Liveblogging The Pandorica Opens
Jun. 19th, 2010 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
neadodsWD reaction post: < lj user="neadods"> < a href="http://neadods.livejournal.com/990306.html">liveblogs the episode
Before I even watch, I will say one thing: No matter what I think of this episode, it is a bit lovely to know that this isn't going to be a retread of "The Doctor Fights a Bunch of Daleks And Then He Regenerates and/or Loses His Companion."
And then I watched.
First up, while I have a preference for the subtle arcs like Bad Wolf suddenly meaning something, it is nice to see that there haven't been any throwaway episodes. One way or another, it's all going to fit together.
Preferring older River, I would have liked to see her in a time period before/well after jail, but too much of it had been made during her previous episodes. However, whatever has happened seems to be happening after she committed murder, so I guess we won't know why or who.
LIZ 10 AND RIVER SONG! SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! I would totally watch a show about the two of them. Although Lizzie - y'all are letting your collection go to wrack and ruin, the way things are hanging out of their frames, piled upside down, etc. Have a little pride, your maj! (We will not discuss how easily River tore that painting down. Handwave, handwave, handwave.)
Aww, is that all we're gonna see of Liz? Ripoff!
"I said off the wrist." *snort!* I assume when I get back in the wide world of online everyone will be speculating about which handsome Time Agent that was.
TOTALLY loving "the very first words in recorded history." River, you have got style! (Although that was the dullest diamond cliff, wasn't it?) And what is that Amy said? I've watched three times and can't catch it.
"Invasion of the hot Italians." I'm betting that's not what they thought at the time, but *snort*!
"Cleopatra will see you now." River, you have style with style sauce and whipped chutzpah on top. I really have to go download![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bewarethespork's gay for River icon; Alex Kingston is totally knocking this out of the park. I particularly appreciate the smeared lipstick on the poor guy's face.
I also assume that when I get back online, there are going to be 1000 icons of that painting. *takes snapshot*
Matt Smith/his stuntman can't ride. Don't flail your hands around, there's a mouth at the other end of those reins!
The Confidential will tell me how they got to film at Stonehenge, I'm sure. Looking forward to it.
OMGWTFCYBERHEAD???!
Watch it with the torch, Matt. I hear the stuff they make fake spiderwebs out of catches fire real easy.
Y'know, even if I hadn't been spoiled for who was inside, that "nameless, terrible thinglike fire and ice and rage" speech would have made me know exactly who it had to be.
"I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be him." Marry me, River. *thinks back over Who canon* Pretty much yeah.
"Have we met?" *SNORT!*
Oh, fuck, Daleks. DID YOU NOT HEAR ME SAYING HOW DAMNED GLAD I WAS THERE WOULD BE NO DAMN DALEKS IN THE FINALE, MOFFAT? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? No, I will not be mollified by a retread of dalek/cyberman smack talk.
"Run where?" "Fight how?" Good questions!
Whoops! Unexpected armed Caesar! Wait... now I have to go Google, because isn't he dead now too?
"Where do I come from. You're all barbarians now." ILU, River.
"A friend of mine." Good. I'm glad to put an end to Tin Dog Syndrome - even though I hope we're not putting an end to Rory. That "If something can be remembered" is a tiny tendril of hope.
"You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas? Sorry. LOOK AT ME, I'M A TARGET!" Oh, Doctor, never change!
It says something about me that I've rewatched Amy and the cyberhead 3x... so I can try to get some detail on Amy's wristwarmers. (I'm trying to figure out if they're reusing bits of Rose's costume or if they're new. New, looks like.) Which is kind of a pitiful way of spending what's actually a cool and scary scene.
"Hello Amy"? HELLO AMY? I'd been spoiled for the Roman soldier (it's impossible not to see spoiler pictures if you're doing any of the newsletters) but I'd thought he was a reincarnation or something. It's really Rory!? Rory's not dead?! *Kermitflail of joy*
"I know that, Rory, not exactly one to miss the obvious." *snort* And right when everyone's expecting a big welcome back scene (including poor Rory!) And then we get the most hilarious welcome back scene possible: "I died and turned into a Roman. It's very distracting." We've got to keep Rory around because those two actors work together so very, very well.
Hmmmm... because Rory the Nurse was erased from history, does this mean that Amy's latent love has brought him back as her fantasy Hot Italian Invader?
"Remember every black day I ever stopped you and then, and then! Do the smart thing and let somebody else try first." I love that speech (and yeah, so totally clear who's in the Pandorica now.)
BUT! Hate to say it, Eleven fans, I don't think Matt delivered that with anywhere near the gravitas that Eccleston or Tennant would have. He sounds like he's announcing a footie game (and flailing around way too much). I've reached the point where I'm finally liking the show a lot but I'm lukewarm at best over the lead actor... a position I've been in rather a lot, if you add up all my fandoms.
River smacking the monitor reminded me - we've never seen the Doctor hit the TARDIS. Not once, and certainly not with the selection of mallets Ten had hanging off the console.
WHOSE VOICE WAS THAT? It sounded like Davros saying "Silence will fall"! Not the Dream Lord (who I kind of expected). Y'know - arguably "silence will fall" talks about the season coming to an end - the show will be silenced. At least until Christmas.
OMG, OMG, O!M!G! Fake soldiers from Amy's memory? Rory becoming a centurion because of a costume? O!!M!!G!! Rory's reacting to whatever's taking over the soldiers!
AUTONS!!!! (Okay, I'm squeeing a bit.)
This is proper storytelling, this is, I'm at the edge of my seat... although if Amy can talk Rory out of being an Auton like she talked the dalek bomb out of exploding, I'm going to feel a bit cheated. That was extremely handwavy the first time.
Oh, fuck, Daleks. I'm leaning back in the seat again and rolling my eyes. I! Am! So! TIRED! Of! Dalek! Finales!
Oh, shit, I thought the Doctor came out of the box. I didn't realize he was going in.
Rory just the hell WHAT?Didn't I see this on an episode of Torchwood?
Oh, shit, that final shot!
I must say, that is the most proper cliffhangery cliffhanger ever hung off a cliff!
Before I even watch, I will say one thing: No matter what I think of this episode, it is a bit lovely to know that this isn't going to be a retread of "The Doctor Fights a Bunch of Daleks And Then He Regenerates and/or Loses His Companion."
And then I watched.
First up, while I have a preference for the subtle arcs like Bad Wolf suddenly meaning something, it is nice to see that there haven't been any throwaway episodes. One way or another, it's all going to fit together.
Preferring older River, I would have liked to see her in a time period before/well after jail, but too much of it had been made during her previous episodes. However, whatever has happened seems to be happening after she committed murder, so I guess we won't know why or who.
LIZ 10 AND RIVER SONG! SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! I would totally watch a show about the two of them. Although Lizzie - y'all are letting your collection go to wrack and ruin, the way things are hanging out of their frames, piled upside down, etc. Have a little pride, your maj! (We will not discuss how easily River tore that painting down. Handwave, handwave, handwave.)
Aww, is that all we're gonna see of Liz? Ripoff!
"I said off the wrist." *snort!* I assume when I get back in the wide world of online everyone will be speculating about which handsome Time Agent that was.
TOTALLY loving "the very first words in recorded history." River, you have got style! (Although that was the dullest diamond cliff, wasn't it?) And what is that Amy said? I've watched three times and can't catch it.
"Invasion of the hot Italians." I'm betting that's not what they thought at the time, but *snort*!
"Cleopatra will see you now." River, you have style with style sauce and whipped chutzpah on top. I really have to go download
bewarethespork's gay for River icon; Alex Kingston is totally knocking this out of the park. I particularly appreciate the smeared lipstick on the poor guy's face.I also assume that when I get back online, there are going to be 1000 icons of that painting. *takes snapshot*
Matt Smith/his stuntman can't ride. Don't flail your hands around, there's a mouth at the other end of those reins!
The Confidential will tell me how they got to film at Stonehenge, I'm sure. Looking forward to it.
OMGWTFCYBERHEAD???!
Watch it with the torch, Matt. I hear the stuff they make fake spiderwebs out of catches fire real easy.
Y'know, even if I hadn't been spoiled for who was inside, that "nameless, terrible thing
"I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be him." Marry me, River. *thinks back over Who canon* Pretty much yeah.
"Have we met?" *SNORT!*
Oh, fuck, Daleks. DID YOU NOT HEAR ME SAYING HOW DAMNED GLAD I WAS THERE WOULD BE NO DAMN DALEKS IN THE FINALE, MOFFAT? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? No, I will not be mollified by a retread of dalek/cyberman smack talk.
"Run where?" "Fight how?" Good questions!
Whoops! Unexpected armed Caesar! Wait... now I have to go Google, because isn't he dead now too?
"Where do I come from. You're all barbarians now." ILU, River.
"A friend of mine." Good. I'm glad to put an end to Tin Dog Syndrome - even though I hope we're not putting an end to Rory. That "If something can be remembered" is a tiny tendril of hope.
"You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas? Sorry. LOOK AT ME, I'M A TARGET!" Oh, Doctor, never change!
It says something about me that I've rewatched Amy and the cyberhead 3x... so I can try to get some detail on Amy's wristwarmers. (I'm trying to figure out if they're reusing bits of Rose's costume or if they're new. New, looks like.) Which is kind of a pitiful way of spending what's actually a cool and scary scene.
"Hello Amy"? HELLO AMY? I'd been spoiled for the Roman soldier (it's impossible not to see spoiler pictures if you're doing any of the newsletters) but I'd thought he was a reincarnation or something. It's really Rory!? Rory's not dead?! *Kermitflail of joy*
"I know that, Rory, not exactly one to miss the obvious." *snort* And right when everyone's expecting a big welcome back scene (including poor Rory!) And then we get the most hilarious welcome back scene possible: "I died and turned into a Roman. It's very distracting." We've got to keep Rory around because those two actors work together so very, very well.
Hmmmm... because Rory the Nurse was erased from history, does this mean that Amy's latent love has brought him back as her fantasy Hot Italian Invader?
"Remember every black day I ever stopped you and then, and then! Do the smart thing and let somebody else try first." I love that speech (and yeah, so totally clear who's in the Pandorica now.)
BUT! Hate to say it, Eleven fans, I don't think Matt delivered that with anywhere near the gravitas that Eccleston or Tennant would have. He sounds like he's announcing a footie game (and flailing around way too much). I've reached the point where I'm finally liking the show a lot but I'm lukewarm at best over the lead actor... a position I've been in rather a lot, if you add up all my fandoms.
River smacking the monitor reminded me - we've never seen the Doctor hit the TARDIS. Not once, and certainly not with the selection of mallets Ten had hanging off the console.
WHOSE VOICE WAS THAT? It sounded like Davros saying "Silence will fall"! Not the Dream Lord (who I kind of expected). Y'know - arguably "silence will fall" talks about the season coming to an end - the show will be silenced. At least until Christmas.
OMG, OMG, O!M!G! Fake soldiers from Amy's memory? Rory becoming a centurion because of a costume? O!!M!!G!! Rory's reacting to whatever's taking over the soldiers!
AUTONS!!!! (Okay, I'm squeeing a bit.)
This is proper storytelling, this is, I'm at the edge of my seat... although if Amy can talk Rory out of being an Auton like she talked the dalek bomb out of exploding, I'm going to feel a bit cheated. That was extremely handwavy the first time.
Oh, fuck, Daleks. I'm leaning back in the seat again and rolling my eyes. I! Am! So! TIRED! Of! Dalek! Finales!
Oh, shit, I thought the Doctor came out of the box. I didn't realize he was going in.
Rory just the hell WHAT?
Oh, shit, that final shot!
I must say, that is the most proper cliffhangery cliffhanger ever hung off a cliff!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 09:15 pm (UTC)But I find the surprise for both of you to be amusing that neither one of you thought he was going to be shoved IN to the box!
And now I am curious as to whether River did things the way she did intentionally, or if she was shoved into doing so by circumstances.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 10:29 pm (UTC)River, I think, is working without a plan, which means circumstances.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 11:14 pm (UTC)I actually thought there would be another version of the doctor (later version) in there, too, not that they were going to take him and string him up.
River saying "Sorry Sweetie" at the very end makes me wonder what she was apologizing for... She said it when she looked out the door and saw the pandorica.
I'm still wondering how they're planning on resolving the Rory thing, though. He's "out of time", effectively, because he "never existed". So if all of these things were based on Amy's past and childhood (the books could still be found in her room, which is where they could have gotten these things from), and not on a direct contact with her mind (which I wonder how they would have done so to begin with), then how would they know about Rory? Maybe I missed something (we were watching the episode from a plane at 10K feet, and missed a few lines due to not being able to hear them over the jet engines), but how did Rory get plucked out of her memory if she doesn't remember him in a section of her brain accessible to herself, let alone anyone else? How would they have known enough about him to create him? And how would he be generated with his own memories if he never existed in time? The doctor is a special case in remembering him, because of what he is. But if Amy can't remember Rory, then how did they re-create Rory, complete with memories of Amy?
All right, I'm both confused and highly parenthetical today. ;)
no subject
Date: 2010-06-22 12:14 am (UTC)