Doctor Who

Congrats to Karen Gillan who won Best Actress for her portrayal of Amy Pond at the TV Choice Awards Last night. (And another excuse for a pic of lovely Karen )

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Doctor Who picked up the Best Family Programme Award too.

And all this on top of winning Best Dramatic Presentation at the Hugo Awards 2011 for The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang.

Oh and not forgetting Matt Smith nomination for best actor at the BAFTA's- an accolade never received by any previous Doctor.

Did I mention this was a new Golden Era of Who?

Creepy preview clip for this weeks episode The God Complex.

Contains spoilers (well it is a clip from the episode after all!)

The Girl Who Waited is on Dailymotion at the mo. Enjoy it before it inevitably disappears! A perfect one to watch for the untrained viewer as its a comlete standalone.

Found last nights episode a tricky one to judge. Here is my review of it. Contains spoilers.

A Tale of Two Parts this one for me.
This was a one and bit reeler. The one reeler involved a hotel, a minotaur, some not very well realised fears and one good new character (the would-be companion) and was, more or less much of a do about nothing. The bit of a reel stuck on the end was brilliant.
And yes the two were related. The Minotaur and the Doctor, both old, both weary, death comes for one and is beckoning to the other.

"An ancient creature drenched in blood of the innocents. Drifting in space through an endless shifting maze. To such a creature.. death would be a gift.. it accepted.. sleep well.... I wasn't talking about myself.."

But the getting to that moment was for me a bit, well dull.
The setting was too reminiscent of Night Terrors -which I thought was a decent middle of the road Who- but I could have done with an alien planet or something. If this and NT have shown anything its a tendency for the writers to indulge in the nostalgia of their own youth. And not always to the betterment of the story. Here it simply didn't make a lot of sense- why was a futuristic space prison built for a former God by a now secular society an old 80's hotel from earth? If there is a reason I missed it.
The notion it was faith not fear that was being fed on was an interesting one but having established Rita the nurse with her Muslim faith how brave would it have been to have seen the Doctor try to talk her out of her faith to save herself?
Some have mentioned Curse of Fenric and this episodes similarity to that for its solution, but my memory is a little hazy there- I think I am right in saying the Doctor in it only tricks Ace into losing faith (but is a lot more harsher about it in a boistrous way) and does not really mean what he is saying, here this is not about tricking Amy its about making her see a truth. Its an improtant enough decision for me not to see this as just a rehash of an old idea. And it fits how the things have been going between them since the very start of series 5.
I thought of the 'first reel' this was the highlight with strong perfomances by the main cast.
The surrounding perfomrances were all ok, but the characters did not get a lot of room to develop. David Walliam's character was light hearted fun but the humour in this one never fired on all cyclinders for me and gave me a slightly awkward feeling particulary at the start where it seemd very forced. I have read some reviews which have said Walliams character was like something Douglas Adams would write- well maybe, but only I supsect after many more baths had been had and the character made to genuinely work. I didn't think it did here and served no real function and just sort of faded intto the background for the important stuff. He did however get some of the best comedy lines relating to his races cowardly predilections-"I work in Town planning. We are putting trees along the highways so invading armies can march in the shade." "Our anthem is 'Glory To INSERT NAME HERE!" and his old school motto of "Resitance is Exhausting"
Rory was also a little more background that I would have liked, particularly at the end. At least he still got some classic Rory dialogue though: "Something hit me - was it my wife?"
Rita, the nurse was a nicely rounded character, if underused and it was nice to see a modern Who with a body count that meant something. The growing 'mortuary' with its audicience of creepy dummies was suitably unsettling, as was the Doctor loosing it after the nurse lost her fight with the minotaur.
But the good for me came in that ending.

Amy: "Why (are you leaving) now?"
Doctor: "Because you're still breathing."

After last weeks episode and the building tone of 11's Doctor there was an inevitability in this parting before tragedy struck the Ponds (well more tradegy). Just sad that it comes when the three central leads are all hittng the ball out of the park week after week, to lose any of them let alone 2/3 is a great shame. (If this is the fault of moaning fan boys I may have to pay them all an individual visit to express my feelings to them on the matter! Alphabeticlly!)
The Doctors speech to Amy (in my sig) to break her faith in him was beautifully played by Smith and puts a whole new light on the Doctors words to Amy right back at the start of it all in The 11th Hour- "Amy Pond, there is something you have to realise about me because it's important, and one day your life may depend on it. I am defintely a mad man with a box."
So a slow start I was not engaged with and a fabulous conclusion, for me this is one of the hardest ones to review of this series. The hotel/minotaur bit on its own would rate this alongside Curse of the Black Spot and Night Terrors- not episodes which were bad in any way, but just don't make it onto my 'want to watch again and again' list. A solid 7 then.
But the last fifteen -twenty minutes raised its game. And I will happily rewatch it again for that scene alone- its just the journey there is a bit dull and unmoving and doesnt seem to hold together properly.

So a slightly generous 8 for a flawed episode.

Spoliers within!


Not sure myself. I agree there was nothing wrong with it and you have picked put the best bits (although I think if you look at Rory, while being underused within the episode the idea that it kept showing him exits as he had no faith was an interesting idea when you consider the nervous wreck he was to begin with and then the whole centurion thing. The growth he has made has been reflected well every week.

My problem is the way the River storyline has just been left. There are no recriminations, no seeming loss in either Rory or Amy. This is a newly married couple who have lost their child only to find she is their sometime companion as an adult, who is going to kill thier best friend and whom it can be assumed they don't get to see grow up (or the story doesn't work!) It has just been left, with River, in that hospital and they didn't even have the decency to have the 'it has to be this way' conversation in that episode.

I agree that Amy seeing beyond her faith in the doctor to solve everything is an important step for her in moving on (one of the things that made Sarah Janes return so good was this sense of yearning and never moving on from never saying goodbye properly.) And the idea that he should move on beofre he does more damage is a godd one that has built, but surely some of that from Rory and Amy should be the loss of Melody.

Left me feeling a bit flat to be honest (but makes the return to a previous flatmate make sense!)

I agree about Melody and the seeming lack of a reaction to what happened from the Ponds. Granted her story is to a point wrapped up in LKH. But the aftermath has been oddly played. Part of the reason for this was moving NT from the first half of the series to the second- so it seemed oddly out of place regards the main characters reactions.
I think many people feel Amy would do anything to get to her child given her personality. And the reasons she doesn't were basically the themes explored in the Girl Who Waited- and it does answer that question (especially when you consider Rivers last words way back in Silence in the Library where she told the Doctor not to 'rewrtie a single line' of her life. After LKH Amy and Rory seem to have understood they cannot rescue her as a child without chagning the River they know as an adult- who is happy. But its either brave of hopeful to expect your audiciece to put all that together from the presented themes and find it emotionally satisfying.
I think since LKH Melody only got one mention, and that was in this episode when Amy tells the Doctor to tell her to visit her 'old mum'. Now even though Amy didnt go through the pregnancy -her mind being projected into the flesh avatar- and the baby she held waiting on the Doctor andRory to find her in Demons Run was likewise flesh- and they discovered their best friend growing up had been their daughter all along, so they sort of raised her anyway, it still doesn't somehow seem to be emotionally satifying- although the mental breakdown of the Ponds might not make good teatime family viewing.
And its not over yet of course- I doubt we have seen the last of River Song just yet this series, or the Ponds.


Your point about Rory and his lack of faith is interesting- it didn't sit right with me- surely the man who waited by a box for 2000 years has faith in Amy?

What do you think was in the Doctors room?

Himself!

Only obvious answer to me!

I thought so too, first watch. Second watch I am not so sure. You can hear the Tardis Cloister Bell ringing- so I thought perhaps it was the death of the Tardis he saw- given the ending perhaps losing her would well, make him just a mad man, and be too much to bear.

I've recently gotten a new laptop, and thanks to constant bugging from my friends (and a large interest in it as well) I'm going to start watching this Season of Dr. Who. Last night, I saw David Tennants last episode on PBS, and I thought it was AMAZING!!!! Though, I have some questions. What happened at the end? And why doesn't he use a gun? And why does he keep thinking he's gonna die but doesn't??? It was sooo good though! I wish Tennant was still the doctor now!

Whooo! Good on you Tin.
If you just watched Tennants last then you dont want to watch the current series Tin but season 5 starting with 'The 11th Hour' as its the next episode after Tennants last.

In answer to your question the Doctor never uses a gun- he has no weapons only a sonic screwdriver. He doesn't believe in the use of weapons.
Not sure by what you mean by the end? The Tennant Doctor had heard a prophesy "He will knock 4 times" as a sign he is going to die. Old Wilf knocking to be let out is that sign. The Doctor is then flooded with lethal radiation which takes a while to kill him- long enough for him to say his goodbyes.
Then he dies and regenreates into the 11th Doctor. Getting used to a new Doctor is one of the things you have to get your head round as a Who fan. Same man, but different.
And Matt Smith is a superb Doctor.

ps you might want to find the Tennant two part episodes Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead first- as that's the introduction of the character River Song who is very important for the 11th Doctor.


pps you might for the hell of it want to download Genesis of the Daleks- a classic story which is on my skydrive. Its a 7th Doctor story and seeing different Doctors might help you get your head round the idea the Doctor changes but stays the same, sort of.
And An Unearthly Child is worth a look to if you are curious- as its the very first episode from 1963.

Thanks Petty! That makes alot more sense now. Ok, so what season is it now, 6?

Yeah just at the end of- 2 episodes to go. But the story arc for it starts at the begining of series 5 so you definently want to watch series 5 first. I'm sure you will quickly get used to the new Doctor- he is very good. (Oh and dont forget Silence in the library/forest of the dead first as its improtant for the series 5/6 story arc)

Got it.

Happy viewing Tin. And do keep us informed on your thoughts as you view.

Anyone remember the episode Alligenace from TNG? Reminded me of that, a bit. But yeah, I agree with Kafria. I'd have expected amy to ask about Melody; "we have to find her!" or something. You just can't introduce a baby and then pretend it doesn't exist! Real parents wouldn't just not care that there baby has been kidnapped. They would turn over every stone until that baby has been found. It's so frustrating, every week I hope that the next show will be better and every week I'm disappointed. The actors are doing a fine job, it's the stories that are trying so hard to be so scary/confusing/psychological all the time!

Still, enjoyed watching it though!

I've never heard of this before...

Really? It's quite a common word...

You cheeky youngster Ally!

Ignore Ally Lorient you have come to the right place to be enthralled by the Doctor.

Ok then what is it?

What kind of a question is that? Its been running since 1963 how long you got?

But in a nutshell Doctor Who is a story about a Time-Lord from the Planet Gallifrey who travels throuugh space and time in a magic box. At its most simple anyway.
All you really need to know is that t the worlds longest running sci-fi for a very good reason- its bloody brilliant.
Have a look through this thread you will find various links to episodes, clips, trailers etc. Although if you are going to watch I'd follow the advice I gave to Tin above on where to start and avoid spoliers (ie most of the posts on here really).
There is an indepth history of the Time-lords somewhere here a few pages back might be worth a read if you want some of the mythology behind the show but none of it is necessary to know in order to watch.

Ok

The highest praise I can give it is that I love it equally to LotR's. Can't get any better than that now can you?

Maybe. But it wouldn't be much higher

Maybe?! MAYBE. Higher than LotR's?- I think not Lorient! What could possibly be so? Unthinkable thing to say.