*Spoilers*
You know I’ve got to admit, I think I enjoyed meself, tonight …
Possibly!
Because Allison, Sarah and Kevin D, Movie Night Adrian, Kevin Z and I watched something a touch … different, tonight …
Well, I say different …
We actually had something of an early start, tonight, and all got to my place at Six pm, just to make sure that I could get the kettle on in good time for what got shown on BBC1, at 6•20pm.
Now, as followers of my blog will probably no doubt be able to tell you, me and the gang are various shades of sci-fi fan.
And, in the UK, that implies watching — once in a while, at least — Dr Who.
I’m a fan.
You’d noticed, hadn’t you … ?
So the fact a small group of like minded people got together, tonight, to catch Mat Smith/Karen Gillan/Stephen Moffat opening episode, Eleventh Hour, shouldn’t be unsurprising, should it?
Should it … ?
•••••
08•04, Sunday, 4th April, 2010
Let’s move on …
I’m assuming you’ve guessed that we didn’t watch a film, tonight, either
Well …
We were vaguely intending to. But we got very carried away by the post-show natter, tea and rather yummy chocolate cake — hand-cooked by Sarah, and - as I think I’ve mentioned - rather yummy — that we didn’t actually get ’round to one …
As I’ve said, last night saw the movie gang all getting to mine, rather earlier than usual, to catch Eleventh Hour, the Matt Smith/Karen Gillan/Steven Moffat début episode of Season 5 of the re-vamped, and now rebooted, Dr Who.
Definitely rebooted, I think. There’s not only a new logo, new TARDIS interior, new Doctor and companion, but also a new look to the opening credits.
Which I’m not too sure about.
It is rather different.
I’m thinking the look of them’s going to be fine, it’s just the much lusher take on the theme, with the by now iconic bass-line much further down in the mix. THAT’S going to take some getting used to …
•••••
Eleventh Hour sees Matt Smith’s Doctor crash landing on Earth in the immediate wake of a traumatic looking regeneration and hanging onto the Tardis for dear lives.
And winding up in the back-garden of orphan Amelia Pond.
Who’s got a problem, and quietly praying for Santa to sent her a policeman — or someone — to help her deal with a crack in her bedroom wall.
Which turns out to be a bit bigger than just some iffy plasterboard …
The Doctor tells her …
Well, several things, including the fact he’s got a craving for fishfingers and custard*, but chiefly that he has to be “back in five minutes”, after he fixes some engine trouble.
Actually, that’s a sequence that got me somewhat touched: we get to see Amelia hastily packing a small suitcase, getting herself ready to go with the man she — as we later discover — calls “… the raggedy Doctor”.
We get to find out how that’s affected her, too.
Cartoons, dolls …
But the thrust of the plot, here, is that the crack in the wall allows a shape shifting alien, known only is Prisoner Zero, to escape and start wrecking havoc.
Not only on Amy’s home village of Leadworth, but also — potentially — on Earth itself.
As Prisoner Zero’s guards — the Atraxi — have their eye open for wherever the Prisoner ends up.
And are threatening to incinerate Earth, if he’s not handed over …
Leaving the Doctor, Amy — Karen Gillan — and Rory, Amy’s fiancée, with twenty minutes to save the Earth.
Gripping stuff!
•••••
That all ends happily, but with …
Hmmm …
Plants …
Plants and seeds …
I’ll let you work those out, for yourself, if you haven’t already …
But it’a also an episode that saw mixed reactions, I know that. I know both Kevin D and Movie Night Adrian are …
…
…
Unconvinced, as yet: saying that, I know that Adrian’s already gone on record as saying he liked the darker aspect’s of Tennent’s performance.
But also added, last night, that he’d grown up on Jon Pertwee’s version of the Doctor. Something I think that Stephen Moffat did, as well. The Atraxi seemed vaguely Axon like, as did the design of ship. And, in one of the last scenes of Eleventh Hour, we see Matt Smith’s Doctor nicking clothes from a hospital …
Where’s Bessie, is my next question … !!
And we also know the Silurian’s are due to make a re-appearance, in this series …
•••••
But I also know there was a certain amount of humour in Eleventh Hour: something that had both me and Allison laughing out loud. And Sarah was looking suspiciously happy, as well …
I think both Kevin D and Dr Kevin are going to take a while getting used to new faces, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.
I know Kevin D felt Matt Smith to be a touch on the fluffy side, and Dr Kevin wasn’t immediatley taken with the recorded interview he saw with Stephen Moffat.
And I’m also thinking Mr Smith’s going to take a few episodes to warm up.
But on the whole … ?
I think he — and the new look crew — will do rather well …
* I’ve an old friend — Graham — with a young daughter. And Movie Night Gwen, along with partner Stefan, have kids. Sod the salsa dip and goujons, I get the feeling fishfingers and custard’s going to be in demand, come teatime …
6 comments:
How about battenburg fingers and custard, not quite fish fingers, but enough to seem right.
This Dr felt right,from the start very Troughton or Pertwee and I await with bated breath the next episode.
Just as an aside how did one hospital manage to get so many coma patients, Is living in "the home counties" that bad !
Just so everyon knows, ComBom’s posted up a round up of the available review, both professional and otherwise.
Well worth checking out!
'Eyes' Flying?
For me Matt Smith is a good Dr Who - the continuity from David Tenant is very well done. He may well prove to be the best one yet.The first episode had a lot of good emotional moments.The script was interesting and innovative e.g.in the age related 'moments'. The script had some good one (or two) liners. Quite beautiful really. The plot(etc)?-looking forward to the future development.But, who...in Time Lord theory...changed the Tardis? Perhaps, not who, but how (not so much what) is the question. All in all OK.
Well, that’s obvious, if you think about it, Kevin: with in the context of the series background, the TARDIS has just crash-landed. So, along with a regenerating Dr, we have a TARDIS that’s doing like-wise.
After hitting a garden shed at Ⓧ miles an hour.
•••••
But in terms the production?
I think, from what I’ve been able to pick up, the production team wanted to go for as much as a re-design as possible: this is, after all, a complete a reboot of the series as possible.
I thoroughly enjoyed the episode and thought Matt Smith was excellent. I realise that comparisons will be made to the amazing David Tennant but felt Matt Smith made the character his own! Can't wait for the next episode. Loved the trailer at the end. Left me wanting more. My only critisizm is how comes James Corden gets in everything!! I am saving judgement for that episode!
As an aside,my friend at work is good friend with Matt Smith. (Have asked for an autograph..lol). He found it really strange watching the episode, as he was so different!
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