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29 April 2013 at 21:50 #7199
@Shazzbot —Okay, I’ll admit that I’m most certainly bonkers sometimes. A popular saying here is, “Southerners don’t ask if you have crazy people in your family–we just ask which side they’re on.” In my case, it’s both sides of the family.
@PhaseShift–that’s a terrible trick! I love it and will, naturally, attempt to pull it on someone the first chance I get. I don’t wear a watch because I use my cell phone as a timekeeper–but my husband wears one. When I asked if he’d consider wearing it on the inside, for protection, he replied, “No way–then no one could see it but me!” Vanity will get you every time.
29 April 2013 at 20:14 #7187@Shazzbot The center (centre!) of the Tardis reminded me of Apalapucia–from The Girl Who Waited. But I thought I was alone in finding in familiar (whether or not you meant that particular episode), so thanks for confirming that I’m not as bonkers as I sometimes feel.
29 April 2013 at 20:09 #7185@scaryb I do lean toward the wristwatch facing inward as nothing more than a quirk of Smith’s Doctor, however I do love to speculate, so…there you go. But I must admit that I’ve never once heard of that being described as the “American way,” and I’m American!
29 April 2013 at 17:06 #7171Speaking of the fob watch, two things about Clara’s jewelry caught my eye while watching this episode. First, her earrings are triangle-shaped, which works for obvious reasons. Second, one of the the bracelets on her left wrist looks a lot like a strand of many clock faces–a clock face charm bracelet, if you will. Of course it could just be stones of some sort and I’m merely seeing things that aren’t truly there, but the timey-wimey-ness of something like that would be a nice Easter egg.
I’ve maintained since the release of the Series 7b promo pictures that the Doctor’s new fob watch is not going to be a coincidence. He’s now wearing both a fob watch and a wristwatch! And yet is it coincidence that his own wristwatch is constantly backwards? Sure, a fun character trait of the madman who can’t be bothered to properly adjust his watch so that it’s on the outside of his wrist. But maybe it’s indicative of something more?
28 April 2013 at 02:22 #6999Probably my favorite episode of this second half of the season. I need my usual re-watch, but my initial fascination is with the Architectural Reconfiguration System, a tree of living metal, “a machine that makes machines.”
Also–this is the second week in a row when Clara has seen another Clara . Last week, it was the Tardis voice interface system. Purposeful echoes of Claras scattered throughout time existence? The Doctor made a point of telling Clara that these were time echoes: “The Tardis is leaking the past.” And then we soon learn that it’s not just the past that’s leaking, it’s also the bleeding into the future.
It’s all so very interesting…
27 April 2013 at 14:11 #6863@craig Hope you’re able to watch tonight–you know, 5 hours after everyone else has seen it, aka WELCOME TO AMERICA! And Florida–which has a high of 86 degrees (or 30 C) today.
27 April 2013 at 14:05 #6860Would someone mind telling me exactly how “Metebelis” is pronounced? I read it just as Eleventy said it in Hide, but I’ve also seen all the, “How could they allow him to mess that up so badly?” comments. I’ve seen an episode of each Doctor (1-7…haven’t seen the 8th’s movie), but Metebelis 3 was new to me until this past episode.
26 April 2013 at 23:32 #6785Noted, but I don’t think I dropped any sort of spoiler here, nor did I link to the site or reveal any pertinent information. But please forgive me for upsetting you.
26 April 2013 at 23:09 #6782@ardarith I was in Cork on an internship for my university–that’s the simple explanation. There’s more to it than that, but I’m in a vehicle driving across Virginia right now and on my phone–too much to type on this touchscreen. But I loved Cork–traveled all over the Republic and that area was my favorite. Specifically, Kinsale!
Due to being on my mobile, I can’t link it here–but Blogtor Who has a *very* interesting spoiler regarding the finale. Think–Daleks!
26 April 2013 at 21:20 #6760@ardaraith You’re in Cork? I lived there in 1997. (Ballincollig for most of my time there.) I loved it and want to go back–husband and daughters in tow–because I still have many friends in that area.
And I like this new theory of yours…must think on it some more.
25 April 2013 at 17:28 #6654@HaveYouFedTheFish Your response isn’t needless detail–I find it fascinating, so thank you! I realize Eccleston didn’t use RP because his accent is much stronger to me. But what about Tennant? Of course I know he’s Scottish, but would his Doctor accent be considered RP?
If there’s an equivalent in the US, I don’t know of its title. People like Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, and Kyle Chandler are all southern born and bred, but they’ve been trained to speak with no accent. That is, until they’re cast in something that requires playing a Southerner, or when they’re around other Southerners–then their legitimate voice is evident. Kyle Chandler is pretty southern in real life (he was born in New York but raised in Georgia), and tends to play southerners–such as in Friday Night Lights, or his character in Argo, for example. But then he appeared in Zero Dark Thirty and didn’t use his normal speaking voice–he sounded like Nowhere, America which I’m guessing was the point.
And then we have some actors who try their hardest to escape their upbringing, but usually fail. I’m speaking of Matthew McConaughey here…that man will sound pure Texan until the day he dies. A true southern accent is hard to emulate–which is why it sounds completely phony when a non-southerner attempts it. Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin are enormous offenders, but I still love them on True Blood. However, the few times Alexander Skarsgard’s character has had to slip into a Louisiana Bayou tongue, he’s nailed it perfectly. Swedes! They’ve got talent.
You’re correct about frogs–I live in a small, rural town in the mountains of southwest Virginia, and we’ve got frogs by the truck full. I’ve yet to hear a single “ribbet” from any of them–the frogs here croak. Loudly.
25 April 2013 at 15:34 #6650@ardaraith My two biggest questions are HOW? And why aren’t Rory and Amy all over her scans? Any parent with a child in the hospital (regardless of circumstances, regardless of child’s age, regardless of whether they raised said child or not, etc.) is going to have one eye on their kid, the other on the kid’s medical scans–especially if the scan is clearly on display!
But again…HOW? I feel like Moffat is trolling us big time, and to be honest, I’ve seen LKH at least half a dozen times and last night was the first I’d noticed this bit of information.
25 April 2013 at 15:06 #6648Probably did this wrong (I am techno-inferior, admittedly), but here’s a link:
Like I mentioned–tiny photo, and it’s taken from Netflx, so the quality isn’t spectacular.
25 April 2013 at 14:37 #6646Kind of off topic, but y’all are definitely the ones to be asking–does River have two hearts? I know it’s never been discussed on the show, and I’ve always assumed she has only one, due to human parents. My daughter was watching LKH on my laptop last night and the camera briefly shows her scan next to her hospital bed. It’s very quick, but I rewound and took a screencap of it–and it very much looks like the scan of someone with two hearts. My husband is a physician, so I asked his opinion. His sarcastic response was, “I can’t really diagnose or speculate on a fictional character, no matter how much I dig her. But yeah, that looks like a crappy photo of a scan of two hearts. That’s why the Doctor is so into her–it’s not the hair or the sass, it’s her hearts.” Bless.
I have no idea how to embed the photo here, so if someone can tell me, I’d be happy to post this crappy screenshot for all to see. Because really…I’m now flummoxed.
25 April 2013 at 14:25 #6645@janetteB Fringe was a beautiful show about familial and romantic love, masquerading as Sci-Fi drama. I loved it. In a a parallel universe, Walter Bishop and The Doctor are problem solving together, with strawberry milkshakes and Jammie Dodgers.
@badwolf99 I love Dexter, too. The last couple of seasons haven’t been the best, but I’m hoping this final season will be amazing. Definitely check out Breaking Bad–Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are two of the finest actors on television. Mad Men is one of my favorites, too, but there’s been a few missteps over the past 5 years. The acting makes up for it, though. See also: the fashion. It’s a cultural time warp every week!
@WhoHar Thank you for that explanation–I get it now! While I can definitely tell a difference in say—Jason Statham versus Benedict Cumberbatch’s accent–Smith and Coleman sound pretty much the same to my ears, honestly. It must be like distinguishing the difference between someone from the deep south (Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana) and someone from Virginia or North Carolina–they’re all southern, but deep south has a twang to their cadence. Similarly, a person from Boston versus a New Yorker…I’ve never lived anywhere but the south, however I can easily differentiate between a Bostonian and someone from the Bronx.
25 April 2013 at 00:44 #6631@haveyoufedthefish Can you explain what “RP” means? Admittedly, I’ve never noticed any differences in Matt Smith’s voice. Well, on Doctor Who, that is…he sounds much less proper (posh? I don’t know the appropriate description) in the film Womb. Which…yeah…that movie.
Breaking Bad is sheer excellence in programming. Season 4’s finale–which I won’t spoil here, but Gustavo Fring! I’m still wowed by it. The only other show I’d deem just as flawless is Friday Night Lights, which is my favorite show in the universe–after Lost. It’s 100% Americana–life in a small, southern, football-obsessed town, but it’s truly wonderful, with the critical acclaim and Kyle Chandler’s Best Actor Emmy to back this up. Whether or not you care about American football on the high school level (and let’s face it–most people don’t, unless you’re from Texas or any other southern state), it’s a completely exceptional drama. I gush because I love it so very much.
I’m desperate to see Book of Mormon–one of my best friends lives in NYC and we’re planning a trip this fall. I must see BoM, as well as Once, especially now that Arthur Darvill is performing the lead role. Rory on Broadway!
24 April 2013 at 22:10 #6622@PhaseShift And I call myself an Idris fan–have never heard of Ultraviolet, but that’s being remedied immediately, thanks to Amazon. I see that Jack Davenport is the lead role, which furthers my need to watch. Thanks for the recommendation!
Also–your Who promos aren’t “talkie?” After finishing supper, my next stop will be to You Tube. I remember the UK promos for Lost being stellar–enjoyed watching them via You Tube, because they were so different from what ABC gave us here. Granted, ABC is too busy promoting Dancing With the Has-beans, which…no. I reckon BBC America has all the talking because we Americans love an accent. That’s not a slam, it’s a generalized truth. Now if I can just get people here to differentiate between an Australian and English accent!
Finally–and this is for anyone reading my drivel–I have good friends who live in Bedford (she’s English, he’s Irish) and they continue to complain about Jenna-Louise Coleman’s accent on Doctor Who, telling me, “One minute she sounds her native Blackpool, the other, London.” Of course I noticed when it was a plot point in The Snowmen (“Do your other voice!”), but I haven’t in any of her subsequent episodes, forgive me. Is this a genuine complaint or are they being persnickety? Because if it’s legitimate, it’s another rabbit to chase down the hole.
24 April 2013 at 20:20 #6606Agree with everything you said…except the part about Lost ending badly. I was a hardcore Lostie–watched from the pilot, September 22, 2004, till the finale on May 23, 2010–and loved the finale. I have zero disappointments with how the show ended, but I realize I’m not in the majority. I can’t even care, because it was and most likely will be my most favorite television program of all time. Doctor Who is in my top five, but Lost is firmly set at number one.
Doctor Who is the only show I’ve spent any amount of sussing on, with the exception of Lost. (And Fringe, to an extent…I miss Fringe so very much.) It’s just so much fun.
@elwingt Definitely watch The Wire when you can–truly an excellent show. Plus…Idris Elba, ahem. I’m an enormous Breaking Bad, GoT, and Mad Men fan, too. And you’re absolutely correct–both the US and UK are offering so much quality programming that my husband and I rarely go see a film because TV is just better.
I’ve never been to Dragon Con, but a close friend attended last year and spent most of the day texting photos of all the cosplayers, including a group of girls dressed as Weeping Angels. They looked incredible! And of course Atlanta is nerdy! It’s home to Georgia Tech. (Said the Georgia Bulldog’s #1 fan in the world.)
23 April 2013 at 23:22 #6539@HTPBDET Everyone is listening to his accent–because BBC Am uses him for EVERYTHING! (How many Graham Norton commercials can they air in one day? Oh, about 200. I’m not joking.) Maybe he’s just been “over here” for too long, or maybe it’s the inflection…because to my ears, he sounds like an American trying to speak like an Englishman. Then again, I’m the person who had to watch the first 3 seasons of Skins with subtitles. I admit that, yes.
And there’s this, straight from Twitter:
@caseymckinnon 17 Apr Some days I just want to pronounce everything like the @BBCAMERICA VoiceOver guy.
See? Famous.23 April 2013 at 23:14 #6538@HTPBDET Hope you are feeling better. I enjoyed your theorizing, particularly about Clara not being a trap but being a solution. Also–the ghostbusters line. It felt rather forced to me but reading your theory puts it in a new perspective.
23 April 2013 at 23:10 #6536@Shazzbot THANK YOU! I mentioned this over On The Sofa earlier today, but oh my stars, (I’ve been saying that decades before we heard it from Clara’s mother, thankyouverymuch) the BBC America announcer sounds completely phony. What’s worse is that people over here think he sounds “posh.” I’ve even seen tweets of, “In my head, I sound like BBC America’s announcer.” I feel sorry for these people, because in my head, I sound like Ruth Wilson. (When in reality, I’m about as southern as they come. And by southern, I don’t mean the phony southern accents used on True Blood by most of their international cast. Ryan Kwanten, an Australian, does the most authentic Louisiana accent of that bunch.)
23 April 2013 at 23:03 #6534@juniperfish I called the Guardian scary because I’d come away from reading the comments there with a big ol’, “WHAT.” So much hate watching going on, it seems. I just don’t understand viewing a show, hating it, then reading recaps of said show and extending your hatred via the comment section. If one dislikes a particular program, why continue expressing your disdain? I get that hate-watching is something people do for fun, I reckon. For example, over here the show “Smash” is famous for being hate watched–but it seems to be in good fun. People watch as it airs and lament–usually via Twitter–in real time. But over on The Guardian, it seems the same people spew their vitriol every week, and I had to sit on my fingers to refrain from commenting, “If you hate Doctor Who, STOP WATCHING.” I dare not be so bold, though!
Further, I’d regularly see remarks (on The Guardian) of the,”Doctor Who is being dumbed down for Americans,” variety. Admittedly, the Amy Voice Over Intro that BBC America tacked onto the opening credits was ridiculous. But nearly every episode of Who leaves me having to Google or ask an English friend, “Uh…what was that?” Witness: the Sindy doll, the Beano, and Carlysle/Carlisle. (Ignorance is Carlisle? I’m thirty-eight years old, well-traveled, and have a college degree–and I have never heard that saying. Forgive my ignorance!) I’m sorry if anyone feels the show has been “dumbed down” to please an American audience, because I just don’t see it that way. I love programs like Luther, Sherlock–Moffat’s version, not the mess that airs over here–and basically anything that Richard Armitage shows up on. I just watched all of Broadchurch (illegally, shhhhhhh!) and loved it. I appreciate good television, regardless of the country that delivers it to me.
*End rant/explanation of why I quit reading the comments over on The Guardian.*
23 April 2013 at 22:21 #6515@phaseshift Ugh, that awful Amy intro! BBC Am tacked that onto the opening midway in S5, I believe, and it was so insulting. I realize the program started becoming uber famous in America once Eleventy (as I call him) stepped into the Tardis, but many of us have watched for years and we felt BBC Am was dumb-ing down the show for all the newbies. There’s been none of that with Clara–yet–and I hope it stays that way. I loved Amy–and Rory–but that intro mess was just ridiculous.
@elwingt Hi from Virginia! I’m a proud Georgian (originally from Warner Robins), but have been in extreme Southwest Virginia for over ten years. I get home to visit my family fairly often, and have several friends in Atlanta (metro and surrounding areas), so we make stops there, too.
23 April 2013 at 20:12 #6483@Craig–sorry, I started the speculation here. But it’s not a spoiler, and not directly related to a previously aired episode from the second half of S7, so…I took a guess at where to post. I also have never commented on The Guardian because some of those people (none of whom I’ve seen here, let me be add) frighten me. There. I said it.
Again, I apologize.
23 April 2013 at 17:08 #6463Didn’t know where to put this, so it’s going on the sofa–it is sofa-y speculating, if you will.
Last night my daughter was watching The Big Bang on our DVR, and it was apparently recorded back in the fall, when BBC America ran endless promos for the first part of S7. Each of the promos* began with a voice over (the announcer for BBC America is much loved by Americans, but I think his accent sounds totally fake!) which declared, “Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end…but not always in that order.”
I wasn’t paying too much attention to the episode as my daughter watched, but when the Doctor tells Amy, “If something can be remembered, it can be brought back,” I started watching along with her, because it immediately made me think of Clara’s, “Run you clever boy, and remember…”
In The Big Bang, the Tardis is exploding–and the Tardis seals off the control room and puts River in a time loop to keep her safe–the Doctor says, “River is at the heart of the explosion.” In the final moments of the episode, the Doctor tells Rory and Amy, “The Tardis exploded for a reason…” He also mentions the Silence at this point. Correct me if I’m wrong, but we’ve never been given a reason for the Tardis’ explosion.
So…
*”If something can be remembered, it can be brought back.”–The Doctor
*”Run you clever boy, and remember…”–Clara
Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end, but not always in that order. Maybe that wasn’t meant to describe the Ponds’ story. Maybe it’s the Doctor’s entire arc these past 3 series. And also–Clara’s–because I’m convinced we’re seeing her story out of order. (As Emma says in Hide, she’s a normal girl. That’s current Clara. Obviously, Victorian and Dalek Clara are something else entirely.) There’s also been the theme of memories, love, and “blood calling out to blood,” this season. I won’t even go down the rabbit hole of speculating about Clara being related to the Doctor (and possibly River, too), but these are things that stuck out to me last night while watching an episode of Who that’s almost 3 years old.
We know that River is the “child of the Tardis,” and those two have a special relationship, for lack of a better description. We also know that River, like the Doctor, lies–she’s a secret keeper. I won’t even begin to guess what secret(s) she’ll reveal in The Name of the Doctor, but it’s likely something big. And it may very well have to do with the identity of Clara and with her (River) time in an exploding Tardis.
Just some random musings I’m having today. This show is so much fun!
* Here’s said promo, for those interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNHEEZ_I74U
22 April 2013 at 17:16 #6389I can’t take credit for this–because my knowledge of Cumbria is at the level of zero and I have no idea how that would tie in to Clara, the show, whatever–but just read this online:
Three of the last four episodes have referenced Cumbria.
The Bells of Saint John – The Doctor as a Monk in Cumbria in 1207.
The Rings of Akhaten – Reference to having great tea and scones in the Lake District.
Hide – Tonight The Doctor said that ignorance is Carlisle, and later mentions Kendal Mint Cake.Cumbria was created as a county in 1974. It was formerly part of the old Kingdom of Northumberland that had a King Oswald. When he died, a relative called Oswin ruled over the southern half of his kingdom.
And changing topics in one post–until Hide, was The God Complex the last time we’ve heard the Cloister Bell? (Of course that instance was more of a premonition, since we heard it in the Doctor’s room, behind the door of his greatest fear.) I remember it ringing in The Eleventh Hour, The Curse of the Black Spot, and The Doctor’s Wife, but I can’t recall it being heard in S7.
21 April 2013 at 13:50 #6268Oh! Professor Palmer gives the date at the beginning of the episode–November 25, 1974, 11:04 pm. Significance? (Other than that date being less than 2 weeks before I was born. Ahem.)
11:04 struck me as a reference to Eleventy (as I call him) and as a shout out to Pertwee. Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it…
21 April 2013 at 12:41 #6257I need a re-watch, but having just finished the episode, what immediately strikes me as key is the Doctor saying, “Blood calls to blood…” and the parallel between the monster and the Doctor being lonely and “needing a companion.”
20 April 2013 at 18:44 #6154@Craig–oh, rub it in, I don’t mind. I’d be unhappy were I not currently sitting in Epcot, drinking around World Showcase.
BBC Am doesn’t have many pharmaceutical commercials–mostly promos for their channel. You’ll see Graham Norton’s mug A LOT. And most people/places do have the channel–it’s become very popular over the past few years. Men love Top Gear and everyone watches Battlestar Galactica reruns and whatever new series David Tennant is starring in on any given week.
20 April 2013 at 17:36 #6149@Craig–it’s more like Doctor Who plus endless adverts and promotions of BBC America’s line-up. You’ll see at least 5 commercials for Orphan Black and The Nerdist. Sigh…
20 April 2013 at 17:04 #6145It WAS at 9 pm but BBC Am moved it to 8:00 at the start of the second half of S7, to make room for the new series Orphan Black in the later time slot.
20 April 2013 at 16:54 #6142@Craig–it airs at 8 pm Eastern time, on BBC America, obviously. Warning you now–it’s been super hot and humid here all week. It’s nice for a couple of days, then it’s just oppressive!
20 April 2013 at 14:24 #6140Cannot believe I don’t get to watch “Hide” until tomorrow. Jealous of you all! And thankful for this thread, because it’s kept me up-to-date while at Disney World.
18 April 2013 at 20:41 #6044I’m currently sitting in Epcot, taking a break from the oppressive Florida heat, reading the latest theories. Just wanted to point out that in AotD, Oswin is locked in a room at the end of what she tells the Doctor is “intensive care,” which houses the Daleks previously defeated by various incarnations of the Doctor. Hmmmmmmmm…
There’s no BBC America at Disney World (its lone flaw), therefore no “Hide” for me until Sunday. This almost ruins my vacation…but not quite!
14 April 2013 at 12:50 #5509@theatreguy —-I’ve never even heard of Sindy–and I thought Barbie was universal, like Mickey Mouse, so I sit corrected.
@htpbdet —-Your final logic against the Bad Wolf Clara idea is my number one reason for not following that theory. No way would Moffat make a new companion all about a previous companion, particularly a character he didn’t create. It’d be much easier for me to accept Clara being tied to Jack or River before Rose, for this very reason. I don’t know how it’s viewed in Britian, but in America we have an enormous contingency of Who fans who are still stuck on Rose and the Doctor. When Tennant and Piper’s involvement in the 50th Special was announced, people lost their collective minds. “ROSE AND TEN ARE COMING BACK, THE ENTIRE SHOW WILL BE ALL ABOUT THEM AGAIN, FINALLY!”
No. And frankly, gross. (I like Piper and Tennant but I don’t want the 50th anniversary special to be all about their characters, is that I’m saying.)
@ardaraith — I’ve said all along that the presence of roses and Clara’s penchant for red were just that–red herrings. And nice catch about Clara’s necklace and UNIT’s logo. That is very interesting, indeed. I wish fans (over here) were as excited about Jemma Redgrave’s involvement in the 50th as they were Billie Piper’s. Ahhhhh, well…fangirls. 🙂
14 April 2013 at 02:16 #5459One more thing–who’s going to speculate about that Barbie ? @juniperfish, any theories? I’m hoping this means he has a Barbie Dream House somewhere in the Tardis. It’s bigger on the inside.
14 April 2013 at 02:08 #5457I require a re-watch but my initial thoughts include:
*GATISS! Best offering from him, in my opinion.
*The sub’s name was Firebird. Ahem…phoenix. I’m just saying.
*HADS! Ice Warriors! Nice parallel to Troughton’s era.
*David Warner was wonderful & I do hope we see his Professor again.
*My Twitter timeline erupted with virtual shouts of “ROSE!” as soon as “Hungry Like the Wolf” was heard in the episode. Which brings me to this–any of you aware of the theory that’s gathering loads of steam in the fandom?
http://who-lligan.tumblr.com/post/47304596201/the-bad-wolfed-clara-theory
(It’s worth a read and is fairly well thought out. I just can’t subscribe to it.)
*The theme of memories again. Clara asks Skaldak to think of his daughter and then of all the families–the countless innocents that would be killed if he goes through with his plan to launch the nukes. It’s Clara’s words that convince him, whereas the Doctor’s pleas were falling on deaf ears.
I have more to add but it’s late (hahahahahahahaha–not as late here as it is for most of y’all!) and I have some Kate Atkinson to read. And Doctor Who to re-watch, of course.
13 April 2013 at 23:56 #5445@haveyoufedthefish —Oh, I completely agree with you. Were I part Time Lord I wouldn’t give away my remaining regenerations on some dude who uses his “dying” breath to tell me either his name or, “I’m gonna marry you one day!” or, “Eventually I’m going to love you a whole lot.” My response would be, “Oh, so you’re really gonna wait till these last seconds to get all serious with me? NOPE.” I would make said dude WORK for my healing powers. But I’m an aging southern belle and while we’re known for our manners and gentility, the older I get the more I throw decorum out the window, so…there you go.
After we saw the misdirection in TWoRS, I just figured the only time he could tell anyone his name would be on his deathbed. LKH was kind of his deathbed. For about 30 seconds, at least. She’d be able to tell him in the Library, “Right before you died, you told me your name.” Of course I’ll probably change my opinion on all of this after the S7 finale airs…
13 April 2013 at 18:23 #5365@ardaraith @haveyoufedthefish —I’ve always assumed the Doctor told River his name just before he “died” in Let’s Kill Hitler. I found the,”Oh, I’m sure she knows” line to be misdirection, because most people assumed he whispered his love for her in that moment. And maybe he did–“My name is ___________ and I love/trust you…” It had to be something pretty important in order for River to give up her remaining regenerations to save him.
The other theory is that she knows his name because it’s written on his cot in A Good Man Goes To War. My only problem with that is if his name is indeed such an enormous secret, it wouldn’t be carved into the cot for others to translate. BUT…Alex Kingston did say in Confidential, “It is the Doctor’s cot, but who else has shared it? How many babies have slept in there?” We know the Doctor slept there, obviously. And we know Baby Melody (well, Flesh Melody, if we’re being specific) was in it for a few brief moments. Kingston seemed to be implying that she may know more about the Doctor and River’s story. And maybe that story is carved into the cot–their “family tree,” so to speak.
Just my take on the whole name scenario.
And most of y’all have seen Cold War already, so I’ll continue to be jealous over here in Virginia, as I have six more hours to wait.
11 April 2013 at 12:24 #5105For the past three years I’ve read that it was Moffat’s decision to return the Saint John’s logo on the Tardis door.
And along this same topic: the monastery in The Rebel Flesh/The Almost people was named Saint John’s. The episode also opened with Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole,” followed closely by the sounds of Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.” Rare that two modern, popular songs were used in one episode, but as a foreshadowing tool it was a pretty brilliant choice.
10 April 2013 at 17:58 #4973@ardaraith That is all very interesting information. I’m now racking my head to remember Gatiss’ previous episodes, and wondering who’s going to be the fan of Ultravox?
Poor David Warner…trapped again on another sinking ship.
Someone will likely have to point out the Little Britain reference to me after Cold War has aired, because while being a fan of both Lucas and Walliams, I’ve never seen an episode of that particular program.
Along that same vein, there’s a reference in nearly each episode that flies straight over my head. In the instance of TRoA–The Beano. I’d never heard of The Beano until last Saturday–Google is my friend!
10 April 2013 at 12:47 #4905@ardaraith Yes, the sonic he gives her in the Library has a red setting. (And dampers!)
Again I ask–why the new sonic? When the new sonic? Pretty sure that will be answered on Saturday.
9 April 2013 at 15:03 #4841@juniperfish Of course that’s UNAPOLOGETICALLY. Sorry!
9 April 2013 at 15:01 #4839@juniperfish Please be my across the pond best friend, because I truly adore River Song. She’s a BAMF and the Doctor is 64% more interesting whenever she’s around. Do I ship them? No. One can’t ship something that’s already sailed. Which is to say, I am fully on board with their story, because it has been made cannon by Moffat, as wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey as it may be. I am not ready for her tenure on Who to come to an end any time soon. Clearly, I love her, apologetically.
@htpbdet I think the speculation about the finale’s title stems mostly from Kingston’s appearance in it, as well as a set photo that surfaced a couple of months ago. The photo shows The Whispermen (apparently the Big Bad of the finale) in front of a tombstone, the letters “ONG” being the writing visible. “The Grave of River Song” would be a much better title. As would “The Doctor’s Name,” which @jimthefish mentioned. That’s also a title I’ve seen mentioned on Twitter in the last several days.
9 April 2013 at 14:07 #4829I’ve read (on Tumblr, Twitter, you name it) it’s “The Funeral of River Song*,” but Moffat is the biggest troll of them all, and frankly, that’s part of the reason I love him. (And hate him.)
Per the spoiler I posted last night–the red setting is on the sonic. Which means the sonic is Library-ready. Which furthers the question–when did the Tardis make a new sonic?
*Since we’ve seen River’s “death,” I wouldn’t put it past Moffat to make her “funeral” a simple tombstone with the words Hello, Sweetie! and Tardis coordinates engraved upon it in old high Gallifreyan. River’s varied manners of calling for the Doctor are well documented.
9 April 2013 at 01:51 #4729Mild spoiler, but obligatory warning, just in case.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Just came across a promotional picture from “The Cold War,” and a red setting can be clearly seen on the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver. Pardon me while I cry into my Library feelings.
Link to said picture, for anyone interested: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8632415344_ec4548a1b6_o.jpg
7 April 2013 at 22:33 #4549I think @juniperfish and I are sharing a brain, because I could have very well written the same post. One of the themes of this season seems to be memories. (I, too, am wondering if the Doctor actually surrendered his memories to the grandfather planet.) Memories are key…witness:
*Oswin’s memories were so powerful when trapped inside the Dalek, she didn’t even realize she was, in fact, a Dalek.
*In The Snowmen, Simeon was controlled by the memory snow. Further, the Doctor didn’t appear to remember The Great Intelligence.
*The Great Intelligence fed off the minds/memories of people by using the Wi-Fi to upload them to the data cloud in TBoSJ. (“No one loves cattle more than Burger King.” Such a great line.)
*TRoA gave us a market that barters in currency based on memories and a god planet that feeds off the history of its people.
I have more to add but we’re getting ready for the return of Mad Men, which means lots of drinking is about to take place.
7 April 2013 at 13:21 #4423A few small observations:
Just before taking off to Akhaten, Clara asks: “Do you know when somebody asks you what’s your favorite book and then straightaway you forget every book you’ve ever read?” “No, totally not.”
“Well, it’s a thing that happens. ”
My favorite book is Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game, and I’ve known this for over 25 years. My seven and 11 year old daughters don’t forget their favorite books. As has been mentioned before, Clara has memory issues.
Also, this is the second episode we’ve seen Clara wearing what looks like a phoenix necklace (in Akhaten it appears she’s wearing it as a pendant at her neck). The mythical, long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated, achieving new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. Uh-huh.
Finally, the Doctor was very quick to ask Clara to hand over something she cherished so they could rent Hawkman’s Rocket Cycle (how I appreciate a good Flash Gordon reference!), because that man was not about to part with his sonic, of course. OR…Amy’s glasses.
7 April 2013 at 03:35 #4375I’m so hesitant to comment because (a) I’m American* and I loved this episode, (b) I’ve read a few comments over on The Guardian and it appears folks in y’all’s neck of the woods hated it (but WHY? NEIL CROSS, come on!), and (c) I now think my theory of The Tardis Has Something To Do With Clara might be rather insignificant in light of the bigger picture. Especially since it’s apparent from this episode that the Tardis has a mild grievance with one Clara Oswald.
Okay then. I’ll just focus on the surface aspects of The Rings of Akhaten, because Doctor Who is more than mere theories and the sussing of clues and what not, right? Right.
*Clara’s dad is hot. Yeah, I said it. I can’t be the only one who things this, either.
*Do hope the Powers That Be see fit to submit Smith’s “I walked away from the last great Time War…” speech for next year’s BAFTAs. The solitary tear running down his face…that was award-worthy programming.
*I’m less interested in the Tardis’ lack of interpreting alien languages for Clara and more intrigued by her doors remaining closed when Clara pounded upon them. Seems our blue box is protecting her Doctor, maybe? Or she’s fickle, whatever.
*The Doctor is still wearing Amy’s glasses. Oh, such simultaneous delight and agony!
*Shoes and ships and sealing wax–I didn’t realize I’d been waiting my entire life for the Doctor to quote Lewis Carroll, but now he has, and an entire rabbit hole (see what I did there?) can be followed about how that bit of prose is from Through The Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. Better minds than mine can explore that theory.
*He also quoted Mother Goose (“Home again, home again, jiggity jog…”) but if I go there, I’ll have a headache larger than a rabbit hole.
*I want Clara’s red messenger bag. See also: red. It’s certainly a theme with Clara. Oh, don’t give me that Rose business. YAWN. (I’m happy to see Rose and Ten in the 50th Special but can we leave it at that, please? Thank you.)
*The Doctor mentions his granddaughter and I just want to know about Susan’s grandmother. AND WHO ELSE SLEPT IN THAT COT?
*I may be showing my age here (child of the 70’s, teenager of the 80’s), but I kept waiting for the alien crowd to break into the chorus of “We Are the World” at the end of the Doctor’s speech. All that communal love, all that swaying…plus, you know, aliens and Michael Jackson.
I definitely require a re-watch of The Rings of Akhaten, but these are my thoughts upon initial viewing, shallow as they may be. I’m an enormous fan of Neil Cross’ work on Luther and I think he did a fantastic job writing for Who, even though it seems I’m in the minority in this sentiment. Even a mediocre episode of Doctor Who (and this was–for me–far from mediocre!) is ten times better than 90% of what airs on television in the States, so I’ll take whatever Moffat and Company gives to us.
*Not only am I American, I’m also Southern. Yes, I say “Y’all,” no, I don’t say, “Yee-haw.” At least, not often.
2 April 2013 at 18:19 #4031Hello…dipping my toes in rather carefully, happy to be here!
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