Doctor Who (again) [SPOILERS]

[Nameless Ghost]

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If 'doctor' might come to mean great warrior, 'nurse' might become something similar. Interesting to see if this gets followed up on.

Also, with the Doctor's Fall; one of his key rules is that he never uses weapons. Which would be why it hits him so hard. He's seen by the people he'd want to save as the very thing he despises.

[Mauve Shirt]

Question!

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Why doesn't River Song remember being the child in The Impossible Astronaut? If she is the child, why is she so shocked by the Doctor's death at her hands?

[Jibar]

Question!

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Why doesn't River Song remember being the child in The Impossible Astronaut? If she is the child, why is she so shocked by the Doctor's death at her hands?

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Pretty much precisely why I don't think River Song is the astronaut.

[Goldfly]

It's only been a few episodes--don't you remember Auton!Rory?

Auton!Rory had human memories, though. Nonetheless, you have a good point.

[Foeofthelance]

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Re: River's Conception

She was most likely conceived after the Big Bang. The Doctor seems to have left them on their own during their honeymoon (Christmas Carol), Amy mentions its been at least a year between that and when they get the blue envelopes (The Impossible Astronaut) and then there's at least another six months between that and when they break the Doctor out of Area 51 (Day of the Moon).

My guess is that River was conceived sometime between A Christmas Carol and The Impossible Astronaut, since that's when Amy first mentions being pregnant. She then gets kidnapped sometime during the six month gap between Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, which is why she thinks she's no longer pregnant.

Re: Amy's Survival

We know there are certain things that can't be changed in the timeline. If we assume that things like the Pandorica Opens/Big Bang are important enough to the history of existence, then its entirely possible that reality itself would bend around Amy to preserve her existence so that she could be where she needs to be to help the Doctor make sure that existence doesn't get wiped out by the TARDIS.

OR we're just over thinking this, and she survived because she does.

[Thufir]

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and then there's at least another six months between that and when they break the Doctor out of Area 51 (Day of the Moon).

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Specified as three months in-episode as I recall.

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She then gets kidnapped sometime during the six month gap between Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, which is why she thinks she's no longer pregnant.

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She saw Madame Kovarian during Impossible Astronaut, and the Doctor said she'd been replaced by a flesh avatar before America.

[Drglenn]

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Amy mentions its been at least a year between that and when they get the blue envelopes (The Impossible Astronaut)

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Two months (just watched the start of the episode again), or at least its been two months since he was in contact with them last

[Foeofthelance]

Hmmm. Thought she said a year. Ah well, still plenty of time for the two of them to conceive.

[dehro]

so..now I've seen the last Dr. Who episode and have read most of the update on the thread.
random thoughts:
about River Song and the "but if..then why?" moments..

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I'm going to chalk most of them up to different timelines, the possibility that she's a bit timelordy and weird.

about the episode itself:

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I liked it. I I would have had Rory say he too is a nurse... who is the blue guy? can't remember him from previous episodes/series...and what happens to him? I'm not entirely sure I remember him dying..if he did, it was all rather rushed.
I willingly suspended uber-criticism in order to enjoy the episode and not to try and be a wise*ss and later go "see? told you so!" it enhanced my enjoying the episode a great deal. I shall have to rewatch it with my boring hat on to see where the flaws of the episode are, if any. on this first viewing I just didn't want to do that and spoil it

about the "murder" of the doctor and theories:

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it could very well have been a younger River Song, but I would not bet on it just yet.
something struck me about this particular episode: they go on about good men going to war and rules and such..if I recall correctly, nasty woman says that good men have rules, and the Doctor replies that good men don't need rules and that it's best not to ask oneself why he has so many of them.
so..he's basically ruling himself out as a good man.
now this may just be him being modest, but I prefer to think that it means that the good man going to war is in fact Rory and not the Dr.
that said, River Song is in jail for the most hideous of crimes (or somesuch definition she gave at one time)..and she also said she was in jail for killing a good man.
on a sidenote..the Dr has been killed a few times already...and by common goons too (albeit dalek ones)..so it's not exactly the most terrifying crime ever, unless it's his final death, I suppose, which spoils my argument a bit.
anyhooo...if we assume that River Song/Melody Pond offs her own dad and not the doctor, it can very well be someone else to have killed the Dr...or maybe an alternate timeline version of her??
right..I've worked myself in a knot here, apparently, but there's something in the whole Rory being the good man and not the doctor, that I'm not yet willing to let go.

yay for centurion Rory... awesome despite wearing no trousers.

[Androgeus]

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Regarding the confusion of why she wouldn't recognize Rory during the Pandorica opens...

Rory didn't exist anymore.

Remember, by that point he had already been deleted from history when they dealt with the Saurians. Amy didn't recognize him, why would River? The only one who knew who he was (and he wasn't even really him!) was the Doctor, and only because the Doctor knew to remember hard enough. She wasn't there when it happened, so never would have made the effort. River wouldn't have remembered who Rory was until they rebooted the Universe.

derp, I'm an idoit. Can't believe that didn't occur to me. Thanks for the explanation.

On Amy's kidnapping, I think it has to take place a bit before America, cause I would have though Rory would have noticed some sort of signal in the two months out the tardis. Although symptomless pregnancies may exist, I'm no doctor (or I could be, The Doctor seemed a bit naive about Amy being pregnant in "Amy's Choice")

[dehro]

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Pretty much precisely why I don't think River Song is the astronaut.

different timelines?

[Kato]

Question!

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Why doesn't River Song remember being the child in The Impossible Astronaut? If she is the child, why is she so shocked by the Doctor's death at her hands?

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Who says she doesn't remember? Maybe she just has to keep up an act to avoid spoilers.
I'm not sure of it but I've been bugged by her behaviour when the Doctor was shot since the start of the season. She first checks on him instead of paying attention to the astronaut who could still be a threat to her or the Ponds/Williams'. Also, if River shoots to kill, she kills. But she doesn't. It was bugging me and maybe there's another explantion but her being the astronaut and being aware the astronaut is no danger to anyone but the Doctor is a likely explanation. It's not certain but it would make sense if it was her younger self.

[Drglenn]

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I liked it. I I would have had Rory say he too is a nurse...

That would have been awesome

Who is the blue guy? can't remember him from previous episodes/series...and what happens to him? I'm not entirely sure I remember him dying..if he did, it was all rather rushed.

He was in 'The Pandorica Opens' he's the black market dealer who 'sold' River her vortex manipulator. He gets beheaded by the headless monks at the start of the battle outside the Tardis.

[Calemyr]

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River's existence: It just occurred to me. The Doctor says that not everything of a person is erased if they fall into the crack. Bits and pieces like old photos and unclaimed rings linger on. If they can, is descendants too hard to imagine? That's exactly what happened to Amy as well.

River examining the device: It could mean a few things. Maybe she's in flux until the Doctor rescues her, or maybe the event was too traumatizing (she was going through her own personal hell at the time) for her to remember. More likely, however, she's fully aware and playing dumb. She doesn't want to disrupt the timeline more than necessary by dropping that bombshell early.

River's pistol: River starts shooting at the astronaut, but runs out of ammo before she lands a blow. She mutters "of course" under her breath, because she knows that it's her own self she shot at - and since she didn't get shot back then, she couldn't shoot her this time around. She shot in a fit of rage and passion, even though she knew what was happening, and only when she couldn't shoot any more did she realize that it was a futile effort to begin with.

River's spoilers: My brother and I were talking yesterday and came to the conclusion that River's gleeful use of "Spoilers" as a denial of information was her getting back at the doctor for all the times he's going to say exactly that to her. And he'll be saying that to her to get back at her for saying it to him so many times. Timey Wimey!

[factotum]

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I disagree with all these "River shot the Doctor back in episode 1" theories. Her shocked reaction was far too natural when she saw the astronaut shoot him. In addition, child-River got out of the space suit sometime back in 1969, whereas the astronaut came out the lake to shoot the Doctor some 40+ years later...

[TheArsenal]

Hey just started watching, Its a show with a ton of fun. But only one moment sort of ruined it (Not forever of course) for me:

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The endind to the end of time...Look, I like David tennants performance but the way it ended (Including his sacrifice) sort of felt like a shattered mirror. It felt like as if all this time the 10th doctor wasn't being so cool, and stylish because he was slick, but because he was in love with himself. Its especialy grating, when wilfred (Who does not have your ability to live forever) takes it so...calmly, and with respect. All that time he stands there with a smile on his face, no matter how much the world tortured him (I understand that its OK that the Doctor suffered the time war and ect but it feels so overdramaticized since he isn't upset over that).

It feels in character, but as a negative reveal, as if "Oh, ive been this smug ass this whole time". Even when he doesn't have to confront the reality of killing the master (Why build it up and then ignore it) so many died at the hands of the master. Oh sure you "Killed stuff" but come on, its usualy either killing you or killing somebody else, and you give fair treatment. So yeah, cowardly.

The ending was overdramaticized and cowardly (Not to mention a bit stupid. Unless I missed something, couldn't he just press the button with a stick or something? A little gizmo? Anything other than with your hand?).

But I still like the show

[CurlyKitGirl]

The Nu Who Trek continues. And now, to boldly go where many have gone before. [*cue TNG theme (I love that theme song so much)*]

'Family of Blood' Part 2/2 (Season Three, Episode Nine)
Same format as before.

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We recap the previous episode. Baines: "Your friend, or your lover?"
Theme song time. I really do like this season's theme a lot.
Family!Jenny: "Make your decision Mr. Smith." Ten is gasping in terror, pretty damn unsure about what's happening, and Timothy opens the watch. He seems to have figured out that they're after the watch, and in the background Baines says something about breaking the human heart to get to the Time Lord. Ten's voice whispers out of the watch "Time Lord," and the Family is surprised enough that MtM manages to turn the hostage situation around and hold Family!Jenny hostage.
Baines dares her, with a psycho half smirk and those unsettling unblinking eyes (you never notice how normal blinking is until it doesn't happen) to "pull the trigger". From MtM's face (02.11) she doesn't look like she be able to do it. She's biting her lip pretty hard, like she's trying to stop from laughing to be honest. As Baines says, "Looks too scared." He really does pull of that smirk marvellously!
But MtM sticks to her guns and she gets Joan released. This is a pretty kickass scene considering MtM's facing down the mercenaries who drove the Doctor into hiding as a human for three months! Balls. Martha has them.
So "the Doctor" is told to get everyone out, while Ten is confused so MtM reminds him that "I mean you Mr. Smith", but while Ten is still looking around confuzzled, Joan shows who's wearing the trousers and ushers people out of the hall. Ten is baffled and follows after Joan.
Cue the usual screaming exodus, and we get a nice shot of Ten telling Timothy to "go back to the school, quickly", thus telling me that's where the finale's going to go down. This two second long shot brings all the strings together; Ten, the Doctor's essence in the watch, and Timothy. But it also shows both aspects of Ten's personality here. As Smith this shot shows that in spite of everything, including the revelation he isn't who or what he thought himself to be, he still ensures the safety of his students above all others. As the Doctor, he's making sure everyone gets to safety before everything hits the fan.
To top off the last bit, he then lingers behind to ask MtM what she's going to do. (20.48 shows a nice determined face from Agyeman) MtM says he needs to see Joan safe. Outside the hall we see the Doctor again surface, only to be rebuffed by Timothy who says he's "as worse as them".
Inside the hall, MtM's being cornered. We find out all those possessed by the Family are "consumed", aka dead.
Suddenly scarecrow! And MtM runs. The Family starts lasering humans who run away. This actually sounds like a battle scene, and the fact that the family is so innocuous really ramps up their intimidation factor. Especially that of Baines and the Balloon Girl. Why hasn't that balloon popped?
There's a silly glowy special effect as Family!Jenny accesses Jenny's memories, and then orders Husband of Mine to go find whatever lies to the west. My mind immediately goes west. Is it me, or do Husband/Father and Sister/Daughter seem really one-note characters. Mother!Jenny and Baines are far more developed as characters, now some of this is down to the fact that Jenny and Baines were once humans who had a vague character (Baines) or an actual personality (Jenny); but they're dead now. Baines and and Mother!Jenny are new characters, just as new as Father and Sister, and so there shouldn't be such a disparity in characterisation if you take away the extra knowledge of Baines and Jenny. Given that Baines has had more screentime than the rest of the Family put together, I can understand that; but the other three should be exerting an equal presence, and they just don't. At least Sister has the quality of being a creepy child. Father is just . . . there.
So everything's all set for the school. There's a lot of running. The music here is fantastic as always, with the recurring instrumental strings flying across the notes - silly, the music is running. And if you replay it a few times, the violins move almost exactly in time to the actual running on screen. 04.27 - 04.32 in particular display this really well.
Ten wake up the school with this lovely reasoning "Us school teachers have to stand together." And I can see why too; he's been associates and most likely friends with many of them for his entire life as Smith, he's still reeling and in denial about being the Doctor, and he's just very, very frightened. MtM still can't shut her mouth when she's surprised/shocked/whatever. Fish face.
I think MtM says "Don't do that!", but the bell is noisy. In about the ten seconds Ten's been ringing that bell the Oik (I think he's a prefect, so I'll call him that) comes running downstairs fully dressed. Guess it's not lights out then. No way could he get that well dressed (only the tie is barely askew) that quick.
There's an enemy at the gate! Door. And so there is. Outside the Family (minus Father) gathers, and they're going to be cautious because the school has guns. So the "small little thing" know as Sister (good Lord, Baines has some creepy semi-incestuous vibes going on with Mother and Sister!) is sent in because she's only a little girl. She skips off to a xylophone playing ring-a-ring-a-roses. It is not pleasant.
MtM's telling Ten off for preparing for a siege, "they're just boys, you can't ask them to fight, they don't stand a chance." And the audience remembers WWI when the oldest of the boys do go off and fight.
The Headmaster shows up! He is not pleased. Until Ten reports the incident in the village, asserting only that Baines and Mr.Clark (that's Father's old name) have "gone mad"; but even then the Headmaster only accepts this a truth when Joan corroborates Ten's story.
And the Headmaster says "you've done well then Smith". I love a reasonable authority figure, don't you? Then he leaps upon the obvious question: How do you know they're coming here? Joan answers, "He threatened Mr. Smith." and all preparation continue as normal! There's some classism/racism going on as usual, and MtM runs off to find the watch, Joan following after her.
Timothy meanwhile is . . . being advised by the Doctor-in-the-watch to keep hiding himself and the watch "while the Family is still abroad." This is said as Creepy Sister skips into school.
How has nobody noticed her? This is like that scene in Men in Black where Will Smith shoots the little girl cutout, but noone else does because she's 'just a little girl'. Yeah. In a place where she shouldn't be, way after bedtime. I'll excuse it for now as maybe no one has genuinely seen her yet.
Outisde the Headmaster and a gurning man (seriously, 07.03 makes him look like an entrant in a gurning competition) confront Baines and Mother!Jenny. The line, "There's always a woman involved [referring to Mother!Jenny] isn't there?" really ramps up the pseudo-incest, given that the Headmaster seems to be assuming Mother!Jenny and Baines are in a relationship of some sort.
And Baines starts to ham it up. I love this guy. Who is he? Harry Lloyd. Also starred in Robin Hood and - oh. my. giddy. aunt. He's Viserys Targaryen in the Game of Thrones tellybox series!! Well. If I wasn't already going to watch that series, this has sold it. Utterly.
"Do you like them Mr. Phillips? I'm ever so good at science, sir." This guy. And now he's found the joy of ham, not only are his sentences starting to run into one another, but he's subtly chewing the scenery!
The Headmaster, being a teacher, tries to get Baines away from the other nutters, but Baines quickly shows that, well, as far as nutjobs go, he's the nuttiest of the whole family. I love that verbal tic of 'sir' because it's lampshading the strictness of a British school. Not sure about everyone else, but we always called our teachers 'sir', 'miss' or 'ma'am', and we were a state run comprehensive. I also think this is Baines being ironic, he doesn't have to respect them, and he isn't, with the twist that the 'sir's are now really invective.
The Headmaster must be a very attentive one as he recognises that Baines "speaks with another voice", shortly followed by a title drop! "We are the Family of Blood". Baines whispers this so hammily, lots of emphasis on the plosive 'b'. He's savouring their name.
He's still not blinking, and that smirk is basically glued to his face. Well. Okay, I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but I've seen The Dark Knight, and as much as I like the Joker, I have to say that when it comes to straight up psychotic expressions and tone of voice, Baines beats out the Joker any day of the week.
Just look at him at 08.03 when he says "All of your little tin soldiers", chills. Admittedly, some of the chill comes from the audience's foreknowledge of what's coming in a year. Especially with the light right afterwards being, "Will they thank you?"
Headmaster: "I don't understand."
Baines: "What do you know of history sir? What do you know of next year?"
Headmaster: "You're not making sense."
Baines: "1914 sir. Because the Family has travelled far and wide looking for Mr. Smith, and the things we have seen.
War is coming.
Foreign fields, war of the whole wide world with all your boys falling down in the mud. Do you think they will thank the man who taught them it was glorious?"
Headmaster: "Don't you forget boy. I've been a soldier. I was at South Africa. I used my dead mates for sandbags. I fought with the butt of my rifles when the bullets ran out and I would go back there tomorrow for King and country!"
Baines: "Et cetera, et cetera." *lasers Gurning Man to death*
This section. Wow. It's painful, glorious, ominous and pulls basically every string a heart has. The music, the direction and the emotions the actors draw on make this a very powerful scene. Headmaster clearly doesn't regret either being in a war, or what he has trained his boys to do, but you can still see the pain the war brought him.
As Baines continues devouring ham at an astonishing rate, Headmaster is terrified by the alien weapon, and runs indoors. Mother!Jenny cackles.
Inside the school, Headmaster is very cool and stoic. Hello British stiff upper lip. Nice to meet you. Ten is still confused, and you can see guilt creeping up on him, because this is all his fault and he doesn't know why. Poor Mr. Smith. Oh, by the boy, the telephone's been disconnected. Given it's the Edwardian era I'll allow this overused trope.
The school prepares for war. "In the name of the King." Prefect finds Timothy and calls him a coward, and urges him into action. Creepy Girl watches from inside. Clearly, no one knows she's indoors. Except the Family. And Baines hams it up massively, calling the soldiers to attack.
Shambling scarecrows marching to an orchestral score where the lead instrument is a tin whistle, intercut by boys preparing for war, should not be this disturbing. The montage is amazingly well done. Baines: "War comes to England. A year in advance." Ouch. Shame the power of the scene is undercut by that goofy green glow indicating telepathy. It even activates with a buzzing vworp noise.
MtM is ransacking Ten's rooms, explaining what happened to Joan, where we get this lovely line. "And alien means . . . not from abroad?" And neither does it mean psychologist! Okay, actually, that would be alienist, but close enough. I don't call this line hokey because aliens just weren't a concept anyone understood. Nice bit of period vocabulary there Cornell. MtM explains "this fairy tale", and says she's "just his friend". Not Joan's "rival, as much as I might" (UGH!), "just his friend". She then adds she's training to be a doctor, Joan's response is along the lines of, "that's nonsense. Women might train to be doctors, but hardly a [skivvy?] and hardly one of your colour." Seriously, I've listened to that line five or six times, and I can't make it out. MtM proves she's not a moron by naming all the bones in a human hand. Awesomely. Props to Agyeman too for being able to remember all that and toss it out so casually with an air of honest annoyance. Okay, what is it with me and pausing the video at times where MtM's pulling a stupid face, this time 12.21 where she looks like an astonished bunny. Anyway, Joan's all disbelieving, and MtM's all "Can't you see, this is true."
Joan shows she still has a pair of brass ones by saying she'll serve the boys in this war as their nurse no matter what. "I'm doing my duty, just as much as you." (In the midst of this we have a cut to Father standing guard outside the TARDIS. And he sounds likes he's from Zummerzet, so I cackle disbelievingly. Nobody can make a Somerset accent sound intimidating.)
Joan realises that Ten's memories are all "facts", no emotions or honest memories. The piano music in the background is pensive, quiet and very sad. Because of what I linked above (after having watched through that entire part), it makes me think a lot of the ending to 'Goodbyeeee', so there's another layer of inevitable tragedy to this scene which really heightens the emotional intensity.
The strings and flute come in to Ten's impassioned pleas that he is real, everything they've felt, everything since he first started at that school is real. While yes, this is overdone, and is a common theme in doppelganger/amnesiac/etc stories (just look at 'The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People' for the most recent example in Doctor Who; here it works. Perfectly. The music is inspired, it's almost unnoticeable, but what is heard increases the poignancy of the moment. We know that Ten will remember being the Doctor; so we're made to realise that John Smith is basically a real person, and has been for those three months! The close ups of the actors, the intimacy of this discussion - their romance and what will change because of this - the fact that it's a stolen moment amongst preparations for war; everything in this scene is honestly perfect. Voices and music are subdued, Joan is desperately trying to deny what she knows is truth, Smith is doing the same, the intensity is in just how quiet this all is. This is true chemistry.
Joan draws another connection between Smith and the Doctor. neither of them would want the boys to fight, and then he steal a kiss as the boys set up for war. Timothy and the Prefect have a moment where he realises that they'll both survive, but he has to sort of the watch thing first. Doctor-in-the-watch tells Timothy to beware her. The Creepy Girl is creepy. And Timothy shoots a beam of Time Lord memories (the Christmas Special with the Racnoss) at her. How did he know that would work? Sadly, the Family knows who and what to get. Baines, he of Ham orders the attack. Cut to inside the school. Ten takes up a gun! Gasp. The children are terrified. They're crying and gasping, but doing their duty.
And they shoot scarecrows down dead. And Ten can't do it. He's standing there, frozen, anguish and indecision rife in every line of his face (17.09) as we cut from boy to boy, crying and terrified, firing on the enemy. And Ten can't do it. In the background a hymn plays. The director for this episode is Charles Palmer, and this is just a fantastic scene, the straw innards of the scarecrows shouldn't be as dramatic as it is. And Ten never shot. A pacifist.
The Creepy Girl - Cartwright - arrives on the scene, and the Headmaster acts the gallant, as he rightly should. But it's also terribly ironic, not because she's an alien, but because he says he will not see "this child" on the field of battle; here's the guilt for putting his own boys on the field of battle.
The Creepy Girl is creepy, and she lasers him to death. He didn't deserve this death. Ten orders the retreat, as Baines says "RUN!!" In a way, it's relaxing to see him ham it up, even if he's still unblinking and psychotic. He's enjoyable this way. Also probably one of the hammiest actors on the show in quite a number of episodes too.
The boys run a lot. But not to the village. Oh, but not all of them. Some were captured, but not Timothy. We then have a contrived coincidence where Baines is about to kill some rejected captured boys, but Timothy just so happens to open the watch at that exact time.
There's more running!
And then more hamming it up when Father (and the Family in general) is bellowing for the Doctor. At least this time Father doesn't sound like he's from Somerset, but he's still faintly ridiculous. Ten is still resisting remembering about being the Doctor even though now both MtM and Joan are telling him he needs to remember. "You dreamt of a blue box."
Tennant then delivers a heartfelt speech. "I'm John Smith. That's all I want to be. With his life, and his job. And his love. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?" You really have to wonder how much of the Doctor is subconsciously present when Tennant's saying this. Especially when you remember how guilt-wracked Nine (and even early Ten) was over the Time War. Tennant: "Why can't I stay?!" He's practically crying, poor man.
But the Doctor is needed. Ten: "No. I'm just a story." The music is pensive and soaring again.
The Family walks off to their ship. Ten and co. are at the Cartwright home. The Cartwright's are all dead now. Ten is very sad. He doesn't want anyone else to die, so he wants to go to the Family. He accuses MtM of doing nothing, Martha saying she's with him because "he's lonely." Smith!Ten doesn't want to be lonely.
Timothy's at the door! With the watch. Smith!Ten doesn't want to hold the watch. Timothy admits he didn't hand it over sooner because he was scared of the Doctor. "He's like fire, and ice, and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and can see the turn of the universe. [...] And, he's wonderful." This. This is the Doctor. End of.
Smith!Ten is visibly upset. And then the Family bombs the village. He takes the watch. The Doctor is asleep. Timothy asks why, and then Smith!Ten bursts into true blue Doctor technobabble. And we get to see just how different the two are. Voice, facial expressions, body language. Amazing acting.
Smith is furious because amongst other things, "falling in love, [...] didn't even occur to him" and he "doesn't want to die". Does anyone watching not feel for him here?
Finally seventy minutes into this two-parter and we find out exactly why the Family wants the Doctor. They're space-mayflies, and need to consume a Time Lord to live forever. Smith!Ten: "So your job was to execute me." People are dying and stuff, and MtM says "he is everything to me, and he doesn't even notice me. And I love him to bits." After my usual sighing in exasperation, and snerking because I found another bunny-Martha face (27.03) I admit that at least Martha's trying to be gracious about this romance or lack thereof. Unlike another Companion whose name need not be mentioned. I'm also totally pulling a Star Trek here and quoting that well known Vulcan proverb 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one'. It needs be said I'm afraid.
Smith!Ten wants to give the Family the watch with the Time Lord inside so he can stay here. Joan says he can't do that, then asks Timothy and Martha to leave.
Smith!Ten is officially broken down in tears. It's heartbreaking. I like Smith!Ten, he's adorkable, sweet and lovely. Smith!Ten says "He [the Doctor] won't love you."
Joan: "If he's not you then I don't want him to." [I go 'aaaawwwww'] "After my husband died, I never thought, never again."
Smith: "It was real wasn't it? I really thought." And Joan curses the watch, and everything. Smith!Ten touches the watch, and we get something that is brutally cruel. Brutally.
A montage of his life, if he stayed John Smith (Ten really rocks a waistcoat) intercut by Smith!Ten and Joan's faces in the present. The final scene of this flashforward is Tennant is exquisite old man makeup on his deathbed.
Back in the now Joan says "A Time Lord can have such adventures, but never live a life like that." Which is very cruel to say. Especially when Smith!Ten responds desperately, "But I could."
If we think then, that Smith!Ten has been channelling the Doctor stronger and stronger since he found the watch, then this is also the life the Doctor wishes he could have. And he can't have it.
Joan: "What are you going to do?"
Cut to the Family. Baines is being Baines in his usual insane fashion, when all of a sudden Smith!Ten walks in! He begs them to stop the bombardment, "please". Mother!Jenny says he's "still human", falters and hits some buttons and says how much he hates the Doctor, giving the watch to Baines. Then he's thrown against a wall, hitting some more buttons (is this a trap?) - it's a trap! The watch is empty!
Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait. Tennant is playing the Doctor playing John Smith. And switches instantly between the two with no faltering or hesitation. The mannerisms do not interchange when Tennant becomes Ten again. They remain distinct. Showing that not only is Tennant and amazing actor, so is the Doctor. Ten whips out his glasses (first time?) and says "they shouldn't have let me touch all those buttons" because now the ship's going to blow up.
Ten is very happy for someone who just killed someone. Or does he not know that John Smith is dead? Has he forgotten being John Smith?
Things go all alarmy, and then kablooey. It's a very good explosion. The Family is quietly aghast. And now Baines starts narrating about the "fury of a Time Lord". Ten ran because "he was being kind". Ten is cold in the punishment montage. Dead cold. The punishments for Sister and Baines are the worst I feel, and the most terrifying because we see mirrors and scarecrows every day. That flicker there, or that lone scarecrow on a hill? Might just be the Family. "We wanted to live forever, so the Doctor made sure that we did."
And this is terrifying.
Back in the cottage Joan's been waiting all night, and Ten shows up. She explains what's happened, and is upset that Ten looks the same as John Smith. She asks "Where is he, John Smith?" To be told "He's in here. Somewhere." Coldly, Ten tells her he won't change back. To which Joan says that Smith was braver than Ten. And, well yes, she's right. Smith, knowing everything that he was going to lose, knowing he would become someone who couldn't even conceive of love as a human could, chose to become the Doctor to save lives. And Ten won't change back (can't?) into Smith. Admittedly for some of the same reasons Smith became Ten.
Ten is actually fairly arrogant here. Assuming Joan will travel with him, that they can try; that Ten can replace Smith. Joan truly did love Smith, she can't even bare to look at Ten. Then again, she in turn says something cruel: if the Doctor hadn't chosen to come here, how many would still be alive? She has a point. But the Family would have followed him anywhere.
Swings and roundabouts really.
Ten can't answer her though. And he leaves., with Joan struggling not to break down behind him. To some gentle chiming music, she clutches her Smith's Journal of Impossible Things and cries. I tear up too. A little.
It's a trite cliché outside - rain. And a single choir boy singing in the background. But we get a heartwarming hug and thanks from the Doctor to Martha. Timothy shows up, saying he knows what he has to do. "The biggest war ever" is coming (it's not the biggest), and the Doctor gives Timothy the watch, "for good luck".
The music swells, the Doctor says "You'll like this bit" as the TARDIS vworps out of existence. Everybody likes that bit. Then from 39.55 onwards we get a voiceover as we flash forward to WWI and Latimer and Hutchinson in the trenches. Timothy has grown up, and seeing Hutchinson safe home to the trenches. Cut to the present day, on Remembrance Day when a very highly decorated Timothy (eight medals!) seems the Doctor and Martha watching in the distance.
That's sweet.
End credits.

Preview thoughts: "Don't blink. Blink and you're dead. Don't turn your back. Don't look away. And don't blink. Good luck." [Close up of the Doctor blinking]
It's 'Blink'! In the interests of full disclosure, I must reveal that I've seen this episode once or twice before.
In hindsight, it's a bad thing that I've been watching Marble Hornets for the first time today, and while writing this up. Yeah. Paranoia Fuel plus Paranoia Fuel. Probably not a good thing that.
I'll let you know how that works out.

Best Moment:
A toss up between Joan and Smith!Ten's stolen moment before the first onslaught, and the actual attack on the school by the scarecrows. Both of them are extremely powerful in their own quiet, understated way; with amazing direction and acting on all sides.
Tennant as the Doctor playing John Smith is a good second place.

Worst Moment:
I don't really know. They were all very good, nothing really stands out as bad; so the goofy semi-Somerset accent Father has when he's found the TARDIS has the dubious honour of being Worst Moment.

Best Special Effect:
The scarecrows. The just weren't that many special effects in this two-parter aside from a few pyrotechnics and minimal CGId attacks, and the scarecrows were wonderfully choreographed, standing out all the more because of the fairly realistic tone of the story.

Worst Special Effect:
The telepathic green glow; it's goofy and undermines some otherwise very effective scenes.

Best Actor:
Tennant and Baines win joint spot here. Easily. Baines is still deliciously psychopathic and eerie; while Tennant's ability to switch between Smith, the Doctor and the Doctor pretending to be Smith is just wonderful. Joan comes in a close second because while she doesn't actively have much to do, she's the emotional crux and driving force behind much of the character interaction here. This actress was fantastic for the role, a lesser one wouldn't have had the same emotional power behind her acting, and so could have potentially ruined this last, more personal half of the story.

Worst Actor:
Father. He's the least developed of all the Family, and that one time he has an almost-Somerset accent destroys what little scare factor he once had.

Number of Time MtM Obviously Hits on the Doctor Or Their 'Romance' Is Mentioned:
Two.

Number Of Times the Upcoming War Is Referenced:
A lot.

Thoughts overall?
As a two-parter? Best episode in the entire season so far. Top five of all of Nu Who so far.
Amazing direction, music, acting; a terrible choice is presented, and the emotional difficulties are not ignored or belittled in any way. I wasn't expecting the Doctor to act as John Smith, so I really thought Smith had decided to live and 'kill' the Doctor. That was an amazing reveal, with flawless acting.
But it was the smaller, quieter, more intensely character driven moments that sold this episode in my mind. The headmaster, Joan, Smith!Ten, Timothy and Hutchinson; all of them had brilliant shining moments in the dark atmosphere.
The main flaw in this episode as a whole was that tacked on ninety second or so montage of TImothy's life, but it was foreshadowed (in a sense), so I can almost let it slide completely. It was quite heavy handed (and Timothhy obviously hadn't aged at all), and only served to say something we already know: WWI was bad. Frankly, as far as endings to shows set in WWI you can never top Blackadder Goes Forth, and at the Remembrance Day service, it felt a little too similar to it. The trumpet leading the music, the focus on the poppies the Doctor and Martha wore. Here the music is more triumphant than in Blackadder, because Timothy survived. But I just can't help but feel this ending was too like Blackadder even though outwardly it isn't.
I can't help but think that two minutes was added on because they ran short of the runtime. It doesn't really detract much from the episode, but it does remove some of the anti-war message (the triumphant music) and lessens what the Doctor may or may not be feeling after he left Joan. And Joan's own situation itself.
Would have been better without it, but I can kind of see why they did that brief trek through Timothy's life. And it was sweet that he was remembered.

[Dogmantra]

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"Yes, I'm your daughter"
DUM DUM DUDUDUNDUN

[Thufir]

'Family of Blood' Part 2/2 (Season Three, Episode Nine)
Same format as before.

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My mind immediately goes west.

..You're incorrigible. So much for the serious atmosphere of the episode.

Is it me, or do Husband/Father and Sister/Daughter seem really one-note characters. Mother!Jenny and Baines are far more developed as characters, now some of this is down to the fact that Jenny and Baines were once humans who had a vague character (Baines) or an actual personality (Jenny); but they're dead now. Baines and and Mother!Jenny are new characters, just as new as Father and Sister, and so there shouldn't be such a disparity in characterisation if you take away the extra knowledge of Baines and Jenny. Given that Baines has had more screentime than the rest of the Family put together, I can understand that; but the other three should be exerting an equal presence, and they just don't. At least Sister has the quality of being a creepy child. Father is just . . . there.

Yeah, it's not you. Though, really, I don't think Mother of Mine is that much more developed either. It's really just Son/Baines who's the big villain of the piece.

There's a lot of running.

Always.

How has nobody noticed her? This is like that scene in Men in Black where Will Smith shoots the little girl cutout, but noone else does because she's 'just a little girl'. Yeah. In a place where she shouldn't be, way after bedtime. I'll excuse it for now as maybe no one has genuinely seen her yet.

..yeah, it does work for not being suspected of being hostile but a little girl in a boys' school would stand out somewhat. Oh well.

"Do you like them Mr. Phillips? I'm ever so good at science, sir." This guy. And now he's found the joy of ham, not only are his sentences starting to run into one another, but he's subtly chewing the scenery!

Yeah, I love that scene. And also his other scenes.

I love that verbal tic of 'sir' because it's lampshading the strictness of a British school. Not sure about everyone else, but we always called our teachers 'sir', 'miss' or 'ma'am', and we were a state run comprehensive.

Always "Sir," or "Miss" for me. Never heard a teacher called "Ma'am" that I recall.

"He's like fire, and ice, and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and can see the turn of the universe. [...] And, he's wonderful."

Not going to sully this with comments.

falters and hits some buttons and says how much he hates the Doctor, giving the watch to Baines. Then he's thrown against a wall, hitting some more buttons (is this a trap?) - it's a trap! The watch is empty!

Ah, you noticed him hitting the buttons. I missed that first time round.

Yeah, those are two amazing episodes. You're making me want to grab my DVDs.

Edit @^: How dare you.

[Sanguine]

Yeah, those are two amazing episodes. You're making me want to grab my DVDs.

Me as well. In fact as soon as I finish watching The Mind Robber I think I will go watch them.

[Drolyt]

Hey just started watching, Its a show with a ton of fun. But only one moment sort of ruined it (Not forever of course) for me:

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The endind to the end of time...Look, I like David tennants performance but the way it ended (Including his sacrifice) sort of felt like a shattered mirror. It felt like as if all this time the 10th doctor wasn't being so cool, and stylish because he was slick, but because he was in love with himself. Its especialy grating, when wilfred (Who does not have your ability to live forever) takes it so...calmly, and with respect. All that time he stands there with a smile on his face, no matter how much the world tortured him (I understand that its OK that the Doctor suffered the time war and ect but it feels so overdramaticized since he isn't upset over that).

It feels in character, but as a negative reveal, as if "Oh, ive been this smug ass this whole time". Even when he doesn't have to confront the reality of killing the master (Why build it up and then ignore it) so many died at the hands of the master. Oh sure you "Killed stuff" but come on, its usualy either killing you or killing somebody else, and you give fair treatment. So yeah, cowardly.

The ending was overdramaticized and cowardly (Not to mention a bit stupid. Unless I missed something, couldn't he just press the button with a stick or something? A little gizmo? Anything other than with your hand?).

But I still like the show

It's been a while, but I felt the reason he reacted like that was because he had got so far, defeating The Master (sort of) and Rassilon, everything was good, except Wilfred had to go and get himself stuck. He loved Wilfred, and would never dream of leaving him there, but that doesn't mean he wants to die.

[Thufir]

Me as well. In fact as soon as I finish watching The Mind Robber I think I will go watch them.

I'm guessing you're not in the UK then. It's 3:25am over here. Not the best time to start watching a two-part episode of Doctor Who...

[Dogmantra]

Edit @^: How dare you.

I WAS ACTUALLY SINGING THE MUSIC IN MY HEAD

[Triscuitable]

If you mean The Beginning box set, that's just the first three stories. Back in the day, Doctor Who was serials rather than self contained episodes. And a series could go for up to a year in the black and white days.

No, I went on iTunes and searched up "Doctor Who: The Classic Series". Used the Wiki to know which ones to buy, chronologically. Not that it matters much.

[Sanguine]

I'm guessing you're not in the UK then. It's 3:25am over here. Not the best time to start watching a two-part episode of Doctor Who...

Yes, I'm not in the UK, though even if was my odd sleeping habits might see me through the two-part episode.

[Triscuitable]

This feels a bit like cheating, but paradoxes often do.

Did "Blink" feel like cheating? Yes, yes it did. And it was still good. The paradoxical potential (hooray alliteration!) it abused was ridiculous. The events of the episode started because of the end, blah di dah, Martha is stupid, etc., etc.

[Helanna]

And Baines starts to ham it up. I love this guy. Who is he? Harry Lloyd. Also starred in Robin Hood and - oh. my. giddy. aunt. He's Viserys Targaryen in the Game of Thrones tellybox series!! Well. If I wasn't already going to watch that series, this has sold it. Utterly.

Wait a second - does that page say that he's rumored to play Brother of Mine again in a September episode? That would be awesome.

WHY ISN'T IT SEPTEMBER YET

[Kato]

It's 'Blink'! In the interests of full disclosure, I must reveal that I've seen this episode once or twice before.

Aw man, I'd have loved a genuine surprised reaction... well, too bad I guess. (Nice review anyway)

[Flame of Anor]

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First, Rory finds new ways to be badass every episode, it seems. It's impressive to watch.

Finally, all of the debtors were good, but they missed a great moment. When the Sontaran was going to die and stated he was a nurse, Rory should have said "So am I". Yes, Sonataran, you can be unbelievably badass and a nurse.

I agree with both points. The second was really weird when he didn't say it.

Hey just started watching, Its a show with a ton of fun. But only one moment sort of ruined it (Not forever of course) for me:

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The endind to the end of time...Look, I like David tennants performance but the way it ended (Including his sacrifice) sort of felt like a shattered mirror. It felt like as if all this time the 10th doctor wasn't being so cool, and stylish because he was slick, but because he was in love with himself. Its especialy grating, when wilfred (Who does not have your ability to live forever) takes it so...calmly, and with respect. All that time he stands there with a smile on his face, no matter how much the world tortured him (I understand that its OK that the Doctor suffered the time war and ect but it feels so overdramaticized since he isn't upset over that).

It feels in character, but as a negative reveal, as if "Oh, ive been this smug ass this whole time". Even when he doesn't have to confront the reality of killing the master (Why build it up and then ignore it) so many died at the hands of the master. Oh sure you "Killed stuff" but come on, its usualy either killing you or killing somebody else, and you give fair treatment. So yeah, cowardly.

The ending was overdramaticized and cowardly (Not to mention a bit stupid. Unless I missed something, couldn't he just press the button with a stick or something? A little gizmo? Anything other than with your hand?).

But I still like the show

Pretty much everything you said about End of Time is exactly correct, in my opinion. Especially the ridiculous setup at the end.

Wait a second - does that page say that he's rumored to play Brother of Mine again in a September episode? That would be awesome.

WHY ISN'T IT SEPTEMBER YET

He'll be back? And he's Viserys?!? Wow! I really liked that actor, but I didn't even notice it was the same guy!

[Eldan]

Same here. I liked both Viserys and Blaine. I mean, that guy managed to sell Viserys to me as interesting, who I thought wasn't all that great a character in the books. (Or at least, how I remember the books from years ago).
But now that I've heard it... damn. I mean, the eyes. Of course, the eyes.

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