Doctor Who Review of Let's Kill Hitler

[chloris]

Irene interfered with my plans to write a review for Let's Kill Hitler and then life happened (Distractions everywhere!) but I do want to post my thoughts before the next episode. *checks clock* I still have MINUTES! Hours? Whatever, I have time. \o/

Basically this episode was quintessential Moffat - both good and bad.

Comments

[fanbot]

"Are there some annoying and jarring faily comments about women? Yep! She's been brainwashed, it all makes sense. Plus, she's a woman! Add in River's immediate need to check her weight (yes, she was off to put on the poison but she still gave that excuse since a woman wanting to check on her weight is so NATURAL no one would question it) along with her following need to 'go shopping' for some clothes and I'm a bit annoyed."

Mal is suddenly physically a woman. Not just an early teen/twenties young woman, but an adult. With curves.

The tux? I think he had to have gone to the wedding. It was mentioned too many times for it to not play a part. He was either somehow interacting with Mal or getting River to take the diary to Amy. Remember how no one but River (and later Amy) remembered the Doctor because she delivered the diary.
Now that I think about it, did he take Mel back and plant her? Is that why she was not at the wedding?
There is some serious wibbly wobbly to be sorted out.
This episode was all over the place.

[chloris]

I don't know. I'm pretty sure Mels HAD curves before she regenerated. Actually I dare anyone to say she doesn't based on this evidence. :D

[ericadawn16]

Now the question is why the Doctor is always a white male.

I initially wanted Chiwetel Ejiofor for 11.

[chloris]

I know that a lot of people were rooting for someone other than a standard white male and I can understand why the BBC doesn't want to go there (though I don't agree with them) but it is still nice to have canon proof it's possible!

[ascendant_angel]

- Is it shiny and does it seem like it works until you think about it for a minute?

THIS I agree 100% on literally every single thing you said good and bad, but that summarises my thoughts series 6 in general perfectly.

[chloris]

Thanks. Moffat is VERY GOOD at the shiny and the clever but he has trouble with the heart.

[caz963]

*nods* to all of this. It was a complete mess of an episode and did indeed seem like a "let's throw all this at the wall and see what sticks" kinda thing.

I was really very annoyed at Amy's and Rory's acceptance of the Doctor's telling them that now they know Melody turns out okay, they don't have to worry any more. Whaaaat?! They've lost their baby! It doesn't matter that Amy didn't know she was pregnant as far as I'm concerned. I'm not one who's ever really gotten into the "Moffat is a sexist bastard" argument, but if anything's going to get me there, that was it.

Most of fandom, however, seems not to have noticed that that was incredibly callous :(

[chloris]

I guess if the characters don't care then the bit where they should be upset isn't so noticeable? After all Melody is right in front of us! What is there to be upset about? *sigh*

[beachy_geek]

I totally agree--in fact you have summarized my feelings about the entire Moffatt era!

I adore Eleven, Amy (and that took awhile!) and Rory and that is purely down to the actor's talent I think. Emotional depth and "heart" has been lacking but my perception is that it has been deliberate on Moffatt's part in order to appeal primarily to the children. If that's the case I could understand the lack of angst and agonizing grief over losing a child.

I'll be the first to rant about RTD's plot holes, etc. but he was/is great at engaging both audiences primarily down to the heart and emotion he gave us huge scoops of each week. And the man was a master of angst.

[chloris]

..it has been deliberate on Moffatt's part in order to appeal primarily to the children.

Perhaps so though I don't think that children would have a problem with emotion in shows. I see it more as Moffat's focus on plot - and it is a very complicated one that I'm sure had twists we don't know about you even if we've seen glimpses of them. Emotions are sprinkled on top now rather than being integral to the show.

However, from a child's point of view, it does make sense to downplay the horror of what happened to River. If he explored it at all properly it would be scarier than any monster ever seen on Doctor Who. What child in the modern world hasn't had fears of strangers snatching them away drummed into their heads. But that is all the more reason NOT to go there in the first place. If you can't do justice to the story don't write it.