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Meglos
HAVE A NECTARINE, GONK
Here are some of the reviews. It's all about the acting, nothing that spoils the plot.
The first Doctor Who Spin-off aimed at a young adult audience, Class, launched yesterday, and press reaction has generally been positive.
Digital Spy praised the script by acclaimed writer Patrick Ness. "Ness's script zips all over the place, demanding a huge emotional range from Greg Austin (Charlie), Sophie Hopkins (April), Fady Elsayed (Ram) and Vivian Oparah (Tanya) and these kids knock it out of the park, nailing every single beat."
The Telegraph felt the first episode was rather clumsy and often fell flat, but was more impressed with the second. "Things pick up in the second episode, as the script becomes more sophisticated and the true, more adult nature of the series is revealed"
Flickering Myth disagreed about the first episode "For Tonight We Might Die is quite an effective pilot in terms of establishing the core cast, and endearing them to the audience. Certainly, there’s a strong basis here for subsequent episodes to follow, with engaging character arcs being teased for each individual."
CNET felt the cast was full of Tumblr-ready ship-worthy characters."The standout is smouldering Fady Elsayed as the cocky but conflicted Ram. Meanwhile, Katherine Kelly chews the scenery as vampy teacher Miss Quill".
Den of Geek felt the episode was witty and energetic and highlighted parallels with other young adult series. "Class arrived with the following quote from Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat, “I’ve always wondered if there could be a British Buffy - it’s taken the brilliant Patrick Ness to figure out how to make it happen.”
Wales Online explores the teenage angst felt by the main characters. "One thing that becomes apparent pretty early on, is the alienation each of the main characters feel. This is exactly how I would imagine growing up in this day and age to be like. Ness, incidentally, deals with the whole idea of time and space really well."
nutmeg
Well-Known Member
Pertwee? You have been busy. I haven't watched anything for months and months ... time to catch up. I've missed my Who
nutmeg
Well-Known Member
Regeneration was the greatest gift a show could give to fans ... so forward thinking.
Reading that article I felt so sorry for Hartwell (again), I wish he could have known what he started. And of course, those were the days of heavy typecasting, moving on from such a high profile role is so much easier now, Doctor Who sort of launches careers now instead of ending them.
...much to my shame I haven't been in here for ages because I've been absorbed in Australian Survivor and it's Photoshop thread for quite a while.... I've missed the first 3 shows of Class... I'm going to watch it on ABC Iview later this afternoon to catch up... I'll let you all know what I thought of it (probably tomorrow methinks!)... shame on me!... SHAME!... cheers.
Meglos
HAVE A NECTARINE, GONK
You've only missed the first 2 episodes of Class. If you catch the first two on iview, you can watch episode 3 on ABC2 tomorrow night.
nutmeg
Well-Known Member
I had to watch Class again because I was only half watching until I heard the TARDIS and nearly fell off the couch. And then the beautiful DW music, it was like a mirage, lol.
So I guess we can talk Class without worrying about spoilers now ...
My favourite line so far, when Ms Quill shouts: "Leave us, we are decorating". So funny, she is such an awesome character. Plus that terrorist vs freedom fighter theme is a very timely one to explore. And she can't use weapons, obviously mirroring the Doctor, but the Doctor during a time when he doesn't have much of a conscience ... enter Charlie.
I really don't get the Cabinet of Souls. Am I missing the obvious? Because I can't tell if it is full, empty or a reflection of your own soul. Or maybe all the souls entered Charlie?
Also not sure how Ram's new leg and April's shared heart will play out. I imagine that's not the last of those body parts in the plot.
And how glammed up is Coal Hill, now Academy. Shame to see the old school go, but it regenerated, lol. I've read before that Coal Hill is probably a state school, so not sure that the UK are spending money on such massive school projects at the moment, but that's getting a bit pedantic (so unlike a DW fan
). Nice tribute to see Clara, Danny and others on the plaque. I hadn't thought about what the school would have thought about Clara's disappearance, I guess she's missing presumed dead. If only they knew. 
So I loved it.
So I guess we can talk Class without worrying about spoilers now ...
My favourite line so far, when Ms Quill shouts: "Leave us, we are decorating". So funny, she is such an awesome character. Plus that terrorist vs freedom fighter theme is a very timely one to explore. And she can't use weapons, obviously mirroring the Doctor, but the Doctor during a time when he doesn't have much of a conscience ... enter Charlie.
I really don't get the Cabinet of Souls. Am I missing the obvious? Because I can't tell if it is full, empty or a reflection of your own soul. Or maybe all the souls entered Charlie?
Also not sure how Ram's new leg and April's shared heart will play out. I imagine that's not the last of those body parts in the plot.
And how glammed up is Coal Hill, now Academy. Shame to see the old school go, but it regenerated, lol. I've read before that Coal Hill is probably a state school, so not sure that the UK are spending money on such massive school projects at the moment, but that's getting a bit pedantic (so unlike a DW fan
). Nice tribute to see Clara, Danny and others on the plaque. I hadn't thought about what the school would have thought about Clara's disappearance, I guess she's missing presumed dead. If only they knew. So I loved it.
Meglos
HAVE A NECTARINE, GONK
I had to watch Class again because I was only half watching until I heard the TARDIS and nearly fell off the couch. And then the beautiful DW music, it was like a mirage, lol.
So I guess we can talk Class without worrying about spoilers now ...
My favourite line so far, when Ms Quill shouts: "Leave us, we are decorating". So funny, she is such an awesome character. Plus that terrorist vs freedom fighter theme is a very timely one to explore. And she can't use weapons, obviously mirroring the Doctor, but the Doctor during a time when he doesn't have much of a conscience ... enter Charlie.
I really don't get the Cabinet of Souls. Am I missing the obvious? Because I can't tell if it is full, empty or a reflection of your own soul. Or maybe all the souls entered Charlie?
Also not sure how Ram's new leg and April's shared heart will play out. I imagine that's not the last of those body parts in the plot.
And how glammed up is Coal Hill, now Academy. Shame to see the old school go, but it regenerated, lol. I've read before that Coal Hill is probably a state school, so not sure that the UK are spending money on such massive school projects at the moment, but that's getting a bit pedantic (so unlike a DW fan
So I loved it.
Lovely review nutmeg.
I noticed Clara's name on the plaque but had to be told about Danny Pink.
Also, the old dear who had the great line about catching her husband "fiddling with himself", was played by June Hudson, costume designer for the classic series, who did Tom Baker's burgundy coat & scarf and all of Lalla Ward's wonderful Romana outfits,
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-10-22/did-you-spot-this-doctor-who-legends-cameo-in-class
Meglos
HAVE A NECTARINE, GONK
...I did a 'Class' marathoner today thanks to 'ABCIview' on this link... http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/class/ZW0907A001S00 ... strangely enough I managed to see tonight's episode 3 early this morning before it was shown tonight believe it or not!...
...as I watched episodes 1 to 3 I kind of got mixed feelings about them... they seemed to have a 'verve' to them that seemed to be in between a 'Whoish' vibe and a 'Torchwoodish' vibe... (thankfully not that 'Sarah Jayne Chronicles' kiddyish swashbuckling vibe though)... they are great storylines and production values equal to Dr Who and Torchwood and their special effects are on such equal par too... I so love Katherine Kelly as their 'teacher' Miss Quill... she makes that show for me... her character carries the show at most times for sure...
...I love the idea of all the relatively unknown lead actors being cast instead of people that we all know already... I think that out of all of them the black female girl playing Tanya (Vivian Oparah) is the best out of them... I find both Greg Austin that is 'Charlie' the 'Prince' of his planet and Sophie Hopkins that plays 'April' to be the most lacklustre and wooden of them all to be honest...
...there are a few niggling little bugs that eat away at me though but I think that I'm being a tad bit too finicky really... things such as there being so many deaths in the show and yet Police are never brought in to investigate their disappearances for instance... the kids being killed and their parents don't even come to the school to find out as to where they are?... when the lead characters see fleshless bodies and blood and gore yet are not even phased by it even though they're being subjected to it for the first time ever in their lives?... it just keeps niggling me at the back of my mind while watching it that's all... I never have those things questioning Doctor Who's or Torchwood's believabilty because they seem to sew up those loose ends in the shows storylines methinks... perhaps I'm being too harsh but that's what I feel anyway... but... I'll cut them more slack from this point onwards for a few more shows and will just enjoy it for what it is methinks lol!...
...but hey!... I don't go into that kind of thing in such detail when watching Doctor Who and Torchwood so why not just enjoy it on it's face value as just great entertainment eh?... lol!... overall a great three early episodes but it needs the refinement and polish of both Doctor Who and Torchwood to kick in for me to completely love it though... I'd give it an 8 out of 10 with 10 being the highest score at this point in time so there's some room for improvement in my books at least... but as I said... I'll cut it some slack because after all... it is a Doctor Who spin-off so I should just sit back and just enjoy it eh?...and Peter Capaldi's guest appearance was just bloody awesome!... (I wouldn't mind if Captain Jack came onto either Class or Doctor Who for a few episodes either... now THAT would seriously make my day for sure lol!... cheers.
...wow!... I can't believe that this thread is nearing 300 pages!... it has 5,917 replies and 170,908 views!... well done us!... **Sticky deals out pats on the backs of all who are responsible for this achievement**... we should be so proud of ourselves peoples!... aw... I so love you fellow Whovians!... I really really do!... cheers.
Meglos
HAVE A NECTARINE, GONK
I just caught episode 3.
Sorry to hear you have reservations Mr S. I absolutely loved it.
As a series aimed largely at kids, it's startling how 'adult' it is.
Katherine Kelly is outstanding as Miss Qull (or Andra'ath as we now know is her real name).
Vivian Oparah is outstanding as Tanya. I can't find how old the actress is, but she plays a 14 year old with absolute composure and conviction.
Fady Elsayed is the other standout as Ram, but I also enjoyed the other characters more than you seemed to.
I think Greg Austin is supposed to be a little bit wooden as Charlie, and I like the performance, and his relationship with Jordan Renzo as Matteusz (had to look that up to get the correct spelling). I loved the bit where Charlie tells his 'mother' "Oh by the way, Matteusz lives with us now", and she replies... "Whatever..."
Mrs Quill also gets the other best line of the episode, when, just as it's looking like everything will wrap up with American-style schmaltzfest, she rolls her eyes and exclaims "Oh, vomit."
I quite like Sophie Hopkins as April too, and I hope she has the chance to shine in the next episode, as Tanya did in this one.
PS. What's wrong with the Sarah Jane Adventures?