32X13 The Wedding of River Song (Grading/Discussion) SPOILERS

[The Mirrorball Man]

Try this exercise. Imagine that River never changed the fixed point in time and that all time happening at once thing just didn't happen. What would happen then?

And imagine that Hamlet's father never died! There would be no play! And what does it prove? Nothing, really, right?

 

[Sindatur]

I voted "good" the first time I have no voted excellent to a series finale but just because it wasn't quite as epic as I hoped and I really feel Moffat could of made a 2 parter out of the story.

Noooo! This story was padded as it was. Did you not recognize the fact that the time all happening at once was just padding to fill out the story? The visuals were there to distract you, and apparently it worked!

Try this exercise. Imagine that River never changed the fixed point in time and that all time happening at once thing just didn't happen. What would happen then? Well, the Doctor would've been enveloped by the Teselecta as he planned and the rest would've happened as it did.

That part of the story was just their to look pretty and fill up time! Yeah, we did learn about the purpose of the eyepatches in there and Amy had her significant moment, but there could've been other ways to do that if they didn't have the need to run out the clock.

I thought the episode was alright. Entertaining. But, it didn't need to be longer.

Mr Awe

Eh...I thought it was a great twist, that River was able to circumvent her programming and screw up time. And...because she loved him so much, she was willing to rip the Universe apart, so she wouldn't have to kill him. I don't see that as padding, I see that as a heart wrenching emotional plot line, that cemented her love for all the more.

We knew the Doctor wouldn't actually die, we knew the "Get Outta Death Card" would likely be the Tesselecta, The Ganger or some other kind of Alternate, the question was which one, but, there wouldn't really be a twist there. The twist comes from River's actions.

 

[Mr Awe]

Try this exercise. Imagine that River never changed the fixed point in time and that all time happening at once thing just didn't happen. What would happen then?

And imagine that Hamlet's father never died! There would be no play! And what does it prove? Nothing, really, right?

Nope, totally different situations. I'm just saying they padded out the story. There was enough story to fill an episode so they filled it out with some visuals, for which they needed an excuse.

Mr Awe

 

[Jax]

The episode scored an 87 in the AI BBC index and the final numbers will probably settle around 7 million (expect big I player numbers too). Even on here our poll has around 80% good or excellent grades.

I guess Moffat is still doing a good job

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Nope, totally different situations. I'm just saying they padded out the story. There was enough story to fill an episode so they filled it out with some visuals, for which they needed an excuse.

Yes, that's what you keep saying. My point is that what you call "visuals", I'm calling "a story".

 

[Theodore Jay Miller]

Something that I was curious about thinking about this episode after two hours (or there abouts) was the scene where he was about to regenerate and then get's show again. Do Robots regenerate? I know one can't regenerate into the opposite sex, but it seems to me that that would be a bit difficult for a robotic doctor to regenerate, even if it was a good duplicate.

I assume the Tesselecta just did a light show to look like the Doctor was regenerating.

Actually, since it's a shapechanging robot, if it could cover up the tesselating effect it could fake the entire regeneration, taking on some new appearance.

 

[MacLeod]

^ Women don't have to adopt their husbands name you know. As for the fixed death, how do we know the Doctor actually ever did die in the original timeline maybe it always played out this way.

And also from the S6 finale, the Docotr is talking to Rory and says something along the lines of "it's Mr and Mrs. Pond", to which he reply "yeah it is". Admitley it did seem a bit half hearted.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I voted "good" the first time I have no voted excellent to a series finale but just because it wasn't quite as epic as I hoped and I really feel Moffat could of made a 2 parter out of the story.

Noooo! This story was padded as it was. Did you not recognize the fact that the time all happening at once was just padding to fill out the story? The visuals were there to distract you, and apparently it worked!

No, it was there to provide the drama of the story. Your argument could work for any story that begins and ends at the same point, but it would be just as nonsensical. Imagine, in Gulliver's Travels that he never left. Was everything else just padding? This wasn't even a reset as at least Amy still remembers everything. The wedding seems to have a point as well.

 

[Neroon]

I'm hoping that next season we can go back to the fun Doctor Who, instead of the needlessly convoluted mega-story we got this year.

I do hope that Moffat has gotten it all out of his system and that'll be enough of the overblown season long arcs.

I think Moffat may have hinted at just that. The Doctor did say towards the end that he'd "gotten too big" and that he needed to "return to the shadows" or something to that effect. Sure I might be stretching things a bit with that interpretation, but I could see that quote indicating a more subtle approach of some type. It would be fine by me, too.

The show under Grand Moff Steven has been a maddeningly fun ride. Our family has had a blast with his comments and tricks and teases. Frankly, it's been what I've loved about the other series - different kinds of stories in different worlds, told at different times with twists or emotions or intrigue or whatever was needed.

 

[Neroon]

Melody. Me-lo-dy. Not Amy. If I was Rory, I'd be all like "She's MY daughter, so it's MY name at the end, now get back in the kitchen and batter me a Mars Bar". Poor Rory's a henpecked bastard though. "Och aye, d'yer think yure havin' anythin' ter do with mah wee babbeh yer useless prick?" I'm surprised they had sex at all, considering how the poor twat got all excited at a glimpse up her skirt in that Comic Relief embarrassment. Kids' show.

So as for that question being in plain view: how was it? Does the Doctor know he's in an increasingly shit TV show?

It must be really.... something... being you.

Probably one of those words you use in your posts. Lots.

Melody. Me-lo-dy. Not Amy. If I was Rory, I'd be all like "She's MY daughter, so it's MY name at the end, now get back in the kitchen and batter me a Mars Bar". Poor Rory's a henpecked bastard though. "Och aye, d'yer think yure havin' anythin' ter do with mah wee babbeh yer useless prick?" I'm surprised they had sex at all, considering how the poor twat got all excited at a glimpse up her skirt in that Comic Relief embarrassment. Kids' show.

So as for that question being in plain view: how was it? Does the Doctor know he's in an increasingly shit TV show?

It must be really.... something... being you.

Probably one of those words you use in your posts. Lots.

What are you trying to say man? Spit it out.

Both of you need to back off and now or risk receiving an infraction.

 

[ThankQ]

Well, that was... crap. Definitely not a fan of Moffat's DW. I enjoyed the last few episodes this season. But they weren't written by Moffat. Funny that. Liked his work until he took over the show. Now, can't stand anything he pens.

Moffat Braga?

 

[OmahaStar]

I liked it. And it's about time a companion in this universe gets married in the episode titled "The Wedding of ..."

This confirms the Doctor is over 1100 years old now, though we have no idea what he's been doing for 200 years. Or who he's been traveling with.

It's too bad Jenny couldn't have made a cameo for the wedding.

Thrilled to have Ian back ... and not a cameo as some had suggested ... and Dickens' return too.

 

[Tom]

This confirms the Doctor is over 1100 years old now, though we have no idea what he's been doing for 200 years. Or who he's been traveling with.

I think that the main reason Moffet aged the Doctor 200 years is so he could have all these adventures with River 'off screen' because he could not get Alex Kensington to commit as a full time companion. Now the Doctor and River could have had all their adventures, and they can move away from the River storyline if they decide to.

 

[Sindatur]

This confirms the Doctor is over 1100 years old now, though we have no idea what he's been doing for 200 years. Or who he's been traveling with.

I think that the main reason Moffet aged the Doctor 200 years is so he could have all these adventures with River 'off screen' because he could not get Alex Kensington to commit as a full time companion. Now the Doctor and River could have had all their adventures, and they can move away from the River storyline if they decide to.

Also, makes "Extended Universe" stories much easier to justify.

 

[Ethros]

I watched it last night but didn't catch any references to Rose or Jack, anyone mind spilling what they were?

 

[Mr Awe]

Nope, totally different situations. I'm just saying they padded out the story. There was enough story to fill an episode so they filled it out with some visuals, for which they needed an excuse.

Yes, that's what you keep saying. My point is that what you call "visuals", I'm calling "a story".

I said that once in response to your comment. You're free to disagree of course. Not sure why you're making a big deal of it. We each can have our own opinions.

Mr Awe

 

[Mr Awe]

I voted "good" the first time I have no voted excellent to a series finale but just because it wasn't quite as epic as I hoped and I really feel Moffat could of made a 2 parter out of the story.

Noooo! This story was padded as it was. Did you not recognize the fact that the time all happening at once was just padding to fill out the story? The visuals were there to distract you, and apparently it worked!

No, it was there to provide the drama of the story. Your argument could work for any story that begins and ends at the same point, but it would be just as nonsensical. Imagine, in Gulliver's Travels that he never left. Was everything else just padding? This wasn't even a reset as at least Amy still remembers everything. The wedding seems to have a point as well.

I just think there was no real need for it. It was all for nought. There aren't many stories that have large portions that really do nothing to advance the plot. I'll grant that it did offer the opportunity for some good characterization. But, the fact that they had do it through this vehicle shows an underlying weakness to the story.

I did enjoy the story overall. It wasn't epic but that's alright.

Mr Awe

 

[Chaos Descending]

I watched it last night but didn't catch any references to Rose or Jack, anyone mind spilling what they were?

Nothing Earth shattering.

The Doctor was talking about the benefits of being a time traveler. He could go back and help Rose Tyler with her homework. Attend all of Jack's stag parties in one night.

 

[Starkers]

Well I enjoyed it on the whole. Amy looked especially fantastic in this episode.

I too think Omega is coming back.

Not much too say that hasn't been said already.

The stand alones in this series have been better than the arc stories.

Amy always looks fantastic

Yeah I've just watched this again, and enjoy it though I did I do feel the standalones have been the better episodes this year. But then again I don't think that's too different to RTD's version of Who, I've always been mildly dissapoined with the Super Epic Finales (tm) and to be honest this was probably one of the better ones.

 

[Brian]

I'm guessing that it's Pond since we've not heard it been called Williams since they got married.

The Doctor called her "Amy Williams" at the end of "The God Complex".

And he said it as if it was a change, that the girl who waited was no longer "stuck" as Amelia Pond. She could now proceed with being Amy Williams.

I never gave it a second thought as to why the baby had Amy's last name. That's just the way it works. If pre-God Complex Amy had taken Rory's last name, the baby would have been named Williams. But she didn't, so it wasn't.