Doctor Who's Viking DISASTER...

[@HarboWholmes]

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[@djdustie]

I was an extra in this ep, playing one of the villager Vikings. Best 3 days work of my life. Peter C is an absolute gent + got to dance with Maisie Williams too. A week I'll never forget... :)

[@hollymatton474]

That's so cool! I really enjoyed this episode, looked like a lot of fun! 😊

[@sanddagger36]

when you watched it for the first time, were you paying attention to the story as a doctor who fan, or were you just looking for yourself in the crowd and pointing at the screen?

[@djdustie]

@@sanddagger36 Both :)

[@Freezer28528]

Dance with her? What do you mean by 'dance' 😏

[@colemacgrath2005]

bruh you could´ve asked her out, i woulve at least tried only to tell everyone i asked a famous actress out haha

[@brobs0463]

I’ve come to realise how much I love Capaldi’s Doctor as even in the duds his character is just amazing to watch. This must be how 13 fans feel about the entire era

[@AspectRatioYT]

Fully agree, he's the only doctor where I don't skip his duds because he immediately makes the episode worth watching

[@oglocop4693]

I feel lots of people say that and they're right, of course, but we shouldn't discount the role of the writing. I think the reason even the weaker episodes feel enjoyable in this episode as long as they have a fun moment or two is that the season arc is so well integrated into every story. In the Capaldi era 'seasonal arc' always means mostly the Doctor's own character arc, which is of course brilliantly performed by Peter Capaldi. This leads to a common perception that Capaldi is a great or the best Doctor despite the writing, when I would say he's the greatest in a large part thanks to the way he was written and the way his character was a consistent focus across the three seasons. An example is this episode or Kill the Moon, where the story wasn't very enjoyable but the central conflict resulted in a fantastic character moment for both the Doctor and Clara. An example of doing this badly would be the second Silurian episode in Season 5, where they just threw in an important plot point at the end of an excruciatingly boring episode. Where the former makes a weaker episode worthwhile, the latter simply obligates you to watch a bad episode. Anyway, this comment is way longer than it needed to be.

[@brobs0463]

@@oglocop4693 I completely agree, I feel like 13 never has a character arc where 12 has the best. She just simply is exactly who she is and never learns anything. So is still incredibly boring to watch even in ok/good episodes like ‘The Haunting of Villa Diodati.’ And that’s not even mentioning acting

[@vullord666]

​@@brobs0463it's also worth noting 12 never acts out of character. The writing around him is very deliberate and feels like it has a clear purpose and direction. 13 had really good moments where Jodie could shine and then just completely out of character moments and then just nothing moments. She also never really bounced off well with her companions who all had the same problem.

[@Tyranniod]

I enjoy almost all of capaldis stories. Probably two that I don't really like. That said though his acting elevates even the duds.

[@גוד-צ2ו]

I rewatched this episode yesterday and didn't quite mind it as much as I used to, it's not that remarkable by any means but it's an enjoyable episode with some great funny moments. The bit with 12 remembering Pompeii as well and making the re-use of Capaldi have a reason in show was also a highlight.

[@Tulf42]

Like everyone has said before, the scene of the Doctor recognising where he got his face from was the best scene of the episode, but I personally was expecting it to be in a series finale episode like Death in Heaven as another way of continuing the story arc of the Twelfth Doctor regaining his memories after the post-regeneration amnesia, instead of having it in a random average episode midway through the series. Especially when we were waiting so long for an in-universe explanation for the Doctor to use a face worn by someone else before, which I know has been done before with Colin Baker appearing in the Fifth Doctor's era before becoming the Sixth Doctor.

[@stopmotionsteve9812]

I think it works much better here as a part of 12s character arc as he learns this message half way through the season of saving people because he can even going against rules. He then takes this too far in hell bent saving Clara. The frame of him saving Clara mirrors the frame he remembers from fires of Pompeii.

[@Milfsted]

I know several people who 'tried' Doctor Who, with specifically this episode (bc of GoT Cameo) and have never touched the show again

[@גוד-צ2ו]

Really? Even if I knew an actor from another show I wouldn't just jump into the middle of the 9th season of a show to start it.

[@Milfsted]

@@גוד-צ2ו GoT fans are something else man. I feel like that show attracted a lot of binge watchers who had never binged before, they need their GoT hit

[@גוד-צ2ו]

@@Milfsted I happened to see Maisie Williams in Doctor Who first, so I watched Game of thrones and was "There's ashildr!"

[@Milfsted]

@@גוד-צ2ו me spotting DW actors in literally any british show ahah

[@connorwood9211]

Such a random and poor choice for an introduction

[@Rzero512]

I never thought of Me as a villain. Just a person stuck on one planet for eternity. It's bound to get to you. I love her character.

[@stelmaria-mx]

They made her a lot more sympathetic in the next episode and I liked that version of her

Seeing that she shows up in Gallifrey in Hell Bent, albeit at the end of the universe, she doesn't seem to be earthbound at all...

[@VelociraptorsOfSkyrim]

​@Well, no duh. Humanity eventually goes to the Stars in Doctor Who. It makes sense she'd follow.

[@ftumschk]

12:50 The German officer is played by Welsh actor Philip Madoc, who appeared in many classic Who stories, as well as the _Dalek Invasion Earth_ film. Apart from Bernard Cribbins, I believe Madoc was the only actor to have played major roles in the TV show and the cinema spinoffs.

[@R.senals_Arsenal]

I wish that if they did "have to" make yet another boring alien warlike race, that they would at least put them into some form of galactic historical context, explain how they were big news in this part of the galaxy until the Daleks killed them all, or the Sontarans, Rutans, Cybermen, Chelonians, Selachians, Terileptils, Jagaroth, etc., ended them. Yeah, there are a lot of them.

[@hollymatton474]

I quite enjoyed this episode to be fair! Series 9 as a whole is quite hit and miss but The Girl Who Died had a decent story, lots of laughs and a great moment where the twelfth doctor realises why he chose his face! The only downside for me was the villain of the episode. I didn't like the mire and I think as an alien race and a villain they're quite forgettable! Great video! 😊😊

[@DigiRangerScott]

I remember feeling like Girl Who Died was far stronger than Woman Who Lived, but then the Zygon 2-parter is even messier. I’m much fonder of Sleep No More and Face the Raven on

[@mohzayd1234]

I love the Doctor’s face plot point coming back and making us love the 12th doctor even more

[@emmiannon1266]

this episode tries to play a silly story seriously. I feel like it needed to eiher throw out the joke and slapstick moments in favour of a more scary and serious threat OR fully embrace the sillyness and just let this be a fun throwaway episode. when it tries to do both it just falls flat

[@Meewthree]

I forgot about a lot of this episode but do wanna say that viking history wise like. Even farmers knew how to fight. When the people doing raids WEREN'T RAIDING they were FARMERS. And then when the members of the family who would go overseas to raid the people left (usually their wives and kids) still knew how to defend themselves??? They had to???? Viking women knew how to throw down because they had to when the raiding teams were away so sOMEONE has to defend the farms! So that adds another level of disbelief for me

[@Rzero512]

I love this ep because it gives us Me. She's one of my top Who cast.

[@craytherlaygaming2852]

I honestly enjoyed this ep, but thats likely bias cause of my personal enjoyment of norse culture, so I agree on your points here about what the weaknessess were. This episode had a lot of potential, yet fell flat in a lot of areas, personally I don't think I'd have liked the idea of the Mya being involved in the culture of norse. I prefer the idea of them merely highjacking it for their own desires, it'd actually fit more if in a ironic twist, the *doctor* really was Odin, considering you have things like Bad-wolf Rose, to play the role of Fenrir. It'd be a way to deepen the culture of the doctor's history, especially if seeing it the doctor tries to avoid looking because he hasn't lived it yet. realizing that he will be responsible for the vikings as a whole. It'd be very cathartic to see Ashilda seeing The doctor who considers himself as a madman idiot in a box, and seeing the mythological side beside it, like a callback to robots of sherwood. In fact this story could have taken many elements from Robots of Sherwood and run with it, as I feel that kind of story actually fits in with the feel of this one. But sadly, they didn't and there was so much missed out with this episode

[@AndrewLuke]

Clara performing as The Doctor extends to her collecting companions too and she makes bad choices with all of them. Danny, Rigsy, Missy, Shilda. People dissing Maisie Williams' acting annoys me much more than Maisie Williams' acting. She's okay in these episodes, this one being the stronger. Shilda feels like a case of writing for casting Williams. GoT was dominating the mediasphere when this went out and Shilda and Anya are not dissimilar. Matheison on script works because thinking outside the box is a must here. If they knew Williams was on board you could make a case he and Moff didn't go far enough.. Some good plays but as we'll see Shilda doesn't stick the landing.

[@jennifermcilvenny4630]

The face in the sky is kinda supposed to look crap. It's a take on Monty Python which used to do this a lot in their sketch shows.

[@tentringer4065]

It was very reminiscent of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

[@jennifermcilvenny4630]

​@@tentringer4065yeah, that too. Even in the so called "weaker stories" Capaldi makes them so watchable.

[@dougsfilmtv9810]

I really like The Girl who Died, and we do get to see Vikings. I do love how the 12th Doctor got his face and I like the callback to The Fires of Pompei. I do like how The Doctor saves Ashildr but there is a consequence for saving her but more on that later.

[@gitmoyt]

The worst part of this episode were the deus ex machina electric eels that are somehow on the wrong continent.

[@inkermoy]

It's weird that you keep mentioning how Clara is trying to become more like the Doctor in these early season episodes by taking chances she shouldn't be. I totally missed them that when Face The Raven came out, I mused to myself that it would have been good if they sprinkled Clara's recklessness throughout the season. Maybe it was a bit too subtle, or the stories themselves weren't that memorable.

[@mystic-malevolence]

I thought it was a bit contrived that the Mire's most basic medical technology made (human?) people functionally immortal.

One possible explanation is that the doctor meddled with it, so the mire healing patch thing became non-stop

[@R_SENAL]

I have two competing thoughts for this episode: 1 - "Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh! Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh! We come from the land of the ice and snow, from the midnight sun where the hot springs flow. The hammer of the gods, will drive our ships to new lands, to fight the horde, sing and cry. Valhalla, I am coming..." 2 - "Remorseless Norsemen swim ashore. The eastern coast belongs to us no more! Shirtless in the rain, the heathen army's upon us... once again! Led by the sons of Ragnar - Barbarian! Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh! 😂

[@Browncoat7969]

Ummm actually it's really good in my opinion 🤓

[@vullord666]

I actually really enjoyed the girl who died, but easily more so because of the characters than actual plot. I think that's the best part of Capaldi's Era. Every episode is a gem, even the really really bad ones because they all have such clear character writing which ultimately makes them feel necessary to 12's story but more than that really enjoyable to watch. I just remember having a lot of fun watching the girl who died with my family and then the throwback to David Tennant and the fires of Pompeii (such a fantastic episode in of itself and Capaldi's first Doctor Who episode (which we've all noted ever since his reveal and the "who frowned me this face")) just had us beaming. As a dud, it's a really good framework on how to write duds.

[@undying_artv2]

Sontarans look scary without their helmets?… that’s new to me

[@oxcare5]

I personally enjoyed this 2-parter when I watched it for the first time earlier this year. Not anything amazing, but it was good. Kinda like how I think about the Hungry Earth 2-parter, it was enjoyable, but I wouldn't say it was great. Good, but not great.

[@lucypreece7581]

This episode was very obviously a set up episode for the next one. Literally the only part that matters is the stuff at the end with the Doctor saving Ashildr.

[@Bothanspiesdied]

I loved Capaldi beginning to end. Idk why people didn’t like him, I love him. Last good Doctor (so far)

[@tentringer4065]

He is by some distance, the best actor to play the role.

[@Freezer28528]

I think this story should have used the Sontarans instead of creating the Mire. It would be a Sontaran General, or an officer of a higher rank. Pretending to be Norse gods in a plan to destroy the Vikings and the rest of humanity.

[@mayotango1317]

That will be a copy of The Time Warrior.

[@Freezer28528]

It really wouldn't. It's a completely different plot idea.@@mayotango1317

[@barney9456]

Thank you for sharing my views of Maisie Williams

[@ftumschk]

Mine, also. I didn't follow Game of Thrones, but judging by the reaction of GoT fans when they found out Williams was in Doctor Who, my expectations were high. Sadly, I was underwhelmed.

[@deadpooldan9862]

I personally like this episode, and the following

[@Tamlinearthly]

There are a number of pretty bad things about this episode, but here's one that always sticks with me: vikings were assholes. They were just raiding, pillaging thieves, and if the Doctor encountered them doing their thing, he'd probably just blow them all up on his own. So when a bunch of vikings get squished into an alien smoothie ...great. Awesome. Best possible outcome, honestly. Can he do it again to literally all of the other ones?

[@jorgerfm364]

That goofy face in the clouds .😂

[@littlebebecrow]

I think this would have been a great episode to have the sontarons star in instead of the mire.

[@BlueSparxLPs]

This is one of those episodes you really just have to turn your brain off and enjoy, because it's just looking to be silly and fun rather than having much real nuance. I do think Ashildr dropped the ball and Odin is a bit *too* hammy, but overall I enjoyed it. The revelation that the Mire weren't actually a threat and were just riding a story is an interesting and unique concept that I think was explored well, underscored by the humorous way they were dispatched.

[@thealternativeaddamsfamily]

Love your vids, thanks for working hard for us 💙✨

[@bonweech3346]

Once again, I rewatch this for Capaldi, that's it. Episode is alright but I will watch him anytime

[@jonathonriddle9922]

I like what this episode has to say about the reputation of warrior cultures, be they Mire or Vikings. And unlike the Mire, the Sontarans and Ice Warriors earned their fearsome reputation.

[@DirtyMirror2011]

Love your videos! Your critiques are always fairly justified. The only point I'd challenge is that I think it's ok for the Mire to not feel like a credible future threat. Not every villain needs to be set up for a return. I don't think it's a bad thing that this story humiliates them when we have enough warrior races (as you pointed out) who can return in New stories.

[@sirslurmusic]

I feel like you're missing the forest for the trees with this one. The Mire being a threat you can't take seriously was the whole point. This was a goofy adventure episode akin to "Robots Of Sherwood" for most of its runtime. That's what makes it all the more heartbreaking when Ashildir dies from The Doctor's oversight. Same to her annoying character traits. It's there to make you realize the death of an "annoying character" is still the end of a life other people cherished. The village is shattered by the loss of the silly girl with dreams of being a warrior. She got everything she wanted, and it cost the ultimate price. The Doctor loses every time and he can't take it anymore. The Caecellius revelation is played more ambiguous than you're giving it credit for. Yes, it's The Doctor realizing he chose the face because he can save people, but it's also a callback to the seeds of The Timelord Victorious - which Capaldi effortlessly imbues into the scene with his manic energy. This ideology also plays into the overall themes of series 9. "The Girl Who Died" is one of the most slept on episodes of the entire modern era. I suggest a revisit. "The Woman Who Lived" is where the missed potential in storytelling is.

[@PowerSpirit50]

I sighed when I saw the horns. The glazed pitchers and bowls also took me out a bit.

[@christophersheets5452]

I think the biggest problem with this story is the tonal inconsistencies. It’s drawing upon a lot of good sitcoms and has a lot of good goofy moments but always tries to handle a lot of somber and serious moments and it either leaves the comedy out of place or the drama falling flat. Half the village disappears and they discover they’re all dead, mashed into a protein shake for the main villain, and no one really cares. Lol that one guy’s scared of heights. These monsters are super super dangerous. Oh haha, we tricked them lol. It doesn’t hold up

[@aceofconquest5745]

I liked these episodes. I remember watching them at home after school. It was fun :)

[@davidkieltyka9]

This is my favorite S9 ep, aside from the obvious most favorite, and you have not persuaded me otherwise. ☺️

[@joringedamke5597]

Personally, I'd say the Boneless are the scariest villains in Who because they can't be reasoned with. Then again, they're beaten by a picture of a door...

[@OkMakuTree]

I love the call back to The Fires of Pompei, but the fact that it leads to Lady Me does kinda leave a weird aftertaste on an otherwise great moment. Still, a shining moment in an otherwise meh episode!

[@george4821]

No way you said the sontarans look scary without the helmets 😂 Aren't they the potato monsters with the funny voices?

[@Freezer28528]

In classic who the sontarans were quite creepy looking, and a dark and raspy voice. Only the Chibnall era has silly looking Sontarans with silly voices.

[@ftumschk]

@@Freezer28528 To be fair, I thought the Chibnall-era Sontarans were the best in NuWho, even if he couldn't quite resist making them occasionally "funny". Classic era Sontarans were much more effective, because they weren't played for laughs.

[@Freezer28528]

Remember in the two doctors when Stike said he will kill Jamie just after promising not to if the Doctor completed a deal? That was some dark stuff. And that Styre took no mercy on any of the victims of his experiments@@ftumschk

[@Joey15811]

Girl who died is one of the handful of capaldi episodes i like. Sadly the woman who lived is meh.

[@jennifermcilvenny4630]

I really liked this episode. Some great moments and beautiful dialogue. Capaldi and coleman were excellent as usual.

[@CaptainKitchener]

probs to harbo for the effort her puts in

[@wattsiswhat]

Hey now...don't knock Maisie

[@apanapandottir205]

Brian Blessed could have made it work. No disrescpect to the actor that played "odin", but Blessed could have pulled it of by being Blessed and that we all love him.

[@apanapandottir205]

The Doctor making an emotional decision to redeem himself that leads to another persons damnation is very on brand and so good. Maisie Williams kills her part int he later episodes, even tho the lion is fcking weird. Him saving her is a selfish act, and it comes back to punish him.

[@rudenotginger123]

Do I remember you saying somewhere that Series 9 is your favourite? Or did I make that up? 😁

[@Cyber_Crows]

Capaldi saved this episode

[@DaniRavioli]

Is it wrong to prefer "A good man?" over "I am the Doctor"?

[@marosa1801]

Now you mention it i can’t help but think this episode could have been better if they had just used the Sontarans instead of creating the Mire…

[@PathsUnwritten]

I like to think the Doctor took the face of John Frobisher rather than Caecilius.

[@aeloswindrunner]

There's good stuff here, and the quip about Noggin The Nog made me smile

[@joshuaanson5939]

I am glad we are past the era of shoehorning GoT actors into everything, mistaking the early seasons' quality for the actors being good.

[@jvblhc]

I like Maisie Williams but I can't stand the character she played.

[@mathieuleader8601]

the Mire could have been the Hoix seen from the start of Love & Monsters

[@MrTta54]

I did like the episode when it came out but yh the first and 2nd act are a bit rushed. its a shame. i do think the asheilder (spelling, not sure, meh, you know who i mean) character is a tricky one. so young as to be foolish and decalre war, yet still be "the innicent one". if they were like 8 then sure, after all, the doctor never interfears unless children are crying. but they also neeeded a person old enough to seam like an adult for later episodes. so yh they probably just went with "ah popular actor there in big show, grab them, that will do" . it always makes me wonder if they made it a 1 hour long special, partly covering more lore of vikings and seveal more facts.... it could have become a way to fleash out the viking characters a bit more. sure you have them still a bit gimiky to make it simple, but showing them how they would be normally... it would be a great way to use the set/place and recreate things. also lets face it , a scene with capaldi blacksmithing... try telling me you would not enjoy that. melt down a mighty sword, to make wire to do with the plan... I do like the plan of a more modern blackmail and mock tactic. it does express claras kinda way to make a solution. a "modern" solution of basically the galactic internet. it blends with the story teller aspect that is "the doctors" side of things but uses an innicent person, renforcing the idea that only they can do what they do (as it kills the user) . the blend is a great representation of the couple (doctor and clara). It also adds the foreshadowing of claras death (and then eternalness, sorta pre-death eteranty thing). the fact that later ashielder and clara become able to almost be the doctor (in ways like jenny,jack,rose and other spinoffs) with them later telling storys and listerning to them as ways to solve issues.... loops back to S4s daviros with the darleks. there they claim that the doctor needs no weapons as they fashion weapons out of people. I think its odd but you can almost tell that with clara just listerning to the doctor telling their story (end of s9), that they are less a weapon and more like the doctor, a healer. The universes super nanny (yh i'm not saying that again).

[@connorwood9211]

Having a reason for the Doctor having Calpadi's face always felt forced to me. Like is there a reason they also share that same face with that guy who mercy killed his family in Torchwood? Or why the 6th shares a face with that one Time Lord soldier who threatened him?

[@lpc9929]

The

[@leejones8582]

The explanation of 12ths face feels so tacked on.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Odin could have been a returning God of Ragnarok

[@apanapandottir205]

This episode feels more like it belongs in The Sarah Jane Chronichles tbh.

[@somebodysomeone8685]

Would things have been better if they'd just used Sontarans or smth instead of creating a new group of aliens?

[@tj-tj4ks]

the story the time meddler way back in 1965 had vikings.

[@erubin100]

EELS UP IN-SIDE YA...

[@Faulty720]

How about clara's jarring forced PC line of "you can smell the testosterone" this was around the timr the BBC started forcing PC lines into Doctor Who. This just seemed to be a blatent attack on men, if this were switched, the epispde wouldn't be allowed to air that line.

[@MetalVikingBatmanfan1989]

This episode was awful in my opinion they were not vikings why did they have horned helmets that put me of and made me tune out no evidence for horned helmets, Peter capaldi great Dr but just didnt like this episode

[@darynvoss7883]

Harsh

[@DriverHenryWho3245]

19:45 *she's (great video btw!)

[@CineScarborough]

I'm not sure why you would want historic accuracy with the Vikings. Everybody thinks of them as wearing horned helmets, so every piece of viking fiction should depict them as such.