6x01 The Impossible Astronaut (Grading/Discussion) (SPOILERS!!)
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There was a brief shot of another TARDIS (the Tennant version of the set) with Rory and Amy in it in the trailer for the season - so I'd guess that at some point future Doc changes the desktop theme back.
I enjoyed it a lot, and the second best series opener to date (The Eleventh Hour pipping it to the post). Great humour as always (loving the Easter Island gag) and Mark Shepherd was great as Delaware - I guess he could almost be an official companion already!
Can't believe I didn't realise his father played his older self until Confidential, but then they don't really look that alike do they?
At first I thought that the astronaut was River, and then towards the end I was thinking it was Amy's child and now I think I'm of the opinion that just maybe they're one and the same.... but then, they couldn't be, could they....?
Can't believe I didn't realise his father played his older self until Confidential, but then they don't really look that alike do they?
At first I thought that the astronaut was River, and then towards the end I was thinking it was Amy's child and now I think I'm of the opinion that just maybe they're one and the same.... but then, they couldn't be, could they....?
Also. Future The Doctor walked open-eyed to his death after inviting his friends to watch. It was more pre-arranged than pre-destiny. Others have mentioned analogies to the Easter Story, but being ignorant to such things I am reminded of Aslan and the Stone Table.
The Stone Table will crack. Mark my words...
...maybe even cause a crack in time...
The Stone Table will crack. Mark my words...
...maybe even cause a crack in time...
What on Earth makes you think that the presence of two "Doctor who?" bits has anything to do with the American market? What do the two have to do with one-another?
I'm sorry, but what makes "The Impossible Astronaut" any more "Americanized" than any other Doctor Who episode set in America, be it "Dalek," "Daleks in Manhattan"/"Evolution of the Daleks," or "The Stolen Earth?" Did you similarly feel that "The Vampires of Venice" or "The Fires of Pompeii" were too "Italianized?" Or that "The Girl in the Fireplace" or "Vincent and the Doctor" were too "Frenchized?"
I mean, hell, they were even running around making jokes at Americans' expense. It's not like they were talking about the American President as though he was their President, a la "The End of Time, Part One."
.... there were lots of Americans in "Dalek," too. There were lots of Italians in "The Vampires of Venice." Lots of lots of in "The Waters of Mars." And meanwhile, the primary guest star in "The Impossible Astronaut" was himself a Brit. I had no idea Doctor Who had to retain guest casts of only Britons in order to avoid losing its British identity.
I don't see how "The Impossible Astronaut" is any more or less story-arc-y than previous season openers. If anything, it's less like Lost, which would famously introduce story elements without giving you payoff, than a previous season opener, "The Eleventh Hour" -- which, after all, introduced this whole "Silence will fall" thing that "The Impossible Astronaut" is only now starting to address.
In what possible sense does a space suit based on the suits worn on the Moon by NASA's astronauts in real life remind you of Babylon 5, a series made fifteen years ago set three hundred years in the future that we have no reason to think Steven Moffat has even seen?
Yep. Although, I do feel the need to point out that Doctor Who seems to be attracting a larger audience in America this past year or so, since BBC America acquired the license for it away from the Sci-Fi Channel. (Certainly Craig Ferguson is doing all he can to promote the show in America!)
Welsh agenda, Scottish agenda, gay agenda and now the American agenda........where will it all end.
Well I thought that was very good, but not brilliant. The start felt a bit odd, up to the shocking bit obviously, I fear there is just going to be a retconned get out clause (well obviously). Got into its stride after this, and it might be better with a second viewing.
Nice to see Shepard(s) never knew they were father and son before. The cast have so much chemistry its untrue (Rory especially was brilliant I thought) Lot's of funny lines, but enough with the Doctor Who gags, it felt lame even after RTD had done it once or twice.
The Silence...I dunno, they should be scary but they're just not...probably didn't help that my gf giggled at their rubbish tentacle hands...the notion of them is very intriguing though.
Fab cliffhanger though, although I'm guessing the child wasn't the astronaut who killed the Doctor at the start.
I had a bit of a B5 vibe as well, but considering I watched War Without End today that might not be surprising...
Anyway; I enjoyed it, I'm intrigued, but I hope there's better to come...
Nice to see Shepard(s) never knew they were father and son before. The cast have so much chemistry its untrue (Rory especially was brilliant I thought) Lot's of funny lines, but enough with the Doctor Who gags, it felt lame even after RTD had done it once or twice.
The Silence...I dunno, they should be scary but they're just not...probably didn't help that my gf giggled at their rubbish tentacle hands...the notion of them is very intriguing though.
Fab cliffhanger though, although I'm guessing the child wasn't the astronaut who killed the Doctor at the start.
I had a bit of a B5 vibe as well, but considering I watched War Without End today that might not be surprising...
Anyway; I enjoyed it, I'm intrigued, but I hope there's better to come...
I wasn't on a high horse. I honestly don't know what the "American market" has to do with there being two "Doctor who?" bits.
Already saw it, thanks.
I just watched it. I however think that any newbies watching, may get lost and not really understand it well. This episode would be very confusing for new Americans watching Doctor Who for the first time, and could even turn them off to watching future episodes or past episodes, to be honest, I saw how it could be jarring for new viewers, it was all over the place, and kinda confusing. I hope those new viewers give it a chance though.
Also, that diner made me gag, it looked like an American themed diner you'd find in another country who has badly replicated what they think an American diner looks like, all the neon signs and posters on the back wall, it just screamed that they were trying too hard, no diners here really look like that.
Also, that diner made me gag, it looked like an American themed diner you'd find in another country who has badly replicated what they think an American diner looks like, all the neon signs and posters on the back wall, it just screamed that they were trying too hard, no diners here really look like that.
I think Steven has used up the season's quota of 'Doctor Who?' gags with this episode.
I wonder how some of the American clichés in this episode will go over with the American audience. I sort of liked Joy (the woman in the bathroom) but she was really the cliché American. And there was also the snippet of dialogue where the Doctor assumes he won't get shot by the President's security guys until someone yells, "They're Americans!" and then everyone's really alarmed. I chuckled but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it if I were American.
But there were Nazis in the trailer for this series so I suppose I'll get my share of cliché overload later this year.
I wonder how some of the American clichés in this episode will go over with the American audience. I sort of liked Joy (the woman in the bathroom) but she was really the cliché American. And there was also the snippet of dialogue where the Doctor assumes he won't get shot by the President's security guys until someone yells, "They're Americans!" and then everyone's really alarmed. I chuckled but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it if I were American.
But there were Nazis in the trailer for this series so I suppose I'll get my share of cliché overload later this year.
That's what I felt too, like this was the intro ep for new people coming into Doctor Who, the problem is though, it made it very jarring, all over the place, and more confusing IMO. I don't think it did it any service.
I suppose I may as well comment, since I saw it.
Disclaimer: I don't really watch Doctor Who very often. I watched it when I was younger, and quite liked it but never really got into the new series. Not out of any particular dislike - I've caught the odd episode every now and then - just never really watched it regularly. But I happened to tune in today.
I quite liked it. Didn't have a clue how much we were supposed to know about almost everyone (I only saw the weeping angels episode from the Matt Smith season(s?)), but it seem didn't matter much. Good gags, lol'ed to see Nixon, interesting enough storyline, appropriately cheesy-yet-mildly-spooky aliens, nice seasonal thematic references since it's Easter weekend. There was an overarching "vibe" of it being used as an introductory episode to someone fairly new to the series, which helped me out. I don't think it was specifically meant to be an American introduction; more an introduction/refresher in general. Given my relatively unfamiliarity with the newer Who seasons, I quite liked that.
Actually, it felt quite a bit like my childhood Doctor Who memories, what with it ending on a cliffhanger and not really explaining very much about the main plot. So from my perspective, I enjoyed it and if I remember, I'll tune in to the next episode. No promises mind, but the odds are better than evens. When is the next ep on, anyway?
Disclaimer: I don't really watch Doctor Who very often. I watched it when I was younger, and quite liked it but never really got into the new series. Not out of any particular dislike - I've caught the odd episode every now and then - just never really watched it regularly. But I happened to tune in today.
I quite liked it. Didn't have a clue how much we were supposed to know about almost everyone (I only saw the weeping angels episode from the Matt Smith season(s?)), but it seem didn't matter much. Good gags, lol'ed to see Nixon, interesting enough storyline, appropriately cheesy-yet-mildly-spooky aliens, nice seasonal thematic references since it's Easter weekend. There was an overarching "vibe" of it being used as an introductory episode to someone fairly new to the series, which helped me out. I don't think it was specifically meant to be an American introduction; more an introduction/refresher in general. Given my relatively unfamiliarity with the newer Who seasons, I quite liked that.
Actually, it felt quite a bit like my childhood Doctor Who memories, what with it ending on a cliffhanger and not really explaining very much about the main plot. So from my perspective, I enjoyed it and if I remember, I'll tune in to the next episode. No promises mind, but the odds are better than evens. When is the next ep on, anyway?
One thing I find most intersting is the fact that Amy & Rory start the episode not as companions, but as a married couple on earth, removed from there adventures with the Doctor.
Cant help but wonder if this means that this series is set further ahead than we accpeted, and the reason for that being tied up with Doctors death, after all it does seem the Doctor was travelling alone, when he got the invite.
Its possible the whole series could reset to before Amy & Rory leave the TARDIS.
The fact they seemed not to be travelling with the Doctor anymore, is for me the most interesting question about the episode.
Cant help but wonder if this means that this series is set further ahead than we accpeted, and the reason for that being tied up with Doctors death, after all it does seem the Doctor was travelling alone, when he got the invite.
Its possible the whole series could reset to before Amy & Rory leave the TARDIS.
The fact they seemed not to be travelling with the Doctor anymore, is for me the most interesting question about the episode.
No that comes from the 4th episode.
Tell you who was bad as an American: The lady in the bathroom, yeah ok the star trek line was kinda cute, but she was so stereotyped, and her voice sounded really annoying.
Overall I could just tell there were Brits trying to fake an American accent, and they usually come off sounding like they have nasal problems. Hey, I can't fake a British accent, so I guess that's just how it goes, heh, works both ways.
Yeah, for some reason there is a stereotype that we are all gun toting happy people that like to shoot first and ask questions later. There are some like that, but not the whole of America lol, and certainly not trained presidential security. Just cause they/we are American, doesn't mean we are like that.
And of course the diner, which I mentioned in another post.
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