Doctor Who - Series 5 (2010)
I was going to open this post by saying the only constant on "Doctor Who" is change. That isn't necessarily true. There are a few constants. The TARDIS. Daleks. Weeping Angels. Cybermen. Change is a big part though, specifically the change of Doctors and companions. Series 5 begins the newest cycle for rebirth. At the end of "The End of Time," David Tennant regenerated into the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith. With a new Doctor comes a new companion, Karen Gillan's Amy Pond. It's a changing of the guard, so let's take a dive into series 5 of "Doctor Who."
The series begins with "The Eleventh Hour" and the TARDIS crashing outside the home of young Amelia Pond. After an entertaining montage of the Doctor figuring out some of the things this new incarnation of himself enjoys, young Amelia shows him a crack in her bedroom wall. The Doctor has to take the TARDIS for a short trip to regulate it, but promises he will return to take on young Amelia as a companion. And return he does, 12 years later. He finds a grown Amy, pretty upset that he never returned. It turns out she told a lot of people about her "Raggedy Doctor," a story most thought was completely made up and she in turn was made fun of. When the Doctor investigates the crack in Amy's wall again, he finds that a shape-shifting alien, Prisoner X, has escaped from it. If the Doctor can't stop him, an intergalactic police force called the Atraxi will destroy Earth. The Doctor is able to accomplish this with Amy and her boyfriend, Rory Williams, help. The Doctor leaves in the TARDIS, again promising to return soon, but it takes another two years. Amy forgives him and decides to join him, the night before her wedding.
The transition from one Doctor to another is always a big deal, especially now. David Tennant was beloved by a lot of fans, myself included. But, man, does Matt Smith do a great job right out of the gate. The Doctor is both familiar and brand new. Smith brings a playful, manic energy to the role. He's jovial and fun. He can also be stern and forceful the next moment and Smith plays those changes to the hilt. He has immediate chemistry with Karen Gillan's Amy Pond and they make a great pairing. I'll try not to harp on it too much in these first couple episodes, but I really don't like this companion has the hots for the Doctor theme. It's lazy and ridiculous and is cheap. So, while I'm not surprised that it happens here with the Doctor and Amy, especially considering their history, I'm not into it. And Amy taking off with her Raggedy Doctor the night before her wedding doesn't put her in the best light.
Aside from that, this is a strong premiere that sets the tone and direction for the series to follow, with Matt Smith leading the charge.
If you watch "Doctor Who" for more than a couple of series, you'll notice that it fits a specific pattern, especially when a new companion is introduced. It's premiere, then a visit to the future, followed by a visit to the past. Series 5 doesn't break that pattern with it's second episode, "The Beast Below." The Doctor and Amy head to the distant future and the Starship UK. The spaceship holds the entirety of the UK except for Scotland and is ruled by Liz 10. The Doctor and Amy discover the spaceship is powered by a sentient creature called a Star Whale. The creature is tortured because Liz 10 believes it wouldn't do what they needed it to do of it's own free will. This isn't my favorite episode. I love Sophie Okonedo and she slays it as Liz 10 but the story itself feels really tired and recycled from a lot of other episodes.
Next up, the Doctor takes Amy back to World War 2 and the London Blitz in "Victory of the Daleks." They head there because the Doctor gets a distress call from Winston Churchill. While there, Churchill and a scientist named Bracewell introduce them to his invention Ironsides. The Doctor immediately recognizes this as a Dalek, except it's a good Dalek. The Doctor immediately sees through this and he is, of course, correct. The Daleks have created Bracewill and they are going to use him to destroy Earth. Again, this is an average episode elevated by Smith, Gillan and especially Ian McNiece who played Churchill. That was probably my favorite thing about the episode and I would have liked to learn a little more about his relationship with the Doctor.
Series 5 really kicks into high gear with its first two-parter, "The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone." The Doctor and Amy are called on by the mysterious River Song to help her, Father Octavian and his militarized clerics destroy the last group of Weeping Angels. As the group investigates the Byzantium, they learn that all the statues in it are Weeping Angels and they are gaining power from radiation leaking from the clerics crashed ship.
These two episodes are some of the best the show has done up to this point. It brings back some fan favorite characters and creatures. First up is Alex Kingston's River Song. She is such a breath of fresh air and it's wonderful to watch her play off of Matt Smith. They have such immediate chemistry and it's so different than her repartee with David Tennant. This episode also gives Karen Gillan some of her strongest material so far. Once Amy is infected with the Weeping Angel, Gillan plays Amy's fear and trepidation and her strength are at the forefront. These episodes also push forward the season long arc of the cracks in time and space with one of them swallowing the Angels and the forest. The one knock against this episode is that when the Doctor takes Amy back to her time, she tries to make out with him and she spills the beans about her upcoming nuptials. Groan.
In "The Vampires of Venice," the Doctor gets reacquainted with Amy's fiancé, Rory Williams. After Amy's awkward come on, the Doctor steals Rory away from his stag party and takes the couple on a romantic trip to Venice in 1560. Little do they realize that the people of Venice are being terrorized by what they believe to be vampires. In actuality, the "vampires" are a race of fish people led by Rosanna Calvierri, who found themselves in Venice after their planet was destroyed by one of the universe cracks. This episode suffers due to the villains and their kind of cookie cutter motivations. I liked the writers tying the fish aliens into the overarching series story of the universe cracks, but their final plan to flood Venice feels a little tired and a re-tread of things that have happened in past episodes. What works is the first real feel we get of Amy and Rory's relationship. In the premiere, I wondered why these two people were together and would stay together, but this episode really helps you understand that. Gillan and Darvill play off each other well. Amy definitely wears the pants, but Rory isn't a spineless weakling. He pushes back when need be and you understand why Amy asks him to join her on the TARDIS with the Doctor.
In "Amy's Choice," Amy and Rory find themselves ping-ponging between two realities at the whim of a creature calling himself the Dream Lord (Toby Jones). In one, Amy and Rory are married and living a quiet domestic life in a quaint village. Amy is pretty pregnant and Rory is a doctor, but it turns out that his elderly patients are possessed by aliens, which brings the Doctor in. In the other, Amy, Rory and the Doctor are in the TARDIS which is without power and is heading towards a star that will cause them to freeze to death. What I love about this episode is that it really puts the nail in the coffin of "Who does Amy love: Rory or the Doctor" no matter how many times the show will go back to the well. I loved that what made Amy realize the pregnant reality was the fake reality was when Rory died and her knowing that a reality without Rory is not one she wants to live in. The reveal the Dream Lord is a manifestation of the darker aspects of the Doctor's personality is great too. It shows that despite this happy go lucky facade, this new Doctor wrestles with the same self-loathing and doubt that the his previous incarnations, especially in this revival, have.
Series 6's next two-parter is "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood." The Doctor and his two companions reach Wales in 2020. A group is drilling into the Earth and have disturbed a race of aliens called the Silurians. The Silurians have kidnapped the son of one of the researchers along with Amy and they plan to vivisect them both. It's all downhill from there when Elliot's (the kidnapped boy) mother kills one of the Silurians and the murdered Silurian's sister looks for revenge. The Silurians decide to hibernate for 1,000 since clearly humanity isn't ready to share the Earth. Restac, the sister of the murdered Silurian, exacts her revenge on Rory, shooting him. After his death, Rory is sucked into one of the cracks in the universe, erasing him from Amy's mind. The Doctor also finds a piece of the TARDIS in the crack.
With this two-parter, the good stuff is in the periphery. The main story revolving around the conflict between the researchers and the Silurians is fine, but not groundbreaking. We've seen this stuff before in so much sci-fi from "Star Trek" to "Doctor Who." It's perfectly competent but in a season that has been so strong, I want a little bit more than that. But man, those final few minutes pack an emotional punch. Just when Rory feels like he's become an integral part of the team, he's yanked away. Gillan really kills the scene from Rory's death to her nonchalance after she forgets him. It's killer and it makes you excited for the back half of series 5.
The Doctor and Amy take a break to visit Vincent van Gogh in "Vincent and the Doctor." While visiting the Musee d'Orsay in the present, the Doctor sees a creature in the window of the church in van Gogh's, The Church of Auvers. He and Amy travel back 1890 to get to the bottom of it. The creature is a Krayfis, and only van Gogh can see it. Van Gogh relates to the creature and it's pain, but kills it anyway. Amy and the Doctor take Van Gogh back to the present to see the impact his artwork will have on people. After returning him to his time, Amy believes that he will not take his own life, but he does, after dedicating one of his sunflowers paintings to Amy.
I really connected with this episode and it may be one of my favorite "Doctor Who" episodes so far. Tony Curran who plays Van Gogh does a great job. This episode deals with mental health and the ramifications of it. Amy believes that showing van Gogh the impact that he has on people he will be "cured." But sadly, things aren't that simple. The show doesn't look for an easy answer here because there isn't one and Gillan again knocks the emotional scenes out of the park. She really gets stronger and stronger with each passing episode.
In "The Lodger," the Doctor gets stranded in present day Colchester when the TARDIS dematerializes with Amy inside. The Doctor tracks the source of this disturbance to a local flat occupied on the bottom floor by Craig Owens (James Corden). The disturbance that affected the TARDIS is on the second floor of Craig's flat. People are being lured up there and not seen again. Craig's friend, Sophie, on who he has an unrequited crush on, is the next person lured up there. The Doctor and Craig storm the second floor and find a TARDIS-like, sentient spaceship that is luring people to it trying to find a suitable pilot. Craig tries to sacrifice himself but due to his deep desire to not leave Sophie the ship is spazzes out and takes off and the TARDIS returns. Oh yeah, and Amy finds her engagement ring in the TARDIS.
Another killer series 5 episode of "Doctor Who." James Corden and Matt Smith have an irrefutable chemistry and the interplay is on point from the very beginning. I don't think I've laughed this much at an episode in a long time. The sequences where the Doctor basically lives Craig's life better than he does are amazing, especially the sequence at work. The Doctor in a customer service headset. Loved. It. Corden does so well that I really didn't miss Amy at all, but she definitely makes an impact in her few scenes.
Series 6 concludes with "The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang." Hello, sweetie. River Song returns and beckons Amy and the Doctor to 102 AD, showing them a Van Gogh painting of the TARDIS exploding. Embedded in the painting is the coordinates for Stonehenge. The trio travel there and find the Pandorica buried underneath. The Pandorica is supposed to contain the universe's greatest criminal. When the Doctor gets the Pandorica open, he finds it's empty and the whole thing was a trap set by his greatest enemies. They believe the Doctor is responsible for the cracks in the universe and lock him in the Pandorica. Oh and there is also an Auton version of Rory dressed as a Roman Centurion that ends up shooting Amy. The TARDIS brings River to Amy's house in June 26, 2010 and explodes causing the cracks in the universe to go bananas.
If you think Amy's going to stay dead, nope! The Doctor gives Rory his sonic screwdriver and they place her in the Pandorica, knowing that 7-year-old Amelia Pond will touch the Pandorica in a museum and her DNA will restore Amy to life. The Doctor also saves River and decides to fly the Pandorica into the exploding TARDIS, caught in a time loop. The restoration field in the Pandorica restores the universe and the cracks close completely, erasing the Doctor from the universe. But Amy remembers. And because she remembers, she's able to bring the Doctor back on she and Rory's wedding day.
This was probably my favorite "Doctor Who" finale ever. It all just works so well. The cliffhanger is solid even though you know that everyone is going to be fine. It's emotional. I laughed. I cried. It all makes sense. As much as something that contains re-writing history can make sense. River has bad ass moments. The Doctor wears a fez. Amy and Rory get married with the Doctor at the reception, which is basically a big fuck you to everyone in Amy's town that didn't believe her Raggedy Doctor existed. It's a nice happy ending and I was here for it.
All in all, series 5 is probably my favorite so far. I was worried but all the changes worked really well and that is a testament to the three leads. The cracks in the universe storyline was also the strongest of the series since series 1. Geronimo, indeed.
Next up, the Doctor and the Ponds continue their adventure and we learn a little bit more about River Song.
What did you all think of series 5? Is it anyone else's favorite? Is Matt Smith your favorite Doctor? Amy your favorite companion? Let your voice be heard in the comments.
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| Throuple Vibes |
The transition from one Doctor to another is always a big deal, especially now. David Tennant was beloved by a lot of fans, myself included. But, man, does Matt Smith do a great job right out of the gate. The Doctor is both familiar and brand new. Smith brings a playful, manic energy to the role. He's jovial and fun. He can also be stern and forceful the next moment and Smith plays those changes to the hilt. He has immediate chemistry with Karen Gillan's Amy Pond and they make a great pairing. I'll try not to harp on it too much in these first couple episodes, but I really don't like this companion has the hots for the Doctor theme. It's lazy and ridiculous and is cheap. So, while I'm not surprised that it happens here with the Doctor and Amy, especially considering their history, I'm not into it. And Amy taking off with her Raggedy Doctor the night before her wedding doesn't put her in the best light.
Aside from that, this is a strong premiere that sets the tone and direction for the series to follow, with Matt Smith leading the charge.
If you watch "Doctor Who" for more than a couple of series, you'll notice that it fits a specific pattern, especially when a new companion is introduced. It's premiere, then a visit to the future, followed by a visit to the past. Series 5 doesn't break that pattern with it's second episode, "The Beast Below." The Doctor and Amy head to the distant future and the Starship UK. The spaceship holds the entirety of the UK except for Scotland and is ruled by Liz 10. The Doctor and Amy discover the spaceship is powered by a sentient creature called a Star Whale. The creature is tortured because Liz 10 believes it wouldn't do what they needed it to do of it's own free will. This isn't my favorite episode. I love Sophie Okonedo and she slays it as Liz 10 but the story itself feels really tired and recycled from a lot of other episodes.
Next up, the Doctor takes Amy back to World War 2 and the London Blitz in "Victory of the Daleks." They head there because the Doctor gets a distress call from Winston Churchill. While there, Churchill and a scientist named Bracewell introduce them to his invention Ironsides. The Doctor immediately recognizes this as a Dalek, except it's a good Dalek. The Doctor immediately sees through this and he is, of course, correct. The Daleks have created Bracewill and they are going to use him to destroy Earth. Again, this is an average episode elevated by Smith, Gillan and especially Ian McNiece who played Churchill. That was probably my favorite thing about the episode and I would have liked to learn a little more about his relationship with the Doctor.
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| First you see the Angel... |
These two episodes are some of the best the show has done up to this point. It brings back some fan favorite characters and creatures. First up is Alex Kingston's River Song. She is such a breath of fresh air and it's wonderful to watch her play off of Matt Smith. They have such immediate chemistry and it's so different than her repartee with David Tennant. This episode also gives Karen Gillan some of her strongest material so far. Once Amy is infected with the Weeping Angel, Gillan plays Amy's fear and trepidation and her strength are at the forefront. These episodes also push forward the season long arc of the cracks in time and space with one of them swallowing the Angels and the forest. The one knock against this episode is that when the Doctor takes Amy back to her time, she tries to make out with him and she spills the beans about her upcoming nuptials. Groan.
In "The Vampires of Venice," the Doctor gets reacquainted with Amy's fiancé, Rory Williams. After Amy's awkward come on, the Doctor steals Rory away from his stag party and takes the couple on a romantic trip to Venice in 1560. Little do they realize that the people of Venice are being terrorized by what they believe to be vampires. In actuality, the "vampires" are a race of fish people led by Rosanna Calvierri, who found themselves in Venice after their planet was destroyed by one of the universe cracks. This episode suffers due to the villains and their kind of cookie cutter motivations. I liked the writers tying the fish aliens into the overarching series story of the universe cracks, but their final plan to flood Venice feels a little tired and a re-tread of things that have happened in past episodes. What works is the first real feel we get of Amy and Rory's relationship. In the premiere, I wondered why these two people were together and would stay together, but this episode really helps you understand that. Gillan and Darvill play off each other well. Amy definitely wears the pants, but Rory isn't a spineless weakling. He pushes back when need be and you understand why Amy asks him to join her on the TARDIS with the Doctor.
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| Does this shirt make me look fat? |
Series 6's next two-parter is "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood." The Doctor and his two companions reach Wales in 2020. A group is drilling into the Earth and have disturbed a race of aliens called the Silurians. The Silurians have kidnapped the son of one of the researchers along with Amy and they plan to vivisect them both. It's all downhill from there when Elliot's (the kidnapped boy) mother kills one of the Silurians and the murdered Silurian's sister looks for revenge. The Silurians decide to hibernate for 1,000 since clearly humanity isn't ready to share the Earth. Restac, the sister of the murdered Silurian, exacts her revenge on Rory, shooting him. After his death, Rory is sucked into one of the cracks in the universe, erasing him from Amy's mind. The Doctor also finds a piece of the TARDIS in the crack.
With this two-parter, the good stuff is in the periphery. The main story revolving around the conflict between the researchers and the Silurians is fine, but not groundbreaking. We've seen this stuff before in so much sci-fi from "Star Trek" to "Doctor Who." It's perfectly competent but in a season that has been so strong, I want a little bit more than that. But man, those final few minutes pack an emotional punch. Just when Rory feels like he's become an integral part of the team, he's yanked away. Gillan really kills the scene from Rory's death to her nonchalance after she forgets him. It's killer and it makes you excited for the back half of series 5.
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| Starry Night |
I really connected with this episode and it may be one of my favorite "Doctor Who" episodes so far. Tony Curran who plays Van Gogh does a great job. This episode deals with mental health and the ramifications of it. Amy believes that showing van Gogh the impact that he has on people he will be "cured." But sadly, things aren't that simple. The show doesn't look for an easy answer here because there isn't one and Gillan again knocks the emotional scenes out of the park. She really gets stronger and stronger with each passing episode.
 |
| Oh yeah. I ship this. |
Another killer series 5 episode of "Doctor Who." James Corden and Matt Smith have an irrefutable chemistry and the interplay is on point from the very beginning. I don't think I've laughed this much at an episode in a long time. The sequences where the Doctor basically lives Craig's life better than he does are amazing, especially the sequence at work. The Doctor in a customer service headset. Loved. It. Corden does so well that I really didn't miss Amy at all, but she definitely makes an impact in her few scenes.
If you think Amy's going to stay dead, nope! The Doctor gives Rory his sonic screwdriver and they place her in the Pandorica, knowing that 7-year-old Amelia Pond will touch the Pandorica in a museum and her DNA will restore Amy to life. The Doctor also saves River and decides to fly the Pandorica into the exploding TARDIS, caught in a time loop. The restoration field in the Pandorica restores the universe and the cracks close completely, erasing the Doctor from the universe. But Amy remembers. And because she remembers, she's able to bring the Doctor back on she and Rory's wedding day.
This was probably my favorite "Doctor Who" finale ever. It all just works so well. The cliffhanger is solid even though you know that everyone is going to be fine. It's emotional. I laughed. I cried. It all makes sense. As much as something that contains re-writing history can make sense. River has bad ass moments. The Doctor wears a fez. Amy and Rory get married with the Doctor at the reception, which is basically a big fuck you to everyone in Amy's town that didn't believe her Raggedy Doctor existed. It's a nice happy ending and I was here for it.
All in all, series 5 is probably my favorite so far. I was worried but all the changes worked really well and that is a testament to the three leads. The cracks in the universe storyline was also the strongest of the series since series 1. Geronimo, indeed.
Next up, the Doctor and the Ponds continue their adventure and we learn a little bit more about River Song.
What did you all think of series 5? Is it anyone else's favorite? Is Matt Smith your favorite Doctor? Amy your favorite companion? Let your voice be heard in the comments.
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