6x03 The Curse of the Black Spot (Grading/Discussion) (SPOILERS!!)

[Slugboy]

The Doctor pretty clearly can't be held responsible for any of Amy's actions up until the end of Day of the Moon, which is the bulk of that time. Not to mention, at 5 months she should be visibly pregnant which she clearly is not. There doesn't even appear to be an actual fetus physically in her womb at present to be harmed by anything.

Not to mention that, if she were pregnant, a certain other female bodily function would most likely have been suspended, and I'm sure she would have noticed that (possibly its absence and then late occurrence is what prompted Amy to tell the Doctor "I'm pregnant" and then "I'm not pregnant").

Of course, that's a little hard to work into a show watched by children (and more importantly, the Daily Mail )

 

[wamdue]

Not to mention that, if she were pregnant, a certain other female bodily function would most likely have been suspended, and I'm sure she would have noticed that (possibly its absence and then late occurrence is what prompted Amy to tell the Doctor "I'm pregnant" and then "I'm not pregnant").

its never occured to me before, where do the female companions get their tampoms from?

 

[Photoman15]

There's a machine in the lady's room next to the swimming pool, right past the library and formal dining room.

 

[RevdKathy]

I assumed that since the inside of the TARDIS is outside of time etc, one's cycle kind of stopped. For that matter, most of the independent "feisty" ("She's different from anyone the Doctor has known before - independent and feisty!" like all the others) types who've been companions would be on the pill (certainly in the sixties and seventies)

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

I was disappointed...I actually do quite like a good pirate tale, so I was really looking forward to this one. One of the weakest episodes in quite awhile. Ah, well. It was worth a shot.

 

[tomalak301]

Ok, I'm going to ask a real stupid question but I think it deserves asking.

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long? Why couldn't the "Doctor" save everyone because, well, he's the "Doctor". Just what kind of "Doctor" is he?

6 seasons into this show, and I'm asking what the Doctor is? Either I haven't been paying attention or that final scene really rubbed me the wrong way. I probably chalk it up to not paying attention but might come across as really embarrassing. Decent episode, but the first two were better.

 

[ITL]

Ok, I'm going to ask a real stupid question but I think it deserves asking.

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long?

Because those who made the show wanted an Emotional Nearly Death Scene Twixt Man And Wife, that's why.

And damn cheesy it was too.

 

[Phily B]

I've decided I hate Steven Moffat Who.

 

[Starkers]

I've decided I'm starting to get annoyed by Moffat Who, but then I was often annoyed by RTD Who and was still able to enjoy it so the more things change...

 

[Deckerd]

Ok, I'm going to ask a real stupid question but I think it deserves asking.

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long?

Because those who made the show wanted an Emotional Nearly Death Scene Twixt Man And Wife, that's why.

And damn cheesy it was too.

There's nothing wrong with a bit of schmaltz. Children would have loved this episode - I think they deliberately did a Disney episode to counterbalance all the intricate stuff that's going on. The fact that they can change register so effortlessly is impressive. The filler eps in BSG, for instance, induced coma.

 

[ITL]

Ok, I'm going to ask a real stupid question but I think it deserves asking.

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long?

Because those who made the show wanted an Emotional Nearly Death Scene Twixt Man And Wife, that's why.

And damn cheesy it was too.

There's nothing wrong with a bit of schmaltz.

True, but this one was a bit too cheesy for me. YMMV, of course.

 

[DWF]

Ok, I'm going to ask a real stupid question but I think it deserves asking.

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long? Why couldn't the "Doctor" save everyone because, well, he's the "Doctor". Just what kind of "Doctor" is he?

6 seasons into this show, and I'm asking what the Doctor is? Either I haven't been paying attention or that final scene really rubbed me the wrong way. I probably chalk it up to not paying attention but might come across as really embarrassing. Decent episode, but the first two were better.

Not all doctors are MDs, River Song is also a doctor for that matter and here's what the second had to say about that.

The Doctor: I am not a student of human nature. I am a professor of a far wider academy of which human nature is merely a part.

 

[wamdue]

There's a machine in the lady's room next to the swimming pool, right past the library and formal dining room.

nice of the Doctor to keep that stocked up

 

[Winterwind]

I've decided I hate Steven Moffat Who.

I've decided I'm starting to get annoyed by Moffat Who, but then I was often annoyed by RTD Who and was still able to enjoy it so the more things change...

I've noticed on some other forums I pop by that that view is increasing. A fair number of people are of the opinion that Moffat's an arrogant ass trying to be clever just to prove he's clever.

I happen to agree with this sentiment and, while I never thought I'd say this... I almost miss that other guy... R2D2 or whatever his name was.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Here's the thing to keep in mind. For every good plot arc or characterization during the RTD years, there was a giant Cyberman robot destroying Victorian London. I enjoyed the Eccleston and Tennant years and RTD had a lot to do with that, but the criticism of him was vitriolic. It seems relatively similar here, they just picked a different aspect to criticize.

I'm going to go with people not being able to be happy. After all, the first two episodes were criticized for being too packed and complicated. This pirate episode was criticized for being too simple and boring. Is there a happy medium? Yes. Is it realistic for all episodes to be within such a narrow range? I'm going to say no.

 

[Starkers]

Here's the thing to keep in mind. For every good plot arc or characterization during the RTD years, there was a giant Cyberman robot destroying Victorian London. I enjoyed the Eccleston and Tennant years and RTD had a lot to do with that, but the criticism of him was vitriolic. It seems relatively similar here, they just picked a different aspect to criticize.

I'm going to go with people not being able to be happy. After all, the first two episodes were criticized for being too packed and complicated. This pirate episode was criticized for being too simple and boring. Is there a happy medium? Yes. Is it realistic for all episodes to be within such a narrow range? I'm going to say no.

I think you're right, and I'm aware enough to at least realise I'm doing it. Hell I could be show runner and I'd probably still be a bit picky!

I've been a big fan of Moffat's for years, whilst I never really took to RTD completely, but I'm trying to hold Moff to the same standards I held Russell T to, but I think what Josan says has some validity. I think Moffat is trying to be too clever by halves sometimes, and its fine in isolation, but building whole series spanning arcs around wibbly wobbbliness is asking for trouble imo. Is it as annoying as Doctor Dobby or giant Victorian robots, hell no, but that doesn't mean it isn't annoying...

And actually my critisisms of the curse of the black spot aren't about it being too simple or boring really, I just think it was a poorly thought out story that was far too similar to the Doctor dances at the end. And I dodn't think any show this well made should ever have such glaring continuity errors.

 

[Shatnertage]

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long? Why couldn't the "Doctor" save everyone because, well, he's the "Doctor". Just what kind of "Doctor" is he?

Because his doctorate was purely honorary.

This is one time, however, when Harry Sullivan would have been a great help, since he was only qualified to work on sailors.

 

[Count Zero]

Harry Smith? Or do you mean Harry Sullivan? Yeah, he would have come in very handy here. But he wouldn't have survived calling Amy 'old girl'.

 

[TigerOfDarkness]

Ok, I'm going to ask a real stupid question but I think it deserves asking.

Why doesn't the "Doctor" know basic CPR, especially interacting with humans for so long? Why couldn't the "Doctor" save everyone because, well, he's the "Doctor". Just what kind of "Doctor" is he?

He seemed to have considerable medical knowledge in The Empty Child IIRC.

 

[Count Zero]

He does have a lot of medical knowledge, but it's theoretical. I don't think it's unrealistic that he would leave CPR to someone else who he thinks is more apt.
But it annoys me that the sickbay in the TARDIS was totally forgotten (after it was used last season) and it was just declared the people on the ship were beyond help.
It was a bit of plotting-by-the-numbers, just like how people just generally stood there when the siren appeared and didn't try very hard to keep injured people from going to her.
There were some good ideas and moments hidden in this episode but it really should have received a thorough rewriting (or re-editing).