Any Doctor Who Fans? **UK AIR-DATE SPOILERS ABOUND**- Page 44

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/16/10 at 8:47am

Not spoiler:
I'm quite thrilled because Craig Ferguson, according to his Twitter (CraigyFerg) has been watching the new series of Doctor Who.

SPOILERS for Amy's Choice

About half-way through the episode I was thinking that it had to be one of the most boring episodes in New Who. And then *spoiler* Rory died and the whole thing was up to Amy. That part was a great look into her character, and her relationship with Rory. I like Rory more with each passing episode. So, pretty much, I thought the episode was really dull up until Rory's death, and then it finally got around to revealing it's point, which was to force Amy to choose between her two men. And reveal a little something about the Doctor (also neat) in the meantime.

That whole bit with the choosing had the most emotional effect on me than anything else in this series (though moments in 'Flesh and Stone' came pretty close). I just wish the purpose for all this dreaming had been revealed sooner.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/16/10 at 11:28am

I get why they'd want the revelation about the Dream Lord to be a surprise, but...frankly, I've seen this sort of thing done better on House, where it was clear that the main character was dreaming.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 10:52am

Surely the fact that it wasn't obvious what was going on made for more of a twist at the end (I was convinced the Dream Lord was the Celestial Toymaker for most of it)? For once it wasn't concerned with the 'monster of the week', or even just telling a straight forward story, but was a huge character development piece: Rory being so sure that the village was real – not because of any evidence but just because he so badly wanted that life; Amy finally forced into making her choice (suicide on TV at tea-time on Saturday is slightly unusual in 'children's' programme) and, in a way, finally leaving the little girl of episode one behind; and the psychopathic side of the Doctor is given full reign. Huge fun!

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 3:38pm

Although it would have been really fun if the Doctor himself were psychopathic, not represented as a different psychopathic person. But that's just me.

The character development made the episode worth watching. What I meant, in being frustrated with the episode, was that at first it just seems like the dreams are there for the sake of being dreams. Which would have been fun, but the switching between each other would have gotten really boring had there not been the element of character development.

The fact that both the TARDIS and the village were dreams actually took away from the whole experience for me. I didn't find the pollen explanation very convincing, and it would have been really, really interesting if what the Dream Lord initially said about one being reality and the other being the dream had been true.

[Weez]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 5:03pm

It was a character episode. The plot was a simple MacGuffin to get the character development, and because we got the character development in SPADES, I'm willing to forgive the fact that we only had *just enough* plot to make it happen.

And I stand by my conviction that Rory is what is making this series awesome. :3

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 6:17pm

^I might have to completely agree with you. I love Amy, but I was extremely excited to see Rory back.

[kec]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 10:24pm

I agree, Eastwickian. I thought this was really well done.

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/19/10 at 3:38pm

Very exciting--episode titles for the Series 5 finale episodes have been released on BBC's Website. Just scroll down:

Series 5 Episode Guide

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 5/20/10 at 5:08pm

Wow ... spoilers as in UK air-date spoilers.

So far I'm liking this season ... loved Alex Kingston, can't wait for the return of River Song.

[kec]

Posted: 5/21/10 at 8:36am

Day Dreamer, the two episodes with River Song have already aired. Flesh and Stone will air again on Saturday at 8, but you should be able to see both The Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone on BBCAOn Demand. Tomorrow night we get Vampires in Venice.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 7:28pm

Has anyone watched "Ashes to Ashes" (The sequel show to "Life On Mars")? I just watched the finale and I am in tears. I love this show so much and sad to see it go. I thought it was a fitting end to a brilliant run.

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 8:45pm

I've been hearing a lot about 'Ashes to Ashes' and I want to watch it, but I haven't even seen 'Life on Mars'. I probably will get to them after school ends, when I have time.

Anyone seen 'the Hungry Earth' yet? I'm loving Rory more each episode, and it looks like it's building to an interesting second part. And Matt Smith was quite good in this episode as well. He was definitely more the Eleventh Doctor here than he has been so far.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 8:52pm

I'm about to watch DOCTOR WHO in a minute.

Guitar - you NEED to see "Life on Mars" and then follow it up with "Ashes to Ashes." Brilliant writing and acting all around and then the finale of "Ashes to Ashes" ties the two series together with a lovely bow. I'm really REALLY going to miss it

[Plum]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 9:51pm

I never caught up on Ashes to Ashes past the first season, but Life on Mars...ah, Life on Mars. Still one of the most killer TV endings I've ever seen. For Who fans out there, it also provides the opportunity to see John Simm at his best, playing a character who couldn't possibly be less like the Master.

As for "The Hungry Earth" - it was a perfectly decent "base under siege" episode. Not great, but not as generic and awful as this formula can sometimes get. (Think of "42". Or better yet, don't.)

I just hope that Nasreen won't die, but seeing as she's a middle-aged woman of color who would make a good companion, it doesn't look good for her.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 9:54pm

Plum - while the first season of "Ashes to Ashes" was good, the second season was AMAZING. I think the first season was just trying to find it's own voice, instead of the one used in "Life on Mars." But, in the final episode of "Ashes to Ashes" you find the truth about Gene. If you want to know, I can PM you :)

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 10:55pm

Just finished watching "The Hungry Earth." I liked it....didn't love it....but liked it. I, literally, busted out laughing when Amy said, "Did you hush me? Did you HUSH ME?!?!" Love her.

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 11:35pm

Amy and Rory are, for me, the best part of this new series. For Series 1-4 (and specials) I focused a lot on the Doctor, but this series has such interesting companions in Amy and Rory.

Once I have time (in a few weeks) I'll definitely check out Life On Mars/Ashes to Ashes.

I remember '42'. Hmm...Eh. Not my least favorite episode, but one that I forget very often because it's quite forgettable. 'The Hungry Earth' is definitely much better.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 5/23/10 at 12:20am

Can Rory just be the full-time companion? Like, sans Amy? I do at least hope he sticks around through the end of the series.

(For the record, I like the idea of Amy's character, but I'm not super crazy about how she's being written. I think she's being used as a plot device far too often rather than being developed as a character.)

I found the Doctor really irritating in "The Hungry Earth." I have faith that that's intentional -- otherwise, I'm really going to have issues with it.

I hadn't posted in a few weeks, but I liked the Weeping Angels episodes, "Vampires in Venice," and "Amy's Choice" much more than I liked the first few episodes this series. I'm still not over the moon, but at least I'm not coming away each week completely dissatisfied, and there are a lot of positives even in the episodes I have issues with.

[kec]

Posted: 5/23/10 at 7:51am

That Ashes to Ashes finale was brilliant!!! I was totally shocked, stunned, and a bit confused until it all played out at the end. I need to rewatch it.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/23/10 at 1:44pm

WASN'T IT?!?!? I was completely blown away. I thought one thing and then it turned the tables on me.

[kec]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 3:46pm

I enjoyed Hungry Earth -- I was on the edge of my seat and jumped once or twice when the Silurian crossed in front of the camera. What creeped me out though was Amy waking up in that box -- it reminded me a bit of the CSI episode where one of the characters was buried alive. Looking forward to part 2!

[kec]

Posted: 5/29/10 at 8:57am

A spoiler-free review of Cold Blood. Sounds very intriguing...
Cold Blood Review

[kec]

Posted: 5/29/10 at 8:59am

For the Ashes to Ashes fans, here's a video they did for Sports Relief
Ashes to Ashes Sports Relief

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 5/29/10 at 8:43pm

Anyone watch Cold Blood?

SPOILERS

The situation with Amy reminded me of Donna's fate in 'Journey's End' to a lesser extreme, and it was even more disturbing because of that damned crack!

And I think I hate Matt Smith's Doctor, not in a 'he's not doing a good job' sort of way, but in a 'he's really cruel' sort of way. But at the same time, I'm fascinated now. In fact, his cruelty just brought up the quality of his Doctor in my eyes--before this he was bordering on uninteresting for me. But--I like flawed characters.

And now I've watched this I'm terribly sad. But also terribly excited because what came out of that crack was just...stunning.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/29/10 at 10:10pm

I am about to watch today's episode, but I just wanted to share this. I went to Barnes and Noble today to just look around and I found 3 new WHO books. I checked amazon.com on my phone and bought the one that had the best reviews.