Dr Who - A good man goes to war

[vaznetti]

Under the cut

Did I not totally call that at the start of the season? Not that it was rocket science, but I feel the satisfaction of narrative payoff, because as I said at the time, if River is also the girl in the spacesuit, who will kill the doctor at their first meeting, then his first meeting with her (when she is yet again in the spacesuit) she will die to save him.

Although it also implies that they won't find the infant Melody Pond for quite a while. Poor baby Melody!

In fact there was much goodness in this episode -- putting the band back together (BH wonders if Moffat is a Farscape fan)! Silurian/human crimefighters in Victorian London! Sontaran nurses! other things I would probably remember if I had paid more attention to Doctor Who on a longterm basis! Lorna! (sniffle)

I really, really like Moffat's approach to telling a story.

Most of all: Amy's wonderful opening speech, and Rory's general badassery (should I repeat the question?) I love that they are such a great couple. Although I think that the Doctor should not have just run off on them, because they have just LOST THEIR BABY and River Song is not actually a substitute for that. At all. And I am pretty sure that neither the Doctor nor River actually understand that.

I kind of love that "Let's Kill Hitler" is the title of the next part of this, because Steve Moffat is so clearly taken with the idea time travel, and all the consequent paradoxes and impossibilities. And also, since the title is about changing the past: perhaps Amy and Rory will be reunited with Baby Melody after all, and the future will go its own way, and a little girl will not kill the best man she's ever known a long time ago next to a lake. Why not? It could easily have happened that way.

Comments

[monanotlisa]

Yes you did, indeed! Beautifully phrased too; as mentioned, I tried spreading your theory (but of course avoid large swathes of DW fandom because of the Amy and River hate, so there was no in-depth poking).

[vaznetti]

Yes, I am not very involved in the fandom myself -- and am not sure how many people read my journal anyway. But it was very satisfying to see the whole thing played out so well!

I keep hearing rumors about widespread hatred for one character or another (River Song here, Nina on Being Human) but am in fandom so little that thankfully I never encounter it first-hand. Or when I do, it's in such small doses that I can just roll my eyes and move on.

[fourteenlines.livejournal.com]

It just occurred to me where the Doctor knew to find her...he was maybe the one who ripped her from the spacesuit? That's the only reason I can think for them to show that clip again.

As soon as you made that guess, I knew you were right. I'm still a bit blown away by how it all came together. Poor baby Melody! Poor Amy and Rory!

(My primary reaction, however, is Jesus, how long has Moffat been PLANNING this?!? *is duly impressed*

(Also in agreement on Rory's badassery. And I liked the fake-out on Amy's speech at the beginning.)

[vaznetti]

Once I thought of it, it just made too much narrative sense not to be right. But it still worked out better than I had anticipated.

I loved the fake-out on Amy's speech at the start -- just when I was starting to get annoyed, it turned out to be ALL ABOUT RORY. And I appreciate that!