From the trailers I figured this'd be the most horseshit of the lot. Figures it'd end up being my favorite out of the last couple seasons.
Right? Way to defy expectations.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it's my favorite of the last couple seasons (that's still The Doctor's Wife), but definitely the meatiest of the new season.
Not so much riddled with cliches as reveling in them, and the pacing actually worked when they weren't trying to cram in a dinosaur chase or whatever every five minutes. Made time for actual, you know, character development and shit. And I love the almost cartoonish portrayal of Americans. Good times.
And it's nice that we got such a quick payoff on the "You know, the Doctor's really been kind of a huge prick these last couple episodes" observation instead of dragging it out.
I mean, obviously we haven't seen the last of it, but it's been acknowledged and will continue to shape things going forward.
And that he managed to keep the monologuing about everything he's seen and done to a minimum (which, in addition to the point that we've heard it all so many times, doesn't really fit his newfound attempts to keep a low profile). He did the "every time I don't kill the Joker he just escapes and kills more people" bit with Rory and Amy, but he lets Kahler Jex's "you're just like me but imprisoned by your morality" speech go by without mentioning he's got at least three genocides under his belt.
And of course there's no simple solution to the question of the Doctor's morality, because the Doctor's morality is whatever the showrunner says it is. But if we wanted to take a somewhat cynical but nonetheless interesting in-universe explanation, well, if you're 1200 years old you're bound to redefine your moral parameters a few times. Sometimes you're in an optimistic mood and sometimes you're not; the guy who agonizes over whether or not he can bring himself to kill Davros might just straight-up trick him into blowing up his own planet a couple regenerations later because seriously, fuck that guy.
And it's not just the Doctor who's committed genocide. Some of his best friends have committed genocide. Even going back to #3, he was pretty pissed when the Brigadier wiped out the Silurians, but they were still friends the next week.
Oh, and of course it's Toby Whitehouse. I'd only just started on Being Human last night. Had to skip back and check the opening credits when I was about halfway through. Hell if the guy doesn't have a noticeable style with the dialogue.
Haven't checked it out yet. Worth it?
ALSO: This is the second time in as many weeks the Doctor has mentioned his Christmas list. I like to think the Doctor's Christmas List will play a major role in this year's Christmas episode.