Season Seven so far has been Redundant.

[Guy Gardener]

He ditched the Ponds at the end of series 6.

The second half of season seven starts, well the next Christmas special starts and he's upset that the Ponds are gone.

WTF?

What was the point of the last 8 months of programming if the new Christmas special blends seamlessly into the end of season 6?

Half a frakking season of emotional masturbation for smegs sake.

 

[RoJoHen]

He ditched the Ponds in order to save them, and then he faked his own death. Realizing what a huge mistake that was, he returned to the Ponds at the end of last year's Christmas Special. The Ponds were his family, probably the first family he's had in a very, very long time. You don't just throw that away.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Half a frakking season of emotional masturbation for smegs sake.

Also known as "entertainment". What are you asking for exactly?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Then he should go get them from New York.

Go to England 1920.

Take a boat over to America, then wait a decade or two.

but he doesn't love them that much.

;(

Whatever emotional human ping pong he was playing with their heartfelt good byes, he was as wrecked in either position when he cast them off for their own safety as to when he lost them because he's quite careless.

It was the same.

What benefit did we see from them leaving twice, or more, they left about 6 times didn't they?

 

[Candlelight]

It's yet another brilliant Moffatism.

One day he'll be gone and normal storytelling can recommence.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Half a frakking season of emotional masturbation for smegs sake.

Also known as "entertainment". What are you asking for exactly?

You know how after they dropped the ring in mount doom and you start to tidy up your area, and hunt down your shoes in the theatre because it's time to go home... Even though there's another HOUR left to the fucking movie... I want to go home but all these fucking hobbits keep having hugs taking about how fucking brave they were! And then if you're a real psychopath you have to sit through 80 minutes of credits in the hopes that Gollum has a comical bit at the end where you find out that the volcano didn't get him.

I can deal with a tourist companion in the Christmas special last year, but I had said good bye to Rory and Amy, I was finished with with them, all sorted, and now I'm told that there's infesting 5 more episodes and only then are they really really gone. 5 more episodes a 4 month break then a Christmas special and then another four month break and then you can start watching the new companion be all super cool and fresh.

Season 7 shouod have been the start of Jena-Lousie's run.

I was pondblocked.

 

[Orac]

But she was in the first episode of the season. Do pay attention Guy!

 

[Candlelight]

Shouldn't have been a break. It's very American.

 

[Guy Gardener]

That wasn't a run, that was a false start.

PONDBLOCKED!

 

[Gov Kodos]

That wasn't a run, that was a false start.

PONDBLOCKED!

That is awesome... Pondblocked. I quite agree, saying goodbye repeatedly was really unnecessary. I'd have much preferred just getting on with the new companion.

 

[RoJoHen]

My problem with that is that the Ponds' "farewell" in Season 6 didn't even feel remotely real. It came out of nowhere at the end of a weird episode about an alien Minotaur that feeds on faith. I remember the Doctor dropping them off at their new house and feeling confused because the goodbye felt like a fake out.

 

[ROBE]

Gov Kodos I misread you and thought you said get on the new companion.
Something I think lots of us would like to do.

 

[Guy Gardener]

When you say "get on" the new companion, I don't see that phrasing as something sexual, what I imagine is mounting her for a piggy back race, and it would be a companion piggy back race... We'd all be racing Doctor Who companions towards a red ribbon and a photo finish.

I'm certain that Katey Manning couldn't support my weight.

...

I'm amazed that the ponds didn't leave after the Doctor tricked Rory into killing one of his wives. That was the time to leave. The Nimon episode was just a blood bath, there's no way that wouldn't have rocked their faith in him since it was their faith that was the weapon being used against them.

 

[The Wormhole]

My problem with that is that the Ponds' "farewell" in Season 6 didn't even feel remotely real. It came out of nowhere at the end of a weird episode about an alien Minotaur that feeds on faith. I remember the Doctor dropping them off at their new house and feeling confused because the goodbye felt like a fake out.

Well, that is how a lot of the companion farewells went in the classic era. And really, that was good enough. Their story had been told and they were off to live happily ever after. Then we end up with them returning to the fold for one more adventure until eventually they end up stranded away from the Doctor for the rest of their lives.

 

[Mr Awe]

^^ If it's good enough for Sarah Jane, it's good enough for any of the rest!

 

[Haggis and tatties]

I rather enjoyed the last 6 episodes, cant wait for the rest of them next year.....also looking forward to the xmas episode.

 

[The Wormhole]

^^ If it's good enough for Sarah Jane, it's good enough for any of the rest!

Drawn-out good-byes is more of an RTD thing anyway. Though it seems Moffat is going to continue that.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

^^ If it's good enough for Sarah Jane, it's good enough for any of the rest!

I was three years old when Sarah Jane left the series. I'd say that what we expect from television has changed quite a bit since then.

 

[Worf2DS9]

I enjoyed the tail end of Series 6 and Series 7 so far, but I wouldn't have been disappointed if the Ponds' first farewell at the end of the hotel episode had been their final episode, aside from the quick glimpse in "Closing Time". It didn't have an overly elaborate build-up and had the right amount of abruptness and bittersweetness. It felt right to me. It seemed sudden to Amy, and it would have been to us if we didn't know they were coming back.

 

[RoJoHen]

My problem with that is that the Ponds' "farewell" in Season 6 didn't even feel remotely real. It came out of nowhere at the end of a weird episode about an alien Minotaur that feeds on faith. I remember the Doctor dropping them off at their new house and feeling confused because the goodbye felt like a fake out.

Well, that is how a lot of the companion farewells went in the classic era. And really, that was good enough. Their story had been told and they were off to live happily ever after. Then we end up with them returning to the fold for one more adventure until eventually they end up stranded away from the Doctor for the rest of their lives.

It depends on the character.

With a companion like Martha, for example, that worked. At the end of her season, the Doctor just dropped her off at home. There was no big goodbye because the Doctor himself never really developed any kind of big attachment to her.

But for Amy, her goodbye needed to be bigger. Their relationship was so much deeper that a casual goodbye just didn't work as well.