[Doctor Who] 6.10 "The Girl Who Waited" / 6.11 "The God Complex"
6.10 "The Girl Who Waited"
I loved 99% of this episode. The visuals, the directing, the cinematography, Karen Gillan, adored it. The one thing I didn't like, though, is that ultimately Older Amy chose to help herself because of a boy. It grinds my gears that in the end, it was Rory -- not, mind you, love or devotion, but specifically Rory -- that motivated her to sacrifice her timeline to save Younger Amy. I understand that the point of the episode was to explore Amy and Rory's relationship, which is why Amy's motivation couldn't have been "because this life sucks and I want a do-over" or "because the Doctor fucked up and it needs to be fixed." What bothers me is that it wasn't "because I love Rory", it was "because Rory loves me." I'm sure if you're not me, it was beautiful and sweet but frankly, on this show, I'm tired of seeing the women sacrifice everything for the menfolk. Well, at least Rory's been remarkably good about sacrificing in return for Amy.
Also, the counts:
Specs count: SPECS! SPECCCCCCCCCS!!! FORGET HATS EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH SPECS!
Rory deaths: He's on a roll!
Amy: Old!
Next week: ↓
6.11 "The God Complex"
Wow. I liked that one. Didn't really love it, mostly because of yet another IT'S A SPACESHIP!!! reveal in the third act, but the emotional arc really worked for me. I liked how many layers there were to the Doctor's decision to leave Amy and Rory on Earth -- he wants to protect Amy like he promised Rory he would do; he recognizes that both he and she need to grow up and live real life instead of the fantasy of the Raggedy Man and the Girl Who Waited; he's being his usual autocratic self and fixing the universe the way he wants it; he's being immature and running away from the consequences of breaking both Amy and Rory's faith in him; he's setting up for the series finale cause that's only two episodes away and next week is the companion-lite episode to balance last week's Doctor-lite episode.
It may not have been the first trip over this ground -- the "breaking the companion's faith in the Doctor" angle first came up all the way back with "The Curse of Fenric", and of course "the Doctor takes companions because he's selfish and lonely"/"the Doctor always destroys his companions" has been a recurring theme throughout the new show -- but combined it was a nicely satisfying emotional journey.
I'm actually torn on whether I want Amy and Rory back. (I'm writing with the faith, of course, that this is part of the Doctor's plan to set up for facing his death and through Circumstances(tm) Amy and Rory will be back for the next series.) I am fond of this Team TARDIS and I'm tired of the endless Doctor/companion roulette that characterized the Rusty years. Is it too much to ask that people stick around for a while? I mean I know it involves living in Wales for a while but clearly they've gotten electricity and running water out that way in the last few years and it's not all sheep everywhere. But it does make a lot of narrative sense for the Doctor to leave Amy and Rory alone for a while so they can have a life as Amy-and-Rory, not Amy-and-Rory-and-the-Doctor. The Doctor points out, correctly, that Amy hasn't had to live a real, grown-up life and have a real, grown-up marriage, she's just been gallivanting around the universe with her boys. In addition, to save her, the Doctor had to break her, had to point out that he's not this magic man who saves everything, he's just a crazy old man with a time machine. Realistically, there'd be consequences from that. (This is, though, the show that has STILL not really addressed the emotional loss Amy and Rory have suffered about Melody/River, so who am I kidding, they'll never bring that moment up again.)
Side note: Really liked the direction on this episode. In a total shocker, it's directed by the same guy who did the last episode. Apparently I dig that guy's visual style.
Specs count: Only some horrible 80s glasses on the nerdy blogger in case we hadn't gathered from the way he was talking about CIA conspiracy theories that he was supposed to be a MASSIVE NERD YOU GUYS. At least he wasn't as much of a horrible swipe at the viewing audience as Whizz Kid.
Rory deaths: I guess maybe the writers have decided they've kicked him around enough?
Amy: Mrs. Williams!
Next week: You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
Given that the preview features the Doctor working in a toy store I'm fairly sure this isn't the kind of closing time they're talking about but c'mon, it was way too easy.
I loved 99% of this episode. The visuals, the directing, the cinematography, Karen Gillan, adored it. The one thing I didn't like, though, is that ultimately Older Amy chose to help herself because of a boy. It grinds my gears that in the end, it was Rory -- not, mind you, love or devotion, but specifically Rory -- that motivated her to sacrifice her timeline to save Younger Amy. I understand that the point of the episode was to explore Amy and Rory's relationship, which is why Amy's motivation couldn't have been "because this life sucks and I want a do-over" or "because the Doctor fucked up and it needs to be fixed." What bothers me is that it wasn't "because I love Rory", it was "because Rory loves me." I'm sure if you're not me, it was beautiful and sweet but frankly, on this show, I'm tired of seeing the women sacrifice everything for the menfolk. Well, at least Rory's been remarkably good about sacrificing in return for Amy.
Also, the counts:
Specs count: SPECS! SPECCCCCCCCCS!!! FORGET HATS EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH SPECS!
Rory deaths: He's on a roll!
Amy: Old!
Next week: ↓
6.11 "The God Complex"
Wow. I liked that one. Didn't really love it, mostly because of yet another IT'S A SPACESHIP!!! reveal in the third act, but the emotional arc really worked for me. I liked how many layers there were to the Doctor's decision to leave Amy and Rory on Earth -- he wants to protect Amy like he promised Rory he would do; he recognizes that both he and she need to grow up and live real life instead of the fantasy of the Raggedy Man and the Girl Who Waited; he's being his usual autocratic self and fixing the universe the way he wants it; he's being immature and running away from the consequences of breaking both Amy and Rory's faith in him; he's setting up for the series finale cause that's only two episodes away and next week is the companion-lite episode to balance last week's Doctor-lite episode.
It may not have been the first trip over this ground -- the "breaking the companion's faith in the Doctor" angle first came up all the way back with "The Curse of Fenric", and of course "the Doctor takes companions because he's selfish and lonely"/"the Doctor always destroys his companions" has been a recurring theme throughout the new show -- but combined it was a nicely satisfying emotional journey.
I'm actually torn on whether I want Amy and Rory back. (I'm writing with the faith, of course, that this is part of the Doctor's plan to set up for facing his death and through Circumstances(tm) Amy and Rory will be back for the next series.) I am fond of this Team TARDIS and I'm tired of the endless Doctor/companion roulette that characterized the Rusty years. Is it too much to ask that people stick around for a while? I mean I know it involves living in Wales for a while but clearly they've gotten electricity and running water out that way in the last few years and it's not all sheep everywhere. But it does make a lot of narrative sense for the Doctor to leave Amy and Rory alone for a while so they can have a life as Amy-and-Rory, not Amy-and-Rory-and-the-Doctor. The Doctor points out, correctly, that Amy hasn't had to live a real, grown-up life and have a real, grown-up marriage, she's just been gallivanting around the universe with her boys. In addition, to save her, the Doctor had to break her, had to point out that he's not this magic man who saves everything, he's just a crazy old man with a time machine. Realistically, there'd be consequences from that. (This is, though, the show that has STILL not really addressed the emotional loss Amy and Rory have suffered about Melody/River, so who am I kidding, they'll never bring that moment up again.)
Side note: Really liked the direction on this episode. In a total shocker, it's directed by the same guy who did the last episode. Apparently I dig that guy's visual style.
Specs count: Only some horrible 80s glasses on the nerdy blogger in case we hadn't gathered from the way he was talking about CIA conspiracy theories that he was supposed to be a MASSIVE NERD YOU GUYS. At least he wasn't as much of a horrible swipe at the viewing audience as Whizz Kid.
Rory deaths: I guess maybe the writers have decided they've kicked him around enough?
Amy: Mrs. Williams!
Next week: You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
Given that the preview features the Doctor working in a toy store I'm fairly sure this isn't the kind of closing time they're talking about but c'mon, it was way too easy.