thoughts on "Impossible Astronaut" and what's coming in part 2

[dbskyler]

It's strange, but I kind of miss the situation from last year, when most everyone reading my LJ was a couple of weeks ahead of me and *knew* what was coming next when I didn't. Speculating back then was kind of like a game, where I would make guesses and my wonderful flist would refuse to tell me if I was right or not.

On the other hand, now we can all guess together! So, new game!!! (Although if you are privy to spoilers for some reason and you are not guessing, please do not play along! Or play along silently, in the at-home version of the game.)

My general reactions to "Impossible Planet":

-- Killing the Doctor off right at the top of the episode was a bold move, but also a little emotionless. Instead of really feeling the Doctor's death, I was more like, "what???" I mostly just wondered where they were going with this. It was a much different reaction from last year's finale, where the Doctor getting trapped on the other side of the crack was quite heartbreaking for me to watch.

-- Very interesting character development for River here. It's been implied until now that they meet each other in random order, but every single time so far, River has been younger (or could have been younger) and the Doctor has been older. If they're really traveling in opposite directions, that's a pretty difficult situation for River to deal with. It also implies that the order of things so far from River's point of view is: 1) 1100-year-old Doctor (beginning of "Impossible Planet") 2) 900-year-old Doctor (rest of "Impossible Planet") 3) "Big Bang / Pandorica Opens" 4) "Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone" 5) "Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead". We have canonical evidence for most of this order, so it's very possible that it's true.

But if River is really progressing in the completely opposite direction from him in time, then she must know his name by now. Yet he tells her to his face that he doesn't trust her. How sad for her. By the way, I thought Alex Kingston did an amazing acting job. The moment where she closes her eyes when Amy says "trust me" and the Doctor agrees right away, after telling River how he doesn't trust her? I really felt for her there.

-- "Look how cool this stuff is!" Oh Doctor, never ever lose that. Never. *g*

-- The cliffhanger was a little non-cliffy for me, I think because we'd already seen the astronaut get shot at with no ill effects. I don't believe Amy did any damage at all. I wasn't even sure if that was the end of the episode or not until we got the "next time" scenes.

-- Really good episode overall. I enjoyed everything, and I've continued to enjoy everything on my re-watches. Yes, I've had more than one re-watch just in the past week. That's always the sign that I really liked something. : )

And now, my predictions:

-- I think that we will not find out who killed the older Doctor until later on in the series. As a guess, I'd say we will find out during the mini-cliffhanger at the end of the spring episodes, and not get the final resolution of *why* this person killed the Doctor -- or what it all means -- until the fall set of episodes.

-- As for who I think the person was in that spacesuit who killed the Doctor? I've given this a lot of thought, and I think it was the Doctor. Yes, I am predicting that his younger self killed his older self. Not sure why yet, but that's what I think happened. (Again, blind speculation is great, but if you know anything about this, from rumor or on-set photos or your cousin Zelda, DO NOT TELL ME!!!!)

-- I think Amy isn't pregnant. I think something is going on with those alien things instead.

And, that's it for my predictions. I really don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. But I get to find out tomorrow!!!! Exciting, isn't it?

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Alex Kingston is a BRILLIANT actress and did a fabulous job in that episode from first to last...

I'm pretty sure that having the Silents edit your memories like that would leave you feeling sick - explains why River also felt sick. (Despite her claim that it was the prison food.)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I agree, Alex Kingston was marvelous. I've loved her ever since ER, but this episode really reminded me why I loved her on that show.

It is very suspicious that River felt sick, too. That's one of the reasons I don't believe Amy is really pregnant. Of course, I could be wrong about that!

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I'd not seen her in anything before Who (but have seen her in things since, eg. Lost in Austen and Moll Flanders...)

I'm pretty sure Amy was just jumping to a fairly obvious conclusion...

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

You should try to watch her in ER sometime. She has an amazing storyline in season 8.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Would I need to have seen the previous 7 seasons first though?

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

No, not really. It's kind of like joining in on a soap opera -- there's previous history with the characters, but the scripts will tell you everything you need to know.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Okay.

I found the boxset on eBay for a not-too-high price (since the library doesn't have it). So I'll see if I can win it.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

You'll have to tell me what you think after you watch it (and I really hope you like it since you have to buy it!)

She starts on ER in season 4 I think, and she has good storylines in the other seasons too, but I think the season 8 storyline is her best. She certainly does some incredible acting in it.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

If I can get hold of S8 and I enjoy it, I may go back and get the earlier seasons starring Alex - but that's a bunch of ifs and maybes!