5x02 - The Beast Below

[masterofmidgets]

I've seen Doctor Who, and I have opinions!

• I hope I'm not the only person who thought this episode had too much plot? What I mean is, I found the beginning, with the masked queen and the creepy chanting children (Moffat really likes him some creepy children, doesn't he?) and the vague conspiracies underneath the calmly British surface very interesting. And I liked the end, sort of, with the space whale and the ship and the not crashing. But in retrospect I still don't understand at all how they hung together in the middle, or why any of the characters were doing what they were doing outside the immediate in-the-moment motivations. And I suspect that even if I went back and mapped it out, it would still be kind of silly.
• That said, I am loving the set direction on the new season. Everything is so pretty! And creepy! That may just be my instinctive fear of expressionless full-face masks speaking here. But I did think the ship was lovely. And that was a nice Discworld homage at the very end.
• DO YOU THINK THE WHALE WAS A METAPHOR? I THINK THE WHALE WAS A METAPHOR. We get it, show, the Doctor is lonely and old and he saves people. No need for the hammer, thanks.
• I am not loving Eleven any less than I did last week. I like the mix of unbridled delight and oblivious dickishness very much, and the dialing back of some of Ten's angstangstangst. There are probably thinky thoughts to be had about his emotional development and dealing with the destruction of Gallifrey and whatnot, but mostly I was just flailing around going WATER GLASSES TIME LORDS SHOUTY DOCTOR HUGS :DDDD
• I want to be Amy when I grow up. She is wonderful! She picks locks and hugs the Doctor and saves the day and she does it all without even having proper shoes. AND SO PRETTY.
• I like the dynamic between the Doctor and Amy so much right now; I'm really hoping they keep it platonic and don't make it into a romance. Not only is the romance bit so very done, but I have certain strong feelings about the Doctor being into any of his Companions and how much it weirds me out on a conceptual level (I'll stick with my Doctor/Master and my Doctor/TARDIS OTPs, thank you).And they are so adorable as BFFs, kicking ass and getting into trouble and being emotionally supportive of each other. *fond*
• HELLO SEASON PLOT ARC I CAN SEE YOU.