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dbskylerIt's time for the next installment in my countdown to Eleven: #6 in my 10 favorite Tenth Doctor episodes (going in broadcast order) is Blink!
For a show about a time traveler, Doctor Who uses actual time travel as a plot device surprisingly rarely. Oh, it's often used as part of the initial set-up -- planet x or quarry y is said to be z number of years into the future, or the past -- but other than that, and aside from the occasional chronic hysteresis, the whole traveling-in-time thing doesn't really come into play all that often.
Enter "Blink."
It's brilliant. The whole idea of it is brilliant. The way the plot unfolds is brilliant. The Doctor appearing on a hidden DVD extra is brilliant. It's just . . . well, brilliant. And I say that in its meaning of "incredibly, impressively smart" as well as its meaning of "wonderful."
Favorite parts:
-- The characters. Let's face it, a Doctor Who episode with hardly any of the Doctor in it better have good guest characters, and this episode delivers. Sally Sparrow is one of my all-time favorite one-episode characters, with Larry Nightingale and Billy Shipton not far behind.
-- I said this already, but I'll repeat it: the plot. It's strong, it's original, it's engaging, and it follows the old Classic Who trajectory of starting as a mystery and ending up as a fate-of-the-world-at-stake adventure.
-- The Doctor's speech on that DVD extra. And how clever was it that that one little bit of filming let the Doctor appear in multiple scenes? Just wonderful writing that really worked.
-- And yes, I loved everything about the DVD extra whenever it came on, but the best part was of course when the whole thing was finally played with all that marvelous interaction between Sally and Larry and the recording of the Doctor: "Are you going to read out the whole thing?" "Look to your left," etc.
-- Resolving the plot by having the Doctor trick the Weeping Angels into looking at each other. Again, I have to use the word "brilliant."
Next up in the countdown: we move into the fourth series with Fires of Pompeii!
For a show about a time traveler, Doctor Who uses actual time travel as a plot device surprisingly rarely. Oh, it's often used as part of the initial set-up -- planet x or quarry y is said to be z number of years into the future, or the past -- but other than that, and aside from the occasional chronic hysteresis, the whole traveling-in-time thing doesn't really come into play all that often.
Enter "Blink."
It's brilliant. The whole idea of it is brilliant. The way the plot unfolds is brilliant. The Doctor appearing on a hidden DVD extra is brilliant. It's just . . . well, brilliant. And I say that in its meaning of "incredibly, impressively smart" as well as its meaning of "wonderful."
Favorite parts:
-- The characters. Let's face it, a Doctor Who episode with hardly any of the Doctor in it better have good guest characters, and this episode delivers. Sally Sparrow is one of my all-time favorite one-episode characters, with Larry Nightingale and Billy Shipton not far behind.
-- I said this already, but I'll repeat it: the plot. It's strong, it's original, it's engaging, and it follows the old Classic Who trajectory of starting as a mystery and ending up as a fate-of-the-world-at-stake adventure.
-- The Doctor's speech on that DVD extra. And how clever was it that that one little bit of filming let the Doctor appear in multiple scenes? Just wonderful writing that really worked.
-- And yes, I loved everything about the DVD extra whenever it came on, but the best part was of course when the whole thing was finally played with all that marvelous interaction between Sally and Larry and the recording of the Doctor: "Are you going to read out the whole thing?" "Look to your left," etc.
-- Resolving the plot by having the Doctor trick the Weeping Angels into looking at each other. Again, I have to use the word "brilliant."
Next up in the countdown: we move into the fourth series with Fires of Pompeii!
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-09 07:52 pm (UTC)That said, while I love Larry, and Billy, and the entire scene at the end where Ten and Martha are playing Robin and Xena with the bow and arrows, I *much* prefer Kathy to Sally. Sorry...
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-09 10:30 pm (UTC)(Actually if there are two episodes that I really love -- definitely true for both "Blink" and "Midnight" -- then I have a really hard time deciding which is better. In fact, that's why this is a broadcast-order countdown rather than a "top 10" list -- I just couldn't put them in a rank order!)
That said, while I love Larry, and Billy, and the entire scene at the end where Ten and Martha are playing Robin and Xena with the bow and arrows, I *much* prefer Kathy to Sally. Sorry...
Oh, the "four things and a lizard" scene with Ten and Martha is marvelous! I prefer Sally to Kathy, but I like Kathy a lot too.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-10 05:17 am (UTC)(Actually if there are two episodes that I really love -- definitely true for both "Blink" and "Midnight" -- then I have a really hard time deciding which is better. In fact, that's why this is a broadcast-order countdown rather than a "top 10" list -- I just couldn't put them in a rank order!)
Heh, don't blame you!
Oh, the "four things and a lizard" scene with Ten and Martha is marvelous!
I'm still sad we never got to see that adventure. (Not least because Martha looked hawt in that outfit! Rawr!)
I prefer Sally to Kathy, but I like Kathy a lot too.
I don't know what it is about Sally that puts me off, but I think I'm one of the few people in fandom who didn't instantly want her for a companion.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-10 08:20 am (UTC)I'm still sad we never got to see that adventure.
Me too. Although it's probably one of those things that's even better when left to the imagination. (Yes, even the outfit part.)
I don't know what it is about Sally that puts me off, but I think I'm one of the few people in fandom who didn't instantly want her for a companion.
These things happen.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-10 09:20 am (UTC)Yeah, that paving slab is just obscene and sickening...
Me too. Although it's probably one of those things that's even better when left to the imagination. (Yes, even the outfit part.)
True!!
These things happen.
Yes they do.