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).
The story started off well and ended disappointingly - as usual. Why does a creature that feeds off some obscure form of psychic energy need a mouth and teeth ? How did it drain off the energy and why did the feeding kill the victim..Id be quite pleased if something came and absorbed my fears...
ReplyDeleteIn the end once again there was a lot of sentimental gush Im sure RTD and Moffatt buy sentiment by the tanker load and it's so boringly dull and tedious. The sidekicks are hopelessly dull why people rave over Amy I will never understand. Rory never has a chance to shine and in my book he compares poorly with most previously male companions from the classic era.
Explanations were rushed and limited. Walliams was amusing as the rodent like Tivolian but Id have expected him to be more 'mouse like' in his movements.He didnt have enough to do - but todays writers seem incapable of making anything credible in a 50 minute episode these days.
Id guessed the Nimon was going to get a mention as soon as the BBC site started with its spoilers (how moffatt has the nerve to have a go fans for spoiling the episode when the BBC is busy giving everything away on its own site I dont know) but I think this was more to quell the 'theyve ripped off the horns of nimon mob rather than as any nod to continuity. I suppose it was more relevant to the story than the link between the Ood and the sensorites was...pity they didnt have the nerve to go all out and actually say itwas an earlier stage in the evolution of the Nimon. Theres no time to expand on anything in these new series stories at all......
I liked the beginning of this one right up to the end. The rooms were eerie, as we expect from Dr Who, but it's getting tedious seeing endings which all revolve around simply making yourself feel something and bang, one dead monster.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to good old alien monsters requiring a bit more than just a hug, or a kiss or altering your thoughts to get rid of them.
Thanks Maelstrom and Cully - you gave me even more to think about. I think the very basic problem that the current incarnation of Dr Who faces is the way TV operates these days - episodes that have to be wrapped up in 50 minutes in the UK and 42 minutes here in the US - much of what this show could actually be is lost.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing we all - even I - seem to forget is that this is a kids show - as much as we hate to admit it - I'm not exactly sure - aside from the historical aspect of it (an old man traveling through time in and old Police Box with his grand daughter and witnessing historical events) how this was actually a kids show - I mean "The Dead Planet" (look it up kids) blew that out of the water.
Doctor Who is in a weird place - it's almost like a gawky/geeky teen - not quite adult - not quite a kid. I almost wish it would take the Torchwood route and take 10 (or 13) episodes to tell a continuous story.
Nice article. :)
ReplyDelete