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vivdunstan) wrote2024-06-24 06:04 am
vivdunstan) wrote2024-06-24 06:04 am
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Rewatching Doctor Who: The Rings of Akhaten
Continuing my Matt Smith rewatch ... and it's now onto the second "proper" Clara story. I remembered hugely disliking this the last time, so was intrigued to see what I made of it.
On plus there is actually a lot to like. The prologue with the parents meeting is charming. Though I found the Doctor watching their lives and young Clara seriously unsettling, especially at the graveside. And I'm glad Clara called him out on it a bit near the end. This had serious The Time Traveler's Wife echoes. And I did not like.
The alien planet, and in particular the market, is a good introduction for Clara to other worlds. And that's nicely handled.
And the young girl actress is good. Albeit a bit visually reminiscent of the Sibylline Sisterhood. Though with so many alien worlds over so many years some are going to look a bit like others.
However ... the singing was just way too much. The first time not so bad, though did it really need to go on so long? It's like when you watch a non sung scene that goes on too long (a game of catch on a UNIT helipad ring bells?) that I ended up fast forwarding through much. I liked when the action transferred to the pyramid rock. And the sleeping god - and alarm clock. But then there was more singing. And then near the end 5 minutes or so more singing. Make it stop please!
I also found Clara's speech accompanying the gift of the leaf too knowing for someone at this stage travelling with the Doctor. I remember being thrown by it last time too. By all means she's quick thinking and it was very Clara. But she's also new to all this. And it sounded too confident. Though Steven Moffat does tend to write his female characters as overly confident, even when maybe they wouldn't be in a particular situation. Yes I know the episode was credited to writer Neil Cross. But I'm pretty sure Steven Moffat would have had a hand in Clara's portrayal here.
So yes, things I liked, but the singing, and singing, and yet more singing. That went on too long. The singing was well sung. There was just too much of it. And it killed the episode's pacing for me.
But, on plus, the episode was not as bad as I remembered. Though the singing was.
On plus there is actually a lot to like. The prologue with the parents meeting is charming. Though I found the Doctor watching their lives and young Clara seriously unsettling, especially at the graveside. And I'm glad Clara called him out on it a bit near the end. This had serious The Time Traveler's Wife echoes. And I did not like.
The alien planet, and in particular the market, is a good introduction for Clara to other worlds. And that's nicely handled.
And the young girl actress is good. Albeit a bit visually reminiscent of the Sibylline Sisterhood. Though with so many alien worlds over so many years some are going to look a bit like others.
However ... the singing was just way too much. The first time not so bad, though did it really need to go on so long? It's like when you watch a non sung scene that goes on too long (a game of catch on a UNIT helipad ring bells?) that I ended up fast forwarding through much. I liked when the action transferred to the pyramid rock. And the sleeping god - and alarm clock. But then there was more singing. And then near the end 5 minutes or so more singing. Make it stop please!
I also found Clara's speech accompanying the gift of the leaf too knowing for someone at this stage travelling with the Doctor. I remember being thrown by it last time too. By all means she's quick thinking and it was very Clara. But she's also new to all this. And it sounded too confident. Though Steven Moffat does tend to write his female characters as overly confident, even when maybe they wouldn't be in a particular situation. Yes I know the episode was credited to writer Neil Cross. But I'm pretty sure Steven Moffat would have had a hand in Clara's portrayal here.
So yes, things I liked, but the singing, and singing, and yet more singing. That went on too long. The singing was well sung. There was just too much of it. And it killed the episode's pacing for me.
But, on plus, the episode was not as bad as I remembered. Though the singing was.