kathrynlet I really wanted to like the new doctor and I hope with time I will. This however was not the way to introduce him. A heavy handed story with all the wrong elements. Let's start with the weak villains that could have been so cool. We did steam punk robots before and they were scary, these were laughable. I was continually jarred by CGI that was horrific and clunky, case in point the Dinosaur. Then there were the obvious continuity issues throughout the episode. At Demons Run Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax were good fighters. Here, they look pathetic. We even had to have manufactured side drama between Jenny and Vastra just to bloat the run time. The same thing with Strax and Clara. Clara continues to be a weak and wooden character. This troubling trend of one-dimensional assistants has been going on for while though Clara is by fare the worst. I blame the writer(s) and director(s) for this. I really hope this is not an indicator of the quality of the show but I am worried.

Scarecrow-88 Our first real episode with Peter Capaldi is a nice introduction to him, I think. I think the episode itself is merely okay (in Victorian London, a cyborg who has taken so many human parts since its construction it is now more human than robot could be a threat to the Doctor and Clara), but it does a wonderful job, I believe, of commenting on the backlash that might have resulted in an older actor's casting of a treasured sci-fi character that had been portrayed previously by three much younger actors. Clara is (obviously, and why wouldn't she?) having a hard time adjusting to the new face (and age?) of the new Doctor that has "replaced" Matt Smith. She just doesn't know if she can get used to Capaldi's Doctor. I felt that this episode does a swell job of showing a "babe introduced to a new world out of the womb" in how frenetic and confused Capaldi acts to his surroundings right after his regeneration change. I think a regeneration is a traumatic event that truly changes the Doctor as he behaves, looks, and reacts differently with each transformation; it takes time (and why wouldn't it?) to adjust to such a change. So we see the Doctor gradually become more comfortable in his new skin while Clara herself must slowly embrace who this man now is. Who could expect that any companion can just brush aside the man they have become so fond of and close to for this new man with such a different face and disposition? There's a scene where it appears Capaldi leaves Clara to be killed by the lead cyborg harvesting human organs (it even kills a dinosaur that had caught the Tardis in its mouth, which stuck in its throat bringing it in time with the Doctor to Victorian London!), and she must orchestrate a means of protecting herself in dialogue with it. The banter between Doctor and companion has always been a thing of value I place on this long-lasting show. Chemistry between them can make or break the series. Sometimes casting is great and other times perhaps not so. I think the 80s was a down decade in that regard. But I think the 2000s (Piper, Gillan, and Coleman) certainly hit it out of the ballpark. Matt Smith's era was especially worthwhile in the relationships of Doctor and companion. I loved seeing how the companions became often so vital in how the Doctor succeeds against his foes, and their rapport during trouble enhances the excitement of scenes where the adversaries (and dangers that come with them) come close to vanquishing them. "Deep Breath" brings back characters seen previously in Victorian London: the lizard-alien, Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), her wife, Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and butler, Strax (Dan Starkey). They all help the Doctor against the lead cyborg's army of unemotional robots in form of Victorian humans in an old ship that has been disguised as a restaurant. Missy, later to be determined as the female version of The Master (an old Who adversary), has welcomed the lead cyborg to her "paradise" for "him". The Doctor kept mentioning how the cyborgs remind him of something else (cybermen?) and knowing that really is telling due to how both Missy and the cybermen later factor greatly in a key episode towards the end of this season with Capaldi's version of the "man in the blue box". Neat makeup effects for Peter Ferdinando's half-human/half-robot as half his face is human while the other half shows all the mechanics working within him/it. Smith's call to Clara from Trenzalore, appealing to her virtuous nature regarding helping Capaldi, is a sweet, emotionally potent moment that allows her closure and a renewed interest in continuing on despite the regeneration taking away the man she cared for so much.

doctor-934-207111 Spoilers alert! 9/10 ! What an introduction!! The TARDIS out of a dinosaur and the 3 that help comes along.So how does a dinosaur combusts , and what is a mechanical man doing in 1800 London? Surprise is what Moffat is an expert at! SS MArie Antoinette! Whoops robots that managed to time travel.Maniacs are on the loose.How to stop them? Hopefully put the Doctor in the trap.And don't breathe or the droid will react.All right so these robots murder for spare organic parts.THe Doctor is still going through a regeneration crisis.He could not recall the repair droids gone mad.Worth watching if you are into minor complex plots and surprises.The old Doctor coming back and encouraging Clara to help his new self. What a whooper.After all while in London, Clara was going is this the same person? And the machine getting to Heaven? Hmm.I look forward to next week.

masonbingley2000 I didn't know what to expect at first but I was very shocked to see Clara not wanting to be a part with the Doctor. Her and Strax are hilarious together which gives lot's of laugh out loud moments. The episode is very chilling and frightening. A great start to Peter Capaldi's era. The Clockwork Droids were super and scary but not like old times. Great CGI. Sometimes it can become long winded but the script is fierce and frightening! Overall, it is a must see episode but the title song is quite weak for Doctor Who. And a good look into future episodes. Clara is fantastic and portrayed very well by Jenna. Super skills!