctor Who's attention to realism!) One of Moffat's weaker entries but had some good moments. Looks like the Great Intelligence is a potential season enemy.

Interesting moments with Clara. Why was one of her ages (23) missing from her book for example? That was shown for a reason. And the leaf presumably meaning something else.

MMAGirl wrote: »

it turned out to be probably the worst episode I have seen.

If that's the worst you've seen then I've got to ask: How many episodes have you seen? Many weaker episodes in the show's revival run and nowhere near the nadir of "Fear Her".

TheIrishGrover

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

On a side note. without giving anything away: BBC must have SOME security. I did NOT expect that on the screen towards the end!

I clearly missed something...

I hope we all noticed the book the boy was reading at the start

(from which the freaky girl spawned from)

was written by 'Amelia Williams'

gufnork

It was good but not great by any stretch. The sonic screwdriver is bugging me with it's constant ability to solve everything. Watch some of the old episodes, Tom Baker for example, and it's rarely seen, and then when it is it seems more of an event. I like Matt Smith though, and Jenna is amusing already. She has that cheeky, Impish little smirk. I think I'm gonna like her.

Not sure it lived up to the hype though. But then there's always so much hype for the new series so I probably shouldn't be too surprised.

MitchKoobski

MMAGirl wrote: »

Was looking forward to this, but it turned out to be probably the worst episode I have seen.
Very poor start.

TheIrishGrover

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

On a side note. without giving anything away: BBC must have SOME security. I did NOT expect that on the screen towards the end!

What? What did I miss?

I didn't notice the age thing :eek:

pixelburp

MMAGirl wrote: »

Was looking forward to this, but it turned out to be probably the worst episode I have seen.
Very poor start.

You need to watch more Who then

I thought it was enjoyable and disposable & there's nothing wrong with that; there's definite chemistry between Smith and Coleman so the back & forth was fun.

The story itself in these kind of episodes is ultimately secondary to the introduction of the new character, but it was still interesting t o see the Great Intelligence return, and the plot safely stuck to the standard Who trope of making the everyday seem menacing.

I thought there might be some hint of Claras past selves, so it was strange that nothing overt was done. Onwards and upwards I say.

bluewolf wrote:

What? What did I miss?

I didn't notice the age thing

The screen showed the Great Intelligence, or more specifically Richard E Grants face playing that role.

pixelburp

pixelburp wrote: »

I thought there might be some hint of Claras past selves, so it was strange that nothing overt was done. Onwards and upwards I say.

Well, there was Oswin and the nanny bit... and the run you clever boy...

pixelburp

bluewolf wrote: »

Well, there was Oswin and the nanny bit... and the run you clever boy...

Well I meant there might have been more hinting at what she was, but hey we got 8 more episodes for that

MMAGirl

ixoy wrote: »

If that's the worst you've seen then I've got to ask: How many episodes have you seen?

All of them. Massive fan. Even got on the set of one a few years ago. Fantastic experience. Still very disappointed with this episode though.

flazio

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

I loved it. Thought it was fun. The

riding up the Shard on the motorbike

should have been cheezy but I thought it was just plain fun. And is it me or does Clara look deadly in a morotbike helmet

On a side note. without giving anything away: BBC must have SOME security. I did NOT expect that on the screen towards the end!

WEll she would if it weren't for the fact we could see the flippen film crew in the helmet in every shot.
As for BBC security, they slipped up last week by putting up the cast list including that actor and their new character, took it down within a couple of hours but too late.

Oh in case you're wondering about Earls Court.

http://goo.gl/maps/LmZv7

ixoy

MMAGirl wrote: »

All of them. Massive fan. Even got on the set of one a few years ago. Fantastic experience. Still very disappointed with this episode though.

All 33 seasons or just the relaunched one? It's not the best episode but really what made it worse than, of recent years, "Fear Her"? If it's all the seasons then I'm even more surprised given some of the quality out there...

Manach

Actually I rather enjoyed it. Fun episode, though a bit of over clever camera work, that hopefully will lay the foundation to an interesting second part of the season.

MMAGirl

ixoy wrote: »

All 33 seasons or just the relaunched one? It's not the best episode but really what made it worse than, of recent years, "Fear Her"? If it's all the seasons then I'm even more surprised given some of the quality out there...

I've seen them all. Tom Baker was the Doctor when I was first old enough to watch on telly. In the video and internet age you can watch them all.
Fair enough there have been other bad ones over the years, but this one was very, very poor. And I definitely think this one was the worst of the new who.
Each to their own I guess. Wasnt for me, but i'm not saying that others wont like it.

Killer_banana

I used to love Moffat but he has become so obsessed with making big brash cinematic episodes he forgets to write actual decent stories. It had moment but overall I was not impressed.

Wibbs

SparklersJo wrote: »

Who is 'the woman in the shop' who gave the Tardis number to Clara??!!

I was wondering about that myself.

norrie rugger

SparklersJo wrote: »

Who is 'the woman in the shop' who gave the Tardis number to Clara??!!

Sally Sparrow?

Rose worked in a shop :pac:

ebbsy

I enjoyed it, as opening series episodes go I thought it was on of the better ones. Time flew past quickly as well, always a good sign for me.

ebbsy

MMAGirl wrote: »

Was looking forward to this, but it turned out to be probably the worst episode I have seen.
Very poor start.

Then I would advise that you watch Closing Time, you might revise that.

bradyle

SparklersJo wrote: »

Who is 'the woman in the shop' who gave the Tardis number to Clara??!!

I kinda thought it might have been River. She knows the doctor needs a companion but can't do it herself. She also knows the tardis really well so may have been able to get the phone to work

SparklersJo

bradyle wrote: »

I kinda thought it might have been River. She knows the doctor needs a companion but can't do it herself. She also knows the tardis really well so may have been able to get the phone to work

I did consider River as well. I think her or Sally Sparrow are more likely than Rose. Rose didn't work in that kind of shop where she'd be asked techie questions, and also, you know, the minor detail of her being trapped in an alternate universe makes it seem unlikely. Even Sally is unlikely I think really; she wouldn't have known the Tardis number, would she? And she may be too obscure for something like this. At the moment, River could be the strongest contender, but even so, I have my doubts....

norrie rugger

I would prefer River's story to be told, for a while. They gave her character full arc, with the Ponds.
Problem with Sally is that Carey Mulligan is off in Hollywoodland.
The Doctor has aged several decades over the last season or two so has had plenty of time to meet up with Sparrow again. She owns a shop (dvd store) so not too much of a push to move to electronics/computers taking in digital download market etc. She also had the "non working" phone pointed out to her

flazio

Outside chance it was Kate (Lethbridge) Stewart who might have got the number from Churchill's archives.

SparklersJo

flazio wrote: »

Outside chance it was Kate (Lethbridge) Stewart who might have got the number from Churchill's archives.

Did she work in a shop at any point? Whoever it was would also have to have known that Clara has a connection with the Doctor, which Clara didn't even know. I assume they weren't giving the Tardis number out to every woman in distress that came in to the shop :P This would give strength to the argument that its a time traveller perhaps?

Doctor DooM

I thought it was a great "new character" episode. They can't be judged by the merits of a normal episode.

If you thought this was a low point for who, well...

I too noticed the missing 23, and I'm wondering if "the leaf is page one" is some form of reference to Clara existing before there was paper to write on... remember it's been established the Doctor can tell the age of something by licking it and the face on him when he does so.

I'm glad the Great Intelligence is back, I like the idea of a "big bad" being a non Dalek/Cybermen/Master classic villain. Let's grow the mythos, and all that.

norrie rugger

Did it say Clara age, on top of the page?
Could it be the amount of lives that she has lived?

Professey Chin

SparklersJo wrote: »

Did she work in a shop at any point? Whoever it was would also have to have known that Clara has a connection with the Doctor, which Clara didn't even know. I assume they weren't giving the Tardis number out to every woman in distress that came in to the shop :P This would give strength to the argument that its a time traveller perhaps?

She never actually said the woman who gave her the number works in the shop. Just woman in the shop

/overdiagnosis :pac:

SparklersJo

Chinpool wrote: »

She never actually said the woman who gave her the number works in the shop. Just woman in the shop

/overdiagnosis :pac:

Oooh! I have it!! Older version of Clara herself who she didn't recognise!!

Boom! I totally got it there!!

Doctor DooM

SparklersJo wrote: »

Oooh! I have it!! Older version of Clara herself who she didn't recognise!!

Boom! I totally got it there!!

I've a horrific feeling you're correct.

That, or it'll be Amy in the 50th special.

pixelburp

I think it'll either be Rose or River tbh, with Rose being the more likely as it'd neatly dovetail into the anniversary special

SparklersJo

pixelburp wrote: »

I think it'll either be Rose or River tbh, with Rose being the more likely as it'd neatly dovetail into the anniversary special

But I dunno is it necessary to introduce Rose's return from so far away as this. I could see the identity of this mystery woman being part of the overall arc, as opposed to just building up to the once off appearance of past characters in the 50th anniversary episode...I dunno though. It is possible of course

Edit: p.s. how would Rose know the significance of Clara to give her the Tardis number? How would she have the Tardis number to give?

Wibbs

Didn't Martha ring the tardis once so she'd have the number too, or am I imagining it?

campo

Also thought it might be rose also the official dr.who Twitter account tweeted a pic of david tennant yesterday

flazio

Wibbs wrote: »

Didn't Martha ring the tardis once so she'd have the number too, or am I imagining it?

At the end of Series 3 she let the Doctor keep her mobile phone so she could call him. Now maybe the phone got integrated into the Tardis after the regen blow up or I've joined you in the over analising

LindowMan

I quite like this picture of the episode showing the Doctor and Clara and the motorbike the Doctor used to ride through central London and then up the side of the Shard.

The actress who plays her, Jenna Louise-Coleman, has described the episode as "very British."

stevenmu

pixelburp wrote: »

Well I meant there might have been more hinting at what she was, but hey we got 8 more episodes for that

They also showed how she got her computer skills (that she uses later to hack the Daleks), so we know future Clara is directly linked to current Clara, and that there isn't just different Claras in different times. It's not a lot, but it's something anyway.

Das Kitty

RE the phone. Lots of people have the TARDIS number. Winston Churchill, River, the Ponds, whoever rang about the Orient Express in Space. That's provided it's the same line as inside on the dash. Also, as he's been deleting himself from history I'd imagine he'd expect the phone to ring less.

I liked the episode, it didn't set my world on fire though. I though the iPad with the personality sliders was way worse of a Deus Ex Machina than the screwdriver this turn about. It was lame actually. Total get out of jail free card. What made up for it a small bit was the reaction of the boss lady to being reset.

I liked Clara and her cup. The motorbike bit was fun.

Professey Chin

Forgot 1 quote I loved.
"Im the Doctor. Im an alien from outer space. Im 1000 years old. Ive got 2 hearts and I CANT FLY A PLANE!!"

Agent Smith

i enjoyed it Clara's growing on me


loving the new coat the Doctor has!

BaconZombie

Also all the numbers are in the same hand righting so it could of been written by her or somebody documenting her travels in time.

ixoy wrote: »

Interesting moments with Clara. Why was one of her ages (23) missing from her book for example? That was shown for a reason. And the leaf presumably meaning something else.

Deleted User wrote: »

I clearly missed something...

I hope we all noticed the book the boy was reading at the start

(from which the freaky girl spawned from)

was written by 'Amelia Williams'

Can't find it now but there was a picture posted to Twitter where you could see the camera crew in the reflection of the Doctors helmet.

flazio wrote: »

WEll she would if it weren't for the fact we could see the flippen film crew in the helmet in every shot.
As for BBC security, they slipped up last week by putting up the cast list including that actor and their new character, took it down within a couple of hours but too late.

Oh in case you're wondering about Earls Court.

http://goo.gl/maps/LmZv7

He did seem shocked by where and possibly when the left was from plus the fact that it has not decayed yet if it is really old.

Also like the idea that she does still have memory maybe only via dreams of her post/future lives.

Doctor DooM wrote: »

I too noticed the missing 23, and I'm wondering if "the leaf is page one" is some form of reference to Clara existing before there was paper to write on... remember it's been established the Doctor can tell the age of something by licking it and the face on him when he does so.

triseke

I should point out that Clara's age (16) was also missing from the list of numbers in the book.

Also, the internet will have a field day with all the Gallifreyan symbols shown at the end!

Did anyone else notice the tardis now has Saint John's Ambulance symbol on it don't think that's been there before.

Also the throw away line about the book and 11 being the best.

BaconZombie

Side note, why couldn't the Tardis translate the SSID names?
Does this mean they are an unknown language or are they a dialect of Gallifreyan?

triseke wrote: »

I should point out that Clara's age (16) was also missing from the list of numbers in the book.

Also, the internet will have a field day with all the Gallifreyan symbols shown at the end!