Doctor Who 4x09 - "Forest of the Dead"

MI7 · #1 June 7, 2008, 1:55 PM

"Forest of the Dead" by Steven Moffat

As the shadows rise, the Doctor forges an alliance with the mysterious River Song. But can anyone stop the Vashta Nerada?

MI7 · #2 June 7, 2008, 2:58 PM

Originally Posted by MI7

There's no real peril here. We've been shown that ER woman has a sonic blaster for cutting through walls merely seconds earlier ffs.

I called it

.

Seriously though barring the pathetic cliffhanger resolution I really enjoyed this week.

In fact, it was gearing up to be a 10/10 until....oh shit, kids. That ending. WTF was he thinking. The story was beautiful and tragic, and reached a natural end on that shot of the book and the screwdriver.
But no that's not good enough. Cos this is Doctor Who and no one can die. Ever. Apparently. It really felt horribly tacked on and stupidly epic with that daft scene of him jumping down the elevator for no reason whatsoever...and apparently, living out your life completely obliviously in a fake world is better than death. Hmm.

Still, I didn't let the awful ending ruin what was an amazing episode to me. At least stuff happened this time, and for once we had a Steven Moffat that was actually multilayered and deep instead of just giving the impression of being that way so that fanboys could watch it and feel oh so smart cos they could understand all the deep bits of it (in pretty much the words of Moffat himself).

Also I really enjoyed Murray's music this week. There was only one blip where he totally lost it in a crazy cacophony (the missing kids scene, I'm looking at you). But plus 1 million points for bringing back All The Strange Strange Creatures and, of course, the original Doctor's Theme. Why he switched that beauty for that overblown piece of crap that is The Doctor Forever I will never know.

8/10

Jamie Minty · #3 June 7, 2008, 4:16 PM

At the moment I think thats the best story ever (may change my mind later)

I loved the Doctor in this episode. Not necessarily the way he was acted but the way he was scripted.

The story was quite complex but it all ted together at the end. But just as with SITL Moffat left a few unanswered questions (not as much as SITL). And even tough the fact we may never know the answers annoys me its also quite good as its intriguing.

Loved Murray's music! Hoped the last scene could have been the Doctor getting a new suit and haircut and taking River on the last date

MI7 · #4 June 7, 2008, 4:51 PM

Originally Posted by Jamie Minty

At the moment I think thats the best story ever (may change my mind later)

Episodes as good as or better than Forest of the Dead:

Genesis of the Daleks, Tomb of the Cybermen, Revelation of the Daleks, Earthshock, The Sontaran Experiment, The Time Warrior, The Sea Devils, The Family of Blood, The Daemons, The Unicorn and the Wasp, The Moonbase, The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Bad Wolf, The Parting of the Ways, The Christmas Invasion, Time Crash, The Doctor Dances, Partners in Crime, Utopia, Last of the Time Lords, Pyramids of Mars, The Five Doctors, 42, Human Nature,The Three Doctors, The Green Death, The Impossible Planet, Planet of the Spiders and The Silurians if they were shorter, Logopolis, The Keeper of Traken, Rose, An Unearthly Child Episode One, The Fires of Pompeii, The Sound of Drums, The Empty Child, Blink, The Sontaran Strategem, The Satan Pit, The Poison Sky, Smith & Jones, Army of Ghosts, Gridlock, The Shakespeare Code, The Edge of Destruction, Inferno, The Brain of Morbius, Terror of the Zygons, The Deadly Assassin, Planet of Fire, Caves of Androzani, Dalek.

You were saying...?

Jamie Minty · #5 June 7, 2008, 5:11 PM

Originally Posted by MI7

Episodes as good as or better than Forest of the Dead:

Genesis of the Daleks, Tomb of the Cybermen, Revelation of the Daleks, Earthshock, The Sontaran Experiment, The Time Warrior, The Sea Devils, The Family of Blood, The Daemons, The Unicorn and the Wasp, The Moonbase, The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Bad Wolf, The Parting of the Ways, The Christmas Invasion, Time Crash, The Doctor Dances, Partners in Crime, Utopia, Last of the Time Lords, Pyramids of Mars, The Five Doctors, 42, Human Nature,The Three Doctors, The Green Death, The Impossible Planet, Planet of the Spiders and The Silurians if they were shorter, Logopolis, The Keeper of Traken, Rose, An Unearthly Child Episode One, The Fires of Pompeii, The Sound of Drums, The Empty Child, Blink, The Sontaran Strategem, The Satan Pit, The Poison Sky, Smith & Jones, Army of Ghosts, Gridlock, The Shakespeare Code, The Edge of Destruction, Inferno, The Brain of Morbius, Terror of the Zygons, The Deadly Assassin, Planet of Fire, Caves of Androzani, Dalek.

You were saying...?

Well I haven't seen all of them and I would disagree of course. I can't really decide at the moment because of course I'd rather watch a brand new episode I have only seen once than a hundred times like Rose.

This episode felt different. it felt longer than 45 mins and it felt sort of movie like, especially when the Mill showed off the birds eye view shots of the library.

I got the forest thing (vashta neradas forest in the books) quicker than the Doctor did

It feels good beating the Doctor.

Kody · #6 June 7, 2008, 8:52 PM

10/10

People have problems with this episode, but I don't see those same problems. It has a quibble here and there in my eyes.. but besides that, it's brilliant.

The acting, special effects, scripting, lighting effects, everything. The shots of the world by the mill and the way they did camera angles, lighting and all that gave it a VERY movie feel. I almost thought I was watching it in a theater.

Haven't watched the Confidential yet.

But, listening to the podcast with RTD, Moffat and Tennant right now.. 30 seconds in and they're talking about Borusa. It's freaking awesome. Snag it.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/...80607-1857.mp3

Oh, bringing back the season one 'Doctor' theme was a good move, I love that haunting female voice.

At the end, awesome. Still grinning from watching it.

Marinedalek · #7 June 8, 2008, 1:10 AM

Excellent episode - it's being called "too intellectual/confusing" by some on OG, which is a sign of a good Doctor Who story imo

Btw - judging by River Song's diary, the Doctor couldn't let go of one of his past companions...

Jamie Minty · #8 June 8, 2008, 5:09 AM

Originally Posted by MI7

I called it

.

The story was beautiful and tragic, and reached a natural end on that shot of the book and the screwdriver.
But no that's not good enough. Cos this is Doctor Who and no one can die. Ever. Apparently. It really felt horribly tacked on and stupidly epic with that daft scene of him jumping down the elevator for no reason whatsoever...and apparently, living out your life completely obliviously in a fake world is better than death. Hmm.

But isn't that the point of this Doctor, Moffat wrote him that way because this is Doctor 10. And River's line at the end says it all, when she says He can't let anyone go. He won't give up. And I like that in the Doctor.

Originally Posted by MI7

Also I really enjoyed Murray's music this week. There was only one blip where he totally lost it in a crazy cacophony (the missing kids scene, I'm looking at you). But plus 1 million points for bringing back All The Strange Strange Creatures and, of course, the original Doctor's Theme. Why he switched that beauty for that overblown piece of crap that is The Doctor Forever I will never know.

I agree, loved to see them back and in new styles as well. But there was a nice version of The Doctor Forever (I think) at the end when the Doctor's laying dow the book and screwdriver!

Superkid11 · #9 June 8, 2008, 3:37 PM

Originally Posted by Jamie Minty

He won't give up.

He's never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you.

Ross Hendrie · #10 June 10, 2008, 8:03 AM

Wasn't too bad, didn't really keep my attention very well.

Danny Stewart · #11 June 10, 2008, 3:06 PM

Originally Posted by Ross Hendrie

Wasn't too bad, didn't really keep my attention very well.

Voyage of the Damned was the worst piece of television I have ever seen in my life, and even it held my attention fairly well. You must have a very short attention span.

Ross Hendrie · #12 June 10, 2008, 3:39 PM

Either that or I have a lower tolerance for garbage. I fail to see how my opinion on the episode warrants insults...?

Danny Stewart · #13 June 10, 2008, 3:41 PM

Originally Posted by Ross Hendrie

Either that or I have a lower tolerance for garbage. I fail to see how my opinion on the episode warrants insults...?

No insult intended... I'm just saying it surprises me an episode like this could lose your attention.

Ross Hendrie · #14 June 10, 2008, 3:54 PM

It just seemed like not that much happened, there was nothing remarkable like their usually is.

MI7 · #15 June 10, 2008, 3:54 PM

Ross seems to have the reverse opinon of me...last weeks episode didn't hold my attention at all and like mentioned I blanked out repeatedly in it; but I was pretty much hooked this week. Til he jumped down the gravity elevator. Ick.

Danny Stewart · #16 June 15, 2008, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by MI7

The story was beautiful and tragic, and reached a natural end on that shot of the book and the screwdriver.

Fix't.

http://www.dannystewart.com/video/fotd_fixed.mp4

MI7 · #17 June 15, 2008, 9:37 AM

Originally Posted by Danny Stewart

Fix't.

http://www.dannystewart.com/video/fotd_fixed.mp4

ROFL

I love how he just randomly runs back and picks it up. Brilliance

Jez · #18 June 20, 2008, 1:33 PM

I got bored. My sincere apologies. Actually, that's a lie. I found Ep 8 to be boring; Ep 9 had a bit more life to it.....but I still wouldn't class it as classic, must-see TV. Much like most of this series too be honest.

Superkid11 · #19 June 20, 2008, 8:42 PM

I kept wondering if it was implied The Doctor would regenerate, but how would she have recognized him?

Loved this episode. I can't pick out any specific points I just... loved it. The only part I really didn't like was the part where Donna's "kids" vanished and she freaked out.

I'd go ahead and give this a 9/10 but, as I promised earlier, I'll give it more time before I give my final vote.

I'm considering going ahead and watching the next one just to catch up like before...

EDIT: I stand by my decision. I've voted 9/10.