Recently you may see me refer to the Monk Trilogy as that, a trilogy. However Steven Moffat, the boss of Doctor Who and the Keeper of time essentially states that they are not a trilogy but three individual episodes, despite the fact that the three clearly are linked and, in my opinion would not work if you put a story in between them. Let's analyse episodes that different sources state different things.
A problem for a lot of these is that official BBC sources also contradict each other. We just need someone so say with a firm grasp on what the truth is. Another major problem is Moffat deliberately wanting to cause the sense of vague that he knows angers fans.
Trail of a Time Lord -
Arguments for a four individual stories:
- Each of the four segments have their own story. The Trail is only an arc
- Each of the four segments have different writers and different directors along with a mostly new cast
- Each of the four segments production names were different to the Trail of a Time Lord
Arguments for one story:
- The opening of the adventure does say Trail of a Time Lord for every story.
- The story has one major villain throughout - the Valeyard
- DWM sees it as a fourteen parter
My Believe: Trail of a Time Lord is a fourteen parter, mostly because of the opening credits making it as such.
Most Official sources state: - Trail of a Time Lord is a fourteen parter but there are four individual segments within it - but they are not separate stories.
Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords -
Arguments for two parter:
- The episodes were written as two separate stories and were advertised as such
- The director for the first episode is different to the last two
- The setting of Utopia is different to the latter two and has unique cast
- Utopia just ends in a cliffhanger for the final two parter just like Closing Time in series 6
Arguments for three parter:
- All are written by Russel T Davies
- The three episodes all feature the same villain - The Master
- DWM sees the episodes as a three parter
- The episodes were advertised as separate to keep the reveal of the Master a surprise. Most, but obviously not all or there would be no purpose in doing this post, now state that the three parter is that, a three parter
My Believe: - I, right from its release thought this to be a three parter and I still do
More or less Official: - It is a three parter
A Goodman Goes to War/Let's Kill Hitler
Arguments for two parter:
- They were advertised as a two parter beforehand
- Both stories follow River Song
- Both are written by Steven Moffat and the latter continues from the former
Arguments for two separate episodes:
- DWM view them as two separate episodes
- The two are completely different in almost every way, cast, setting and villain
- River Song is arguably the only connective but there have been many stores in the past that have featured the same recurring characters next to each other but are not the same story.
- The two episodes aired three months apart
My Believe: - I believe the two to be separate stories. I think I am slightly biased because I really like a Good Man Goes to War but Let's Kill Hitler is the worst story of the modern era in my opinion
More or less Official: - The two are separate
The Girl who Died/The Woman who Lived
Arguments for a two parter:
- Both feature Ashilda, or is the focus of the two stories
- The two episodes were planned behind the scenes as a two parter
Arguments for two single episodes:
- Both have different cast and different writers
- The two episodes would have worked if broadcasted further apart
My Belief: At first I did believe it to be a two parter. I can see the arguments against this but I still believe that this one is a two parter.
More or less Official: - The two episodes are separate
Face the Raven/Heaven Sent/Hell Bent
Arguments for three separate episodes:
- All feature different enemies and feature different cast and setting and plot
- No episode featured in the same recording block
Arguments for Face the Raven and a two part finale:
- This is how production billed it
- Face the Raven is just a lead in to the final but the Time Lords are the main villain behind Heaven Sent
- Face the Raven is written by Sarah Dollard whilst the latter two are by Steven Moffat
- Face the Raven was originally episode 7 in the production order.
Arguments for a three parter:
- Peter Capaldi thinks this
- The Time Lords were behind Ashilda getting the Doctor to go into the confession dial so all three do have a continuous link
My Belief: At first I thought it was a three parter but now I believe that Face the Raven only acts like Turn Left does to the series 4 finale. I do believe that the latter two are a two part finale
More or less official: - Face the Raven is a separate episode from the two part finale
The Monk Trilogy
Arguments for three separate stories:
- All have different writers, setting and cast
- Steven Moffat states that they are separate
- The three are no more connected with each other than they are with Oxygen
Arguments for three parter:
- All feature the Monks as the main villain
- The three do follow a pattern of the Monks and their invasion
- The episodes would not work if they were broadcasted separately.
- Toby Whithouse views the three episodes as the same story
- Radio Times states that they are a trilogy
My Belief: - The thee episodes are a three parter
More of less official - Because of Steven Moffat we are looking at three separate episodes
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