Dr Who: The Impossible Astronaut

[dweomeroflight]

Under cut link for anyone who hasn't seen yet for spoilers.



I had to watch this episode twice just to get the timeline straight and to be honest I don't think I can judge this episode in terms of quality till I see the next part as there were things that I have the potential to either love or hate.

Things that I can say off the bat:

- RIVERSONG MARRY ME YOU HBIC. persiflage_1 you have to share with me ok? Also my Mum "You know guys... in all the years I watched ER I never once thought this actress attractive... I don't understand it... in dr who she is HOT" Me: LOL MUM BUT SO SO TRUE.
- I liked the blue envelopes idea- very fairy tale like. Though I can see some fans getting upset because Moffat is seemingly saying that Amy, Rory, River and Canton are who The Doctor trusts most out of all of his many companions... unless of course its just this incarnation of The Doctor (which tbh is what I would probably prefer to go with).
- The Doctor died and didn't regenerate? This better be a loophole thing or I will be mad. Oh and is that child River in the suit or no? I rather hope not. I enjoy River being a cipher for the time being.
- Has a Team TARDIS ever been so attractive?
- Good to see the art direction is still as good as series five!
- The Silents are damned creepy but is Amy really pregnant or are the aliens making her think that? Are the silents the silence falling or not? SO MUCH CONFUSION MOFF!!!
- Speaking of confusion, I didn't realise old Canton and young Canton were the same guy till a rewatch. Fail.
- River/Doctor banter is so win! In particular, "I'm quite the screamer..." and "Bless" as River mucks around adeptly with TARDIS controls, oh and flirty Doctor with the hot face remark.
- The Doctor scared me this week. He was rather harsh on the companions. Does he know something that he isn't letting on. Has he known something since TEH that he's not letting on. I'm sure series five is not done with yet.
- Speaking of not letting on, why is River so calm at The Doctor's death. What does she know?
- Rory and River conversation made me sad. SITL/FOTD is now even more horrible to rewatch (except still unbelievably great). I still can't decide if The Doctor or Rory is the man River kills. It would be a nice piece of foreshadowing here if River kills Rory.
- The acting was really amazing all around and what great chemistry. Makes me wish River would just stick around for the entire series. Matt impressed as he did for me since day one, but I really noticed Karen in this episode. I feel that from what we have seen so far she has already grown and improved so much. Loving it!

Questions left over from series five:

- What makes the TARDIS explode
- What or who is the silence and the significance of it falling
- Was a duckpond with no ducks significant?
- Who is River and who does she kill?

Gees I need some answers soon. It's starting to get very complicated. Like Life on Mars. But possibly even more confusing.

Some fears for series six:

- I loved series five and its message of hope so damn much. It was beautiful and amazing and fairystory like and I loved every second. Can series six possibly top series five?
- The Moff wrecks River by giving her a cop out ending, I kill him. The Moff wrecks River by giving her a sexist ending, I kill him. The Moff wrecks River by taking away what makes her awesome, I kill him. That is all.
- Amy and Rory get seperated through death. Please no. Also, Amy not to be pregnant for reals. Also, for Rory and Amy to have an equal relationship coz in series five I was kind of like "um what is with this couple?" and I would hate for things to go back to a Mickey/Rose style dynamic.
- An angst overload. I'm still recovering from the tenth Doctor. Please no more. Dark Doctor is fine. Dark storylines are fine, but not annoying levels of angst.

By the way I realise these are probably irrational fears but they are what I am a thinking after this ep :)

Please no spoilers in the comments for 6.2. It doesn't air here till next Saturday (in which I notice River looks even hotter than usual. Damn how does she do it?)

ps: Also tired of The Moff/Matt/everyone post Ten haters. Surely that was the most exciting, epic, confusing and unexpected pilot we've had in all of new who. Share the love, not the hate.

Comments

[squint13.livejournal.com]

The Impossible Astronaut confused me so so much. I mean, what? I think that's what most of fandom are thinking actually. But maybe in capslock - WHAT? Italicalized capslock even. I'm loving it though, I'm loving that DW is making me go 'what?' in italicalized capslock *laughs*

God, River just gets better and better each time, doesn't she? I mean, since s5 and her return I've adored and loved her, but as of s6 I think I'm kind of in love with her and all 'MARRY ME RIVER' because, well. :D

I'm hoping there's a loophole aswell. Trying to think of one though is breaking my brain again, and it's broken enough as it is, so I'm trying not do dwell a lot on the Doctor's death. Or supposed death. Hopefully not real. >.< Or, it can be real, as long as it can be fixed. *flails*

And so you're not annoyed with River still being, well, River and that we don't really know who she is? That's kind of nice to hear, that I'm not the only one. I want to know who she is, of course, but I don't mind if we have to wait a bit longer. I'd rather have it be done brilliantly and take longer, than it being done with fast and it being awful and disappointing. :)

Oh, did you know that the guy playing old!Canton is Mark Sheppards dad? I thought that was kind of neat ^^

I absolutely LOVE the River/Doctor banter, I could watch a whole episode with just the two of them on some adventure, bantering away, flirting and saving the day. :D

Oh god yeah, SITL/FOTD is going to break my heart more than ever when I watch it again. It's just so sad, River and the Doctor's relationship, how it works. I wonder if the Doctor will be equally heartbroken when he one day meet River and she doesn't know him at all? *sniff*

So many questions now. Later this week, when I can think properly again, I'm gonna go through my notes again and write down every single question, new and old, relevant or not. I have a feeling it's going to be quite a lot. XD

I gotta say, as much as I love Moffat's work, both on DW and his other shows, I will actually be rather angry if he messes up River in any way. Whether it's by doing any of the things you listed, or something else. He's written her so wonderfully, that I doubt he'll mess her up, he seems to be too careful with her for that, but still. One never knows.

And I promise I won't spoil anything for you in any comment, now or in the future ^^ I hope the tags for my entries on my journal aren't spoiling things for you? I try to be very careful when I write them, and be as vague as I possibly can if I have to. I think you're the only one on my flist who's so far behind, but I'm not sure, so I figure it's better to be safe than sorry XD

I hope you'll enjoy Day of the Moon when you get to see it! :D

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Haha that was exactly my entire family's reaction. WHAT?! And then we all looked at each other helplessly and promptly re-watched the ep the next day on iview :P

I've loved River since series four, mainly because I never much cared for Donna (sacrilege I know)and she was a break from Donna and also she had some great lines. But from the second she appeared in series five with killer heels and a black dress I was like OMFG I LOVE THIS CHARACTER OMFG MARRY ME? The obsession gets worse with each reappearance.

Time can be rewritten re the Doctor's death? That's what I'm clinging to... that and Moff's penchant for "someday's are special, someday's are so so blessed, somedays nobody dies at all."

Totally agree re River. I like River the cipher for the time being... mainly because it makes her more compelling for me... I mean answers are good eventually, but why rush the story ya know?

No I didn't. Cool- thanks for that!

Yeah. After my rewatch I was like Heck there's alot of loose ends here...

Your tags aren't spoilery at all :)

[aletheia08.livejournal.com]

The Moff wrecks River by giving her a cop out ending, I kill him. The Moff wrecks River by giving her a sexist ending, I kill him. The Moff wrecks River by taking away what makes her awesome, I kill him. That is all.
THIS. ♥
In other news, River is awesome and I don't understand anything re:the plot and their timelines, lol

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

That was about what I got out of the episode last night along with my Mum and brother... yeah my entire family wants dibs on River :P

[welshgirl15.livejournal.com]

(I'm answering this with my thoughts pre-Day of the Moon, which is brilliant by the way :D, so some of these thoughts might have now changed! )

I'm starting to like River more, I hated her in SitL/FotD, but I'm still suspicious of her. If she turns out to be his wife like people think I might just cry. I'm thinking that is too obvious for Moff to write though!

I hope there is a loop hole regarding the Doctor's death. There surely will be! The BBC won't want to restrict one of their best sellers like this.

Has a Team TARDIS ever been so attractive?
Ok slight mention of the next episode, there is a scene which has made me fall even more in love with Rory!! (Many actually, but one scene is my favourite!) I'll tell which one next week ;)

is Amy really pregnant or are the aliens making her think that?
I think it's something to do with the Silents, as River felt sick too. Also Amy was drinking wine at the start.
(On a side note did you see Moffat's reply on Twitter when someone asked why she was drinking wine while pregnant. He said "She's Scottish". I love that man! Haha)

I didn't realise old Canton and young Canton were the same guy till a rewatch
The actor who played old Canton is young Canton's dad! I love it when shows do things like that!

Speaking of not letting on, why is River so calm at The Doctor's death. What does she know?
And what did she mean when she said "Of course" after shooting at the astronaut?

Was a duckpond with no ducks significant?
I thought that it was foreshadowing for things falling into the crack, like Amy's parents.

I hated angsty Ten as well :( It ruined his ending for me!

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

I liked River in series four but I was neutral about her (mainly because I thought she was a one off story). I loved some of her lines and the way she acted and especially the quote about "somedays everybody lives" one of my fave quotes in dr who ever! But she got a lot cooler and sexier and more amazing in series five for sure. I ship River/Doctor hard but more as a relationship with benefits than marriage. I don't think marriage is River/Doctor's style.

There is a loophole. There's got to be. Time can be rewritten. Maybe its a metaphorical death? Maybe its a trick? Maybe its an alternative reality. I don't know but its not REAL DEATH K?

I love Rory so yay for this Saturday coming! So excited!

I think it is The Silent's too. It would be weird for both River and Amy to be pregnant. Oh and forgot to say in my post, River being Amy's daughter/ Amy is River is a storyline I really REALLY don't want to see. I like River being River as defined by herself coz that what makes her so feministly awesome.

I know right? River and The Doctor both know more than they are letting on methinks.

I thought that re the duckpond too but it isn't proven till The Moff says it is I suppose. I'm keeping it as openended for the moment.

I hated TEOT more than anyone can ever know. It ruined the companions, The Doctor, The Master and Lucy Saxon all at once in one horrid swoop. I never quite recovered.

[welshgirl15.livejournal.com]

I don't ship River/Doctor at all, I think because I just can't see the Doctor in any sort of relationship. I love their flirting though! Especially the 'He's hot' face scene!

I think I may just cry if River is Amy's daughter, it doesn't seem like Moffat's style though so hopefully it won't come true!

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

I would join you crying and howling and ranting. As I said above to squint13 I like River being a bit of an independant cipher. Not everything in life is linked neatly and clear cut so everyone can see a common pattern. There isn't always a reason or a connection. Us humans just like to force them.

[tasty-kate.livejournal.com]

Imma gonna second you on all those fears for Series Six.

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Yep. I live in fear with this show :P Don't you just love being a Who fan!

[tasty-kate.livejournal.com]

YES! hahah

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Haha that was rhetorical ;)

I LOVE BEING A WHO FAN. BEST DAMN TIME TO BE A WHO FAN RIGHT NOW (in my humble opinion).

[funtimevash.livejournal.com]

I am really crazy about River Song as well!! I keep fearing they are gonna just ruin her, but once you watch Day of the Moon, I think you'll see how much more awesome she is. And also that the Doctor gets turned on by what a badass she is. So no, I don't think she'll get a sexist/cop out ending.

But hey, Doctor/River is way past shipping, they are pretty much canon at this point. I can't be the only one who thinks this. Man, she freaking blows Rose out of the water for the title of "best romantically involved companion!" There are some great lines, surprises, and just wonderful coming up this series. I know it! I practically expect it to be the best Doctor Who season ever!

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Hi there,

I love River so much its a little scary lol! I guess I am just not getting my hopes too much because so often it happens that the strong women get trashed in the end sigh.

Haha yeah River/Doctor is def. canon! Or at least River/Eleven is.

I am very excited for this series, don't get me wrong lol! I love new who atm! But I am still erring on the side of caution coz I'm annoying like that.

[novindalf]

Gah, so much here I want to respond to but I can't because I've seen the next ep and it'll ruin things!!!!

Australia, catch up, seriously!!! =D

But yes, I agree with 'RIVERSONG MARRY ME YOU HBIC' and what your mum said. This icon I'm using here I have literally labelled as '[dw]; river song; what a bamf'

=D

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

OH RIVER. YOU KNOW THE ENTIRE WHONIVERSE WANTS YOU.

I wish the BBC would have given us the rights for the same night. They know we are the second biggest who fan base outside of the UK. Evil.

Haha, oh well, next episode's write up we can go crazy together!

[promethia_tenk]

I am so far behind in keeping up with my flist I am just reading this now, lol! Shan't say anything much for fear of spoiling you, but I will say to this:

The Moff wrecks River by giving her a cop out ending, I kill him. The Moff wrecks River by giving her a sexist ending, I kill him. The Moff wrecks River by taking away what makes her awesome, I kill him. That is all.

I will help you. I very much live in hope, actually, but if . . .

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

I live in hope too but I have been disappointed oh so many times by writers in the past on other shows... still in Moff we trust right?

It's nearlly time for the nex episode wheeeee!