Doctor Who

[Talavar]

This last episode seems to be hinting at the season's main plot, so I'd say it was at least supposed to be important, not to mention the unveiling of a new version of the

Spoiler

Daleks, as if you hadn't already guessed

The hint I'm referring to, emphasized at the end of the episode

Spoiler

Is that somehow the Dalek invasion at the end of season 4 seems to have been erased from history.  At least Amy has no knowledge of it.

I suppose that is true, but to me, most of the episode felt fairly forgettable.

[B A D]

Spoiler

The fact that Amy doesn't remember it is a HUGE deal. The Waters of  Mars was based on that lady's motivation go  into space after the Dalek invasion. Then she went boom. Or shot herself. Whatever . So its an established canon that Earth in general remembers the Daleks. But Amy doesn't. BECAUSE SHE's -

[chuckles]

So far I'm intrigued by this Doctor, his portrayal is rather funny. Mind you I've only seen "The Eleventh Hour", but I really thought the Doctor / Amy meeting was written well.
I was not very impressed with the monster though, its true form was too eel-like for my taste. It could change shape so that's one point in its favor, and for having been a prisoner it seemed to know a bit more than the Doctor about inter-dimensional cracks.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the adventures of this 11th Doctor.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Liked this last one.  We learn quite a bit more about River Song and her interaction with Amy indicated that Amy will not be a romantic interest for the Doctor. (thank goodness for that)  The Weeping Angels are just as creepy as before and we have two new rules introduced about them, when makes them even more creepy in some ways.

Spoiler

1.  Whatever holds the image of an angel becomes an angel.
2.  The eyes of the angels are not a window to its soul, they are a door.  In other words, then have some sort of mental influence on any who looks them in the eye.

[Talavar]

This was a delightful episode - very creepy indeed.  And River's call for a ride across 12 000 years?  Great stuff.

[marhawkman]

um..... yeah, #1 does sound very interesting.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I think #1 was brought in just so they could have this really creepy scene at the beginning.  Normally I am against this sort of thing, but the scene was awesome enough to be worth it.

[marhawkman]

I suppose it explains how they aren't extinct.

[Talavar]

How would something that's basically unkillable go extinct? 

Spoiler

The dozens/hundreds in the Maze of the Dead have been starving there for hundreds of years and still aren't dead from it, while the main angel of the episode wasn't even fazed by the starship it was on crashing into a planet.

[marhawkman]

Everything can be killed in some way.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Okay, that bit at the end rather disappointed me.   Sigh.  Why do they have to fall into the exact same patterns again?

[Talavar]

Everything can be killed in some way.

So that blanket statement means that a nigh-unkillable species of monster should be nearly extinct?  No.

Okay, that bit at the end rather disappointed me.   Sigh.  Why do they have to fall into the exact same patterns again?

I agree.  While I like that...

Spoiler

Amy just tried to jump the Doctor - no angst or himming/hawing so far - I dislike them falling into the same patterns of the first/twenty-seventh season, namely a pseudo love triangle, with the companion split between the Doctor and her "normal" love interest.  I hope this gets resolved quickly. As to the meat of the episode, this one had its moments.  The gravity issue/resolution was interesting, and there was a lot of foreshadowing/teasing of things to come.  However, I typically enjoy the first half of two-parters more than the second, and that holds true here. 

On a related topic, should Amy's 'present' be our present day?  At the end of 'The End of Time,' the Doctor regenerates into 11, then crashes.  This is apparently the year Rose meets the ninth Doctor, 2005.  If the Doctor crashes in Amy's yard in 2005 and she's nine, not enough time has passed in his jumps ahead in her life (5 than 2 years) for her to be as old as she is in 2010.  I guess the rationale is that he also went backwards in time while crashing, but is my reasoning here otherwise sound?

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I believe he actually jumped 10 then 2 years, which means your reasoning is correct.

[marhawkman]

Everything can be killed in some way.

So that blanket statement means that a nigh-unkillable species of monster should be nearly extinct?  No.

Considering that this species is supposedly one of the oldest in the universe nd pretty universally hated?  That sounds reasonable.

[Kommando]

"It's just a show, I should really just relax." -- Mystery Science Theater 3000 Mantra

[marhawkman]

"It's just a show, I should really just relax." -- Mystery Science Theater 3000 Mantra

Excellent point.

[B A D]

Hell no. Then we have to think about reality and our sucky lives.

[Kenn]

Saw part two of the Weeping Angels story today, and the Vampires of Venice.

I thought it was a lot of fun.  Angels are still creepy.  The ______ in _____ is scarier then ever. 

And it isn't so much a love triangle as a "Doctor, I want you to take me NOW."   She was quite clear, she didn't want a relationship.  She wanted a roll in the hay with someone other than her soon-to-be husband.   And the Doctor's reactionS are great!

[Talavar]

Vampires from Venice was fun - I loved how excited the Doctor got when he thought they might be vampires. 

Spoiler

'Fish from Space have never been so buxom' and 'the only thing uglier than you is your mum' both made me laugh quite a bit.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I thought this was an especially good one.  I personally figured it out nearly at once, but it was still well done and at least settles the question of Amy's interests in the Doctor.  I just wish Rory was a bit more interesting.  I find him rather boring for the most part.

[Talavar]

Amy's Choice this week: a nice, character-based episode.  Some of the Dream Lord's comments are particularly interesting once you know how the episode ends, and this hopefully puts a firm end to the Amy-Rory-Doctor issues.

Next week sees an old Who-foe making a first appearance in the revamped series.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Just to clarify, my previous post was also on Amy's Choice.  In any case it may have been the best episode so far this season.

EDIT:  Just did some checking and River Song will return for episode 12!  Should be interesting.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Alright, saw the season ender.  It was weird, wacky, and wild, but fortunately, I'm down with that.  I also doesn't necessarily make the most sense if you thing too hard about it, but I really don't care in this case.  One thing that surprised me about the end though

Spoiler

Rory is back and comes aboard the Tardis with his new wife.  I hope they'll just give him companion status next season and be done with it.  It would be a welcome change from the usual pattern.

[Talavar]

I enjoyed the finale quite a bit myself, more than any of the Russell T. Davies-scripted season enders really.  The day-saving felt like it was earned a little more honestly than some of the handwaves those entailed.  Onward to the Xmas special!

[Sevenforce]

Other than the aneurysm caused by the amount of plot holes, it was an enjoyable episode. Other than...well, the very very end. Felt a bit TOO cheesy and deus ex machina.

[deano_ue]

Other than the aneurysm caused by the amount of plot holes, it was an enjoyable episode. Other than...well, the very very end. Felt a bit TOO cheesy and deus ex machina.

you're calling this one deus ex machina after all the cop outs davis has used, this finale was superb, well written and bridges the gap to the second season well with a continuing arc


also amy is a tart,....................  nice

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Dr. Who pretty much is one big giant collection of deus ex machinas.  It's all about the ride getting there.

[Talavar]

Dr. Who pretty much is one big giant collection of deus ex machinas.  It's all about the ride getting there.

Too true - and the Tardis is the machine in question. 

My problem with most of the Davies-scripted finales is that the endings felt pulled out of the writer's butt, where this felt better planned.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I got the same feeling, especially as a rather minor seeming scene in an earlier episode turns out to be vitally important in the this episode, as well as a lot of other hits and such carefully sprinkled around which I never noticed before.  It all felt very carefully planned, and I like how that only part of the season plot was resolved.  There's more left.

[Sevenforce]

I got the same feeling, especially as a rather minor seeming scene in an earlier episode turns out to be vitally important in the this episode, as well as a lot of other hits and such carefully sprinkled around which I never noticed before.  It all felt very carefully planned, and I like how that only part of the season plot was resolved.  There's more left.

Cat's pretty much said my thoughts there. The minor scene in question I spotted at the time...there was a tiny discrepancy in the Doctor's attire that I noticed, and at the time I wondered "Eh?" It was nice to see that get answered

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a Deus Ex Machina, but only when its written well, and I mean REALLY well, as in, dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, so you won't ever get a bout of fridge logic. The Doctor's return was just...so full of plot holes. I mean, gigantic, huge plot holes that you could drive the interior of the TARDIS through, and it felt, well, incredibly shoe horned in and...I can't believe I'm about to say this, but SAPPY.

HOWEVER!! I will fully admit that is because I am basing it on the rules of time as they are, not as they are portrayed in the show


Bloody timey wimey ball indeed...

Still loved the episode, and it was still 3x better written than some most all of Davies finales. I do wish they'd employ an internal fact checker though

Too true - and the Tardis is the machine in question. 

I see what you did there >_>