Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

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Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Crazedwraith »

Eh. An alright episode foiled by the abolute crap subplot between Clara and The Doctor. The new series approached at characterisation and attempts at depth but simply have Clara ask the doctor 'big question' is just grating to me
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by SpottedKitty »

Maybe it's the contrast with last week, but IMHO this was a really good episode. A good scary beginning, too — I'm sure within the first couple of minutes half the population of the UK was watching from behind the sofa! Image
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Bedlam »

I've got to say I liked it as well, probably 3-4/5 like most of this season to me.

I wasn't to keen on the talking the monster to death ending though, it seemed a little to easy, although I suppose it was highlighted with stopping it with the right words.

I guess we'll find out whose behind Gus later in the series, probably something to do with 'heaven'

More good cold-bloodedness from the Doctor, although I don't think they needed to highlight it as much as they did.

Clara's flip flop was grating though.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Eternal_Freedom »

The main plot was interesting and well-done I feel. The way the mummy was dealt with worked for me, since it was explained that you could stop it with a word in the legends. The supporting cast did very well to keep what would otherwise be bland characters interesting.

What didn't work was the damn subplot with Clara. Considering that this subplot could have been added to just about any story without even changing the dialogue significantly sucks, because it doesn't feel connected or relevant. It almost felt like one of Family Guy's cutaway gags, nominally relevant but ultimately interchangeable. And that is not a good comparison.

If it had just been the main plot I would have given this a 4 for a very solid episode with some impressive acting. With the gods-damned Clara crap it drops to a 2.5 or 3.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by HMS Sophia »

I really enjoyed that... other than the side plot :P
I just didn't care, at all about her will she wont she leave. If she did, fine, if she didn't... whatever.
I'd have liked Frank Skinner (that was him, right?) to have stuck around. He was a strangely knowledgable man. I have to saw, I thought he was going to have something to do with the villain... But then how did he know what was wrong with the TARDIS? I mean... that's what amounts to a time engine down there, no?
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Bedlam »

HMS Sophia wrote:I'd have liked Frank Skinner (that was him, right?) to have stuck around. He was a strangely knowledgable man. I have to saw, I thought he was going to have something to do with the villain... But then how did he know what was wrong with the TARDIS? I mean... that's what amounts to a time engine down there, no?
Well he said he didn't understand most of it just some of the bits so maybe some of it could be within his comprehension. It might even be that the TARDIS has been patched up with some more primitive tech at some point.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by EnterpriseSovereign »

Bedlam wrote:
HMS Sophia wrote:I'd have liked Frank Skinner (that was him, right?) to have stuck around. He was a strangely knowledgable man. I have to saw, I thought he was going to have something to do with the villain... But then how did he know what was wrong with the TARDIS? I mean... that's what amounts to a time engine down there, no?
Well he said he didn't understand most of it just some of the bits so maybe some of it could be within his comprehension. It might even be that the TARDIS has been patched up with some more primitive tech at some point.
The guy that Skinner played, was he an engineer?

The whole look of the space train thing really pushed my SOD, even though it's supposed to be the Orient Express. I mean it's a train weaving through space on invisible rails, complete with wheels and smoke trail. Obviously those things were ornamental, but who is actually going to see them when the train is moving? :banghead: Had they instead made it a train-shaped ship and not a terrestrial locomotive transplanted into space it would have made more sense. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned in that I expect a train to sit on a track :lol:

As to the plot, I was rather distracted by the dress that Clara was wearing :oops: But then, I've always had a thing for brown eyes. And the actress who played her did start out in Emmerdale 10 years ago :mrgreen:

They didn't need to take so long to reveal the mummy was feeding on nerual energy in individuals, I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened had it tried to feed on Captain Jack. The last creature to try AFAIK, Abaddon, choked on him :lol:
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Gandalf »

EnterpriseSovereign wrote:The whole look of the space train thing really pushed my SOD, even though it's supposed to be the Orient Express. I mean it's a train weaving through space on invisible rails, complete with wheels and smoke trail. Obviously those things were ornamental, but who is actually going to see them when the train is moving? :banghead: Had they instead made it a train-shaped ship and not a terrestrial locomotive transplanted into space it would have made more sense. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned in that I expect a train to sit on a track :lol:
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Enigma »

And I guess having the Titanic in space was better, EnterpriseSovereign?
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by FaxModem1 »

So, was the Doctor being honest about everyone on the Orient Express surviving, or was that really just his cover story, as he said? After last week's episode, I wouldn't be surprised if he lets everyone who isn't in the main credits die.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Lost Soal »

He saved Skinner and he wasn't acting like everyone else died, so yes, I think he saved everyone. Or at least everyone in his carriage as we don't know how many others were occupied or the range of the transporter.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by InsaneTD »

My girlfriend and I were were seriously hoping chief engineer Perkins was going to stick around and were disappointed when he didn't. We were also pissed that Clara was in the episode, they didn't show her at all in the promo last week. The subplot seemed to be part of the Clara leaving/tie in with last week's episode plot. Doctor leaving her with two shitty choices.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Iroscato »

Much better than the wackathon that was served up last week. Engaging, meaty and if I'd been a few years younger probably bloody terrifying. Frank Skinner was a surprisingly competent actor, he fit in well as a laid-back, sarcastic engineer. I didn't mind the 'space train' element of the episode, the great and good of the Whatever century probably pay through the nose to get an authentic 1920's experience like that.
Also, I liked the more vulnerable side to the Doctor, as let's face it he has been quite a cock so far. 4/5.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Lost Soal »

Authentic 1920's experience with 1970's music
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by HMS Sophia »

Lost Soal wrote:Authentic 1920's experience with 1970's music
Oh, but it was done in jazz club/lounge singer style. I have to admit, I really enjoyed that little touch :D
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Temjin »

Just watched it yesterday with the girlfriend. She found it boring enough to fall asleep during the episode, and she's a major Doctor Who fan.

I found the pacing really slow, weighed down with the Clara subplot, right up until the reveal of Gus. After that, the episode became much tighter and enjoyable to me.

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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by PREDATOR490 »

3/5

Fuck you trailer for making it look like this was going to be a Clara-Free episode. Instead Clara flip flops so hard with the most inane drama possible.
The story was dragged down so hard by Clara Drama and the ending was rather limited.
No idea if the Doctor really did save those people, no serious effort from the Doctor to figure out who is behind the curtain.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Eternal_Freedom »

HMS Sophia wrote:
Lost Soal wrote:Authentic 1920's experience with 1970's music
Oh, but it was done in jazz club/lounge singer style. I have to admit, I really enjoyed that little touch :D
Yeah the jazz version actually sounds pretty good.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by InsaneTD »

I loved the little details on setting the train from space, the wheels turning, the force field over the door in the last carriage, the smoke from the stack. I wonder if Gus was part of heaven/paradise. They seem to be very technically advanced.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by EnterpriseSovereign »

Enigma wrote:And I guess having the Titanic in space was better, EnterpriseSovereign?
Don't you know space is an ocean? :P

Besides, the space-going Titanic actually looked like a spacecraft :mrgreen:

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I for one wanted to see inside the locomotive, if for no other reason than to shed light on how the thing was supposed to work.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Havok »

I liked the Clara sub-plot. And I don't see it as a flip-flop, as she was struggling with it being the last adventure the entire episode. Basically what she did was choose the Doctor over Pink and the whole "home safe and on time" is her way of trying to keep it a secret from him. Of course there is a slim to none chance of that actually happening which is probably going to be what finally gets Clara to leave him, or maybe we will finally have a companion die?

This was a really good monster of the week episode and it had a good build up to the solution. I would have liked to see more input from the rest of the scientist, researchers and doctors instead of Capaldi doing all the talking, but otherwise I liked this episode quite a bit.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by NecronLord »

Agreed, I also liked that the solution was at least be ostensibly scientific, rather than random technobabble.

That guy would have been a mighty effective soldier in his day, I think.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Havok »

Indeed.
It's interesting that the Doctor seemed to show general remorse and reverence for this soldier as opposed to the others he has encountered since his regeneration that we have seen. Possibly because he realizes that he was a product of his task masters and not just someone that signed up?
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by NecronLord »

Yeah, the 'soldier' theme was for once, well handled and done, rather than just the doctor ranting about how bad people are for defending themselves against fucking daleks.
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Re: Doctor Who S34E8: "Mummy of the Orient Express" Spoilers

Post by Broomstick »

Very much enjoyed this episode.

Yes, the Doctor was being a dick, but as he points out in the end sometimes you don't get a choice of choices, you have two suck choices and no matter what you do you'll be a dick. It does tie in with other episodes and with the Doctor historically not being able to saver everyone. The soldier meme in this one was much more sympathetic, and the Doctor finds out a way to end the mummy's suffering even if he can't save the mummy from his fate.

I didn't really care for the Clara's flip-flop and deception of Danny in the end. This will come back to bite her in the end, and it makes her look like a dick. I think Danny can understand the fascination with danger. After all, for a quite a while he did, as he put it, love the army (until he didn't anymore). Danny is a soldier, the Doctor is a soldier... and Clara is becoming one, if she isn't already. The difference is that she doesn't seem aware that she is a soldier.

The pacing was a bit slower but I was OK with that.

Much more solid an episode, I hope the rest of the series is at least this good.
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