Doctor Who - S05E07 - "Amykins Choice" [Archive]

PaulieC79

15-05-2010, 19:31

Going off the lack of replies I take it everyone is out this fine summer Saturday :lol:

I thought it was a fine episode as well. Probably my second favourite of the season after Time Of Angels. Good to see a very good non-Moff episode.

KennyVader

15-05-2010, 19:37

Really liked the opening before the credits music, quite clever flipping between the two realities/dreams. Rest of the ep was quite good too. Much better than last week. Rory is quite dull but not as annoying as Mickey was.

sleepy67

15-05-2010, 19:37

Yet again the muppets employed by the Beeb screw up the iPlayer. Can only get the HD version and that doesn't work properly.

evilsly

15-05-2010, 20:01

"peruvian folk band"

best line in who for a long time.

Roberto

15-05-2010, 20:06

It was ok, i probably would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't so hyped up during the week on a lot of forums.

paulsaz

15-05-2010, 20:54

Yet again the muppets employed by the Beeb screw up the iPlayer. Can only get the HD version and that doesn't work properly.

The entire planet seems to be on a mission to **** me off today. About time we had a cull of the feckless in society and that includes moronic iplayer operatives.

:razz:

platty

15-05-2010, 20:56

Did anyone watch this on BBCHD ...i thought it wasnt in HD at all even though the epg said it was :thinking: looked like SD to me:suspect:

Zaichik

15-05-2010, 20:57

Enjoyed that and the hint that the Dream Lord is more than the Doctor let on in his rather stupid explanation.

Valeyard, anyone?

Harsin

15-05-2010, 21:33

My only complaint was that the Dream Lord would have made for an excellent reoccurring villian, the explanation for him kinda rules out that possibility.

kevinsim

15-05-2010, 21:33

Brilliant episode.

Out of interest, it must be the third or fourth time that the Doctor has mentioned that there's a swimming pool on the Tardis. Surely this must be leading somewhere? (hopefully to a 60 minute Amy Pond skinny-dipping special....).

Next week's looks poor though - we had an 'evil drilling' episode with Tennant a couple of series ago...

Hex

15-05-2010, 22:36

Out of interest, it must be the third or fourth time that the Doctor has mentioned that there's a swimming pool on the Tardis. Surely this must be leading somewhere? (hopefully to a 60 minute Amy Pond skinny-dipping special....).

You can hope. Might just be that you could be forgiven for thinking that the Tardis only has one big room ever since the series has come back.

MovieMax

15-05-2010, 23:00

This series, so far, has been good and this week was the best in my opinion. Loved the pace and feel of it. Must admit, at the moment unable to find one single fault with the episode. Recently have been watching a lot of Tom Baker episodes, but after tonight, could Matt Smith be the best Doctor ever, I think so.

scoobyood

15-05-2010, 23:04

Cult Who review for you.

http://cult.thedigitalfix.co.uk/Content/226/amys-choice.html

I liked this one. Better than last weeks by a million miles.

Cockeye

15-05-2010, 23:12

This series of Doctor Who has been excellent - far far better than the davies years, and this was the best epsiode yet.

However, it has never quite hit the heights of a couple of very select episodes such as the Human Nature double header and Blink.

loujareth

16-05-2010, 00:08

This was the best new who I've seen, really impressed with it. It had a Braindead feel about it in places and I noticed there was a shot of a pensioner with a rotary mower up in the air when attacking the cottage, a reference maybe.

SithLordSi

16-05-2010, 00:18

Did anyone watch this on BBCHD ...i thought it wasnt in HD at all even though the epg said it was :thinking: looked like SD to me:suspect:
It was definitely in HD, but the way it was photographed made it look a little softer than previous episodes (particularly the ones directed by Adam Smith, such as 'The Eleventh Hour').

But was anyone else's 5.1 surround mix screwed? The left and right channels were a stereo downmix (minus the announcer over the end credits) while the centre and surround channels seemed normal. In other words the effects and dialogue which should have been anchored to the centre speaker came out of all three front speakers at once, destroying any sense of separation. I did try switching to Dolby Pro Logic II, but because some of the sounds existed in all three front channels, combining them into a stereo mix just resulted in horrid flanging, as if the entire mix was out of phase. Poor show, BBC HD.

scoobyood

16-05-2010, 00:23

Kevin

16-05-2010, 00:35

Loved this episode. Loved the pace, loved the switching, loved the fact that The Doctor doesn't know everything, and think Amy is turning out to be the best assistant ever. Karen Gillan is simply superb in the role.

Oh, and for the first ime in a long time, Dr Who gave me goosebumps last night.

Brilliant season.

Kevin.

SithLordSi

16-05-2010, 00:40

Well it was a dream... softer focus = dream/idyllic village.
Yes, it was definitely an artistic choice. A lot more handheld camera work than we have seen in the past six episodes, too. I'm not really a fan of the look, but I still really loved the episode. Another great script and assured performances.

Grandmaster

16-05-2010, 06:27

A shame Rory didn't actually die though, right?

The reflection of the Dream Lord at the end perhaps hinted that this is not the end of him.

Jaime

16-05-2010, 08:29

I thought the softer look was just to try to hide the fact it was ******* down the whole episode.

Fantastic episode. Probably put it in my top five new Whos.

TigaSefi

16-05-2010, 08:31

I thought it was snowing the entire episode. It was good but I yawned half way through it!!

aprout

16-05-2010, 08:47

I thought it was snowing the entire episode.

It was quite clear that it was raining when they shot most of the village scenes. Even if they tried to ignore it onscreen. :)

Good ep.

Toby Jones was excellent & the frosting of the Tardis interior looked superb.

Shame about the ridiculously OTT blaring music during the butcher shop bit, & I was slightly annoyed that after all that, Amy still didn't tell Rory she loved him.

Did anyone else expect something to be mentioned about the flashes of yellow throughout the village scenes? Man in the background in a yellow jumper at the beginning, the school bags, the bus? I figured that was supposed to signify something, but no-one said anything. :shrug:

The Peruvian folk band line cracked me up, & once again "Can we not do the running thing?" from Amy. :notworthy

yaffle

16-05-2010, 09:00

I thought the snowing in the village, and the Doctor hiding in the cold storage room at the butcher, was all a reference to the fact that it was very cold in the other, TARDIS, dream? Both revolved around coldness.

Roberto

16-05-2010, 09:09

Amy still didn't tell Rory she loved him.

For me still the Rory/Amy relationship still seems like the most unconvincing thing about the new series. The 'my boys' stance is getting selfish and irritating, and it just comes acorss that amy has rorys balls in her purse

sleepy67

16-05-2010, 09:33

Did anyone else expect something to be mentioned about the flashes of yellow throughout the village scenes? Man in the background in a yellow jumper at the beginning, the school bags, the bus? I figured that was supposed to signify something, but no-one said anything. :shrug:Me too

Still not seeing what Rory brings to the show, and it wasn't till the very end I got any sense from Amy that she really cared for him.

Brian Blessed Badger

16-05-2010, 09:47

The very end bit about the seeds and the dream lord being part of him - seemed a bit unconvincing and neat in wrapping it up - so hopefully we will see the dream lord again

Also it did seem a little bit Despair Squid ?

I wonder how it would have played out if we as the viewer were not able to decide which reality was real, I know both were fake in the end but we've not had an out of sequence episode so the 5 years in the future was always going to be a dream.

I like Amy's reasoning at the end of the village dream - but it would have worked better if she hadn't been pregnant as the baby didn't seem to factor in here decision

Daglor

16-05-2010, 10:05

For me still the Rory/Amy relationship still seems like the most unconvincing thing about the new series. The 'my boys' stance is getting selfish and irritating, and it just comes acorss that amy has rorys balls in her purse

One has to consider the complexity underlying the Amy character. The 'everybody leaves' idea, the grasping at opportunities when they come along and yes the selfish self-centredness (possibly coming from the 'everybody leaves' and thus has become her self-protection).

It is when Rory 'leaves' that it strikes home her feelings hidden beneath her bravado (it is the one 'leaving' that she finally cannot accept).

Methinks I need to get Amy on the psychiatrist's couch :n0rty:

Willow

16-05-2010, 10:07

kirok1

16-05-2010, 10:15

Another good episode.

I am rather irritated by Rory's constant jealousy and need to (as the Doctor said) compete. He's very hit and miss and I would like him to go away. On saying that maybe the competing will stop now Amy has 'chosen' him.

But does that mean he's in it for the long haul now? Surely if he leaves, she goes with him. After all, he's the one she wants to be with.

Anyone know if Karen Gillan signed on for more than 1 season?

Both signed on for two, as far as I know.

You do wonder why they have to keep that running - perhaps it's to avoid another endless Rose and romance scenario again. At least he's keeping aloof from it all.

Enjoyed yesterday's ep and am indeed wondering if we have the return of the Valeyard... Still, it'd make a nice change from having the same old every other episode. Wasn't there a rumour about the Rani somewhere too? (God awful in the old series but might come up to muster if they get someone decent and don't ask a seasoned actress to pretend to be Bonnie flippin Langford!)

J Wedd

16-05-2010, 10:31

I thought having a bunch of old people attacking them was a bit too whimsical and unthreatening, though it was quite clever in that the aliens had been around for years, so obviously the bodies would be old.
Sound design was good, with the bird song gradually getting more and more prominent as the heroes first fall asleep.
Also loved the Doctor's smile at the beginning after saying "This could be a tricky one..."

new

16-05-2010, 10:40

Enjoyed but thought that with a more off the wall and/or darker feel with the direction it could have been better.
Also think it might have helped a bit if we cared/knew Rory better and maybe should have come further down the series run?

Im looking forward to next ones (its a two parter) and hoping they do justice to a return of for me a classic Who villain. Just hope they do better than they did when they brought them back in the 80s, although would love a reference to a scary pantomime horse with still wet paint! :lol:

loujareth

16-05-2010, 10:46

It was definitely in HD, but the way it was photographed made it look a little softer than previous episodes (particularly the ones directed by Adam Smith, such as 'The Eleventh Hour').

But was anyone else's 5.1 surround mix screwed? The left and right channels were a stereo downmix (minus the announcer over the end credits) while the centre and surround channels seemed normal. In other words the effects and dialogue which should have been anchored to the centre speaker came out of all three front speakers at once, destroying any sense of separation. I did try switching to Dolby Pro Logic II, but because some of the sounds existed in all three front channels, combining them into a stereo mix just resulted in horrid flanging, as if the entire mix was out of phase. Poor show, BBC HD.

Yes I noticed the sound problem and thought it was my amp but when it was checked, it made no difference. Thanks for mentioning it, hubby didn't notice and it shows I've got the better ear when it comes to sound.

The404

16-05-2010, 12:38

Well, I flipping loved that! Probably my favourite episode of the series.

Hope they find a way to bring back the dream lord, but not for a few years.

TonyG

16-05-2010, 14:20

Another very good episode, by far the best non-Moffat episode. Amy got all the best dialogue & is already establishing herself as a great companion & not just relying on the obvious eye-candy factor.

My only gripe/niggle was the old-folk aliens who had zimmer-frames weren't "zimmering" properly as they advanced on our heroes. It would have been funnier if they zimmered rather than hold them in the air & walk slowly. :dork:

mikef

16-05-2010, 18:06

Enjoyed that a lot...some nice shades of 'The Mind Robber'. I was a bit ho hum about the seeds explanation, but the explanation of the Dream Lord was quite neat (though I also hope theres more to it than that).

mikef

Woz

16-05-2010, 18:14

Was good, but the skirt this week doesn't look a patch on the one for next week*

*Yes, I'm that shallow.

Grandmaster

16-05-2010, 18:29

What is odd is that Amy seems to act as though she's known the Doctor for years in terms of making judgements on his character yet all the episodes thus far have been in sequence and don't cover that much time at all.

Also a bit odd that the Doctor says he's 907 years old meaning he's burned through two incarnations in just seven years, with the first eight Doctors presumably accounting for a mammoth 900 years :thinking:

Woz

16-05-2010, 18:34

Also a bit odd that the Doctor says he's 907 years old meaning he's burned through two incarnations in just seven years, with the first eight Doctors presumably accounting for a mammoth 900 years :thinking:

Does it say anywhere that the series started with his first incarnation?

Grandmaster

16-05-2010, 19:17

The Five Doctors, for starters...

Jaime

16-05-2010, 19:43

How could he possibly know what age he is? Does he count how many seconds he spends in each timezone and add them all up?

RDJ

16-05-2010, 20:03

Pretty sure he just makes it up. Sylvester McCoy's Doctor said he was 953...

douglasb

16-05-2010, 20:11

I liked the line about "Don't let all the cool gear fool you ..."

I can imagine people getting tired of Smith's persona, but he's very good and it's worth watching just for the little asides and reactions, even if what's going on around him isn't up to much. I'd like to see a bit more of his obvious temper come out sometime soon.

Grandmaster

16-05-2010, 20:13

There's been a consistent count in years over the last few seasons - that Moffat has now continued.

Boink!

16-05-2010, 20:18

Liked his running like a girl before he got to the butchers. :lol:

Again here was the single eye motif in this ep.

eye__writ

16-05-2010, 21:24

Again here was the single eye motif in this ep.

To be fair, the single-eyed monster is always going to come to prominence when Amy's around. :n0rty:

mikef

17-05-2010, 07:10

Does it say anywhere that the series started with his first incarnation?

The original you might say.....

I think both The Three Doctors and The Five Doctors said that William Hartnell was the first...but in The Brain of Morbius, in the climactic 'mind battle' it showed faces that were claimed/implied to be earlier incarnations. I'm sure someone has found a way to explain this all away though!

cheers

BTW - I just saw that there is going to be a Doctor Who live show, doctorwholive.com for details. Tickets go on sale this week.

Not too sure what I think of this, might just be pantomime type fun..I saw the stage show back in the 80s with Colin Baker and that was dreadful, the fatct that it was a musical didnt help..

mikef

avid fan

17-05-2010, 07:27

Grandmaster

17-05-2010, 08:28

Watched it again and I think it's a genuinely brilliant episode. Not quite Blink or Human Nature but definitely better than favourites like Father's Day and Dalek.

I think it is a set-up for a long term villain, as hinted by the reflection of the Dream Lord at the very end of the episode. There's a definite anger and rage in this Doctor. Now we're seeing that there's far, far more inside struggling to get out.

The coming and going snow was a bit of a continuity gaffe and quite why they had them mucking about in a huge mudbath was quite bizarre... but that's small beans in what was a genuinely superb bit of Who.

TonyG

17-05-2010, 08:34

I'd like to see the Dream Lord become a Mr Mxyzptlk type villain for the Doctor.

douglasb

17-05-2010, 09:32

Or a 'Q'. It was as near to a ST:TNG episode as DW has come in recent years.

chopperwilson

17-05-2010, 09:42

Thought it was an excellent episode for th emost part, agree with some of the others, the ending was slightly lame.

Roberto

17-05-2010, 09:55

I was a little dissapointed that this stop short of being a real head **** like this should have been. But it was an ok episode

sparkyrob

17-05-2010, 11:53

So the cause turned out to be intergalactic hayfever?

Disappointing resolution to an otherwise cracking episode. Echo the sentiments that hopefully it isn't the last we've seen of the Dream Lord even he is the Doctor.

thatzit

17-05-2010, 12:01

I was quite surprised to read almost universal praise for the episode this morning – I came away feeling rather underwhelmed and disappointed:shrug:.

The introduction was great, the dialogue was ace, Toby Jones was very good (some great lines), and the ominous creepy small village setup (plus creepy oldies!) was classic seventies Dr Who… :notworthy

However, I thought the resolution of it was really lame – I was really hoping for some setup for a long term villain rather than a few bits of dream dust clogging up the Tardis:|!! Also, I think the episode was let down by the CGI, when it was used (in the same way the first episode was) – the old people wandering around and peeking behind the curtains was creepy, the eye in the god was cartoonish:nono:!

You are not alone. I share your views. I have liked the new series to date but didn't think much of this episode.

In particular Amy shows no regard for being possibly pregnant when considering her course of action and the ending was very disapponting. It was not made clear if the silly explanation by the Dr was just indeed that. I hope I am wrong and there is actually more to this which will be explained in a future episode.

Mr Majestik

17-05-2010, 12:02

I'd like to see the Dream Lord become a Mr Mxyzptlk type villain for the Doctor.

The only problem with this is that Toby Jones is a very in demand actor so might not be able to do the role again.

SteM

17-05-2010, 12:22

The only problem with this is that Toby Jones is a very in demand actor so might not be able to do the role again.

I think they beauty of that role is that you could have him come in every now and then and it wouldn't even have to be played by the same actor. As long as he fades in/out and his projection jumps about like he did on Saturday then you could explain away the change in looks in a few different ways.

Roberto

17-05-2010, 12:23

He is? It's not like i see him everywhere..

scoobyood

17-05-2010, 13:42

I'd like to see the Dream Lord become a Mr Mxyzptlk type villain for the Doctor.

Or a 'Q'. It was as near to a ST:TNG episode as DW has come in recent years.

I think the Dream Lord should hang around in every episode like Gazoo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gazoo) ;) (http://cult.thedigitalfix.co.uk/Content/226/amys-choice.html)

Hex

17-05-2010, 22:36

BTW - I just saw that there is going to be a Doctor Who live show, doctorwholive.com for details. Tickets go on sale this week.

Not too sure what I think of this, might just be pantomime type fun..I saw the stage show back in the 80s with Colin Baker and that was dreadful, the fatct that it was a musical didnt help..

mikef

Looks horrible to me, but then I'm a fairly casual fan at the best of times and not target audience in the least. Tickets starting at £25 and up to £38 though - talk about milking the cash cow dry.

TheoGB

18-05-2010, 07:46

I didn't think it was excellent but I did enjoy it. For me it was more about something just being slightly 'off' the whole way through. Maybe if it had had the dialogue of the last episode it would have been better but it just didn't have quite the same rhythm.

Still, a good episode for sure.