Dr. Who - Hell Bent

[Ixthos]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/doctorwho/s35e12.php

I feel a little weird being the one to start the topic, as I've never been a fan of Dr. Who despite wanting to be one. I thoroughly enjoy Chucks reviews of them though, and I think this might be the way I can enjoy the series, via proxy. I hope someone adds The Key to Time arc to the queue, as that also seems like it would be a great story arc to review.

Now, after that paragraph which has nothing to do with the episode or the review - I think this story does look like it has interesting ideas - I actually like the idea of the Dr. being someone who starts others out to begin the same journey as he is on, someone who ignites a fire in them and then allows them to leave to inspire others and explore on their own - but as Chuck said it looks like it doesn't follow through on the promises made in Heaven Sent, and ignores what he could do to help other companions from previous regenerations. I think this might have to do with Mr. Moffet's approach to plotting. Gardeners - writers who write by the seat of their pants, and so typically have vibrant and believable characters - usually don't plan the ending in detail when they write, while Architects - planners - typically do and so can foreshadow and make their endings live up to the promises. Does anyone know Mr. Moffet's style?

Also, I've been meaning to ask, but does anyone know the version of the Dr. Who theme Chuck uses in these reviews?

[Thebestoftherest]

Aww, i wanted to start it.

[MerelyAFan]

The inherent problem with Hell Bent is that its entire success is entirely dependent on a viewer's interest in Clara; if you don't have that, then its basically a huge writing misstep that wastes both the setup from Heaven Sent and arguably the drama of the previous 10 years of Gallifrey's destruction and salvation.

Many previous major episodes could vary in quality to some degree based on relative thoughts on the companion or version of the Doctor, but for the most part there was some aspect to them that could get one invested into the story in spite of that. The Stolen Earth/Journey's End two parter works a lot better if you like 10 and Donna, but even if you don't its a genuine drama filled climax with memorable set pieces and solid character moments.

Hell Bent simply lacks most of that, basically being story surgery to save Clara and offering little else of real value to either the Doctor as a character or even the lore of the show in general. Even thematically it wants to have its cake and eat it to; supposedly being a condemnation of 12's behavior in saving his companion, but the consequences feel so anti-climatic (and would be retconned next series anyway) that it really just reinforces Moffat's consistent pattern of undoing the dramatic weight of his story points.

[Thebestoftherest]

I personally think that the time lords got their acts together and sent Clara to her death where she belongs, and undo Ashildr immortality.

[Artabax]

Doctor shoots General. General regenerates. Let's kill Hitler River uses regeneration energy to resurrect Doctor. I expected Doctor to use General's energy to resurrect Clara. Oh no, they can't do that; that would be continuity.

Likewise, Ashild's resurrection, there were all those electric eels. I was expecting "Clear!". Oh no, they can't do that; what?? Miss out on a whole new magic dib-dob???

[SuccubusYuri]

I'm a little more forgiving of this story than Chuck is, but I am in the same ZIP code. I agree with the squandering of so many elements, but like, I made peace with "Moffat bullshit bullshits a happy ending" back in Series 6. Holding this episode, in particular, accountable to that feels like overkill at best and dishonesty at worst.

I can also understand why the Doctor rescues Clara and not anyone more deserving, because that wound is so fresh. We know from "Heaven Sent"'s montage that the Doctor has to re-piece the mystery together, giving his little speech as he teleports in. Yes it's been billions of years but for the Doctor she died like three days ago. I can buy the internal logic that the guilt is overshadowing his judgment.

And no, "collective experience" is a bullshit idea. By that logic a Freshman lecture hall on Day 3 of Uni is ready to write their thesis paper.

That said I do still hate the Moffat-isms. "Death is a subjective point of view" and "the Doctor is superman to everyone so they're ready to commit treason" is nonsense, as always. To me Clara's worst attribute was the fact she had no consequences for her ongoing theme of "Hey she's like a human doctor's apprentice! (and in over her head)", but I can't really say I expected anything less of Moffat by this point in the series. If anything I'm more shocked he didn't clone River and it turned out it was a fake one who died in the Library all along.

[Mecha82]

Yup, this episode isn't very good. It's outright bad. Well at least after that only way was up and that's what happened with rest of Cabaldi's run.

[TGLS]

I suppose if they went with Chuck's alternative, they could have papered over the whole "shoot the general" thing by using it to help build the case that the Doctor crossed the line.

[Darth Wedgius]

I thought it was a nice idea, with the Doctor going to far:

Donna: Just promise me one thing: Find someone.
The Doctor: I don't need anyone.
Donna: Yes you do. Because sometimes... I think you need someone to stop you.

But spoiled by its execution. The points SFDebris brought up mostly hold for me too (I didn't mind Clara and Ashildir going off on their own Tardis at the end), and the Doctor being able to just be untouchable by reputation so he's unstoppable, not alongside Doctors 12 being tortured through hundreds of millions of years and dying being "man flu." I'll give an alien culture a lot of latitude but you have to meet me halfway.

[Thebestoftherest]

Agree, plus nothing ever came of Clara and Ashildir, I can only guess everyone else at BBC realize that be uninteresting and more trouble than it worth.