The Impossible Astronaut- My Thoughts
Woah, welcome new series of Doctor Who!!
I am currently in a love-hate relationship with “The Impossible Astronaut”. I loved some parts, were intrigued by others, annoyed by some, and overall, just left very unsatisfied.
1. The fact that it was a two-part storyline
I don’t mind two-part storylines except for the fact that I don’t like to wait ;D But this one just seemed... boring to me, especially for a season premiere. It felt like the whole thing was just an introduction with no real substance. They gave us all the necessary material but went nowhere with it. There was all this build-up and then- Nothing! We were introduced to the astronaut, the little girl, the Silences, Nixon, the Oval Office, we got all that but it went nowhere. In past two-part episodes, we’ve gotten more “stuff” in the first one which gave us a taste of what’s to come while still giving us something. But for this one? I don’t feel like we got anything of value really. I feel like the teaser for the next episode gave me much more than the episode itself. Okay, so after writing all this, and beyond, I realize we did get some stuff but I was just left feeling really unsatisfied.
2. Amy’s Pregnant
Please for the love of GOD don’t let Amy actually be pregnant. It’s been brought up that she was drinking wine during the picnic and that has stirred up some issues... But that’s beside the point. Having Amy be pregnant would be so clichéd. It’s been mentioned how Karen’s been saying that everyone in the TARDIS has a secret, but this would just be a rather stupid one. It would also write Amy and Rory out of the show for at least a good chunk of time, and I LOVE the two of them so I don’t want them to leave.
3. Amy’s NOT Pregnant??
I don’t think Amy is pregnant (and this could very well be influenced by the fact that I don’t want her to be). The facts are as followed: she was drinking wine, which is typically a no-no for pregnant women. The first time she started to feel queasy and clutch her stomach was after she saw the Silence (is that their name?) for the second time in the Oval Office. In the bathroom, the Silence was going on about her having to tell the Doctor what he knows and what he doesn’t know. After she left the bathroom, she clutched her stomach again. Once in the warehouse, while they are chasing -something- she finally tells him she’s pregnant. Why? Why at this point when there were much better times she could have told him. It does seem like -maybe- this is a ploy, something meant as a distraction to keep the Doctor from finding out the truth. ALSO, River clutched her stomach after seeing the Silence as well, and I highly doubt she’s preggars.
4. The Commercial Breaks
The show isn’t made to have commercial breaks. This was made obvious in tonight’s episode, at least in the US. Whoever decided the placements needs to be hit in the head with an umbrella repeatedly. While the show doesn’t have specific places for commercials, there were MUCH better possible choices.
5. The Astronaut
My personal vote for “who’s in the suit/who kills the Doctor?” IS... The Doctor. Now, we all know River killed -someone- and thus, she’s in prison for it. But if she had killed the Doctor in this instance, wouldn’t the guards know what America is, that it’s not a planet and that it’s the place where she committed murder? Also, if she killed someone in 1969, how would she end up in the 52nd century? The thing with the blue envelopes was all “who does the Doctor trust the most?” and the answer was himself. If he knew it was himself in the suit, wouldn’t he trust himself enough to let himself kill him? ...If that makes any sense at all XD It’s been said that when River first meets the Doctor, it will be the last time he meets her. We know this isn’t the first time River meets him, so this can’t be when she -possibly- kills him. Although, with that said, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the first time she meets him, she kills him. She could kill him later. I just always get the feeling that when the Doctor meets River, she dies, and then when River meets the Doctor, he dies.
6. The Silence/Silents
I’ve been referring to them as the former, but others seem to be using the latter. Either way, I LOVE them! While not as scary as the Weeping Angels, they are still positively frightening and intriguing. I am getting a major Men-In-Black vibe from them. Considering this does have to do with the moon landing, and aliens, it does seem like these could be some sort of real, extraterrestrial MIB. When the one in the bathroom killed the woman and Amy asked him why. His answer of “Joy” FREAKED me out, but I liked that it continued to “Her name was Joy.” It makes me think that they aren’t what they seem to be. He knew her name, which was such a big thing in “Vampires in Venice” last year. He also didn’t kill Joy until the right before she got too close. In fact, it seemed like it was all Amy that got her killed: if Amy hadn’t drawn Joy’s attention to the Silence, Joy wouldn’t have died. It also makes me wonder: Joy turned around and saw the Silence three time. Could this be significance? Maybe humans can only see the Silence three times before the forgetting-thing stops working. Amy’s seen them three times so maybe the next time, her fourth, the forgetting thing won’t work.
7. Forgetting
This whole thing about forgetting is such a major flashback to SitL and FotD. “You remembered, Donna, and then you forgot.” The fact that this is an episode with River Song again where forgetting plays a key part seems like it could be a clue.
I am currently in a love-hate relationship with “The Impossible Astronaut”. I loved some parts, were intrigued by others, annoyed by some, and overall, just left very unsatisfied.
1. The fact that it was a two-part storyline
I don’t mind two-part storylines except for the fact that I don’t like to wait ;D But this one just seemed... boring to me, especially for a season premiere. It felt like the whole thing was just an introduction with no real substance. They gave us all the necessary material but went nowhere with it. There was all this build-up and then- Nothing! We were introduced to the astronaut, the little girl, the Silences, Nixon, the Oval Office, we got all that but it went nowhere. In past two-part episodes, we’ve gotten more “stuff” in the first one which gave us a taste of what’s to come while still giving us something. But for this one? I don’t feel like we got anything of value really. I feel like the teaser for the next episode gave me much more than the episode itself. Okay, so after writing all this, and beyond, I realize we did get some stuff but I was just left feeling really unsatisfied.
2. Amy’s Pregnant
Please for the love of GOD don’t let Amy actually be pregnant. It’s been brought up that she was drinking wine during the picnic and that has stirred up some issues... But that’s beside the point. Having Amy be pregnant would be so clichéd. It’s been mentioned how Karen’s been saying that everyone in the TARDIS has a secret, but this would just be a rather stupid one. It would also write Amy and Rory out of the show for at least a good chunk of time, and I LOVE the two of them so I don’t want them to leave.
3. Amy’s NOT Pregnant??
I don’t think Amy is pregnant (and this could very well be influenced by the fact that I don’t want her to be). The facts are as followed: she was drinking wine, which is typically a no-no for pregnant women. The first time she started to feel queasy and clutch her stomach was after she saw the Silence (is that their name?) for the second time in the Oval Office. In the bathroom, the Silence was going on about her having to tell the Doctor what he knows and what he doesn’t know. After she left the bathroom, she clutched her stomach again. Once in the warehouse, while they are chasing -something- she finally tells him she’s pregnant. Why? Why at this point when there were much better times she could have told him. It does seem like -maybe- this is a ploy, something meant as a distraction to keep the Doctor from finding out the truth. ALSO, River clutched her stomach after seeing the Silence as well, and I highly doubt she’s preggars.
4. The Commercial Breaks
The show isn’t made to have commercial breaks. This was made obvious in tonight’s episode, at least in the US. Whoever decided the placements needs to be hit in the head with an umbrella repeatedly. While the show doesn’t have specific places for commercials, there were MUCH better possible choices.
5. The Astronaut
My personal vote for “who’s in the suit/who kills the Doctor?” IS... The Doctor. Now, we all know River killed -someone- and thus, she’s in prison for it. But if she had killed the Doctor in this instance, wouldn’t the guards know what America is, that it’s not a planet and that it’s the place where she committed murder? Also, if she killed someone in 1969, how would she end up in the 52nd century? The thing with the blue envelopes was all “who does the Doctor trust the most?” and the answer was himself. If he knew it was himself in the suit, wouldn’t he trust himself enough to let himself kill him? ...If that makes any sense at all XD It’s been said that when River first meets the Doctor, it will be the last time he meets her. We know this isn’t the first time River meets him, so this can’t be when she -possibly- kills him. Although, with that said, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the first time she meets him, she kills him. She could kill him later. I just always get the feeling that when the Doctor meets River, she dies, and then when River meets the Doctor, he dies.
6. The Silence/Silents
I’ve been referring to them as the former, but others seem to be using the latter. Either way, I LOVE them! While not as scary as the Weeping Angels, they are still positively frightening and intriguing. I am getting a major Men-In-Black vibe from them. Considering this does have to do with the moon landing, and aliens, it does seem like these could be some sort of real, extraterrestrial MIB. When the one in the bathroom killed the woman and Amy asked him why. His answer of “Joy” FREAKED me out, but I liked that it continued to “Her name was Joy.” It makes me think that they aren’t what they seem to be. He knew her name, which was such a big thing in “Vampires in Venice” last year. He also didn’t kill Joy until the right before she got too close. In fact, it seemed like it was all Amy that got her killed: if Amy hadn’t drawn Joy’s attention to the Silence, Joy wouldn’t have died. It also makes me wonder: Joy turned around and saw the Silence three time. Could this be significance? Maybe humans can only see the Silence three times before the forgetting-thing stops working. Amy’s seen them three times so maybe the next time, her fourth, the forgetting thing won’t work.
7. Forgetting
This whole thing about forgetting is such a major flashback to SitL and FotD. “You remembered, Donna, and then you forgot.” The fact that this is an episode with River Song again where forgetting plays a key part seems like it could be a clue.