Wow, now this was a surprise. Series 8 is definitely very up-and down like previous series, but "Listen" is a triumph from beginning to end.
First of all, "Listen" legitimately scared me, which is something NuWho does not do very often. In fact, I think "Listen" ranks very close to "Midnight" in terms of scariness. I was very happy that the monster was not revealed, because the best fear is the fear of the unknown.
What's even more surprising is that "Listen" was written by Steven Moffat who usually writes scripts that are either too clever for their own good or lack substance to fill the full forty-five minutes. "Listen" is clever for sure, but at the same time it is self-contained and is very focused.
"Listen" is an instant classic. There is tension and suspense throughout and the overall tone is dark and unnerving. What's great is that unlike a lot of episodes, "Listen" takes itself seriously all the way through and there are no silly scenes that leave the audience cringing like in the previous episode, "Robot of Sherwood".
In typical Moffat fashion, there is a massive twist at the end of the episode, but it all makes sense and it doesn't just seem like it's there for the sake of it. Moffat seems to have really thought this episode out, and it is executed perfectly. Capaldi gives a very chilling performance, and this is supported by Coleman and Anderson's performances.
First of all, "Listen" legitimately scared me, which is something NuWho does not do very often. In fact, I think "Listen" ranks very close to "Midnight" in terms of scariness. I was very happy that the monster was not revealed, because the best fear is the fear of the unknown.
What's even more surprising is that "Listen" was written by Steven Moffat who usually writes scripts that are either too clever for their own good or lack substance to fill the full forty-five minutes. "Listen" is clever for sure, but at the same time it is self-contained and is very focused.
"Listen" is an instant classic. There is tension and suspense throughout and the overall tone is dark and unnerving. What's great is that unlike a lot of episodes, "Listen" takes itself seriously all the way through and there are no silly scenes that leave the audience cringing like in the previous episode, "Robot of Sherwood".
In typical Moffat fashion, there is a massive twist at the end of the episode, but it all makes sense and it doesn't just seem like it's there for the sake of it. Moffat seems to have really thought this episode out, and it is executed perfectly. Capaldi gives a very chilling performance, and this is supported by Coleman and Anderson's performances.