(no subject)
I liked this one but didn't think it was the best of the season - although I have a feeling this was due to
a) the constant thought of "God, nos is going to loathe this"
b) the too-loud, intrusive, fucking irritating background music that totally sapped my ability to concentrate on any of the scenes.
I found it hard to believe that the Doctor wouldn't haul Pete in front of the car - or at least clue him in and let it be his choice - the moment he realized what was going on. However much he cares about Rose, he should know better than anyone about the needs of the many, necessary sacrifice, etc. A wee bit more contrition from Rose over the whole bringing about the apocalypse would have been nice, too. And the paradoxes made my brain hurt (they did rewrite the timeline at the end, because Rose didn't grow up knowing her dad was alone when he died, therefore she had no reason to want to go there and be with him, therefore the episode couldn't have happened and argh!)
Anyway, stuff I loved:
Baby Mickey with his gran! And Rose 'imprinting' herself on him. Baby Rose, too, and the Doctor sternly telling her not to bring about the end of the world. Poor Mickey's been dumped, it seems - it'd be nice of Rose to tell him that, though maybe she's phoned him.
Really liked the actor playing Rose's dad.
The Tardis turning into just a box gave me chills, for some reason.
The Doctor's death made me eep, but would have had more impact if the TV Times hadn't spoiled me for it.
The suggestion that Rose has been planning it all along, refering back to the fact that she only said yes when he knew the Tardis was a time machine. I've always wondered about that scene and I was so glad Paul Cornell mentioned it.
I loved what the Doctor said about losing his planet, and that his entire family is dead - I remember Two mentioning the family that he doesn't talk to (presumably because he, err, took his 16-year-old granddaughter joyriding and never brought her back? I imagine his daughter or son is still a bit miffed about that. Yes, I know, looms, whatever) and Seven said in Curse of Fenric that he wasn't sure he had a family any more. His scene with the couple, too, his sadness that he's never had their mundane sort of life, was lovely.
It's obvious some time's passed between Aliens of London and this one. Rose is absolutely sure here that he's not going to leave her, and she throws it in his face how 'sad' he is. Ow. I wonder was he planning to strop off by himself for a month or two? And how successful would he have been at coming back to get her at the right time?
I never realized how skinny CE is without the jacket. [/shallow]
In conclusion: liked it, would have loved if it not for the bloody music. And Rose continues to be my fictional girlfriend, even if she does fuck up timelines and not be convincingly sorry she's done it.
Now to make sure my notes are in some sort of order. First final is in six days.