dw review | "the name you choose is like a promise you make."
And look at that, time is passing ridiculously quickly.
A few thoughts on the Doctor Who finale (and some of this season, since I've been unable to write up my usual episode reviews this time around, sigh London sigh. On the plus side, I can catch up with new episodes on iPlayer, why doesn't this exist in France sigh sigh double sigh).
This season - especially the second half, since the first was mostly concerned with giving Amy and Rory an exit route, but the seeds of this criticism can be found all the way back in Asylum of the Daleks - has been suffering from Moffat's usual tendency to tell more than he shows, as well as from the absurd decision to do away with two-parters. There is a reason why every single previous season (except for the sixth, and look how that ended) needed a two-parter finale, especially when they're harking back to elements that the showrunner has been alluding to throughout the season.
Regardless of whether you think that, for instance, The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords was a good finale, the fact remains that RTD took the time to develop the plot, the characters and their motivations, and the ending in a thorough, elaborate way, so that the pace held true and the process felt believable (however ridiculous Jesus Doctor was, though I tend to look back on that rather fondly now). The Name of the Doctor, had it been split in two, would have benefited from being less rushed and less contrived.
Moffat's main problem is that he has excellent ideas to start with, and that he more often than not fails to follow through on his promises. Sometimes it works, and then it works perfectly (there is a reason why the S5 finale remains my favourite finale to date); but when he fails he fails spectacularly. Usually the resolution comes down to timey-wimey magic or some massive handwaving of the actual issues he set up throughout the season. For instance: it has been brought up, again and again, that the name of the Doctor would be spoken at Trenzalore, and that this would lead to some catastrophic disaster that would change the future of the human race.
In effect, that is what happened - River spoke his name, though inaudibly (why couldn't we hear it? was there a reason?), the tomb opened, and the Great Intelligence broke through his timetrack and started to change every single one of his victories into defeats. Jenny and Strax died, the stars started going out, the universe probably began collapsing on itself; it should be massive. It should be life-changing, life-breaking, one of the (if not the) most important moments of the Doctor's life. But that's where the difference lies: there was a gap between what it was supposed to be felt like and how it actually felt. It fell flat. It was solved within seconds, and the narrative didn't take the time to elaborate on how the Great Intelligence took pains to destroy the Doctor from within, and how Clara built him up again, from within.
What wasted potential. How wonderful it might have been - if the finale had been a two-parter, if Clara had been given the time to show us exactly how she fought against the Great Intelligence's designs, if the episode had been given all the gravitas that such a life-changing event required. And this isn't a criticism of the actors' performances, because they nailed what they were given and more besides - Matt Smith's Doctor is as stunning as it ever was, and his relationship with Clara is fantastic, emotional, fond, tender. They have a fraternal relationship that lights up my heart.
But god what I would have given for Madam Vastra to get the time to ache over the loss of Jenny and Strax, for an elaboration of Clara's role that didn't involve her being born in order to save the Doctor (what the fuuuuuck), for the fear and chill of the Great Intelligence and of the Whispermen's presence and schemes to settle deep inside the narrative until the audience strove towards the ending, rather than it happen upon us so suddenly.
The name of the Doctor. Moffat set it up as this incredible secret - and when the time came it was never about it at all. On the one hand, I won't say I'm not relieved; if he'd taken it upon himself to name the Doctor I would have been right pissed, because that is one of those things better left to our imagination. On the other, the lack of resolution, the lack of elaboration as to this lack of resolution, leaves me feeling exactly the way I felt when the narrative claimed that the Doctor had never risen higher than Demon's Run (yeah, sure): Moffat promised something incredible, and then failed to follow through. Even the subversion of that promise (because that is what Eleven's final speech was, essentially) should have been better than it was.
And look at River: is this her ending? Is she gone, gone for good? Will we never see her again? I would tend towards yes, personally, and I've got mixed feelings on that point. On the one hand, much as I love River's character, I haven't been able to like her story arc since S6 - and hey, look, that's the exact same problem I have with BBC!Irene! Shocking, that. - and I'm glad to see her go, just as I was glad to see Amy and Rory leave six months ago, despite all my love for them. This show needs change to survive, and River couldn't stay forever; her and the Doctor's last scene was bittersweet and lovely, and, for some reason, it has been the first time since we met her that I could actually believe the Doctor to be in love with her (that kiss, oh my heart). But, again, it falls flat. Is this it? Is not River still a time traveller? What reasons are there for them to be unable to ever see different versions of each other again? The narrative never answers, and it is frustrating.
I make it sound like I didn't like this episode at all, which isn't true - I love Madam Vastra and Jenny and Strax just as much as ever, loved the fact that of course the Doctor is buried in the dying TARDIS, of course their lives and deaths are tied, loved Clara and River's interactions, loved Clara in general and JLC's performance of her. But, in the end, the episode's saving grace is the relationship between the Doctor and Clara. Much as I wish that it had been set up differently, I love the fact that she travelled through the Doctor's past regenerations; each of these cameos were wonderful and a little heartbreaking. And their trek hand-in-hand through the dying TARDIS! Their final hug! "Clara, my Clara!" The tenderness and the love in that, it broke my heart.
Which is the thing with Moffat's writing, really: in the end, his characters are greater and more interesting and infinitely more lovable, at least to me, than his supposedly grandiose storylines. (I doubt that's purposeful on his part. He probably thinks he's very clever.) But years from now, I'll remember how much I loved Amy and Rory, how much I loved Clara; I hope I won't remember how frustrated and angry I am with his writing choices.
As for the final revelation, I'm rather baffled by the number of people on Tumblr and LJ who apparently assume that John Hurt is replacing Eight or Nine, or will be a future regeneration (or think that his name is John Hurt, what). Eleven has very obviously already lived through him, and his last speech about true names being the ones you chose for yourselves (loved that) makes it clear that while it is him, he also refuses to acknowledge him as The Doctor.
It was a neat spin on the misleading title of the episode. I'm assuming he's either the Valeyard or the Time War regeneration. Or both. That's interesting, and it's a nice tie-in with however the 50th anniversary turns out. I am - tentatively - looking forward to it.
A few thoughts on the Doctor Who finale (and some of this season, since I've been unable to write up my usual episode reviews this time around, sigh London sigh. On the plus side, I can catch up with new episodes on iPlayer, why doesn't this exist in France sigh sigh double sigh).
This season - especially the second half, since the first was mostly concerned with giving Amy and Rory an exit route, but the seeds of this criticism can be found all the way back in Asylum of the Daleks - has been suffering from Moffat's usual tendency to tell more than he shows, as well as from the absurd decision to do away with two-parters. There is a reason why every single previous season (except for the sixth, and look how that ended) needed a two-parter finale, especially when they're harking back to elements that the showrunner has been alluding to throughout the season.
Regardless of whether you think that, for instance, The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords was a good finale, the fact remains that RTD took the time to develop the plot, the characters and their motivations, and the ending in a thorough, elaborate way, so that the pace held true and the process felt believable (however ridiculous Jesus Doctor was, though I tend to look back on that rather fondly now). The Name of the Doctor, had it been split in two, would have benefited from being less rushed and less contrived.
Moffat's main problem is that he has excellent ideas to start with, and that he more often than not fails to follow through on his promises. Sometimes it works, and then it works perfectly (there is a reason why the S5 finale remains my favourite finale to date); but when he fails he fails spectacularly. Usually the resolution comes down to timey-wimey magic or some massive handwaving of the actual issues he set up throughout the season. For instance: it has been brought up, again and again, that the name of the Doctor would be spoken at Trenzalore, and that this would lead to some catastrophic disaster that would change the future of the human race.
In effect, that is what happened - River spoke his name, though inaudibly (why couldn't we hear it? was there a reason?), the tomb opened, and the Great Intelligence broke through his timetrack and started to change every single one of his victories into defeats. Jenny and Strax died, the stars started going out, the universe probably began collapsing on itself; it should be massive. It should be life-changing, life-breaking, one of the (if not the) most important moments of the Doctor's life. But that's where the difference lies: there was a gap between what it was supposed to be felt like and how it actually felt. It fell flat. It was solved within seconds, and the narrative didn't take the time to elaborate on how the Great Intelligence took pains to destroy the Doctor from within, and how Clara built him up again, from within.
What wasted potential. How wonderful it might have been - if the finale had been a two-parter, if Clara had been given the time to show us exactly how she fought against the Great Intelligence's designs, if the episode had been given all the gravitas that such a life-changing event required. And this isn't a criticism of the actors' performances, because they nailed what they were given and more besides - Matt Smith's Doctor is as stunning as it ever was, and his relationship with Clara is fantastic, emotional, fond, tender. They have a fraternal relationship that lights up my heart.
But god what I would have given for Madam Vastra to get the time to ache over the loss of Jenny and Strax, for an elaboration of Clara's role that didn't involve her being born in order to save the Doctor (what the fuuuuuck), for the fear and chill of the Great Intelligence and of the Whispermen's presence and schemes to settle deep inside the narrative until the audience strove towards the ending, rather than it happen upon us so suddenly.
The name of the Doctor. Moffat set it up as this incredible secret - and when the time came it was never about it at all. On the one hand, I won't say I'm not relieved; if he'd taken it upon himself to name the Doctor I would have been right pissed, because that is one of those things better left to our imagination. On the other, the lack of resolution, the lack of elaboration as to this lack of resolution, leaves me feeling exactly the way I felt when the narrative claimed that the Doctor had never risen higher than Demon's Run (yeah, sure): Moffat promised something incredible, and then failed to follow through. Even the subversion of that promise (because that is what Eleven's final speech was, essentially) should have been better than it was.
And look at River: is this her ending? Is she gone, gone for good? Will we never see her again? I would tend towards yes, personally, and I've got mixed feelings on that point. On the one hand, much as I love River's character, I haven't been able to like her story arc since S6 - and hey, look, that's the exact same problem I have with BBC!Irene! Shocking, that. - and I'm glad to see her go, just as I was glad to see Amy and Rory leave six months ago, despite all my love for them. This show needs change to survive, and River couldn't stay forever; her and the Doctor's last scene was bittersweet and lovely, and, for some reason, it has been the first time since we met her that I could actually believe the Doctor to be in love with her (that kiss, oh my heart). But, again, it falls flat. Is this it? Is not River still a time traveller? What reasons are there for them to be unable to ever see different versions of each other again? The narrative never answers, and it is frustrating.
I make it sound like I didn't like this episode at all, which isn't true - I love Madam Vastra and Jenny and Strax just as much as ever, loved the fact that of course the Doctor is buried in the dying TARDIS, of course their lives and deaths are tied, loved Clara and River's interactions, loved Clara in general and JLC's performance of her. But, in the end, the episode's saving grace is the relationship between the Doctor and Clara. Much as I wish that it had been set up differently, I love the fact that she travelled through the Doctor's past regenerations; each of these cameos were wonderful and a little heartbreaking. And their trek hand-in-hand through the dying TARDIS! Their final hug! "Clara, my Clara!" The tenderness and the love in that, it broke my heart.
Which is the thing with Moffat's writing, really: in the end, his characters are greater and more interesting and infinitely more lovable, at least to me, than his supposedly grandiose storylines. (I doubt that's purposeful on his part. He probably thinks he's very clever.) But years from now, I'll remember how much I loved Amy and Rory, how much I loved Clara; I hope I won't remember how frustrated and angry I am with his writing choices.
As for the final revelation, I'm rather baffled by the number of people on Tumblr and LJ who apparently assume that John Hurt is replacing Eight or Nine, or will be a future regeneration (or think that his name is John Hurt, what). Eleven has very obviously already lived through him, and his last speech about true names being the ones you chose for yourselves (loved that) makes it clear that while it is him, he also refuses to acknowledge him as The Doctor.
It was a neat spin on the misleading title of the episode. I'm assuming he's either the Valeyard or the Time War regeneration. Or both. That's interesting, and it's a nice tie-in with however the 50th anniversary turns out. I am - tentatively - looking forward to it.