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Doc heads to Diagon Alley to investigate a pain-in-the-neck countdown and loses yet another companion in the process

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Clara has been amazing, saved the Doctor from having to marry a giant plant thing, and made a mysterious decision, basically perfected the whole companion role, she’s royally bossing it, when she gets a call from a concerned Rigsy, who’s been lumbered with an unwanted countdown tattoo.

Our old young friend Local Knowledge has moved to London and become a family man, but rather too trustingly obeyed an anonymous text summons at 6 am to a decidedly unremarkable part of a London street which he somehow found immediately, because how could he have failed to recognise it?

At his feet falls a Janus, who looked human even outside the trap street without the Lurkworms shedding their perception filtering light. Only the Janus’s Zaphod Beeblebrox daughter disguised as a son to stop the whole street adoring her like her mother… fuck it, this makes zero sense. But I’m sure it’ll all work out fine.

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Here's what we think of N127 Face The Raven

We rate Doctor Who stories on a scale from 0.0 to 5.0. For context, very few are excellent enough to merit a 5.0 in our minds, and we'd take a 0.0 Doctor Who story over a lot of other, non-Whovian stuff out there.

Leon | @ponken

4.3

Drew | @drewbackwhen

2.3

Jim | @jimmythewho

4.7

Featuring
The Twelfth Doctor
Clara Oswald
Ashildr aka Me
Cybermen
Janus
Judoon
Lugal-Irra-Kush
Lurkworms
Ood
Quantum Shade
Sontarans
Here's what we think of N127 Face The Raven

We rate Doctor Who stories on a scale from 0.0 to 5.0. For context, very few are excellent enough to merit a 5.0 in our minds, and we'd take a 0.0 Doctor Who story over a lot of other, non-Whovian stuff out there.

Leon | @ponken

4.3

Drew | @drewbackwhen

2.3

Jim | @jimmythewho

4.7

Here's what you think 4 Responses to “N127 Face The Raven”
  1. Awesome Alfie

    Ah face the raven. It was not great but it was kinda enjoyable. I don’t like to see that girl from the woman who lived because she is annoying. However it was nice to see an ood with what could possibly be cyber brigadier. It was kinda sad to see Clara die but she still takes the long way around which will make sense by the end of the season.

    I give it a 3

    From the raven looking (sorry couldn’t think of anything good) awesome Alfie

    December 13, 2020 at 7:15 pm
    Reply
  2. Edd Such | @eddsutch / @dwimpossblog

    Hey Who Back When!

    Long time, no review!

    I really like this one. I liked Rigsy in Flatline, and having him back feels quite organic and Me/Ashildr is much better here than she is in The Woman Who Lived. I really like the idea of the Trap Street sheltering alien fugitives and love the moments where the aliens briefly show their faces – it’s a wonderful reminder of the wider universe of Doctor Who.

    My main praise has to go on one scene, though, and that is the scene with the Doctor, Clara, Rigsy and Ashildir, where the Doctor and Ashildir discover that Clara now has the chronolock rather than Rigsy. Everybody is on their A-game here, but especially Capaldi as he processes the fact that there’s nothing they can do to stop Clara’s death. This leads to one of the few moments I’ve ever been afraid of the Doctor – “The Doctor is no longer here. You are stuck with me!”

    We were so lucky to have Capaldi play the Doctor.

    4.5 Ravens of Death out of 5.

    Hope you’re all well and keeping safe!

    Edd

    December 13, 2020 at 7:15 pm
    Reply
  3. Michael Ridgway | @bad_movie_club

    Likes:

    • A sneaky hidden street and alien refugee camp, full of potential…which misfires spectacularly.

    Beefs:

    • I get that an Ood, a persecuted race, might be a refugee, but what the blazers is a Cyberman and Sontaran doing there? “Do you think Cybermen fear a merciful death?” Erm, no, – they don’t have friggin’ emotions! I hate to go all Daily Mail but on what grounds would a Cyberman and Sontaran ever be granted asylum?
    • Interesting that the street has an extra layer of security making everyone look human, but why doesn’t it work properly? Why doesn’t it even remotely work on the two-headed aliens?
    • The Dickensian street and ‘alien’ street hawkers look really…cheap. Maybe they blew the budget on having the awesome Maisie Williams, which would be great if…
    • …her character wasn’t soooo irritating. “Who’s Ashildr?” For gods sake!
    • Why didn’t Ashildr just use her heavies to stick the teleporter on the Doctor? Why the dumb plan faking someone’s death?
    • On the subject of stupid plans, Clara’s death – SO pointless! Her hair-brained scheme to transfer the tattoo to “buy some time” – buy what time? It’s the same countdown! Clara sacrificing herself for the Doctor would have fit nicely with the Impossible Girl thingy, but Rigsy! Really? WHO!? We’re about to get a companion death in Classic Who, of a somewhat more divisive character, but executed poignantly. It’s a genuine sacrifice, and permanent – whereas I recall Clara returns as a zombie or something, so even her crap death is completely undermined.
    • Why does the Raven take sooo long to get to her? It’s one crappy street! Is it doing a few laps first? For a far more convincing raven performance, seek out the stuffed raven in Seventh Doctor Story Ghost Light.

    Summary: Akharten and Forest of the Shite, I’m so sorry. All is forgiven. I love you Clara. You deserved better (sniff).

    Rating: 0.5/5 Cybermen and Sontarans taking advantage of the UK Asylum system.

    December 13, 2020 at 7:15 pm
    Reply
  4. Eddie Rock | @TheEddieRock

    Hey WhoBackWhen, this episode has managed to course correct from that last train wreck of an experience with a fantastic installment. Local Knowledge blacks out and wakes up with a neck tattoo, something we can all relate to, except this one happens to be Drew’s favorite trope of a countdown. This one is full of returns, including: Rigsy, Me and The Doctors emotional support note cards, not to mention a slew of past baddies. However, Clara’s recklessness has finally caught up with her. Quote the raven, Clara is nevermore

    Coleman gives a stellar performance in what is ultimately her swan song. All season she has been teetering on the edge of being too clever for her own good and this time it finally comes back to bite her. She learns the hard lesson that as much as she wishes she could be the man she idolizes, she isn’t and it costs her her life. Capaldi is brilliant when faced with the death of a beloved companion and produces a heart wrenching and threatening performance

    The mystery aspect of the episode is well done, as is the concept of an alien refugee trap street. The Doctor even manages to “lose” to his foe as he’s teleported away following losing his closest ally. All this adds up to an emotional and gritty episode that left many fans shocked and intrigued. Overall, I give this episode a 4.2 out of 5 creepy two-faced alien creatures.

    See you next time. Till then, Rock on

    -Eddie Rock

    December 13, 2020 at 7:16 pm
    Reply

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