Dr Who Series Nine: Episode 1 — The Magician’s Apprentice

19th September, 2015.

Now, here’s a rarity … 

I’ve opened a post … but have no screen shots to go with it … 

You’re possibly wondering what I’m talking about, aren’t you … ?   You are, aren’t you … ?   I can tell, you know.

A screen shot, so you know, is a photo: usually of something that’s on the screen — hence the name — of a computer, phone or tablet.

Occasionally … ?

It is — if it’s from a computer screen — an application window.

It’s application windows I’m thinking of, here.

You see, I’ve just watched the opening episode of Dr Who series 9 — episode 1, The Magician’s Apprentice — and come away very impressed.

EXCEPT for one thing.

My system — a first generation Mac Pro, running OS X 10.7.x, Lion — is hard at work.

Letting me write this post, whilst ripping a copy of The Curse Of Fenric with HandBreak, and using the native copy of QuickTime to export tonight’s episode into a form I can play back later.

All this … and keeping TweetDeck open, to see what’s going past … !

Frankly … ?   I’ve turned off the heating, under the circumstances.

And not yet had a chance to do a screenshot from the episode.

Wallpaper will have to do.

~≈Ê≈~

At any rate … ?

At ANY rate, I’ve had today off.

Which I’m thankful for.   It’s given me a chance to do some shopping, to see my youngest sister, ruth, along with my nephew, Jude, to pick up a delivery that’s been dropped off to my neighbours … 

AND to watch tonight’s opening episode of Dr Who, series nine: The Magician’s Apprentice.

The episodes opens with scenes of a battlefield: with soldiers fleeing their enemies, and simultaneously chasing a little boy into a minefield.

The soldiers are killed … leaving the boy trapped in a minefield.

Only to offered rescue by the Doctor.   Who asks for the boy’s name.

Only to pause … when the boy replies “My name is Davros …”

~≈Ê≈~

The scene changes to the present day: to a classroom at Coal Hill School, where Clara is giving a lesson on Jane Austen.

And cancelling the lesson, when she notices an overflying plane in the window of the classroom.

A plane … that’s not moving: forward, backwards, down, not moving.

It’s then, she cancels the rest of the lesson, takes the rest of the day off … 

And ends up at UNIT’s HQ.

Where UNIT’s leader, Kate Stewart — and UNIT itself — have just been offered help … 

From the last place they expected … 

~≈Ê≈~

Now … am I impressed?

Oh, LORD, yes!

The Magician’s Apprentice is one hell of an opening episode: showing us a dying Davros*, a substantially evolving relationship with the Master, Clara — Jenna Coleman — now a matured and strong character in her own right … 

And a cliffhanger — with the Doctor waving a Dalek gun at the boy Davros, in order to prevent the deaths of both Clara and Missy — that left me, certainly, wanting more.

Personally … ?

Personally, I think next weeks episode will be a good one to see, given this strong opening episode.

*        I have to give Julian Bleach his due, here: his portrayal of the twisted Kaled scientist has improved, I think, from his original take in The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End.   About my only complaint is that I found some of his dialogue a touch inaudible: I’m tempted to re-watch the episode, with the subtitles turned on, JUST so I’m sure of it.