This episode totally hit the spot, I like the whole concept of a two parter shown 'after and before' as it were. I am a big fan of Toby Whitehouse's writing, he's given us some great Who episodes, but also BBC2 Spy thriller 'The Game.' I loved the prompt cards Clara had for the Doctor, Capaldi was truly back on top form, back to his matter of fact ways. I think this featured one of my all time favourite lines, 'whatever song I heard first thing in the morning I was stuck, 2 weeks of Mysterious girl by Peter Andre, I was begging for the brush of Death's Merciful hand,' genius!! Much more old school feel to this one, underwater base under siege a la Fury from the Deep or Warriors of the Deep, but the format has worked beautifully well in the past, and continued to work brilliantly here too. There was more atmosphere in this episode then you can shake a stick at, it was superbly lit, and Murray Gold's score was the best and most original one I'd heard for ages, loved it. It boasted some genuinely tense and scary moments. Plaudits for the story, it was a really interesting one, and also great to see deaf actress Sophie Stone too. Big fan of Arsher Ali, always great to see him, he's a terrific actor. The furniture enthusiast will notice the recent love for Vitra chairs, this week we had a cool Orange Eames chair, last week Skaro's sole chair was a Panton. (I need to get out more!) Loved it. 9/10
20 Reviews
Doctor who vs The Rugby world cup
peterantrobus10 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
If I read one more post from a fan that's having dark thoughts because of poor viewing figures I'm going to bail. Can we not all just watch and enjoy a show without worrying what's going down in the future.
The best episode since Flatline, we are given a mystery, a new villain, an original base team. As it's a two part story there'll be time to develop the characters.
A well known source has a petition for the use of the sonic sunglasses, I ask you. Maybe I've not got enough time on my hands.
It's true that Doctor Who allows for almost anything, all I ask for is that it be original.
PS I don't like rugby.
The best episode since Flatline, we are given a mystery, a new villain, an original base team. As it's a two part story there'll be time to develop the characters.
A well known source has a petition for the use of the sonic sunglasses, I ask you. Maybe I've not got enough time on my hands.
It's true that Doctor Who allows for almost anything, all I ask for is that it be original.
PS I don't like rugby.
Reservoir of Hate...
Xstal29 December 2021
The TARDIS wasn't keen to go, under the lake with its ebbs and flow. A watery grave, a submerged host, with spectral like forms that shimmer like ghosts. But it's nice to have stories reminiscent of old, with tension, unease, as the tale unfolds. On the edge of your seat as the climax arrives, hope sinks away fast, as a new spirit dives.
Old School Should Be The Main School
Theo Robertson4 October 2015
DOCTOR WHO has the most flexible format in television . A protagonist who can travel anywhere in time and space means you might be watching a historical drama and the next week an ambitious science fiction epic . The Hartnell years was very good at doing this . As the show progressed in to the Troughton era producers Innes Lloyd and Peter Bryant abandoned the historical stories and in their place came the base under siege / horror type stories and for about ten years this is what the show infamously becoming the show that "Sent children hiding behind the sofa. With producer Philip Hinchcliffe and script editor Robert Holmes in the mid 1970s they pushed the boundaries of the show which received great viewing figures but unfortunately so many complaints from concerned parents that Hinchcliffe was asked to move on and his replacement Graham Williams was ordered by the BBC that the horror element of the show was no longer allowed and from 1977 to the show's ultimate cancellation in 1989 any overtly scary story was conspicuous by its rarity . In short most of the masterworks from 1963-89 such as The Web Of Fear , Inferno , Pyramids Of Mars etc and its this type of genre the show has been remembered for
Under The Lake continues this noble tradition . An alien spaceship is found under a Scottish loch in the 22nd Century and as things take a bad turn the Tardis lands at this crucial moment as both the Doctor and the television audience are exposed to the plot . There's not a lot of originality but this doesn't matter in the slightest , there's no self referential continuity involving stories from 30 years ago and all the audience are asked to do is dim the lights , sit back and be enthralled by the on screen events
On its own terms there are a couple of flaws to the episode . Being a grumpy fan in early middle age I did think there was maybe a little bit too much running up and down corridors . It's a two part story therefore concentrate on atmosphere and characterisation rather than incident . It's also very noticeable that the Doctor and Clara are entirely different characters from those written and portrayed in the previous story . One constant irritant of Capaldi's Doctor is that the writing frequently shoehorns his character in to the environment of the story instead on trying to bring a consistent fundamental character to this Doctor . One also hopes that unlike Kill The Moon from last season the production team don't blow the resolution by a ridiculous plot turn . When all is said and done so far this is very much an enjoyable and tense 45 minutes of DOCTOR WHO
Under The Lake continues this noble tradition . An alien spaceship is found under a Scottish loch in the 22nd Century and as things take a bad turn the Tardis lands at this crucial moment as both the Doctor and the television audience are exposed to the plot . There's not a lot of originality but this doesn't matter in the slightest , there's no self referential continuity involving stories from 30 years ago and all the audience are asked to do is dim the lights , sit back and be enthralled by the on screen events
On its own terms there are a couple of flaws to the episode . Being a grumpy fan in early middle age I did think there was maybe a little bit too much running up and down corridors . It's a two part story therefore concentrate on atmosphere and characterisation rather than incident . It's also very noticeable that the Doctor and Clara are entirely different characters from those written and portrayed in the previous story . One constant irritant of Capaldi's Doctor is that the writing frequently shoehorns his character in to the environment of the story instead on trying to bring a consistent fundamental character to this Doctor . One also hopes that unlike Kill The Moon from last season the production team don't blow the resolution by a ridiculous plot turn . When all is said and done so far this is very much an enjoyable and tense 45 minutes of DOCTOR WHO
Under the Lake is packed with atmosphere and old school thrills
ryanjmorris3 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
We can get the gripes out of the way first. Again, much like The Magician's Apprentice, this episode makes use of a cliffhanger involving the "death" of one of the show's lead characters. Whilst the series opener left Clara's fate "in the balance", Under the Lake tells us that the Doctor will die at some point next week and uses it as the episode's big jaw dropping conclusion. It works well for an initial shock, that sight of the ghost Doctor floating towards Clara in the murky lake won't be leaving my mind any time soon, but there's no real weight to it. We know the Doctor won't die, so why leave it as the supposed cliffhanger? Although, part of me does disagree with that criticism. It's a cliffhanger that, while obviously a narrative trick, does set up a hell of a lot of fun with the whole "How did he do it?" thing for next week's episode. It's fun, but it's cheap. The Doctor will not die next week. Clara will also not die on the base along with Cass and Lunn. But Doctor Who isn't just about end games, it's also about the bits in between. As long as next week's Before the Flood makes the story work and finds a genuine reason for the Doctor to "die", I will heartily take back this criticism.
But it says a lot about my feelings for Under the Lake that I'm debating myself as to whether my one real issue with the episode is actually an issue. This was a fantastic outing for the show, and one that proves how good Doctor Who can still be when it isn't being explosive and game changing, but simply tells a compelling sci-fi/horror story. Unlike a lot of part ones, Under the Lake never feels short on narrative supply. Act one perfectly introduces us to the characters and the situation, act two ramps up the action while allowing us to learn more about the ghosts and their history, and the third act brings everything to an intense conclusion whilst still furthering the narrative. While other part ones can feel as if they're telling twenty minutes of story across a 45 minute time frame, Whithouse packed this episode with exciting plot developments, but holds enough back to allow us to head into Before the Flood with a genuine sense of mystery. It's one of the most effective narrative setups for a two-parter this show has done in a very long time.
Under the Lake is also home to some refreshing and, really, stunning cinematography and visual design from the offset. It's clear that the show has been granted a bigger budget this year by the quality of the special effects alone. The ghosts are superbly realised, while other monsters can be weakened by their bad visual design (I'm looking at you, Mr Lazarus) these ghosts are a simple and scary sight to behold. Doctor Who's knack for running down corridors also flourished tonight, but was strengthened by some pretty impressive set design. The bluey-green tinge that floods the frame during daylight gives the episode a unique visual flare, while the darker, orangey-brown lighting creates a perfect sense of dread when the episode heads into nighttime. Director Daniel O'Hara has real fun with making the wonderful sets and lighting he's been given into something genuinely unsettling, and he frames the episode accordingly. The corridors are mostly staged with the camera dead central, creating an eerily symmetrical feel to the underwater base, while leaving darkened windows and looming shadows on the outskirts and in the background. As my eyes darted around the frame in suspense, I couldn't help but think this was the show's most visually impressive episode since Listen.
Under the Lake works wonders for this show, especially coming directly after that Earth-shattering series opener. It proves that Doctor Who doesn't always have to go big to do well. This is a premise that could fit in any series of the show, from William Hartnell through to Peter Capaldi the whole "ghosts in an underwater base" could work for anyone, and it's told accordingly. But it's the relationship between the Doctor and Clara that mean the actual episode feels appropriately placed here and now. Clara's over excitement to do something dangerous concerns the Doctor, and it's nice to see this. After his sometimes annoyingly stern approach to the character last year, Capaldi can now feel slightly more human, while still retaining his typical alien-ness. The cue cards for when he doesn't know how to empathise with people were a great touch, and arguably the episode's funniest moment. If Before the Flood, which is partially set a few hundred years before this episode, can keep this atmosphere and momentum rolling - which I wholeheartedly believe it can - then I might start believing that this could be the show's best series yet.
But it says a lot about my feelings for Under the Lake that I'm debating myself as to whether my one real issue with the episode is actually an issue. This was a fantastic outing for the show, and one that proves how good Doctor Who can still be when it isn't being explosive and game changing, but simply tells a compelling sci-fi/horror story. Unlike a lot of part ones, Under the Lake never feels short on narrative supply. Act one perfectly introduces us to the characters and the situation, act two ramps up the action while allowing us to learn more about the ghosts and their history, and the third act brings everything to an intense conclusion whilst still furthering the narrative. While other part ones can feel as if they're telling twenty minutes of story across a 45 minute time frame, Whithouse packed this episode with exciting plot developments, but holds enough back to allow us to head into Before the Flood with a genuine sense of mystery. It's one of the most effective narrative setups for a two-parter this show has done in a very long time.
Under the Lake is also home to some refreshing and, really, stunning cinematography and visual design from the offset. It's clear that the show has been granted a bigger budget this year by the quality of the special effects alone. The ghosts are superbly realised, while other monsters can be weakened by their bad visual design (I'm looking at you, Mr Lazarus) these ghosts are a simple and scary sight to behold. Doctor Who's knack for running down corridors also flourished tonight, but was strengthened by some pretty impressive set design. The bluey-green tinge that floods the frame during daylight gives the episode a unique visual flare, while the darker, orangey-brown lighting creates a perfect sense of dread when the episode heads into nighttime. Director Daniel O'Hara has real fun with making the wonderful sets and lighting he's been given into something genuinely unsettling, and he frames the episode accordingly. The corridors are mostly staged with the camera dead central, creating an eerily symmetrical feel to the underwater base, while leaving darkened windows and looming shadows on the outskirts and in the background. As my eyes darted around the frame in suspense, I couldn't help but think this was the show's most visually impressive episode since Listen.
Under the Lake works wonders for this show, especially coming directly after that Earth-shattering series opener. It proves that Doctor Who doesn't always have to go big to do well. This is a premise that could fit in any series of the show, from William Hartnell through to Peter Capaldi the whole "ghosts in an underwater base" could work for anyone, and it's told accordingly. But it's the relationship between the Doctor and Clara that mean the actual episode feels appropriately placed here and now. Clara's over excitement to do something dangerous concerns the Doctor, and it's nice to see this. After his sometimes annoyingly stern approach to the character last year, Capaldi can now feel slightly more human, while still retaining his typical alien-ness. The cue cards for when he doesn't know how to empathise with people were a great touch, and arguably the episode's funniest moment. If Before the Flood, which is partially set a few hundred years before this episode, can keep this atmosphere and momentum rolling - which I wholeheartedly believe it can - then I might start believing that this could be the show's best series yet.
"New Who" as it should be...
eggy-7736421 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
We haven't seen these things in a long time on New Who:
If Moffat (who certainly has his merits) ever tires of "Dr. Who", please let Toby Whithouse continue - he's excellent!
- a classical "under siege" story with interesting and genuinely mysterious and scary twists - all characters are sympathetic (even the company guy isn't played out as a complete dick head) and act thoughtfully and believable - the characters don't freak out over finding the spaceship (because they live on Earth in the year 2100, after probably 1057 alien invasions in the direct past, and many more in the distant past) - the deaf mute character is not there to prove some moral or "emotional" point or to be a gimmicky character, she is just a normal member of the crew and is treated like that throughout the show - the Doctor does act eccentric, but not over the top, choosing his words carefully and interacting with the other characters in a believable way (actually Capaldi really reminded me of Tom Baker here, and I mean in a good way!) - there is running through corridors, granted - but the usual jump-cut style that looks like in a cartoon for 4-year olds and that is so prominent in new "Who" is not used, instead one actually gets a sense of the layout of the submerged station - no silly music. No cheap laughs. - creepy situations that are not exaggerated so they are not creepy anymore, and humour in places where you don't expect it - well-written dialogue that makes everybody seem like they are adults.
If Moffat (who certainly has his merits) ever tires of "Dr. Who", please let Toby Whithouse continue - he's excellent!
WOW. What an episode!!!
callumtrevitt3 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Hey - so it has a few *similar* (yet different) moments.. But this is an original story. It's scary, tense - and the characters are developed really nicely here. Whithouse never fails to impress when it comes to developing everything in the story - the business 'Vector Petroleum' has backstory and detail to it (it even has a slogan). The pre-titles scene really had intrigue behind it - fast paced and brilliant. The directing was fantastic - so hats off to Daniel for that. I can't wait for next week's Doctor Who episode 'Before the Flood'... Bring it on!!
So, I have to give this episode a rating.. Which is quite an obvious one to me.. The cliffhanger really did round the episode off nicely. In conclusion, this will definitely go on to be a fan favourite - I know it is for me. 9.6/10
So, I have to give this episode a rating.. Which is quite an obvious one to me.. The cliffhanger really did round the episode off nicely. In conclusion, this will definitely go on to be a fan favourite - I know it is for me. 9.6/10
Fun Adventure with a Mystery!
brian_m_hass18 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The Doctor and Clara visit an underwater base where the inhabitants are being terrorized by ghosts. Members of the base's crew are being killed by the ghosts.
Stories featuring a crew living within a confined area (an underwater base, a spaceship, etc.) have been the subject of "Doctor Who" stories for decades. Members of the crew are often being killed by a mysterious force (perhaps a member of the crew) for unknown reasons; and, the Doctor is usually enlisted to solve the mystery.
"Doctor Who" stories of this type have proved to be consistently entertaining. Interesting characters and subplots often emerge in these stories. The claustrophobic settings and the threat within them create an atmosphere filled with paranoia and suspense.
"Under the Lake" included many suspenseful moments. Some of the chase scenes resulted in surges of adrenaline for characters and viewers alike. The story presented pieces to a puzzle which kept the viewers guessing as to what was actually going on. The cliffhanger at the end of the story was well done. Overall, "Under the Lake" was a fun adventure which is highly recommended.
Stories featuring a crew living within a confined area (an underwater base, a spaceship, etc.) have been the subject of "Doctor Who" stories for decades. Members of the crew are often being killed by a mysterious force (perhaps a member of the crew) for unknown reasons; and, the Doctor is usually enlisted to solve the mystery.
"Doctor Who" stories of this type have proved to be consistently entertaining. Interesting characters and subplots often emerge in these stories. The claustrophobic settings and the threat within them create an atmosphere filled with paranoia and suspense.
"Under the Lake" included many suspenseful moments. Some of the chase scenes resulted in surges of adrenaline for characters and viewers alike. The story presented pieces to a puzzle which kept the viewers guessing as to what was actually going on. The cliffhanger at the end of the story was well done. Overall, "Under the Lake" was a fun adventure which is highly recommended.
Catch the BUS to brilliance.
A_Kind_Of_CineMagic20 March 2019
OK this is 'just another base under siege story' but I LOVE base under siege stories! I feel they are the lifeblood of the show and basically epitomise what the show is, or should be, about i.e. The Doctor turns up to a dangerous situation and uses his ingenuity to save the day. There are bad base under siege stories (Sleep No More for example) but this has all the things that make them enjoyable with a different enough set of ingredients from other base under siege (BUS) stories to make it a strong one. The setting is great, the threat is interesting and menacing, the Doctor has to use his brains and the guest characters are well written and acted.
The only real criticism I have of this is that given that the TARDIS translates all language for the Doctor and his companions why is the message not translated as soon as they look at it and why do they (or at east the Doctor) not understand sign language?
Having a deaf guest character depicted so positively as an integrated, valuable, successful member of the team is great but having the Doctor, who can speak so many languages and has so much knowledge, not know sign language and not have the TARDIS translate it in their minds is an error in my book. This is compounded when he says he has discarded sign language from his memory.
My wife's mother is profoundly deaf and my wife felt quite insulted by this. The off-screen reason it happened is clear, if they did not need the interpreter to translate then we as viewers would not get the translations unless they put it all in subtitles. But I think either subtitles or a readjustment to having the Doctor understanding and repeating back verbally what the deaf character tells him would have made it all work in a more satisfying way. I still give credit for the strong representation of the deaf character but I feel the Doctor and deaf viewers were let down by the decision to have him discard sign language.
This one issue aside, the excitement, threat, action, humour, dialogue, characters, acting, sets and effects are all very good and the story is clever and interesting.
Each character has a role and is well acted plus the setting feels quite authentic. The ghostly threat is pretty creepy providing tense scenes and the Faraday cage aspect is a nice touch. The cliffhanger is dramatic too even though we know it will be reversed somehow.
This maintains the strong start to Series 9.
My Rating: 8.5/10.
Seeies 8 Episode Ranking: 7th out of 14.
The only real criticism I have of this is that given that the TARDIS translates all language for the Doctor and his companions why is the message not translated as soon as they look at it and why do they (or at east the Doctor) not understand sign language?
Having a deaf guest character depicted so positively as an integrated, valuable, successful member of the team is great but having the Doctor, who can speak so many languages and has so much knowledge, not know sign language and not have the TARDIS translate it in their minds is an error in my book. This is compounded when he says he has discarded sign language from his memory.
My wife's mother is profoundly deaf and my wife felt quite insulted by this. The off-screen reason it happened is clear, if they did not need the interpreter to translate then we as viewers would not get the translations unless they put it all in subtitles. But I think either subtitles or a readjustment to having the Doctor understanding and repeating back verbally what the deaf character tells him would have made it all work in a more satisfying way. I still give credit for the strong representation of the deaf character but I feel the Doctor and deaf viewers were let down by the decision to have him discard sign language.
This one issue aside, the excitement, threat, action, humour, dialogue, characters, acting, sets and effects are all very good and the story is clever and interesting.
Each character has a role and is well acted plus the setting feels quite authentic. The ghostly threat is pretty creepy providing tense scenes and the Faraday cage aspect is a nice touch. The cliffhanger is dramatic too even though we know it will be reversed somehow.
This maintains the strong start to Series 9.
My Rating: 8.5/10.
Seeies 8 Episode Ranking: 7th out of 14.
An excellent story that takes inspiration from Classic Who
TheDonaldofDoom4 October 2015
This is a very odd episode in so many ways. In one sense, it's a return to what made Doctor Who so good in the first place- the unknown destinations, the new monsters. But it suffered from some strange moments which slightly let it down overall.
The concept of the Doctor and his companion arriving in a base with some sort of monster on the loose isn't exactly a new idea and that's the whole point- it's a return to the style of Classic Who with its episode that were all so different from each other in terms of time, place and monsters. The excellent visuals and cinematography do a good job of giving this episode a lot of character and mystery. At once, we're introduced to the new monster (or ghost?), which is instantly memorable. The ghosts are scary, mysterious and horrifying, and the most intriguing element of this episode. It's great to see Doctor Who return to its core: the Doctor and his companion in a different location in a different time with some sort of different enemy that they have to work out how to defeat or escape.
That's all well and good, but what kind of let down the episode for me was first of all the dialogue. It was really strange and awkward in places, and it was partly due to the odd dialogue that the episode struggled to establish tension. It's hard to care much for the crew because no personality really comes out of them at all. Peter Capaldi's and acting was so-so, Clara was particularly, exaggeratedly excited at the start of the episode and the Doctor was particularly, exaggeratedly serious. Later on, in an out of place and awkwardly performed scene in the TARDIS, the Doctor starts asking Clara if she's okay? That he thinks she should be having a normal life? It's completely out of the blue and is an example of how the episode really got quite strange and clunky at points.
Thankfully, the story maintains intrigue very well as the Doctor slowly unravels the mystery. At the same time as I think the cliffhanger was silly because we all know it won't actually happen, the ways the story unravels makes me look forward to the next episode, which there's a big chance will impress just as well if not more.
The concept of the Doctor and his companion arriving in a base with some sort of monster on the loose isn't exactly a new idea and that's the whole point- it's a return to the style of Classic Who with its episode that were all so different from each other in terms of time, place and monsters. The excellent visuals and cinematography do a good job of giving this episode a lot of character and mystery. At once, we're introduced to the new monster (or ghost?), which is instantly memorable. The ghosts are scary, mysterious and horrifying, and the most intriguing element of this episode. It's great to see Doctor Who return to its core: the Doctor and his companion in a different location in a different time with some sort of different enemy that they have to work out how to defeat or escape.
That's all well and good, but what kind of let down the episode for me was first of all the dialogue. It was really strange and awkward in places, and it was partly due to the odd dialogue that the episode struggled to establish tension. It's hard to care much for the crew because no personality really comes out of them at all. Peter Capaldi's and acting was so-so, Clara was particularly, exaggeratedly excited at the start of the episode and the Doctor was particularly, exaggeratedly serious. Later on, in an out of place and awkwardly performed scene in the TARDIS, the Doctor starts asking Clara if she's okay? That he thinks she should be having a normal life? It's completely out of the blue and is an example of how the episode really got quite strange and clunky at points.
Thankfully, the story maintains intrigue very well as the Doctor slowly unravels the mystery. At the same time as I think the cliffhanger was silly because we all know it won't actually happen, the ways the story unravels makes me look forward to the next episode, which there's a big chance will impress just as well if not more.
The Ghost in the Machine
boblipton3 October 2015
I have grown a bit leery of the recent two-part stories that Doctor Who has offered us. Crackling starts have been leading up to fine cliff-hangers, but second episodes that have not lived up to the promise.
Even so, this episode, in which the Doctor and Clara jump ahead to an undersea base, only to find that the crew is being assaulted by ghosts, is a fine start. Toby Whithouse, the episode's writer, has offered the revived series a solid episode or two every year, and with the ending of his own series, BEING HUMAN, bids fair to make this the first fully satisfactory two-parter in some time. The endless series of quips and cranks that the Doctor has exhibited, seemingly in an effort to pad the stories, has been cut down to a couple of amusing bits. Instead we get to see the episode's extended cast in some detail.
Some kind words should be offered to the make-up department who have hit on a simple yet telling way to mark the ghosts with endless black eyes. Instead of admiring the special effects, we get to pay attention to the story. I am hopeful that the second episode will live up to the first.
Even so, this episode, in which the Doctor and Clara jump ahead to an undersea base, only to find that the crew is being assaulted by ghosts, is a fine start. Toby Whithouse, the episode's writer, has offered the revived series a solid episode or two every year, and with the ending of his own series, BEING HUMAN, bids fair to make this the first fully satisfactory two-parter in some time. The endless series of quips and cranks that the Doctor has exhibited, seemingly in an effort to pad the stories, has been cut down to a couple of amusing bits. Instead we get to see the episode's extended cast in some detail.
Some kind words should be offered to the make-up department who have hit on a simple yet telling way to mark the ghosts with endless black eyes. Instead of admiring the special effects, we get to pay attention to the story. I am hopeful that the second episode will live up to the first.
Ghosts in an underwater base
Tweekums4 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This, the first instalment in a two-part story, opens in an underwater base where the crew have discovered what appears to be an alien craft. The base is on the site of an old military facility that was flooded when a dam burst; the origins of the craft are unknown. As they examine the craft something happens and one of the team is killed
only to return as a ghost! Shortly afterwards The Doctor and Clara arrive in the Tardis; strangely the Tardis seems to find the location disturbing. At first the Doctor is adamant that there are no such things as ghosts but it isn't long before he changes his mind. Along with the team manning the base he works to discover the true nature of the ghosts, discover what they want and find a way to stop them killing anybody else.
This story got off to a good start; the ghosts, with their strange eyeless faces, are genuinely creepy and there is a solid mystery surrounding them... unlike many of the overused recurring adversaries like the Daleks and Cybermen. The underwater base provided a claustrophobic setting that I liked the idea of being trapped in a small base with a danger has been used many times before but it is very effective and created a good atmosphere. The people manning the base were an interesting bunch; the 'company man' interesting in profit was a bit of a cliché but I really liked the idea of having a deaf person in the group, especially when her lip reading skills proved to be useful. The ending provided a surprising cliff-hanger although it did rely on showing us a major character dead which was a bit too similar to Clara's death in the previous story we know it will be undone fairly soon. Overall though this was a fine opening part to this story; plenty of creepiness and no cheesy comedy moments. If next week's instalment is this good I'll be very happy.
This story got off to a good start; the ghosts, with their strange eyeless faces, are genuinely creepy and there is a solid mystery surrounding them... unlike many of the overused recurring adversaries like the Daleks and Cybermen. The underwater base provided a claustrophobic setting that I liked the idea of being trapped in a small base with a danger has been used many times before but it is very effective and created a good atmosphere. The people manning the base were an interesting bunch; the 'company man' interesting in profit was a bit of a cliché but I really liked the idea of having a deaf person in the group, especially when her lip reading skills proved to be useful. The ending provided a surprising cliff-hanger although it did rely on showing us a major character dead which was a bit too similar to Clara's death in the previous story we know it will be undone fairly soon. Overall though this was a fine opening part to this story; plenty of creepiness and no cheesy comedy moments. If next week's instalment is this good I'll be very happy.
While the first particularly enjoyable episode in a while, under the lake suffers from a laughable excess of Alien series references.
sebbystone14 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Don't get me wrong, the until now series 9 has finally got a pretty good episode, and the odd wry humour and sometimes scary moments make it standard quality of Doctor Who overall. The fairly good acting and nice effects help the good story and the outright beautiful set pieces. While its suffers the odd drop in tension, under the lake is (finally) a return to good Doctor Who thoroughfare. My main flaw with this episode is the laughable excess of references to the Alien movies (particularly 2 and 3). One character is a blatant rip-off of the Weyland-Yutani executive Burke from Aliens, and one scene almost feels like a parody of the 'bait and chase' scene from Alien3. This doesn't make the episode 'bad' at all, but how can I take the episode seriously if it won't take itself seriously. OK, i'm being harsh here. Under the lake has a beautiful setting (Bioshock) and good acting, but the next part needs less references to popular movies. That was what Red Dwarf was for. 7/10 - Good
Alright story, but I can't get over the bloody deaf commander
edlaurent-6546920 December 2018
Admittedly, I might be taking my irritation too far, but this episode was ruined for me by Cass, the deaf second-in-command of the underwater mining facility. I couldn't tell if the crew were miners, scouts for the , or just plain soldiers, but I'm willing to say that in any of the cases, having a deaf second-in-command for a deep sea mission is immersion breaking and illogical pandering. That is not to say there was no way to put a deaf character into the show as the role of the science geek taken by "Bennett" would've been completely appropriate. The signing didn't help her attempt at being authoritative.
The rest of it was just average. Nothing amazing, nothing particularly terrible.
The rest of it was just average. Nothing amazing, nothing particularly terrible.
Last episode was a slight disappointment and wasn't what it could have been, however yet again the BBC have got us on the edge of our seats.
Equalizer163 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This week the Doctor and Clara land in an underwater base, where the crew are begin haunted by ghosts. Doctor Who have given us many ghost stories and I fear that they're going to be average, but they all have something unique and this episode definitely is new. Also the BBC are teasing us again with a two part story which makes us crazy over the heart stopping cliff-hanger.
We return to classic Doctor Who of landing on an unknown destination then discovering a mysterious and dangerous situation. This brought Doctor Who back to the usual structure that all fans can enjoy. Also a new and interesting enemy that the writers are so good at introducing. Filled with curious mystery and excitement the Doctor does not bore us at all this week.
This episode did also take a lot of investigating and thinking into it, which started to make the episode trail off slightly but not make the story dull. And finally a simple title for the audience to understand.
I can certainly say that this story did not disappoint and only gets the blood pumping and heart racing to find out what will happen next. I give the episode a 8/10 with high anticipation for the second part.
We return to classic Doctor Who of landing on an unknown destination then discovering a mysterious and dangerous situation. This brought Doctor Who back to the usual structure that all fans can enjoy. Also a new and interesting enemy that the writers are so good at introducing. Filled with curious mystery and excitement the Doctor does not bore us at all this week.
This episode did also take a lot of investigating and thinking into it, which started to make the episode trail off slightly but not make the story dull. And finally a simple title for the audience to understand.
I can certainly say that this story did not disappoint and only gets the blood pumping and heart racing to find out what will happen next. I give the episode a 8/10 with high anticipation for the second part.
Very good story and actually quite scary.
arronodonnell3 October 2015
Excellent story, great special effects, great acting.
I find the whole plot intriguing and leads excellently into the next part.
I find the new time more suitable for this story and I hope this leads into more darker plots, unlike the Matt smith era, where it was all childish and pretty much no one died.
I definitely find this story to be the best of the series so far, compared to Steven Moffat's boring slump of a two parter before, shame he is writing like 8 stories this year.
Overall I think Toby Whitehouse wrote an excellent story.
I find the whole plot intriguing and leads excellently into the next part.
I find the new time more suitable for this story and I hope this leads into more darker plots, unlike the Matt smith era, where it was all childish and pretty much no one died.
I definitely find this story to be the best of the series so far, compared to Steven Moffat's boring slump of a two parter before, shame he is writing like 8 stories this year.
Overall I think Toby Whitehouse wrote an excellent story.
A Fantastic Doctor Who Ghost Story!
NineTenElevenTwelve20 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
It's great for us to finally get a proper ghost story. Series 7 teased the idea with Hide and, while I enjoyed that episode overall, I was let down in some areas. This episode gave us a true to form ghost story with a good ol' Doctor Who twist! Capaldi's era seems to have a strange focus with the afterlife. Could it be a subtle reference to the Doctor going past his predicted final death in The Time of the Doctor or is it just a coincidence?
Both the Doctor and Clara were on fire in this episode. It's episodes like this that show why 12 and Clara have so quickly jumped up to being my second favorite TARDIS team due to how their chemistry is so wonderfully similar to that of 10 and Donna: my favorite TARDIS team. Moffat wasn't kidding when he talked about Clara becoming reckless. One of my favorite moments was when the Doctor talked to Clara about how he was concerned with Clara's eagerness for danger and adventure. And, once again, we got a "Clara is becoming more like the Doctor" moment with the Doctor talking about how the TARDIS only has room for one of him. Speaking of the TARDIS, it's nice to finally see the interior. It's strange how we went through the first two episodes of Series 9 with only one millisecond of the interior being shown to us. I really like the slightly new design with the addition of the yellow "round things". It feels like a nice mesh between Classic Who and New Who. Anyway, back to the Doctor and Clara. One moment that made me roll with laughter was the reveal that Clara has given the Doctor flash cards with generic kind messages on them for him to read to people when he says something insensitive. But I must take note that this season appears to be starting a trend with the Doctor and Clara being separated. Come on! I want to see them together as much as possible since this is confirmed to be Clara's final season! And that cliffhanger has certainly raised some questions. I can admit that the whole "the Doctor is dead" story is starting to get a bit tiresome. But that doesn't mean I'm not interested in seeing how this particular dilemma is solved. Maybe it's not even the Doctor at all. It sure was one hell of a cliffhanger, I'll admit.
The secondary cast was also really likable. I liked the inclusion of a deaf character and having her deafness actually play a role in the story aside from adding a bit of diversity. It's nice to see deaf people getting more recognition nowadays with shows like Switched at Birth and now an episode of Doctor Who! The only character who annoyed me was Pritchard as he was pretty much the "corporation man" archetype we've seen on this show throughout the years in episodes such as Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. I did like the Doctor's comment to him about him being an idiot. The only credit I have give him is that he made a pretty damn creepy ghost.
This episode was incredibly intense and, more importantly, scary. The ghosts had an incredibly creepy and eerie presence. Their misty forms and large, empty eye sockets sent shivers down my spine. The explanation for the ghosts was rather interesting and very sci-fi with alien writing planting a signal in your subconscious that plays out so that you'll become a ghost and constantly recount the signal following your death. We already know how Moran and Pritchard died but I am very interested in learning the origins of the suited man.
I must say that this is a very interesting execution of a 2-parter with Part 2 explaining the origins to the dilemma in Part 1. The next episode should be very interesting with the Doctor, Prentis, and O'Donnell a few hundred years in the past and Clara, Cass, and Lunn dealing with the ghosts in 2119. One last thing to note is that I've really taken a liking to the sonic sunglasses. They really suit 12 and have added a few more interesting tools to his disposal such as projecting his POV view via wifi to other screens and such.
Overall, I really liked Under the Lake! It was scary, intense, had great character moments, acted as a great first part to an interesting story, and had one hell of a cliffhanger.
Both the Doctor and Clara were on fire in this episode. It's episodes like this that show why 12 and Clara have so quickly jumped up to being my second favorite TARDIS team due to how their chemistry is so wonderfully similar to that of 10 and Donna: my favorite TARDIS team. Moffat wasn't kidding when he talked about Clara becoming reckless. One of my favorite moments was when the Doctor talked to Clara about how he was concerned with Clara's eagerness for danger and adventure. And, once again, we got a "Clara is becoming more like the Doctor" moment with the Doctor talking about how the TARDIS only has room for one of him. Speaking of the TARDIS, it's nice to finally see the interior. It's strange how we went through the first two episodes of Series 9 with only one millisecond of the interior being shown to us. I really like the slightly new design with the addition of the yellow "round things". It feels like a nice mesh between Classic Who and New Who. Anyway, back to the Doctor and Clara. One moment that made me roll with laughter was the reveal that Clara has given the Doctor flash cards with generic kind messages on them for him to read to people when he says something insensitive. But I must take note that this season appears to be starting a trend with the Doctor and Clara being separated. Come on! I want to see them together as much as possible since this is confirmed to be Clara's final season! And that cliffhanger has certainly raised some questions. I can admit that the whole "the Doctor is dead" story is starting to get a bit tiresome. But that doesn't mean I'm not interested in seeing how this particular dilemma is solved. Maybe it's not even the Doctor at all. It sure was one hell of a cliffhanger, I'll admit.
The secondary cast was also really likable. I liked the inclusion of a deaf character and having her deafness actually play a role in the story aside from adding a bit of diversity. It's nice to see deaf people getting more recognition nowadays with shows like Switched at Birth and now an episode of Doctor Who! The only character who annoyed me was Pritchard as he was pretty much the "corporation man" archetype we've seen on this show throughout the years in episodes such as Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. I did like the Doctor's comment to him about him being an idiot. The only credit I have give him is that he made a pretty damn creepy ghost.
This episode was incredibly intense and, more importantly, scary. The ghosts had an incredibly creepy and eerie presence. Their misty forms and large, empty eye sockets sent shivers down my spine. The explanation for the ghosts was rather interesting and very sci-fi with alien writing planting a signal in your subconscious that plays out so that you'll become a ghost and constantly recount the signal following your death. We already know how Moran and Pritchard died but I am very interested in learning the origins of the suited man.
I must say that this is a very interesting execution of a 2-parter with Part 2 explaining the origins to the dilemma in Part 1. The next episode should be very interesting with the Doctor, Prentis, and O'Donnell a few hundred years in the past and Clara, Cass, and Lunn dealing with the ghosts in 2119. One last thing to note is that I've really taken a liking to the sonic sunglasses. They really suit 12 and have added a few more interesting tools to his disposal such as projecting his POV view via wifi to other screens and such.
Overall, I really liked Under the Lake! It was scary, intense, had great character moments, acted as a great first part to an interesting story, and had one hell of a cliffhanger.
"Ghosts" under the lake
dkiliane26 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I am not one for ghost stories, so that may bias my review. Cause they basically stuck the Doctor and Clara in a ghost story here and a fairly mediocre one at that. The Doctor and Clara stumble upon a crew of scientists/soldiers/business reps (it's not super clear what they are to be honest but they seem a bit military) in a deep water base. Which is apparently haunted. At night. By the ghost of a cowardly alien and their late commander.
I'm also not a terrible fan of Toby Whithouse's Doctor Who scripts. Though to be fair he usually does a decent job with creepy. And this is about the only thing the episode truly succeeds at. The host of sci-fi references was fun too, but ultimately matter very little to the enjoyment of the episode. To be fair it's not bad, but I have a hard time caring about the majority of the characters and thus not invested in their survival. The chase through the corridors was good tho due to the creepy factor.
The characterization of the Doctor and Clara feels a little off, especially at the beginning. It seems like the integrity of the characterization was compromised just for some cheap jokes that didn't even really work. Not that it wasn't funny, but again, the humor didn't fit the characters. Also, the cliffhanger, while a good "oh no!" moment for Clara (The ghost of the Doctor appears after they are separated and the Doctor promises to come back for her) too is undermined a tad cause we know that no way the Doctor dies. But overall, the story itself was entertaining and while this kind of story isn't really my cup of tea, I have to admit it sets up for the following episode rather well. 8/10
I'm also not a terrible fan of Toby Whithouse's Doctor Who scripts. Though to be fair he usually does a decent job with creepy. And this is about the only thing the episode truly succeeds at. The host of sci-fi references was fun too, but ultimately matter very little to the enjoyment of the episode. To be fair it's not bad, but I have a hard time caring about the majority of the characters and thus not invested in their survival. The chase through the corridors was good tho due to the creepy factor.
The characterization of the Doctor and Clara feels a little off, especially at the beginning. It seems like the integrity of the characterization was compromised just for some cheap jokes that didn't even really work. Not that it wasn't funny, but again, the humor didn't fit the characters. Also, the cliffhanger, while a good "oh no!" moment for Clara (The ghost of the Doctor appears after they are separated and the Doctor promises to come back for her) too is undermined a tad cause we know that no way the Doctor dies. But overall, the story itself was entertaining and while this kind of story isn't really my cup of tea, I have to admit it sets up for the following episode rather well. 8/10
First part - attention getter
doctor-934-2071114 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Nice start.
So Caithness in Scotland has now become a lake.
The Northeastern most part of Scotland a Lake?
And a town nearby this base.
Scapeship is found suddenly one man is killed.
Doctor Appears on the scene to figure out what is going on.
The TARDIS is upset over something, but what?
The Doctor first meets ghosts then meet up with the survivors.
Moffat, the Doctor as a blithering idiot does not work
Note, a CLoister Bell is going off. Hmm..
The TARDIS is prevented from departing.
The corporate man dies drowned. All right, does Pritchard have a mind to get back in that suit quickly?
Capturing of the ghosts. So now to capture the spooks and see what is going on. The Doctor does make something out.
Orion and Earth, what is the connection?
A search submarine does find in the Church the animation pod. All right.
Bring it back and more disaster happens.
The Doctor and Clara are split up.
The Doctor goes back in time to see more killing can be averted.
Will the Doctor die as Clara sees the Doctor's ghost in the end.
Tune in to PArt 2 for the rest of the answers.
So Caithness in Scotland has now become a lake.
The Northeastern most part of Scotland a Lake?
And a town nearby this base.
Scapeship is found suddenly one man is killed.
Doctor Appears on the scene to figure out what is going on.
The TARDIS is upset over something, but what?
The Doctor first meets ghosts then meet up with the survivors.
Moffat, the Doctor as a blithering idiot does not work
Note, a CLoister Bell is going off. Hmm..
The TARDIS is prevented from departing.
The corporate man dies drowned. All right, does Pritchard have a mind to get back in that suit quickly?
Capturing of the ghosts. So now to capture the spooks and see what is going on. The Doctor does make something out.
Orion and Earth, what is the connection?
A search submarine does find in the Church the animation pod. All right.
Bring it back and more disaster happens.
The Doctor and Clara are split up.
The Doctor goes back in time to see more killing can be averted.
Will the Doctor die as Clara sees the Doctor's ghost in the end.
Tune in to PArt 2 for the rest of the answers.
Under the Lake
MrFilmAndTelevisionShow19 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is a good episode, very good indeed, I do however wonder if it is really needed to be a two part, I definitely feel everything that they could have rapped this two-parter up in a single episode, so hopefully the second part will be really good so that I do feel like they're padding!
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