Dr. Who series 6, part 2

It is never too late for a recap of the second half of Dr. Who's latest season. Right?

I'll use the same bullet point format I did for the first half of the season, please note-From here on out, Spoilers!

• Let's Kill Hitler
• As a direct follow up to the revelations at the end of "A Good Man Goes to War" and as a "first episode" I thought this one worked pretty well. We get "introduced" to River in a fairly exciting story that has little to do with Nazi Germany, but a whole lot of silliness and just a touch of awesome badass Rory.
• I did like it much better the first time through though, now, much like "The Impossible Astronault" and some other Moffat stories knowing what all the mysteries "meant" has seriously dimenished them in my head.
• This story, and the season as a whole revolve around major mysterious questions and are structured in such a way as to keep you guessing, which creates almost all of the dramatic tension. Now that that tension is mostly gone (and we know that a lot of it is simply there to create that very feeling) it seems relatively lackluster.
• I did enjoy the Tessalector, and River's discovery of her new body.
• I did not really buy her "face turn" and subsequent "gift" to the doctor, it seems like a rather clumsy bit designed more to make the story fit to "Forest of the Dead" than anything else.
• Also, so tired of the Doctor almost dying, doing something off camera and subverting our expectations in a pretty lazy way. So we now add the mystery of "why is he in tux?" but if the mysteries are only there to establish themselves, they cease to be mysterious.
• This episode introduces the "Melody" problem as well. The Pond's reaction to losing their daughter, the circular nature of the existence of Mels and all the concerns and questions that arise are eventually addressed, sort of, but in the end the show fell woefully short of addressing the emotionally complex situation it created. There was so much material to explore, and instead the TARDIS team just run off for random adventures...
• Night Terrors
• Like this one. 
• This episode is disappointing  not just because of the abrupt dropping of the main storyline, but because the "creepy" factor once again exists almost solely to perpetrate itself. The "little boy" is fairly uninteresting and the "step father" and "superintendent" characters actually seem to be legitimately dangerous, but that is ignored.
• Amy and Rory are supposed to create tension by almost dying, again. That well was long dry by this point. To the extent that in this episode it is just obnoxious.
• This episode is too close in theme and tone to "Fear Her" which is easily my pick for worst episode of NewWho.
•  The Girl Who Waited
• Fortunately, the next episode was this one, one of my absolute favorites. (Though even here, the plot was put into place by the characters doing decidedly stupid things for no good reason, and the timing leading to the issues was not adequately explained. The entire season, even the good parts was hurt by an attempt to be cool and "timey-whimey" at the expense of story.)
• The production design was really cool, I loved the look of the facility, the robots, and the general brightness of the color palette and the "fantasy rooms" was far superior to most of the season.
• Karen Gillam really excelled as "older Amy" and in playing the conflicting emotions, particularly at the end of the episode. I just wish that "regular" Amy displayed that level of intelligence, toughness and self-reliance from time to time.
• Rory continued to be spectacular, and he even stood up to the Doctor. That is all.
• The God Complex
• I honestly only barely remember this one. I think it was an interesting idea, poorly conceived again.
• The supporting characters really need more depth to be interesting and for us to buy into their fate, this one depended on them, and as such fell pretty flat.
• Once again, the peril to Amy and Rory undermined by the frequency.
• It is interesting that they leave the TARDIS after this adventure though...
• Closing Time
• A decent one-off with the always welcome Craig (and Stormeggdon, dark lord of all!) that is made more interesting by the fact that the Doctor has had 200 years of adventures between "The God Complex" and this episode, and that he has accepted his fate and many events tie together with "The Impossible Astronault" so the audience is finally getting continued progress on the overall story arc.
• The Cybermen main plot is pretty good with the Doctor's job at the shop and the shenanigans that ensue with Craig and the supporting characters.
• But the climax in the "Cybership" is rushed, and too mushy for my taste. "Power of Love" and "Fatherhood" overpowering all is just too schmaltzy.
• The Wedding of River Song
• Basically if you threw every Dr. Who finale cliche (except Daleks) into a big bag and randomly started pulling them out then you get this...
• The alternative universe looked cool and the idea of it always being the same time with all of history happening at once was fun, but was impossible to pull off in any meaningful way.
• The River Song marriage and subsequent discovery that the Doctor she was kissing was actually the tessalector made no sense, the way that somehow her recognition that the Doctor was actually not the Doctor in the "prime" timeline meant that this alternative universe should never have happened at all.
• We still don't get satisfactory conclusion as to why Rory and Amy never pushed the Doctor to find baby Melody, the fact that it couldn't be done because they had already crossed her later should have been explicit and emotional.
• and The ending with the question was ridiculous.

All in all, I didn't dislike the season as much as this might make it seem. I rather enjoyed most of the episodes as I watched them (except Night Terrors) but only "The Girl Who Waited" was pantheon level good and I was majorly disappointed with the answers to most of the mysteries we spent two seasons exploring.
I really am hoping for a more fully realized story in season 7, particularly one less interested in keeping things hidden from the audience just for the sake of hiding things.
And I don't want either the River Song or Amy and Rory Pond stories to end here. Both need a major push in an emotionally satisfying direction then I think the Doctor needs a new companion, and for both of them to have a few less angsty, and less drably lit, adventures.

Dr. Who Series 6, part 1

I had fully intended to post individual recaps of each episode of the latest Doctor Who series, but time constraints and my very erratic viewing schedule made that impossible. Instead I am posting this quick recap of my thoughts on each episode along with my overall opinions on this season as whole. This means that I will likely miss some big things, and I am going to give much shorter thoughts than I would like, but I'd rather put something out rather than nothing. (Alas, no recaps of the wonderful Mad Men season 4 :( )

Before I go into the individual episodes though I have to note that I saw the first two episodes at the amazing screening at the Village East Theater on April 11th. The event, which was affectionately and accurately dubbed "Dr. Who Line Con" was fantastic! Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Steven Moffat (along with other cast members and producers) all came and talked about the show, and gave out donuts. When I got there at 9:00am, for a 7:00pm screening, there were already hundreds of people in line and we wound up in a third theater, so we watched the talkback via closed circuit TV. It was wonderful to meet all the "who-fans" and cosplayers and I can't wait until my next Dr. Who event.

Shae and I start a chalk drawing craze with a TARDIS and a pink Dalek!

• The Impossible Astronaut/  Day of the Moon
• I saw these episodes at the screening, so I fully admit that my opinions of them may have been skewed, and that I was unable to watch them with as much attention to detail as I would have liked. With that said I found them to be spectacular episodes of the show. Moffat brought the scary intensity with the Silence, and his own cheeky humor abounded. River Song's welcome return was fun and the playing around with time and memory yeilded many returns. Not to mention the start of a banner year for Rory. The plotting though had some tough spots as the weak links in Moffat's writing were also emphasized and over reliance on tropes of faulty memory and time were set up as a hallmark of the entire season. The episodes also did not address many of the lingering questions from series 5. "Why did the TARDIS explode?" being primary among them.
• (Note that from here on out SPOILERS abound) The two episodes also set up the primary mysteries for series 6. Who killed the Doctor? (and was it actually the Doctor who died?) Who is the little girl? Is Amy pregnant? and What happened to Amy in the mental institution? 
•  The Curse of the Black Spot
• This episode was a definite weak link, and a hard come down from the excellent opening two parter.Pirates, mermaids, and medical alien tech taking people for its own attempts to "improve" them. It has all been done, and infinitely better, especially in Moffat's own classic "The Empty Child/ The Doctor Dances." The characters were not interesting, the story slow and silly and it did not really advance the main plot at all.
• The Doctor's Wife
• This was a great episode written by Neil Gaiman. I loved the personification of the TARDIS and "House" as the villain was quite entertaining. I wish that Rory and Amy had actually gone into one of the other rooms of the TARDIS and the Rory did not "die" again. But Uncle and Auntie and Nephew and the creepy, silly, wonderfulness of the entire experience made up for that.
• The Rebel Flesh/ The Almost People
• These episodes have me torn. I liked the premise. I loved the development for Rory. I loved the Doctor playing against himself. (Matt Smith is really turning it on and has become his own, wonderfully likeable Doctor. Tennant was great, but Smith is totally the man I now think of as being the man behind the TARDIS console.) The atmosphere was dark and mysterious and the final moment when it was revealed that Amy was a "ganger" was wonderful. The story overall was boring though, especially in Almost People, and I have major issues with the philosophical and moral presentation. If we are convinced to think of the "gangers" as people for two hours, why does the Doctor then "kill" Amy with no remorse. All in all a giant two-part misstep.
• A Good Man Goes to War
• Moffat got me with this one. I actually was bothered a bit by the Russel T. Davis style bringing together of the "old friends" and of the overly twisty and emotionally manipulative moments. But I also totally bought the episode and loved it. I loved the Sontaran nurse, the lesbian Silurian, the soldier who loved the Doctor and all the emotional angles they brought to the story. Amy and Rory continue to grow and develop into character that I really care about and the Doctor seemed more determined and intense and wonderfully goofy than ever. (This was the first time Smith's 11 dove into 10's classic "dark" territory and I really bought it.) Then there was the big reveal at the end that we have been waiting for since Silence in the Library. We now know who River Song is. Of course that means 1000 more questions. I know a lot of people who hate the Melody=Song equation. I don't, but I also don't yet love it. I think it will really depend on how it all plays out, and especially if River's timeline can eventually be played back into a coherent story of her relationship with the Doctor. For now though, it was a wonderful moment on which to end a solid, if not spectacular, mini-season of Doctor Who.

Libya, Egypt, and living in the midst of events of Worldwide Historical Signifcance

Photo courtesy of Hussein Malla/Associated Press

The protests, battles, and bloodshed in Libya continue today. Muammar Qaddafi continues to promise unlimited amounts of terror in his quest to maintain control over the country. I found watching his speech today, and Mubarak's speech two weeks ago, to be exceptionally moving. There is a certain unknowable quality to the great and terrible moments of history, and I have always wondered just how much the people witnessing those moments truly understand what is happening. (I speak here of those who are simply observers, like me, not those who experience it firsthand who have both greater immediate concerns and a deep, innate, knowledge of the importance of their actions.)

In the late 80s I remember watching the fall of the Berlin wall, the uprisings in Poland, and finally the bloodless coup in the Soviet Union, I was very interested and politically minded, but I was young. The world changed in a significant way then, but it was impossible for me to understand how. It infused me though with a sense of the grandeur and melancholy of history, that we as humans always have to fight to be recognized as human. This major series of events is changing the world around us, in some places things will be worse in others better, but we can recognize the singular notion that it is critically important to stand in solidarity with those who fight to be recognized.

I also understand that the people fighting and dying in the streets do not have the luxury to take this "grand historical" view, and I will state here, unequivocally, my own sympathies and ideals are with those people. The hand wringing about how the people's goverments that might form may be "anti-american" or "muslim theocracies" I find ridiculous to the point of insult, yes those are possible outcomes, and yes those outcomes may result in some time of increased oppression, or oppression of a different sort for the people. But the action of people to stand up and enact change is the great redeeming quality of human history.

Some of these moments are indelible, some seem passing, almost trivial, as they happen; but it remains remarkable to me every time I take the time to note that the history of humanity is going on around us. And that leads to hopes:
Hopes that these protests can lead not only to new rulers for the people who fought so hard, but for better ones.
Hopes that the violence and hatred that still overcomes the better parts of the nature of each of us can be alleviated, that dictators might step down, that soldiers might refuse to fight, that crowds will not lose their humanity and attack those who walk among them.

And I hope that this would spread to the other great issues that eat at our souls:

That every person is infused with dignity and must be respected, that the body's of women are no ones political tools, that a person's gender identity and understanding is only her/his business, and that any attempt on my part to determine who someone else should love or marry or have children with is akin to the exact kind of dehumanization that will destroy the world if we let it.

We must see that we all love, we all hurt, we all cause pain, we all destroy, and we all can create.

Dr. Who: "The Beast Below"

Here is my short review of the second episode of the new Dr. Who season:

•  I still think that Matt Smith is exceptional as the Doctor, although there were a couple moments in the episode that I thought he fell into some of the David Tennant mannerisms that I really think it would be better for him to avoid. Especially the heinous "Geronimo!" catchphrase, which must be retired immediately and his exuberance when introducing Amy to the wonders of the Tardis in the beginning of the episode. From then on though Smith was very much his own Doctor, or at least had far more in common with past Doctors other than Tennant, like Troughton, Davidson, and even Eccleston. His portrayal so far has been very subdued, but still fun, which I have loved. In order for the series to really connect Smith has to be his own man, reminding us of the Doctors but not being overwhelmed by our memories of them. So far so good with that, but I want him to break farther for this to really work.
• Karen Gillan's portrayal of Amy Pond is fascinating. I think we have only begun to see the layers of her characterization and I think the entire season will hinge on her ability to pull off what Moffat has in mind for the character. I liked her again this episode, particular the flash at the end when she solves the mystery and the way in which she is entirely making her own decisions, in a deliberate way that Rose and Martha never did. I think that the character has tremendous potential and I think Gillan is game, I do worry that there will be a romantic involvement situation again, but I'll hold off on my fears for now.
• I don't have much to say about this episode generally, I didn't hate it but it certainly was seriously flawed in several huge ways:
• The entire plot of the episode was a series of ideas that didn't hold together by any set of internal logic. There was no reason for the Doctor not to immediately recognize the "star whale" below the ship. Liz 10's mask to hide her identity neither hid her identity nor served any other purpose. The Smilers were ultimately useless and had no real bearing on the plot. The distopian society on the ship did not pay off at all. Why were all the other Earth civilizations able to fly their own ships away without "star whales", but not Britain. I mean even Scotland had an actual ship! Basically the entire plot was an excuse for Amy to make her decision and the Doctor to decide she was unworthy, as he has with Rose and Adam before, and then for Amy to figure out the whole thing and save the day. I found it all to be exceptionally weak.
• The parallels between the space whale and the Doctor were needlessly pointed out, over and over. Please show, don't tell.
• I did like the actual characterization in the plot between the Doctor and Amy though, including the things I complained about above. If nothing else that relationship seems to be building in an interesting way.
• I loved the transition to the next episode with Churchill and the Dalek. I don't subscribe the "Dalek overload" school of thought, I tend to think they should show up once a season, just not always as the "Big Bad." I'm hoping this next episode is their one shot during season 5.

Dr. Who: Season 5 Premier- "The Eleventh Hour"

Here are my quick, with minor spoilers, notes on last night's excellent season premier of the Doctor Who.

• Matt Smith makes the difficult move of replacing David Tennant as The Doctor. It is difficult to make judgments about what he will do with the character, but he is game and engaging and immanently "Doctorish" in this episode. Smith's doctor still has many of the Tennant mannerisms, but they seem to fade more and more as the episode progresses and he becomes less manic and active and moves more into a thoughtful and reflective state.

• In a nod to the truly unique nature of this show, the extreme change of having an entirely new, but eternally connected, lead really creates a spark of power and newness that is exciting for the viewer. As much as loved Tennant (and Eccleston, Davidson, Tom Baker, Patrick Troughton and the others), having a new Doctor and going on the journey with him makes this season far far more exciting.
• I love Amy Pond (and not only because Karen Gillan is an incredibly attractive Scottish redhead). Her character is intriguing because she takes the previous new series companions and expands from them, she seems to have elements from each of the others and combines them in a fascinating way. She is smart, caring and sassy which hopefully points to a relationship with the Doctor which will be able to complex and not as emotionally limited as Davies always made them appear.
• The plot of this episode was standard Dr. Who, which was weird because Steven Moffat's episodes in the Davies era were so much better than the others. What Moffat brought though was a better attention to detail, and a tone that was more thoughtful, reflexive, and actually much more fun than much of the Davies era. I don't want to trash Davies, he did some things well, but this episode actually points out how much nicer it is to have someone who cares more about the "whole experience" in charge than someone who is always looking for "dramatic moments" which Davies was usually great at creating, but not sustaining. 
• I also really loved the new Tardis design. I was tired of the coral creepiness of the new series Tardis, which worked well to begin with, but should have been changed when Tennant replaced Eccleston anyway. I really hope we will spend more time exploring the Tardis this season too, there is a lot to explore within the ship and in its ability to sense the "trouble spots" in space. 
• I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season. There were plenty of hints about where things might be going in the "arc" and there is obviously something more to Amy Pond than we can even start to understand at this point. It is very awesome to think that this episode is setting up an entire season with three great new talents pouring all their powers into the show. Matt Smith has great potential to create a unique, but grounded Doctor, Karen Gillan is a marvelous companion, and Steven Moffat is a great writer who understands the power and uniqueness of the show. I can't wait for next week! (and I may not be able to, stupid waiting two weeks to see a show that has aired in Britain.)

Mad Men: Season Finale- "Shut the door, Have a seat"

Below is my spoiler filled take on last night's Mad Men.
If anyone happens upon this blog and is interested in more details on Mad Men and other things check out the podcast, Sunset & 42nd or subscribe on iTunes. There I go in depth on TV and Broadway and generally have a snarky good time with co-hosts Katie, Stephen or Sara. The current episode has a great Glee conversation among other rants, on Friday there should be a new episode with more discussion on Mad Men, the West Wing, and the current Broadway revival of Ragtime. So if you are interested, please check it out!

Now to last nights fantastic Mad Men finale:

• First: I didn't post on last weeks excellent and devastating episode about the Kennedy assassination. It was fantastic, but I was too busy to get a post done. At some point in the future I will try to write a post for it. It did well to set the stage for this episode though. Change and fear were still hanging in the air, both in the country at large and at Sterling Cooper. I don't think the characters could have made the choices they did here without the events going on it that episode. Especially Betty telling Don "I don't love you."
• This was at turns the most upbeat and fun episode of the entire season and the most depressing personally. It is a credit to the writer and actors that they were able to pull off such shifts in tone while continuously building the energy and the tension on both the work and home fronts.
• The entire office plot was spectacular, from the moment Hilton told Don about the emminent sale of SC it was a joyride of delicious moments set up over the entire season (or series) paying off one after another. 
• Don goes to Betram, the once powerful and vital man turned dotty zen-master office napper, but who we have seen at times still has a formidable power and pride inside and the two of them team up to save their own lives by building a new home for themselves.
• Don and Bertram get Roger (and his stupid, but necessary, Lucky Strike account) by virtue of their combined skills and persuasions. I actually think Don realizes in this conversation that his hatred for Roger this season is another of many extensions of hating himself, especially that he felt trapped and alienated and Roger seemed to be free of all that, so when Don asks Roger on, I do believe it is more than Lee Garner, Jr's stupid company that is at work in the room. Of course there is also Bertram, impeccably summing up the situation by telling Roger to join them or Roger will die. 
• All of this means Roger and Bertram have to start over, but they are energized by it. Especially Roger who notes that he always acted like he started the company when he just inherited it, I think it is huge victory for him to think that the Sterling name on the door will now actually be his. When they get a door.
• The entire Pryce storyline came together so well too. All those moments in so many episodes during the season when he had little realizations that St.John and his superiors had no respect or place for him were the perfect set up for the ultimate Mad Men weekend. Pryce fires Don, Roger, and Bertram (getting them out of the contract mess) and everyone has 48 hours to create and/or steal everything and everyone they need to make a new Sterling Cooper (Draper Pryce) before anyone knows on Monday.
• Then it was really on. Pete is brought on with a (again I think authentic) speech from Don about his value as a forward thinker. Pete's growth and the solidified Pete/Trudy relationship (German au pair notwithstanding)were really highlighted again and again. When they hugged and kissed after Don and Roger left it seemed like one of the most genuinely loving moments of any couple ever on the show. (Which should be interesting as the changes continue and Pete and Peggy are now back in close quarters, and Trudy is bringing lunch to the "office".)
  
• Harry once again gets the benefit of having chosen a great and important job accidentally.
• Peggy and Don finally have the talk they have needed to have for a long long time. As at first he just assumes her willingness to follow him and she says no. Later he actually admits their connection, and her value. With a tear the two mirrors are ready to start out again, again brought closet to a relationship of peers.
• Joan, back with a vengeance.Seriously make that woman Cheif Operating Officer. It was great to see, as we have glimpsed often this season, sure she knows everything about SC, but that isn't what makes her the Queen Bee. She is simply the most effective, intelligent and talented character on the show. Hopefully the show will continue to have her break out of the socially infused barriers to actually use those talents. She should certainly at the very least be added back to the television office. And Dr. Cutup can shut it and stay out of the way. I love that the AMC website is updated already and Joan is "the office manager at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce". Christina Hendricks and John Slattery are also just an unmatchable pair for on-air chemistry. Give me more!
  
• Finally there were the tears and dejections of those left behind. Don's secretary was so distraught, and poor loser Paul staring at Peggy's office. I hope that there is an expansion of scope on the show, so that we can at least check in on them and see how they are competing with the "A-team" that snuck away.
• No Sal... will he ever return. I think there may be riots if he has met the same fate as Freddy. Come on Weiner we all want Sal back. Somehow!

• At the "Draper Residence" things just went from awful to disastrous:
• Betty finally asks for the divorce that has been looming since the Pilot.
  
• The scene where Don confronts Betty about her relationship with Henry was one of those classic "horrible Don" moments (Like when he fired Sal) that leave me so impressed with John Hamm. It was excruciating, and frightening and then with his look when the baby cries that shows he knows those same things ultimately devastating.
• Kiernan Shipka's Sally has been great all season (and I normally despise child acting) but her scene when Don and Betty say that he is moving out was seriously Emmy worthy. Immpecable work by all of the family there, but she hit all the right notes so well that I wondered if she had actually been through her parent's divorcing in real life. I hope they don't jump ahead so far that they think they need to recast her.

• Don calling from the "office" to apologize and the way that Betty really seemed to want him to actually fight to stay was really the best way to end it. They will still be in a relationship, but now the marriage is no more, and while I think there will be some twists and retreats, I think that is the way it will stay.
• I don't trust Henry for a second, I just think something is up with him and I hope it isn't too terrible (and that we get to see it). I also hope that January Jones and the Draper clan all remain on the show a good deal. Even though I still want more office scenes next season.
  
• It was just a great episode (and season) overall. I am really going to miss it, and waiting a year is so frustrating, but it will be tremendous to see what Weiner and company bring us when they come back. And the story possibilities and combinations are really just broken wide open now. I can not wait!
  

Mad Men- The Hobo and The Gypsy

Quick spoiler filled notes on last night's Mad Men:

• The overall episode was great, easily one of the best of the series, even without having many scenes at Sterling Cooper. 
• The Confrontation somehow lived up to the anticipation of three seasons of waiting. The way Don Draper completely disintegrated and left a shivering shell of what might once have been Dick Whitman, Betty standing up for herself and defiant, and all the while Suzanne Farrel waiting in the car was simply delicious, and devastating. Somehow commupenance for a character has never been both so cathartic (for him and us) and sadly deflating all at once. John Hamm for the Emmy right now! "And who are you supposed to be?" Carlton said at the end, the answer could be "anyone" or "no one", we just don't know yet. And neither does he.
• I want to see the "Roger Sterling Show" set in 1941 and lasting at least until he hires Don for Sterling Coorper, but only if there is a way for John Slattery to play keep playing him. This was the most Roger in ages it was fantastic to see him play off Annabel and...
• Joan! Taking control back from her indescribably awful husband, interacting with Roger with warmth and grace, maybe getting a job somewhere. All golden. The range of emotion by Christina Hendricks was exceptional too. 
• Has there ever been a character who the whole audience wanted to get blown away in a war as badly as the despicable "Dr." Harris?
• Vase against the head! Can we get another?
• The only "less than great" parts, only one scene of Peggy and no Pete. (or Sal who I hope is not gone forever.)