"Hungry Earth / In Cold Blood" reaction post

[dbskyler]

Yeah, I know, I know, you're all buzzing about the beginning of the finale, but in the meantime I have finally seen "Hungry Earth" and "In Cold Blood."



First I should mention that I had started watching "Doctor Who and the Silurians" after seeing "Hungry Earth" but before seeing "In Cold Blood," and in retrospect that was a bad idea because I started mixing up what happened in "Hungry Earth" vs. what happened in "Silurians." For example, during "Cold Blood" when they came upon the hibernating soldiers, my immediate thought was "Yes, those are the ones that are getting revived, which is why there is an intermittent power failure with the drill." But of course there is no power failure in "Hungry Earth." And there is no drill in "Silurians." However, there is a drill in "Inferno," but I think I did manage to keep that episode out of the muddle in my brain. At least, I don't recall expecting anyone to develop a sudden propensity for eye patches.

So I perhaps can't give a completely fair review of these episodes, but in general I do have to say that they both struck me as middling at best. The first half was okay but not great, and I found myself not really caring that much about watching the second half. Then the second half was less interesting than the first half, with a lot of mashed-up stuff near the end with way too many flashbacks to explain way too many disparate plot elements. It felt very much like "Oh, and wait, I forgot, I have to throw in this! And this! And this too! And since I haven't introduced any of it naturally into this story yet, here's a flashback! Enjoy!" Also, the sudden introduction of wise and friendly Silurians who combat the militaristic Silurians to save our heroes was, well, sudden. And the Doctor was pretty irrelevant throughout, which I never like.

The very end of the episode was interesting, though it didn't make sense to me. How can the Doctor be sticking his hand in the crack one minute, then the next warning Amy that the light from the crack will erase her from time? Um, shouldn't the Doctor be erased now then? Or shouldn't it at least have erased the hand that he had stuck in there? And if his hand had never existed, then it would never be cut off, never end up in a jar, never metacrisis into Handy . . . oooh, loads of possibilities!

Is the Doctor immune from the erasure effect because he's a Time Lord? If so, shouldn't that have been mentioned somewhere? Possibly I missed another important throw-away line . . .

Rory's death was very sad, though, and I did like that scene, especially the reactions from Amy and the Doctor. Well, a little more from the Doctor would've been good, but it makes sense that his focus would have been on Amy at that moment, and his attempt to get her to remember Rory was very sad and nicely played.

As for the very end, where we see what the Doctor dug out of the crack -- okay, that was a pretty effective OMG! moment. Why can I see Steven Moffat cackling at his desk as he thought that one up?

Okay, and now back to watching the second half of "Doctor Who and the Silurians." Except now I know how it's going to end.

Comments

[pitry.livejournal.com]

They are very similar, aren't they?

And yeah, I agree about the Doctor sticking his hand into the crack, that was a bit of a WTF moment.

Also.. Rory. :(

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

They are very similar, aren't they?

Yep, they are. Except "Doctor Who and the Silurians" is more entertaining to watch.

Also.. Rory.

I think the whole Rory thing is still sinking in. I'm going to really miss him.

[shadowturquoise.livejournal.com]

That 2-parter was the weakest story of the season for me. But you get to look forward to the best episode of the season right after it! (IMO)

I did love Nasreen and want her for a companion, though. I was really surprised (and pleased) that she wasn't killed off at the end.

I also really really disliked the mother (can't remember her name) and just wanted her to shut up.

Rory! Sob! I want my Rory back. It was heartbreaking when Amy looked at the Doctor at the end as if nothing was wrong.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

So far "Beast Below" gets my vote for weakest story, but yeah, this 2-parter isn't far behind. Nasreen would've been an awesome companion, though, I agree, and I liked that she elected to stay behind and hibernate.

And oooh, the next one is the best? Looking forward to it!

[pitry.livejournal.com]

Huh, I'm starting to feel like I'm the only person IN THE UNIVERSE who didn't really like episode 10...

[tempestas-inu.livejournal.com]

You're not. There *are* others who didn't, because I personally read a less-than favorable review and also read a favorable review that bashed an un-favorable review. I'm not one of them however because I did like it very much *sheepish* >.>

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I'm the only person in the universe who didn't like "Turn Left." Everyone else holds it up as one of the best-ever episodes, and it was even nominated for a Hugo award.

But I still detest it, and I'm allowed to have my opinion. And so are you.

[tempestas-inu.livejournal.com]

Ambrose.

I liked the Doctor's harsh disappointment in her though.

and her son was a cute kid, ooh HIS disappointment in his mother.

[tempestas-inu.livejournal.com]

So I watched BBCA (because YES, My grandpa let me procure the TV for that hour on Saturday!.....Even though he insists on watching with me and doesn't understand jack sh*t), and then watched the first part of the finale on the same night. Not a good idea because both were fvery difficult episodes to watch. Cold Blood because of RORRRRYYYYYY and the finale because... well, it's the first of a two parter, what do you expect?

Yeah, the episodes were a bit of a mess and I was somewhat disinterested. Except like many I hated Ambrose and thought Nasreen was AWESOME. And then the TARDIS shrapnel made me go wtf and Rory's death/erasure made me go NOOOOOOOO and the Doctor and Amy's reaction to it made me wibble (please remember fantastic, funny, gorgeous, Rory).

I'm with the people who say that the next episode is excellent.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Whoo-hoo for getting access to the TV and BBCA! This would be a difficult episode to start off with, what with it being the second half of a two-parter and stuffed with arc-y flashbacks at the end, but maybe if your grandpa keeps watching Doctor Who with you he'll eventually become a fan? Because that would be awesome.

I'm with the people who say that the next episode is excellent.

I hope I like it! I think I do tend to mostly follow the crowd in my taste, but there have definitely been some big exceptions, so we'll see.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Is the Doctor immune from the erasure effect because he's a Time Lord? If so, shouldn't that have been mentioned somewhere? Possibly I missed another important throw-away line.

See "Flesh and Stone", where the Doctor mentions he's a complicated event in Time and Space and could therefore SHUT the crack. Also, the crack wasn't sending out glowy light tendrils at that point, so presumably it wasn't properly active, but then it was when it grabbed Rory..

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

See "Flesh and Stone", where the Doctor mentions he's a complicated event in Time and Space and could therefore SHUT the crack.

Yep, and I do remember that. I just don't immediately believe that means that the Doctor is immune from erasure, but you're right, it's plausible. The no-glowing-tendrils-yet point is also a good one. In fact, it might be that the crack starts to glow *because* the Doctor sticks his hand in, possibly because he's all complicated and timey-wimey and everything. But I still think that having the crack be something the Doctor can shove his hand in and then literally seconds later having it be the erasing crack of doom is odd; we can explain it away, but it shouldn't have to be explained away, it should be clear right away what the difference is. Just my opinion, of course.

Right now it's looking like throwing a TARDIS into the crack might possibly be able to shut it, too. Of course, a complicated event in space and time inside at the time wouldn't hurt.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Right now it's looking like throwing a TARDIS into the crack might possibly be able to shut it, too. Of course, a complicated event in space and time inside at the time wouldn't hurt.

*ties tongue in knots to not give away spoilers for the episode that just aired*

Um, yeah...

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

*ties tongue in knots to not give away spoilers for the episode that just aired*.

Hee, sorry! Thanks for supporting me in my low-tech watching schedule. I have to say it's been going well so far -- I was *not* spoiled for Rory's death -- but after next week it will get very interesting. Not only will LJ likely explode even more than it just has for this week's episode, but there will be no more opportunities to engage in mutual speculation.

I'll probably just continue to speculate away in my corner, though. If nothing else, it will give you all something to laugh at.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed that you've managed to stay spoiler free - I wouldn't have thought it possible. I mean, I've been accidentally spoiled for a couple of things - and I'm not actively looking for spoilers.

No laughing from me. But you may get "I can't answer that" or just "Spoilers"!

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed that you've managed to stay spoiler free - I wouldn't have thought it possible. I mean, I've been accidentally spoiled for a couple of things - and I'm not actively looking for spoilers.

Well, I've been actively avoiding spoilers, so that might be why. For instance, I've stopped watching doctorwho and who_daily, and I'm also staying away from the "recent stories" list on Teaspoon since that's how I got spoiled for "Children of Earth." I also have a much smaller flist than you do, and it's turned out that everyone is really, really good at using spoiler cuts. I admit that I was fully prepared to temporarily stop watching the journals of anyone who wasn't good at it, but it hasn't been necessary.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's a fair point!

[shadowturquoise.livejournal.com]

Many times in our dissection of episodes and seasons we forget what we knew at which points in the series. Remembering these POVs along the way has turned out to be especially important with this season's overall story arc. Thanks to you being a few weeks behind I've thoroughly enjoyed being reminded of the evolving knowledge of the situation through your comments.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Thanks to you being a few weeks behind I've thoroughly enjoyed being reminded of the evolving knowledge of the situation through your comments.

Glad to hear it! And hmmm, I might do a full speculation post soon, since it could be fun for me to look back on it in a few weeks, too.