In particular, I'll agree with your comment that everything feels rushed. That's probably my biggest peeve about it all -- it's like Moffat suddenly has the reins in hand and wants to go galloping off into the sunset as fast as he can, while sacrificing some of the quieter, more naturally-developing character and plot moments along the way. I keep wanting to tell him, "Slow down already! We're here, we're watching, you don't have to try so hard so fast," and "Show, don't tell, dammit!"
I'm hoping he'll mellow out a little bit as he settles into his position.
*nods* Maybe it is a case of "INFINITE COSMIC POWER!!!" going on here. I doubt it will change this series, but hopefully next year will be a bit better developed.
I'm not even sure it's the "unlimited rice pudding!" paradigm at work here, more like, "OMG, I'm Head Writer, everyone's watching me, I have to uphold the franchise, I must deliver, I have all these Cunning Plans, geronimooooooooooo!" If that makes sense. Kind of like the Moff's been getting all wound up over this for a while and now all the floodgates are open . . .
Ok, I have to confess being a new viewer, I like the series. I started with series 5 but now that I am have started watching older episodes I think series 5 may be lacking but I don't know in what. There have been really good episodes imo but then some meh episodes. I am missing some past episodes as well. Maybe it's just me.
I think had I started with JUST this series, I may not feel as strongly. BUT... I honestly think that had I started with this series, I doubt I'd have continued watching past episode 3. Maybe 4 and 5, based on peer pressure about seeing the Weeping Angels, but I'd have drifted away to something else pretty quickly.
There are always really good episodes and crap episodes of every show - that's just the nature of TV. But it just seems this series has had no really good ones - they've just been mediocre or just below it.
I feel more or less the same. I'm watching because I want to see how the plot plays out - which is making me impatient for the finale, whereas in previous years, at this point I'd be saying "oh no - only 4 episodes left!"
Thing is, it's perfectly possibly to craft a "big" plot AND create characters we care about - but it seems here that the former has been done at the expense of the latter.
I feel no sense of companionship between the Doctor and Amy.
I'd agree with that. I don't want the shippy either, but I can't sense any real connection between the two of them. Although I suppose we've all been spoiled by Ten and Donna - we won't see anything like that again, I suspect.
Agreed on watching to see how this series plays out. It's obvious the crack is the huge big plot, given that it's taking over all of the other episodes. WIth such a huge setup, I'm deeply concerned that it's impossible for it to resolve in a way that will feel satisfying, though. It's been at the expense of the rest of the series.
Part of me is still oh no- only 4 episodes left!" but I think it's because there are only four more episodes for me to feel reconnected to the series. It's like time is running out.
And yeah - Ten and Donna were absolutely fantastic. Definitely the best pairing of New Who. I miss their companionship and wish they would have had at least two series together.
I think your point about the resolution being "impossible" is a good one - whatever Moff comes up with is surely never going to live up to expectations, given all the theorising and speculation that's going on. It'd take a whole episode of Matt Smith talking to camera to explain everything sufficiently!
If you're interested, I posted recently about why I'm not feeling as enthusiastic about the show as I used to...
Yeah. I don't know if you've been reading any of my episode commentaries, but I'm extremely underwhelmed with this year's episodes. The stories are dull, and I don't care for the Doctor (and, to me, it's as much Matt Smith as it is poor writing; he's had some lines that Christopher Eccleston or David Tennant would have delivered in a way that would make viewers' hearts ache - remember the dialogue at the end of End of the World, for example?). I liked Amy to begin with, but then she never developed. She's one-dimensional, and she's being given some awful dialogue - I wondered if she was ever going to stop whining about Rio, for example
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I've been in pure chaos mode with the new job, so I haven't read many LJ entries in recent weeks, sadly. But yeah, sounds like you're running about where I am
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You've pretty much summed up exactly how I felt after watching the first two episodes. I haven't bothered watching any more. It's not because I 'hate' it or anything as trivial as that, but I quite honestly have better things to do with my time than sit down and watch a 'meh' show when I can get enough about it from my f-list and spoilers
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I agree that the 13-story arc is being problematic here. I'm a bit confused as to why that would be, though. It's not like Moffat hasn't written longer arcs before.
One rumor I have heard - but merely a rumor at the moment - is that Moffat chose to take a hands-off (whether just "more" or "entirely") approach to the re-write of every episode that RTD was well-known for. If so, I think that may be to the show's detriment. I think that re-write gave the show a bit more cohesiveness.
I will say the lack of trust in the Doctor is probably a plot point this year - it seems so blatant and opposite that I can't imagine it otherwise. There's absolutely no reason to trust the Doctor, and it's pretty clear to me that Amy doesn't. (seems pretty clear to the Doctor, too... based on his comments in episodes).
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I'm hoping he'll mellow out a little bit as he settles into his position.
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There are always really good episodes and crap episodes of every show - that's just the nature of TV. But it just seems this series has had no really good ones - they've just been mediocre or just below it.
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I feel more or less the same. I'm watching because I want to see how the plot plays out - which is making me impatient for the finale, whereas in previous years, at this point I'd be saying "oh no - only 4 episodes left!"
Thing is, it's perfectly possibly to craft a "big" plot AND create characters we care about - but it seems here that the former has been done at the expense of the latter.
I feel no sense of companionship between the Doctor and Amy.
I'd agree with that. I don't want the shippy either, but I can't sense any real connection between the two of them. Although I suppose we've all been spoiled by Ten and Donna - we won't see anything like that again, I suspect.
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Agreed on watching to see how this series plays out. It's obvious the crack is the huge big plot, given that it's taking over all of the other episodes. WIth such a huge setup, I'm deeply concerned that it's impossible for it to resolve in a way that will feel satisfying, though. It's been at the expense of the rest of the series.
Part of me is still oh no- only 4 episodes left!" but I think it's because there are only four more episodes for me to feel reconnected to the series. It's like time is running out.
And yeah - Ten and Donna were absolutely fantastic. Definitely the best pairing of New Who. I miss their companionship and wish they would have had at least two series together.
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If you're interested, I posted recently about why I'm not feeling as enthusiastic about the show as I used to...
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One rumor I have heard - but merely a rumor at the moment - is that Moffat chose to take a hands-off (whether just "more" or "entirely") approach to the re-write of every episode that RTD was well-known for. If so, I think that may be to the show's detriment. I think that re-write gave the show a bit more cohesiveness.
I will say the lack of trust in the Doctor is probably a plot point this year - it seems so blatant and opposite that I can't imagine it otherwise. There's absolutely no reason to trust the Doctor, and it's pretty clear to me that Amy doesn't. (seems pretty clear to the Doctor, too... based on his comments in episodes).
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