On trust and the Doctor ...
Well, first things first, I think the Moff just Jossed the plotbunny I've been working on since last week. Maybe. Of course, you never can tell with the Moff, so I might just make some adjustments and see what happens.
Secondly, I think there's a theme of trust running through this series of Doctor Who. Actually, I'm going to extend that - I think it's a Moffat theme. He brings it up in "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" (particularly with Jack and Rose) and again in "The Girl in the Fireplace", and most definitely in "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead":
"Doctor... one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out."
I think that theme's been particularly strong since the start of the current series though. The Doctor asks Amelia to trust him, and promptly vanishes for 12 years. Is it therefore surprising that Amy takes some time in today's episode to trust him? So far he's not actually done an awful lot to earn that trust.
And River ... well, River Song's a real conundrum, isn't she? Some day she might be someone the Doctor trusts completely, but I don't think we're there yet. She's not been upfront with him - maybe because she can't be? The hint's pretty strong that the Doctor himself is the man she killed, but is that killed, killed (would Moffat close off the Doctor's ultimate ending that much for whoever follows him in this job? I doubt it?) or is it killed one version of him, presumably for some very good reason? Logic would dictate the latter. In the meantime, she keeps declaring that she trusts him - to get her, at least, out of whatever she's dragged him into. Because both times we (and the Doctor) have met River so far, it's not coincidence. She's had a problem and she's made a point of bringing him into it. That's somewhat unfair.
I think River's pretty darned brilliant, but she's complex and definitely has not yet earned the Doctor's trust. I'll be interested to find out how she does that. I think he's pretty interested too.
Meanwhile, that end scene - excellent way, IMHO, of getting that elephant in the room firmly out of it early on! Amy's clearly obsessed with the Doctor - if she got the boy who was to grow up to be her fiancé to dress up as her Raggedy Doctor, that's plain unhealthy, and I'm not surprised that the confident and grown-up but thoroughly messed-up Amy fancies him. At least she's not spending a season moping over him. And I loved his completely oblivious and then completely horrified reaction, whcih was perfect.
I think this two-parter was the strongest the new series has been since "The Eleventh Hour". Next week's looks promising. Fingers crossed.
Secondly, I think there's a theme of trust running through this series of Doctor Who. Actually, I'm going to extend that - I think it's a Moffat theme. He brings it up in "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" (particularly with Jack and Rose) and again in "The Girl in the Fireplace", and most definitely in "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead":
"Doctor... one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out."
I think that theme's been particularly strong since the start of the current series though. The Doctor asks Amelia to trust him, and promptly vanishes for 12 years. Is it therefore surprising that Amy takes some time in today's episode to trust him? So far he's not actually done an awful lot to earn that trust.
And River ... well, River Song's a real conundrum, isn't she? Some day she might be someone the Doctor trusts completely, but I don't think we're there yet. She's not been upfront with him - maybe because she can't be? The hint's pretty strong that the Doctor himself is the man she killed, but is that killed, killed (would Moffat close off the Doctor's ultimate ending that much for whoever follows him in this job? I doubt it?) or is it killed one version of him, presumably for some very good reason? Logic would dictate the latter. In the meantime, she keeps declaring that she trusts him - to get her, at least, out of whatever she's dragged him into. Because both times we (and the Doctor) have met River so far, it's not coincidence. She's had a problem and she's made a point of bringing him into it. That's somewhat unfair.
I think River's pretty darned brilliant, but she's complex and definitely has not yet earned the Doctor's trust. I'll be interested to find out how she does that. I think he's pretty interested too.
Meanwhile, that end scene - excellent way, IMHO, of getting that elephant in the room firmly out of it early on! Amy's clearly obsessed with the Doctor - if she got the boy who was to grow up to be her fiancé to dress up as her Raggedy Doctor, that's plain unhealthy, and I'm not surprised that the confident and grown-up but thoroughly messed-up Amy fancies him. At least she's not spending a season moping over him. And I loved his completely oblivious and then completely horrified reaction, whcih was perfect.
I think this two-parter was the strongest the new series has been since "The Eleventh Hour". Next week's looks promising. Fingers crossed.