New Who: "Cold Blood"

[lizbee]

Don't give away the Outback, Amy. People live there and stuff. (For some reason, non-Australians are always trying to give away the Outback. When the idea of creating a Jewish state was being kicked around, in the aftermath of WW2, one suggestion was to locate it in central Australia. COME ON, GUYS, PEOPLE ARE USING THAT AREA!)

More importantly, however:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, RORY IS NOT DEAD! I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT! violetisblue AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT HE WAS SUCKED THROUGH THE CRACK AND INTO E-SPACE, WHERE SOME MAGIC E-SPACE TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT HIM BACK TO LIFE, AND NOW HE AND ROMANA ARE HAVING ADVENTURES. ONLY RORY'S ALL, "BUT MAH AMY IS ON THE OTHER SIDE," SO ROMANA'S GOING TO BREAK OPEN THE UNIVERSE AND REUNITE THEM, AND THAT'S THE SEASON FINALE.

And it was such an evil set up! There I was, thinking, "At last, a Silurian episode with a happy ending! Nasreen didn't die! And she and Tony are going to wake up in a thousand years and have each other, and a brave new world, and she'll have her dream of exploring under the earth! WAIT, WHY IS RORY BEING SHOT? WHY IS RORY DYING? HEY, WHAT'S THAT CRACK DOING -- OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, NO WONDER THE HATERS CALL HIM "EVIL WIZARD MOFFAT".

Oh yeah, evil. But in a brilliant way.

Other things that are not related to Rory's accident:

- The underuse of Amy last week: completely rectified when she picks a lizard man's pocket. I LOVE YOU, AMY.
- I loved that most of the Silurian soldiers were women, but I do rather wish the elder had also been female, just to balance out the vague impression of Dangerous Irrational Women vs Sensible and Rational Mens. It wasn't enough to even make me eyeroll, but it could have been easily averted all together.
- I do not think the Doctor would have loved the Silurian scientist so much if he'd known about the wide-awake dissections.
- Also, when he goes off, having woken Elliot, I seriously believed he was going to go into a room FULL of suspended-animation children.
- All these scenes with good actors in full-lizard face, and impromptu negotiations for the planet actually went a small way towards satisfying my unfulfilled need for more Babylon 5. So well done, show.
- People who are not going to get jobs on space stations dedicated to interstellar peace: Amy Pond. I laughed at the bit where she's obviously gotten bored and put her head on the desk. She is, in so many ways, still a child. And, you know, she did come up with actual constructive ideas, even if they did involve GIVING AWAY BITS OF AUSTRALIA. So maybe she can be, like, a diplomatic aide. G'Kar needs a new aide after Na'Toth; the Doctor needs to leave Amy in a safe place for five minutes weeks while he does something very important involving River Song, an archaeological convention, a bottle of Saurian brandy and a feather boa. Hilarity ensues.
- My friends list is maybe a bit more upset about Rory suffering a brief and temporary withdrawal from life than the TARDIS shrapnel. But really, two OTPs were destroyed today.

So yes, this was a bit amazing, and I am not going to spoil my fun by reading links from the Daily, for they will be full of people saying wrong things, like that Amy and Rory are underdeveloped and bad actors. And it is sad that so many people are somehow getting the Crap Edit, but I love my show and want to hug it, and indeed, may have to make some kind of Amy-and-Eleven plushie for exactly that purpose. But first, if anyone needs me, I'll be building a shrine to Rory outside Upper Boat, and sending packages of nurse's scrubs to the BBC until they bring him back.

Comments

[violetisblue]

"Don't give away the Outback, Amy. People live there and stuff."

I was also wicked amused at the offer to give away large parts of Nevada. Er...Vegas? Some of the fastest-growing suburbs and exurbs in the United States (pre-housing bubble collapse, anyway)?

"When the idea of creating a Jewish state was being kicked around, in the aftermath of WW2, one suggestion was to locate it in central Australia."

I also read somewhere that another suggestion was Arizona. Which, er, given recent events there is a mite ironic.

"HE WAS SUCKED THROUGH THE CRACK AND INTO E-SPACE, WHERE SOME MAGIC E-SPACE TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT HIM BACK TO LIFE, AND NOW HE AND ROMANA ARE HAVING ADVENTURES. ONLY RORY'S ALL, 'BUT MAH AMY IS ON THE OTHER SIDE,' SO ROMANA'S GOING TO BREAK OPEN THE UNIVERSE AND REUNITE THEM, AND THAT'S THE SEASON FINALE."

WHAT D'YOU MEAN WE "DECIDED" THIS? IT HAPPENS TO BE TRUE!

"I loved that most of the Silurian soldiers were women, but I do rather wish the elder had also been female, just to balance out the vague impression of Dangerous Irrational Women vs Sensible and Rational Mens. It wasn't enough to even make me eyeroll, but it could have been easily averted all together."

I had the same feeling but couldn't help be interested that even amongst the (aboveground) humans, the women fell into the aggressive/"martial" category of behavior (Ambrose) and the male the nurturing (Rory nursing like a nursing thing).

"My friends list is maybe a bit more upset about Rory suffering a brief and temporary withdrawal from life than the TARDIS shrapnel."

I'm too a-skeered to contemplate that part.

"I am not going to spoil my fun by reading links from the Daily, for they will be full of people saying wrong things, like that Amy and Rory are underdeveloped and bad actors."

What is this mysterious "Daily" of which you speak? It doesn't exist on my home planet.

[lizbee]

I was also wicked amused at the offer to give away large parts of Nevada. Er...Vegas? Some of the fastest-growing suburbs and exurbs in the United States (pre-housing bubble collapse, anyway)?

Well, now we need a Silurians in Vegas fic!

I had the same feeling but couldn't help be interested that even amongst the (aboveground) humans, the women fell into the aggressive/"martial" category of behavior (Ambrose) and the male the nurturing (Rory nursing like a nursing thing).

This is true.

Also, I was thinking about it last night, and I do not think the Silurian soldiers were actually irrational. By their own, consistent standards, they were taking justified, if harsh, steps to preserve their race. (I kind of wonder if the word we'd be using is "irrational" if they were all unbending male militarists.

[cyprinella]

I was also wicked amused at the offer to give away large parts of Nevada. Er...Vegas? Some of the fastest-growing suburbs and exurbs in the United States (pre-housing bubble collapse, anyway)?

Yep, and I actually would be kinda happy if the area went to people with better tech so as to help alleviate the water situation. Which is Not Good, especially if you're a small fish in a very small environment.

[fannishnonsense]

My friends list is maybe a bit more upset about Rory suffering a brief and temporary withdrawal from life than the TARDIS shrapnel. But really, two OTPs were destroyed today.

That's because the TARDIS is the main character, so we already know she'll be OK in the end.

[violetisblue]

Maybe that bit is what that production team member at Gally One meant about how Doctor/TARDIS types would be "very happy" but she couldn't say just why? It can't just be the oh-you-sexy-thing comment if she couldn't explicate, it must be something bigger.

[syzygy_dw]

I has a sad because Rory is dedded*, but I think the chunk of TARDIS is really a chunk of a real 60s police box that got sucked into the crack, and the Doctor is jumping to conclusions. IT'S TRUFAX I CAN'T HEAR YOU LALALA. Because the TARDIS can't die. Nope. It would end my ship* and I am not having that.


(*Oooh, double entendre!)

[syzygy_dw]

(I forgot to remove the first asterisk. Please to be ignoring it kthnx.)

[renae.myopenid.com]

Not up to this episode so I didn't read, but I wanted to draw your attention to this http://community.livejournal.com/cross_stitch/3152871.html?style=mine#cutid1 which you've probably seen already but how awesome is it!!

[copracat]

Well, you know, Liz, the British have traditionally thought Australia was uninhabited/a nifty beach holiday destination. I imagine the people who live in the Sahara are going "??" too.

ONLY RORY'S ALL, "BUT MAH AMY IS ON THE OTHER SIDE," SO ROMANA'S GOING TO BREAK OPEN THE UNIVERSE AND REUNITE THEM, AND THAT'S THE SEASON FINALE.

APPROVED.

[lizbee]

Well, you know, Liz, the British have traditionally thought Australia was uninhabited/a nifty beach holiday destination. I imagine the people who live in the Sahara are going "??" too.

As Vali points out above, the Nevada plains include, oh, only one of the wealthiest and fastest-growing cities in America. SILURIANS IN VEGAS, WRITE THAT FIC NOW PLEASE.

[jaythenerdkid]

I have decided that the only who_daily links I will click are the ones where they are like, "so-and-so thought this was the BEST EPISODE EVAR" or something like that. The squee-harshers are just getting boring. Like, we get it, guys: you think RTD is God and can't believe Moffat isn't furthering the Ten/Rose agenda by making Eleven mope about his poor lost love all the time. Cry moar.

(I am maybe a bit totally over all the whining from certain corners of fandom. Does it show?)

[biichan]

I ACCEPT YOUR FANON AND WILL ADOPT IT AS MY OWN. *sniffs*

[lizbee]

I shamelessly stole this idea from loneraven, but I desperately want a shirt that says, "I remember Rory" on the front, and, "Who is Rory?" on the back.

[such_heights]

And it is sad that so many people are somehow getting the Crap Edit

This is an excellent explanation! I feel very sorry for these people and their inferior programming experience.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I think I have maybe decided that, possibly, Amy brings about the end of the universe except that it ends up being a blown-up police box in the 60's in Totter's Lane or something, and then Rory is back.

And the universe is safe again. (and, wow, I need more icons over here)

[jesuswasbatman]

- Also, when he goes off, having woken Elliot, I seriously believed he was going to go into a room FULL of suspended-animation children.

I was expecting something horribly embarrassing of that kind, to balance Ambrose having killed the hostage.

[lizbee]

"So, um, I guess you'll be wanting your kids back now?"

[cedara]

I second that E-Space and Romana plotline! Someone should write it.

[fly_to_dawn]

My friends list is maybe a bit more upset about Rory suffering a brief and temporary withdrawal from life than the TARDIS shrapnel.

Oh....yeah. I'd forgotten about that bit.

[marymac]

I'm resolutely Not Thinking About It, in regard to the TARDIS bits.
Moff's a bastard, but I've got Stockholm Syndrome now, I'm stuck.

[neadods]

Also, when he goes off, having woken Elliot, I seriously believed he was going to go into a room FULL of suspended-animation children

I was surprised that nobody twitched when the scientist was obviously talking in the plural. "I never hurt the young... I just do all these experiments on them." And nobody, not even the Doctor says "Uh, any of those kids around now? They've got families too, give 'em back."

As for Rory, they've made far too much of that engagement ring; I'm convinced it's the key for bringing him back.

[fyrdrakken]

It would be nice if the wedding ring was key to Rory's return, but I have a nagging fear that instead it'll start off a comedy-of-errors plotline where someone (probably Amy) finds it and presumes it's there because it's very shortly to be offered up to a particular lady (probably herself) and behaves idiotically on that assumption. (This is probably me being gunshy from having reread the Dexter books not too long ago, where someone found a diamond ring in her boyfriend's pocket and jumped to exactly that conclusion.)

ETA: Mind you, my first thought was that Rory's choice of the TARDIS console as a temporary resting place for the ring was going to cause a problem by glitching that particular control, with results that would no doubt serve as a plot point.

[jennaw]

It's as if in Classic Who they killed off Harry. It was awful and brilliant and devastating and *so well done* developing Rory into someone we totally wanted Amy to have and who we liked for just being Rory, and I do hope he and Romana send us a postcard sometime very soon.

[amaresu]

I hope the finale is the Doctor's grand plan to save Rory. The Universe gets saved as an added bonus, but not exploding the Tardis and saving Rory are the main points.

[froda_baggins]

Rory cannot possibly be dead for good. I refuse to accept that. NYAH. But great ep, altogether.

[aria]

Cosigned on basically all of this!

Also, I now want to write fic about Amy being G'Kar's diplomatic aide. DAMN YOOOOU.

[lizbee]

Bonus points if it contains Amy/Lennier!

[wembley]

I do not think the Doctor would have loved the Silurian scientist so much if he'd known about the wide-awake dissections.

WTF WAS UP WITH THAT?

But really, two OTPs were destroyed today.

I'm stuck between loling and going, "So true."

[elisi]

And it is sad that so many people are somehow getting the Crap Edit, but I love my show and want to hug it, and indeed, may have to make some kind of Amy-and-Eleven plushie for exactly that purpose.
Now I want one too! But yes, it is sad that not all can see the wodnerfulness of our show. (I only click on positive reviews, and need no one to harsh my squee. Or mourning...)

Anyway, I like your theory about Rory. Mine theory is that the Doctor will try to get Rory back, thus causing the crack in the first place (two parts of time & space that should never have touched etc.), and through the MAGIC off Moffat's writing this will all make perfect sense and the very end of the last ep will be Amy and Rory's wedding. THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN! *nods* (Although I like the Romana thing too, and will happily accept it!)

[elisi]

Sorry about typos btw. *facepalm*

[sqbr]

I'm definitely in the "The TARDIS simply cannot actually die" camp.

If he does actually kill the TARDIS I will...just.... o.O ...the TARDIS can't die!

Rooory :( I wish we'd gotten to know him a little better, I didn't like him as much as I would have liked to (but would have eventually, I'm pretty sure) I like your personal canon. WHAT IS UP WITH THIS CRACK??

Agreement with..everything. People actually live in Central Australia! Those people are actually kind of sick of having it declared Terra Nullis by British people, fyi.
The gender stuff...the silurian stuff wasn't quite as balanced as it could have been as you say, but the "mother goes CRAZY due to MATERNAL INSTINCT and RUINS EVERYTHING" plot was...not as bad as it could have been (she didn't die!) but still a bit nng.

I think the dad had the right to be a bit narkier when the alien scientist is all "Sure I did experiments and dissections on you and your son (and lots of other children who I probably also dissected once they had finished their nightmarish glacial puberty) but I didn't kill anyone!" and the Doctor's all "I LOVE YOU". Maybe he should raise his standards for love a bit there :D

Na'toth! That's who the lizard lady soldiers were reminding me of!

Did I mention Rooooory :( ?

[http://users.livejournal.com/__kali__/]

I am very sad about the TARDIS and its seeming asploding but I am more upset about Rory because I think Arthur Darvill is rather sweet.