Doctor Who Series 6.1 'The Impossible Astronaut' SPOILERS!

[Ubermetalhed]

It was ok for the most part. Although I had a few gripes.

The silence or whatever they are, are just the weeping angels but with memory wipes. Bit of a lazy idea just to make them creepy. Also a bit to much like 'the Gentlemen' from Buffy.

The new fad of the Doctor interfering in his own timeline is always irritating and something DW fans know he cannot do. River Song is also becoming like the TV show Lost, a character whom they haven't written a reasonable ending or explanation for yet but keep dragging out until they do.

Matt Smith was watchable as always but for an opener to a second series it could've been alot better.

Wait, what? Of course they've written River Song's ending; it was in 'Silence In The Library'. That's the interesting thing about her; we already know that she's going to die, and when.

Yes you are right. I don't remember much of the T.Davies era schlock.

Even so a reasonable explanation for who she is or a point for her appearing in all these episodes needs to happen and I don't think they've come up with anything satisfying as of yet.

She can say 'spoilers' as much as she sodding wants but the fact is there is probably nothing worth spoiling.

 

[Chrono212]

It's only just finished 3mins ago lol.

Quick thread is quick!

I have them prepared on my iPad beforehand. I did the same last year for series 5

How is your iPad anyways?

OT: OHHEMMGEEE!!!!1!!one!
Budget totaly well spent on going to America and filming this.
Also the ex-FBI guy is really good as he was in Battlestar Galactia.
Anyone who was in Battlestar Galatica is automatically good as an actor in my mind.

*has never seen Battlestar Galactica*
But he was still a great actor!

iPad is good by the way

Oh, he was an awesome skitzo lawyer character! With an imaginary cat!
Also I found a continuity error!

Spoiler

On the space suit there are two patches

Spoiler: One is, clearly, Apollo 11

Spoiler: The other, however, is the following

Which is from STS-6 a space shuttle mission decades after 1969

How do you know that?

You really don't know me that well Doctor

 

[Plinglebob]

Snipped again, sorry

While I agree with you completely, its something that I think just needs to be overlooked as I don't think a lot of people (especially the target audience of kids and parents) would pick up on it. People with a more casual attitude towards film/TV only really notice these tropes when pointed out in retrospect so it probably was a shock for most people. I was also tempted to bring up the double subversion arguement but I couldn't make myself believe it.

 

[Sam G]

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed that. The way the episode played out, it felt to me like the first part of a series-ender than the first episode of a new season...

Personal favourite lines of the episode were these (not the exact lines, but they were along these lines):

"I'm being very clever up here, and no-one's standing around looking impressed! What's the point of even having you all?"

"I just teleported in here in a big blue box and overheard your whole conversation without either of you noticing; you can't just shoot me!"
"They're American!"
"Oh my God, don't shoot!"

The silence reminds me of slenderman.

That's actually the first thing I thought when I saw them, which got me to thinking; would the Doctor be able to beat the Slender Man? He doesn't appear to have any weaknesses whatsoever, but the Doctor's whole power is finding non-existent weaknesses and defeating unbeatable foes, so if anyone stood a chance it'd be him... that's a fight I'd quite like to see, actually.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

It was ok for the most part. Although I had a few gripes.

The silence or whatever they are, are just the weeping angels but with memory wipes. Bit of a lazy idea just to make them creepy. Also a bit to much like 'the Gentlemen' from Buffy.

The new fad of the Doctor interfering in his own timeline is always irritating and something DW fans know he cannot do. River Song is also becoming like the TV show Lost, a character whom they haven't written a reasonable ending or explanation for yet but keep dragging out until they do.

Matt Smith was watchable as always but for an opener to a second series it could've been alot better.

Wait, what? Of course they've written River Song's ending; it was in 'Silence In The Library'. That's the interesting thing about her; we already know that she's going to die, and when.

Yes you are right. I don't remember much of the T.Davies era schlock.

Even so a reasonable explanation for who she is or a point for her appearing in all these episodes needs to happen and I don't think they've come up with anything satisfying as of yet.

She can say 'spoilers' as much as she sodding wants but the fact is there is probably nothing worth spoiling.

Fair point. But this is apparently the series in which everything she has hinted about is outed. If you're hungry for answers, you'll definitely get them soon. Just keep your fingers crossed that it'll have been worth the wait.

 

[DragonsAteMyMarbles]

eeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
*ahem*
<spoiler=For those of you who watched the trailer for next week>Anyone else think those skin markings were reminiscent of Toby from the episodes with the Beast? Possession or something?

 

[Plinglebob]

It was ok for the most part. Although I had a few gripes.

The silence or whatever they are, are just the weeping angels but with memory wipes. Bit of a lazy idea just to make them creepy. Also a bit to much like 'the Gentlemen' from Buffy.

The new fad of the Doctor interfering in his own timeline is always irritating and something DW fans know he cannot do. River Song is also becoming like the TV show Lost, a character whom they haven't written a reasonable ending or explanation for yet but keep dragging out until they do.

Matt Smith was watchable as always but for an opener to a second series it could've been alot better.

Wait, what? Of course they've written River Song's ending; it was in 'Silence In The Library'. That's the interesting thing about her; we already know that she's going to die, and when.

Yes you are right. I don't remember much of the T.Davies era schlock.

Even so a reasonable explanation for who she is or a point for her appearing in all these episodes needs to happen and I don't think they've come up with anything satisfying as of yet.

She can say 'spoilers' as much as she sodding wants but the fact is there is probably nothing worth spoiling.

Personally, there's a small part of me which hopes the revelation of who she is IS anti-climactic. Everything you see her do and the air of mystery built up around her makes you assume that she was originally some really important person who the Doctor found, but it would be much nicer if it turns out she just stumbled into him one day like every other companion we see just as a reminder that just because you arn't particularly special or noteworthy now, that doesn't mean you won't be in the future.

 

[TimeLord]

"I'm being very clever up here, and no-one's standing around looking impressed! What's the point of even having you all?"

"I just teleported in here in a big blue box and overheard your whole conversation without either of you noticing; you can't just shoot me!"
"They're American!"
"Oh my God, don't shoot!"

They did make me giggle. I also liked "Just popped out to get my special straw, it adds more fizz"

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Snipped again, sorry

While I agree with you completely, its something that I think just needs to be overlooked as I don't think a lot of people (especially the target audience of kids and parents) would pick up on it. People with a more casual attitude towards film/TV only really notice these tropes when pointed out in retrospect so it probably was a shock for most people. I was also tempted to bring up the double subversion arguement but I couldn't make myself believe it.

Well that is a fair point, but my two counter-points are:

1. My mother, who barely watches TV (basically like me show watches Doctor Who and occasionally Midsomer Murders), looked over to me as they were on the beach and said 'So the Doctor's going to have his regeneration cut short isn't he?' And believe me, if my mother can guess what was going to happen, there will be other people who can.

2. Doctor Who used to be good at subverting things people didn't even know were there to be subverted. It was what made it such a great show, you could watch it as a trope-head continuity obssessed mega-nerd and it would satisfy and shock and surprise you, or you could watch it as a member of the ordinary public and it would etc. Again, remember the fakeout regeneration from the end of the Fourth Season with Donna? Absolutely nobody saw that coming, even if they thought they had all the knowledge of tropes in the world.

So it just disappointed me to see them resorting to such a played out scenario. Because also, as everyone, nerd or not, knows. They won't cancel Doctor Who until they can no longer wring money out of it, so consequently all damage done to the Doctor means nothing. We know he can't possibly be eternally dead, because once Matt Smith wants to leave they'd have to get a new Doctor, which would immediately invalidate the death on the beach scene, since it's MS's Doctor who dies there, not whoever follows him. This is why previous Seasons did harm to his companions and when he was regenerating, but never 'total death' harm. Because no one will ever buy it so it has no emotional impact. It would in fact have been better on every single count if Matt Smith's Doctor had just regenerated normally then.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Well that is a fair point, but my two counter-points are:

1. My mother, who barely watches TV (basically like me show watches Doctor Who and occasionally Midsomer Murders), looked over to me as they were on the beach and said 'So the Doctor's going to have his regeneration cut short isn't he?' And believe me, if my mother can guess what was going to happen, there will be other people who can.

Well that and we know he's not leaving the show yet.

 

[TimeLord]

Snipped again, sorry

While I agree with you completely, its something that I think just needs to be overlooked as I don't think a lot of people (especially the target audience of kids and parents) would pick up on it. People with a more casual attitude towards film/TV only really notice these tropes when pointed out in retrospect so it probably was a shock for most people. I was also tempted to bring up the double subversion arguement but I couldn't make myself believe it.

Well that is a fair point, but my two counter-points are:

1. My mother, who barely watches TV (basically like me show watches Doctor Who and occasionally Midsomer Murders), looked over to me as they were on the beach and said 'So the Doctor's going to have his regeneration cut short isn't he?' And believe me, if my mother can guess what was going to happen, there will be other people who can.

2. Doctor Who used to be good at subverting things people didn't even know were there to be subverted. It was what made it such a great show, you could watch it as a trope-head continuity obssessed mega-nerd and it would satisfy and shock and surprise you, or you could watch it as a member of the ordinary public and it would etc. Again, remember the fakeout regeneration from the end of the Fourth Season with Donna? Absolutely nobody saw that coming, even if they thought they had all the knowledge of tropes in the world.

So it just disappointed me to see them resorting to such a played out scenario. Because also, as everyone, nerd or not, knows. They won't cancel Doctor Who until they can no longer wring money out of it, so consequently all damage done to the Doctor means nothing. We know he can't possibly be eternally dead, because once Matt Smith wants to leave they'd have to get a new Doctor, which would immediately invalidate the death on the beach scene, since it's MS's Doctor who dies there, not whoever follows him. This is why previous Seasons did harm to his companions and when he was regenerating, but never 'total death' harm. Because no one will ever buy it so it has no emotional impact. It would in fact have been better on every single count if Matt Smith's Doctor had just regenerated normally then.

It's not the fact that he died. Everyone knew he would come back. It's how they brought him back, that it was a future version of the current Doctor and our Doctor just walked through the door while they are mourning him.

 

[Chrono212]

Wait...if they 'kill' him in this episode, they didn't need to retcon the limit of 13 regenerations :/

 

[Plinglebob]

So it just disappointed me to see them resorting to such a played out scenario. Because also, as everyone, nerd or not, knows. They won't cancel Doctor Who until they can no longer wring money out of it, so consequently all damage done to the Doctor means nothing. We know he can't possibly be eternally dead, because once Matt Smith wants to leave they'd have to get a new Doctor, which would immediately invalidate the death on the beach scene, since it's MS's Doctor who dies there, not whoever follows him. This is why previous Seasons did harm to his companions and when he was regenerating, but never 'total death' harm. Because no one will ever buy it so it has no emotional impact. It would in fact have been better on every single count if Matt Smith's Doctor had just regenerated normally then.

While I agree, there is something else. One of the things that, I believe, has helped Dr Who stay popular (and the main reason I like it) is that you know by the end of the episode/two parter/series, status quo will be restored and everyone will be alive and flying off to do something else. The entire point of something like the Doctor getting shot or a companion being in trouble isn't the fear of them dying, but in the tension and curiosity of how the Doctor will solve it this time.

The problem with this episode is that the journey to find out who did it and why wasn't interesting or engaging.

 

[FinalDream]

Wait...if they 'kill' him in this episode, they didn't need to retcon the limit of 13 regenerations :/

They already have!

Edit sorry quoted wrong post!

 

[SomeBoredGuy]

Loved the episode, it somehow managed to be both more dark and more light-hearted at the same time. Don't ask me how.

Oh, and I'm noticing a lot of people saying that the silence (as they're apparently called) are like "the slender man". Can I ask what the hell this is?

 

[TimeLord]

Wait...if they 'kill' him in this episode, they didn't need to retcon the limit of 13 regenerations :/

How'd you work that one out?

 

[Chrono212]

Wait...if they 'kill' him in this episode, they didn't need to retcon the limit of 13 regenerations :/

They already have!

Edit sorry quoted wrong post!

They Retconed a retcon?

Retception

 

[Davey Woo]

The be-suited Alien was pretty cool. Sure he has a melty face, but a guy can still look classy, right?

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Snipped again, sorry

While I agree with you completely, its something that I think just needs to be overlooked as I don't think a lot of people (especially the target audience of kids and parents) would pick up on it. People with a more casual attitude towards film/TV only really notice these tropes when pointed out in retrospect so it probably was a shock for most people. I was also tempted to bring up the double subversion arguement but I couldn't make myself believe it.

snip.

It's not the fact that he died. Everyone knew he would come back. It's how they brought him back, that it was a future version of the current Doctor and our Doctor just walked through the door while they are mourning him.

I'm gonna come back to my 'cliche' stamp again. River holds up the fourth envelope 'Who would the Doctor trust more than anyone in the whole world?'

I can't have been the only one rolling my eyes and asking "So is the Doctor going to be waiting outside or will he just walk through the door?" It had no emotional impact at all. Also, see previous points about how the permanent death of the Doctor will never ever happen, thus there is no tension from that moment, which makes the overwrought characters seem like a cynical attempt to tug our heartstrings instead of genuine tugging like Tenant's exit.

TVTropes calls it 'Like You Really Would.' And the moment that the episode opened with something that fit the mold of that trope perfectly, it pretty much sets the tone of the whole proceedings.