First Time Watching "Doctor Who" Season 2 Episode 7 Reaction | The Idiot's Lantern

[@R.senals_Arsenal]

Yeah, Idiot's Lantern is a bit of a Vaca between major stories, in this case between the 2 part Cybermen story and the next 2 parter coming up. I think this is the best of 2 on-screen commentary episodes on domestic abuse, and I like it for going there. Lots of kids watch this show so it was good to show to people maybe feeling trapped by parents still like this, still stuck in this old mentality even today, and that courage and positive choices can save you from the monsters. The Doctor Stole/Liberated/Pilfered his TARDIS long before the Time War, he was always a rebel and left his home to explore as soon as he could. About his departure and the circumstances the Classic series was always vague, the 5th Doctor once said "there were a lot of pressing reasons at the time," and that was about as much as we got. There is a story in seasons to come that will delve a bit into why the TARDIS goes where it goes, and it is one of the better stories.

[@johngriffiths4373]

"Betamax. He'll never find that again."😂 Love that. Lol. 👍😅🤣

[@Thunderyhail]

Not to get into too much details but the doctor didn’t steal his tardis during the time war he stole it way before that as the first doctor

[@shadowphoenix1696]

He didnt steal it. He "borrowed" it 👀👀👀

[@johngriffiths4373]

He didn't steal the TARDIS. He relocate it. 😂😂

[@karennowicki241]

The TARDIS stole The Doctor ❤

[@Meee-ye7sr]

In case no one else tells you, keep an eye out for Magpie Electronics popping up every now and again in future Dr Who ep.s. Just a little thang they like to do there :-)

[@lisaserafino6022]

Syntell + Little Shop of Horrors = the sing-along watch party I never knew I needed… until now.

[@GhostPurple69]

to be clear, the "time war" is a new concept that davies created, that would have occurred during that huge real-life gap between the classic series and new-who. narratively, it serves as new original backstory for the revived series so as to put both new and old viewers on pretty much the same level with not immediately knowing what's going on and having to watch and learn and discover. metatextually the war also serves as sort of a reason or excuse for why the show was off-air for sixteen years, while teasing all this dramatic stuff that happened that we missed and will never see. it's like, *this is what we all lost* from the show being gone for so long. on paper the time war was between the time lords and the daleks, but on another level you could say it was between the creatives who wanted to keep making the show and kept regularly trying to revive it for all those years, and the bbc management who considered it a low-brow disgrace and embarrassment to bbc culture-like the show was beneath their contempt and a symbol of everything the bbc shouldn't be doing. there's a lot going into this sort of internal culture war. from its start doctor who was a deliberate effort to shake up the bbc's stuffy reputation, that met resistance every step of the way. whereas most of the bbc was staffed by privately-educated straight white anglo-saxon protestant upper middle-class old men from southern england, doctor who was the creation of misfits. everyone working on it was someone who the rest of the system didn't want there. doctor who's original producer, verity lambert, was the first woman ever to produce a show for the bbc-and she was young, and jewish, and the target of so many gross rumors as to how she got the job. the show's first director, waris hussein, was a gay indian. its creator, sydney newman, was a lower-class canadian jew who was deliberately brought in to challenge the established ways of thinking at the corporation, much to the irritation of all the old guard. in later eras the show was the provence of a buddhist environmentalist and a literal card-carrying member of the uk communist party. one late-'80s script editor was quoted that his creative goals for doctor who was to use the show to bring down thatcher. meanwhile, russell t davies is a militant anarcho-humanist gay activist who has talked about his work as "positive propaganda" that serves to generate public empathy for the marginalized and unmask contemporary systems of oppression. so davies was right there in spirit with doctor who's origins and historical struggles to get made-and it's far from a stretch to suggest a parallel between his high concept of a time war, and his opinions about the hows and whys and whos of the show's cancelation and subsequent "wilderness era." keeping in mind that daleks are literally space nazis, and therefore a stand-in for all reactionary social forces, policies, and individuals-while the doctor stands for revolution, acceptance, compassion, curiosity. ... all of which is to say, the time war is a phenomenon of the new series and sort of a mythologizing of the show's systemic struggles and cancelation by the same conservative forces it was created in attempt to undermine. and so when we're talking about the classic series, the "time war" isn't a thing yet (although several classic-series beats have since been retconned as early actions in what would later be the war). the doctor originally found his ancient, decommissioned tardis in a junkyard, shortly before the start of the show in 1963-and it's in that first serial (minor classic spoilers) that the ship gets stuck in the shape of a police box, much to the doctor's surprise and concern. they (and we) learn much more about the nature of the ship as the show goes on, and their personal relationship with it/her only grows and grows over the centuries they're together. when the doctor talks about their tardis being the most magnificent ship in the universe, that's where they're coming from. their tardis is the best, in the same way one's spouse is the most beautiful person on earth. yes, it is mysterious and powerful, and in theory it should be the only tardis left, but it's basically the ford model t of tardises, you know? by time lord standards it's a dangerously broken pile of junk that shouldn't even be used anymore. and yet, it's the doctor's own ship-a living creature whom they've gotten to know and love over centuries. she's the most important thing in the doctor's life, and they would be lost-couldn't even really be The Doctor-without her.

[@R.senals_Arsenal]

Well said. And a thumb in the eye of all those antiwoke people now who claim the show was never political before (insert made-up date here). 😅 That said, I wouldn't call where the Doctor found his TARDIS "a junkyard" it was, per the 4th Doc to Adric, in for repairs on Gallifrey when he borrowed it, and we see this borrowing later in a flashback that we shouldn't spoil, and it doesn't look junkie at all. Susan and The Doctor mention other voyages they took to Ian and Barbara before they met in the first episode of the Classic Series, so given the 2nd episode surprise that it hadn't changed, we can assume it was changing shape for them up until then.

[@IsiahBradley]

THANKS!!!! Boy, what am I gonna do when you....oh, yeah, right, you got 80+ episodes left!!!! LOL!!!!! And Rekkai, you *know* they're not wrong! I'm glad a new "TV" star like you can admit that!!! LMAO!!!! And Syntell, continue to point out those production goofs!!!!

[@Syntell]

It's a marathon 😂

[@JackBarrugon]

They mention the street name 'Florizel Street' here. This was the original title of Britain's most popular soap opera, Coronation Street. I guess it's a Coronation in-joke. The writer of this episode, Mark Gatiss, is really well versed in TV history... which may well come up again... Incidentally, the name was changed from 'Florizel' because the network head said it sounded like a disinfectant. He may well have been right.

[@simongiles9749]

Not to mention the phrases "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin" and "Goodnight children, everywhere" come from a long-running radio and then TV programme called Listen (later Watch) With Mother.

[@HuntingViolets]

Rose didn't even get to see Elvis! Would be nice to see one of their fun jaunts where they don't run into any monsters. ;)

[@channyh.221B]

The Doctor: "It's never too late," as a wise person once said. Kylie, I think. Actress Kylie Minogue, even though being only 5 feet tall, can sing a tune (it's never too late is a song of hers) one of biggest hit is 'can't get you out of my head'. I might advise you to look it up to get the giste, preferably look up her live version on the live brit awards in 2002 and maybe you 'can't get her out of your head' and that would be a good thing one day, I assure you.

[@kyrauniversal]

I heard her music before. A great performer.

[@Rondaa1]

The TARDIS goes where the trouble is not where the Doctor wants to go!

[@simongiles9749]

Queen Elizabeth II absolutely should have an IMDB page - she's starred alongside both James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Paddington (Ben Whishaw).

[@Syntell]

The Queen got credits 😂🤣

[@IsiahBradley]

P.S. To Syntell and Rakkai: Not a spoiler but a comment on form: we're now in what some fans will feel is a pattern with the RTD (Russell T. Davies) era; some uneven episodes after the midpoint (but filled with satire and parody--wait 'till you see the episode this season that pokes gentle fun at "Doctor Who" fandom itself! :)) so both show and audience can prepare for the explosions of the season finales!! That definitely is the pattern of Seasons 2, 3 and 4, and you two will love it! P.P.S. I'll leave this to the hardcore, but I thought the only thing wrong with the TARDIS was a busted chameleon circuit, which is why it's stuck in the British police box shape. As to when he stole it and under what context, dunno.

[@Syntell]

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing that.

[@R.senals_Arsenal]

The theft of the TARDIS and what it was in the shop for have never fully been delved into. The Doctor and Susan talk about many adventures together before they came to Earth and met Ian and Barbara, and the Chameleon circuit seemed to break, or to be 1st noticed as broken, in just episode 2 of the classic series. In expanded media it is discovered that the technician, called a Quadrigger, who was fixing it was still on board when they left! In that Quadrigger's toolbox the 1st Doctor takes the sonic screwdriver, thinking it might be useful.

[@IsiahBradley]

@@R.senals_Arsenal WOW! THANKS!

[@SoTOreo]

@@R.senals_Arsenal and then there was the doctors attempt to fix the chameleon circuit.... that didnt go well. i guess maybe they had a little extra budget that season since the idea of the chameleon circuit was just a convenient way to explain why it is a police box and never blends in. Cause that would cost money vs making 1 prop

[@bbferreira78]

Just some trivia Grandma Connolly is played by Margaret John, who plays Old Nan on Game of Thrones, the one with the famous line “Oh, my sweet summer child, what do you know of fear?"

[@Stuart_Cox1969]

When Dr Who started in the 1960's it averaged 8 million viewers every week.

[@Syntell]

Wow, really. Now that's impressive.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@Syntell That would get you canceled on one of the big three American television networks in the 2007 (although on smaller ones, that would be a hit in the same time period). _Moonlight,_ a show about a vampire detective, got canceled in 2008 at almost that many regular viewers. This show featured Sophia Myles (Mme. de Pompadour to you) as a reporter and the love interest. (Yes, another immortal for her.)

[@SoTOreo]

and when a woman took over it dropped to 4 million a week. stiff performance or bad writing im not sure which. i tried to be open minded but Jodi was the only doctor ive seen that didnt grow into the role fast. like david tennant was asleep 80% of his 1st episode but once he was on screen he embodied the doctor right away.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@SoTOreo Really shouldn't be discussing future Doctors, I think? Aren't they trying to stay away from that till they get there? Also, I think we should allow them to get there and make up their own minds.

[@cryptozoomauler5505]

Out of a total population of 53,508,514 in 1963. So that's pretty good.

[@ajivins1]

As I read once 'The Colonel' was wanted in connection with a murder where he originally came from so wouldn't let Elvis out of his sight but could not leave the States in case another country had an extradition policy with his place of origin.

[@tnx301]

Since you mention it in your discussion: The Doctor ends up in London so often, it is almost like he was part of a British TV show. Kidding aside, you mentioned Italy and New York: The Doctor will go places eventually. But don't you remember that he already was in New New New New .... York ?

[@phtevenj]

The anger of the Doctor is a long time coming, BUT once hes there.... shoooo

[@MrTrevcarter]

You guys will eventually find out that the TARDIS has problems with getting to the Big Apple ; )

[@Syntell]

Oh really???

[@bonniekeyworth3123]

We'l, if he wasn't focusingtooo much about what he was projecting onto the psychic pape, "Your Majesty" may just be his title. In the original series, he was ruler of his home planet more than once, although he kept getting out of his duties. He only ever claimed the title when he needed to help his people. The fourth doctor had a great 4 parter where he acted like the bad guy for a couple of episodes taking over his home planet.

[@simongiles9749]

The security guard thought he was the King of Belgium for some reason.

[@thew5262]

Fun fact: the boy who plays Tommy has his own KZbin channel now where he talks about football (soccer) that has 287,000 subscribers, although many people think he’s still acting because he has terrible opinions within the sport 😂

[@fayesouthall6604]

What team does he support?

[@thew5262]

@@fayesouthall6604 Chelsea

[@Syntell]

Alright, that's pretty funny 🤣😂

[@thew5262]

@@fayesouthall6604 Chelsea FC

[@frerproductions8710]

Chelsea@@fayesouthall6604

[@t123a698]

And everybody has forgotten about Mickey in less than one episode, including Rose and the Doctor.

[@t123a698]

15:00 I wonder if Crowley learned this trick from watching DoctorWho, or if the Doctor learned it from reading GoodOmens! Or maybe he watched the show. I guess the Tardis can stream AmazonPrime Video from the future, or the past.

[@CrassMufumbu]

If you haven't seen it directors cut of Little Shop of Horrors is excellent.

[@josefschiltz2192]

There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: There is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to . . .

[@cryptozoomauler5505]

The Outer Limits.

[@josefschiltz2192]

@@cryptozoomauler5505 This is the nearest that Doctor Who has got to Outer Limits or - of course - poor Magpie entered The Twilight Zone and didn't live to tell the tale.

[@HuntingViolets]

I don't really like the term "filler episodes." I think there are standalone episodes, which are often better than some of the episodes that are part of an arc. How effective an individual episode is is another matter. I personally would love it if they would have episodes that deal with character stories without an alien threat every time. I'd like to travel back in time and have a focus on that without an alien threat sometimes. It would be interesting. Not that I don't love the show as it is.

[@simongiles9749]

I agree with "filler", and it felt to me when the later seasons redu Ed the number of episodes from 13 to 12 and then 10 per season that a lot of the character development was lost. As for pure historicals, most of the First Doctor stories were pure history and no aliens, as was the Fifth Doctor story The Black Orchid.

[@jankyteeth6213]

This was a weird/meh episode, storytelling perspective but scare factor was top notch. The wire frightened me as a kid.

[@ellyh7768]

The tardis is alive and can see all of time at once not as a linear sequence. Timey wimey. It takes the doctor where he's needs to go, not where he wants. The episode The Doctor's Wife explains this well but that's not till series 6.

[@andrewroberts299]

In the UK the BBC had the monopoly of controlling the radio air waves and television up until 1955, when the ITV (Independent Television) company started up as a rival. ITV was the first commercial company that made their own television programmes from the revenue made from charging companies to advertise their products on their channel. The BBC was (and still is) able to make their own programmes (like Doctor Who) from revenue made from charging each person in the UK a yearly TV licence fee if they own a television set in their property. The current yearly cost is £155 (around $200) and because that money finances their programme making, they don’t have to show adverts before, during and after each television show. The only way you can avoid paying for a TV licence is if you don’t watch terrestrial channels (like the BBC, ITV and others) as their programmes are going out “live” (as you are watching them.) Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ etc are OK to watch because their shows and films are not transmitted live. Paying for a TV licence when you don’t watch live shows has been a big bone of contention for people in the UK for years, and doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.

[@jollyrayda]

Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth herself served as a driver and mechanic during WWII - *every* woman contributed where they could.

[@ripleyjlawman.3162]

The Psychic Paper told the guy that the Doctor was the King of Belgium, so foreign royalty come to celebrate the coronation.

[@technofilejr3401]

9:41 A lot of us Americans fawn over British culture. But this man’s pathetic obsession with his supposed “position” is something I just shake my head at. He is living in a regular house on a regular street but putting on airs.

[@space1999]

Hey! You didn't release part 2 of the cyberman story!!? I wanted 2 see your reaction to mickey leaving...

[@Syntell]

It's out, we swapped around ep 5 and 6

[@space1999]

@Syntell aha I see! Brilliant!

[@elektrasgf]

ready for the wire🤭

[@fayesouthall6604]

I’m the Wire and I’m hungry 😂😂

[@bearinokc1047]

There are three episodes of season two that I don't care for. This one is the one I dislike the least. The next two partner is pretty great.

[@joshuajoshua2732]

I don't want want to get into spoiler territory for you guys too much but I just have to point out one of those commenters is not correct, The Doctor had stolen his TARDIS long, long before he was involved in fighting in the Time War, the Time War took place off-screen between the classic series and new who he originally stolen the TARDIS because he was bored on his home planet and just wanted to go on adventures and explore the universe his home planet was alive and well and was very pre-war during the classic series his TARDIS was never reliable where it takes the Doctor that's all I'll say on it.

[@SoTOreo]

doctor who retcons its own history a lot. a show running this long kinda has to because you make rules or statements that lock you into something not thinking "oh well 40 years from now we might wanna do X" i dont think its exactly a spoiler to say this but since i imagine you wont dive into classic who because its not great on views (very unpopular with the younger crowd, and tons of missing episodes) the time war isnt a classic who thing. i THINK the time war was just added for the sake of drama to the doctors past and maybe even budgetary reasons to never have to deal with them. so its something that happened after classic who and before nu who. maybe also to add a sense of mystery back to the character for old fans.

[@cryptozoomauler5505]

He does eventually get the TARDIS to take him to the U.S., Italy, and Australia (though not in Australia nearly long enough). But yes, the TARDIS is taking him where he needs to be, not where he wants to be. The Doctor doesn't consciously acknowledge this YET (but will), but subconsciously, I think he knows.

[@HuntingViolets]

A lot of women didn't have much choice after WWII; often they were let go and their jobs given back to the men.

[@DarkElfPaladin]

This is one of the weaker episodes of the whole show for me. I'll usually skip it in rewatches. It has some interesting ideas but the pacing feels kinda slow and the mystery is not as interesting to me. Plus all the screaming is a little annoying.

[@boombam5214]

This one is usually a skip for me as well, but it was a lot more interesting to watch with their commentary.

[@jb2839]

❤

[@MarkWardReacts]

It absolutely IS filler to me. My least favourite episode of the series.

[@roborob4296]

usually when i watch reactors i skip this episode because i find it pretty awful.... and then theres 2 even worse than this coming up so yea some stinkers in this season for sure.