tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post2401724215630863301..comments2024-03-29T09:13:52.064-04:00Comments on Doux Reviews: Doctor Who: The Big BangBillie Douxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-814696326051386122023-01-03T09:56:13.895-05:002023-01-03T09:56:13.895-05:00Some good here to be sure, but as I stated earlier...Some good here to be sure, but as I stated earlier, this whole Pandorica line just didn't work for me, even with some great moments from the Doctor, Amy, and Rory. Morellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08852528242739450099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-10421102714678568632022-12-13T13:01:26.914-05:002022-12-13T13:01:26.914-05:00Mixed bag for me. While not a fan of the Pandorica...Mixed bag for me. While not a fan of the Pandorica arc in general, there are some gold moments here to be had, that make this a fun, if at times problematic, watch. Matt Smith is so good at the Doctor that he ranks 4th over all for me (Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton are my top 3). He constantly plays the role so well, that even the parts I don't like, such as most things with River Song past the Silence in the Library 2-parter, don't ruin this for me. Morellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08852528242739450099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-50518815053106288372016-01-15T15:27:50.811-05:002016-01-15T15:27:50.811-05:00Matt Smith rules!! Still having a hard time likin...Matt Smith rules!! Still having a hard time liking any current episodes without him. Just love this two part finale. It makes me cry when Amy figures it all out and the doctor comes to her wedding. Yes, Amy loves Rory. She is flirty with the doctor because she is a pretty girl and is used to the attention. That doesn't make her a bad person as long as she doesn't act on it. Rory knows Amy and is not going to push her away by being jealous. I love all of them, Amy, Rory and the doctor. Wonderful season.Mallenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11368492098724611717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-32768423762117384522014-01-21T06:16:58.715-05:002014-01-21T06:16:58.715-05:00Is it awful of me to say that I just don't get...Is it awful of me to say that I just <i>don't get</i> this season?<br /><br />All of you have pointed out its many improvements, one of which is Moffat's Chinese puzzle box approach to the plot, which really paid off. <br /><br />Smith's Doctor, too, seemed to work as a follow-up to Tennant's lonely God, full of nearly teenage angst, by way of becoming this sort of old, wise wizard.<br /><br />Despite that, though, this season seems full of what I have labled The Bad Stuff.<br /><br />The Bad Stuff for me is difficult to pick out, since it's rather convoluted in my head, but I'll try to explain myself.<br /><br />First off, and I know that many of you might disagree, I can't stand Amy Pond. To me, she doesn't feel like a real character. She has a convoluted story about her, but she strikes me as nothing more than this idea of what "clever, feisty" girl is supposed to be. She has no real character arc, though (the Amy we see in <i>The Eleventh Hour</i> is the same Amy that wakes up to suddenly find her parents there in the finale), and she seems to be saddled with this love triangle plot that's kind of annoying and doesn't tell us anything about her character. I've read some posts around the net accusing Moffat of sexism, and while I don't want to go there, I do think there's a bit of essentialism to his work that rubs me the wrong way. Look at <i>Amy's Choice</i>, for example, a clever and interesting episode except for the fact that it has Amy choosing between two worlds - none of them her own. It's The Doctor's world or Rory's, like there's not a third choice. The season seems to follow this route a lot, implying in a way that The Doctor represents the fantasy, the fairytale, childhood, while Rory represents adulthood and maturing. As in, there's One Right Way of Being a Woman, and that way is marrying the Right Guy and leaving childhood fantasies for children.<br /><br />Now, this arc may have worked if, perhaps, the Rory/Amy situation had been crafted some other way. What we have, though, is a bumbling "boy who waits" (and man, does Moffat love people who wait) with a severe syndrome of Boring Nice Guy, and a girl who spent her life obssesed with an imaginary friend and seems to choose to marry this Nice Guy, who she doesn't seem to particularly like, because what else is there to do? I guess there was an interesting comment about abondoment issues there, but it was never made. Instead, they tried to sell "tru wuv" by way of having Amy freak out every time Rory was in mortal peril, and then immediately go back to treating him like an annoying baby brother.<br /><br />In a way, I just don't feel any connection between The Doctor and his companions. Perhaps, since he is meant to be a wizard from a fairytale, he is supposed to be detached, but I believe that lack of emotional intelligence hurts the show.<br /><br />Now, RTD wasn't perfect, and his plots could be ridiculous at best, but his character bits were always brilliant.<br /><br />I missed this in season 5, and that's why, despite its many virtues, it left me cold. It's a smarter and better constructed show, and I think aesthetically and conceptually it improved, but, I'm afraid it has lost its charm.<br />Beahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17467874879087906333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-79438816526084246002011-07-12T16:51:17.740-04:002011-07-12T16:51:17.740-04:00Finally got to watch Season 5 as a whole (and afte...Finally got to watch Season 5 as a whole (and after the previous four!) (yes, I kept meeting this series out of order) and it is definitely my favorite so far (although my favorite episode is still Blink).<br /><br />This is how season-long plot arcs should be done. Don't just repeat a word through the season and threaten the universe with Daleks or the Master in the last episode.<br /><br />Despite all previous seasons having some good episodes (amazing ones even), I think this was the first consistent one. Even though the Dalek one was the weakest link, all episodes seemed to fit together (the unevenness of this series has been my main issue with it).<br /><br />As always, I loved the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff (what good is a time travel story if you don't see it a little out of order?) I just kept wondering how and why the Doctor would get a fez and a mop (strangely, "because fezzes are cool" never entered my mind)<br /><br />Regarding River Song, I got the impression she was saying 'yes' to both questions<br /><br />PS: Is the bar where River gets the vortex manipulator the same one Jack was in at the end of the 4th season? I was convinced it was and that the manipulator was his, but the buttons seemed different and there was no comment about it.Cesarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-20686559580806330552011-04-18T03:53:31.943-04:002011-04-18T03:53:31.943-04:00Whew! Glad you got there in the end, Sooze. Don...Whew! Glad you got there in the end, Sooze. Don't forget there's a Christmas episode to watch too.Paul Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-84380291304737110862011-04-17T19:45:28.543-04:002011-04-17T19:45:28.543-04:00So, Paul, I got a gift in the form of my cable pro...So, Paul, I got a gift in the form of my cable provider suddenly providing Season 5 of DW on-demand - and so I watched the whole season over the last week. Of course, I kept coming by here and reading your reviews after each episode. And I have to say, I tried, I REALLY did, to see your view of Matt's Doctor. And I just wasn't feeling it - UNTIL this episode...and FINALLY, he got me. I don't know why it took until this one - but this one finally got me emotionally whereas the others didn't as much. The scene in the Pandorica...the scene in Amelia's bedroom when he tells his story...oh, wonderful stuff there. And I definitely saw what you were saying about him... "For someone so young, his Doctor seems positively ancient at times." - YES, I did feel that.<br />I loved this finale - had to watch it twice though to catch everything - and the way it ended - fabulous...how Amy steps outside the door of the TARDIS and waves "Goodbye"...great! Now I am truly looking forward to Season 6.Soozenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-10331574926261017962010-07-29T20:39:39.138-04:002010-07-29T20:39:39.138-04:00Hey, i don't know if anyone else caught on thi...Hey, i don't know if anyone else caught on this but, doesn't Captain Jack say "Everything changes" in Torchwood? And doesn't he have a Time Agent Time Travelling Thingy?!?!? (yes, i know, that's not what it's called) Am i wishing for Jack too hard? Possibly, but maybe we'll see him!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-14643220735055197762010-07-25T11:28:10.485-04:002010-07-25T11:28:10.485-04:00One more thought - Paul, I think that that Amy rea...One more thought - Paul, I think that that Amy realizing at the end that she brought the Doctor back and wanting to kiss him was more out of joy that he saved the universe and realizing that he was brought back more than anything romantic. I think that Amy is a great friend and has a vivid personality, but I don't think she loves the Doctor. If anything, I think that this episode proves that it is BECAUSE of her relationship with the Doctor, in some small way, she was able to get married. I truly think that she loves Rory and is excited to share the adventure with him. Unlike the Micky days, where I could care less, I actually think that Amy/Rory dynamic is good for the Doctor and gives him something to be fascinated by. Just a slight point of departure from you, I guess...Michael Colvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14652603242977963534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-17977944475710712792010-07-25T11:19:45.328-04:002010-07-25T11:19:45.328-04:00Loved Loved Loved this finale. It was big and epic...Loved Loved Loved this finale. It was big and epic. The Doctor at Stonehenge. The Doctor at the center of the Big Bang. And Amy bringing him back. It was just lovely. <br /><br />How on earth did River know to bring her Tardis Journal to the wedding? <br /><br />I loved the bit of River and the Doctor asking "if you were married" "yes" "yes?" "yes" - Alex Kingston is really terrific in this role and I hope to see more of her<br /><br />Centurion Rory surviving all that time and pointing his hand *AS THE GUN* was subtle but hilarious. <br /><br />I think that what got me the most is realizing that it was *this* Doctor who went back for the scene with Amy in the forrest in "Flesh and Stone"... One of the benefits of a time traveler who always wears the same bow tie - you can insert yourself and not always TELL the audience. Just lovely. I think that it holds up upon second viewing... I'm wondering if they knew about that scene the whole season/series or not... <br /><br />Paul - thanks for the great reviews this season... I'm now a fully caught up Tardis inducted fan...Michael Colvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14652603242977963534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-42361535854479630512010-07-24T23:15:28.349-04:002010-07-24T23:15:28.349-04:00We just saw it and it was terrific. Amy in the Pan...We just saw it and it was terrific. Amy in the Pandorica for two thousand years made me think of what happened to Jack at the end of season two of Torchwood. Petrified Daleks are clearly better than regular Daleks. And the wedding was lovely, too. Four out of four red fezzes. <br /><br />Thanks, Paul, for all of your terrific reviews this season. And for posting them here on my site. <br /><br />Did anyone else notice that there were a lot of scenes on stairs this season? Did it mean anything, or does Steven Moffatt like stairs?Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-30483273933718656552010-07-17T17:25:26.721-04:002010-07-17T17:25:26.721-04:00A great quote from the girl who waited:
"rag...A great quote from the girl who waited:<br /><br />"raggedy man I remember you and you are late for my weddinggggga"Page48https://www.blogger.com/profile/09728079057077761364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-8098979837777605552010-07-04T15:00:38.488-04:002010-07-04T15:00:38.488-04:00Think I loved this one from the instant I saw the ...Think I loved this one from the instant I saw the Doctor wearing the fez. Rest of the episode could’ve been rubbish, wouldn’t care because the Doctor wore a feckin’ fez! Shame the girls had to conspire together to assassinate the fez. Just like that! Ha-ha! (Come on, someone had to make the lame Tommy Cooper joke sooner or later. It’s what the great man would’ve wanted)<br /><br />Steven Moffat has really excelled himself this time conjuring up a truly extraordinary 60 minutes of television while simultaneously leaving a whole nation of children (plus assorted geeks and parents) seriously confused. Which is a lot better than annoyed, frustrated, angry and disappointed, the feelings I frequently associate with Doctor Who finales thanks to Russell. Took a few viewings for me to really understand and appreciate it which is something else to Moffat’s credit. He crafted something I’d happily watch again and again. Don’t think I’ve seen any of the previous finales since they first aired. <br /><br />At the centre of the Moff’s complicated storm of wibbly-wobbly timey wimey lunacy is perhaps the finest leading man this program has had since that bloke in the scarf with all the Jelly Babies. Sure, the last one had the sex appeal, the really great hair, the nifty suit, the legions of devoted fans, the brainy specs, the wonderful Bernard Cribbins as a companion and that mighty long coat but even he’s proven to be no match for the mad man with the bowtie. Long may his reign continue despite what those foolish bookies say. <br /><br />Thanks for another season of great reviews, Paul. See you again at Christmas.Mark Greighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12984193299389764649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-22287476649930842472010-07-04T12:37:08.069-04:002010-07-04T12:37:08.069-04:00I must add one more to the list of the individuals...I must add one more to the list of the individuals to be reached. Blink.<br /><br />Although, as a long time Who fan, I must crown "The Girl in the Fireplace" as the best single.WhyMehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997185045169059686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-77994408503735320172010-07-03T14:47:50.968-04:002010-07-03T14:47:50.968-04:00For the last couple of series I've been wantin...For the last couple of series I've been wanting finale that ended on an upbeat note, something along the lines of the lines of "The stuff of legends" ending of the Satan Pit.<br /><br />The Big Bang delivered that and more, and is the first series finale that has made me re-evaluate all the episodes before it.<br /><br />The reveal that Amy's parents had been devoured by the crack was utterly tragic and revealed the trick Moffat had pulled on the audience: he used a fictional device to have a real effect - most people did what you did Paul and simply forgot about Amy's parents.<br /><br />This probably the closest they've come to a perfect Who episode. It's story was powerful and hugely entertaining, everyone hit the right note with their performances, the SFX were spectacular and it still left us wanting more. Special praise has to go to Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston, Rory and River were particularly good.<br /><br />Finally, the "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" generated a roar in my house. It was one of the cleverest bits of writing I have ever seen in a TV programme.Iagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-50393032842418381912010-07-03T09:32:34.071-04:002010-07-03T09:32:34.071-04:00Fun finale. Definitely one of the strongest the se...Fun finale. Definitely one of the strongest the series has done and a positive one too. I wonder how many times Steven Moffat will get away with doing that during his time on the series.shawnlunn2002https://www.blogger.com/profile/14242367250345323622noreply@blogger.com