Two-minute Time Lord

It’s a Time Dilation episode of 2MTL, in which the “Two-minute” part becomes a colossal lie! Joining me in reviewing Series 8 and predicting Doctor Who‘s future are:

Best. Moffat. Finale. Ever.

Best. Moffat. Series. Ever.

And yet, somehow, I’m not sure how much more I can take!

Sometimes the BBC can’t help but spoil the surprise. Sometimes the reveals aren’t all that revealing. Sometimes you dismiss the obvious because it’s too obvious. Sometimes it doesn’t matter, because the episode is brilliant and even wickedly funny because there’s no surprise.

Series 8’s more unhurried pacing reaches its apex with the “lyrical and beautiful,” per Steven Moffat, “In the Forest of the Night.” Did the episode hold interest? Did The Doctor and Clara resemble themselves from just a couple of episodes ago? Well….

Yes, yes and more yes, as this supposedly “Doctor-Lite” episode gives us both Clara-as-the-Doctor and The-Doctor-as-someone-who’s-thinking-he’s-doing-his-job-too-well.

“Mummy on the Orient Express” does what it says on the tin, and. while not a “romp” as such, it’s perfectly timed after last week’s angst and controversy.

Six things make a podcast: “Kill the Moon” defied my attempt to do a simple, cohesive review. So here’s an extended series of impressions the episode left on me. (Thanks to K and R for kibitzing.)

A rubbish brown coat (not the legendary Tennant overcoat, sadly, that would have been funny) is a paper-thin disguise for a Doctor who is a bit of a rubbish caretaker. While he endangers Coal Hill School to fire Jimmy Vee into space, Clara makes some rubbish attempts to keep her two worlds separate. The episode? Not at all rubbish. But it’s time to talk about Clara, and how the Doctor and showrunner are treating her.

As a bank robber, the Doctor makes a surprisingly good bank robber. And Stephen Thompson turns in a story that is no “Curse of the Black Spot.” I solemnly promise not to cite “Leverage” again this season.

The latest in Steven Moffat’s series of biological functionally-titled episodes, “Listen!” is entirely about hiding behind the sofa, and why we do that, and what greatness the fear that drives it might lead us to. And, to my great surprise, we get a profound look underneath the Doctor’s mask.