'water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink'

[subtle1science]

Mmmm.....So far, two excellent episodes, then a good one, and then a great one.  Thanks, Moffat--I think you saved DW.  "Curse of the Black Spot" would've been among the best offered under Rusty's regime (other than Moffat's); in this improved version of DW, it's just good

Comments

[suo_gan]

One of the best episodes ever - a lovely, mad study of the relationship between the Doctor and his great love, the TARDIS. And *squee* - the love is returned in full measure

[subtle1science]

There are parallels between River and the Doctor, too, in that the TARDIS takes River where she needs to be, in "The Pandorica Opens," rather than where River and the Doctor plan for the TARDIS to be.

Plus--it seems now, looking back, that the TARDIS is in cahoots with River to tweak the Doctor....River can use the controls even more adeptly than the Doctor (or the TARDIS makes it look so); River can land the TARDIS silently.....

It does make me wonder about who taught River to operate the TARDIS. There's that jab in "Time of Angels": River learned from the best; the Doctor was busy that day....Did the TARDIS teach River? Does it have to do with "The Impossible Astronaut" and how that Astronaut gets to the lake? Especially since the TARDIS is conspicuously missing at that point in the episode?

*adjusts tinfoil*

[suo_gan]

I would love it if the TARDIS turned out to be the one who taught River to fly her. I'm completely in agreement that she is in cahoots with River in tweaking *her* Doctor every now and again when he needs it.

It very well could be that if River turns out to be Amy and Rory's child, as speculated, the fact that she was conceived in the TARDIS forms a special bond between the two, given that they share a lot in common down to loving and wishing to protect the same man.

I'd thought about the missing TARDIS and the death scene. It may be that she is under the lake, or it may be that she is lurking somewhere in another dimension, or it could also be that the Doctor, and perhaps River in the astronaut suit, knows that she could never bear to see *her* Doctor killed, even if he turns out to be a clone or the product of the wrong timeline.

[subtle1science]

Or....

the TARDIS cooperates with the shooting of the clone Doctor--as the clone Doctor himself does: Blue Tie's demeanor on the shoreline is of someone who is resigned, even willing, to meet his fate. After all--the TARDIS is quite precise about being in the restroom hallway in the diner and being invisible in the Oval Office and the "perfect" prison."

Idris likes being called "old girl"; River calls Eleven "my old fella" in "Day of the Moon."

Oh, I have no idea what Moffat's doing! But I sure wouldn't object to his doing some sort of jiggery-pokery to cross over Idris/TARDIS/River. After all--Idris, the human TARDIS, can't survive and has to become a program/machine; River, the human, can't survive the Library and becomes a download......

I keep thinking of the River/Amy exchange about whether River is the Doctor's wife: River challenges Amy as to whether that notion could be that "simple"; Amy affirms it, and River acknowledges she's "good." It sure fits with the new puzzle pieces of "The Doctor's Wife."

[anonymous]

I love the whole TARDIS-becoming-a-person idea and yes, I thought this one was one of the most entertaining and interesting episodes this far. Even if the past episode (Curse of the Black Spot) seemed made mostly as some kind of comic relief between the more important parts plot wise, I think it did indicate the importance of a “captain” loving his ship

[subtle1science]

I loved the delight demonstrated by both the Doctor and the TARDIS at their being able to speak to one another--especially the TARDIS' being able to express herself verbally.

"You talk and run around and bring home strays."

They each are the one permanent fixture in the other's life--and the TARDIS clearly has a life. And they understand each other--they have the same cultural background.....It's also interesting that the TARDIS is the last of her kind, too.

[anonymous]

I think one of the loveliest things that got established in this episode was that  the Doctor is, in fact, not alone. I mean, for hundreds of years he was considering himself "a madman with a box", someone who was left over because he chose to run away with a machine (albeit a living machine). But for the first time he now got to know that HE was chosen by this living thing, and they actually "eloped" together...

And the irony of it is that the Doctor would probably never have gotten to know this, if someone wasn't trying to steal the TARDIS from HIM, giving life to Idris. Sometimes you never realize how much you love someone until you're about to loose them.

And now Eleven had to prevent the same thing ever happening again with his TARDIS, even if this means he's never gonna be able to speak with her again...
/Nyctalus

[subtle1science]

"The Doctor's Wife" is wonderful for establishing--without a doubt--that the TARDIS and the Doctor are a perfect match. Both a little mad, both in love with life, both very powerful.

I hope upcoming episodes continue the ideas presented in this episode.....It's nice to be able to count on that, since Moffat actually keeps track of the series and the continuity.