DOCTOR WHO: Kerblam! {Roundtable}

This week we saw a look at what automation can do to both society and workers with some chilling implications for our life and times. We can’t wait to discuss Kerblam! with you, so here we go!

First of all, I’d like to get an overall impression from everyone. How did you feel about the episode?

Karen: I liked it! It won’t be my favorite episode this season, but I liked it enough to watch it twice. If a show is painful enough, I can only get through once.

Roz: This episode worked as a social commentary more than I’m used to for a show designed for kids, but I appreciate that maybe a look at this large-scale processing plant makes some kids think twice about asking for the whole of Amazon for Christmas/Hannukah in a few weeks. It’s a fun episode to look at something without a large alien focus (which seems to be what we’ve done this season) so I might watch it again just for some silliness.

As Black Friday looms, we had a hard look at the business of sending masses of packages. Does it make you want to change your shopping habits?

Picture Shows: Dan Cooper (LEE MACK)

Karen: HAHA! I love this question. It was pretty clear they were trying to mirror Amazon with their story this week. I don’t have a lot of choice in vendors being such a huge reader. KindleUnlimited has fed me for a couple of years now, and there really isn’t anything that comes close. We’re not big Christmas present people. One or two gifts for hubs and I, but our extended family decided a couple of years ago to avoid gift giving. The cost would simply be too high because we’re such a large clan. So the short story is no, my shopping habits don’t need to change even if I wanted to. PLUS I highly doubt Amazon will be trying to kill their customers. 😂

Roz: My extended family doesn’t do presents much anymore (there are at least fifteen of us at dinner every year), but when I was a kid, I had birthday, Christmas and Hanukkah presents to get. (Old family joke was that we hijacked a Toys R Us truck for me in December.) That said, if I were getting presents, I might think twice about being reliant on only Amazon.

The big bad of the week was slightly different than we’re used to in Doctor Who. Does it give you pause to see a human wanting to do something so horrific?

Karen: There’ve been a few episodes that highlight man’s inhumanity to man, but you’re right, it’s not a preponderance. I actually enjoy these types of cultural essay type outings, so I think the way they wrote KERBLAM! was interesting.

Roz: It’s horrific that one man wanted to hurt so many other people for the sake of the economy (though maybe that’s the way we get things done?). Men can be the worst to each other so I guess that’s something we get now and again from the show.

Picture Shows: Judy Maddox (JULIE HESMONDHALGH)

Favorite Lines or Scenes?

Karen: I enjoyed Lee Mack. I like him when he appears on QI, so it was cool to see him playing a character instead of being himself. I also cannot stop loving Graham. He’s swiftly becoming one of my favorite “companions”. (they’re “Friends” this season, I know).

Kira: Rule number one, keep all loose clothing, hair and body parts away from the conveyor and never, ever, climb onto the conveyors.
Any person found on the conveyor faces immediate termination. (“termination” is pretty dead on).

Doctor: And you are?
Jarva: Jarva Slade. Warehouse Executive. Your boss.
Doctor: Well, you’ve certainly got the clipboard for it.

Graham: So, even though everything’s automated, there’s still an idiot boss.

Ryan: Workplace crush?
Graham: Reminds me of you when you were younger. When I say younger, I mean last month.

Roz:

Next Week on Doctor Who

“The Witchfinders”

The Doctor ( Jodie Whittaker ), Ryan (Tosin Cole), Graham (Bradley Walsh) and Yaz (Mandip Gill) travel to Lancashire in the 17th century and become part of a witch hunt of local farmers. Fear keeps the land under control and the arrival of King James just increases the fire. But maybe something even more dangerous is going on? Can the doctor and her friends protect the people of Bilehurst Cragg from all the powerful opponents of the country?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErL-fR7v7pE

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