The Doctor's Wife Review: "I'm alive..."
May. 28th, 2011 02:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dweomeroflightSorry for such a late write up flist but this was too good an episode to not rewatch and have a think about. Bloody hell Neil Gaiman. I love you for writing this. This was my favourite episode of s6 so far. Pirates of the Whoniverse was too meh for me and kind of fillerish and the opening two parter is too much of an unknown quantity. The problem with the two parter is that it asked more questions than it answered which means depending on how the episodes are resolved will depend on my enjoyment on future rewatches (but by the way in Moffat I trust).
I haven't enjoyed a Who episode this much since... oh wait... The Big Bang lol. I've noticed that my preferred episodes are always the ones which emphasise the fairy story like quality that Dr Who holds, refers back to previous show canon, and reminds me of just how adventurous, lovable, ludicrous and well silly but endlessly fun this show really is.
Review under cut
I didn't look at any spoilers so I had no idea that Idris was the TARDIS till it was spelt out for me. I liked the actress playing the TARDIS a lot and she reminded me of a curious mix of Miranda Richardson (voice, facial features) and Helena Bonham Carter (the hair, make up and outfit and sometimes the kind of 'fruity' accent). Someone else pointed out the symmetry of her saying Goodbye when she meant Hello at the start and how this was reflected in turn at the end and I loved how at the end we didn't get anymore lame proclaiments of love but rather a simple, "Hello Doctor... it's so very, very, nice to meet you." And the whole 'sad word' and 'alive' bit was also lovely. I admit to crying.
I liked the idea of the TARDIS stealing The Doctor as much as the other way around and I also loved the fact that we learnt that the TARDIS always takes him where he needs to go, not where he wants to go. Very cool.
I thought Matt Smith was exceptional in this, from the anger, to the sadness, to the mad man without his box, to the obtuseness about sex, to the old man in a young man body vibe. One of my favourite parts in the whole episode was The Doctor talking to the TARDIS at the end, the TARDIS moving him where he needs to go, and The Doctor kind of dancing around full of this utterly insane joy that had me grinning like the Chesshire Cat. Another favourite part was when The Doctor said about House, "you know what you're problem is, as big as a planet, and yet on the inside so very... small." Or something like that. It was a very well delivered line. I also liked the "bigger on the inside" comparison between TARDIS and a human being. Very clever.
Rory and Amy in the TARDIS was terrifying but again made me happy to see how much Amy/Rory love each other. Somebody else pointed out to me that the 'old man Rory' who had waited another bunch of years for Amy was a reflection of her subconsciousness and her guilt over "The lonely centurion," which I think is a pretty neat observation. By the way, I also have Rory 'lonely centurion' fic here if anyone is interested:
http://eleven-fic.livejournal.com/7137.html
I also loved the lovely sequence of "Crimson, eleven, delight, the smell of dust after rain." That delight equalled laughter at Amy's wedding to Rory, indicates to me that regardless of how Amy acts, deep down she will always love Rory. I also loved the bunk bed stuff. Oh Doctor. Keep on being clueless.
Finally, I shall leave you with the quote about Doctor/companions/TARDIS. "Oh you and her. You two will be here long after the rest of us have gone." Doctor Who in five seconds? I think so. To quote Amy from The Big Bang, "very clever... very, very clever," Mr Gaiman. Very clever indeed.
Even if the rest of series six is rubbish, I will always love this episode. Beautiful, touching, horrific, uplifting and overall full of hope, one of my most favourite episodes of Doctor Who ever...
I haven't enjoyed a Who episode this much since... oh wait... The Big Bang lol. I've noticed that my preferred episodes are always the ones which emphasise the fairy story like quality that Dr Who holds, refers back to previous show canon, and reminds me of just how adventurous, lovable, ludicrous and well silly but endlessly fun this show really is.
Review under cut
I didn't look at any spoilers so I had no idea that Idris was the TARDIS till it was spelt out for me. I liked the actress playing the TARDIS a lot and she reminded me of a curious mix of Miranda Richardson (voice, facial features) and Helena Bonham Carter (the hair, make up and outfit and sometimes the kind of 'fruity' accent). Someone else pointed out the symmetry of her saying Goodbye when she meant Hello at the start and how this was reflected in turn at the end and I loved how at the end we didn't get anymore lame proclaiments of love but rather a simple, "Hello Doctor... it's so very, very, nice to meet you." And the whole 'sad word' and 'alive' bit was also lovely. I admit to crying.
I liked the idea of the TARDIS stealing The Doctor as much as the other way around and I also loved the fact that we learnt that the TARDIS always takes him where he needs to go, not where he wants to go. Very cool.
I thought Matt Smith was exceptional in this, from the anger, to the sadness, to the mad man without his box, to the obtuseness about sex, to the old man in a young man body vibe. One of my favourite parts in the whole episode was The Doctor talking to the TARDIS at the end, the TARDIS moving him where he needs to go, and The Doctor kind of dancing around full of this utterly insane joy that had me grinning like the Chesshire Cat. Another favourite part was when The Doctor said about House, "you know what you're problem is, as big as a planet, and yet on the inside so very... small." Or something like that. It was a very well delivered line. I also liked the "bigger on the inside" comparison between TARDIS and a human being. Very clever.
Rory and Amy in the TARDIS was terrifying but again made me happy to see how much Amy/Rory love each other. Somebody else pointed out to me that the 'old man Rory' who had waited another bunch of years for Amy was a reflection of her subconsciousness and her guilt over "The lonely centurion," which I think is a pretty neat observation. By the way, I also have Rory 'lonely centurion' fic here if anyone is interested:
http://eleven-fic.livejournal.com/7137.html
I also loved the lovely sequence of "Crimson, eleven, delight, the smell of dust after rain." That delight equalled laughter at Amy's wedding to Rory, indicates to me that regardless of how Amy acts, deep down she will always love Rory. I also loved the bunk bed stuff. Oh Doctor. Keep on being clueless.
Finally, I shall leave you with the quote about Doctor/companions/TARDIS. "Oh you and her. You two will be here long after the rest of us have gone." Doctor Who in five seconds? I think so. To quote Amy from The Big Bang, "very clever... very, very clever," Mr Gaiman. Very clever indeed.
Even if the rest of series six is rubbish, I will always love this episode. Beautiful, touching, horrific, uplifting and overall full of hope, one of my most favourite episodes of Doctor Who ever...
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no subject
Date: 2011-05-28 10:00 pm (UTC)Yeah and abour River herself I think like she's super vital... and the Tardis likes River so... idk hurts my brain XD
<3 the best!
no subject
Date: 2011-05-28 11:14 pm (UTC)PLEASE SANTA MOFF. ARE YOU LISTENING?
no subject
Date: 2011-05-28 11:25 pm (UTC):D I hope so!