Story #215 - The Curse of the Black Spot (2011)

Sarah -

Did you know there was a prequel for this episode?

Harry -

Well how about that. Thank you for sharing, Sarah. I just watched that prequel for the first time, twelve years after it was broadcast, somewhere.

That clip was useful because it immediately spoke to one of the things that bothered me as I rewatched "The Curse of the Black Spot". For the first little while in this story, no one was remarking on why there seemed to be no wind or waves despite everyone standing on the deck of a ship. Eventually we find out that the ship has been in waters becalmed for eight days. Viewers who caught that prequel would have known right away.

One of my pet peeves of the Moffat era is just this, the pervasiveness of teasers, prequels, and mini-episodes that fans had to keep an eye out for. Here in the year 2023 everything worth knowing is transmitted almost instantaneously to people who want to know. But even in 2014, these things were not universally accessible, demonstrated by the fact that I just learned of the above prequel for the first time. I am not a troglodyte, I'm certain!

Anyway, that was very useful.

Sarah -

Pirates on a spaceship! Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Harry -

Absolutely!

Sarah -

The Doctor turns up ready for pirate hijinks, but the pirates are in no mood for Yo Ho Ho-ing as they’re being picked off. When a member of the crew is injured, a black spot appears on their hand and the siren entices them with her song and appears to kill them by disintegration.

It’s not the best time for the TARDIS Team to turn up on the ship in response to a distress call, which wasn’t sent by the pirates. It’s the plank for the Doctor and Rory and the scullery for Amy, which I assume includes “all other duties as assigned.” Being the general badass she is, Amy is having none of this and mounts an attack on the pirates to save her men. In the ensuing sword fight, Amy draws blood from small cuts from a pirate and Rory. The pirate tells Amy that she’s killed him, while she mocks him for being a baby. The siren turns up and the Team sees why the pirates are so afraid. Amy realizes Rory is next and restrains him from getting to the siren.

Harry -

Sirens and pirates, two things that go great together in stories. This being a story in the Moffat era, things take an unusual turn. The green glowing siren was wonderfully eerie, and her method of disintegrating the marked men was sudden and brutal.

Amy in her pirate gear is definitely my lasting image from this story, and the sword fight is really the only action scene in the whole story, but her kickass swashbuckling ended up getting Rory killed.

Sarah -

Poor Rory. Traveling with the Doctor can be stressful and potentially dangerous, but I don't think any companion has suffered as much as Rory.

Harry -

I'm pretty sure it's a thing that Rory keeps dying in this series (Moff you maniac!). He doesn't die at first, as everyone scrambles below decks to escape the siren. It's a ship under siege! Take cover!

Everyone holes up in a cabin and we meet a stowaway, the pirate captain's young son. He divulges some of the captain's backstory while the Doctor works out how the siren is making herself appear -- not through water but through reflections. That was a bit of a stretch but nicely explained the becalmed waters that were bugging me.

The Doctor slips into the TARDIS to try and puzzle things out, but it goes haywire and takes off, stranding everyone aboard.

Meanwhile, Amy experiences another baffling moment when the woman from the previous story appears through a sliding hatch again. I remember being freaked out and totally compelled by these weird David Lynch moments as the season went on.

Sarah -

I expect we’ll see her a lot this season.

I didn’t remember much about this story so it was a surprise when the siren turned out to be a doctor who had been removing the injured pirates to her hospital spaceship.

Harry -

It was a great twist.

Sarah -

Rory, who was drowning when he was transferred to the sickbay, was connected to life support. Amy tried to remove him from life support, but the doctor siren wouldn’t allow it until Amy agreed to accept responsibility. The Doctor and Amy remove him from the sickbay and rush him to the TARDIS, where Amy begins CPR and the Doctor... just stands by.

Harry -

Amy doing everything in her power to save Rory and becoming increasingly distraught as the agonizing seconds ticked by -- that was one of the most intense scenes in the entire New Who era.

Sarah -

But, as ever, Rory survives as do all the pirates, who sail off in the hospital ship. The TARDIS team wishes them the best and set off to new adventures.

Harry -

After Rory's near-death and Amy's trauma, I think we were all ready to rush to the happy ending. There wasn't much action to this story, mostly everyone dashing from one part of the ship to another with long sections of dialogue in between. The pirates didn't do any pirating. The Doctor did jack squat to save Rory which I'm hoping he'll be called out on later. Overall, kind of a meh experience, this one.

Sarah - 

Apparently, the episode was meant to be later in the series. I doubt it would have been any better later. 

Harry -

Best Line:

Wounded Pirate: "You have killed me!"

Amy: "No way, it’s just a cut. What kind of rubbish pirates are you?"

Favourite Moment: when the siren first emerged.

Lasting Image: Amy with her pirate hat and sword.

5/10

Sarah -

Best Line: 

Amy: Easy, tiger. Goodnight, Doctor.

Doctor: Goodnight, Amelia.

Amy: You only call me Amelia when you're worrying about me.

Doctor: I always worry about you.

Amy: Mutual.

Favorite Moment: Amy swings on a rope to save Rory and the Doctor

Lasting Image: Totes on Amy’s pirate kit!

5/10

Our marathon continues with Story #216: The Doctor's Wife...

Story #214 - The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon (2011)

Harry -

Of all the seasons we have been rewatching over the course of this marathon, Sarah, this is the only one that has given me feelings of trepidation as it approached.

It's over a decade since I watched Series Six, Matt Smith's second season, in chronological order. My memories of it are of Steven Moffat gone wild. Comfortable in the showrunner's seat after delivering a fun and memorable first season, I think this is where he over-indulged himself. Plots that were too clever by half, stories overwhelmed by a complicated season arc, and very little that was memorable or "can't wait to watch that again". Those are the impressions I've carried to the present day, and here we are.

So I'm very keen to see if a pleasant surprise awaits, or if all those negative memories are justified.

Having just rewatched "The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon", I'm feeling a bit of both.

Sarah -

I’ve been looking forward to Series Six, which I remember as ambitious and perhaps not completely successful in the end. In any case, it will be fun to rewatch River’s origin story.

It felt like Doctor Who took a big step up in Series Six. BBC America was all in and the show became so much more popular in North America. It was weird seeing Doctor Who merchandise all over the place. And they filmed in Utah!

I had forgotten about the Amy voiceover, explaining her relationship with the Doctor.

Harry -

It's almost a "Moffat Thing" that characters in his version of Doctor Who scatter Easter Eggs and invitations to each other throughout history. First River, now the Doctor.

I remember the American setting was a sensational way to open the season, and there's our first glimpse of the soon-to-be iconic diner.

The picnic setting by the lake was also memorable, as we watch the Doctor being murdered by an astronaut who rose from the water, and then his remains are cremated in a boat. The images were as confounding as a Pink Floyd album cover.

The heavy drama continues as the Doctor confounds everyone by reappearing at the diner, a couple hundred years younger than the Doctor whose death his friends had just witnessed. Knowing how the season unfolds, the shock is not as profound (spoilers!) but still, what the hell, Doctor?

All of that in just the first five minutes. From there the story pivoted and Moffat unleashed a tale of sci-fi horror for the TARDIS team to work out.

Sarah -

For a chance of pace, River, Amy, and Rory know more than the Doctor does. He’s suspicious of the three of them and decides to trust them when Amy swears on something that matters – fish fingers and custard. We’re off to the White House in 1969. Introducing Nixon into the story is a risk, but Stuart Milligan makes it believable and not a cliché. We also meet Canton Delaware, whom we last met as an older man in Utah.

Harry -

Agreed, this Nixon was not an over-the-top parody. There were a few zingers that could only have pertained to the historical Nixon (the taping system, "say hello to David Frost"), but he was mostly a generic American President character.

Sarah -

After some hijinks, the President is convinced to give the Doctor a chance to solve the mystery of the phone calls Nixon is receiving from a child. Amy has a run in with a Silence and realizes she’s pregnant, but she can’t remember the important thing she is supposed to tell the Doctor.

Harry -

The slow reveal of first one, then another, then a nest of Silences was a great buildup. I forgot how terrifying their introduction was. Seeing them cosplayed still makes for a jarring moment. Those grotesque heads.

Sarah -

The Silence are particularly terrifying. 

The TARDIS is off to Florida, with Delaware in tow, where they discover a large console and tunnels. Amy finally tells the Doctor she’s pregnant and the astronaut from Utah appears. Amy grabs Canton’s gun and shoots. Now there’s a cliffhanger!

Harry -

How many times has the Doctor sworn off altering history, and sworn off guns, but no one ever listens. Least of all his companions!

Sarah -

Or, file under “weaponized companions.”

Harry - 

The second half of the story echoes the first, with the Doctor and friends split up and quickly reunited in slightly more violent fashion this time. Three months have elapsed and they have been monitoring the creatures. Turns out the Silence are everywhere on Earth, in hiding with the help of their forget-them-as-soon-as-you-look-away power, another brilliant Moffat idea.

Sarah - 

This storyline is peak Moffat.

Harry - 

My favourite part of the story is Amy and Canton visiting the orphanage in search of the child. Lots of haunted house thrills there, venturing into the surreal. I loved the random, unexplained moment where an opening appears in a wall and a woman looks in, then turns to say "No, she was just dreaming" to someone out of view, before the opening slides shut again. And that's it. No explanation, just puzzlement for Amy and for us.

Sarah - 

Again, more Moffat-y storylines to come!

Harry - 

The child is found by Amy, but then they both disappear. We learn that the Silence were caring for the child in their own terrifying way. The spacesuit was an enclosed life support system. The child is very important to them.

By the story's end, Amy has been saved, the Doctor has harnessed subliminal messaging planted in footage of the moon landing to annihilate the Silence from Earth (haven't we all?), and then it's time for some personal moments among the characters. Rory and Amy, Amy and the Doctor, the Doctor and River.

In this story, we received multiple reminders that the timelines of River and the Doctor are moving in opposite directions.  Each time they meet, she encounters a Doctor who knows less and less about her.  Is there any more heartbreaking moment than their first/last kiss?

Back aboard the TARDIS with Amy and Rory, the Doctor briefly considers pursuing the child further, then decides to go shooting off on a new adventure.  Out of everyone's view, the TARDIS scanner goes mildly haywire, inconclusive whether or not Amy is pregnant.

Sarah - 

While the child regenerates…

Harry -

We seem to have gotten through this one unscathed.  It's still never going to be my favourite story, but I'm feeling encouraged to sail onwards.  Anchors aweigh!

Sarah - 

Best Line:  I'm being extremely clever up here, and there's no one to stand around looking impressed! What's the point in having you all?

Favorite Moment: River and Rory discussing the Doctor when they are exploring the tunnels

Lasting Image: River slapping the Doctor

8/10

Harry - 

Best Line:

DOCTOR: Be careful.

RIVER: Careful? I tried that once. Ever so dull.

Favourite Moment: the entire scary orphanage sequence

Lasting Image: The Silence killing a woman inside the White House

7/10

Our marathon continues with Story #215: The Curse of the Black Spot...

Sofa of Rassilon EXTRA: Space and Time (2011)

Harry -

This two-part mini-episode was broadcast as part of the 2011 Comic Relief charity telethon. Clocking at under seven minutes in total, it feels like a deleted scene. For all we know, it could have been cut from somewhere else, or it was a bit of writing that didn't make it into a final script.

It was written by Steven Moffat and reinforces his fondness for the Ponds. I am very fond of the Ponds.

Sarah -

The Ponds are excellent. It's a timey wimey romp with a surprising amount of innuendo.

Harry -

We now know that two Amys would be Rory's dream come true. Amy's too for that matter.

Sarah -

Ponds are cute, the Doctor is cute. Fun for all!

Harry -

Every story in this era, even a mini-episode like this, underscores just how fun this TARDIS team is. Let's throw that wibbly lever and dive into Season 6!

Sarah - 

Series 6, here we goooooooo!!!!!!!!

Our marathon resumes with Story #214: The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon...

Story #213 - A Christmas Carol (2010)

Sarah -

Things have been a little harried at my end of the Sofa these last few months, so this story was exactly what I needed. I have not watched it since the first broadcast and didn't remember too many details. Yes, it's a take off of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but Steven Moffat turns it into the perfect Doctor Who Christmas Special.

Harry -

This is a very Moffatty take on the Dickens tale, complete with timey-wimey activity. I don't think I watched it since first broadcast either.

I forgot that a love story was central to the entire thing. Yes, the Doctor has encountered couples and lovers before -- after all, he's rescuing the Ponds here -- but he couldn't do that before resolving the tale of Kazran and Abigail. A very nice change from aliens and bases under siege.

Sarah -

It’s just lovely. There have been so many take-offs of A Christmas Carol, but this one feels perfect. The Doctor slips into the role of the ghost of Christmas past, showing Kazran a new version of his past, with the Doctor as his younger self’s best friend.

Harry -

It was fascinating to watch Kazran as his memories were being rewritten.

Sarah -

They spend every 24 hours of Christmas day with Abigail, having adventures as Kazran and Abigail fall in love. Meanwhile, Amy is the ghost of Christmas present, trying to encourage Kazran to save everyone on a crashing spaceship, which Amy and Rory are on. Kazran is his own ghost of Christmas future. The episode is fun but sad and every note is just right.

Harry -

Why has science not yet provided us with flying shark chariots?

Great performance by Michael Gambon, who got to have his turn on The Doctor Who Show. Even greater performance by Katherine Jenkins who made her acting debut here. New Who has a history of casting singers (Billie Piper, Kylie Minogue) but they finally let one sing. Apart from a few moments of child-like glee, Matt Smith was very understated here and let the guests have the spotlight.

Abigail's final day was gut-wrenching, adding a tragic Victorian note to the story. But still, these specials are always on the sweeter, lighter side and this might be one of the best. It breezed by very quickly, and even Moffat's Moffaty tendencies went easy on viewers' brains.

Sarah - 

I’m so happy to have revisited "A Christmas Carol", which has leapt up the list of my favorite Doctor Who Christmas specials. 

Best Line: 

"Nobody important? Blimey, that's amazing. You know that in nine hundred years of time and space and I've never met anybody who wasn't important before."

Favorite Moment:  The Doctor telling Amy that if nothing ever ended, nothing would ever get started.

Lasting Image: Flying Shark Chariots!

9/10

Harry -

And we've managed to drag out the posting of this review to coincide with the onslaught of seasonal music and advertising.  Merry Christmas Everyone!

Best Line:

DOCTOR: I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult.

(He shows Kazran the psychic paper.)

KAZRAN: It's just a lot of wavy lines.

DOCTOR: Yeah, it's shorted out. Finally, a lie too big.

Favourite Moment: the Doctor enters through the chimney.

Lasting Image: Flying Shark Chariots!

9/10

Our marathon continues with Story #214: The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon...

Story #212 - The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang (2010)

Harry -

Steven Moffat brings the Eleventh Doctor's first series to a close with a fantastic two-parter. Right on the heels of "The Lodger", the Doctor, Amy and River investigate another mystery that gets teased out all the way to the part one cliffhanger.

Sarah -

I love "The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang" so much. I can’t think of any NuWho finale that is as fun as this one – and everyone lives!

Harry -

I can't remember a wilder pre-titles sequence than River escaping space prison and traversing time and space to summon the Doctor. It had almost nothing to do with the plot of the ensuring story, but it was quality River time. 

And off they go to Roman Britain.

From there, the story takes its time revealing the mystery at Stonehenge, or rather the Underhenge. Filming there must have been a blast for everyone except the anxious preservationists at English Heritage. Anyway, inside the Underhenge is the Pandorica -- a myth, a legend, a large black square that is slowly coming alive.

As the Pandorica prepares to reveal its secrets, so too does the TARDIS. It takes River back to Amy's house. There, she sees that the Roman Britain that she just left behind was peopled with centurions from a book. The whole scene, in fact, seems to have been assembled from Amy's memories.

Sarah -

Amy’s memories are fueling everything but she still can’t remember Rory. Amy staring at her ring in confusion is heartbreaking.

Harry -

I really liked the slow buildup in part one. Moff took his time peeling back the layers of mystery and yet the episode bounced along quickly. That is not easy to do.

Sarah -

"The Pandorica Opens" is a wild ride – and it’s just getting started. Vincent, Churchill and Bracewell, and Liz 10 all make appearances, but the story is focused on the core characters.

And that includes Rory, making one of the most spectacular returns in Doctor Who history! It’s not really a surprise, but it’s still surprising – if you know what I mean.

Harry -

Rory the Roman was a fantastic reveal. And then the twist: he's actually Rory the Auton. I still remember the moment of horror when his hand popped open. All hell broke loose at once, with the alliance of universal supervillians all ganging up on the Doctor, the TARDIS exploding with River inside, and Amy being shot. Moffat saved it all for the final moments.

Sarah - 

So much happens in such a short time. This is the story where Rory becomes a mythic hero, not just another Mickey. He's a full member of the team from here on out. 

Harry - 

After the Pandorica was sealed with the Doctor inside, it reopens 1,894 years later... with grown up Amy inside. And off we go again as part two gives us a Night at the Museum-style romp. This was so good. All the timey-wimey vortex manipulation that the Doctor did in order to be there for the end of the universe was classic Moffat. 

Normally these "end of the universe" dilemmas have an oversimplified, unsatisfactory resolution, but I was quite satisfied with the simple use of residue from the Pandorica to reboot everything. The Doctor even gives a nice little speech about the power of memory. Sure why not, this story was so much fun I don't dare criticize a thing.

Sarah - 

I could watch the romp over and over! It's so good to see Amelia Pond again. This is early enough in the Matt Smith era that we're not yet over the "I am the Doctor" speeches. 

And we get a wedding surprise when Raggedy Man turns up with his blue box. Amy and Rory spend their wedding night on the TARDIS, which leads to...SPOILERS!

Harry - 

Best Line - I didn't jot one down but honestly everything River says is quotable. She's amazing.

Favourite Moment - Rory revealed as an Auton, it was so mind-blowing.

Lasting Image - River zapping the Doctor's fez.

8/10

Sarah - 

Best Line: "Right then, I have questions, but number one is this. What in the name of sanity have you got on your head?"

Favorite Moment: The epic romp is more than a moment, but I love it so.

Lasting Image: River shooting the fez, for sure!

9/10

Our marathon continues with Story #213: A Christmas Carol...

Story #211 - The Lodger (2010)

Sarah -

Well, that was fun! The Lodger is a welcome moment to catch our breath between the emotions of "Vincent of the Doctor" and the oncoming storm of "The Pandorica Opens".

The Lodger is based on a Doctor Who Magazine comic story featuring the Tenth Doctor and Mickey Smith, and adapted by Gareth Roberts.

Harry -

What a lovely little stand alone tale. A little comedy, a little love story, and well teased-out mystery.

Sarah -

The story begins with the Doctor being dumped out of the TARDIS, which dematerializes with a shouting Amy inside. Nearby, at 79 Aickman Road, Craig and his friend Sophie are planning an evening of pizza, drinks, and telly when she’s called away by a distraught friend.

 

Harry -

Who among us hasn't had many nights of "Pizza Booze Telly" these past couple of pandemic years?

Sarah -

More than we want to admit. Meanwhile, the upstairs neighbor lures a series of passersby into their flat, asking for help. Sophie and Craig discuss a stain on the ceiling, which seems to be coming from upstairs, but don’t take any action.

How cute are Craig and Sophie? They both fancy each other, but neither is able to make the leap. Right on time, the Doctor turns up as Craig’s new roommate, ready to fix everyone’s problems!

Harry -

The Doctor reverses roles with Amy, having to resort to "analogue" technology to avoid alerting the alien presence that threw the TARDIS out of whack, while Amy has all of the TARDIS' technology at her disposal. She wasn't thrilled at the Doctor's repeated hints that the TARDIS might be blown out of all space and time, but at least she didn't have to run any sprints during this adventure. Another great performance by Karen Gillan.

Sarah - 

Gillan is just so good. It’s been great watching her post-Doctor Who career take off. 

Harry - 

Meanwhile, check out the Doctor lighting up the football pitch. And whipping up French cuisine. And starting to turn Sophie's head with his eccentric charm. Watch out Craig, he's stealing your girlfriend! But the Doctor wouldn't do that. He sees there's something between them and tries to help in his own way.

Sarah - 

I love the football scene and the around-the-house moments as the Doctor settles in. Matt Smith is just so exuberant in these scenes. Did you notice the van Gogh postcard on Craig’s refrigerator? That was a nice touch.

Harry - 

Perhaps mailed from Paris by one of Craig's more well-travelled friends.  

Meanwhile, the upstairs neighbour continues to lure people upstairs. I didn't have much recollection of this story so the long-drawn-out reveal was fantastic. At one point I thought it was one monster, then a different monster, and was ultimately blown away by the reveal. Not what I expected at all.

Sarah - 

That was completely unexpected. I had forgotten all the details of the alien storyline. Pity it burned through so many humans before the mystery was solved.

Harry - 

I also loved that this story was a throwback to times when the Doctor didn't wave the sonic around like a magic wand - one of my criticisms of the Moffat era. Here, he required elbow grease and his own two hands to assemble his latest alien-detector doohickey, and he played detective with the help of his cat informant.

Sarah - 

Who knew the cat would save the day. This is such an enjoyable story. Smith and Corden, who were already friends, have great chemistry. The alien menace is dealt with, Craig and Sophie finally express their feelings, and the Doctor is reunited with Amy. 

The Doctor asks Amy to write a note to his past self to direct him to the flat. While searching for a pen, she discovers the box with her engagement ring and opens the box. She’s confused and, meanwhile, a crack develops in Craig’s wall. 

Harry -

We are about to find out just what all those cracks are about.  To the Pandorica!

Sarah - 

Best Line: 

CRAIG: Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?

DOCTOR: They never really stop. 

Favorite Moment: the football game

Lasting Image: The alien-detector doohickey in the Doctor’s bedroom

7/10

Harry -

Best Line: 

CRAIG: I love you!

DOCTOR: Well that's good cos I'm your new lodger.

Favourite Moment: the Doctor pops his head up from behind the sofa during Craig and Sophie's tender moment.  I had to pause the story from laughing so hard.

Lasting Image: the Doctor playing football

7/10

Our marathon continues with Story #212: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang...

Story #210 - Vincent and the Doctor (2010)

 

Harry -

I love Doctor Who stories that give me glowing memories, even more so when the story is better on a rewatch years later.

Sarah -

"Vincent and the Doctor" was an immediate fan favorite. I can’t think of any other story that is so beloved in fandom. It’s so compassionate in its portrayal of mental illness.

Harry -

"Vincent and the Doctor" is also an art geek's dream. Even the troubling, unresolved absence of Rory was set aside for now. I was squeeing for 45 minutes.

Sarah -

The Doctor has taken Amy to a Vincent van Gogh exhibit at the Musée d'Orsay to see her favorite artist’s work. Amy is excited to be there and asks the Doctor why he is being so nice to her. While she isn’t consciously aware of Rory’s absence, it weighs on the entire story. The Doctor seems to be trying to keep her distracted with a series of trips and she mentions visiting Arcadia and the Trojan Gardens, before the museum visit.

The Doctor, being the Doctor, is distracted by a menacing face in the window of one of Vincent’s paintings and there’s only one option – a trip to 1890 in the TARDIS to talk to Vincent van Gogh!

Harry -

Only the Doctor could deliver a line like "We need to talk to Vincent van Gogh" and the universal response is "Yes! Let's do it!"

Although it has been a long time since the true historicals of Doctor Who, I'm totally fine with the historical/alien hybrid stories because they almost always throw a well-known person into the mix. The production team created a beautiful "south of France" set in Croatia, including the village lanes and the famous café, setting the stage for our first glimpse of Vincent himself. When he barged out the door I felt the same surge of electricity this time as on the first viewing.

Sarah -

Definitely one of the best entrances in the history of Doctor Who! Before he arrives, everyone is so dismissive of Vincent – “He's drunk, he's mad and he never pays his bills.”

The whole episode looks so good. Who needs the South of France when we have Croatia – and it’s so much more affordable. The crew made it look like a movie – and a van Gogh painting.

Harry –

It was nice to see Amy establish an immediate rapport with a fellow ginger. It helped Vincent get over his initial hostility to the Doctor, gain his and Amy's trust, and bond into an invisible alien hunting team in a matter of minutes.

Sarah -

I was so charmed by Amy and Vincent’s flirting and delighted by how uncomfortable it made the Doctor.

Harry -

The plot of the story was very straightforward, which was great here because it did allow everyone to explore the realities and impacts of mental illness. Only Amy could deliver a line like "I'm sorry you're so sad" and it's not awkward but filled with empathy.

Sarah -

And Vincent sees Amy’s sadness when she’s crying without knowing why. His “It’s all right, I understand,” hit me so hard.

Harry -

I will admit, there was a lot of waterworks activity throughout while watching this story.

There were also moments of humour, as Amy kept popping around a corner and scaring the living daylights out of the Doctor. Those moments were great. Karen Gillan's performance in this episode was so good. Amy stood strong in a field of wounded characters. The Doctor was befuddled and frustrated throughout while Amy kept steering conversations in just the right direction. She and Vincent made a great team and their moments of rapport were so sweet.

Sarah -

I’m developing a whole new appreciation of Karen Gillan’s performance on this rewatch.

Harry -

The alien antagonist turns out to be a frightened, isolated creature to empathise with. The Doctor's alien-finding doohickey discovers that the monster that has been terrorizing the village is a Krafayis, a kind of roostersaurus abandoned on Earth by its pack. Left behind and unable to see, it lashes out in frightened anger. The villagers have no idea what's going on. Only Vincent had some kind of ability to see the creature as no one else could, the same way he could see and paint the movements of the stars as no one else could. His vision resulted in the painting that caught the Doctor's eye in the Musée d'Orsay and launched the story in the opening scene. In this way, writer Richard Curtis suggests that the great artists of history saw things that others did not. Not sure what to think of this proposal.

Sarah -

I have a lot of artists in my life, so I’m comfortable with the idea of artists, especially van Gogh, seeing things we can’t. If anyone in the village was going to understand the Krafayis, it’s Vincent. Like Vincent, it’s lost, misunderstood, and unable to communicate.

The Doctor's alien-finding doohickey allows him to see the Krafayis, which he realizes is blind. It’s making its way around the room and finds the trio by following their faces. Vincent holds up an easel in defense and the Krafayis impales itself on the legs. The Doctor consoles the Krafayis, who was just afraid. Vincent understands the alien, “He was frightened, and he lashed out. Like humans who lash out when they're frightened. Like the villagers who scream at me. Like the children who throw stones at me."

Harry -

Richard Curtis absolutely nailed it with this story.

Sarah - 

It was an immediate classic, beloved by all! With the exception of cranky people who don’t understand emotions.

Harry - 

I loved the scene where the trio lay in a circle gazing at the starry night sky, watching it swirl into the shapes of Vincent's famous painting.

Sarah - 

Iconic!

Harry - 

And then, the Doctor decides to ease some of Vincent's anxieties in a way that only he could, with a trip in the TARDIS.

I remember on first viewing, the scene where the Doctor brought Vincent to the Musée d'Orsay seemed over the top. It was because of the music - the sudden insertion of a modern, Coldplayesque thumper was so jarring at the time. On a rewatch it makes much more sense, imagining what it would be like for Vincent to be thrown into the early 21st century with all of its sights and sounds. He learns - courtesy of Bill Nighy's wonderful performance - that his art has left a lasting legacy to the world. No surprise it would have been overwhelming.

Sarah - 

Taking Vincent to see the future of his work always feels wrong to me, but I’ll give it a pass for the beautiful moment for Vincent. There was not one dry eye in my house. Can we take a moment to appreciate Tony Curran’s amazing performance? I believe him every moment he’s on screen.

Harry - 

Our emotions take a kicking when the Doctor and Amy return to the museum to find that their adventure had not changed the course of Vincent's life. But then they spot the dedication to Amy on the painting of sunflowers. A tiny change to the course of history that neither could find fault with.

Sarah - 

In the end the Doctor can’t rewrite history, but maybe just in one small line. 

Harry - 

Possibly my favourite Eleventh Doctor story of them all, certainly the best story of the season. A weepy joy from start to finish.

Best Line: the Doctor watching Vincent paint the church. "Is this how time normally passes? Really slowly, in the right order?"

Favourite Moment: the three friends gazing at the starry night sky.

Lasting Image: Vincent at the Musée d'Orsay

9/10

Sarah - 

Best Line: You’ve taken my quote, so here’s my second choice: “Sometimes winning, winning is no fun at all.”

Favorite Moment: Vincent at the Musée d'Orsay

Lasting Image: The three of them looking at the starry night sky

9/10

Our marathon continues with Story #211: The Lodger...