"You can't spot a dream while you're having it..."
Writer: Simon Nye
Format: TV
Broadcast: 15th May 2010
Series: 5.07
Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory
Synopsis
It's been five years since Amy and Rory last saw the Doctor but now he's back and a terrible danger lurks in the village. Or are they still on their travels and approaching death in the form of a cold burning star? A choice must made. Which is reality and which is a dream?
Verdict
Amy's Choice was a very good episode! I think it takes place at a nice time during series five, the first to feature the magnificent Matt Smith as the Doctor. When deciding what Doctor Who to blog today, I was in the mood for watching some televised Who once again and who better than my beloved Eleventh Doctor. After reading Ten Little Aliens recently I've been debating once more who my favourite Doctor is but this episode just ultimately confirmed that it is the Eleventh. Matt Smith is just absolutely wonderful as the Doctor. For a young man he plays the Doctor so well and you can easily believe that he is 907 by the traits of the actor. He's brilliant. I like how this episode doesn't show any foreshadowing of The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang as no cracks appear and that allows the episode to act as a standalone story with ease. There's no arcs to add into the story it's just back to basics and a good old 45 minutes of adventure. The idea of the Dream Lord was very good and I liked that the TARDIS trio, which by now is established after The Vampires of Venice, had to decide between two worlds which was reality and which was fake. Were Amy and Rory still travelling with the Doctor in the TARDIS and drifting towards a star burning cold? Or had they left the TARDIS five years ago only for the Doctor to return during an alien attack by pensioners! The Eknodine were an intriguing race and I liked how the Doctor could immediately see how old the pensioners really were. For him, around eighty years old was nothing. When he saw age he meant on a much larger scale. The fact Amy was pregnant and Rory had a ponytail led to me thinking that Upper Leadworth was the dream world. But then Rory died in emotional circumstances, in a harsh foreshadowing of Cold Blood. Amy's reaction of her husband to be dying was excellent shown by Karen Gillan, who when in the TARDIS scape looked absolutely incredible. Amy risked killing herself if it meant that she had a chance of being with Rory again. She would hold true to this action in The Angels Take Manhattan. The mention of Elizabeth I was very good and ties in brilliantly with The Day of the Doctor. I also liked how the Dream Lord was actually the Doctor's dark side personified, maybe this could tie in with The Trial of a Time Lord and The Time of the Doctor in that somehow he was also the Valeyard. It's an interesting theory. Nonetheless, I liked his mocking of the Doctor and it seems that these are actually the Doctor's thoughts about himself. Does he really care what others think of his appearance? I'm not convinced. But I think it's fascinating to have what the Doctor has the potential to be as an enemy for the story. Amy crashing the camper van to end the Leadworth dream was quite drastic but I did like how the Doctor trusted her. It was quite a scene to see her mowing down pensioners! Anything to be with Rory. But when it seemed that the Dream Lord was defeated and the star burning cold was real, the Doctor casually announces that he's going to blow up the TARDIS. Of course a star can't burn cold! They were both dreams. The essence of the Dream Lord being revealed was good and I liked the embrace between Amy and Rory at the end after the latter discovers why his ponytail wearing dream came to an end. Overall, a very good episode and I loved that the Doctor said he threw the TARDIS manual in a supernova because he disagreed with it. However, there were some flaws with the pace being questionable at times and the constant mind changing over which world was reality. I did like though that despite the constant switch, the Doctor always seemed in control. The rating seems to be a running theme lately!
Rating: 8/10
I remember.
ReplyDeleteYep. The Dream Lord prove a rogue. Forge from the Doctor's darkness. He could be the Valeyard.
Rory's a big jerk. Prejurdycing the Doctor and acting on jealousy.
Poor Amy's paying dearly for her error.s In the end she chose to deny the Dream Lord and refuse to betray any of them.
This got me ideas:
ReplyDelete1. The Valeyard appearing as the Dream Lord tend to do. He poses as Mr. V, and lures the Doctors and companions to some world which be symylar to the Martrix of Gallifrey. There, he taunts the 9th Doctor as a pretender. He points out the Doctors from 1 to 13 as the Doctor and question I the 9th one's an imposter. ANd he'd point out the War oen proving a better Doctor. He enjoys the War one's 'Leave them alone' and mocks the 9th one's inferior version, and also compares their outfits, delcaring the War oen's 'Eydwaridan ekplorer and World War soldier fuse up' better than the 9th Doctor's Nazi and gangster fuse up, and even question where the 9th one's Tommy gun be. He can also mock the 9th one for neglecting scarves and gaiders when he suffers cold and mud. He can also mock the 9th Dcotor for his helping Gleth, trying to slay the humansie Dalek, mocking Rose after all she did, and brekaing his vow to be a vegetarian. He'd also call him weak, saying how the War Docotr prove braver and stronger. Anbd also point out many selves prove better with fighting than he. When Rose reveals him to be the Valeyard, he turns ut to look symylar to the 9th Docotr, forge form his darker side.
2. Professor Yana, human counterpart of the War Master from Pete's World, can be the one who descriebs the Valeyard beign forge frorm the 9th Doctor's darkness. Simialr to the MAster's description on the 6th Dcotor's time. But Derek Jacobi would do a better job due to his eloquence.
3. Rose would shine. She would say to the Valeyard how zero's perfect; and also mention the yinyang symbol was forge by the Chinese to remind how everyone owns light and darkness within which teaches mercy and humbleness.
4. Clara Oswald would meet a darker version of herself, simialr to the Valeyard and the Dream Lord. One who mocks her for betraying the Doctor with the Moon Egg fallout, the lies, the blackmail with the keys, trying to slay Missy, and more. And for ebigna control freak. And for acting more of a Dalek than a human. And for lettign Danny down. And also reveal she envie some companions whose lifes seem better than hers. But Rose or Sarah J would snap Clara out.