Frankly I think if all one can see is that it’s the Doctor running around a castle, punching a wall, and dying repeatedly, they’re missing the point. Yes, if you break down the plot at its most basic level, it comes out as that, but that’s ignoring all of the thematic and character material. The plot itself is arguably the absolute least important part of the episode. It’s a piece on grief, how it can be self-destructive, how it can be isolating, how it can drive one to madness. It’s a character piece on the Doctor attempting to come to terms with no longer having Clara by his side (and judging by how this ends and into Hell Bent, he failed). Maybe you’re right, maybe you just want something less serious, maybe that kind of thing just isn’t for you, which is fine, and I’ll respect that you just have different tastes. One point I could see against it is that maybe on its own, in a vacuum, without its context in the rest of the season’s arc, maybe it’s less impactful and less meaningful. If you don’t watch it after having been on the Doctor’s journey with Clara, see their relationship develop to the level of dependence they have on each other, the Doctor choosing to go through all of Heaven Sent for 4.5 billion years won’t hit like it’s intended to.
I have to say I disagree with the assessment that it’s “forgotten it’s a family show” though. A family show doesn’t necessarily have to appeal to the whole family all the time. Sometimes episodes will be more to the kids’ tastes, sometimes more to the adults’, and that’s honestly how Doctor Who has always been, and an episode that is maybe more appealing to the adults isn’t suddenly not a family show. “Family show” just means that it’s appropriate viewing for the whole family, which I think applies to essentially the entire show from An Unearthly Child to Empire of Death, and it has never lost being a family show.
Just watched part 3 of Terminus after a little break after the first two parts.
There’s nothing “wrong” with it, but it just doesn’t capture my imagination and I find my mind drifting all the time. It’s just a bit too bland visually to properly deliver the plot in an exciting way.
Turlough is really interesting though, you can really see how he struggles with his deal with the Black Guardian.
I’ll see if I can find the time to watch the last part tonight
I’m glad you took the time to rewatch this episode and appraise it anew, and that you wrote your thoughts for us. I feel like I understand your point of view better now. I might even agree with some things you’ve said - this episode probably doesn’t work for most kids - but it works for me. It’s nice to see that I can agree with you but still have a completely different opinion on the episode. Man, I love this forum!
As someone whose favourite episode at 13 was Turn Left, I imagine that I would have definitely been in the category of ‘kids who love Heaven Sent’. It’s interesting to read everyone’s thoughts on it
It’s funny but Turn Left is one of my favourite episodes but you’re absolutely right in hinting it rather falls fouls of my ‘forgetting the kids’ criticism. It’s probably because Turn Left taps into the ‘surviving the end of the world’ trope which terrfies and fascinates me in equal measure. I’m going to reflect on this a bit more in terms of @TARDIS32 and @shauny’s rebuttals because they make some excellent points.
But I’m supervising five kids (well 4 teenagers and a 9 year old) whilst my wife and their Mum are out Christmas shopping and I have an all ages church service to write for tomorrow which I’m leading.
For me, Terminus is an example of an excellent Doctor Who story that didn’t translate on screen. If it was redone now, with better budget, sympathetic lighting, and a little more pace; I think it would be excellent. I love the guy trying to patch up the radiation leak.
Dam The Zygon Invasion has the most ridiculous direction I have ever seen. Turns out the guy directed some K9 as well… I guess that adds up with all the things I’ve heard about it. Overall the episode was pretty funny with its over the top melodrama, but still the only episode this season I didn’t think was great. Inversion I liked a lot more though! Clara’s mind palace was really fun, and how can I not like Peter Capaldi ranting for ten minutes about how idiotic human beings are?
Next time, the really popular (in the elimination game for worst episode but that’s besides the point) Sleep No More…
It’s on. And it came up in the Christmas movie thread, and I’ve never seen it before. It’s…okay. I don’t get the hype. And I doubt I’ll sit through the sequel, which is on next.
