Doctor Who 6x11

[donna_c_punk]

(ETA: I'm going to leave this post unLocked for a while. At least until the end of the current series.)

Okay, I finished rewatching (and taking two pages worth of notes on) the last episode of Doctor Who. Yes, I took notes on a television show. It's not as though it's new territory to me, since I would take notes on entertainment often in my

Comments

[angelwolf24]

This is awesome and it totally made sense. It broke my heart at the end when he was alone in the Tardis and gave that sob. I so want to cuddle him.

[donna_c_punk]

That last shot of him in the TARDIS was sad. But seeing Craig in the preview made me smile pretty fast, so ... I'm really looking forward to "Closing Time".

[azarsuerte]

That makes a lot of sense, actually. Especially if the season arc is, as Moff has hinted, all about tearing down this version of the Doctor who can defeat his enemies just by intimidating them with his reputation.

I'm thinking--or maybe I'm *hoping*, I'm not sure--that the season finale will see the Doctor starting over from square one in a universe that no longer trembles at his name and having to learn all over again how to do what he does without relying on that fear.

[donna_c_punk]

Moffat and Co. have been setting it up like that, haven't they? AGMGTW was pretty much all about how the Doctor's been skating on his infamy in the universe. But you know what? While I like the idea they're going to be addressing this issue with him, I really wish it had happened with Tennant's Doctor. He was way more of an egomaniacal prig than Smith's.

[azarsuerte]

Yeah, the end of "Waters of Mars" really wasn't enough, was it? :-P

Part of me is glad that, well, at least it's being addressed, but yeah, it does kind of feel like...after the fact? Like they waited until a humbler incarnation came along to humble him. Um.

[donna_c_punk]

"WATERS OF MARS". GOOD GOD, WOMAN, DON'T EVEN. *TWITCHES* I STILL RAGE. (WAIT, I CAN'T LEAVE OUT DONNA IN "JOURNEY'S END" EITHER. *RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE*)

Agree totally with part two as well. It's like, Eleven's been kinda ass-y at times, but come on. Ten was the one who needed a reality check and a beatdown with the Humility Stick.

[pyleangoddess]

I like your take. It makes sense to me.

One random thing that you didn't mention that is really bothering me... the goldfish! It seems so small and insignificant, but if I learned anything from my many hours in theatre, you don't put a gun on stage and then not have a character use it. There is something about the Doctor having them make sure to take the goldfish with them and then seeing Gibbis eat it on the security monitor. I have no idea what it means, but I thought it really weird. Maybe it'll be one of those things that pops up in a future episode. Or maybe I missed something. I have only watched the ep once.

[loolaa]

I wondered about the significance of that goldfish too.

[donna_c_punk]

I came up with an "off-the-top-of-my-head" theory below.

[donna_c_punk]

I hadn't noticed the goldfish either time. So I may have to review and see if I can't come up with an explanation. Right off the top of my head, I'm wondering if he wasn't trying to protect it simply because it was another living thing within the hotel? If they're pushing this idea he thinks he's God, then he'd be aware of even the smallest of creatures being in danger. Hence, the goldfish. Even more interesting that Gibbis ate it. Lends more credence to my theory Gibbis was not on the level.

[van]

I really really need to rewatch this episode because I kept getting distracted with it and ended up thinking it was a terrible, disjointed mess that made no sense. Now I think I just was too confused from all the interruptions, but I like your interpretation a lot.

[donna_c_punk]

I've had a few people who weren't thrilled with this one say reviewing with this interpretation in mind made it more bearable for them. Be interesting to see if it helps you, too. Really, if I'd viewed it like the majority of fandom, I would've felt the exact same way as you.

[mswyrr]

You just blew my mind! I LOVE it. I really hope your right, because this would be amazing.

If there had been three actual dead bodies within the PROGRAM, wouldn't they have ended up there with them? It also was intriguing to me because of the fact Gibbis was still there.

EXCELLENT POINT! I can't believe I didn't notice that.

A Doctor who has no faith in himself or why he does what he does is at a disadvantage. He's better off with somebody, not only to call him on his bullshit but to PROTECT him. He's vulnerable alone. We know these people have pulled elaborate schemes to get at him before, why not plop him in some hotel and set him up to fail? Kind of funny, that speech the minotaur made at the end, when you think of it in those terms.My heart is all break-y now! OH. And I love that his speech can read as him *disillusioning himself*. Or, rather, expressing his disillusionment with himself brought on by the trap. Which makes sense of why he's so much gentler about it with Amy than he was with Ace in The Curse of Fenric: in CoF,

[mswyrr]

Wait, nevermind. I just saw the post is flocked so you definitely wouldn't want me quoting it. Sorry!

[donna_c_punk]

I don't mind my posts/comments being quoted with my permission. Actually, I went FO because of random assholes being assholes in my LJ space. So, long story short, it's cool. ;)

[mswyrr]

Oh!! YAYZ. Quoting away, then.