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[shadyspace]

I'm still processing what I just saw, but overall it wasn't a bad episode, in fact it had great moments like the first scenes of the orphanage (onces before the Doctor came to the rescue), but I wasn't excited about it as I was for the first episode. There are definitely many loose ends left unresolved. Some random observations:

- Why did they have to fast forward and skip 3 months ahead? I was looking forward to watching the cast figure out who the Silence are. Watching one Silent behind the astronaut then running away in a flashback doesn't cut it.

- While dealing with the Silence using the moon sequence was clever, it still looked like the type of racial genocide our Doctor is known to oppose. It's not like he's incapable of reaching such a solution, but the process is usually preceded by lots of hesitation, warnings, and ultimatums. He was practically giddy and cracking jokes when he revealed his cards too, so I'm a little perplexed by his reactions.

- I hate that they had to return River back to jail at the end, as if everything has been taken care of. Rory and Amy looked excited for the next adventure too, a blank look when the Doctor said "nobody lives forever" doesn't cut it.

- Amy baby, sigh. What a clusterfuck. I, too, for a second thought that Amy was implying that the baby could be the Doctor's (I can't understand half of what that woman says) but Rory's normal reaction kind of dispelled that.

- The girl's regeneration and Amy's fluctuating pregnancy: caused by the travelling inside the TARDIS (going by Amy's concerns about her fears of Time thingy head) or the Silence's experimentation?

- So the girl was inside the astronaut suit, where there are 20-something alien technology attempting to sustain and preserve her life, then she escapes and is shown in the next scene dying? I'm betting that something is wrong with her, and she keeps dying and regenerating probably due to some congenital defect.

- Bringing up Nixon's "alleged" racism was a nice touch, but I don't understand why Canton kept referring to the relationship he sought as "marriage." Sounds like a very progressive idea or step to take back 69.

It's probably because it was conceived in the Tardis. Maybe she's not technically a time lord but a human with some of the powers of the heart of the Tardis (a la Bad Wolf Rose) that manifest as similar to a Time Lord's abilities (i.e. regeneration).

 

[WanderingWind]

Nah. They'll do like the do in comic books. Age it through some plot device to where it's not a useless prop but a viable character. They'll either have her in her late teens, early twenties or maybe preteen so they can mix-up the companion formula.

So...like Angel? Event the actor who played him hates Connor.

 

[shadyspace]

So...like Angel? Event the actor who played him hates Connor.

Just because it didn't work on one show doesn't mean it won't work here, but yeah, it's a plot device very susceptible to sucking.




Also, found this while I was looking for articles discussing Karen Gillan's possible exit from the show:

 

[WanderingWind]

Yeah, no, she's ridiculously hot, and she is very funny. Why the writers seem to want to make her unlikable is beyond me. While watching her being a giant dick to Rory, my brain and my penis get confused and I can't tell if I like her or hate her. It's a mess.

 

[Jinfash]

Also, found this while I was looking for articles discussing Karen Gillan's possible exit from the show:

I'm behind on rumors of castings and possible exits: have there been strong rumors about her leaving the show any time soon?

 

[shadyspace]

Yeah, no, she's ridiculously hot, and she is very funny. Why the writers seem to want to make her unlikable is beyond me. While watching her being a giant dick to Rory, my brain and my penis get confused and I can't tell if I like her or hate her. It's a mess.

Amy= Hot, awful.

Rose= Eh, fantastic.

 

[somedevil]

If you go with the everything in reverse, I think the TARDIS in the Lodger was their *goal* not their means of arrival. It would explain needing someone who'd been in the Doctor's TARDIS (because people who've been in it are marked in some way, have some kind of time traveller radiation permanently affixed to them, etc) for their plans.

In which case, they get stopped and basically massacred (in this episode) on the eve of their success (which manifests in the prior episode, The Lodger).

As for the pregnancy plot, I hate to say this in a way, but I just plain have faith that if anyone can do this right it'll be Moffat. But I agree that babies generally ruin shows.

That does make sense though they had her for days and all it would of done was blow up the galaxy and I think they want everything to go to silence.

Also, the big question is who left the ship there in the first place.

 

[isny]

That does make sense though they had her for days and all it would of done was blow up the galaxy and I think they want everything to go to silence.

Also, the big question is who left the ship there in the first place.

Mr. "I've killed lots of Timelords" probably.

 

[Jinfash]

Amy= Hot, awful.

Rose= Eh, fantastic.

You misspelled Dona.

Dona <3

Dona

 

[stupei]

I didn't realize so many people dislike Amy. This is even more bizarre to me than the news that people dislike River.

Amy's a better companion than Rose. Not just hotter and more interesting, but better in every conceivable way -- especially because her crush on the Doctor is only ever going to be just a little girl's crush, as it should.

- Bringing up Nixon's "alleged" racism was a nice touch, but I don't understand why Canton kept referring to the relationship he sought as "marriage." Sounds like a very progressive idea or step to take back in 69.

I didn't take it to mean that he actually expected a real legal marriage but rather that he could no longer stand the hypocrisy of serving a government and nation that does not view him as an equal citizen.

Yeah, no, she's ridiculously hot, and she is very funny. Why the writers seem to want to make her unlikable is beyond me. While watching her being a giant dick to Rory, my brain and my penis get confused and I can't tell if I like her or hate her. It's a mess.

I never thought Amy came across as a dick, honestly. Rory was right when he said he understood how much the Doctor messed with her head. That mixed in with her memories of growing up in this weird space where she's basically a normal girl one day and an abandoned orphan the next, it's no wonder she's still got a bit of a girlish crush on the imaginary friend who was going to save little girl her from being so alone. That doesn't mean she doesn't love Rory. It was obvious even before this episode that Rory is the one she chooses; it's just Matt and Karen's great chemistry that makes people suspect otherwise at times.

You misspelled Dona.

Dona <3

Dona

Donna was pretty damn great but what was done to her at the end sort of tarnishes the overall character in many ways. RTD seriously acted as if he secretly hated all the companions (except maybe Martha) and also took great exception with the idea of anyone ever playing with his toys again.

 

[DrForester]

My Companion Rankings.

1. S1 Rose
2. Martha (Season's stories were lacking, but she was an awesome companion)
3. AmyRory
4. S2 Rose
5. Amy
6. Donna

 

[Slayven]

Was the moray eel looking thing from a previous ep or a flashforward to one this season?

 

[mclem]

Moffat never said he wanted that. He merely suggested that as a clever alternative to letting her simply die.

Or, of course, that's what he *wants* us to think.

 

[shadyspace]

You misspelled Dona.

Dona <3

Dona

All of the 10th's companions were great.

 

[RobotNinjaHornets]

You misspelled Dona.

Dona <3

Dona

So did you, there are two ns =P

 

[stupei]

Was the moray eel looking thing from a previous ep or a flashforward to one this season?

It's from The Eleventh Hour, Matt's first episode as the Doctor. This is also the first time we hear about the Silence.

 

[mclem]

And they seem to have a Tardis.

It's interesting to note that Confidential only ever refers to it as a spacecraft, but it looks *so* Tardis-y. Misdirection?

 

[isny]

So did you, there are two ns =P

O'Neill...two L's!

 

[TouchMyBox]

So while the OP says what the best episodes of Doctor Who are, I'm kinda just wondering where I should start off if I'm not currently interested in watching 750 episodes and just kinda want to see what all the fuss is about regarding this newest series. Can I just start at the beginning on this season and mostly understand what's up? Do I need to go a few seasons back?

 

[Jinfash]

So did you, there are two ns =P

And 3 times in a row too, for shame. In these situations I tend to play the Foreigner's card.

 

[mclem]

Was reminded of RTD a little bit here. I think Moffat sometimes actually suffers from the same problems RTD did - shopping cart writing - but it manifests in different ways. Especially in the Confidential Inteviews, he sounded like he had things he wanted to do - have them hunted by the FBI, have them creepily writing on their own skin (how fast did that disappear?), revisit the awesome desert vistas again, having The Doctor trapped in Area 51 - and all those ideas didn't quite fit into the framework of the story OR more importantly fit into two 45 minute chunks.

I have to say, I've a nagging feeling this could have worked a bit better if it used a Torchwood-esque 5-day stripped miniseries system. It felt like there were a lot of *ideas* but not enough time to explore them.

 

[stupei]

So while the OP says what the best episodes of Doctor Who are, I'm kinda just wondering where I should start off if I'm not currently interested in watching 750 episodes and just kinda want to see what all the fuss is about regarding this newest series. Can I just start at the beginning on this season and mostly understand what's up? Do I need to go a few seasons back?

Probably best if you start with season 5. It's a good starting place and will introduce you to all the main current players in the new season.

 

[isny]

BTW, HMV has classic who at 2/$20. Even ordering from Amazon.co.uk won't get you it much cheaper.

I picked up 3-4 DVD's (out of the 8+ titles available) while at the downtown Montreal flagship store. (Androzani, Spearhead from Space, Resurrection of the Daleks, and one other I can't remember, lol)

 

[mclem]

Guys, I don't think the physical appearance of a regenerator is going to provide any clues.

Cor, I bet that'd be fun. Problems during pregnancy, worried they might lose the child... and suddenly there's golden fire shooting out of... well, you get the idea.

 

[shadyspace]

So while the OP says what the best episodes of Doctor Who are, I'm kinda just wondering where I should start off if I'm not currently interested in watching 750 episodes and just kinda want to see what all the fuss is about regarding this newest series. Can I just start at the beginning on this season and mostly understand what's up? Do I need to go a few seasons back?

Watch Torchwood: Children of Earth, it's on Netflix Instant in HD. It pretty much won't tell you shit about Doctor Who. It's just:

 

[marrec]

Watch Torchwood: Children of Earth, it's on Netflix Instant in HD. It pretty much won't tell you shit about Doctor Who. It's just:

But then, for the love of God, don't watch any other Torchwood. It's really for the best.

 

[TouchMyBox]

Watch Torchwood: Children of Earth, it's on Netflix Instant in HD. It pretty much won't tell you shit about Doctor Who. It's just:

We sir have different Netflixes.

So Season 5 of Doctor Who 2005? Would Season 1 of 2005 be a better starting off point? I'm willing to invest the time if it's awesome, I just don't want to go so far back that I lose interest in watching the newer stuff.

 

[Jinfash]

What you got is an awesome, wham-bam-bang opening to the story with them being hunted, but it did feel out of place. The story could literally have resolved that cliffhanger quickly and picked up from the moment the three are back in the TARDIS without any of that stuff and it would've been almost exactly the same - other than Canton and the others becoming friends I can't even see the significance of the story being six months later. That passage of time does nothing other than move the story in step with the real-world timings of the moon landings, but the first episode could've just as easily been set six months later in the first place.

Which is exactly why I was a little disappointed that season 6's "teasers", that packed all the intriguing shots of chases on different locations and the area 51 part, actually spoiled the entire scenes, or arguably most of them. They were as random and almost as quick-cut as they were in the previews, and they packed little to no relevance to the overall plot.

 

[shadyspace]

We sir have different Netflixes.

So Season 5 of Doctor Who 2005? Would Season 1 of 2005 be a better starting off point? I'm willing to invest the time if it's awesome, I just don't want to go so far back that I lose interest in watching the newer stuff.

If you've got the time, def. go back to the '05 relaunch.

But then, for the love of God, don't watch any other Torchwood. It's really for the best.

Good man. People who recommend watching through S1 and S2 because "some of it's okay" are monsters, completely unnecessary dead weight around the masterpiece that is Children of Earth. I'm hype as fuck for Miracle Day, of course.

 

[stupei]

If you've got the time, def. go back to the '05 relaunch.

The first few episodes from 2005 aren't a very good starting off point, personally. I had plenty of friends who were really into the show pushing me to watch, so I stuck with it but The Eleventh Hour is a much stronger introduction, in my experience. I've gotten a few people into the series just by showing them the first 20 minutes or so.

RTD's stuff certainly isn't bad, but it's very uneven at first. Moffat already had his footing when he started his first season long arc.

But after someone is hooked, I think it's a great idea to go back and see the rest.

 

[shadyspace]

The first few episodes from 2005 aren't a very good starting off point, personally. I had plenty of friends who were really into the show pushing me to watch, so I stuck with it but The Eleventh Hour is a much stronger introduction, in my experience. I've gotten a few people into the series just by showing them the first 20 minutes or so.

RTD's stuff certainly isn't bad, but it's very uneven at first. Moffat already had his footing when he started his first season long arc.

But after someone is hooked, I think it's a great idea to go back and see the rest.

I don't agree with this at all but ymmv of course.

 

[infiniteloop]

We sir have different Netflixes.

So Season 5 of Doctor Who 2005? Would Season 1 of 2005 be a better starting off point? I'm willing to invest the time if it's awesome, I just don't want to go so far back that I lose interest in watching the newer stuff.

Def. start at Season 1 (2005) Episode 1 'Rose'. You'll miss out a lot of good stuff and some plot points starting at S5.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Amy is a terrible companion. Amy/Rory is an awesome companion.

Amy is possibly the worst companion ever. (Okay, maybe Adam was worse) Rory is one of the best (in my Top 5, easily).

We sir have different Netflixes.

So Season 5 of Doctor Who 2005? Would Season 1 of 2005 be a better starting off point? I'm willing to invest the time if it's awesome, I just don't want to go so far back that I lose interest in watching the newer stuff.

Starting with the beginning of the relaunch is for the best. Although the first year is kind of uneven, as a whole I think RTD's Doctor Who was significantly better than Moffat's Doctor Who. The past year just hasn't been nearly as compelling.

 

[TouchMyBox]

Merci beaucoup, gentlemen.

 

[Htown]

WHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT THEEEEEEEE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[marrec]

Amy is possibly the worst companion ever. (Okay, maybe Adam was worse) Rory is one of the best (in my Top 5, easily).

Rory defiantly is the best, but whats your beef with Amy exactly? I understand opinions and all but she's at least the hottest companion.

 

[ultron87]

Little Time Lord?? What the fuck!?!?

 

[infiniteloop]

Day of the Moon was great, going to have to watch it again. Really love the arc that's building up.

 

[bengraven]

Amy is ridiculously stupid hot.

But she's also a brilliant actress and has comedy chops. Can't ask for a better sidekick for the Doctor. I know companions don't last very long, but I'm hoping she does.


That said, I'm guessing her and Rory end up raising the Time Lord baby.

 

[xKilltheMx]

My friend kept bugging me about it so I decided to go ahead and watch it. I love it, on Season 1 of the 2005 series on netflix. Love this show.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Good man. People who recommend watching through S1 and S2 because "some of it's okay" are monsters, completely unnecessary dead weight around the masterpiece that is Children of Earth. I'm hype as fuck for Miracle Day, of course.

Children of Earth is in a league of its own, but I wouldn't condemn all the rest of Torchwood. S1 is very uneven, although it does have some legitimately great episodes (Out of Time and Captain Jack Harkness). S2 is legitimately awesome. It's not Children of Earth, but it's great television in its own right.

 

[shadyspace]

Starting with the beginning of the relaunch is for the best. Although the first year is kind of uneven, as a whole I think RTD's Doctor Who was significantly better than Moffat's Doctor Who. The past year just hasn't been nearly as compelling.

So you're the other one.

 

[mightynine]

I will never understand the hate Amy gets.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Amy is ridiculously stupid hot.

But she's also a brilliant actress and has comedy chops. Can't ask for a better sidekick for the Doctor. I know companions don't last very long, but I'm hoping she does.


That said, I'm guessing her and Rory end up raising the Time Lord baby.

It sounds like the whole pregnancy storyline is a set up for her and Arthur Darvill to leave the show.

 

[marrec]

Children of Earth is in a league of its own, but I wouldn't condemn all the rest of Torchwood. S1 is very uneven, although it does have some legitimately great episodes (Out of Time and Captain Jack Harkness). S2 is legitimately awesome. It's not Children of Earth, but it's great television in its own right.

The cinematography, writing, music, dialog... everything about S1 and S2 are grating and mediocre at best. Then you through Gwen on top of it? Almost unwatchable for this guy, and I love me some Capt. Jack.

Children of Earth is undeniably amazing though.

Edit: Gah! Even the lighting is infuriating! How did they get so much wrong?!

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Despite any praise I read about Torchwood, I can never, ever forget that this is the show that brought us "Cyberwoman", and after watching that loathesome, repugnant hideous stupid piece of shit, I promised myself I would never watch that show ever, ever, ever again. When people mention it, I just roll my eyes and move on.

Doctor Who I love though, even have my own Dalek at work.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Rory defiantly is the best, but whats your beef with Amy exactly? I understand opinions and all but she's at least the hottest companion.

I tend to evaluate characters on how deep they are as characters, not their looks. Amy is just annoying and shallow. She has demonstrated very little in the way of real personality and she just tends to annoy me whenever she's talking. She's more a collection of a bunch of quips and funny eye movements than an actual character.

So you're the other one.

There are quite a few people who think that, actually.

 

[bengraven]

BTW, the River Song moment at the end was horribly horribly sad.

She's like "we've...never done that before?" and it took me a second and I realized what she was saying...that it was the last time she would ever do it. To the viewers, no. To her, yes.

It sounds like the whole pregnancy storyline is a set up for her and Arthur Darvill to leave the show.

Well we knew they were going to have to leave and be happily ever after at some point. Especially now that she's openly chosen Rory (for like the third time) so maybe the sexual tension is gone. At that point, there's no point of her character, despite me missing her.

 

[marrec]

I tend to evaluate characters on how deep they are as characters, not their looks. Amy is just annoying and shallow. She has demonstrated very little in the way of real personality and she just tends to annoy me whenever she's talking. She's more a collection of a bunch of quips and funny eye movements than an actual character.



There are quite a few people who think that, actually.

Touché, I was trying to be funny by saying she's the hottest (

Spoiler

sheis

). But as to her Character, I didn't really like her at first but with the addition of Rory I think she has had more development. This doesn't change the fact that she's basically the Aquaman of the Doctor's team, always getting Kidnapped and shot and such.

But without Amy we wouldn't have Rory and I think we can all agree that we need Rory.

 

[Amir0x]

So...
SPECULATION SPOILER

Spoiler

River Song is Amy's daughter?

I am confused.