i rather wish it were saturday, now.

[falling_voices]

You know you've spent too much time in Sherlock Holmes fandom when you're writing a paper on Jan Smuts and all you keep writing is Jam Smut.

Especially when your civilization teacher loves the BBC shows and knows all about fandom.

This was a bit FAILy, self.

Re: Doctor Who.

Bit bulky, this episode. There were some really awesome things, and a lot of rather meh things, and a few good&bad things thrown in here and there, but overall I felt like I was really getting into it at times, and then completely thrown out of the loop at others. Which is a bit bothersome, when you're watching a DW episode at three in the morning, and you're already half-falling asleep.

So let's have a list! I like lists. Lists are cool.

• the headless monks were a frightening concept (ooh, that box) and rather horrible to look at, but there was something missing. The last battle was clearly supposed to be the Big Epic Fight against the massive villains, but it… rather didn't feel that way, possibly because they were totally new. We had some emotional attachment in regard to them, because of that soldier's husband who joined the ranks, etc — but I don't think it was quite enough for a mid-season finale.

• if this was the 'he'll raise higher than ever before and then fall so much lower' bit, it was frankly disappointing. I was expecting a lot more explosions. (Seriously, how awesome were the first five minutes? KA-BOOM. IN YOUR FACE. NOW TELL ME WHERE MY WIFE AND BABY ARE.)

• speaking of which, Rory was all the awesome in this episode. I know I keep saying that, but. Still fucking awesome, man.

• 'A crying Roman with a baby. Definitely cool.' Love this.

• I actually quite liked River in this! I'm pretty much on the fence about her; at times I think she's rather marvelous, at others she just annoys me, but this was a good moment for her. Her acting when she returned to the Stormcage, and then during the last few minutes, was pitch-perfect. Her conversation with Rory is much more touching once you know the ending, too — that's her dad she's talking to. She got to see her dad again on her birthday. My heart went doooown upon second viewing.

• I feel strangely validated by the final revelation, actually. It was my favourite theory — it makes the family relationships a bit… weird, considering Amy's crush on the Doctor and the Doctor smooching River and my whole OT3 liking for Amy/Rory/Doctor (in the hospital ward, tell me it's not there), and rewatching The Time Of Angels/Forest Of The Dead after this is going to be a very strange experience, but I like it nevertheless.

• the whole episode felt a bit anticlimactic, truth be told. I was expecting to be left completely flabbergasted by the end of it, possibly with a massive cliffhanger that would leave me hanging on the last few seconds, and then there was just… nothing. A revelation, to be sure. The episode was disappointing on that front.

• Rory and the Doctor's relationship seems to have shifted, somehow. They were alone together in the TARDIS for a whole month, and their antics together are different. Rory seems much less cowed by the Doctor as he was previously, and that's fairly lovely. It was high time we got level relationships on the good Team TARDIS.

• see, this: 'Oi. You. Get in here, now.' That's a beautiful little moment, Rory including the Doctor in their family life like this; it might have gone the way of jealousy and MAH CHILD MINE, but instead it went the way of Hey, you're family, so get your sweet arse back in there before I come over and drag you.

• The Doctor's crib! the Doctor's first stars! sweetest idea ever.

• 'Oh. Are you boys dressing up as Romans now? I thought nobody read my memos.' That's when I love you, River.

• 'I hope someday to meet you in the glory of battle, where I shall crush the life out of your worthless human form. John, get some rest.' BEST GOODBYE EVER. I was genuinely a bit teary just then.

• EPIC SILURIAN LESBIAN GIRLFRIENDS. All my love. All my love. Best thing in the whole damn episode.

 

That said, I'm rather looking forward to the weekend, now, despite the lack of Who — there are so many things I want to write, and Finals are getting in the way.

Comments

[maikichelorrain.livejournal.com]

Première personne que je croise qui n'est pas en admiration totale devant River. Dans mes bras (ceci dit, oui, à la fin de l'épisode, elle était parfaite :))
J'ai juste zieuté l'épisode et pas vraiment regarder (aka fond sonore pour éviter de trop me faire spoiler) mais Rory. Voilà. Rory owo. Et la fin était choupi (maintenant il faut que je revois tout pour tenter de tout comprendre ^^)

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

J'aime bien River. Je ne l'adore pas, je ne la deteste pas, je suis juste... il y a des moments où elle me tape sur les nerfs, mais ses moments de magnificence rattrapent ça. :D

RORY. OH RORY. Il est formidable dans cet episode. ♥

[shel-chan.livejournal.com]

/shades eyes
/still haven't seen the ep
/lol bawww
/useful comment is useful

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

Oh, do watch it. It's not the best amazing ever, but it's got some fantastic moments.

[katty008.livejournal.com]

* Oh, Rory!

* The look on River's face when she realizes who he is is so just slightly heartbroken. I've now got this scene playing in my head where Rory and Amy die and a younger River is bawling her eyes out and the Doctor is comforting her, all, "Shush, it'll be fine. You'll see them again some day," and this is that day.

* The Doctor is way too happy about Amy being his mother-in-law. 'Thrilled' is the only word that could possibly describe it.

* I am actually glad that there was no proper cliffie, mostly because if there was you simply know it would be a horrible cliffie and fandom's collective brain would explode before we got to see the next episode. Like Sherlock, only WORSE.

* Oh man, thinking about that crib must be so heartbreaking for the Doctor, because his kids and Susan must have slept in it as well, really. And then Amy just had to ask. But then a Time Baby slept in it again, or part Time Baby, and somehow things seem right.

* Only a Sontaran. Only a Sontaran.

* YESH. BEST CHARACTERS EVER. "HOWEVER DO YOU PUT UP WITH ME?" *TONGUE* *GRIN*

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

SO MUCH RORY. I really should stop. Also, your THUMP!macro is amazing, did I mention that?

Yessssss. 'Yes. Yes, we've met. Hello, Rory.' '... what's wrong?' 'Nothing. It's my birthday.' Second viewing: I cried like a baby. Well, figuratively, anyway.

Giddy, I'd say. I really like that moment; the '... hello.' 'Hello!' one, too, that was quite gorgeous.

THE CRIB. MAN. BEAUTIFUL WRITING RIGHT THERE.

I had such a Sherlock Holmes-outlook on that scene. I mean. 'Am I being insensitive again? I don't know how you put up with me, dear.' That? Holmes could have said that to Watson, hands down. And now I want a crossover. /headdesk

[katty008.livejournal.com]

Ooh, no you didn't! Thank you!

D'aaawwwww, River just wants to tell her dad about her wonderful birthday involving ice skating and Stevie Wonder.

The "Hello!" bit reminded me so much of the end of The Doctor's Wife. AND THAT CRIB. I agree SO MUCH, beautiful gorgeous writing.

YESSSS. "Holmes, do you mean to tell me that your new rival is not only a woman, but... a lizard?"

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

"Watson, this is fascinating! Madam, come back here so I can dissect question you. Yes, that's right. So many questions."

*long noise of swords being unsheathed*

[katty008.livejournal.com]

"Holmes, I don't think I've gotten to say this before, but... you're an idiot. A complete and utter moron. When you meet a talking lizard with swords who ate Jack the Ripper, you don't try to cut her up."

[tartancravat.livejournal.com]

Jam Smut: I bet somebody has done it. Somewhere out there, there is a fic where John uses jam as lube. I bet you anything.

Basically yes to all your bullet points.

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

Oh, there is. I've read some. I think.

:D to that.

[tartancravat.livejournal.com]

Hahahahah this fandom.

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

I ♥ it, man.

[ningen-demonai.livejournal.com]

i really really need to freakin' watch doctor who, sob.

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

Oh yes you do. Start with the new series!

[kim47.livejournal.com]

• Rory and the Doctor's relationship seems to have shifted, somehow. They were alone together in the TARDIS for a whole month, and their antics together are different. Rory seems much less cowed by the Doctor as he was previously, and that's fairly lovely. It was high time we got level relationships on the good Team TARDIS.

I have nothing further to add. I love this.

Also, I think everyone was expecting to get massively Moffucked (mindfucked by Moffat? No? Just me? Okay...) but the revelation turned out to be quite reasonable and what a lot of people had guessed. I'm totally fine with no cliffhangers, having been left on a hell of a one by Mark Gatiss for, oh, like 11 months now? :D

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

Not just you.

Yeah, it was a theory running around, and apparently it had leaked somewhere, but nobody knew whether it was true, or a fake, or just the Moff trolling us again. And I am actually fine with no Big Evil Cliffie, we've had enough of those already; but I was somewhat expecting more, you know?

[kim47.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I'm super curious about where the rest of the season's going to be like, and what River's identity means for it and possibly for the next season...

Anyway, good luck with finals!

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

Yessssss. So many questions. I'm not quite sure yet whether I actually like this season, and I think that's why — I just have no idea where it's going. I guess it's only by the end of it that I'll be able to make a definitive opinion. (Except for The Doctor's Wife, which was bloody wonderful.)

Ahah, thank you! ♥

ROOOOOOOORYYYYYYYYYYYY

[umbrellaracing.livejournal.com]

ahh our rory is growing up and becoming a BAMF, when did this happen, why are all the tissue boxes around me emptyyyy

also! re: including the doctor in the Pond family, yessss i was all warm inside ♥

on another note, i was a little weirded out that the doctor would blow up the cybermen just like that. and he let river go blam blam blam on all the silence in the second episode, so i guess he's gotten more ruthless? scary thought D:

i should really get into the sherlock fandom so i can keep up with your posts. STOP CHANGING FANDOMS SO FAST WOMAN, THEY AREN'T PANTS i mean whaaaat

also. finals. good luck ♥

LYLYYYYYYYYYY

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

What surprised me about the cybermen is that he blew them all up when they were just witnesses, and then he lets all the soldiers who captured Amy&Melody leave from Demon's Run without much of a fight. I mean. It doesn't make sense. The thing is, though, that he was always a bit ruthless. Only Ten really had this 'I never would' mentality. I don't necessarily like it, but I guess that's what River calls him out on at the end — the whole Doctor/Warrior parallel was a big focus of this episode, so I suppose the Moff knows that.

Re: Sherlock fandom, YES PLEASE. LYLY I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE SORT OF FIC YOU'D WRITE FOR IT. LYLYYYYYYYY. did you actually watch the show, i can't recall

Finals are halfway done. Breather. :D thanks, dear.

Re: LYLYYYYYYYYYY

[umbrellaracing.livejournal.com]

INORITE. inorite. ten did say, in his first episode, that he'd give 'no second chances' but eleven's like...not giving any chances D: and you're right about moffy. i wanna see where he takes this in the future, if he does.

re: fic, AHHHH FIC NO FIC this summer is too intense for fic. although knowing me i'll probably end up writing things anyway THERE IS NO ESCAPE T_T saw the first and last episode, should really get to watching the middle one...

oh good, glad to hear that. and after finals is no more uni, yes yes?

[falling-voices.livejournal.com]

Ten is a big hypocrite. He goes the 'OVER MY DEAD BODY' way, and then he just kills and kills and kills. The Waters Of Mars, The Runaway Bride, even, yeah, his very first episode. It would be interesting to see Eleven go off the deep end, though.

D: ah, well. But it's been so long, lyl.

Mmm, yes. o/ Although there is the whole 'let's prepare your master thesis for next year!' thing coming up, but I'll deal with that when I come to it...