Closing Time, short thoughts and a thought on the Confidential

[eve11]

I liked that. Liked the chance to see the Doctor being all investigator-y and confronting aliens and stuff. Hasn't been much call for that lately, and I missed it. It was cool because it was more of an Old School feel but Mr. Smith pulled it off very well. And yes, there was Craig, and a baby and a Papoose. Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, ha!

Also, also. I literally paused the episode when they sealed Craig inside the cybershell because, if they were gonna kill him right there, I didn't think I wanted to watch. And I honestly didn't know whether or not Craig would live. And it was ridiculously cheesy how they resolved it but way better than the dark alternative.

Maybe at some point I will write up further thoughts than that. But right now I'm just all glad to have a right rollicking adventure. Also the Confidential was too much fun.

But anyway, here's a quote from Moffat from the end of the confidential: "There we are, everything you thought was gonna be the case, probably is. It was River in the space suit--ah, there's two of her at the beach but hey, it's a time travel show, that's easy enough for us. River is off to kill the Doctor as we've sort of known ever since we heard those lines in Flesh and Stone all that time ago. We've sort of known that the best man River's ever known was bound to be the Doctor. So. She's off to kill the Doctor."

Why do I Not Believe You, Mr. evil Executive Producer? I have a feeling that things may not quite be as cut and dry as that. I mean, yes, okay, there is the slight chance that Steven Moffat is being completely straight with us. But I can't help thinking of the trope that hasn't come up quite yet... the "switcheroo". The part at the start of "The Big Bang" where the Pandorica opens and of course the Doctor's inside, you just saw him be put inside and then the universe exploded... and then out of left freaking field, there's Amy Pond in the box. I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but neither would I be surprised if there is something else going on here...

Comments

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I loved Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, and how at the end he prefers Alfie. And Eleven's awkward air kisses have grown oddly endearing over time. And I'll never not love Craig Owens. It was a fun episode. But my question is, how did the Doctor know, to the day in his own timeline, when to go to Lake Silence? I get that we know the Earth date and roughly how old he was, but to the day? Did I miss something, or was that just something we're supposed to accept?

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

In Let's Kill Hitler, after Amy had Robot-Amy open up the records for the Doctor and River Song, somehow the Doctor downloaded the information into the TARDIS.

It's just a few seconds at the end of the episode where we see the screen that gives the date and time and place, but he switches it off as Amy and Rory come up saying "oh, just stuff downloaded, nothing important." Blah blah.

P.S. I loved Stormegeddon too.

[eve11]

Right but i think the question is, why in all his timey-wimey travels did he decide that "tomorrow" was the day he had to go? Other than he'd put it off for way too long. I think that at any point in those intervening years he could have said, "Okay, time to go meet my death" but didn't. Or it could be that he was doing some more research we weren't privy to. I'm not sure.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Exactly. How did he know, to the day, in his personal timeline, when it was time to go to Lake Silence. I'm guessing it was research we weren't privy to, but I want to know where he got it from.

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

I loved it too! Matt Smith is absolutely adorable with babies.

But yes, he couldn't help himself investigating. And working in a shop! Oh, Doctor.

Stormageddon!

I didn't see the Confidential, but yeah, I'm suspicious too because I am STILL worried about Rory. Although I think the Doctor may have a way out with maybe the Doctor is dead but it's a Flesh Doctor. It would be very Doctor-ish to use patch lady's own trick against her, right?

[bexxa.livejournal.com]

I want to know how he goes from 900-ish years old in the first ep of the season to the 1100-ish he says he is when he meets up with Amy and Rory in Utah now.

And I'll be highly irritated if Ganger!Doctor isn't involved, somehow.

[eve11]

Yeah it looks like that stretch of time is just going to be glossed over in the bits and pieces we saw at the beginning of the series.

And I'll be highly irritated if Ganger!Doctor isn't involved, somehow.

Heh, then one of us is going to be highly irritated at the end of this series, because I'll be highly irritated if he is ;)

[bexxa.livejournal.com]

And yet again we find ourselves on opposing sides regarding desired outcomes! ;)

[eve11]

LOL...

[clocketpatch]

I am so scared for Rory right now...

[eve11]

Oh I hope you are wrong. I hope I hope.

[rabswom.livejournal.com]

What do you all think is going to happen to Rory?

And is next week the season finale?

[eve11]

Some folks are concerned that a possible switcheroo is that the "Good man" River ends up killing isn't the Doctor at all but is Rory.

Next week is indeed the finale. The Doctor's date with death approaches!

[rabswom.livejournal.com]

Oh, they're not allowed to kill Rory again.

[eve11]

Tell that to the Moff! :D

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Are the confidentials just commentaries? Am I missing anything by not watching them?

And, YES with Craig. I mean, it worked since they were all "erasing emotion" and the Doctor was telling him to focus hard on keeping an emotion, and right now that response to Stormy crying would be huge, so cheese is okay :)

[eve11]

The Confidentials are behind-the-scenes shows that are aired right after the episodes are broadcast. So they talk about special effects, show some of the production stuff, costumes, etc, and show the actors and folks goofing off in the sidelines. They are pretty fun, though I think that they have been scrimping a bit for content since they went from 30 minutes to 45.

Cheese is very good. Remember, last time the Doctor got together with craig, they destroyed a spaceship with Craig's love for Sophie, so this is basically par for the course. :D

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

I adored this episode. They balanced the hilarity, the mundane actions of a life in the present with the dark edge of what seems to be coming at them all. Had the same horrified response to Craig in the cybershell.....a thousand times no to that every happening. Which means they've allowed that character to be wonderfully real in ways that matter and count.

As for Moffat, he's very very good at what he does...I am preparing to be astonished. ;)

[westwindschild.livejournal.com]

I loved the episode, but the timeline is seriously messing with my head. Are we to take it that the Doctor has been "knocking about on my own for a while" for 200 years, and just now returned to present day on purpose to die?. Liked the little cameo with Amy and Rory, and that the perfume is called Petrichor.

And River has not seen him since Let's Kill Hitler and now she's going to kill him for real? What happened to all that history she had with the Doctor? Unless Moffat pulls something amazing out of his sleeve, looks like the Doctor is gonna miss the big romance of his life. Of course, unless Moffat pulls something tricky out of his sleeve the next season and the big 50th anniversary are gonna be somewhat Doctorless. Guess I'll just keep an open mind and wait to see (I hate having to wait!)

[eve11]

Well, I think that River's timeline isn't exactly backward linear. So it doesn't matter where they are in any current adventure; they could still have any number of adventures in the intervening time. They would just have to synch their diaries and make sure they didn't talk about things that hadn't happened for the other one yet.

I'm thinking that maybe in those 200 years he dropped by on River from time to time, probably mostly when she was still in Stormcage.