The Caretaker

[clocketpatch]

Not a full meta, because I already know I don't particularly want to re-watch that. Did anyone else find that episode hellishly awkward? It was like getting stuck behind an arguing couple at a movie theatre. The movie's good, but so overshadowed by the awkward that you can't actually enjoy it.

I liked the cold open and would enjoy fic of how they ended up chained to pillars in the desert and how they escaped the sand piranhas afterwards

There were some very funny lines, especially in the first half. "I read the book. There's a bio in the back," made me lol, while the bit where the Doctor tells Clara that, "I used to have a teacher..." was a very touching bit of nostalgia. Ditto, the nose tweaking (Seven!), and the build-up of altron energy.

I also enjoyed Danny calling the Doctor on his shit and recognizing him for what he is. Though, there was a moment there when he first said, "Time Lord," that I wondered if the rumours about Danny being the Master pre-series might be true. The actual shit calling was far more satisfying than that, I think.

The constant soldier/PE teacher thing was not actually funny. Adrian looking like Eleven was... disturbing, and it made me want to throttle Moffat, because that gag wasn't funny in Sherlock and it is doubly not funny here, with an addition of, "why are you reusing the worst ever gag from Sherlock that was never funny?"

I didn't enjoy the fact that the Doctor must approve Clara's choices, or that the onus is being put on her. Granted, she could've been a bit less secretive, but, "I've got a platonic relationship with an alien time traveller" isn't the easiest thing to explain. Pink being her boyfriend doesn't really require explanation, and I disliked the Doctor requiring it. Dear Moffat, please stop writing Twelve as an emotionally abusive asshole. If I want that, I'll watch Sherlock. Thanks, bye.

I enjoyed The Disruptive Influence and "there is a spillage". Funny stuff. Though I think it's unfortunate casting that certain students were disruptive and being caught playing truant by police, while certain other students are grade A all the way and asking questions about Austin.

The mechanics of the conclusion, with the Doctor giving orders, Clara dodging explosions, and Danny doing oddly athletic somersaults was good.

I liked the ending with Danny and Clara on the couch. I think that's the most palatable bit of their on-screen romance so far. It was definite set-up, though. The Doctor is going to take things too far. Clara's trust will be betrayed. Bad things will happen. And they will almost certainly involve the gate-keeper of the Nethersphere.

Next week: Terrifying spiders on the moon! Hopefully that will go better.

Comments

[eve11]

I agree with all of your points, though for me the adventur-y bits and good things were enough to outweigh the clunkers of Moffat's relationship writing. I think the worst bit was the whole "Of course I recognized your boyfriend" thing; also made me roll my eyes. Especially because Clara saw how he was talking to Danny and saw him being an idiot when she and Adrian were talking, and still didn't put two and two together. That is thickness-for-the-sake-of-plot.

I think that the Doctor this time around is perhaps realizing he was a bit in love with Clara, or as evidenced here, loving the idea that she could be taken with him. (ETA: And the lines in "Deep Breath": "I'm not your boyfriend." "I didn't think you were." "I didn't say it was your mistake.") So his feelings of betrayal are relevant even if his actions upon such are frustrating. Childish behavior, when coming from adults in positions of power, is often abusive. I am baffled the sudden (this season anyhow) antipathy for soldiers.

I also think they will waste no time and that next week's episode will bring the "Doctor pushes Clara past the limit" plot point.

[clocketpatch]

Maybe I can figure out how to edit out the bits I like and make an abbridged Caretaker that's more to my taste? lol, or just watch it with my finger on the fast-forward button.

Good call on, "It wasn't your mistake," though I feel like that only makes the situation creepier, because Clara has flat out told the Doctor that their relationship is platonic and he's agreed with that. If he's continuing to see her as a girl friend and not saying, that is straight up dishonest and upsetting; especially if he's going to pair it with manipulative, controlling behaviour.

I don't mind the Doctor being a manipulative, controlling alien doing things for his own mysterious universe saving reasons, but there is a firm difference between that and him being a manipulative and controlling because he feels like a jilted boyfriend.

I don't know that it will happen next week. It feel like something that might be being saved for the finale. I'm also strongly thinking it will have something to do with Clara being forced to sacrifice an innocent, because that seems to have been what happened to Danny. That said... evil spiders on the moon eeeeeegawds. It's nightmare fuel in and of itself.