Doctor Who 05x13 "The Big Bang"
I really enjoyed that! I was away from home for three weekends in a row, and only caught up last week with DW, but I'm glad I got current for the finale, because that was really wonderful. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me, mostly about the operation of the pandorica: I don't understand why the Daleks et al would give it the power to restore, rather than just keep a being in stasis (I do get why they would want to keep the Doctor frozen in time rather than regenerating and possibly moving beyond his prison), and I definitely don't understand why they would give it the power of flight!
However, I'm perfectly willing to believe that Amy could bring the Doctor back with her memories and the residual effect of having the crack in time pouring into her bedroom as she dreamed (given that the Tardis was at the heart of the explosion, and the Tardis has already been shown to have a remarkable effect on humans exposed to its deepest powers (ie, Rose in "The Parting of the Ways"). There's only a nod to science in all that, but it doesn't offend me as it seems at least not inconsistent with canon, and the show has spent a great deal of time this year on the power of memory: we're not complete moral agents without our memories ("The Beast Below"), our memories are the essence of our humanity, even overriding our physical form ("Victory of the Daleks," "The Big Bang"). Amy's memories of one adventure with the Raggedy Doctor are enough to spawn a full childhood of fantasy (and cause her to change her name). And, it's the absence of key memories that tips the Doctor off to the fact that parts of Amy are missing ("Flesh and Stone"). So, though it's more fantasy than scifi, I like the theme of memory, the power that gives Amy to do good for the universe, how the restoration of her whole life and memory helps her to be an (apparently) more well adjusted person.
I also L-O-V-E-D the resolution of Rory's storyline. I was, for a big chunk of the finale, afraid that he would stay plastic or die or disappear from time (again), but instead, he rises to the occasion yet again displaying the heroism and decency that made him my favorite character of the season. Rory is the voice of reason, practicality, and details--the type of guy a Big Picture guy and an Adventuress need on their Tardis team. I'm so very glad the PTB got the cheap thrills of killing off the companion's love interest out of the way earlier in the season, and realized that having a competent, interesting friend/love interest for the principal companion would add to the Tardis team and not detract from the Doctor.
And I absolutely adore that the season ends with both of the Doctor's companions whole, healthy people, capable of forming attachments to others, with all their dang memories intact, and not banished to an alternate universe or E-Space or whatnot. Everybody lives, and it's brilliant.
However, I'm perfectly willing to believe that Amy could bring the Doctor back with her memories and the residual effect of having the crack in time pouring into her bedroom as she dreamed (given that the Tardis was at the heart of the explosion, and the Tardis has already been shown to have a remarkable effect on humans exposed to its deepest powers (ie, Rose in "The Parting of the Ways"). There's only a nod to science in all that, but it doesn't offend me as it seems at least not inconsistent with canon, and the show has spent a great deal of time this year on the power of memory: we're not complete moral agents without our memories ("The Beast Below"), our memories are the essence of our humanity, even overriding our physical form ("Victory of the Daleks," "The Big Bang"). Amy's memories of one adventure with the Raggedy Doctor are enough to spawn a full childhood of fantasy (and cause her to change her name). And, it's the absence of key memories that tips the Doctor off to the fact that parts of Amy are missing ("Flesh and Stone"). So, though it's more fantasy than scifi, I like the theme of memory, the power that gives Amy to do good for the universe, how the restoration of her whole life and memory helps her to be an (apparently) more well adjusted person.
I also L-O-V-E-D the resolution of Rory's storyline. I was, for a big chunk of the finale, afraid that he would stay plastic or die or disappear from time (again), but instead, he rises to the occasion yet again displaying the heroism and decency that made him my favorite character of the season. Rory is the voice of reason, practicality, and details--the type of guy a Big Picture guy and an Adventuress need on their Tardis team. I'm so very glad the PTB got the cheap thrills of killing off the companion's love interest out of the way earlier in the season, and realized that having a competent, interesting friend/love interest for the principal companion would add to the Tardis team and not detract from the Doctor.
And I absolutely adore that the season ends with both of the Doctor's companions whole, healthy people, capable of forming attachments to others, with all their dang memories intact, and not banished to an alternate universe or E-Space or whatnot. Everybody lives, and it's brilliant.