lexie is

I mean for starters they’re both two of the most intense lover boys of all time, like let’s be honest if we got a Peeta’s POV we would also get a mention of Katniss every half a sentence. I think this might also have influenced Haymitch’s decisions in both the 74th and 75th Hunger Games because while he wanted to protect Katniss because of both the rebellion and the many many people she reminded him of, he also sympathised with Peeta’s desperation to put her life in front of his in both Hunger Games.

They also are both brilliant with the crowd, their interviews with Flickerman are carefully calculated and Flickerman seems to genuinely like the 2 of them and same with the crowd, they are able to use their words as a tool in a way Katniss struggled to.

They both make it clear before their games that they actively want to prove they arent a ‘piece in the capitols game’, unlike Katniss who just wants (atleast at the beginning) just survive the games and get back to her family.

But while saying they want to rebel, it’s almost always the actions or guidance of others that drive them to actually rebel, like Haymitch getting between Lenore Dove and the peacekeeper and then later in the book his rebellion plan being led by Beetee and Plutarch. It’s the same for Peeta who only really rebels for Katniss like when Gale is being whipped. They rarely spark this action themselves.

When you compare them to Katniss who almost naturally or unconsciously is rebellious, to the point that a big plot point in Mockingjay was how she couldn’t be scripted. And then you also have Maysilee who shot that game maker when Haymitch wouldn’t even consider such a rebellious action, didn’t come to mind.

They are almost more aware of the oppression and the need for rebellion than others, yet don’t know how to lead it or act upon it.

Everyone on earth going mad out of being certain of their correctness and it being caused by screens isn't exactly subtle social commentary but it's the kind of thing I want from doctor who.

But I feel like it was an entirely independent story from the Toymaker. They explained in the dialogue that he was causing it but idk it just felt so disconnected. They could say the daleks were causing it because of a transmission they set up on the moon and it would still work.

And after the first half of the episode we don't really see much of that peril, it's happening offscreen the entire time.

In don't want to be too negative about it, it's just easier to be specific about things you didn't like than things you did, overall I liked the episode.

They were good with continuity. When they were describing the Korean satellite completing a network I immediately thought of the Archangel network, so I'm glad they threw in a reference to that.

One missed opportunity to do a continuity nod would be to have Tennant's Doctor throw the ball and bounce it off a wall and take the Toymaker off guard somehow, in such a way to parallel throwing an orange at a button to defeat the Sycorax in his very first episode, like bookends to his time as the Doctor. "No second chances, I'm that sort of a man" could mirror "best of three". There are a few other parallels I can think of but those are mostly incidental (galvanising beam - Torchwood's beam weapon; the Sycorax's blood control ultimately failed because you can't hypnotise people to death, but the Toymaker was essentially doing that)

Also, I'm definitely starting to believe the rumours about there being a UNIT spinoff in the works, I don't think they'd have introduced as many of the concepts in their headquarters if not. This "Vlinx" character gives me the same vibes as Mr. Smith from Sarah Jane Adventures.

Also, they ordered that the Toymaker's box be put in salt; probably following on from last week's episode. Probably the next series's "bad wolf".