Hello Everyone :-)
Things take a turn for the mythological in Episode 11. There are hotels with ever changing room, Minotaurs and a journey home in ‘The God Complex’.
As before, this aired ages ago so expect spoilers.
The Tardis lands in what appears to be an 80’s Hotel where The Doctor, Amy and Rory meet a Rita, Howie, Joe (Humans), and Gibbis (an Alien) who find themselves in the hotel with no explanation as to how they came to be there. The four explain that there is a Minotaur-like beast in the hotel that has killed others. It does this by enticing them to enter one of the rooms in the hotel which contains their greatest fears, upon which they become brainwashed to "praise him" and allow themselves to be taken, their bodies left without any signs of life. The hotel is inescapable (its doors and windows walled up) and its halls and rooms can change without notice. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory soon find the TARDIS has disappeared, and the Doctor warns them from opening any door they are drawn to, for fear of being possessed.
I never really noticed before but ‘Doctor Who’ is a secular show. Perhaps, on a subconscious level, this is why I’m so very fond of it. This episode, more than any since ‘The Impossible Planet’ and ‘The Satan Pit’ two-parter, deals explicitly with the idea of faith, not necessarily religions (although one of the trapped individuals is a Muslim) but faith in others and in beliefs.
Things take a turn for the mythological in Episode 11. There are hotels with ever changing room, Minotaurs and a journey home in ‘The God Complex’.
As before, this aired ages ago so expect spoilers.
The Tardis lands in what appears to be an 80’s Hotel where The Doctor, Amy and Rory meet a Rita, Howie, Joe (Humans), and Gibbis (an Alien) who find themselves in the hotel with no explanation as to how they came to be there. The four explain that there is a Minotaur-like beast in the hotel that has killed others. It does this by enticing them to enter one of the rooms in the hotel which contains their greatest fears, upon which they become brainwashed to "praise him" and allow themselves to be taken, their bodies left without any signs of life. The hotel is inescapable (its doors and windows walled up) and its halls and rooms can change without notice. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory soon find the TARDIS has disappeared, and the Doctor warns them from opening any door they are drawn to, for fear of being possessed.
I never really noticed before but ‘Doctor Who’ is a secular show. Perhaps, on a subconscious level, this is why I’m so very fond of it. This episode, more than any since ‘The Impossible Planet’ and ‘The Satan Pit’ two-parter, deals explicitly with the idea of faith, not necessarily religions (although one of the trapped individuals is a Muslim) but faith in others and in beliefs.
I liked the Rita, Joe, Howie and Gibbis. Gibbis was played brilliantly by David Walliams. Coming from a planet that has been invaded more times than any other his subservient nature soon reveals itself to be sly and underhand.
Rita is another to add to the hall of ‘Companions that never were’. Amara Karan is suitably witty and clever as Rita, she gets some fun lines (Doctor “You’re a Muslim?” Rita “Don’t be Frightened”) and generally she’s perfect companion material. What I didn’t understand was why she had to die. I was a bit annoyed at that.
Another super performance from Matt Smith. After the ‘Doctor Lite’-ness of last week this episode saw a much more self loathing Doctor, rife with guilt at all he’s put the Pond’s through. The difference between the 10th and 11th Doctors is brought more sharply into focus in these scenes. I always found Tennant’s Doctor to be more self pitying in situations such as this whereas Smith takes a much more searing approach; it’s very much self hatred.
I don’t know if this was widely talked about, it wasn’t anything I read prior to viewing, but this episode signals the departure of Mr and Mrs Rory Williams from the TARDIS. In retrospect episode 10 was all leading up to this and the first 40 minutes of this episode does feel a little like it’s been bolted on just to facilitate the Pond’s departure. Not that that makes the first 40 minutes bad, in fact I quite liked it. It was creepy, weird and a little unnerving but fun at the same time, all the things ‘Doctor Who’ should be.
I particularly liked the scene with Amy’s room. It’s always nice to see Caitlin Blackwood back as young Amy. In fact I like the whole end of the episode. It felt strange because usually companions leave after a major event but this just seemed like another standard ‘Monster of the week’ adventure. That said it was a lovely ending, nice new house and car and the Pond’s free to live their life as a married couple.
I did enjoy this episode, it just felt like the two parts were separate entities, both were more than the sum of their parts.
Join me next time as the Doctor drops in on his old Landlord Craig Owens in ‘Closing Time’.
Reasons to be Cheerful :-)
1. New posters for ‘Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows’! I’m excited about this, it’s always nice to have something good to go and see over Christmas/New Year and if the first film is anything to go by this is going to be great! I’m a little bit in love with Jared Harris and can’t wait to see his take on criminal mastermind, Moriarty. Yay!
2. Photos of Henry Cavil on the set of ‘Man of Steel’. Oh my giddy god. That man is tasty!
3. ‘Thor 2’ release date has been pushed back. I’m not massively fussed, it’s only being moved from June 2013 to November 2013 and between now and then we have ‘The Avengers’ in May next year (link to the AWESOME trailer was posted in my last blog) and ‘Iron Man 3’ due in May 2013 so here are plenty of heroes to keep me happy till then :-)
4. Another Muppet Trailer! It’s obviously awesome! 119 days to go!
That's all I've got for today.
Goodbye till next time :-)
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