The Ep That Rocked - or Why Doctor Who is a bit like a Pixar Movie

[sensiblecat]

I loved Vincent and the Doctor. For the first time since the opening minutes of TEH, we seemed to be looking at real people rather than two-dimensional stereotypes. What a difference some decent writing makes. Amy’s question, “Why are you being so nice to me?” said more about her emotionally barren childhood than the nine preceding episodes. The

Comments

[azalaisdep]

I did think Tony Curran was wonderful. Had that part been less well played it and the whole episode could so easily have tipped over into utter schmaltz - as it was, the scene where the Doctor and Rose took him to the Musee d'Orsay had me in tears. (Little things were so right - that they nearly didn't get Vincent to his own exhibition at all because he was drinking in all the other Impressionists on the walls, frex)

And yes, how fascinating to see Amy suddenly connect so believably with someone - far more so than she ever did with Rory, sadly! That perhaps nudges me more towards the "Karen Gillan could be a convincing enough Amy Pond with coherent character writing and stronger direction" end of the spectrum than I was before...

I don't know, this series is so all over the place. I love it one week and I'm "meh" the next.

[caz963]

From one "heart" person to another - I think you'll already have guessed I agree with you on about 99% of this.

The way you sum up the Pixar movies is absolutely spot on; and another trait they share with DW is the ability to speak to us all - adults, kids and big kids (like me!) on different levels.

it’s the story of a man who loves life so much that he keeps travelling on through unendurable physical hardship and emotional pain, because there’s only one thing he loves more than sharing that wonder with companions - and that’s when he learns a new way of looking at the universe from somebody else.

Which is why, in spite of everything, Ten didn't want to go.

[sensiblecat]

Yep, and I didn't really get that until I saw V&TD.

[caz963]

I got so fed up with all the "whiny Ten" comments after EoT. Ten might have been the first Doctor to actually SAY it, but I'm sure none of the others particularly wanted "to go" either!

I thought it was rather a brave move to have those as his last words - and while, as you say, the Ten of the Specials didn't seem to have learned from his mistakes (but then, dramatically and practically, it wouldn't have made a lot of sense for him to do so), I didn't think it was OOC at all. I like to think that after his farewell tour, he was remembering the good times... and not letting the bad times make them seem less important.

*sniff*

[toledom]

I agree with you and caz on 99% of what you both say. I love Richard Curtis and Doctor Who, so I wanted very badly this episode to come out OK, and I was delighted to see it surpassed my expectations. Now I hope my beloved Neil Gaiman will repeat the achievement