'The Big Bang' thoughts

[john_amend_all]

I liked this an awful lot.

I think a lot of this is because I didn't know what was going to happen. For the last few series, RTD wrote pretty much the same thing every time a season finale (or equivalent) was required. The Big Bad (it doesn't matter what name is slapped on them, they all behave the same way) shows up, rolls over all resistance, puts a cunning plan into motion to conquer and/or destroy either the world or the Universe, and is just about to flatten the Doctor when the day is saved by Rose, Martha, Donna or the Master, usually with godlike power being involved. (It may not be a coincidence that my favourite of RTD's finales is Doomsday, and in that one the Daleks and Cybermen are actually disposed of by the Doctor, and none of the heroes glows or flies around).

This time, things are different. The Universe actually gets destroyed (which, of course, means we have yet another catch-all explanation for continuity errors: any discrepancies are as the result of the reboot). Despite the timeline unravelling around the protagonists' ears, effects still have, y'know, causes rather than happening because of the Rule of Cool. The unstoppable alliance of villains manage to retcon themselves out of existence before the opening credits of episode 13 (save for the stone Daleks, which, I fear, were mainly there as padding). The problem is solved without anyone taking on inexplicable powers or turning into glowy angels. And rather than the resolution being all over in a trice (RTD presumably aiming at eucatastrophe) there's a gradual buildup, and then it goes off in all sorts of strange timey-wimey directions.

This finale managed to answer one of my questions from the first episode: whatever did Amelia's aunt say when she got back to find Amelia sitting outside on a suitcase? Now we know she didn't: the Doctor came back to bring her inside and tucked her up in bed. Awww. In the Confidential, Moffat makes it quite clear that the Doctor knew exactly what he was doing telling Amelia about the TARDIS in terms that she couldn't help remembering on her wedding day. I liked seeing that side of him show — the one that isn't afraid to manipulate his companions in a good cause, no drumbeats required.

River seems to be getting less annoying, though that may be (a) me getting used to her, and (b) as the Doctor finds out more about her, she doesn't get to be effortlessly superior all the time. Though if I hear her say 'yes' again it'll be too soon. Sir Humphrey Appleby or Kosh Naranek can pull that off. River, not so much.

I do find myself wondering how much Amy and Rory remember by the end. In particular, trying to work out how much of Rory's timeline he can reasonably be expected to recall gives me a headache. Likewise how much of the preceding 30 seasons can still be deemed to have happened. Since A and R both saw the images of all eleven Doctors in The Eleventh Hour, and River claims to have pictures of all of them as well, it's reasonable to assume that Eleven is still Eleven and not the One and Only. But if things Amy remembers are brought back, are things she didn't remember (Journey's End, The Next Doctor) gone for good?

And we never found out about those ducks. I presume they fell through a crack in the pond — unless they're going to be the Big Bad for the next season. In the meantime, Egyptian goddesses (I can haz Osirans plz?) on the Orient Express! In space!

I can hardly wait.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

I liked this an awful lot.

Me, too. :-)

You make some good points there. *nods*

Heh, yes, some good questions also! And I have to say, yes, murder on the Orient Express in space, with Egyptian mythology stuffs (Osirans?) will make it hard to wait. It actually sounds like the sort of fanfic idea we'd throw around between us - and, wait, they're making it? Or was that only a tease...?

[john_amend_all]

It actually sounds like the sort of fanfic idea we'd throw around between us

"So," Rory said, looking nervously around the circle of toddlers and wishing he still had a blaster, so to speak, up his sleeve. "What sort of story do you want?"

"I want somefing about an ancient evil," the little Seventh Doctor said.

"And a catgirl," baby Karra added.

"On a twain!"

"In space!"

"Wiv a murder!"

"All right, all right, settle down." Rory flicked through the storybook, wondering what on earth the book would manage to come up with. "Amy said this'd be good practice for when we have kids. Just what sort of family is she planning?"

[thisbluespirit]

:lol:

Sounds about right! :-D