Shenanigans...

This was the best proper double-Doctor episode I've seen so far, and I'm glad that there wasn't a regeneration, even though only because this proofs the Daily Star wrong, if it was the Daily Star which claimed that. And it looks that Doctor 11b won't turn up at that lake in the US. It would have been a too easy way to solve that problem anyway, even though that problem will be solved. I'm sure.

So, what is there to love about these 4o-odd minutes? First, seeing the Doctors finishing each others sentences was one of the best moments in Double-Who history. It was also more than just logical that the Doctor had an 'identity-crisis' for a few seconds. All in all, he already had (at least) 11 different personalities, so creating a real double may be a bit complicated. And the way they said good-bye to each other was bitter-sweet: 'If I turn up to nick all your
biscuits, you'll know you were right'. Sadly, he will be wrong. At least most likely. At least as long as the Big Moff ..., anyway that guy has already too much power. Come on, he can destroy the universe at his will. How do you want to top this?

I could write a book on why the Doctor(s) was (were) especially adorable in this episode, but let's move on to the more important bits. Amy. And to this I just want to say the words every single scriptwriter longs to hear, even though this time it's rather the Big Moff than Graham who should be given credit: What a cliffhanger. No one did see that coming. That we have a flesh Amy from episode 2-something onwards was the most astonishing point of the whole story. Now also the whole 'TARDIS-is-not-sure-whether-she-is-pregnant-or-not' thing makes sense. And of course the Doctor knows what is going on. In fact, I can't think off another way of how this could have been explained away.

What I don't really get is why the Doctor sonics Amy number two, when he was so keen on letting anyone else live... but this is just a side-remark.
Somehow it was amusing that also the Doctor has his problems with these small things getting into his way when he wants to say something important, like Amy being pregnant. Well, some parents maybe had to explain the Doctor's 'Birds and Bees' comment to their offspring.

Anyway. Next week is the beginning of the end, or the Grand Finale, well, mid Grand Finale, to be most precise. Looking forward to it.

A Real Phonie...

IMHO it's not fair to judge a two-parter by its first 4o-something minutes, so I won't. Nevertheless, what you can, is comment on them. For that, here are my 'comments':

* This time even I noticed that Amy is not wearing a skirt.

* The Doctor does not tell Amy about the TARDIS not being sure about her being or not being pregnant...

* Matthew Graham is up to a double-Doctor story. And while some of us may be less amused by this, this has potential. I just can't wait to see the Doctor dealing with his own selves.

* Having said this, I'm sure that Doctor Number 11b is going to die sooner or later.

*Talking about dying... I'm glad that Rory has not yet and I hope he won't. That is starting to be ridiculous.

* What reminds me of the best line so far 'I think I died' - 'Welcome to my world.' And it's hard to top that.

* BTW, why is that guy keeping sneezing??? Is it important?

Anyway, let's hope that part 2 'The Almost People' will breath some new, preferable less artificial life into the story.

'But this was when we talked...'

This week Gaiman brought the only love-story involving the Doctor to screen about which not a single fan is ever going to complain. And you can't beat this one. Giving the TARDIS a human body, showing the relationship the Doctor and 'his old girl' have and wrapping this up into a genuine story; these are the secret ingredients for writing the perfect episode. The only down-side is that you can use them just once; but a great once.

Maybe the most interesting part of the whole thing was to see the story out of the TARDIS' point of view. According to her it was she who chose the Doctor because he was 'the only one mad enough' to show the universe to her. So indeed, the Doctor is a mad man with a box, or vice versa.

We also learn finally that it is not only the Doctor's navigation-skills which are to blame when he does not end up where he originally wants to, even after having spent 7oo years fiddling with her consoles. 'But I always took you where you needed to go.' She could not have put it in better words.
And there is also the bit about Time Lords being able to change sex when regenerating, even though I think that we should not get there. But talking about 'sex issues'; Amy and Rory 'complaining' about their sleeping-arrangements is the latest addition to our Doctor Who-related in-jokes list. Loved it, almost as much as seeing the old control-room for a change...
Oh, and the Ponds and the Doctor talking about the Timewar was just excellent. It more than just made sense.

Furthermore those of you who are reading this blog regularly, know that usually I'm not one of those to whom hankies belong to the standard equipment when watching finals, or heart-breaking story-lines, but the scene in which the Doctor was about to say 'goodbye' to Idris some kind of got me. There was something bitter-sweet about it. They won't be separated, but the scene in which he asks her whether she can still hear him in the very end was simply touching. Because she can, she will never stop being there for him, but she will never be able to talk/kiss/bite 'her' Doctor ever again.

All in all, this may be the best episode I've ever seen. And in spite of running the risk to say something stupid, it almost seems that Gaiman is what Moffat has been during RTD's era. So I really hope this is not the last bit we've seen of his genius.

The Partners in Crime...

... talk Shakespeare.

I guess if you are a David Tennant and/or Catherine Tate fan you do not need a longer introduction to read this Telegraph interview in which the two of them are speaking about their upcoming Shakespeare-production Much Ado about Nothing. In fact it is the sweetest thing I've come across during the past months. Loved the way David said Catherine has been the perfect Beatrice in his head. Now that's a compliment. And it was just sweet how Catherine's commented as his 'publicist' that he won't answer the question of how he is going to cope with doing Shakespeare and being a newly minted dad at the same time. But knowing some of his interviews I guess we did not seriously expect him to answer that question anyway.

So, I really hope someone will adapt Much Ado about Nothing for film for those of us to whom London is not just round the corner... And until then we'll have to wait for some reviews.

I've seldom seen...

... someone declaring their love to Doctor Who in a more beautiful way.

While the Whoniverse is 'melting the internet' due to Neil Gaiman having his Who debut this week DenOfGeek published an interview with the newest addition to the big club of Who writers, and here is the result of the inquisition.

It is one of those classical must-read-interviews with a lot of interesting points mentioned, however, the most relevant ones are about Doctor Who's complicate-ish heritage, and why fans should be appreciating plot holes, or the mythos of Who as Neil Gaiman puts it. While he promises that his own episode is settling a number of things, he also mentions that it is these missing bits which keep Doctor Who alive. And if you are honest with yourself you know he is right. If we knew why the Doctor was living with his granddaughter on Earth, if we knew every single detail about his family, Galilfrey, the Timewar and so on, things would stop being interesting. Luckily we do get some answers now and then, but we have to face it that a few big chunks are never going to be reviled, at least if forth-coming script-writers know what is good for Doctor Who...

So, if you feel like reading an interview with maybe the happiest Who fan on this planet ATM, go for it.

Welcome Back...

...to the ghasty RTD era.

Do I need to say more? Even though I have to admit that I did enjoy 'The Curse of the Black Spot' slightly more than the opening line of this really short review-ish something might indicate. In fact, up to the 'twist' everybody was teasing us about, it was even enjoyable and I dare to say that I've seldom come across better lines in a non-Moffat episode than in this one; just pick any of those which the Doctor said, really. And while these points alone should be more than enough to write a good episode, Stephen Thomson screws up things really badly towards the end...

Just out of curiosity... are they going to kill Rory every time when a story needs a bit of tension? And what is the point in Toby and his father being stranded with the pirate crew on a star-ship/whatever? How can they steer it anyway? It's not like steering an 18th century pirate ship would be so much the same. And are the strange, cryptic, spooky abilities of the Siren going to be explained in a *never-going-to-be-screened* part 2? There are more than just a few explanations missing.

All in all, although this one started off really promising, it ends up being one of this year's fillers, and one of the worse ones by definition. Which is a pity, because doing a pirate episode in Doctor Who could have worked so well...

Anyway, next weeks' story looks more than just promising, so let's hope for getting some compensation for this weeks rather ghastly masterpiece.

Lots of Questions and Some Answers

You watched 'The Day of the Moon' to find answers? Well, Moffat gives us more questions first.

It is fascinating that the internet is still up and working, instead of exploding with speculations after yesterday's episode.
Those 45 minutes started with Moffat invents the pre-titles-cliffhanger. Well, sort of. Some of the scenes were pretty fun but incredibly needless, come on, River jumping from the sky-scrapper and landing in the famous TARDIS swimming-pool, even if going by the scene it seems to be rather set into one of the walls of the library, than on the ground... And let's not get into details of why the water is staying at its place. But that is just a side-remark.

Anyway. There are a number of more serious points to speak about. Like, the really creepy Silence. But are they able to control time somehow? I mean, just before Amy went inside 'her' child's room (more about this later) there was this woman looking outside the small window on the door. Who is she? Where did she went and why did the door look different afterwards? Moreover, apparently Amy spent several months, if not years being a prisoner of the Silence. She seems to have forgotten everything about it. But how did they do that? And why does she not seem to have been missing for such a long time. Maybe the fact that the TARDIS can't make up her mind whether Amy is pregnant or not (it does show both) is a hint at this. Time also may be a bit more bumpy than usual, what could be an indication for them having changed something in the past after all (and I'm thinking at the picnic at the lake in the desert in 2o11...)

So, there was also that little girl with a bunch of timelord-genes whom the whole season seems to be about in the first place.
Funnily enough, the Doctor is out of question. We all remember why he got Rory on board of the TARDIS; I'm quite sure there is nothing left for interpretation there. It seems that either Rory or Amy is a Timelord (or a Timelady) then, however, I think that Rory is the more possible options. This is because we do know a few things about Amy's parents and her aunt, and they appear to be quite human. at least to me. On the contrary Rory's relatives are pretty much a mystery. I don't even know for sure whether they have been at the wedding of their own son... Additionally, he waited 2ooo years for Amy, and although he was 'plastic' during that time, he still remembers it and he is dealing with it the same way as the Doctor is dealing with his past. Which is a bit odd in my humble opinion, but maybe I am reading too much into it.

Another point is River Song. Who is she? We still don't know for sure (or at all) but at least we got another bit supporting our 'wife' theory. The kissing-scene was somehow intentionally unintentionally funny. And if her last comment did not make you said go and get a heart. Nevertheless, this was not the last kiss for her. She mentioned in 'Silence of the Library' (what a introspectively spooky title) that before she left he turned up on her doorstep with a bunch of flowers and so on... There is a touch of tragedy about her character. I'm really looking forward to the next time she turns up.

But first Amy, Rory and the Doctor are having an adventure with pirates and an optically not unattractive monster, for a change.