The Battle of Stormageddon

Sorry for the title, but there wasn't much else I could go with.  Maybe "The Case of the Silver Rat", but that seemed silly (like nothing else here has ever been silly).


“Closing Time” was a really nice change of pace episode that eased us back into the story that started back in “The Impossible Astronaut” and, arguably, back as far as “The 11^th Hour”. It was great to see James Corden back as Craig Owen. Moffat and Company have to find a way to work a Craig Owen episode in at least once a season, Matt Smith and Corden work way too well together for this to have been the last we see of Craig, Sophie and Alfie. Maybe The Doctor comes back after Alfie truly assumes his throne as Stormageddon when puberty kicks in and Craig and Sophie are at their wits end – just a thought.


Anyway . . . . . .

WHAT I LOVED

Stormageddon – Dark Lord of All!!!!  I just wanted to take him home :)

I OWN YOU!!!!!!!

WHAT I LIKED

What I liked about this episode is that the Cybermen really had very little to do with the story and this it was a story about the love between a father and his son.

That the Doctor was “here to help”, a sentiment that can be taken in so many ways.

POINTS OUT THE OBVIOUS

The following dialogue:

The Doctor: “Look at me Craig.”
Craig: “Why?

The Doctor: “Because I love you.”

Craig: “You love me?”

The Doctor: “Yes, Craig, it's you, it's always been you. Is that so surprising?”

Craig: “Doctor, are you going to kiss me?”

The Doctor: “Yes, Craig. Yes I am. Would you like that? Bit out of practice but I've had some wonderful feedback.”

Craig: “Doctor, I can't, I'm taken . . . . . (finally seeing they are no longer in the elevator) Oh My God!”

The Doctor: “Or we could just hold hands if that would make you feel more comfortable.”

WHAT'S A KISS BETWEEN PARTNERS, ER, COMPANIONS . . . . . 

I have no idea how they got through that scene – or just about any other that they did together. I know they are professional actors and all, but I know from personal experience that there are times when you just can't get through a scene.

That nice little scene with the Doctor watching Amy and Rory with the little girl who asked for the autograph, then his seeing she was “the face” of a perfume line, “for the girl who's tired of waiting”. Though I do have to wonder why a little girl would be in a department store wandering around with a notebook and pen. Waiting for The Royals to pop up??

RORY: "ANOTHER AUTOGRAPH????"  (SIGH)

The Cybermat – very cool! Gotta have one, though one that's a little less toothy.

WHO'S EATING WHO?  LOOKS LIKE BOTH CRAIG AND THE CYBERMAT ARE CONTEMPLATING LUNCH

The shushing the sales girl after the Doctor established that it worked on “life forms with under developed brains.” That was just not right – OK – yeah it was.

The way the story ended, bringing us back to the newly doctored River Song, still on her search for "the best man she's ever known" is set upon by that crazy eye patched Madame Kovarian . . . . . . .

THE BITCH IS BACK!

and is turned into  . . . . . 

THE IMPOSSIBLE ASTRONAUT

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

As scary as this sounds for the second episode in a row – there was nothing I didn't like. OK, OK, I thought it was a little cheesy that a baby crying brought down the Cybermen and made their heads explode, but maybe that was somewhat of a metaphor for what most parents think when they have reached their breaking point with their baby's crying, that their heads will explode. Alright, it was Craig's love for Alfie that set off the emotional feedback that blew up the the Cybermen, but that's just too sappy :-)

NEXT WEEK

I am both anxious and feeling dread when it comes to next week's season finale, excited to see where this is all actually going, but dreading the loss of the Doctor until Christmas (I hope) and the uncertainty about when the show will be back (blast you BBC!!! Just do a 7^th season and quit fooling around. I know this is more of an “End of Season Wrap-up” kind of subject and I am sure I'll cover it more when I do that in a couple of weeks.)

From what I have seen of the previews, I will be amazed to see what all they can cram into 50 minutes of TV. It would seem to me that with all that's going on, the episode would need to be at least another 20 or so minutes long, if not a full double episode. We'll see, I guess, It had just better be good, exciting and maybe a little tear jerking.

If anyone out there is in the mood for a little predicting, let's hear what you think will happen. I think that by the end we will see the last of Amy and Rory, it's time for the Doctor to leave them to live their own lives, I mean we see that Amy has her own perfume out there and it didn't look like she was any older while signing that autograph. After whatever happens next week, we will have seen the last of the Ponds, or Williams' or whatever they are calling themselves.

Jayne

Inspector Spacetime on the Job!

OK, I am not sure how many American fans of Doctor Who are also fans of the American show “Community” (Thursday nights/NBC) as I am, but in their 3^rd season opener they made a very silly reference to Doctor Who.

OPENING CREDITS

To set this scene up a bit, Abed, upset that his favorite show (which he appeared in), “Cougar Town” would not be back on the air until February, was bummed, until Britta found the British show that “Cougar Town” was based on, “Cougarton Abbey” because, as we know, all great American TV shows are based on British shows (OK – I was being sarcastic, we gave you Law and Order: UK and Geordie Shore – nuff said :-) ). Turns out, that because the Brits know how to end a show properly, after 6 episodes, Cougarton Abbey was done after the characters all poisoned themselves at the end of the 6^th episode, leaving Abed with nothing to fill the void.

THE TARDIS????

BLIMEY!  IT'S THE INSPECTOR AND HIS TRUSTY SIDEKICK - THE CONSTABLE

Along comes another British TV show, still on their air since 1962, “Inspector Spacetime”, about a detective who travels through time and space in a British phone booth, who, in the exciting episode portrayed here and while traveling with his companion, The Constable, are set upon by the “Blogons” who shoot lasers at them and yell “Eridicate! Eradicate!”

ERADICATE!!!

When I saw this, sitting on my couch, I almost pee'd myself, dropped my bottle of Guiness (I had one while waiting for my Chinese take-out to arrive), and “Squee'd” out loud, not exactly something I think you can actually do, but I did it, and definitely not something I want anyone to see.

Here's a link to Inspector Spacetime – it's soooooo not right :) Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZqv0j8Nfr8

Jayne

My Middle Name is Bad Penny

WOW - this was quite an emotionally charged episode.

What is it with Toby Whithouse and anxiety issues? First, he gives us “Night Terrors” and then the six people drawn to the Dr Who equivalent of Stephen King's Overlook Hotel from “The Shining” where certain rooms hold the fears of drawn to it, or so we, and The Doctor think . . . . . at first, when in reality it plays with those peoples' faith, faith in their luck, faith in their father and their religion, faith in The Doctor.

WHAT I LOVED

The Tavonian – sorry, but he cracked me up, from the Tavonians being the most invaded race in the universe, this kicking in his, what I'll call, his “Surrender Reflex”, to their anthem “Glory to (insert name here), to his race planting trees so that the next invading race can invade in the shade. Too, too funny.

THIS GUY CRACKED ME UP

WHAT I LIKED

I liked that Rita questioned The Doctor's need to be “the saviour” the one who needed to save everyone. Her Muslim faith, though abandoned later in the face of the Minotaur, made her question his need to save everyone.

The Doctor eats an apple and plays with a Rubic's Cube – 2 things he has stated that he hated – hmmmmmmmm – semi-interesting in that he seems to have forgotten that he hates them.

I COULD HAVE SWORN HE DIDN'T LIKE APPLES

That Rory said he was not effected due to his lack of superstitions – an interesting statement about religion – which, in my opinion, is just that, a series of superstitions that have been laid on us after millennia of silliness over the fact that “something just had to create us”. Even The Doctor laughs off the idea of religion at one point.

The The Doctor opens door number 11 (what else??) and kind of laughs it off as he pretty much expected what lay behind it – based on the ringing of the Cloister Bell, I would assume that it could have been two things – his own death, or knowing The Doctor's “faith” it would be the death of Idris, whose loss would be something he could NOT live with.

I WONDER IF THIS NUMBER MEANS ANYTHING. . . . . .

This was evidently the episode that was referred to at the beginning of Season 6 as bringing back an old school Doctor Who enemy, although The Doctor referred to our dear Minotaur as a distant cousin of The Nimon, who were sent to various planets to become gods, feeding on emotions for their sustenance. See here for a link to the Wikipedia entry for “The Horns of Nimon” - a story from the Tom Baker era (try not to laugh at The Nimon) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Horns_of_Nimon

That The Doctor had finally admitted why he wanted to take Amy with him, admitting to himself his vanity, admitting to himself that he had been seeing her as the eight year old Amelia Pond instead of the adult Amy Wiliams, admitting that he was not the be all and end all in her life, admitting his very deep fear of seeing her and Rory dead (for Rory it would be at least a few deaths down the line LOL).

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

The creature: "An ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent, drifting in space through an endless shifting maze, for such a creature, death would be a gift."

It was referring to The Doctor and I fear, really fear, that the whole Lake Silencio scenario is The Doctor's way of making that actually happen, the he sets himself up so that he is actually killed with no chance of regeneration (after he could have done it 2 episodes ago - but I guess they were setting up the concept that a Time Lord could actually die without regeneration kicking in) so that he is no longer a threat to the Universe.

In closing, I know this is not the last that we will see of Amy and Rory, hence The Doctor's statement about being a Bad Penny. We all know he will be back in their lives, not sure how, but he will be back.

MARRIAGE CAN BE A SCARIER ADVENTURE (Trust me)

Just a little personal note in closing. I would like to thank Laredo Lowtide for 1) allowing me to write on the New London Blog and 2) his encouragement and thinking that what I write actually means something. Thanks:)

Jayne

PS (Don't read this part if you're totally spoiler free) - can't wait to see The Doctor drop in on Craig Owen once again, I have loved actor James Corden since I 1st came across him as one of the creators of and actors in "Gavin and Stacy". This episode should be full of laughs (I hope).

It's An Emergency!!!!!!!!

Tonight the Maldovarium was transformed into an Emergency Room and Holochuck Henley provided the soundtrack for the evening in the New London Hospital Emergency room, a place full of hot nurses, a doctor and part time ninja, and some of the strangest patients in the universe (we're not sure what has the Doctor's left hand so inflamed as he's being taken in - but there were some diagnoses that we won't discuss here . . . . . .

More medical evidence follows below.

Jayne

Our Nursing Staff

Paging Doctor Ninja, Paging Doctor Ninja

Your Faithful Blogger - Blogging from the Mental Ward

Rory's Choice

Put the kettle on my lovelies for by the time it boils for your cuppa, you should have this review read.

My initial reaction to this episode was one of disbelief. I mean I know that almost every series on television needs “filler” episodes, but this episode had so much filler that dentists' offices could use it for their cavity prone patients and chefs could use it for their Christmas turkeys.

I also get that the producers blew a lot of cash on the 1^st half of the season and the 2^nd half opener, but sheesh, 2 on the cheap episodes in a row??? The rest of this season has better look amazing.

So far we have had Amy referred to as “The Girl Who Waited”, we've had Rory referred to as “The Boy Who Waited” now we finally get an episode named “The Girl Who Waited” and it has nothing to do with what I was expecting.

I was expecting an episode that covered the years of Amy's therapy sessions, her years of thinking Rory was gay, her hanging out with Mels, her years of basically torturing Rory and making him her “sort of” boyfriend, instead we get her dropped off on a dying, plague infested planet that the Doctor, who never checks history books because that's not the way he travels, and chased by demented germophobic robots determined to offer her a kindness by killing her.

Kindness???? I think not!!!!

WHAT I LIKED

Arthur Darvill – I'm not sure if he bribed Steven Moffat at the beginning of this season or what, but he has had some of the most amazing scenes this season, some of the best comedic lines. His scene at the Tardis door with Amy on the other side had me sniffling and looking for the tissues and saying it was just my allergies acting up to my watching buddies.

Where are my tissues?!?!?

Old Amy's make-up was pretty cool.

That's it – the Doctor lied yet again, though I actually do like that long overcoat her has been wearing lately – he again saved Amy, blah blah blah.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

I'll refer you to my opening for most of this section.

OK – Amy's early 20's, in real life, Karen Gillan is 23, add 36 years to that and she's 59, just 6 short years of being one of the UK's millions of pensioners and not one gray hair, not a one. 36 years of avoiding and beating upon the Kindness Patrol and not one gray hair? Did her Rory robot go out for hair coloring??? Granted he had no hands, but hey, in this era of Doctor Who, not having hands might not matter. I hope my hair retains its color when I have hit 40 let alone 59.

36 years have passed but what did she eat??? Granted, she spent a week and never felt hungry, but 36 years?

Through The Past Darkly???

A PREDICTION

I am going to finish up this week with a prediction. None of my predictions have come true so far but I feel strong about this one.

I am not basing this on any spoilers. Aside from episode previews I am spoiler free. This is just based on a feeling that I have gotten based on certain key things this season.

Here goes – at the very end of episode 13 the Doctor, who will survive, will leave Amy, Rory and baby Melody off at their home where we saw them way back in episode 1 of this season, where they will raise Melody as Amy wanted to. I know that this messes around with all kinda of paradoxes and other timey-wimey silliness, but I think that's how it ends and that is the last we see of Amy and Rory. The Doctor heads off to his Christmas adventure and comes back to find another companion, maybe someone he finds at Christmas, no matter, Amy's and Rory's story ends there.

That's it for this week – take the kettle off, it's boiling over now. See you next week.

Jayne

The Doctor Makes a House Call

I wasn't sure what to call this week's review, I was stuck between the title above and “George's Anxiety Closet” and “You're Not The Man From Social Services” and “George: The Alien Obsessive-Compulsive Perception Filtered Closet Case”, but “The Doctor Makes a House Call” is it. Lame? Maybe, it's what ya get :)

Let's open the cupboard on this review . . . . . .. . .

LOOKS SCARY TO ME

Wow, this was like every childhood fear rolled into one, and given a shot of steroids. It was the Anxiety Closet gone into overdrive and it was one of the better episodes of the Reign of Moffat so far.

Most of my “Likes” this week are on the form of dialogue, though I have to give a singular round of applause to young Mister Jamie Oram as George. That kid was amazing.

Tick tock goes the clock
 And what now shallwe play?


Tick tock goes the clock
 Now summer's gone away?

WHAT I LIKED

Even though we adults have, for lack of a better word, hijacked Doctor Who and have increasingly held it up to adult show standards, it is a kid's show and it was nice to see them return to an episode where a child was the center of attention. You could argue that the entire season has been about a child (Melody/River), but its true central theme has been the death of The Doctor, at least in my opinion.

The scariest place in the universe is a child's bedroom. I can attest to that, as I am sure most of you can.

This was like all of a kid's emotional issues on steroids – abandonment, losing his home, scary old people, bull dogs. No wonder poor George was a basket case.

Tick tock goes the clock
 And what then shall we see?


Tick tock until the day
 That thou shalt marry me.

The Doctor: “I've been around the block a few times. More than a few. They've knocked down the blocks I've been around and rebuilt them as bigger blocks. Super blocks! I've been around them as well.”

The Doctor (referring to the Sonic Screwdriver): “It's not a gun! Wood! I've got to invent a setting for wood. It's embarrassing.”

WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THESE TWO?

Tick tock goes the clock
 And all the years they fly,

Tick tock and all too soon 
You and I must die.

Alex (the dad) “It's bigger on the inside than the outside!” The Doctor: “It's more common than you think.”

Nice to see a reference to the ongoing story at the very end, but we could probably have gotten away without it.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

Not much aside from nit picking. Another Jammie Dodger reference (OK, we know the Doctor likes them already!) Makes me wonder if Mr Moffat has stock in an obscure Welsh (or Cymruian?) cookie company (Burton's). Actually, I love shortbread cookies, but enough with the Jammie Dodgers (it was kind of a stupid reference in “The Impossible Astronaut” since those cookies didn't exist in the US in 1969).

That's it for this week. Looking forward to next week's episode “The Girl Who Waited”.

Tick tock goes the clock
 He cradled her and he rocked her
Tick tock goes the clock
 Even for the Doctor.

Thanks to both Static Frenzy and Planet Claire Quotes for providing me with Marc Gatiss' actual Twitter feed for the scary sing songy lyrics throughout the episode.