New Who: "Amy's Choice"

[lizbee]

But first, an obnoxious preface:

I'm having a lot of squee this season, and I'm really loving it, and frankly, I haven't had this much fun watching Doctor Who since 2007. There are things I have problems with, but on the whole, I am madly in love with my show again, and that is very exciting to me.

So I would take it as a courtesy if, if you hated everything about it and want everyone involved to retire for the good of British television, please keep your hate out of my LJ. Every couple of weeks -- and it's always someone different, so I'm not singling any one person out -- someone pops in to say nothing more constructive than "I hated that", and then a long list of reasons why, many of which constitute everything I loved. It is, frankly, cheerio-pissing, and it's really bringing me down. You've got your own LJs, or DWs, or whatever.

I didn't want to have to do this, because I like to think of my journals as the online equivalent of a house party where people are talking and flailing and having fun, but this is the equivalent of coming into my home and making disparaging remarks about its size, appearance and general state of existence. Which is, in my opinion, rude. And it's really undermined my pleasure in DW and its fandom the last couple of weeks, so please, just keep it out of my LJ.



Anyway, THAT WAS AMAZING. It's like fandom got its wish for the Valeyard to come back -- and he's shipping Eleven/Amy. Because the Doctor is a selfish, lonely old man who subconsciously wants to keep Amy in a sexless, isolated relationship that keeps her apart from the ones she loves, just like he did with Rose.

And now it's canon that (a) the Doctor listens in on his companions' sex dreams, and (b) likes gingers best.

Niggles aside, there was so much to love here. I have such a good sense of Amy and Rory now, that Amy is scared of growing up, and easily bored, and sometimes creates drama and makes noise just to break up the tedium of being surrounded by normal people. And Rory loves her madness, but also craves a quiet life in the countryside, with geese and a little medical practice, and a baby on the way. And, um, a ponytail.

Did I mention that this was amazing? Consciously, the Doctor wants Amy to trust him. His subconscious thinks she already trusts him too much, and wants to reinforce to her that she is not the first, the last, the only. Everyone in the TARDIS is torn between these choices, and there's no real right or wrong choice, just the ones that are better for themselves and everyone else. They're all so messed up. Rory's the most stable one of the bunch, poor guy.

Twitter, and a skim of my flist, tells me that many people did not like this? They are clearly all wrong sadly deprived of the joy I take in cracktastic character pieces, dream sequences, baby fic, alternate universes and evil versions of canon characters. Man, I don't think an episode of a show has hit this many of my narrative kinks since B5's "War Without End part 2".

And now the Amy/Rory relationship makes sense to me, because I couldn't quite parse it before. This wasn't a problem; I had figured this would be the episode where all became clear, but now it is, and I am happy.

I HAVE TOO MUCH SQUEE TO SAY ANY MORE. Please chime in with thoughts about Amy, and how she is awesome.

Comments

[such_heights]

Amy is SO AWESOME, omg. Peruvian folk band! Faking going into labour! I adore her more every week.

This is one of those episodes that I think I may like even better upon rewatching now I have more of a sense of what it's really about. But I thought it was delightful regardless!

[lizbee]

It will stand up to a whole lot of rewatching, I don't doubt.

[iko]

The faking going into labor thing was brilliant. She's getting to Get Him, knows how to make a point stick in his vast, ever-churning brain. I love her. No wonder Rory loves her. No wonder the Doctor would trust her as much as he does at the end of their time in fake!Leadworth.

I have to say, on rewatching? It's like a completely different show. In the most awesome way.

[jaydeyn]

The faking the labour moment was SHEER AWESOME. I adored Amy then!

And Rory is just Made of Lovely.

:)
Jaydeyn

[danel4d.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I really liked it too - and I was expecting not to, since I didn't expect it to play out quite as it did.

Oh, when Amy pretended she was about to give birth as revenge for the Doctor calling her life dull. Her genuine shock when Rory cut off his ponytail. Her making ponchos for everyone!

That bit at the start of the episode when the Doctor wakes up and goes on about what a terrible nightmare it was. And the way Amy and the Doctor keep trying to secretly check out the back of Rory's head and reassure themselves that he hasn't really grown a ponyfail.

[sparks_for_sale]

People didn't like this episode?? D-: Sure bits were slow and such, but but but *flaily*

Plus, how can you not love an episode where the skience makes you shout "no, PHYICS DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY" and then resign yourself to silent resentment but then Amy actually calls the universe on it? She should be in every sci-fi ever from now on. Made me think later on though -- you accept the weirdest stuff in your dreams, vis the Doctor being all "stars totally burn cold all the time" in his and Rory willing to accept that all the old people in his dream village are alien menaces all of a sudden. (Amy, however, is just too cool for both).

[ellen_fremedon]

And now it's canon that (a) the Doctor listens in on his companions' sex dreams,

OMG you're right, he totally does.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

<3 I LOVED THIS EPISODE A GREAT DEAL. I cannot manage to think of anything more coherent to say, aside from AMY/RORY 4EVA and stuff.

it may have made me cry at one point

Oh, oh--also, Amy always having to run when pregnant, and pointing out that it isn't easy, AND, Eleven checking to make sure she wasn't early on.

[lizbee]

Yeah, Karen Gillan totally worked that fake belly, lurching around looking uncomfortable and ungainly.

[skywaterblue]

I didn't love it, but I kind of hope the people who think Amy is underwritten get the answers they needed from it. There's lots of big highlighty 'AMY IS THIS PERSON' in this episode. (I loved her before, and this episode just confirmed what I already thought.)

[lizbee]

No, from what I've been seeing around the place, Amy apparently has no personality except that which revolves around men. Which, to me, was almost the opposite of what I saw, but at least, if I'm watching a different show to everyone else, I'm watching the good one.

[skywaterblue]

*cries*

At least I'm also watching the good one. My favorite part is how BOTH OF THEM ARE DREAMS. It was really exciting to me.

[neadods]

I've been seeing the "I didn't like it" posts too and am confused, because I am at long last THRILLED without qualification by an episode, and that hasn't happened since Eleventh Hour (and even then... those spaceships? Oh dear.)

One of the things that attracted me the most to Nine was his self doubt, while Ten's least attractive feature was his overweening hubris. That Eleven has been shaken by his own dark side presses all kinds of good buttons. So does the fact that in the end, Amy chose Rory. Wholehearted and unconditionally wanted Rory - now there's a sea change from the RTD era!

[iko]

Dear Doctor,

Please listen in to my sex dreams.
The thought of you blushing to them is... exciting.

Thanks!

Love, Me (who is not typically this exhibitionistic, but having the Doctor exhibit voyeuristic behavior HITS MY KINK)

PS - This may have been TMI.

[longtimegone]

YANA (TMI be damned. :D )

[prof_pangaea]

hahaha <3

[longtimegone]

OMG I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. I just posted my thoughts, and kind of went into some of the things I had issues with (don't worry, it's not super negative, just some of the niggles), but yeah, there's so much to chew on here and it was just... gah. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I am dying to know more about Amy Pond. She's fascinating and holding things close to the vest and she's not grown up and unsure of everything and has complex feelings for the two men in her life and <3333333333!!!

[copracat]

I am a creature of flail and squee. Squeeing flail! Amy's grief at Rory's death and her rage at the Doctor for not saving him, and what she says to him then broke my heart and made me cheer because oh, I wanted Amy to know her heart and not be living in imaginary friend world.

"Save him. You save everyone; you always do. That's what you do."

"Not always. I'm sorry."

"Then what is the point of you."

It shows that Amy has always known what's important to her. When the Doctor disappears out of her life, she gets on with her life. Life without Rory is immediately unbearable. (Take that, School Reunion. Stab. Stab. Stab.)

Rory was awesome. I love the what for and back chat he gives the Doctor.

[gominokouhai]

Yes!

[jaythenerdkid]

People have been in your journal, harshing your squee? Not cool.

THIS WAS SO GREAT AND AWESOME AND TOTALLY LIVED UP TO MY EXPECTATIONS ASLEDKFAWEFHASLKDFHALSEIFASDFLASDFLAJ SO BRILLIANT. Also, YAY VALEYARD-LIKE CHARACTER :D :D :D :D :D.

It's like fandom got its wish for the Valeyard to come back -- and he's shipping Eleven/Amy

Aren't we all?

[fly_to_dawn]

Twitter, and a skim of my flist, tells me that many people did not like this?

Really? D: I thought it was amazing. I mean, there was the deep-ish thoughts about the Doctor and who he is and his relationship with Amy and stuff, but mostly AAAAAAMY. Faking labor as a way of telling the Doctor, fuck you my life's not dull! Peruvian folk band! And oh, the Amy/Rory was just so sweet and left me grinning like an idiot. *draws hearts around the trio*

[jaydeyn]

I adored it! I love twisty mindfucks and the fact that it was Valeyardy!Doctor all along is BRILLIANT! :D

Rory is Made of Lovely and I am So Very Pleased he's officially Team Tardis. And Amy! AMY ROCKS. Amy rejects your reality and substitutes her own! Fake labour! Peruvian folk bands! ♥

(Only one person in the universe hates him that much. Aw. That made me sad.)

:)
Jaydeyn

[gominokouhai]

You beat me to it, it seems, by minutes. Lovely, wasn't it?

> Twitter, and a skim of my flist, tells me that many people did not like this

This has been my reaction since the new season started. Who are these people? What do they want instead?

I must watch War Without End again.

[burnsauce]

I enjoyed it but my friends didn't and I felt alone. So alone. And possibly insane. Wahwahwaaah.

Next week, dinosaur people!

[evilgeniuslady]

At this point I suspect I would be happy if the episode was nothing more than Eleven, Amy and Rory doing nothing but sit around a campfire and talk. I just love their personalities and how they mesh (and that Amy is totally the one in charge), and Matt and Karen are a joy to watch (still haven't quite made my mind up about Arthur, but that's probably because he's got the most thankless part). Every week I find myself falling just a little deeper for this Team TARDIS. Can't believe we're already half way through the season, oh noes! I don't want it to ever end!

[infiniteviking]

At this point I suspect I would be happy if the episode was nothing more than Eleven, Amy and Rory doing nothing but sit around a campfire and talk.

*concurs* :D

[ingo]

I am popping into your journal (via Latest Things) to offer nothing more constructive than I LOVED THIS OMG. I had to stop watching Tennant's run because it grew too frustrating, and I am SO GLAD I CAME BACK TO SEE THIS SEASON BECAUSE IT IS LOVELY. Now I am wondering whether or not I should give the Donna/Ten season a go because River Song is in it. And Caecilius, apparently. I JUST DO NOT KNOW.

AMY IS LOVELY AND LOOKS GREAT IN A PONCHO.

[faith_less_one]

I totally agree with you on all counts.

Particularly your annoyance at all the negativity this series. I'm really enjoying it, and it's very upsetting that so many people seem to be so angry at Matt/Karen/the writers. :(

[alias_sqbr]

I must admit I didn't love this episode, but I have a feeling I'd like it a lot more on rewatching: the villain was so silly as an actual villain, but as the doctors subconscious makes perfect sense and is both creepy and silly and..right.

Plus I am really glad the cold sun wasn't real :)

[ess_jay]

I LOVED IT!

*loveheart eyes*

[ceebee_eebee]

You know I had problems warming up to Eleven, but oh MAN am I finally there. I watched VoV and AC yesterday and I was freaking out with love. I kept emailing prof every five seconds to tell him how hard I was laughing and how much I was finally into Eleven. It's like the opening of VoV with him jumping out of the cake? A switch just...flipped and I GOT HIM. He's awkward and hilarious and awesome and I'm just beside myself with joy. So yeah. I get it. I haven't felt this much love for the new series since Nine. It's...DAMN. It feels really, really good.

[prof_pangaea]

hahaha, i was sitting here thinking, "who the hell else is called prof in this fandom?" and then realised who this was. OMG DIFFERENT USERNAMES ARE CONFUSING.

and yes! the cake! i saw that cake being rolled out and i was like PLEASE LET ELEVEN BE IN THERE PLEEEEAAAASSSSE and it was true!!

also yay for your love! yay!!

[ceebee_eebee]

HA! How did you figure out it was me? You sneaky, sneaky man you. And yes. YAY FOR OUR LOOOOOVE.

[jennaw]

I loved it, and I think it put Amy's crazy coming-on to the Doctor at the end of "Flesh & Stone" into a consistent context as a sort of outbreak of both post-adventure I-survived-yay! crazy-pants-ness and also this wanting to shake things up reaction she seems to have to... things.

I also think the Doctor needs a therapist who doesn't hate him quite so much. It's sad and upsetting and yet fitting completely for New Who that the Doctor has so much self-loathing buried under all those high spirits.

Maybe a visit from Four would help him sort himself out? There was a Doctor with self-esteem to spare.

[rj_anderson]

I loved this and YES, I want to watch it again knowing what's really going on. AMAZING character study of the Doctor, Rory, and Amy, and even though in my twisted heart of hearts I still ship Eleven/Amy, I also love Rory so much that it would have broken my heart if Amy had just written him off and decided she only wanted the Doctor. Plus, it would have been unhealthy. I like to see Amy being smart and healthy.

The only thing I fidget about is, if KG has signed on for another season after this one, Rory has to be Disposed Of at some point, yes? And THAT is going to break EVERYBODY. Or at least it should, because Rory is love. Augh!

Also, Matt Smith is the ever-loving BOMB at doing that Old Man in a Young Man's Body thing and also KEEPS LOOKING LIKE DAVISON which is freaking me out all over the place because it SHOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITH THAT JAWLINE.

I love this season the mostest. I really do.

[infiniteviking]

if KG has signed on for another season after this one, Rory has to be Disposed Of at some point, yes?

I'm just hoping that if that happens, we'll switch from Amy+Rory to Amy-before-The-Eleventh-Hour, having adventures she's not allowed to tell New!Eleven about. :D

*seconds everything else you said, because yes~*

[infiniteviking]

cracktastic character pieces, dream sequences, baby fic, alternate universes and evil versions of canon characters

*seconds your squee, HOW COULD ANYONE DISLIKE THIS EP ZOMG*

I also thought Rory was awesome.<3 He's frustrated with Amy's not-making-up-her-mind-ness but is also a decent enough guy not to get emotionally abusive about it. I mean, just the fact that these characters can get cross with each other without being abusive heals so much that was out of whack for the last few seasons.

[myniamh]

I loved it. I really, really loved it. Not just liked it, loved it. It's the kind of story I expect from the Big Finish Audios. Which I love to bits. :)

The Doctor really is a very selfish, lonely old man. Good thing we all like him so much.
Mat Smith must have a mad old popa stashed somewhere for acting tips.

Amy is awesome. No one could possibly argue against this so I won't go on.

I have re-watched it a couple of times so far, I liked that you don't pick up that he knows exactly who the Dream Lord is till the second watch.

[akashasheiress]

Before this series started I was getting a Two-Ben-Polly vibe from this Team TARDIS, but now I'm thinking it's more along the lines of Four-Sarah-Harry because if that particular Team had been written in 2010 this would totally have been one of their episodes.

I also ship Amy/Rory like burning, although I still don't understand why they can't just date for a few more years instead of getting married.