New Who Review for Amy'sChoice

[puppetmaker]

This is a bit of a set piece. We have our core characters in an odd dilemma of what is reality and what is fantasy and who's fantasy is it? My theory I am putting behind the cut.

I like Rory more and more. I am hoping that he sticks around for a while because the dynamics between the Doctor, Rory, and Amy are really neat. And Amy’s feelings for both Rory and the Doctor are an interesting mix.

The structure of the story was interesting. I have to say that it had me going for a while but the ending left me a little unsatisfied.

I am enjoy this season a lot. I do find it interesting that, for most of these episodes, you could drop just about any incarnation of the Doctor and it would work one way or another. Moffat seems to have more of a sense of “history” of the character than RTD did (again I am not slamming RTD, just noting a difference).

As usual spoilers can only go up through Amy’s Choice and I have seen the next two episodes and would like to leave those who haven’t totally spoiler free thank you.


I’m going to start with the ending here and work my way back.

I thought the ending was a little confused and a little pat all in one. OK it was the Doctor making up the dreams? I can kind of put this together is you put the Valeyard in the mix as the Doctor’s last incarnation or potential last incarnation. After that, I think it might be a clue to the end of the season or it will make more sense after the end of the season.

So was it Rory’s Dream, Amy’s Dream, or the Doctor’s dream for them in the village? It seemed to be Rory’s until towards the middle then it seemed to be the Doctor’s. And the freezing TARDIS as the other problem that must be solved was a nice contrast. And since they were dreaming within a dream, the logic of how things work go out the window.

Also Amy really didn't have a choice as much as they set that up.

And now I don’t think they can do an episode with Queen Elizabeth due to all the stuff they have said about her. Also you would need Tennant back to do it.

I thought this was an OK episode with a lot of potential that didn’t get fulfilled. I liked it but I didn’t love it.

Next week we deal with the Hungry Earth.

I am grateful for episodes that get me thinking of other stories that could have been told.

Comments

[gryphonrose.livejournal.com]

What keeps happening to me this season is, I love the interaction between the Doctor, Amy, and (when he's there) Rory. The stories themselves? Meh.

[scavgraphics.livejournal.com]

Moffat is much more of a fanboy than RTD was. (If you watch Coupling, there's a number of Doctor Who jokes scattered throughout). I've not read any of his Who fiction, but Allyn (Gibson) says he's big into playing with the whole mechanism of time travel...4D thinking and all that Doctor Brown stuff.

but the ending left me a little unsatisfied.

The space pollen explanation? I found that weak. Though the Dream Lord's reflection counteracts it a bit.

I did find the Dream Lord went a bit too meta for me, channeling Galifrey Base forum trolls.

I haven't seen it since it was on in England, so I'd have to rewatch to get a good tell on Who dreamed what.

[shadowravyn.livejournal.com]

Honestly, for the first few seconds after we were given the "space pollen" explanation, I thought the Doctor was lying to them. "Uh, yes, it's this magical space pollen that made us dream that. There's no such thing as a Dream Lord. That preposterous." *shifty glance*

[tiggerallyn.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I buy the space pollen explanation, either. But would the Doctor do something like this deliberately to "sort out" Amy and Rory?

[shadowravyn.livejournal.com]

I was seeing it more as damage control: "There is no Dream Lord, never was, all just some crazy after-effect of, uhhh, space pollen."

Cooking up this grand scheme to sort them out? No. Lying to protect them from some scary Big Bad that he's hoping that they never have to meet--especially if the Dream Lord truly is the Valeyard? That I can see.