Here is a brief post regarding my feelings about Doctor Who

[netgirl_y2k]

Taken out of context Night Terrors was pretty much a perfect episode of Doctor Who. Eleventy was everything I want my Doctor to be, Ponds were smashing, Alex was a very likeable one-episode character, and the moment where he decided George is his son no matter what was moving without feeling emotionally manipulative. Plus, the whole thing appeals to the part of me that is eternally eight years old and knows that monsters are real, but also knows that the Doctor is real too, and will always, always save me from them.

But. And this is a big but. It's also pretty much exactly why the Moffat era of Doctor Who is becoming increasingly unsatisfactory to me.

So far this series Amy has been kidnapped, replaced with a duplicate, woken up in a tube giving birth to a baby she didn't even know she was pregnant with, bonded with her daughter only to have her stolen, twice, seen her grownup daughter regenerate into Alex Kingston and cheerfully attempt to murder her best friend... and you could watch this episode and firmly believe the most traumatic event in Amy's life was the brief stint she spent as a wooden doll.

Look, it's not that I'm against Doctor Who having overarching emotional arcs, it's just that if you're going to do that you have to, you know, have emotions. At this point the Merlin continuity people are laughing at you. Which, for those of you who never watched Merlin, is bad.

But apart from that, totally perfect episode. Next week looks splendid.

Comments

[cat_77]

Have not watched the ep yet, but just wanted to say that your commentary reminds me of something threnodyjones and I were talking about regarding Fringe.

People were mocking Olivia and calling her emo and such because of her breakdown at the laundry last season. TJ and I were saying that it could be more of "the straw that broke the camel's back" type of thing. Kidnapped, attempted brainwashing, pumped full of chemicals multiple times, and about to have her brain cut out while still conscious, only to come home to find no one really even noticed that she was gone. Having that one last thing on top of everything else was just enough to push her over the edge.

Maybe for Amy it could have been a "for fuck's sake, this too now?" sort of thing? Obviously just speculation as we have not seen it yet here though.

[netgirl_y2k]

I loved the breakdown scene in Fringe, I thought it was brilliantly done. Anna Torv should win all the awards, all of them.

I think the only way this episode of Doctor Who is going to work for me is to assume timey-wimeyness and that it was an adventure that took place before Melody was born, otherwise the lack of any mention of her from either Amy or Rory was... peculiar.

[amaresu]

I have a hard time being critical right now because one of my life long fears is of small children singing creepy songs. Oddly specific and yet terrifying and inclined to show up in any nightmares I have. So anytime there was the singing in the background I tended to be slightly terrified and not much good for thinking.

That being said I do think this episode would've worked better in the first half of the season. And hopefully we'll get a scene where the Ponds deal with leaving Melody behind to become River. Perhaps the next time River shows up?

[netgirl_y2k]

I'm afraid of pigeons, I am not allowed to be judgemental about other people's fears. Also, that song was creepy.

Apparently this episode was originally scheduled for the first part of the series, which I suppose explains why it feels so... emotionally disconnected from the last few episodes. Also, the Doctor's "in the flesh" remark would work much better if Amy were still a flesh avatar.

Until further notice, I am going to assume timey-wimeyness.

[amaresu]

It makes much more sense as an early episode. I was thinking it was a bit insensitive for the Doctor to be making Flesh jokes, but if it was supposed to be a subtle hit that would be better.

Until further notice, I am going to assume timey-wimeyness.

As shall I.

[cdybedahl]

The creepy nursery song thingy was giving me serious Sapphire and Steel vibes. Which is not bad, that was a show that really knew how to do creepy.

[amaresu]

There's a reason I think Assignment #4 is the scariest thing ever. You don't get good horror like that very often anymore. I think I really need to find a transcript of the song because at least then I'll know what they're saying. I couldn't make everything out.