Doctor who 7x04 - The Power of Three

[keep_counting]

So, that was sort of excellent. Please keep this up, and the points will rocket sky-high for this season, in spite of all my expectations. Spoilers below!



THE GOOD:

- I like the premise for this episode: the Doctor coming to stay with Amy and Rory instead of the other way around. +5

- Brian's back! +10!

- Karen and Arthur have become so comfortable in their roles: especially Karen's acting have really become good this episode (I'm not saying she's a bad actor, she just rarely blows me away. But she's gotten to know Amy Pond so well now, that watching Amy and Rory in their kitchen, flipping out over their 'two lives' is as brilliant as dinosaurs and explosions to me) +10

- PROFESSOR BRIAN COX!!! +20!!

- Brian's small rant, ending with jigsaw puzzles. +5

- 'What do you think we do when you're not around?' - 'I imagine mostly kissing'. Haha, Doc. On the other hand, you've kissed both of them, so you probably know how good they are at it ;) I'm calling naughty. +5

- Amy's gotten a job as a Journalist. Look, I don't want to knock anyone who wants to become a model: it's a job like any other, and I don't judge people on behalf of that. The way it has been executed, along with so many other things, does leave a bitter taste in my mouth however. Which is why I am so glad that Amy now has a more 'stable' job. +5

- Rory in his pants. I don't need to say anything more. +20

- UNIT! The new Science Version! +5

- 'And with dress-sense like that, you must be the Doctor' Kate, I love you already. +10

- I loved the montage. I loved the Doctor not being able to sit still, having to paint and vacuum and go play with a bloody ball in the garden, like a ten-year old kid. I loved Amy and Rory's fond irritation with him and his antics. Also, my furniture needs repainting. You can drop by anytime, Doctor. +5

- Rory standing up to the Doctor was beautiful: it is such a contrast from The Eleventh Hour and the fifth season in general, when he was all shy and quiet, especially about his work. But now he's realized that what he does is important, and that he's good at it. +10

- 'Brian's log'. I want to give points for everything Brian does this episode, so lets just throw +10 in here.

- 'You just married Henry VIII - on our anniversary!' +10. Amy, haven't you learned not just to blurt out 'yes?' when people are talking?

- The Doctor wanting to stay with them kinda warmed my heart: especially because, yes the cubes are there and are probably a factor, but I do think he genuinly means it. He's afraid of losing them: as he says to Amy later 'your face is the first one this face saw'. I could ramble about Rose Tyler and Ten here (ohmyfeels), but I won't. Matt Smith is giving me enough emotions right now. +5

- 'Mine fired laser-bolts and now its surfing the net!' - I found this line hilarious and I don't even know why. Possibly because Matt Smith said it with SUCH GLEE as if it was the greatest thing he'd ever witnessed. +10

- Appearance of the Psychic Paper! For five seconds yes, but it was there. +1 (you could have gotten a bazillion points if you had been used more. use the Psychic Paper! I miss it!)

- 'I've got officers trained in beheading. Also, ravens of death.' +10 for being so sassy, Kate!

- +50 for Kate being the Brigadier's daughter. I have not seen that much Old!Who, but I have seen enough to absolutely adore Alistair. This was wonderful and played so well: she was impressed by the Doctor, but not a gushing, 'annoying' fangirl. She took charge, but she did it the 'right' way. She was awesome and amazing. I hope we see more of her!

- 'Desperate measures...' hell yeah, Amy! That whole sequence was hilarious and so well-done. +5

- 'Welcome back leftie!' +5 for talking to your hearts, Doctor. You would have gotten more points if you had given it an even better name. Like Georgina or something...

- The make-up and cosmetics in general are so much better this episode. +10

- As is the background-score. Especially in the confrontation-scene on the space-ship. +10

- 'Weird bedtime-story' - 'You can talk, wolf in your grandmothers nightdress!' Good point. It was always the with in the gingerbread house that freaked me out though. Her and Santa. +5

- 'Like a talking Propaganda-poster' wouldn't that be neat and effective though? +1 just because I like the idea.

- The Doctor saluting Kate. That just felt... right. This episode generally did good on being emotional without big, flaming speeches and sobbing people. It's not over-done and I love it for that. +10

(points: 252)

THE BAD:

- I don't understand the little girls purpose? Was she just there to be sinister - of which she did a good job - and sort of monitor? But the Cubes were already doing that? -5 for not explaining.

- Amy and Rory being gone for seven weeks on their anniversary... I don't know, it fit with the story, I would have just liked to see them being sort of mad at the Doctor about it. -1 because I'm not that annoyed by it. I'm still just waiting for Amy to slap him...

- 'Not them, never them.' But you can't promise that Doctor. This line... please don't let it be foreshadowing. I want Amy and Rory to be happy and I am so scared that they're going to be killed off, even though the chances of Moffat actually killing any of his main characters are slim to none. I'm still scared, so -5

- Also, Doc, over a thousand years old and yet your brain still doesn't think 'firearm' when something that LOOKS like a firearm is pointed at your face by an unknown and quite possibly sinister being? Your reaction was hilarious though, so I'm only going to take away -1

- Surely the aliens didn't have to wait that long? Over nine months just seems a bit... excessive, I dunno? And why didn't they just blow the planet up? Humans haven't colonized yet, they'd get rid of them all. For that matter, why didn't they just release a toxin or some kind of disease from the Cubes? I'm sure they could come up with something better and more effective, than the Cubes just affecting the people close to them. -10

- 'Never do that to me again!' and now say thank-you, Doctor. -5

- River Song next episode... please be awesome and not tiresome? Thank-you :)

Points for this episode: 225. I really liked it okay? It felt like the good ol' days with Nine and Ten and Rose and Martha and Donna and now I need to go rewatch season three because I suddenly miss John Simm's face.

Points for the season: 444. I am shocked and speechless people. Shocked and speechless.

Comments

[uniquegrl7.livejournal.com]

Just saw it. Absolutely loved it. I feel like every other episode is good this season. I'm upset about saying bye to the Ponds, even though I wasn't last season. They really did a good job of showing their entire character in these last few episodes, and now I want more. I really hope they don't die. But I also hope that what happened to Donna doesn't happen to them.

I loved the little tennis reference, because I love tennis.

I was just wondering why he didn't go and visit Craig at all this time. (And the name Craig was mentioned in this episode, on the reality show.)

Amy becoming a journalist also reminded me of Sarah Jane and Donna, how they had to go looking for adventure when the Doctor wasn't around.

Brian Williams is my favorite non-companion ever (for now), aside from Stormy, who would have been excellent.

And of course the Doctor would go for a bedtime story with a bad wolf. Oh my feels.

"It felt like the good ol' days with Nine and Ten and Rose and Martha and Donna and now I need to go rewatch season three because I suddenly miss John Simm's face." YES.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

It's funny, I felt like it was 'time' for the Ponds to go last season as well, but now I really don't feel like I'm ready. Maybe because it was so sudden, yet with the Doctor's 'death' hanging over our heads last season? (and tbh, I couldn't make myself care that much about a lot of stuff in S6: least favorite season ever). But now they're really building up to it: we're getting a very good and clear look into the conflict in Amy and Rory's lives, how they want to stay with him, yet we know of course, that it can't go on forever...

Maybe he did go visit Craig! Oooh, fic :D hey, Stormy must be all older by now! If it's been ten years for Amy and Rory since he dropped them off, yeah? I still want him to become an Evil Overlord ala Mastermind from Pixar or something :D

And of course the Doctor would go for a bedtime story with a bad wolf. Oh my feels.
I am so unused to references to past companions in Moffat-who that I didn't even think of that!... awwww :(

[stars-inthe-sky.livejournal.com]

Wait, where was the psychic paper and the Amy's-a-journalist bit? I totally missed those...

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

I don't even remember the psychic paper now, but Amy was in the whole conversation with 'what do you think we do when you're not around?'

[stars-inthe-sky.livejournal.com]

Ohh, right. My viewing buddy was talking a bit there. Boo her, I suppose.

[goreplz.livejournal.com]

I loved the episode. Easily my favorite out of Series 7a. Speaking of Series 7a, I am so bummed that I am just getting back into the groove of Who Saturdays only to have it go back on hiatus.

I thought it felt like a RTD era episode as well. Which I've missed so much. It sort of reminded me of Army of Ghosts. My favorite Chibnall episode.

I was sort of sad about the opportunity to see or at least GET A MENTION of Martha Jones. Come on Moffat take a peek at MY Christmas list will you? Martha with Eleven and the Ponds would have been glorious.

Maybe I'm an idiot but when you say you're shocked at the points you've given the season are you saying you're pleasantly shocked or unpleasantly? Is your tally so far impressive to you or not?

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

I feel like an idiot now, but its going back on hiatus? Already??

It was a bit like Army of Ghosts actually, except a smaller version (that perhaps could have benefited from being a two-parter?)

HOW COULD I FORGET MARTHA JONES??? Dear lord, I didn't even think of that. I am so used to Moffat!Who ignoring the old companions for the most part... which is sort of sad in and of itself...

I am very pleasantly shocked :) I was not fond of s6 at all, so my expectations for this season were extremely low, but it is scoring very well after only four episodes!

[goreplz.livejournal.com]

Ugh yes after this Saturday's episode (7x05 The Angels Take Manhattan) the show is back on hiatus until the Christmas special and then it's presumed that the latter half of Series 7 won't air until Spring 2013.

Yes! I think everyone agrees that this show is one of the only episodes of Moffat-era Doctor Who that actually should have been split into two parts.

Yeah I know that Freema is doing other projects (which is great for her, i just need her on my television screen one way or another) but a mention or a nod to Martha would have made me super happy. I am pretty content with the notion that if we ever do get to see Martha again it'll be at one of the the 50th anniversary specials.

That's great. I wasn't very happy with Series 6 either. :)

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

Aaaawww, I didn't know that :( now I'm all sad. But then I guess we'll have more episodes? Fourteen, yes?

I actually haven't seen Freema in anything but DW and Torchwood, but now I really want to. Any particular recommendations?

[viomisehunt.livejournal.com]

don't understand the little girls purpose? Was she just there to be sinister - of which she did a good job - and sort of monitor? But the Cubes were already doing that? -5 for not explaining. Actually I thought the little girl was very sweet looking, and I thought it was sad that the character was someone the Doctor could rescue, but a droid that the Doctor could disable and discard without a qualm.

Someone in the Meta thread speculated that her presence was a not so subtle statement about either the NHS and or American health care. After all, the child sat in that waiting room for a year and it appears that not one care giver noticed her or attempted to interact with her. What is truly scary is that the creatures in the Black Box after observing humanity, understood that they could safely place a child safe sentinel in a hospital filled with care-gives and she would be undisturbed.


I was sort of sad about the opportunity to see or at least GET A MENTION of Martha Jones. Come on Moffat take a peek at MY Christmas list will you? Martha with Eleven and the Ponds would have been glorious. It takes place ten years in the future, so we have to ask if Martha and Mickey are still working in the UK, but Moffat was quoted in an interview as musing that of the three NuWho Davies companions Martha is the only one who may actually return for an Eleven, possibly in a UNIT oriented story. I admit, having read this--I did kind fo hope, however, I liked Kate being in charge of UNIT, and the dig at Jack's Torchwood. Who knows may Mister Moffat and company is waiting for Freema to have time to actually do a guest spot, but she is busy between two new shows. But I get to see her in the promo on CW daily--usually at the beginning or end of day that have the extended Promos and Freema and her Carrie's Diary cast mates host one.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

The girl did look incredibly sweet, but I don't get her purpose. And that is some wonderful meta - though I doubt if that was what the writers intended. It feels more like lazy writing: adding something for dramatic effect and then throwing it away instead of wrapping it up properly.

Martha and Mickey meeting the Ponds would be all my dreams come true (well, no, they'd have to bathe in a sea of nutella with Spike from buffy, THEN it would be all my dreams come true...) ;)

[vocatus-fortis.livejournal.com]

I would suggest a further -5 points for the lack of explanation for why people were being taken to the spaceship (like Brian).
Also a further -20 for the fact that all of the kidnapped people (except Brian) were left on the ship when it exploded.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

Didn't I mention the leaving of people above? But yes, that was definitely very lazy and bad writing :/

[charlottetrips.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on all the plus points above. I absolutely loved the sentiment in this episode, it was just enough to hit you in the gut but not overmuch that I felt like rolling my eyes.

I've come to love Matt Smith's Doctor so much, not like I love Ten, but somewhere in that range.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

I've grown so fond of Eleven and I found him... well, I didn't dislike him, but I couldn't get that invested in him as I could in Nine and Ten (and the ones of the Old Doctors that I have seen). But now, and maybe it's because he's leaving, now I'm suddenly all: 'aaaww, you precious little baby, c'mere!'