Vampires in Venice
Oh, Doctor Who was just so good tonight! Vampires who aren't really vampires but an alien race struggling for survival. Hmm... sounds like witches who aren't really witches but an alien race struggling for survival. Were the Carrionites struggling for survival in "The Shakespeare Code", or did they just want to take over the world/universe?
Aren't the Calvieri the second race to have disguised themselves with a perception filter? Or maybe I'm just recalling a similar device from other shows or stories. As far as aliens go, I thought they were a little lame but they did give the Doctor and company a real run for their money for a while there. Once again, what was so great were the character relationships and the connection to the overarching story. I really get the feeling that each story is linked to the next and we get a little closer with each one to finding out "the truth". The silence... the cracks... And, "Rory, she kissed me because I was there. It woulda been you, it shoulda been you."-- plot point, or just another companion being infatuated with The Doctor?
Poor Rory. He reminds me of a combination of Rhys and Mickey, the way they were in the beginning. The part where they are deciding who to pose as in relation to Amy was kind of sad- it weird to her for The Doctor to pose as her brother and not her fiancee, but not too weird for Rory to pose as her brother...and then she ruffles his hair. And earlier, she doesn't respond that she missed him, and gives him a friendly distant punch on the arm.
The difference between Rory and Mickey is that even though he's bewildered and upset, he has something of an idea, a grasp of what he's dealing with. He was smart enough to read up on the strangest mysteries of the universe and even frustrate The Doctor by working out on his own that the TARDIS exists in a separate dimension.
Amy is really getting off on the adventures with The Doctor, and it's interesting that she seems sort of cold towards Rory until they have their own adventure together. Then she wants him to stay. "My boys," she calls him and The Doctor. I don't picture her ever being able to settle down and live a boring life in Leadworth. Which is what will make next week's episode so interesting where she's apparently married to Rory and pregnant-- but that might not even be real.
When The Doctor said, "Amy, I tell you what to do and you do it," it reminded me of Jackson Lake, saying, "The Doctor tells the companion what to do and she does it." Very different from Ten. But even Rory knows that The Doctor said that to keep Amy out of trouble.
Favorite moments:
-The Doctor bursting out of the cake at Rory's stag party, and then putting his foot in his mouth by saying his fiancee was a good kisser!
-Return of the psychic paper!
-Doctor to his reflection: "Hello, handsome!"
-The Doctor's library card with a picture of his first incarnation (Hartnell!) on it.
-"You didn't know Isabella's name" -- is this The Doctor pointing out that Rosanna doesn't know Isabella's name because she doesn't care about the girls as people, or once again because people/aliens are forgetting events/people, or not having any knowledge of them at all because of this "silence"?
-"Stop talking brain thinking hush."
-Rory fencing with a broom
-The Doctor climbing up on the tower to switch off the machine- great fun! Reminded me a little of "Daleks in Manhattan".
-The Doctor's reaction at Rosanna killing herself. Very in-character, very well-played.
I'm very excited about how this series is going. I remember my initial reaction when I saw Ten regenerate into Eleven and how uncomfortable I felt. Well, Ten will always be "my" Doctor (since he's the first one I saw in action), but Matt Smith has really done a great job of winning me over as Eleven. He is really endearing and I love his energy and what he brings to the role. There's also something more relatable about Amy than there was about Rose or Martha. She seems more "real" than either of them. I really can't put my finger on what it is exactly. Feel free to tell me if you think you can understand what I mean.
Just laying here half-watching SNL right now, sort of irritated by the new lower splint I got in my mouth. Off to check out the LJ Doctor Who community now.