Doctor Who - Listen Review (Spoilers)

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After a few episodes with some lighter hearted moments, the trailer for Listen got a lot of people excited for a scarier and more sinister episode. so far series 8 seems to have divided fans, a few finding it hard to take to a new actor playing the lead role, and complaining about the writing, and the rest enjoying the ride. There has been a lot of talk across the social networks of people debating if we were going to see some familiar foes in this episode, and what we could expect to see from Danny Pink......

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Steven Moffat decided to go back to basics with this episode. He used one of his favourite subjects; take something we can all relate to and make it creepy. We have all had experience of seeing something out of the corner of our eyes, finding something has moved or hearing things late at night, and who can honestly say they have NEVER thought someone or something was hiding under their bed?

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I have to admit, I thought this episode would involve something very sinister, and that we haven't been imagining things all along, but can we safely say that after watching this episode? We don't know for sure if that figure underneath the blanket was another child at the home. I love the way the episode still makes you question the situations, and debate if that noise is just the heating going off rather than something sinister tapping, trying to find its way to you. The lighting in this episode is perfect, lots of dark scenes with hints of light here and there. The mood of the episode has been captured perfectly.

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I loved the opening for this episode, The Doctor pacing the TARDIS, questioning and debating with himself if there really is anything out there in the dark. Seeing him getting passionate and philosophical about the unknown is something The Doctor is an expert at, and seeing Peter's interpretation of that was perfect.

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I found the date Clara and Danny go on quite painful to watch. Initially he portrays himself to be quite snappy, arrogant and defensive , and it's very obvious their personalities clash. When Clara is attached to the TARDIS' telepathic circuits and told to concentrate on her childhood, it came to no surprise as she had just walked out on Danny and her phone rings, that they find themselves in his childhood, not hers.


I like the way both Danny's and the Doctor's childhoods seem to mirror each others. Two very scared boys in a home too afraid to question anything. Both children not wanting to fight the fear, and yet the impossible girl is the one to reassure and help them to understand that fear is good, and its ok to be scared, which is a bit of a paradox considering Clara gets the idea of fear being a superpower from The Doctor himself.

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I liked the nod to the The Day of The Doctor and now we know the shed the War Doctor chose is the one he used as his safe house as a child. It was also nice to see John Hurt again in the role, even if it was just a repeated clip from the 50th episode.

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Another nod to the past came from the line "Fear makes companions of us all" something the First Doctor reassures Susan with in Cave of Skulls. Perhaps that is why the Doctor is always running away and craving companionship, as he is afraid of being alone in his thoughts, which could explain why he talks a lot to himself when he is alone, in order to cancel out the fear of loneliness. Perhaps he thrives on his fear, his 'superpower' making him feel invincible, and getting him into a lot of trouble in the process.


Clara in this episode is very maternal, but also beginning to behave like The Doctor. She's telling him what to do as an adult, and yet supporting him as a frightened child. Perhaps it is because since his regeneration his character has changed so much that this is her coping mechanism, perhaps her trust in The Doctor isn't as strong as it used to be, therefore she needs to keep some form of control over situations they land up in, although The Doctor is quite quick to remind her he doesn't take orders. Jenna is demonstrating just how good an actress she is.

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Again, Peter was brilliant. I really liked the way he interacted with Danny as a child, and the way in which he was very keen to remind Clara that he isn't someone who takes kindly to being told what to do. He nailed The Doctor's natural curiosity perfectly, and of course, his lack of tact when trying to reassure frightened children. The scene with the figure under the blanket was particularly good, as well as the scene when he shouts at Clara for refusing to return to the TARDIS when the airlock starts to open on Danny's great grandson's space ship. The Doctor needs to remind Clara that she isn't always in control, and sometimes she needs to listen to people protecting her.

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I personally hope Clara doesn't become any more intwined with The Doctor's timeline any further, mainly as I feel this story arc has now run its course naturally. It's almost as if The Doctor is now becoming Clara's companion, especially now she has discovered she can fly the TARDIS through the telepathic circuits. I still find Danny's character quite difficult to warm to, although now we know he grew up in a children's home, I do feel some sympathy for him.


The best episode of the series so far.