Doctor Who 6x08

[such_heights]

WOW OKAY, I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ONE. Some good, some bad, some argh I don't know how I feel. So not exactly a squee post, but as ever I am will be mining for as much squee as I can so that my show is at least mostly my happy place.

To get the bad out of the way:

+ The weight and dress size regeneration jokes, really? Ew.

+ I'm not wild about the idea that River sacrifices all of her regenerations to save the Doctor. Like, she already does that in the Library, effectively, and it was a pretty sudden shift for her in this episode for such a huge thing. The general idea of her bringing him back to life via a Sleeping Beauty-style kiss was gorgeous, however.

The things I don't know how I feel about:

+ Okay, Mels herself was fabulous and I'd love to see the actress again, but I'm working on the assumption that time will be rewritten and the Ponds don't end up growing up alongside their daughter because it's weird and sad and noooo. That is not the happy ending I ordered! But it was so strange that I do feel reasonably confident that is going to change.

+ And how did Melody get to Leadworth and why and what happens now and what what what can we just have the rest of the season already? The lack of resolution is stressful.

+ And generally the episode was kind of bizarre and scatty and tonally all over the place? I'm not sure that's even a criticism, but given the kind of reveals that were going on and how much was happening I found it quite a stressful viewing experience.

The things I loved:

+ AMY/RORY OMG. Ponds as kids! Ponds as teenagers! Ponds saying 'I love you' as they're about to die! a;lsdkja;sljd <3333 That's the first time Amy's said 'I love you' directly to Rory face to face - before it's been over the phone or over the recording in 'Day of the Moon'. AMY YOU'RE SO BAD AT FEELINGS BUT YOU HAVE SO MANY OF THEM. *_* And motorbike! Teamwork! Amy with the sonic and Rory with the punching of Hitler! All of that was delightful.

+ OH GOD ALEX KINGSTON'S FACE. Just, constantly. But especially especially in the TARDIS when she realises she knows how to fly it and omg tears. RIVERRRRR. And her amazing hair and her joyous appreciation of her new body (sans aforementioned irritating jokes) and pretty much everything.

+ The Doctor, and how much he loves River, and how much he loves Amy and still is so invested in being the person she needs and omg baby Amelia in the TARDIS and wow. Feeeeelings.

+ River getting a chance at a new life with no Silence and no Stormcage and just getting to be her awesome self for a while at some cool university etc. And the diary with a bow on it, yay.

In conclusion: I love Amy and River and Rory and the Doctor, I am fretful about their story arcs but reserving judgement and mostly optimistic that things will end satisfactorily, but somewhat annoyed/frustrated/bemused by a lot of the incidental aspects of this episode. And I would like the rest of the series now, please, so I can stop my Ponds-related fretting. JUST ALL BE OKAY AND GET BABY MELODY BACK. And Melody Pond will always be the superhero River Song too, of course. The moving to Brighton is optional, but yes, I will be rereading my own fic a few times in the coming weeks to make myself feel better. TIME CAN BE REWRITTEN, EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. *hopes*

Comments

[walkthegale]

Glad to see another person who thinks that it was all weird in a way that implies that time is going to be rewritten!

I also have a lot of feelings about this episode, but they're mostly a bit less charitable than yours. ;) Thoroughly agree about Alex Kingston's face though! ALL the Alex Kingston, ALL the time! :D

[such_heights]

Yeah, I'm pretty certain the timeline is going to get seriously wacky by the end of the series.

And sure, yes, I guessed people were going to feel pretty frustrated by various elements of this. And I am too, but also compartmentalising like it's my job/presuming things will play out differently from how they appear at the moment, but mileage will obviously vary.

ALEX. OMG SHE'S SO AMAZING, eeee!

[walkthegale]

Yup yup, everyone to their own and all that! Plus, if anything, I've learned not to judge a season of Who until I've seen the whole of it! ;)

[such_heights]

Mmm, absolutely - so long as everything does get resolved nicely by the end I will be very happy! Fingers crossed.

[pocketmouse]

+ I'm not wild about the idea that River sacrifices all of her regenerations to save the Doctor.

I kind of interpreted it as she didn't know how she was doing what she was doing, so she really wasn't able to control it?

+ And generally the episode was kind of bizarre and scatty and tonally all over the place?

I agree with this 100%. Either too much infodumping or something, it was just really weird -- not quite whiplashy, just weird. Maybe it wanted to be a two-parter. Because there was no reason for it to take place in 1945 except to let Rory punch Hitler, which, fine, is a perfectly valid reason, but not a whole episode, unless they're also making some kind of comparison between Hitler and... someone, I don't even know. I don't know.

+ AMY/RORY OMG.

PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS.

+ But especially especially in the TARDIS when she realises she knows how to fly it and omg tears. RIVERRRRR.

The TARDIS taught River how to fly her! Of course she learned from the best! But, oh, on the other hand, River's joke there was 'shame you were busy that day.' He was dying. Um.

+ The Doctor, and how much he loves River, and how much he loves Amy and still is so invested in being the person she needs and omg baby Amelia in the TARDIS and wow. Feeeeelings.

The Doctor acknowledging how much he fucks up peoples' lives! Acknowledging that he even fucked up Amy's life.

PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS PONDS.

[such_heights]

I kind of interpreted it as she didn't know how she was doing what she was doing, so she really wasn't able to control it?

I like that thought! It makes a lot of sense, because she really won't know much about her Time Lordiness etc.

I did quite like that Hitler's presence was sort of low-key and not the point of the story, but flicking between Leadworth flashbacks and being inside a robot and 1938 Germany all in 45 minutes was kind of overload, you're right.

The TARDIS taught River how to fly her! Of course she learned from the best! But, oh, on the other hand, River's joke there was 'shame you were busy that day.' He was dying. Um.

Oh, oh wow. FEELINGS.

PONDS.

[mswyrr]

The TARDIS taught River how to fly her! Of course she learned from the best! But, oh, on the other hand, River's joke there was 'shame you were busy that day.' He was dying. Um.

Perhaps she's still got a touch of the psychopath about her? Or maybe being a brainwashed assassin human/timelord/tardis hybrid will make one have a dark sense of humor.

[happydork]

But it was so strange that I do feel reasonably confident that is going to change.

Oh, I do hope so!

[such_heights]

I think my new mantra is 'KEEP CALM AND TIME CAN BE REWRITTEN'. Because yes. I need Amy to have her happy ending!

[pocky_slash]

That is pretty much what I am doing right now. Because a) it involves me being able to compartmentalize all of the shady baby stuff and focus on how RORY HAD EVERY AMAZING LINE IN THIS EPISODE OH MY GOD I LAUGHED SO EVERY TIME HE OPENED HIS MOUTH and b) WEE BABY PONDS! and c) the hope that the timeline being rewritten not only ends with the Ponds having their baby but maybe with River and the Doctor having a little more time together that doesn't involve jail cells? :D? :D? :D?

[such_heights]

RORYYY. Ahahaha, he was so great. And yes, I think there is definitely room for River and the Doctor to have some rewritten time too! Because I think part of the ending has to be that River doesn't murder whoever it is that she murders and instead gets to just wander around the galaxy being completely fabulous and dropping in on the Doctor for booty calls when she feels like it and sometimes going home on Sundays. Yes. :D

[theniwokesoftly]

That needs to be an icon.

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

Seriously, this episdoe was ALL OVER THE PLACE! I did not know what to feel half the time it was flying everywhere. Taking River this way and that and evil and not and .........what!?

My head spins.

[such_heights]

It felt a lot more cohesive to me on the second viewing, actually, but it's still kind of a mind fuck!

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

I definitely plan on watching it again

[theniwokesoftly]

I'm kind of conflicted over a couple of things but one thing I am not conflicted over is Amy and Rory as teenagers when she realizes he's not gay and runs after him. OH PONDS I LOVE YOU. Also within three seconds of Amy showing up in that outfit I went OMG I WANT TO COSPLAY THAT and then I had to convince myself that D*Con is much too close and I already have an Amy costume and oh hey did I ever thank you for tipping me off to the make of that red jumper? Because I have one now and Flesh and Stone is the costume I'm doing.

[such_heights]

POOOONDS. And yes, that would be an adorable cosplay you should do sometime!

And I am very glad to be of service, yay. :D I look forward to pictures!

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

I kept saying over and over how if I could find the dress and black jumper thing I would do River's outfit from the first half for Dragon*Con.

Yes, I am that crazy

[kerravonsen]

I'm working on the assumption that time will be rewritten and the Ponds don't end up growing up alongside their daughter because it's weird and sad and noooo. That is not the happy ending I ordered! But it was so strange that I do feel reasonably confident that is going to change.

I suspect it isn't, because we still need Mels to regenerate into River.

The Doctor, and how much he loves River

My favourite part of that was how he basically told the Justice people to mind their own business.
Because he's allowed to forgive River for killing him if he wants to.

TIME CAN BE REWRITTEN, EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.
(points to icon) There is always fic.

[mswyrr]

My favourite part of that was how he basically told the Justice people to mind their own business.
Because he's allowed to forgive River for killing him if he wants to.

Yes. Though, honestly, there's something Domestic Violence-y about the whole thing. Eleven's lover/quasi-niece killed him but it's not the business of any legal authority. It's a family matter!

Unintentional subtext ftw. o.O

[tomsmum]

I am going to say I hated the overall episode though there were individual good moments. The whole 'timey-wimey' thing is getting so blooming confusing and maybe a bit unneccesary. Mels was seriosuly clunky and better be changed though the actress was great and I wiuld like to see more of her.We need more Melody/Rivers not just the 3 (baby/Mels/River)

Will re-watch later to see if I can like it more

[ashpags]

ALL OF THE FEELINGS! Overall, I think I loved it, but with a strong dose of MOFFAT! *shakes fist* thrown in. I definitely want the rest of the season RIGHT NOW because waiting is going to drive me a bit nuts!

[lokifan]

PONDS

ALEX KINGSTON AND HER FABULOUS HAIR

FEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS

I agree on the dress size joke, ick. I did love how she said she was going to make herself younger... slowly, just to freak people out. Because I winced and then LOLed. OH RIVER.

ALSO RORY'S LITTLE FACE! WHEN AMY WAS GOING ON ABOUT HOW HE NEVER SHOWED ANY INTEREST IN GIRLS EVER! PONDS

Also, I like that New Who does fairly consistently acknowledge how the Doctor wrecks people. I know it's because of all my FEELINGS about what happened to Donna (BASTARDS!) but I loved the little crack in his voice when she appeared.

AMELIA POND. LOVE HER SO.