Doctor Who Review: Let's Kill Hitler!
Sep. 6th, 2011 05:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dweomeroflightWell. It had to happen eventually I suppose. A Moff episode that was less than excellent. Still, RTD had a lot worse in his time, and I'm willing to cut the guy some slack for an episode... review under cut.
I loved the beginning with Amy and Rory in the car even if my brother told me right off they were writing a Doctor message. Actually, I just love Rory and Amy full stop! Anyway, I liked the cars and the cornfields.
My brother when Mels turned up, "I hate her. Get rid of her. I hate her."
Me: "LOOK SHE HAS A GUN LIKE RIVER SONG'S. I BET YOU SHE'S HER."
Him: "I still hate her. She is NOT River. River is cool."
Anyway, "Let's Kill Hitler." BAAAM. CREDITS. Nice one Moff.
Loved the flashback with Amy, Rory and Mels (even if Mels did appear in their lives out of nowhere grumble mumble). I like that this series Rory and Amy are a proper couple. It's an interesting dynamic on the TARDIS. I also loved the bit where Amy thinks Rory is gay and then he walks out and she runs after him. Sniff *cute* ALSO CAITLIN BLACKWOOD. I LOVE HER. MAY SHE BE AROUND IN MANY MORE EPISODES.
So Hitler is in fact a side show for River. Right. Why? But also why not? Also, Rory punching Hitler is win so yay for that!
Hitler's a terrible shot and YAY RIVER. REAL RIVER. I knew I was right about that. Hmmm, though this ep I think Moff got a bit too ficcy within his episode, and also a bit too self referential what with the whole reference to Doctor Who? again and also Alex' crazy hair of win. River kissing Doctor and then jumping out of the window was pretty cool.
Also, was I the only one who thought at "I'm all mature," of Big Town All Stars and Nicola saying "You're not mature!" and the boys rejoinding with "We are mature, we are mature, we are mature." No? Just me then ;)
I thought Alex was really amazing this episode, especially as she had to play at being someone younger than she really is. There was lots of comedy what with the clothes stealing and the quote about going off to visit a disabled, Jewish, gay camp or whatever it was (though something about the episode's flipness about this did bother me though I'm not sure why yet)
The people police was such a weird inclusion. It was interesting but weird. Also, I totally thought for a second that those guard aliens were about to take Rory and Amy away from me. It really will break me when they leave for real.
Uhoh more timey wimey. Doctor is back in his wedding outfit? Did he go back to The Big Bang? His and River's wedding? (PLEASE NO SANTA MOFF. I liked River/Doctor as a relationship with benefits and no ring). Somewhere else? I love that in the TARDIS he felt guilt over everyone but little Amelia Pond. That girl is adorable. I love her forever. And what was meant by "fish fingers and custard?" Is that going to somehow link back on to The Eleventh Hour? River flies the TARDIS because the TARDIS tells her how!!! Called it from the IDRIS death scene in The Doctor's Wife (still the best episode of this series imo) with the whole "the only water in the forest is the River." Also, in The Big Bang was River saying "I'm sorry my love" to the TARDIS or the Doctor? I was never so sure about that. BAHAHA THIS IS GREAT MOFF. EVERY SINGLE RIVER THEORY WAS CORRECT. I KNEW YOU WOULD PULL SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
And Doctor tells River something!!! His true name? And Alex breaks my heart for the eleventy billioneth time and then she's ill with those cat nurses (SQUEE REMEMBER THEM) and THE DOCTOR LEAVES HER THE TARDIS DIARY. I CALLED THIS. I SO CALLED THIS IN MY FIRST EVER RIVER/DOCTOR FIC THE WIZARD ONLY IN THAT SHE KILLED RORY. *IS EXCITED*
See here: The Wizard
And thats why River learns achaeology? To find The Doctor? I think I might actually be ok with that. River is still cool, with or without the Doctor's influence on her.
So what didn't I like about this? I felt like this episode was way rushed. It was like Moff was shouting at me "I AM GOING TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT RIVER IN 45 MINUTES. CREDITS. GO!" I think maybe he just realised how much he had to explain and panicked a little.
I wish we could have seen more of orphaned River (though maybe thats later) and that Mels didn't feel so random, and the episode feel so expositionary (maybe it needed to be a three parter or something)
My other major problem with this episode is the same problem I've had with every single episode with the exception of The Doctor's Wife in series six. None of these episodes can stand alone. They all require that final episode which reveals everything that has been set up re the silence in s5 and 6. Still in Moff I trust and nothing can ever get worse than The End of Time.
Questions answered from my review of Day of The Moon
Who or what is The Silence?
A religous order thats out to get The Doctor because they fear him. The Silent's are a part of this as if everyone in AGMGTW and possibly The Pandorica affair.
Who or what is River Song?
Part Time Lord, part human daughter of River and Amy who is used as a weapon by The Silence. She later kills Eleven at Utah or possibly someone else and ends up in jail in time for previous River episodes that are later in her time stream. She has an affinity with the TARDIS, is a femme fatale, is a super hero and Mary Poppins and part fairy tale all at once. She is in love with The Doctor, he with her (if anyone still insists this is not canon lalalalalala I can't hear you)
Well, what has Doctor Who become these days? My Mum summed it up best imo, "If Life on Mars was the thinking man's Doctor Who, Moffat Doctor Who is now the thinking man's Doctor Who."
I loved the beginning with Amy and Rory in the car even if my brother told me right off they were writing a Doctor message. Actually, I just love Rory and Amy full stop! Anyway, I liked the cars and the cornfields.
My brother when Mels turned up, "I hate her. Get rid of her. I hate her."
Me: "LOOK SHE HAS A GUN LIKE RIVER SONG'S. I BET YOU SHE'S HER."
Him: "I still hate her. She is NOT River. River is cool."
Anyway, "Let's Kill Hitler." BAAAM. CREDITS. Nice one Moff.
Loved the flashback with Amy, Rory and Mels (even if Mels did appear in their lives out of nowhere grumble mumble). I like that this series Rory and Amy are a proper couple. It's an interesting dynamic on the TARDIS. I also loved the bit where Amy thinks Rory is gay and then he walks out and she runs after him. Sniff *cute* ALSO CAITLIN BLACKWOOD. I LOVE HER. MAY SHE BE AROUND IN MANY MORE EPISODES.
So Hitler is in fact a side show for River. Right. Why? But also why not? Also, Rory punching Hitler is win so yay for that!
Hitler's a terrible shot and YAY RIVER. REAL RIVER. I knew I was right about that. Hmmm, though this ep I think Moff got a bit too ficcy within his episode, and also a bit too self referential what with the whole reference to Doctor Who? again and also Alex' crazy hair of win. River kissing Doctor and then jumping out of the window was pretty cool.
Also, was I the only one who thought at "I'm all mature," of Big Town All Stars and Nicola saying "You're not mature!" and the boys rejoinding with "We are mature, we are mature, we are mature." No? Just me then ;)
I thought Alex was really amazing this episode, especially as she had to play at being someone younger than she really is. There was lots of comedy what with the clothes stealing and the quote about going off to visit a disabled, Jewish, gay camp or whatever it was (though something about the episode's flipness about this did bother me though I'm not sure why yet)
The people police was such a weird inclusion. It was interesting but weird. Also, I totally thought for a second that those guard aliens were about to take Rory and Amy away from me. It really will break me when they leave for real.
Uhoh more timey wimey. Doctor is back in his wedding outfit? Did he go back to The Big Bang? His and River's wedding? (PLEASE NO SANTA MOFF. I liked River/Doctor as a relationship with benefits and no ring). Somewhere else? I love that in the TARDIS he felt guilt over everyone but little Amelia Pond. That girl is adorable. I love her forever. And what was meant by "fish fingers and custard?" Is that going to somehow link back on to The Eleventh Hour? River flies the TARDIS because the TARDIS tells her how!!! Called it from the IDRIS death scene in The Doctor's Wife (still the best episode of this series imo) with the whole "the only water in the forest is the River." Also, in The Big Bang was River saying "I'm sorry my love" to the TARDIS or the Doctor? I was never so sure about that. BAHAHA THIS IS GREAT MOFF. EVERY SINGLE RIVER THEORY WAS CORRECT. I KNEW YOU WOULD PULL SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
And Doctor tells River something!!! His true name? And Alex breaks my heart for the eleventy billioneth time and then she's ill with those cat nurses (SQUEE REMEMBER THEM) and THE DOCTOR LEAVES HER THE TARDIS DIARY. I CALLED THIS. I SO CALLED THIS IN MY FIRST EVER RIVER/DOCTOR FIC THE WIZARD ONLY IN THAT SHE KILLED RORY. *IS EXCITED*
See here: The Wizard
And thats why River learns achaeology? To find The Doctor? I think I might actually be ok with that. River is still cool, with or without the Doctor's influence on her.
So what didn't I like about this? I felt like this episode was way rushed. It was like Moff was shouting at me "I AM GOING TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT RIVER IN 45 MINUTES. CREDITS. GO!" I think maybe he just realised how much he had to explain and panicked a little.
I wish we could have seen more of orphaned River (though maybe thats later) and that Mels didn't feel so random, and the episode feel so expositionary (maybe it needed to be a three parter or something)
My other major problem with this episode is the same problem I've had with every single episode with the exception of The Doctor's Wife in series six. None of these episodes can stand alone. They all require that final episode which reveals everything that has been set up re the silence in s5 and 6. Still in Moff I trust and nothing can ever get worse than The End of Time.
Questions answered from my review of Day of The Moon
Who or what is The Silence?
A religous order thats out to get The Doctor because they fear him. The Silent's are a part of this as if everyone in AGMGTW and possibly The Pandorica affair.
Who or what is River Song?
Part Time Lord, part human daughter of River and Amy who is used as a weapon by The Silence. She later kills Eleven at Utah or possibly someone else and ends up in jail in time for previous River episodes that are later in her time stream. She has an affinity with the TARDIS, is a femme fatale, is a super hero and Mary Poppins and part fairy tale all at once. She is in love with The Doctor, he with her (if anyone still insists this is not canon lalalalalala I can't hear you)
Well, what has Doctor Who become these days? My Mum summed it up best imo, "If Life on Mars was the thinking man's Doctor Who, Moffat Doctor Who is now the thinking man's Doctor Who."
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no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 11:05 am (UTC)I forgive Moff's mistakes for now because we don't know the whole story arc and its obviously whats going to make or break this series for me. Also, I still like Moff on a bad day better than RTD day on a bad day and I have never liked a TEAM TARDIS so much. All very good reasons for me to stay optimistic.
Look I'll be honest. I kind of hated Mels. I might have liked her if I knew more about her. Where was she in TEH I ask you? Or TBB at Amy's wedding?
River doing everything because of the Doctor is a much bigger problem for me than the idea of them being married.
This. As a feminist I have a huge problem with this but River is still her own woman, we know this from previous episodes. It's not always about The Doctor for her. She loves history for its own sake too.
OMG YES. THAT IS WHAT WAS KINDA BUGGING ME ABOUT ALEX. It felt forced. That's what I was trying to get at when I said ficcy.
I'm sure thats a timey wimey come back to it later thing re change of clothes and see above comment for fish fingers explanation.
I wish this ep had been a direct continuation of AGMGTW, because neither of these episodes were long enough to be properly set before the real action begins, or the setting bit was too long and ended up being useless, and in each of them there were pretty useless sub-plots and characters. You want to do a two-parter about Melody/River? Then do a two-parter about Melody/River. But make it really about her then, don't add useless subplots and don't split it in two episodes that have nothing do to with each other. Just saying...
THIS. ARGHHH THIS. IT WAS SO WEIRD NOT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH AGMGTW. AND NOW IT MEANS THAT EPISODE IS UP IN THE AIR TOO. ARGHH MOFF. STOP MESSING WITH ME.
Also if the conclusion ends up being disappointing it will ruin the pleasure of any future re-watches...
This again! It always has been my biggest fear for s6. Still, even if it went to shit s5 was the bomb and The Doctor's Wife was AMAZING. AND I STILL DAMN WELL LIKE IT BETTER THAN RTD ERA WHO. *I say this like a mantra these days*
Who questions it? My good friend
no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 11:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 02:02 pm (UTC)LOL! True, we're close in the way we analyse things, even if we don't necessarily agree. ;)
I didn't like Mels either. Because she appeared OUT OF NOWHERE and I was angry about it. It's not Eastenders, or else I've missed an episode.
*I say this like a mantra these days*
Lol yeah, but imo s5 was better (in terms of plot because I prefer the actors/characters this year); I have the feeling that Moffat was a bit too ambitious this time. And even if the storyline ends up making sense etc I'm still disappointed by what the River storyline turned out to be. Guess it's what happens when you think too much about a show and end up having some sort of personal head canon about it. I hoped it would be something more...
no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 10:26 pm (UTC)