puppetmaker | New Who Review: The Impossible Astronaut

Since this is the first episode of the next season, I am going to repeat the ground rules I created for the NWR.

1) Above the cut are my opinions on the show without spoilers if you haven’t seen the episode but once behind the cut and in comments spoilers may abound.

2) We are only discussing episodes that have aired. I am trying to keep myself spoiler free from the rest of the season. I know there is a lot of true facts and a lot of speculation out there. I do allow you to express your theories on what is going to happen next but I really don’t care for “On X site they said Y because they were talking to the make-up artist who worked on Episode 6”

3) If you disagree with something that’s fair but be polite about it.

So general thoughts on the episodes

It was nice to see the old gang back together again. I like how they are using Rory and the actor is doing a great job with the little he is given. They do reference the Red Noses piece but it is subtle which was nice. Amy Pond is becoming a favorite companion and she is such a nice fit for this Doctor. I don’t think she would have worked as well with Tennant.

Most of the episode for me was edge of your seat Set-Up. I honestly don’t know how much will be solved next week or at the end of the season but Moffat set up both threads within the first 5 minutes. And as annoying as some parts were to the storytelling part of my brain, I will give it a go and see what he is up to.

In the end I was happy to see this set of characters again interacting and reacting to things around them and I want to know what happens next which, in my mind, is good episodic television.

I am grateful that Doctor Who is back on the air and that it is playing on both sides of the pond.

So we are going to probably be playing the “who’s in the Astronaut Suit” for the rest of the season. I am serious thinking that this won’t be tied up by next week.

I understand that they don’t have scenery like Utah in England but I wonder why they took the expense to do what they did unless there is a heck of a lot more footage that we are going to see over the course of this season.

Stetsons are cooler than Fezs.

River talking to Rory about how she and the Doctor interact was played beautifully by both actors. It was sweet but sad and you (as the viewer) know that she is right because we are following the Doctor’s path not River’s which made it more poignant.

Yeah Nixon didn’t look like Nixon but it really didn’t matter since he was a set piece for why Canton Everett Delaware III was introduced into the mix. And how cool was it that the character was played by a Father (William Morgan Sheppard) and Son (Mark Sheppard) team? That just added something to the whole character. Both actors have impressed me over the years and continue to do so.

The Silence is an interesting Doctor Who creature. I honestly having decided if they are good, bad or ill informed. I have a feeling we are learning more next week but not everything. Creepiest critter since the Stone Angels.

So we’ll see what we see when we have “a Day on the Moon”.