My Very Late Doctor Who S05E01 Review
Beware! Here be Spoilers!
I wrote this late last night but when I tried to upload it to LJ my internet decided it was having a midlife crisis. ANYWAY, here it is:
I’ve done this the wrong way around. I’ve just finished writing my review for Episode 2 (The Beast Below) but I still felt I needed to come back to this episode and put down a few thoughts. I've been trying to write this since it aired and its been a very difficult episode to review because of a number of things. Firstly, so much happened in the episode- setting up of characters, setting, tone, writing, the new story arc- that its impossible to get down everything that's been swimming around my brain. Secondly, I’ve read about a million reviews, both fan written and professional, that I barely know what opinions are mine and what aren’t. So I’ve decided to just do a mini overall impressions review.
DOCTOR WHO
SEASON 5
EPISODE 1: The Eleventh Hour
Written by Steven Moffat
I’ve read a rather gigantic amount of overwhelmingly, some would say disgustingly, positive reviews, and I’m afraid I’ve got no option but to add to the pile.
MUSIC:
I know there’s been a lot of debate about the new title sequence and a lot of people seem quite angry about the changes made. To be complete honest, I couldn’t care less about what the theme tune is. For all I care, they could play the Eastenders theme tune. As long as the characters, plot and writing is up to scratch the title sequence simply doesn’t matter. The music felt different to normal Who, although, not being music literate, I don’t know how or why. However, I loved that strange plinky plonk xylophoney tune that played from time to time (the occasion I remember is when the camera panned over Amy’s wedding dress). Strangely, it reminded me of the Doctor Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog theme tune, in a most excellent sort of way.
WRITING/DIRECTIONY STUFF:
Moffat is simply endlessly quotable. After it had finished airing, I had a text-based quote battle with a friend (it lasted 41 texts and I won :D), it was that wonderful. What great lines, what snappy dialogue.
There was a look to Russell T’s era, a sort of brightly coloured, trashy cheerfulness that, happily, seems to have completely disappeared and has been replaced with a darker, blue-tinged world that’s full of darkness. The universe definitely feels like more of a dark, beautiful, scary place, a place that is full of wonders just waiting to be explored. I can really see the Tim Burton influence.
AMY:
I like Amy already. I’ve taken to her quicker than any of the other companions; I think that I loved her from the opening moments when we saw her as a little girl, sat on her suitcase, waiting for the hero who didn't turn up. I defy anyone not to ‘awww’ when she goes to pack her suitcase. My heart broke for her (helped by the fantastic performance of Caitlin Blackwood), which was a very clever move by Moffat as I found that I was on Amy’s side from the beginning. Unlike the other companions, Amy has known the Doctor all of her life. He’s already much more important to her than he was to the other companions at the beginning of their adventures. In a strange way, through her dolls, playing dress up and dreaming of him, she’s known him longer than any of the others have. He’s been a constant thought at the back of her mind since she was a little girl. I actually think this gives their relationship a sort of romance (no, not that sort of romance); a beautiful, not-unlike The Time Traveller’s Wife-esque story of a strange, magical hero who keeps appearing, being wonderful and making himself a large part of her life, despite his disappearances (the four psychiatrists and making Rory dress up as the Raggedy Doctor prove that).
THE DOCTOR:
Matt Smith holds the hopes of all us fans on his shoulders at the minute and, my God, how he has risen to the challenge. Its extremely strange how safe the show feels in Matt’s hands and how quickly he’s settled into the role (although, from watching Confidential I’ve got the feeling that Matt is completely bonkers in real life too so it probably wasn’t too difficult getting into the part). He is not Ten Mark 2, as some feared. He is magnificent, as the Doctor should be, but he’s also himself. He’s odd, sort of scrumptious, very alien, random, brilliant, and really quite funny. Oh and that moment when he opened the TARDIS door and you could see all the wonder on his face as he says “Oh, you sexy thing”? Possibly my favourite moment of the entire episode (completely coincidentally, I think that’s also the moment I decided that here was my next inappropriate crush :D).
FAVOURITE QUOTES:
- You’re Scottish, fry something
- Box falls out of the sky, a man falls out of a box, man eats fish custard
- I’m the Doctor, I’m worse than everybody’s aunt
- All I’ve got is a post office. And its SHUT!
- Blimey, get a girlfriend, Jeff!
- Who da man?
- I am definitely a mad man with a box
Overall, I loved it. While the bad guy wasn't especially enthralling, the introduction of the characters was inventively and beautifully done, which is all that really matters. Bravo, Moffat, I can't wait to see what you've got in store for us.
I wrote this late last night but when I tried to upload it to LJ my internet decided it was having a midlife crisis. ANYWAY, here it is:
I’ve done this the wrong way around. I’ve just finished writing my review for Episode 2 (The Beast Below) but I still felt I needed to come back to this episode and put down a few thoughts. I've been trying to write this since it aired and its been a very difficult episode to review because of a number of things. Firstly, so much happened in the episode- setting up of characters, setting, tone, writing, the new story arc- that its impossible to get down everything that's been swimming around my brain. Secondly, I’ve read about a million reviews, both fan written and professional, that I barely know what opinions are mine and what aren’t. So I’ve decided to just do a mini overall impressions review.
DOCTOR WHO
SEASON 5
EPISODE 1: The Eleventh Hour
Written by Steven Moffat
I’ve read a rather gigantic amount of overwhelmingly, some would say disgustingly, positive reviews, and I’m afraid I’ve got no option but to add to the pile.
MUSIC:
I know there’s been a lot of debate about the new title sequence and a lot of people seem quite angry about the changes made. To be complete honest, I couldn’t care less about what the theme tune is. For all I care, they could play the Eastenders theme tune. As long as the characters, plot and writing is up to scratch the title sequence simply doesn’t matter. The music felt different to normal Who, although, not being music literate, I don’t know how or why. However, I loved that strange plinky plonk xylophoney tune that played from time to time (the occasion I remember is when the camera panned over Amy’s wedding dress). Strangely, it reminded me of the Doctor Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog theme tune, in a most excellent sort of way.
WRITING/DIRECTIONY STUFF:
Moffat is simply endlessly quotable. After it had finished airing, I had a text-based quote battle with a friend (it lasted 41 texts and I won :D), it was that wonderful. What great lines, what snappy dialogue.
There was a look to Russell T’s era, a sort of brightly coloured, trashy cheerfulness that, happily, seems to have completely disappeared and has been replaced with a darker, blue-tinged world that’s full of darkness. The universe definitely feels like more of a dark, beautiful, scary place, a place that is full of wonders just waiting to be explored. I can really see the Tim Burton influence.
AMY:
I like Amy already. I’ve taken to her quicker than any of the other companions; I think that I loved her from the opening moments when we saw her as a little girl, sat on her suitcase, waiting for the hero who didn't turn up. I defy anyone not to ‘awww’ when she goes to pack her suitcase. My heart broke for her (helped by the fantastic performance of Caitlin Blackwood), which was a very clever move by Moffat as I found that I was on Amy’s side from the beginning. Unlike the other companions, Amy has known the Doctor all of her life. He’s already much more important to her than he was to the other companions at the beginning of their adventures. In a strange way, through her dolls, playing dress up and dreaming of him, she’s known him longer than any of the others have. He’s been a constant thought at the back of her mind since she was a little girl. I actually think this gives their relationship a sort of romance (no, not that sort of romance); a beautiful, not-unlike The Time Traveller’s Wife-esque story of a strange, magical hero who keeps appearing, being wonderful and making himself a large part of her life, despite his disappearances (the four psychiatrists and making Rory dress up as the Raggedy Doctor prove that).
THE DOCTOR:
Matt Smith holds the hopes of all us fans on his shoulders at the minute and, my God, how he has risen to the challenge. Its extremely strange how safe the show feels in Matt’s hands and how quickly he’s settled into the role (although, from watching Confidential I’ve got the feeling that Matt is completely bonkers in real life too so it probably wasn’t too difficult getting into the part). He is not Ten Mark 2, as some feared. He is magnificent, as the Doctor should be, but he’s also himself. He’s odd, sort of scrumptious, very alien, random, brilliant, and really quite funny. Oh and that moment when he opened the TARDIS door and you could see all the wonder on his face as he says “Oh, you sexy thing”? Possibly my favourite moment of the entire episode (completely coincidentally, I think that’s also the moment I decided that here was my next inappropriate crush :D).
FAVOURITE QUOTES:
- You’re Scottish, fry something
- Box falls out of the sky, a man falls out of a box, man eats fish custard
- I’m the Doctor, I’m worse than everybody’s aunt
- All I’ve got is a post office. And its SHUT!
- Blimey, get a girlfriend, Jeff!
- Who da man?
- I am definitely a mad man with a box
Overall, I loved it. While the bad guy wasn't especially enthralling, the introduction of the characters was inventively and beautifully done, which is all that really matters. Bravo, Moffat, I can't wait to see what you've got in store for us.