Dr Who Episode 6: The Almost People

(Originally posted on Nik Nak and Grub’s Who Peculiar on 28 May 2011 19:47:00)

*Spoilers*

Oh, now, hang ON … !

I’m in mildly stunned mode … !

And putting up a spoilers note, as well … !

Because … ?

Well, I don’t know about Grub …

But I know I’ve a couple of fellow fans — Debbi Mack, herself, and old friend and gamer, Sean — who’d probably appreciate me mentioning that: as it‘s Memorial Day, over in the States, BBC America’s not actually showing tonight’s episode of Dr Who until June 4th. Next week, in other words.

There’s hoping they manage to keep River Song in mind, reading this … !

»»•««

Now …

How DO I try and tell you about The Almost People … ?

Good Gods … !

The Almost People follows on from, directly, from last week’s The Rebel Flesh, by showing us the Ganger version of the Dr struggling to deal with eleven lifetimes, over nine hundred years.

And ALSO shows us the Ganger version of the factory’s crew — lead by Jenny — finally deciding that they must start waging war.

But there’s twists …

Rory is seemingly half in love with Jennifer, the (seemingly) most sympathetic of the Gangers and the one who is determined to lead the fight against the humans.

After all … ?

As it turns out, Ganger Jennifer’s been the most directly rattled by one simple fact …

That the question her and the rest of the gangers have in mind and in they’re eyes, as they’re decommissioned: “Why”.

There’s ALSO the fact that she’s already found over versions of her Ganger self, lying dead in various parts of the factory.

Think I’d be rattled by that … … … …

»»•««

There’s a WORLD of other things going on, here.

Lordy, isn’t there ever … ?

But what stunned me, even if it didn’t TOTALLY surprise me … ?

Was the ending …

Now, I know my US readers have’t necessarily seen episode six, as yet, but the ending that shows us Amy’s is a Ganger … ? And pregnant … ?

Raises a lot of question.

Like these …

How the hell did Ganger Amy get on board … ?

How did Rory not notice … ?

Who’s child is that baby … ?

Actually … ? That latter question’s the big one.

After all, the BBC posted up a prequel for the following week’s episode, which DOES throw doubt on Rory being the father …

»»•««

Now, I am going to be frank, here, if I may … ?

I was very impressed with The Almost People.

You could tell, couldn’t you … ?

Or possibly not, depending on how coherent you think I’ve been. (Yes, THANK you, Grub, I can see the funny comment’s from here … !)

I know that in last weeks episode of Dr Who Confidential Steven Moffat was saying he felt this episode was very Troughtonesque.

Hmmm …

Not so sure about that …

I’m actually thinking, here, that the Moffat era Dr Who is more a combination of Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee.

Mixed with some of the darker bits of Robert Holmes’ work for the show Talons of Weng Chiang springs to mind.

And I’m also smelling a vague hint of a certain Mr Iain Banks.

Or Iain M. Banks, I should add.

Personally … ?

I like that …

Although … ?

Let’s just say I think Ill be getting a GOOD counter argument, from somewhere … !