Doctor Who: The Eleventh Hour
Ok, I realise this is rather late, but after a two year break I'd forgotten that I usually post my thoughts after each episode of Doctor Who.
I'm going to start by pointing out that unlike quite a few people who hated Matt Smith right up until 5 mins into episode one, I never doubted him, not even for a second. This isn't because of any psychic brilliant on my part, but rather because I hated the idea of David Tennant right up until he started talking about his mole 40 seconds in.
So I loved Ten, but I was totally ready for Eleven, and boy he came through. Add into this the fact the best writer on the show was now in control and I was VERY pleased. The only way I could have been happier was if Amy had turned out to be (as I secretly fantasised) a regenerated Time Lady version of Donna.
But hey, 2 out of 3 is pretty good.
My favourite scene, without a doubt, is the initial sequence between Amelia and the Doctor. The writing, the magical lines, the editing and the acting where just perfect. The two moments I liked best were the chucking out of the bread ("AND STAY OUT!") and the Doctor's petty "Are you trying to poison me?". If I were to include every line I loved in this one scene, it would be tantamount to publishing the entire thing...
But I'll give it a go.
(Blue lines are brilliant for their comic qualities, red for their delivery, and green for both)
Amelia: I thought you said you were in the library?
Doctor: So was the swimming pool.
Doctor: Why won't you give me any decent food? You're Scottish, fry something.
Amelia: I'm not scared...
Doctor: Of course you're not! Box falls out of sky. Man falls out of box. Man eats fish custard. So you know what I think? That must be one helluva scary crack in your wall...
Doctor: You've had some right cowboys in here. Not literally. Though that can happen.
Even as I'm writing it though, I can think of five or six more...but my fingers hurt.
Moving on, I can't say I'm going to become Amy Pond's biggest fangirl. I like her, don't get me wrong, and I think the two of them together are going to be both bonkers and brilliant. It's just my purely selfish dislike of anyone thinner, prettier, and with nicer legs than me. I'll get over it. I do like the idea of her being a bit unhinged (4 therapists, running off before her wedding, locking people's ties in cars like a loony).
I can't carry on quoting the best lines, so I'll go on to talk about the plot:
It was ok. If it had been a normal episode, it would have been below par (somewhere around the level of the olympic one, which I hate to dislike because it was written by the creator of Life on Mars). But the first episode with a new Doctor is never about complicated plots, so it was pretty good. I enjoyed seeing the woman from Peep Show (and incidentally I had a dream about Mitchell and Webb last night - comes from watching 3 hours of Robert Webb's movie mistakes show before bed). I monster was a bit creepy (but I am afraid of snakes so that doesn't help) and in human form it was even eerier. The woman from Peep Show literally stole the, er, show.
I did like the adult touches - kissogram Amy, porn on laptops, Amy perving on the Doctor. I don't want it ALL to be that, but it takes it out of CBBC territory and reminds the grown-up that the DW-verse isn't always kiddie-friendly.
Oh, and unlike every other person in the universe, I quite liked the credits.
Anyway...onto random thoughts:
Moments of Epic!Win:
The new Doctor, enough said.
The "Blimey! Get a girlfriend!" line which is my overall favourite.
"They're all terrified of wood!" second favourite line.
The Amelia/Doctor interaction.
The photographic memory flashback - some people hated it, I thought it was cool and different.
Steven Moffat FTW!
99.9% of the entire episode.
Moments of Epic!Fail:
Wasn't nuts over the calling the monster back/earth is protected thing...although a Doctor Montage always does me the world of good.
Casting of Nina Wadia.
Wasn't nuts on the flying through London moment.
Guest Stars Rating:
Annette Crosbie: Never hurts having her around, but she really hadn't got much to do.
Porno-Watching Hunk: Pretty cool for a man with about 2 lines and a porno habit...
The boyfriend: Liked him, but if he's not watched he may become a Mickey Mark 2.
Nina Wadia: Complete waste of her, was hoping she was going to be in a later episode and actually play an important role. Any two-bit actress could have played that role.
Fashion Debate:
Hated the Doctor's new look when saw in in the paper, but when he's moving about in it looks...dare I say it...cool.
Amy's skirt has been discussed in the papers, I'm more baffled at her realistic police-woman shoes- wouldn't a kissogram wear heels? Or at least something non-frumpy?
Amy Moment of the Week:
Not including the perfect Amelia part, I think the best bit is definately the "Why did you say 5 minutes?" screech. A whole world of pain and dissapointment in one line.
Doctor Moment of the Week:
Aw hell, all of it.
No, on second thoughts, chucking the bread out of the front door.
Or chucking the water out of the glass.
Or... oh you get the idea, all of it.
Random Thoughts:
Quite fancy Eleven, not as much as DT, but still more than I thought.
Nice village, looks like Suffolk (my home) but pretty sure it's not (probably Wales).
Fire-engine! Woo!
Family reaction was very good, though my mum is such a fan she would sit through 13 episodes in which the Doctor sat around talking about Brussell Sprouts. Needless to say, it rated better than that.
Dad (who for new readers, is Captain Jack obsessed) is conviced one of the dolls at the end was him (it wasn't it was Amy in her coat)
Trailer looks amazing, except for River Song who is probably my least favourite. Not nuts on Dalek's, but I'll survive, and woo Cybermen!
I'm going to start by pointing out that unlike quite a few people who hated Matt Smith right up until 5 mins into episode one, I never doubted him, not even for a second. This isn't because of any psychic brilliant on my part, but rather because I hated the idea of David Tennant right up until he started talking about his mole 40 seconds in.
So I loved Ten, but I was totally ready for Eleven, and boy he came through. Add into this the fact the best writer on the show was now in control and I was VERY pleased. The only way I could have been happier was if Amy had turned out to be (as I secretly fantasised) a regenerated Time Lady version of Donna.
But hey, 2 out of 3 is pretty good.
My favourite scene, without a doubt, is the initial sequence between Amelia and the Doctor. The writing, the magical lines, the editing and the acting where just perfect. The two moments I liked best were the chucking out of the bread ("AND STAY OUT!") and the Doctor's petty "Are you trying to poison me?". If I were to include every line I loved in this one scene, it would be tantamount to publishing the entire thing...
But I'll give it a go.
(Blue lines are brilliant for their comic qualities, red for their delivery, and green for both)
Amelia: I thought you said you were in the library?
Doctor: So was the swimming pool.
Doctor: Why won't you give me any decent food? You're Scottish, fry something.
Amelia: I'm not scared...
Doctor: Of course you're not! Box falls out of sky. Man falls out of box. Man eats fish custard. So you know what I think? That must be one helluva scary crack in your wall...
Doctor: You've had some right cowboys in here. Not literally. Though that can happen.
Even as I'm writing it though, I can think of five or six more...but my fingers hurt.
Moving on, I can't say I'm going to become Amy Pond's biggest fangirl. I like her, don't get me wrong, and I think the two of them together are going to be both bonkers and brilliant. It's just my purely selfish dislike of anyone thinner, prettier, and with nicer legs than me. I'll get over it. I do like the idea of her being a bit unhinged (4 therapists, running off before her wedding, locking people's ties in cars like a loony).
I can't carry on quoting the best lines, so I'll go on to talk about the plot:
It was ok. If it had been a normal episode, it would have been below par (somewhere around the level of the olympic one, which I hate to dislike because it was written by the creator of Life on Mars). But the first episode with a new Doctor is never about complicated plots, so it was pretty good. I enjoyed seeing the woman from Peep Show (and incidentally I had a dream about Mitchell and Webb last night - comes from watching 3 hours of Robert Webb's movie mistakes show before bed). I monster was a bit creepy (but I am afraid of snakes so that doesn't help) and in human form it was even eerier. The woman from Peep Show literally stole the, er, show.
I did like the adult touches - kissogram Amy, porn on laptops, Amy perving on the Doctor. I don't want it ALL to be that, but it takes it out of CBBC territory and reminds the grown-up that the DW-verse isn't always kiddie-friendly.
Oh, and unlike every other person in the universe, I quite liked the credits.
Anyway...onto random thoughts:
Moments of Epic!Win:
The new Doctor, enough said.
The "Blimey! Get a girlfriend!" line which is my overall favourite.
"They're all terrified of wood!" second favourite line.
The Amelia/Doctor interaction.
The photographic memory flashback - some people hated it, I thought it was cool and different.
Steven Moffat FTW!
99.9% of the entire episode.
Moments of Epic!Fail:
Wasn't nuts over the calling the monster back/earth is protected thing...although a Doctor Montage always does me the world of good.
Casting of Nina Wadia.
Wasn't nuts on the flying through London moment.
Guest Stars Rating:
Annette Crosbie: Never hurts having her around, but she really hadn't got much to do.
Porno-Watching Hunk: Pretty cool for a man with about 2 lines and a porno habit...
The boyfriend: Liked him, but if he's not watched he may become a Mickey Mark 2.
Nina Wadia: Complete waste of her, was hoping she was going to be in a later episode and actually play an important role. Any two-bit actress could have played that role.
Fashion Debate:
Hated the Doctor's new look when saw in in the paper, but when he's moving about in it looks...dare I say it...cool.
Amy's skirt has been discussed in the papers, I'm more baffled at her realistic police-woman shoes- wouldn't a kissogram wear heels? Or at least something non-frumpy?
Amy Moment of the Week:
Not including the perfect Amelia part, I think the best bit is definately the "Why did you say 5 minutes?" screech. A whole world of pain and dissapointment in one line.
Doctor Moment of the Week:
Aw hell, all of it.
No, on second thoughts, chucking the bread out of the front door.
Or chucking the water out of the glass.
Or... oh you get the idea, all of it.
Random Thoughts:
Quite fancy Eleven, not as much as DT, but still more than I thought.
Nice village, looks like Suffolk (my home) but pretty sure it's not (probably Wales).
Fire-engine! Woo!
Family reaction was very good, though my mum is such a fan she would sit through 13 episodes in which the Doctor sat around talking about Brussell Sprouts. Needless to say, it rated better than that.
Dad (who for new readers, is Captain Jack obsessed) is conviced one of the dolls at the end was him (it wasn't it was Amy in her coat)
Trailer looks amazing, except for River Song who is probably my least favourite. Not nuts on Dalek's, but I'll survive, and woo Cybermen!