Spoilers!

I had a conversation with a customer in the store the other day. He was wearing a Doctor Who shirt and  had a tiny one with him. (child, not a tiny Doctor Who shirt). We got to talking about the current season, and he mentioned something that stayed with me.

He mentioned how as an executive producer, Moffat is better at overall story arcs. Things get tied up. Things move forward. Things don't get stale. Moffat has BIG IDEAS. And sometimes though, these BIG IDEAS kinda get in the way of everything. Things don't pan out and sometimes they fall short. He mentioned some of the episodes that Moffat wrote back with Davies, fell short.

I am going to have to agree with this Doctor Who loving customer. Moffat does have a knack for big mystery and ideas. I think he's fantastic at picking out writers and stories to play out these BIG IDEAS for him.

But I am still going to stand by my "Moffat, please don't write single episodes anymore" stance.

This episode. Oh this episode. Reminds me of Donna and Pompeii. Maybe it's all the red hoods and running around. (or perhaps they used the same set pieces?)[1] I really really really liked this episode. THE DOCTOR CARES AGAIN. HE SAVED EVERYONE!! Well, no. Clara did. CAUSE SHE IS AWESOME.[4]

The cinematics. The creepy void thingys. The vampire in a box. Even Mary. These are the things have have stories and stories and stories behind them. They are full, beautiful creatures with backstory and you grow to love/hate within an hour. You feel the backstory oozing with each step these side characters take. Now, THIS was an episode of Doctor Who. And truth, I did tear up a bit when he's talking to sun/parasite about all the stuff he has loved and lost. You feel the pain of the heartache there.

(this is might be my favorite scene of Doctor Who ever)

11 looks old. I know Matt Smith is younger than I am, but he's playing the Doctor as a old man, tired of all the crap he's been through. He's still excited about life, but the weight is there in the close up shots. In his shoulders. Furrowed brows. 

I do like the way this is all shaping up. 

[1] I thought in the Donna/Pompeii episodes, the Doctor mentioned how there was a translation field. Mostly because everyone was speaking "English." "I'm speaking Latin right now??!!" etc. How come that doesn't happen here? I mean, this isn't the first time we've seen this happen: the lack of translation and only the Doctor can communicate. I guess this goes under the whole convoluted canon acceptance of non-canon Doctor things. [2]

[2] I just read a tumblr theory that the reason why the translation field doesn't work for Clara is because the TARDIS knows that Clara is a paradox. Also the reason why she wouldn't let Clara in with Mary.  HEAD CANON ACCEPTED. [3]

[3]FUCKYEAHFOOTNOTES

[4] Or perhaps it's because Clara's story is so much more full of stuff that the Doctor's. I mean, 1000+ years is a lot, but Clara has these different lives she may be living all at the same time. That's a lot to wrap an appetite around.