Like a lot of people on my twitter stream, I've spent the last few days with the "crooked smile" crack in the universe over my twitter userpic. ( Spoilers for 'The Pandorica Opens'/'The Big Bang' )
Not really sure I can properly comment yet. I've only watched the finale once and whilst I loved it, I think I need to watch it again to give any kind of reasonable view of it. There was just so much there that to take all the detail in one viewing was almost impossible. Having said that, it did make sense, which I guess after some of the hole filled plots we've got used to in the big finales (not usually my favourite part of the Who series') then this was a joy to watch.
It's definitely one to watch more than once. The first time I watched it I knew I'd enjoyed it, but given the mad pace of it all I wasn't sure if the internal logic would completely crumble on a second viewing. It didn't, but I think it's very deliberately structured as a story that balances on a knife-edge of whether it makes any sense or not. Which is pretty bold for his first series finale really.
Just Finished ...ext_232918June 30 2010, 00:04:18 UTC
... And rather impressed. I enjoy the sense of madness and humour that helps define this Doctor and, indeed, this episode.
One main criticism, though ... whilst madness is good, I'm not sure you should need to watch a TV series twice to check whether the internal logic works and to fathom what it is telling us. It's just a tad too complicated for its own good - and a little too aware of its own cleverness. It became a bit like a Stoppard play: being clever and knowing for a minority but slightly alienating for the majority. Pseudo-philosophy can come across as pretension.
That said, on the basis of these episodes, I don't miss RTD as this is just as good as anything he gave us. One last thought: is the conclusion of Rory not just to add contrast to Amy? Does he not provide some good eye-candy, too?!
Re: Just Finished ...nick730June 30 2010, 13:02:40 UTC
One main criticism, though ... whilst madness is good, I'm not sure you should need to watch a TV series twice to check whether the internal logic works and to fathom what it is telling us. It's just a tad too complicated for its own good - and a little too aware of its own cleverness.
I don't particularly think you need to watch it more than once to understand it; more that there's enough levels to it that it rewards repeat viewing, which has to be a good thing. Where "The Big Bang" in particular is concerned, I think it makes sense the first time, in terms of being able to follow the story, and with the fast pace of it you get acught up in it all, but because you're wrapped up in what's going on I felt as if I wanted to see it again from a slightly more detached perspective, to see if the plot twists all actually held up as well as they initially seemed to (and for the most part they did.)
One last thought: is the conclusion of Rory not just to add contrast to Amy? Does he not provide some good eye-candy, too?!He does add eye-
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One main criticism, though ... whilst madness is good, I'm not sure you should need to watch a TV series twice to check whether the internal logic works and to fathom what it is telling us. It's just a tad too complicated for its own good - and a little too aware of its own cleverness. It became a bit like a Stoppard play: being clever and knowing for a minority but slightly alienating for the majority. Pseudo-philosophy can come across as pretension.
That said, on the basis of these episodes, I don't miss RTD as this is just as good as anything he gave us. One last thought: is the conclusion of Rory not just to add contrast to Amy? Does he not provide some good eye-candy, too?!
Reply
I don't particularly think you need to watch it more than once to understand it; more that there's enough levels to it that it rewards repeat viewing, which has to be a good thing. Where "The Big Bang" in particular is concerned, I think it makes sense the first time, in terms of being able to follow the story, and with the fast pace of it you get acught up in it all, but because you're wrapped up in what's going on I felt as if I wanted to see it again from a slightly more detached perspective, to see if the plot twists all actually held up as well as they initially seemed to (and for the most part they did.)
One last thought: is the conclusion of Rory not just to add contrast to Amy? Does he not provide some good eye-candy, too?!He does add eye- ( ... )
Reply
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