“Kill the Moon,” this week’s episode of Doctor Who, has proven to be one of the most divisive in recent memory, with fandom loving it or despising it but certainly not dismissing it. Was it the “game changer” showrunner Steven Moffat made it out to be? Has Peter Capaldi’s Doctor plumbed the dark depths of jerkery, and was he justified in doing so? So many questions for the Three Who Rule to muddle through and cogitate upon! And they do! Oh yes and there are some stats as well, but then you’d expect that, wouldn’t you?
11 Comments on “Radio Free Skaro #442 – Through The Thick And Thin”
Just wanted to drop a note for Chris to say I’m very sorry to hear about your dad passing away. I never met the man, but I’m grateful to him too for introducing you to Doctor Who. I really enjoy this podcast and it just wouldn’t be the same without you. My thoughts are with you and your family and I hope you all get through this rough time as easily as possible.
I couldn’t wait to hear the RFS commentary on this episode…And you did not disappoint me. You didn’t shy away from the difficult topics. (Although it would have been much more satisfying to have you answer all my questions and settle all arguments!) But I’m sure the hardest thing of all was Chris’ dedication of this episode to his dad. What a class act! If you are at all like your dad, Chris, then I’m sure he was a great guy. I’m so sorry for your loss.
I am sorry to hear about your father, Chris. He gave us a great son, he must’ve been a great dad! And thank you for a thoughtful critique of this episode and its themes and issues, which are very controversial but you explored it interestingly and with insight. This podcast is the most essential part of my week.
no not really sure if i like this episode or not at this point. What i would like to ask is it possible that clara because she was in the doctor’s time stream has perhaps knowledge or intuition of future events and maybe the doctor realise this and trusted her to make the best decision with that knowledge
I’m completely stunned by the fact that all three of you liked this episode! I was cringing most of the way thro’ it, shrugging my shoulders that ah well, it’s been a fantastic run but at last this series has a truly duff episode. The teenager moves from interesting “disruptive element” last time to “needy please-tell-me-I’m-special” cipher this time. The story was AWFUL – the moon is an egg?! The creature lays a new one in exactly the right place and exactly the same size, ready-cratered etc within moments of being born ?
Every other episode this series I’ve watched several times. I tried to watch this one again but it’s like fingernails down a blackboard. I get what they were trying to do, and yes I love the maturer arc and the excellent acting from Capaldi and Coleman. But I’m sorry, for me this story is close to the horror that was that WWII Dalek episode the other year.
Sorry – don’t normally post on sites ranting about Doctor Who episodes. You are completely at liberty to enjoy the episode and get much more out of it than me :o) . I was just SO surprised that all three of you enjoyed it so much that I got the urge to come on here and comment.
And finally – I haven’t listened to the end of the podcast yet and it’s only reading the comments above that I hear about your loss Chris, so please accept my condolences along with those of the other commenters. (That seems so out of place alongside a rant about a TV programme, but is meant sincerely.)
Been listening and reading other sites in regards to this ep .I’m a little shocked that everyone is saying this is a debate on abortion thinly veiled…I don’t see this in any way about abortion.This is about a large creature arriving,,destroying the moon and perhaps the earth as we know it.There is no mother anywhere is this ep and the creature is already fully formed,it would have been murder not an abortion.
The whole pro life debate afaik is around the date that the fetus is fully formed after that it is not done unless the mothers life is at risk.
Lets just pretend that it was not an egg, a wormhole was formed on the moon and we knew a large creature was coming thru, intentions unknown but the destruction of the moon was assured.Destroying the creature in this scenario would be murder and maybe start a war.
The possibility that the creature might just shrug the bombs off like godzilla to aa missles is never even brought up.
The doctor knew this was a time he could not see from the moment he set off in the tardis to exactly that time in space.What’s up with his seeming to go in a trance and seeing the new future after the dragon and new moon are formed?
The doctor needs clara to be able to make the BIG decision when it really counts,perhaps for a future event he knows but cannot see.She is as close to being a time lord that any companion has ever been without being infused with the energy of the tardis.
A final note that I really wish would happen.The tardis is a sentient being,making choices behind the scenes taking the doctor where he NEEDS to be and not where he wants to go.Why can’t the tardis be more involved in the stories,not just a faithful conveyance to and fro? She does after all care for the doctor, for longer than anyone in the doctors universe, that deserves front and center attention..
I fear the Doctor knew a lot more than what he let on (what was River’s first rule, “The Doctor lies”?), because he wanted to teach Clara a lesson about responsibility. I don’t like the way he did it, but he does have a good point: “There are some decisions too important not to make yourself.” As Picard said of Q sending the Enterprise to meet the Borg (I know, crossing streams): “Maybe he did the right thing for the wrong reason.”
The fate of the moon in this episode was humanity’s decision to make, but the Doctor could have been a better friend by at least being present as the women wrestled with that decision. This is why Clara’s anger is justified, in the end: not because he should or could have made the decision for her, but because he scared her by not being her friend. Friends support each other as they make hard decisions! The Doctor’s leaving petulantly because Lundvik didn’t agree with him was both cowardly and cruel… something I thought, after the anniversary special, we wouldn’t see the Doctor being again!
If Missy turns out to be yet another iteration of Clara, I will go insane. As the women say on “Verity!,” Moffat is hiding under your bed now. (Mine, too, I freely admit.)
In response to the discussion about reproductive rights, from the very beginning I have absolutely no idea how anyone can see this as anti-choice.
Yes, of course there are different characters expressing different points of view on whether to allow or prevent the egg from hatching. But… the Doctor allowed them to make A CHOICE. Ultimately, Clara made the choice. CHOICE. I’ll say it again: CHOICE. I can be pro-choice and still parent a child. I know this because I am pro-choice, and I have a daughter.
As a metaphor for reproductive rights, however, this story a miserable failure. Ultimately, pro-choice is about weighing the rights of the mother to the rights of the unborn child, and NOT about what terrible acts that unborn may or may not perpetrate.
Setting that nonsense aside, I thought it was a great episode. It is easy for me to forgive bad science in Doctor Who, because that is a long-standing tradition in the programme. None of the many scientific leaps in this episode we so great that I wasn’t able to muster certain hand-waving to excuse or explain it all.
Doctor Who: Radio Free Skaro 
Just wanted to drop a note for Chris to say I’m very sorry to hear about your dad passing away. I never met the man, but I’m grateful to him too for introducing you to Doctor Who. I really enjoy this podcast and it just wouldn’t be the same without you. My thoughts are with you and your family and I hope you all get through this rough time as easily as possible.
Chris,
So sorry to hear of your loss. My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family.
I couldn’t wait to hear the RFS commentary on this episode…And you did not disappoint me. You didn’t shy away from the difficult topics. (Although it would have been much more satisfying to have you answer all my questions and settle all arguments!) But I’m sure the hardest thing of all was Chris’ dedication of this episode to his dad. What a class act! If you are at all like your dad, Chris, then I’m sure he was a great guy. I’m so sorry for your loss.
I am sorry to hear about your father, Chris. He gave us a great son, he must’ve been a great dad! And thank you for a thoughtful critique of this episode and its themes and issues, which are very controversial but you explored it interestingly and with insight. This podcast is the most essential part of my week.
no not really sure if i like this episode or not at this point. What i would like to ask is it possible that clara because she was in the doctor’s time stream has perhaps knowledge or intuition of future events and maybe the doctor realise this and trusted her to make the best decision with that knowledge
I’m completely stunned by the fact that all three of you liked this episode! I was cringing most of the way thro’ it, shrugging my shoulders that ah well, it’s been a fantastic run but at last this series has a truly duff episode. The teenager moves from interesting “disruptive element” last time to “needy please-tell-me-I’m-special” cipher this time. The story was AWFUL – the moon is an egg?! The creature lays a new one in exactly the right place and exactly the same size, ready-cratered etc within moments of being born ?
Every other episode this series I’ve watched several times. I tried to watch this one again but it’s like fingernails down a blackboard. I get what they were trying to do, and yes I love the maturer arc and the excellent acting from Capaldi and Coleman. But I’m sorry, for me this story is close to the horror that was that WWII Dalek episode the other year.
Sorry – don’t normally post on sites ranting about Doctor Who episodes. You are completely at liberty to enjoy the episode and get much more out of it than me :o) . I was just SO surprised that all three of you enjoyed it so much that I got the urge to come on here and comment.
And finally – I haven’t listened to the end of the podcast yet and it’s only reading the comments above that I hear about your loss Chris, so please accept my condolences along with those of the other commenters. (That seems so out of place alongside a rant about a TV programme, but is meant sincerely.)
Been listening and reading other sites in regards to this ep .I’m a little shocked that everyone is saying this is a debate on abortion thinly veiled…I don’t see this in any way about abortion.This is about a large creature arriving,,destroying the moon and perhaps the earth as we know it.There is no mother anywhere is this ep and the creature is already fully formed,it would have been murder not an abortion.
The whole pro life debate afaik is around the date that the fetus is fully formed after that it is not done unless the mothers life is at risk.
Lets just pretend that it was not an egg, a wormhole was formed on the moon and we knew a large creature was coming thru, intentions unknown but the destruction of the moon was assured.Destroying the creature in this scenario would be murder and maybe start a war.
The possibility that the creature might just shrug the bombs off like godzilla to aa missles is never even brought up.
The doctor knew this was a time he could not see from the moment he set off in the tardis to exactly that time in space.What’s up with his seeming to go in a trance and seeing the new future after the dragon and new moon are formed?
The doctor needs clara to be able to make the BIG decision when it really counts,perhaps for a future event he knows but cannot see.She is as close to being a time lord that any companion has ever been without being infused with the energy of the tardis.
A final note that I really wish would happen.The tardis is a sentient being,making choices behind the scenes taking the doctor where he NEEDS to be and not where he wants to go.Why can’t the tardis be more involved in the stories,not just a faithful conveyance to and fro? She does after all care for the doctor, for longer than anyone in the doctors universe, that deserves front and center attention..
Sorry to hear of your loss.
I loved this pro-life episode.
My sincerest condolences to Chris and his loved ones.
Chris, please accept my condolences, as well.
I fear the Doctor knew a lot more than what he let on (what was River’s first rule, “The Doctor lies”?), because he wanted to teach Clara a lesson about responsibility. I don’t like the way he did it, but he does have a good point: “There are some decisions too important not to make yourself.” As Picard said of Q sending the Enterprise to meet the Borg (I know, crossing streams): “Maybe he did the right thing for the wrong reason.”
The fate of the moon in this episode was humanity’s decision to make, but the Doctor could have been a better friend by at least being present as the women wrestled with that decision. This is why Clara’s anger is justified, in the end: not because he should or could have made the decision for her, but because he scared her by not being her friend. Friends support each other as they make hard decisions! The Doctor’s leaving petulantly because Lundvik didn’t agree with him was both cowardly and cruel… something I thought, after the anniversary special, we wouldn’t see the Doctor being again!
If Missy turns out to be yet another iteration of Clara, I will go insane. As the women say on “Verity!,” Moffat is hiding under your bed now. (Mine, too, I freely admit.)
Good discussion, guys, as always!
In response to the discussion about reproductive rights, from the very beginning I have absolutely no idea how anyone can see this as anti-choice.
Yes, of course there are different characters expressing different points of view on whether to allow or prevent the egg from hatching. But… the Doctor allowed them to make A CHOICE. Ultimately, Clara made the choice. CHOICE. I’ll say it again: CHOICE. I can be pro-choice and still parent a child. I know this because I am pro-choice, and I have a daughter.
As a metaphor for reproductive rights, however, this story a miserable failure. Ultimately, pro-choice is about weighing the rights of the mother to the rights of the unborn child, and NOT about what terrible acts that unborn may or may not perpetrate.
Setting that nonsense aside, I thought it was a great episode. It is easy for me to forgive bad science in Doctor Who, because that is a long-standing tradition in the programme. None of the many scientific leaps in this episode we so great that I wasn’t able to muster certain hand-waving to excuse or explain it all.