Doctor Who 6.05
May. 22nd, 2011 10:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakFirst part of a two parter: always frustrating to review. Also, the icon is courtesy of Matt Graham's other show and D.I. Chris Skelton appearing in this episode.
At a guess, Matt Graham likes Alien better than Aliens, because the people our heroes end up here are definitely the Nostromo crew type - contracted workers of a morally questionable enterprise rather than one liner spouting space marines with big guns. Though the story really owes more to a more distant British sci fi pioneer, Mary Shelley with Frankenstein, especially because of all the emphasis on how the flesh is sentient, how the avatars are people in their own right, not mistakes to be moped up, turning against their careless creators after being abandoned and attacked by them first, and while it's not actually in the book the films have forever connected Frankenstein's creature coming to life in a lightning storm, so the use of lightnening is very much a homage. And of course there is that other Ridley Scott film, Blade Runner, with the question of identity, other people's memories given to artificial life forms, right to live.
So far, it's all well done and atmospheric if not exactly original, but there are a couple of weird characterisations which I hope will be justified in part II. For one thing, the Doctor's lack of concern for Rory. I really hope this isn't just a case of lack of editing, since due to Neil Gaiman's testimony I am resolved not to accuse Moffat of that anymore. If there is a pay off in part II, I'll be happy. There were some close-ups that definitely read as the Doctor knowing more than he says about the entire planet and situation they've landed in. For another, given Rory's memories of 2000 years as a living plastic Centurion, I'm not surprised he feels a connection to the avatars but I am surprised he never brings this up, nor does Amy or anyone else, and so Rory's bonding with Jennifer feels a bit off. Again, maybe there'll be a mention in part II or some pay off. Every now and then I wondered whether Rory himself isn't an avatar without knowing it, and the Doctor knows it, then everything is explained.
I do like that for once we get the attempt at working together before the us versus them, even if it's predictably ruined (since this is a two parter). Also I very much like that the Doctor tries and almost succeeds in getting the two parties to work together so much because that part of his characterisation is just as if not even more important than his capacity for ruthlessness which alread got a venting earlier this season.
Doppelganger!Doctor: was the expected cliffhanger, and is definitely the character bit I'm most looking forward to in part II. Both how he'll handle it (the last time this happened it was also a case of the DoctorDonna and fixing the second edition of himself up with Rose, none of which applies here), and how Matt Graham will write Avatar!Doctor.
At a guess, Matt Graham likes Alien better than Aliens, because the people our heroes end up here are definitely the Nostromo crew type - contracted workers of a morally questionable enterprise rather than one liner spouting space marines with big guns. Though the story really owes more to a more distant British sci fi pioneer, Mary Shelley with Frankenstein, especially because of all the emphasis on how the flesh is sentient, how the avatars are people in their own right, not mistakes to be moped up, turning against their careless creators after being abandoned and attacked by them first, and while it's not actually in the book the films have forever connected Frankenstein's creature coming to life in a lightning storm, so the use of lightnening is very much a homage. And of course there is that other Ridley Scott film, Blade Runner, with the question of identity, other people's memories given to artificial life forms, right to live.
So far, it's all well done and atmospheric if not exactly original, but there are a couple of weird characterisations which I hope will be justified in part II. For one thing, the Doctor's lack of concern for Rory. I really hope this isn't just a case of lack of editing, since due to Neil Gaiman's testimony I am resolved not to accuse Moffat of that anymore. If there is a pay off in part II, I'll be happy. There were some close-ups that definitely read as the Doctor knowing more than he says about the entire planet and situation they've landed in. For another, given Rory's memories of 2000 years as a living plastic Centurion, I'm not surprised he feels a connection to the avatars but I am surprised he never brings this up, nor does Amy or anyone else, and so Rory's bonding with Jennifer feels a bit off. Again, maybe there'll be a mention in part II or some pay off. Every now and then I wondered whether Rory himself isn't an avatar without knowing it, and the Doctor knows it, then everything is explained.
I do like that for once we get the attempt at working together before the us versus them, even if it's predictably ruined (since this is a two parter). Also I very much like that the Doctor tries and almost succeeds in getting the two parties to work together so much because that part of his characterisation is just as if not even more important than his capacity for ruthlessness which alread got a venting earlier this season.
Doppelganger!Doctor: was the expected cliffhanger, and is definitely the character bit I'm most looking forward to in part II. Both how he'll handle it (the last time this happened it was also a case of the DoctorDonna and fixing the second edition of himself up with Rose, none of which applies here), and how Matt Graham will write Avatar!Doctor.
no subject
Date: 2011-05-22 10:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-22 11:27 am (UTC)By now it also occured to me that if Ganger Doctor makes it ouf the next part alive it's obvious who dies in Utah...
no subject
Date: 2011-05-22 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-22 02:03 pm (UTC)I have a sneaky suspicion that Rory is actually dead and that we're all in a dream of Amy's in which she's trying to keep him alive in her mind, but reality keeps intruding to tell her he really is dead.
no subject
Date: 2011-05-23 04:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-23 02:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-23 04:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-23 05:01 am (UTC)