7X03 A Town Called Mercy (Grading/Discussion) (SPOILERS!)

[DWF]

Bob the Skutter wrote:

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Who says he didn't take her name rather than the other way around?

She signed her name on the divorce papers as Williams not Pond, for one thing.

[The Mirrorball Man]

Both of them are named Williams and are collectively knows as the Ponds.

[DWF]

The Mirrorball Man wrote:

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Both of them are named Williams and are collectively knows as the Ponds.

Even if that were true, Rory's dad isn't a Pond for that matter.

[Steve Mollmann]

This was my favorite of the current season so far. Well shot, with some good music. Adrian what'shisface was excellent as the Other Doctor; a lesser actor could have easily sunk that role. Matt Smith is on fire.

[The Mirrorball Man]

DWF wrote:

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Even if that were true, Rory's dad isn't a Pond for that matter.

Yes he is. He belongs to the Pond tribe. He is a Pond. Amy, Rory, Brian, River, the Doctor: they're all Ponds.

[Bob The Skutter]

DWF wrote:

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She signed her name on the divorce papers as Williams not Pond, for one thing.

Ah, didn't pay that much attention but fair enough.

[chardman]

DWF wrote:

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While we're at it can not call them the Ponds since they are the Williams'?

They are? Funny, when the Doctor first called him Mr Pond, Rory protested only mildly, then totally acquiesced to the title.

And these days, it's not at all that uncommon for the man to take his wife's name. I personally know two couples who've done this, and know of several others. And hypenated last names are making a big come-back, with not just the woman hyphenating her name, but the husband as well.

My wife and I both hyphenated our last names. And while it's traditional for the husband's name to take the final and dominant position in a hyphenated name, I know couples who are exceptions to that rule. There's a fairly well known fantasy artist named Randy Asphlund, who used to be known as Randy Asphlund-Faithe, when he opted to append his then wife's surname to his own. (They both thought it rolled off the tongue a bit easier than the inverse).

The point is that there's next to nothing in the series to establish that Amy and Rory have ultimately opted to use Williams as their official surname, while it's been repeatedly established that they both have embraced the surname "Pond", to the extent that they both refer to their child as Melody Pond, rather than Melody Williams.

[ITL]

"Come along, Williamses!" doesn't have the same ring as "Come along, Ponds!".

As for this episode...hmmm. Third boring-but-not-awful episode in a row. Pretty indifferent to this season so far. Hopefully things will improve.

[Photoman15]

intrinsical wrote:

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Rory did say "No, no! I'm not a Pond."

No, actually, Brian Williams said that.

[DWF]

chardman wrote:

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They are? Funny, when the Doctor first called him Mr Pond, Rory protested only mildly, then totally acquiesced to the title.

And these days, it's not at all that uncommon for the man to take his wife's name. I personally know two couples who've done this, and know of several others. And hypenated last names are making a big come-back, with not just the woman hyphenating her name, but the husband as well.

My wife and I both hyphenated our last names. And while it's traditional for the husband's name to take the final and dominant position in a hyphenated name, I know couples who are exceptions to that rule. There's a fairly well known fantasy artist named Randy Asphlund, who used to be known as Randy Asphlund-Faithe, when he opted to append his then wife's surname to his own. (They both thought it rolled off the tongue a bit easier than the inverse).

The point is that there's next to nothing in the series to establish that Amy and Rory have ultimately opted to use Williams as their official surname, while it's been repeatedly established that they both have embraced the surname "Pond", to the extent that they both refer to their child as Melody Pond, rather than Melody Williams.

Amy signed her name as Williams on her divorce paper, you can't get too much morer official than that. Amy Williams is her legal name, Rory didn't take her name. The Doctor even told Amy in The God Complex that her name is Amelia Williams and it was time her her to grow up.

[Saul]

So something is up with the Doctor. Is it possible he is meeting the ponds out of order and already knows their fate which is why he is acting this way or is it edging to the whole Valeyard thing.

Not a great episode. An ok talky episode. Haven't been that impressed with Who these last few episodes. Next week looks more interesting.

[Aldo]

DWF wrote:

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Even if that were true, Rory's dad isn't a Pond for that matter.

Why is it important to you what other people call fictional characters?

[Mister Fandango]

Considering how they've completely ignored the Dalek nanocloud, it's probably related to that.

[d'Anconia]

I have only skimmed through this thread, so I don't know if this has been covered yet.,

but is it possible that the gun-shot hole in the Stetson might be a reference to the Impossible Astronaut, in which River Song shoots through his stetson with a gun. Could it be the same hat?

[Samurai8472]

Another "Christmas list" hint

I wonder if when we get to the Christmas special the doctor will say

"I didn't not ask for a companion on my Christmas list!"

Masaka wrote:

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I have only skimmed through this thread, so I don't know if this has been covered yet.,

but is it possible that the gun-shot hole in the Stetson might be a reference to the Impossible Astronaut, in which River Song shoots through his stetson with a gun. Could it be the same hat?

The Doctor got his Stetson in "Closing Time" from Craig