The Rings of Something Review

[clocketpatch]

[Poll #1907060]

I've also got a poll up there, because, why not? I'm leaning towards Susan myself... The poll originally also featured Susan's Gran, Jo Grant, and Winston Churchill in a dress, but apparently lj's poll maker will only allow so many ticky boxes before getting mad.

And here's my Very Spoilery review:

So, THAT'S what's up with the leaf. I'm satisfied with the explanation and happy that it wasn't a leafy thread left dangling. Most important leaf in the universe makes me think of Donna Noble a bit.

Also, Eleven, you've GOT to stop messing around in your companion's childhoods. It's creepy, and it's causing you more trouble than it's worth. I say this because... am I the only one who got the strong impression that the wind which blew the leaf off the tree was the wind made by the TARDIS landing in order to witness the event of the leaf blowing off the tree? (And now my brain hurts).

The pacing in this episode was very strange and dragging
I wonder if that's because the episode budget was spent on populating three sets with extras, forcing the mains to spend most of their time standing around in corners having drawn out conversations...

Playing Spot-The-Alien was very fun. I saw a Hoth!

And Eleven has directly referenced both Susan and Omega. Nice one.

And the music IS very pretty. I want the series (7? 7b? 8? Fnarg2?) soundtrack.

But Eleven, you really need to not preach atheism. Doctor Who should never be used for preaching in that fashion, and when the entire episode becomes a metaphor against religion... it grates.

And, I'm wondering if the Doctor actually ended up having any memories eatten in that scene. I was thinking, for a long moment there, that the rest of this series (short though it is) might end up featuring an amensia!Eleven searching for his past.

I did, however, like the ending. The idea that the might've-beens of one ordinary person outweigh the vast stretches of has-beens experienced by the Doctor. A bit beautiful, that.

And, a bit sad, that the Doctor has had all of those experiences, and all he has to show for them are his screwdriver and the TARDIS.

Who doesn't like Clara? What's up with that?

Because, after this episode, I rather like Clara. A lot. And I like how her character is motivated. It also strikes me that, in the fantasy world Oswin-the-Dalek constructed, all she wanted to do was write to her mother and bake her scones...

I wonder who Clara's mother is, and if she'll be showing up again. I feel like the answer is yes.

Comments

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

I hope we see her mum again!

It was really weird seeing him muck around in her childhood. I don't know how much/if he influenced her, but the way he was sort of stalking around was just kind of creeperish. Lurking in the rain and stuff. But Clara did give him the stinkeye when she found out, and I think it must at least be partly so we can know about Clara as well as so he can know about her?

I wasn't sure if it was preaching atheism, exactly, but the "church serving an evil sun" vibe added to his "true origin of the universe" story did make me uncomfortable.

And, a bit sad, that the Doctor has had all of those experiences, and all he has to show for them are his screwdriver and the TARDIS.
But he has Amy's glasses! He just doesn't mention them. I don't know if he doesn't realize that they are sentimental, or if they are SO sentimental he's not willing to offer them.

[clocketpatch]

I didn't even realize Amy's glasses until I saw them pointed out in another review, which shows how incredibly observant I can be sometimes. Also, he's got an anti-grav motorcycle, which begs the question why he needs an anti-grav scooter (unless he destroyed it when he crashed last week)

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

Hmm, maybe the scooter vendor was closer than the TARDIS? Or perhaps the motorcycle can't fly, but can only defy gravity in the sense of going along walls? :P