Doctor Who's fifth series has been undoubtedly the best series of the show since its 2005 revival. Matt Smith has been one of the best Doctors yet (I daresay he's topped Tennant's stunning portrayal), and Karen Gillan's Amy Pond has been one of the best companions yet. That's all thanks to Steven Moffat, who took over the reins of the series from Russell T Davies at the beginning of this year. Davies was a good writer in his own right, but his plots often became convoluted and his stories needlessly epic. Moffat, however, has learned from his predecessor's mistakes and created the first truly brilliant series of the show.
One complaint often directed against Davies referred to his overblown finales, which had hugely proportioned stakes and usually came out of nowhere (save for the easter eggs such as "Bad Wolf" and "Vote Saxon"). The first part of Moffat's first finale, "The Pandorica Opens," maintains the bigger stakes, but without the huge amounts of drama. There are no longer people crowding the streets of London and screaming at the disaster. That seems to have been done away with. Now, there is just the Doctor, his companions, and his enemies. The stakes remain terribly high, but we don't have it rubbed in our faces by hundreds of screaming Briton extras.
Moffat also improved on Davies' foreshadowing skills. While, as mentioned before, Davies simply used easter eggs to hint at the series finale, Moffat truly turned the series into one large story with the "cracks in time" subplot, which pervaded through almost every episode (save for "Amy's Choice" and "Vincent and the Doctor"). This made "The Pandorica Opens" feel like resolution, and not an entirely new story, making the viewer truly invest in the episode because they'd invested in the season.
Of course, "The Pandorica Opens" was the first part of a two-part finale, so it was much more conflict than resolution. However, questions raised throughout the series were answered. The Pandorica's purpose was revealed, and while I had been able to guess what it was from spoilers, that didn't make the revelation any less heartbreaking.
I also have to really stand up and applaud Moffat's use of villains in this episode. As promotional photos from the episode had long betrayed, there was a Rogue's Gallery of baddies in "The Pandorica Opens," all having gathered to stop the Doctor. There were the new Daleks, the Cybermen, the Sontarans -- all of the Doctor's greatest enemies (save the Weeping Angels, who were thankfully absent due to the "too much of a good thing" rule) gathered there, under Stonehenge. And the best part of it all? Their motives are completely pure. "We will save the universe -- from you!" cries one of the Sontarans, and you totally feel for them -- not because they're right, because they're very, very, wrong -- but because they actually have good intentions. They're not all bad -- just misguided. And nothing brings out the good in someone like the threat of a destroyed universe (except for the other Time Lords -- they proved in "The End of Time" that a destroyed universe is exactly what they want).
This episode marked the return of Rory (as well as some other characters from this year), and his plotline was the only one that I'm actually worried about. Doctor Who is family show; the universe will eventually be saved, and the Doctor and Amy will survive. But Rory's fate is very much up in the air, and I'm afraid that his very welcome return to the show will be brief, and that a tearful goodbye will be coming soon. After all, it's not really Rory, is it?
Overall, though, "The Pandorica Opens" is a wonderful set-up that, if finished well by "The Big Bang," next Saturday, may very well be one of Doctor Who's best episodes ever. And, when you look at the stellar rest of the season, that's sort of a fitting ending. A+
Loved it. One of my favorite episodes ever. Truly dark.
You really think this season tops the others?DUES EX MACHINAREPETITIVE SCENES FROM PREVIOS SERIESHORRIBLE CHARACTER CHARACTER MOTIVATIONS (Seriously all those creatures at the end teaming up? — completely out of character.)Moffat better have quite the finale because if it doesn't work
I whole-heartedly agree, sir!
umm? Where are the Deus Ex Machina endings? compared to say… Series 1: Rose absorbs the time vortex and destroys the daleksSeries 2: Doctor opens the void and everything gets sucked in automagicallySeries 3: Doctor turns into Jesus/Jedi and defeats the master using the forceSeries 4: Donna turns part time-lord and incapacitates Davros and the Daleks using 5 switches
I'm with TTROY – while the other series may have also had overblown endings, this one seems to me no less ridiculous, with the Doctor standing on a rock shouting up at a bunch of hovering spaceships. I mean, come on, it's as undramatic as the Master talking to the Universe in Logopolis. And all the dialog between the Doctor and River via cell phone? Come on! That sucked!
Seriously this has been the worst season so far, with Matt Smith being the worst Doctor. I really hope thye step things up a bit next season otherwise I'll so be wanting a petition to get rid of this bland Doctor. At least the two companions were good, and here's hoping the Rory-Nestene robot thing overcomes his programming due to the grief of killing Amy, or so he thinks…
So is the nestene consciousness keeping the actual Rory around to maintain this duplicate like in the original episode? If so–it won't be as tearful as it looks.
You are high — this is clearly the best series of Doctor Who EVER.
That's not the resolution and it didn't stop them from beaming down and putting him in the Pandorica. Stop being daft…
I wouldn't count Rory out just yet. He was erased from all of history, so likely the bad guys were ignorant of him, and had nothing to do with the – as The Doctor calls it – miracle of his presence (presumably explained, if you can call it explanation, by the power of love and the preservation of his ring for Amy in the Tardis). My guess is that his battling soul will be what sets the ball rolling to turn things around in the conclusion (along with River, of course, who also seems to lie outside of the bad guys knowledge).I'm a bit more agnostic than I expected to be, so far, on the overall quality of the season. Some brilliant stuff to be sure, and I love Matt's doctor. But some eps, like The Beast Below and Victory of the Daleks, whilst not bad, still seemed to me to be less than the sum of their parts. I agree the more-than-foreshadowing was a great touch. And I've wondered if the big warning the Doctor issued to the aliens in ep 1 was meant to pave the way for more eps that took place off of earth and away from human civilization. Jury's still out there, I'd say, but I hope so.
Really? Thankfully the last episode was pretty good, but overall its been a really bad season. I'm hoping it gets better next year. Two companions were good, Matt Smith not good. I hope he improves next season.
Bad, terrible, rubbish and the most poorly written series every, i would rather watch a season of colin baker doctor who, i would rather bring back young bonnie L as an assistant – yes it was that bad.
I feel like i am taking crazy pills when i see the words best series every, russel t davis stories were tied together perfectly.
The knocking three times great – Amy see's river song who has appeard from no where as the doctor has been wiped from history- how does that tie up????????? i have been watching Doctor Who for 34 years, i have seen every episode i watch re runs now when it's on we switch over to save the painful acting of Amy and rubbish story lines. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE kill off Amy episode one Sarah jane knockes her over while backing in to her drive i don't care.
Please Moffet stop wasting your time and my license fee.
I am only just now watching the Doctor Who 'A Christmas Carol' on BBC America. At my advanced age (61) I don't recall how many times and how many different versions I've seen of this timeless story. But I will say that I believe the Doctor's is my favorite. As to which 'Doctor' is my favorite….THEY ALL ARE!! Each Doctor has brought something new to the character, something likable or not so likable. Sweet and endearing or not so much. The symbol of intelligence, wit, and strength…or not so much. I have seen a bumbling buffoon, a patient and caring man, a lonely warrior, and a man with more faithful friends who come in his time of need. Each new Doctor takes a bit to grow on me, but they always do. The same goes for the Companions but in a different way. Some are loyal, loving, deceitful, troublesome, hilarious, and helpful. Some make the storyline flow well, others seem to make the story, some are just filling in until someone better comes along. And I love each and everyone of them. I appreciate the story lines that have come from the Doctor Who writers, the comedy, the tears, and even insight into human nature…an my self. It is my American belief that Doctor Who is firmly on the road to becoming as timeless and classical as 'A Christmas Carol'. I full intend to watch AND ENJOY every episode until the last Doctor's final episode.