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lightcastleI have been most lax about reviewing the second have of Series 6 of Doctor Who (not to be confused with Season 6 of Doctor Who). Some of it has been workload, some has been lack of inspiration, but nonetheless, one must do what one must do.
Let's Kill Hitler
The point of this episode was only to put some of the River Song story straight. On that level, it basically succeeded, even if I'm not really all that interested in the River Song story anymore.
The little continuity touches were nice. I especially liked the whole "Maybe I'll take the age down a notch, just to freak people out". That was one of the more amusing ways to explain our backwards introduction to her they could have. I'm not sure what to make of the "sacrificed their remaining regenerations" thing. On one level, it settles that issue. On the other, I'm not convinced they've thought through what they want to do about the regeneration limits of time lords. The rel problem is that I'm just not convinced of her actions there. She was raised and trained to be obsessed with killing him, and after one meeting, she switches to the point she'll sacrifice her future lives for him? After she self-identifies as a sociopath? Didn't buy it.
I liked the robot justice machine although I am not fond of other time travelers given the Time War. More annoying was the "River Song is a greater villain than Hitler." For what? Killing the Doctor? The Doctor has committed genocide of at least (AT LEAST) two civilizations. So... yeah.
Still, from a functional point of view (tie off some of the River loose ends) it did a good enough job. The throw away about the Silence not being a race but rather a religious movement was interesting, and might help with the difficulty of tying up the mysteries from series 5 and 6.
As for "Mels", it was a cute enough idea, but didn't really grab me much one way or the other.
Night Terrors
I really should have loved this episode. Creepy kids. Monsters in the closet. Mark Gatiss writing.
It just bored me to tears. I'm really not sure why, and it seems to have worked for lots of people, but it just never quite clicked for me. It never really carried any tension, at least in my viewing. The fact they were in a dollhouse was obvious right away. The grabbing of other people seemed random and haphazard and didn't feel like any sort of ominous doom. No one ever felt at risk. The reveal of George as an alien cuckoo didn't carry any emotional punch. It's like it hit all the notes, but it was paint by numbers and never sang to me.
The Girl Who Waited
I liked this a great deal more, probably because it avoided the deeply annoying love triangle thing most of the relationship stories have focused on. Also, I'm a bit of a sucker for a tragedy.
All the "Amy hacked the computer and made a sonic screwdriver" really kind of pushed it for me. I've never seen any reason to believe that she had that kind of inclination. (I have no trouble with her surviving, just those details.) I thought Gillian did a good job with it.
I was also a bit annoyed with The Doctor as heartless here. At the same time, part of Moffat's overarching story seems to be how he has fallen so far from the "I will break the rules of time out of compassion" Doctor so many of us grew up with. I can accept it that way. I did like that Rory was willing to defy him, though.
Next week looks interesting, with the Minotaur and the rooms full of fears. We will see if it scares me the way Night Terrors didn't. From what I understand, after that is just a breakneck run to wrap up the Silence, Kevorian, and River storylines.
(Anyone else wonder if the eyepatch is just a defense against Silence memory control?)
Let's Kill Hitler
The point of this episode was only to put some of the River Song story straight. On that level, it basically succeeded, even if I'm not really all that interested in the River Song story anymore.
The little continuity touches were nice. I especially liked the whole "Maybe I'll take the age down a notch, just to freak people out". That was one of the more amusing ways to explain our backwards introduction to her they could have. I'm not sure what to make of the "sacrificed their remaining regenerations" thing. On one level, it settles that issue. On the other, I'm not convinced they've thought through what they want to do about the regeneration limits of time lords. The rel problem is that I'm just not convinced of her actions there. She was raised and trained to be obsessed with killing him, and after one meeting, she switches to the point she'll sacrifice her future lives for him? After she self-identifies as a sociopath? Didn't buy it.
I liked the robot justice machine although I am not fond of other time travelers given the Time War. More annoying was the "River Song is a greater villain than Hitler." For what? Killing the Doctor? The Doctor has committed genocide of at least (AT LEAST) two civilizations. So... yeah.
Still, from a functional point of view (tie off some of the River loose ends) it did a good enough job. The throw away about the Silence not being a race but rather a religious movement was interesting, and might help with the difficulty of tying up the mysteries from series 5 and 6.
As for "Mels", it was a cute enough idea, but didn't really grab me much one way or the other.
Night Terrors
I really should have loved this episode. Creepy kids. Monsters in the closet. Mark Gatiss writing.
It just bored me to tears. I'm really not sure why, and it seems to have worked for lots of people, but it just never quite clicked for me. It never really carried any tension, at least in my viewing. The fact they were in a dollhouse was obvious right away. The grabbing of other people seemed random and haphazard and didn't feel like any sort of ominous doom. No one ever felt at risk. The reveal of George as an alien cuckoo didn't carry any emotional punch. It's like it hit all the notes, but it was paint by numbers and never sang to me.
The Girl Who Waited
I liked this a great deal more, probably because it avoided the deeply annoying love triangle thing most of the relationship stories have focused on. Also, I'm a bit of a sucker for a tragedy.
All the "Amy hacked the computer and made a sonic screwdriver" really kind of pushed it for me. I've never seen any reason to believe that she had that kind of inclination. (I have no trouble with her surviving, just those details.) I thought Gillian did a good job with it.
I was also a bit annoyed with The Doctor as heartless here. At the same time, part of Moffat's overarching story seems to be how he has fallen so far from the "I will break the rules of time out of compassion" Doctor so many of us grew up with. I can accept it that way. I did like that Rory was willing to defy him, though.
Next week looks interesting, with the Minotaur and the rooms full of fears. We will see if it scares me the way Night Terrors didn't. From what I understand, after that is just a breakneck run to wrap up the Silence, Kevorian, and River storylines.
(Anyone else wonder if the eyepatch is just a defense against Silence memory control?)
