Doctor Who 6x13: The Wedding of River Song

[kerravonsen]

Well. There we are. This was not as good as "The Big Bang". In some ways it was very disappointing. Not that it wasn't spectacular, but it was still disappointing.

I am starting to get annoyed at the dangling plot threads that Moffat likes to leave around to keep us panting for the next season. Because Moffat has let me down. The questions left unanswered from last season remain unanswered, and therefore I have to expect that any questions that are tossed out at the end of this season, will likewise remain unanswered. Moffster, you have betrayed me, I will not trust you any more; or at least, not to the same degree. So why should I give a damn about what is going to happen on the Plains of Whatever, when you aren't going to tell us anyway?

Things are getting over-hyped, and it is irritating.
Can we have a season finale where the Existence Of Reality Itself isn't at stake, for once? (sigh)
Death by paradox.
Death by exploding TARDIS.
Death by The Destruction Of Time.
Death by Reality Bomb.

Can we get back to the good old days when it was just the entire planet Earth that was threatened?

Well, to get to the episode itself...

Nice opening. I liked the paradoxical twisted reality that was there, and then the creepiness where we saw the first mark on the Doctor's arm... and then four marks, and then a whole arm... the Silence were there.
Hooray for Amelia Pond and her crack troops! And even better, the drawings all over the walls of her office. Shades of "The Eleventh Hour" and "The Big Bang" when she kept on drawing the things that everyone else told her weren't real.

Storytelling-wise I guess it wasn't a bad way of covering a lot of ground to have the Doctor telling stuff to Churchill and showing the exciting bits.

It was so sad that the Doctor gets a call and discovers that he's missed the Brigadier's death. And that was enough to get him to stop running.
In an ideal world, I think that the Brigadier would have been at that picnic too. (iz sad that Nicholas Courtney is gone)

I was right about the space suit being under remote control. And I suppose that River confessed to killing the Doctor - even though, even if he really had been dead, it wasn't actually her who killed him, but the remote controlled space suit - because that would keep the Doctor safe from further assassination attempts.

I don't understand, however, why the Doctor consenting to marry River made her change her mind about allowing the "death" to go ahead. Ah, no, I realize now that that wasn't it; it was the fact that he whispered into her ear "look into my eyes" and she saw that he was inside the Tessellator, so that she wouldn't really be killing him.

Which is cheating, really. Why is it cheating? Because the Doctor's death at 5:02pm on April 22nd 2011 is supposed to be a fixed point in time. If that is the case, then why would the appearance of the Doctor's death satisfy the requirements? One can't fool Time. Him faking his death should not have resolved the paradox.

Another thing that bothers me about that is that his second reason for faking his death is to get the Silence out of his hair. But I bet that he's still going to go around in his Blue Box calling himself "The Doctor", which is going to let them know quick-smart that he isn't dead.
Besides which, it is rather difficult to keep a secret from a species who are essentially invisible.

* Why do the Silence want the Doctor dead?
Because Something Bad Will Happen. (humph!) Not a good enough answer.
* What is The Question?
"Doctor Who?"
Hmmmm. That's not an implausible question, but I don't think it warrants elevation to a Question That Will Destroy Everything. Cut with the hype, guys!

However... it begs the question of the Doctor's real name. We're told in Silence in the Library, that River knows his name and that he recognises it as his name and as a sign that he trusts her completely.
And yet, I've also seen implications that he doesn't know what his name is.
And certainly the question "Doctor Who?" indicates that he doesn't know who he is.
One thing I'm pretty sure of: we, the audience, are never going to be told what his real name is. Because whatever it could be, it won't be as powerful as keeping it a mystery.

So tons of people from all over the universe wanted to help the Doctor? Cue the "awwwwwww!".

And hooray for Rory in his self-effacing self-sacrificial way... and Amy saves him, yet again. Hey, saving each other is what it's all about.

Interesting marriage ceremony; the parents give their consent, and are also the only witnesses. Question is, if it occurred in a different reality, is it still binding? Well, as Amy said in regard to the death of Lady K, "I remember it, so it happened." And as far as River (and presumably the Doctor) are concerned, they remember it, so it happened. With the Doctor's remark about "nights" it seems fairly clear that he's intending to follow through on that.

And it's kind of amazing that I'm not hating River Song for it.
Though there was a moment when I was thinking "you selfish bitch" when she dared to say that her pain was greater than that of the entire universe. Nope. Sorry, lady, not possible.

Last scene; surely it was unwise of the Doctor to let blue-guy's head know that he was alive?

Second-last scene; I got a thrill when River called Amy "mother". It made me want to re-watch the River episodes in River-order, though I'm not sure what that order is. I expect someone has made a list somewhere.

Nice touch that I hadn't noticed before: "Lake Silencio" - Lake Silence.

Comments

[travels_in_time]

I think it wasn't that the Doctor's death was the fixed point; the appearance of the Doctor's death was the fixed point, itself. Everyone "saw" the space-suited person shoot and presumably kill "the Doctor". Everyone "knew" that it had happened. What happened was what had always happened, and what was always supposed to happen. It just didn't happen to be what everyone thought they saw.

And also, about River saying that her pain was greater than that of the entire universe...meh. But also, it looks like she wasn't very far out of baby!River stage, still in the psychopath phase. She just happened to be a psychopath who fancied herself in love with the Doctor instead of one who wanted to kill him. And, as a psychopath, she wouldn't bother to care about anyone else in the world. I think we've seen that she does grow out of that, mostly, but she hadn't yet at that stage. That's my take on it, anyway.

[kerravonsen]

But also, it looks like she wasn't very far out of baby!River stage, still in the psychopath phase.
Maybe.
We know that enough time had passed for her to have gotten her doctorate. Though of course time passing doesn't necessarily mean character growth. So you could be right.

The Big Bang

[tamanoilita]

Yesterday we were discussed the various meanings of Big Bang and how to differentiate them. I suspect that your reference may be another one we don't know. Our tentative analysis:
Big Bang: A popular Korean hip-hop band
The Big Bang Theory (1) : A TV Show about physicists
The Big Bang Theory (2) : What some astrophysicists think about the origin of the universe
The Big Bang (1): An event that happened billions of years ago
"The Big Bang": Please tell us what it means.

Re: The Big Bang

[kerravonsen]

"The Big Bang" - the season finale of the 2010 season of Doctor Who.

[tardis-stowaway.livejournal.com]

Right there with you on the frustration with unanswered questions and not trusting Moffat to ever give us answers. In S6, I feel like whenever he does answer a question, I often find the answer unsatisfying. (It WAS River in the spacesuit killing the Doctor, but she had no control over the suit's actions? Then why the hell did the Silence bother with her in the first place?) Other questions are left entirely unaddressed (like why the TARDIS exploded in TBB).

There were a lot of things I liked about TWoRS and some things I absolutely loved, but I don't feel like it managed to redeem the messy plot arcs of S6.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I thought that it was brilliant but bonkers. Though the more I look at the plot, the more I can see holes in it.

Which is cheating, really. Why is it cheating? Because the Doctor's death at 5:02pm on April 22nd 2011 is supposed to be a fixed point in time. If that is the case, then why would the appearance of the Doctor's death satisfy the requirements? One can't fool Time. Him faking his death should not have resolved the paradox.

I thought that at first. But when you think about it, in the "correct" timeline everyone believes the Doctor to have died, thanks to the testimony of Amy, Rory and River. But that isn't a guarantee that he actually did die. So as long as his "death" is convincing enough for his witnesses to believe it, there's no paradox. That's why he told River not to tell anyone that he didn't really die. Of course, River being River, she promptly does tell Amy and Rory.

Another thing that bothers me about that is that his second reason for faking his death is to get the Silence out of his hair. But I bet that he's still going to go around in his Blue Box calling himself "The Doctor", which is going to let them know quick-smart that he isn't dead.
Besides which, it is rather difficult to keep a secret from a species who are essentially invisible.

But that's a problem, since it seems that it would reinstate the paradox. He hasn't even had a regeneration to disguise himself. Maybe you can get around that by saying that observers won't be able to tell that they aren't encountering the Doctor at some point before his death, since he's a time traveller.

I don't know if you are able to view the accompanying Confidential, as that answers some of the questions. In particular, it helpfully goes through the River episodes in River order. One interesting thing that becomes apparent is that Moffat must have had at least some of the events in the latest episode worked out in his mind all the way back when he wrote "Silence in the Library".

I too loved the implied tribute to the Brigadier, and after that would have forgiven the episode almost anything. :) Another favourite thing was the sign in the park saying "Please do no feed the pteradactyls".

[kerravonsen]

Another favourite thing was the sign in the park saying "Please do no feed the pteradactyls".

When I first saw the pteradactyls, I thought they were meant to be Reapers. Which begs another question: the last time we had a huge paradox on Who - "Father's Day" - we had Reapers, we didn't have "all of history happening at once". So why were the two instances different?

Maybe you can get around that by saying that observers won't be able to tell that they aren't encountering the Doctor at some point before his death, since he's a time traveller.

That's the only thing I can think of too, and it seems pretty weak to me.

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

I think we're meant to work out that the actual fixed point - being that it was artificially created by K and the Silence - was the Teselecta getting shot and burnt. *That's* what *had* to happen. But the Doctor had to think of it first, and everybody had to *think* it was the Doctor.

Presumably, once the Silence figure out that he's still around, they'll find a way to work out what went wrong, and discover the truth about the fixed point they created, and what it actually consisted of.

All of which means the Doctor could really just have done this during LKH and given us a different second half of the season...

[zoeiona.livejournal.com]

My husband pointed out that the issue to which the Silence object isn't asking the question - it's been asked plenty of times before - but that in a certain place and time in the future, the question will be asked under conditions that mean it must be answered truthfully, when normally the Doctor sidesteps the question. Maybe the only answer the Doctor will be able to give is his true name, and the sound of a Time Lord's true name being spoken aloud will break the world?

[kerravonsen]

Hmmm, though the sound of it being whispered, won't? Because River whispered it in his ear in The Library.

The other thing that isn't quite clear is: who will be asking the question and who will be answering it? Because I got the impression that the Silence wanted to prevent the Doctor from asking the question, not answering it.

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

Given that she actually married the vehicle he was piloting, I doubt it counts! Though she and Amy seem to think it does.

Her saying her pain would be worse than all the universe isn't a problem - it's a sign of her nature (created as a psycho to kill the Doctor) showing through: *this* is what Kovarian and the Silence created.

[dreamflower]

Oh, definitely plot holes! But I've come to expect plot holes in anything that involves mucking around in time-- it's too hard to close them all. (And I speak not just of Doctor Who here.)

But another person on my flist, gentlehobbit has come up with an interesting notion on why Moffat keeps us dangling. She says that it's all going to lead up to a super-finale to mark the 50th anniversary of DW. And she makes several points about things that indicate that.

Things I enjoyed about this episode were the surreal scenes of all the co-existing time elements-- "Do Not Feed the Pterodactyls", modern newscasters interviewing Charles Dickens, and Winston Churchill as Ceasar and so on and on; Amy insisting on remembering Rory, but not recognizing him at first as "Captain Williams", LOL, an echo of their relationship when they were younger; the explanations of the eyepatch; and Amy killing Borg Lady. I also loved the moment when Amy realizes she's the Doctor's...mother-in-law? Too funny for words.

And the plot holes you mentioned are pretty much all the ones that occurred to me-- most especially the one of River not having any control over her actions at the Lake. She didn't kill him, the suit did. And she somehow knew that it wasn't really him anyhow. Which I found to be a bit of a cop-out, since she had seemed to be carrying around all of this guilt that she DID kill him.

And one particular dangling plot hole from earlier in the season that I EXPECTED to see explained in this ep and wasn't: whatever happened to Flesh!Doctor?

[kerravonsen]

the surreal scenes of all the co-existing time elements
I think my favourite visual in that was the image of the glittering glass skyscraper and the steam train.

Amy killing Borg Lady
Yes, that was good, in a chilling way.

And one particular dangling plot hole from earlier in the season that I EXPECTED to see explained in this ep and wasn't: whatever happened to Flesh!Doctor?

Presumably, he never recovered, and the possibility that he might was just a red herring.

[dreamflower]

I adore your icon here! *grin* I never realized how perfectly that saying fit the TARDIS!

[kerravonsen]

That was one of my favourite things in "The Big Bang".

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

Te episode was another "curate's egg". I do think it a pity that they lost "all of history happening at once". I really loved the steampunky feel of the steam train (in GWR colours)and the cars "flying" courtesy of hot air balloons. Not to mention the Roman chariot at the traffic lights and the pteradactyls in the park. I'd love an Earth like that!

As for River thinking she killed the Doctor - it doesn't tally with her knowing the Doctor wasn't the doctor. but then we didn't know that until the end. It wasn't cheating considering the effect was produced when Doctor Tessie touched River. Hence Doctor Tessie was meant to be at Lake Silence not the Doctor!

The answer hidden in plain sight. Could be Doctor Who? But only if you believe names have power, which they can have in the right place and time. After all who asks and the effect of the answer is more significant than the answer itself. After all the answer when you get right down to it is just a word, or a sequence of words. Words themselves don't affect universes, peoples reactions to them do.

Amy's reaction to being "the mother in law" was priceless!

So to was "Amy, Amy Pond"!

Rory as an Officer in her army was oddly reminiscent of Sergeant Benton. A competent, crisp officer diligently carrying out his orders and duty.

[kerravonsen]

It wasn't cheating considering the effect was produced when Doctor Tessie touched River. Hence Doctor Tessie was meant to be at Lake Silence not the Doctor!
Oh, good point!

After all who asks and the effect of the answer is more significant than the answer itself.
True. Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers.
And names have power because of what they mean; not in a vacuum by themselves, but how they connect the person with the world.
Just consider the Forest People, where "Doctor" means "warrior" rather than "healer".

Rory as an Officer in her army was oddly reminiscent of Sergeant Benton. A competent, crisp officer diligently carrying out his orders and duty.

Oh, now I want a Benton + Captain Williams icon!

[brendanpodger.livejournal.com]

I09 suggests that some of the big dangling questions may be left until 2013 for the 50th Aniversery series.

For me this was a good but not great episode, competent, but not gripping. A bit like this season really. A reasonable amount of good moments but very few greats.

[kerravonsen]

I09 suggests that some of the big dangling questions may be left until 2013 for the 50th Aniversery series.

I think what I shall find most annoying about that is if they turn the hype to maximum for the next two years.

A bit like this season really. A reasonable amount of good moments but very few greats.
(nods)
As a season, I like Season 5 better.

[brendanpodger.livejournal.com]

I liked S5 better too.

I would like next year to be a simple one, with the Doctor doing a lot of fun but low key episodes. No saving the universe, no great stakes. No grand themes and unanswered questions. Just the Doctor turning up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Perhaps drop a couple of omens for 2013 in with the mix, but otherwise KISS.