More detailed reaction: DW 3.10, "Blink"
--I won't go through and name all the different ways that things fit together like puzzle pieces--the writing on the wall, the DVDs, the letter, everything--just take it as read that I loved every single bit of it. This is my opinion of what time-travel stories ought to be like, all out of order and mixed up but fitting together in retrospect.
--"Sad is just happy for deep people." I love this line. It's so ironically emo. And very true. Some of us really like being sad, or at least saddened by things that don't directly affect us, like old houses and forgotten things. Things that do affect us, like never-were-boyfriends and forever-lost best friends, that's not nearly as good.
--OMG THE ANGELS. Scariest thing yet, I think, although it's hard to pick between the Empty Child, the clockwork monsters under the bed, or the Weeping Angels. What was absolutely brilliant about the angels is that they required no special effects, no CGI; there wasn't even any motion involved. It was freaky as all get out with NOTHING HAPPENING.
And you can't even close your eyes and hope the monsters will go away, let alone hide behind the couch. You have to sit there and face your fears, never knowing what might be sneaking up behind you.
Brilliantly horrifying moment? When Larry's alone, watching the one angel in front of him, and he blinks, and it's RIGHT THERE AIIIEEEEE!!!!11!
Fairly neat moment--in the basement, when Sally's looking over Larry's shoulder. "Oh, look, there's yours." So calm.
--The Doctor calls them the "Lonely Assassins". I guess because the "Lonely Angel" has already been taken, thank you Reinette. He does seem to sympathize with them quite a bit, pointing out how they kill nicely--"let you live to death"--possibly best line ever; saying how they can never even look at each other.
If there's only one Time Lord left (even if he only thinks that), does he exist if no one looks at him? Is that why he so desperately needs a companion? Keep watching him, because he changes when you're not looking.
Also, if letting you "live to death" is merciful, in the Doctor's estimation, then what is dooming you to immortality? "I'm so old now. I used to have so much mercy."
--Sally telling Billy repeatedly, "Don't look at me!" after her little slip-up with the names. (And how cute was that?) An instinct programmed into us, that if no one's looking then maybe we don't exist and therefore can't be embarrassed. Nice reflection of the rest of the show.
--The whole almost-relationship with Sally and Billy was brilliantly played. Ten minutes, maybe, and you still got the sadness and loss of something that could have been.
Somebody else pointed out that Kathy named her daughter Sally, and Billy married a Sally; could it have been the same person? The timelines don't seem to quite match up, but maybe if you stre-e-e-tch...Kathy did specify that it was her youngest child.
What I want to know is, is there a connection between Kathy Costello Nightingale and Suzie Costello, or is this just another instance of RTD re-using names? But he didn't write this ep.
--Why didn't the Doctor go back, once he got the TARDIS, and pick up all the stranded people and bring them home? Because it would have messed the whole timeline up? ("Timeline" is such an inaccurate word. "It would have messed up the timeball".) If Billy hadn't been in that time to put the DVD Easter eggs there, for instance...
Or because, if the angels had eaten all the potential time (LOL SKIENCE!), if the people returned, they'd have no future left? Maybe they'd die immediately?
--The whole thing about DVD Easter eggs, Larry and the internet, transcribing the conversation in shorthand--it's fandom, just like "Love and Monsters", only way better. I don't know why; I can't pinpoint it exactly, but it is. Somehow fandom seems to be being treated with a little more respect this episode. All right, there's some good-natured teasing--Sally guessing that most of Larry's friends are online (I resemble this remark)--but overall it's much more positive.
And who doesn't like interactive fandom? The DVD conversation is the ultimate in interactive fannish activity.
Someone else has already pointed out the interactivity with the angels--the angels not only stop moving when the characters look at them, but they stop moving when WE, the audience, look at them. As when Sally is leaving, facing the other direction, and the angels are frozen at the windows as the camera pans across. We may have saved her life! Clap your hands if you believe in fairies!
Also, Sally's line, "Don't patronize me. I'm clever, and I'm listening." WIN! She's speaking for millions of fans, there; listen up, TPTB.
--"The angels have the phone box." When Larry said he had that on a T-shirt, I told the other half, "I have to have that T-shirt." I didn't say, because he wouldn't comprehend, that I KNEW there'd be T-shirts up within 24 hours. My timing was off; it was more like 24 minutes. Merchandising should have jumped on that one, but you know what? An officially licensed shirt would be completely missing the point. A fictional geek made the fictional T-shirt; real geeks should make the real ones. Reality is created by fiction.
--Nothing's happening between Sally and Larry; the Doctor shows up with a bow (and Martha with arrows), and suddenly they're in love. I know it's supposed to be that now Sally can stop obsessing and move on, the circle has been completed; but there's a very strong "Cupid" vibe there.
--The only quibble I have about this show is the order of airing. As a stand-alone, it's brilliant and I love it. Coming right after "Human Nature/Family of Blood", the Doctor seems a little too light-hearted.
Of course, the scary thing about him is how he can do the most awful things and then move on, smiling and laughing. So maybe it fits.