Poll: The Big Bang -- America's Turn

[DAK]

Has the hat stand by the TARDIS door been there all season and I've missed it?

Yep. I remember spotting it in the very first DW Confidential episode and squeeing. It just doesn't get seen because its tucked out of the way, and there just haven't been that many scenes taking place by the Tardis entrance.

The Doctor hung Vincent's hat on it when they all entered the TARDIS.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I loved 90% of it. The last bit was a bit corny even compared to "Last of the Time Lords."

Really hoping Rory remembers some of his 2000 year long alternate life.

I was thinking he could become something like Picard, after being Locutus. Remembering things about the enemy from time to time.

 

[Worf2DS9]

Has the hat stand by the TARDIS door been there all season and I've missed it?

Yep. I remember spotting it in the very first DW Confidential episode and squeeing. It just doesn't get seen because its tucked out of the way, and there just haven't been that many scenes taking place by the Tardis entrance.

The Doctor hung Vincent's hat on it when they all entered the TARDIS.

Why all the giddyness over the hat rack? Ten had one near the door in his TARDIS. Or was that a coat rack?

 

[David cgc]

Well, exactly. Lots of Doctors had a hatstand near the door. It's one of the little things that makes it TARDISy.

 

[Shatnertage]

^^^ Yeah, I don't say that he's dethroned Tom Baker lightly, but Smith's really made the role his own in a way I haven't seen before, this early on. Over thirty years later, I feel like Davison, Colin Baker, and McCoy are just guys pretending to be the Doctor. That's my first impression, even though I like much of the stuff they've done.

I liked Tennant too, but there's something that just sets Smith apart.Smith just feels different to me. I'd have no problem showing one of his eps to a newbie and saying "This is as good as it gets."

Don't get me wrong--I'm still a huge fan of the original series, Mirka and all. But for whatever reason the show clicked more for me this season than it has in the past.

It's probably because like Tom Baker, Matt Smith can convincingly go from comic to serious and back again.

1001001--as soon as I have time, I'm going to make the Taran beast in my avatar a fez. Because fezzes are cool. Until they're laser-shotgunned or whatever.

 

[DAK]

I wouldn't have believed it if you'd have told me I'd say this a few months ago, but Matt Smith IS the doctor for me now, knocking good old Tom out of the #1 spot at last. He's just incredible. Like I said, I've been staying out of here and trying to read as little as possible about the show elsewhere to avoid spoilers, so I don't know what the rest of fandom thinks, but I'm looking forward to watching Smith in the role next season, and hopefully for quite a while after that.

I have a friend who said the same thing - Tom Baker was THE Doctor and nobody could ever possibly be better. All through Eccleston's and Tennant's reigns he held to that opinion. After "The Eleventh Hour" (yep, 1st episode!) he had this stunned goofy grin on his face and proclaimed that Tom Baker had just been knocked off his pedestal. Tom Baker was my favorite Doctor until Eccleston, and now Matt Smith is. I think he's absolutely amazing.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

We better stop all this gushing before it goes to Matt's head.

He might end up quitting early to go Hollywood.


He is pretty great though, but you didn't hear that from me.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

^IIRC, Matt Smith signed a 5 year contract when he signed on for the series. (Presumably, this was a measure to control costs, since David Tennant just kept getting more & more expensive every year and the BBC keeps wanting to cut the budget.)

While it was certainly a good episode, I'm disappointed that the alliance of villains disappeared from the story AND they didn't explain who/what caused the Tardis to explode.

Plus, I'm not sure how I feel about the Doctor being erased from existence and then Amy just remembering him back into life. Feels like a cheat. Also, the universe is "destroyed"... yet lives on for another two thousand years?

I'd say that "Pandorica Opens" was a better episode with a promise of huge things to come, and this didn't quite deliver. Still, good episode.

Agreed on all fronts here. I was disappointed that they weren't more thorough in tying up the loose ends regarding how the TARDIS exploded and who the "Silence will fall" voice is. I presume they're going to address that sometime next season but I feel like I've kinda been left hanging. It's a great episode in its own right. It's just not at all what I was expecting as a resolution to "The Pandorica Opens."

As for the universe lingering on for another 2000 years after it is destroyed, remember that the explosion occurs in 2010. Most of the episode is set in 1996.

I wonder since they rebooted the universe, if the Doctor got rebooted too. nu1st incarnation?

I wondered about that too. In fact, I wonder if this doesn't to some degree reboot everything about the Doctor that Amy didn't know about, i.e. the 12 regeneration limit.

And it'll be interesting to see both Amy & Rory continue in the TARDIS; has there ever been a married couple as Companions before?

No. But I'll bet you anything that Ian Chesterton & Barbara Wright tied the knot shortly after they left.

I'm really looking forward to that part of next season. I'm not a huge fan of Amy as a solo companion. But Amy/Rory?

Really hoping Rory remembers some of his 2000 year long alternate life.

I'd like that. After all, it's such a wonderful, romantic moment, totally contradicting Rory's ostensible persona as "the other one." But I really wanted Rory to stay an Auton. That would have been a unique twist for a companion. I don't think we've had a regular alien companion since... Turlough? Nyssa? We probably can't count Kameleon because he was only in a couple stories.

Matt Smith kicks ass! I can't say for sure if he's my favorite Doctor yet. But he's definately floating in the top 3 alongside Patrick Troughton & Tom Baker.

He totally blows David Tennant out of the water! Mr. Tennant, thank you thank you thank you for quitting!

Matt Smith embodies everything the Doctor should be. He conveys "old man" better than most of the older actors do. He's definately an alien. He's extremely personable and very funny but he never overdoes it. Compared to David Tennant, Matt Smith is the model of restraint, often playing a counterpoint to the overall scene. He demonstrates a deft hand over when to be loud & when to be quiet, when to be serious & when to throw in that tiny little sparkle that lets the audience know that it's all going to be all right. You empathize with him but he's not emotionally draining (even when the scripts still are from time to time).

I gotta admit, I was very skeptical of Matt Smith at the beginning. I wanted an older actor (much older, like John Hurt or Bill Nighy). Instead, here we have this kid who's only 22 days older than me with this rediculous haircut, wearing a suit that, in the early photos, looked more like a lanky 12 year old playing dress up. And yet, once you actually see him on screen, he absolutely owns the character. I never questioned the wardrobe after that, although the hair still took me some time to get used to. I won't say he totally had me in "The Eleventh Hour" (although the food montage is brilliant). It probably wasn't until "Vampires of Venice" that I was 100% sold. But he's always been good (except for perhaps at the end of "The End of Time"). And now, I expect at least another 4 years of him being great!

Oddly, with all of the emotional stuff going on in "The Big Bang," the moment that got the biggest reaction when my friends & I were watching the episode was when River destroyed the fez. Fezes are cool. In fact, any piece of wardrobe becomes cool once Matt Smith says it is.

 

[hadd001]

I loved the fact that they ended the season with questions that have to be answered ... the silence, what caused the Tardis explosion, who was controling it (since River lost control of it), etc. And it is great to have both Rory and Amy aboard. Together they make some of the best companions ... and Rory with his 2,000 years of experience ("I was plastic") should offer some good arguments with the doctor next season.

 

[DAK]

^IIRC, Matt Smith signed a 5 year contract when he signed on for the series. (Presumably, this was a measure to control costs, since David Tennant just kept getting more & more expensive every year and the BBC keeps wanting to cut the budget.)

I thought it was only for 3 years? 5 years would be even better though!

But I really wanted Rory to stay an Auton. That would have been a unique twist for a companion. I don't think we've had a regular alien companion since... Turlough? Nyssa? We probably can't count Kameleon because he was only in a couple stories.

I agree, Rory as an Auton would have been great! Especially given River's comment about swappable body parts.

Matt Smith kicks ass! I can't say for sure if he's my favorite Doctor yet. But he's definately floating in the top 3 alongside Patrick Troughton & Tom Baker.

He totally blows David Tennant out of the water! Mr. Tennant, thank you thank you thank you for quitting!

Oh yes, this!!!

Matt Smith embodies everything the Doctor should be. He conveys "old man" better than most of the older actors do. He's definately an alien. He's extremely personable and very funny but he never overdoes it. Compared to David Tennant, Matt Smith is the model of restraint, often playing a counterpoint to the overall scene. He demonstrates a deft hand over when to be loud & when to be quiet, when to be serious & when to throw in that tiny little sparkle that lets the audience know that it's all going to be all right. You empathize with him but he's not emotionally draining (even when the scripts still are from time to time).

So very well put. They were really lucky to get him before someone else discovered how talented he is.

Oddly, with all of the emotional stuff going on in "The Big Bang," the moment that got the biggest reaction when my friends & I were watching the episode was when River destroyed the fez. Fezes are cool. In fact, any piece of wardrobe becomes cool once Matt Smith says it is.

Eh, he can always buy a fez. They'd have to keep coming up with new and creative ways to destroy it.

 

[P0sitr0nic]

I loved 90% of it. The last bit was a bit corny even compared to "Last of the Time Lords."

Really hoping Rory remembers some of his 2000 year long alternate life.

I was thinking he could become something like Picard, after being Locutus. Remembering things about the enemy from time to time.

I just watched the wedding scene in the finale again, and one of thing things Rory says after "how did we forget the doctor" was "and I was plastic and..." So I do believe they remember the other timeline, and those events.

 

[Neroon]

And yes, I think it's time to dump the sombreros once and for all, and move on to Fez's in everyone's avatar.

Fez's are cool.

I support this most wise idea!

So very well put. They were really lucky to get him before someone else discovered how talented he is.

The very first think I had after reading this was RTD's gushing in "The Eleventh Doctor" special. His praise certainly seems born out.

 

[1001001]

1001001--as soon as I have time, I'm going to make the Taran beast in my avatar a fez. Because fezzes are cool. Until they're laser-shotgunned or whatever.

Me too.

Now, I just need to learn Photoshop from scratch, so.....

 

[Shatnertage]

1001001--as soon as I have time, I'm going to make the Taran beast in my avatar a fez. Because fezzes are cool. Until they're laser-shotgunned or whatever.

Me too.

Now, I just need to learn Photoshop from scratch, so.....

Well, I went and did it, at least as well as I could with my limited Photoshop skills. Is this the geekiest thing I've ever done? Quite likely, and that's saying a lot. I've crossed a line here.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

OK, I wanna get in on this.

At least I understand what the fez is all about.

 

[Electric Coleslaw]

I voted bring back Tennant although I think that’s a bit harsh. I was disappointed in the finale just because the previous episode was so jammed with stuff and the finale seemed to just reset everything with a la dee dah kind of attitude. I don’t know it seemed anti-climatic. I can’t change my vote but I’d give it a Meh plus or a Pretty Darn Good Minus if I could.

I did like that we were all right in that it was a different Doctor that comforted Amy when her eyes were closed. That takes some serious planning ahead for the writers. You don’t see that often.

 

[1001001]

1001001--as soon as I have time, I'm going to make the Taran beast in my avatar a fez. Because fezzes are cool. Until they're laser-shotgunned or whatever.

Me too.

Now, I just need to learn Photoshop from scratch, so.....

Well, I went and did it, at least as well as I could with my limited Photoshop skills. Is this the geekiest thing I've ever done? Quite likely, and that's saying a lot. I've crossed a line here.

It looks good!

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Something I didn't think about until just now. Thanks to his 2000 years of guarding the Pandorica, Rory is now twice as old as the Doctor!

I did like that we were all right in that it was a different Doctor that comforted Amy when her eyes were closed. That takes some serious planning ahead for the writers. You don’t see that often.

Not necessarily that much planning ahead. I know that the show often films stories way out of order. I don't know for sure about Season 5, but in Season 2, "Army of Ghosts"/"Doomsday" was filmed immediately after the "Rise of the Cybermen"/"The Age of Steel" 2-parter. The reason for that was because both 2-parters used a lot of the same guest stars (Mickey, Jackie, Pete, some of Mickey/Ricky's resistance group, not to mention all the Cybermen extras). The last story of the season often isn't filmed last. (IIRC, the last story filmed for Season 2 was "The Impossible Planet"/"The Satan Pit.") For all we know, "Time of the Angels"/"Flesh & Stone" was shot back to back with "The Pandorica Opens"/"The Big Bang." The real elaborate planning ahead probably would have involved all of the scenes at the beginning of "The Pandorica Opens" when they brought back Queen Elizabeth X, Vincent Van Gogh, Winston Churchill, & that scientist that turned out to be a robot in "Victory of the Daleks."

But 2 episodes that definately weren't shot back to back were "The Eleventh Hour" & "The Big Bang." There's some definite continuity glitches with young Amelia's hair.

Oddly, with all of the emotional stuff going on in "The Big Bang," the moment that got the biggest reaction when my friends & I were watching the episode was when River destroyed the fez. Fezes are cool. In fact, any piece of wardrobe becomes cool once Matt Smith says it is.

Eh, he can always buy a fez. They'd have to keep coming up with new and creative ways to destroy it.

That would be fun. It would kinda be like all the different ways that they killed Kenny on South Park, only less gory.

Or, perhaps the running gag next season should be that the Doctor has a different hat in each episode.

BTW, one of the other 11th Doctor fashion quirks that I love is when he wears sunglasses. It's like he's trying to look like a badass but he just can't because, well, he's wearing a tweed suit & a bow tie.

 

[Shatnertage]

Me too.

Now, I just need to learn Photoshop from scratch, so.....

Well, I went and did it, at least as well as I could with my limited Photoshop skills. Is this the geekiest thing I've ever done? Quite likely, and that's saying a lot. I've crossed a line here.

It looks good!

Thanks. Fezzes are cool!

 

[Rowan Sjet]

Something I didn't think about until just now. Thanks to his 2000 years of guarding the Pandorica, Rory is now twice as old as the Doctor!

Twice as old as the Doctor says he is.

Not necessarily that much planning ahead ... For all we know, "Time of the Angels"/"Flesh & Stone" was shot back to back with "The Pandorica Opens"/"The Big Bang."

Actually, the Angels two-parter was the first to be filmed, with the finale close to last, only "Amy's Choice" and "The Lodger" succeeding it. You can see the production order down the far right here.

The real elaborate planning ahead probably would have involved all of the scenes at the beginning of "The Pandorica Opens" when they brought back Queen Elizabeth X, Vincent Van Gogh, Winston Churchill, & that scientist that turned out to be a robot in "Victory of the Daleks."

Yes, I'm not sure if we've got anything definitive about how this was filmed, whether all the actors came back to shoot these small scenes for the finale or if they were all taken during the episodes the characters featured in.

BTW, one of the other 11th Doctor fashion quirks that I love is when he wears sunglasses. It's like he's trying to look like a badass but he just can't because, well, he's wearing a tweed suit & a bow tie.

Aw, c'mon now, he's rocking the look!