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i always love the moments when 11 snaps, on the surface he's one of the happier doctors but deep down is the same flawed character as the rest of them. he's definitely one of the most emotionally guarded doctors but has these moments where he snaps and you see his true emotions sneak through, and i think matt does that really well
Agreed, I was worried from his first episode that he would struggle to sell stronger emotions like anger but he does it great. I see Ncuti Gatwa having a similar effect at the 14th, at least judging from his past performances.
An underrated episode in my opinion, not often hated but rarely appreciated as much as it deserves. It has some good moments and ideas, and while it does maybe seem a little early for this kind of conflict between the Doctor and Amy, I kind of like that we don’t waste too much time on the “getting to know each other” stage, especially because there’s so much more to explore and set up in Series 5.
i first watched this ages ago i didn’t fully appreciate how good this episode was until rewatching it quite a while later. top tier episode, one of many good matt smith episode
This is an episode that I like more with time. I personally read his harshness here as him readjusting to having a companion. Considering how long Tennant spent alone after Donna. It's sort of like he's going, I picked another human and this is what she's capable of. The way he talked down to her over the decision had the same energy as when Tennant or Eccelstone would go off on some of the human side characters who opposed his more peaceful ways.
You should watch the "minisodes" that take place between the full length episodes. They're a couple minutes long but help flesh out the story. They're pretty much all available on YT.
It's interesting you bring up how early this episode is for Amy's understanding of the Doctor; Moffat himself, years later in retrospect, has also said he wishes this episode was later in the series. Something that's great about Moffat is he was always pretty open about discussing his own writing decisions in retrospect, and he went on for long enough that by the end of his run as showrunner he had the distance from this stuff to be able to reassess it. Personally I'm not sure where I fall on the debate. I really like showcasing the Doctor's vulnerability so early on, and I think the placement makes sense insofar as he's testing her as a companion. I don't think his outburst at Amy would work after more than a couple of episodes - I think later in a series the Doctor is generally too attached to be so harsh. But on the flipside this does mean we skip through the Doctor and companion getting to know each other, and it feels very quick. Possibly, along with the themes being rushed in places, making the story a two parter could be the solution to this.
This episode is often seen as a bad one and the writer himself believes it probably needed a few more drafts however I love this episode, particularly the last 10-15 minutes with the reveal of what the engines are. I love the way Matt performs in this episode specifically the line about how he'll change his name because he won't be the doctor anymore, really top notch stuff and impactful in my own opinion at least
I think your observations are straight on, and your criticisms are fair. The Doctor is angry, blinded by his past and the impossible choice he has to make. I like dark Doctor, so I had no problem with it. And it makes sense here. Matt is really good at switching on a dime. He has said in interviews that it is his fav part of playing the Doctor. I prefer the anger to the angst and no one is more skilful than Moffat at showing that balance, unless of course, it’s Matt, who I have to say, is a terrific actor. He was very young, and only gets better as he goes on.
Another great reaction and discussion. As you say, we can already see the different aspects of the Eleventh Doctor. Most of the time he is goofy, enthusiastic and childlike but there is a darker side, when the mask of amiability slips. Great acting from Matt Smith and that is something he brings time and again throughout his run. A lot of people say, rightly, that he is able to seem young and old, which is perfect for the Doctor. He looks very young but is almost a thousand years old. Karen Gillan is also great. A lot of people are not too keen on this episode but, while it is not the best, I think it is underrated and it has some nice themes. Can't wait for next time.
It feels like a much quieter episode coming straight off the steaming hot Eleventh Hour but yeah, there's actually a fair bit of content in this one insofar as the Doctor's character and the way he goes about things etc. I think it also establishes a really important bedrock of the foundation of his relationship with Amy also, which is of course 'unless there's children crying.' It firmly cements her in his mind as in that 'crying child' category, it's part of the reason why she's in the nightgown and the dressing gown, almost playing Wendy to his Peter Pan. As for the Doctor's anger... I never really saw it as him being angry that the humans are mistreating the Star Whale, I sort of see it more that he's hurt that he's going to have to kill again (and pretty much commit genocide again) and he's lashing out because of it. He has to be 'the Doctor' there in that moment and make the horrific choice. And he knows that he can make that choice because he _has_ made that choice. That's why he dismisses the 'human' opinions, because what could they even say to sway him when he knows he has to willingly take on more blood on his hands? There's not much an innocent human being could do/say to absolve him of the guilt that he knows he's about to willingly take on (for their sake) so he basically tells them to sod off. As for Amy's 'last of it's kind' repetition... at this point in the show's history I still think it was kind of a kid's show that was also watched by adults trying to re-connect with their childlike joy as opposed to the opposite lol.
The opening and the whole floating in space and Amy in her nightie sort of works really well for a first outing. The whole fairytale aesthetic just seems to work really well. It’s perfect adventure one material. But it’s let down a bit by Amy comparing the Star whale to the Doctor. We understood the subtext fine but Moffat keeps getting Amy to hammer home the message, about three times. Its a bit too on the nose and doesn’t make sense from Amy’s point of view to parallel it quite so explicitly to the Doctor. If Amy had learnt about the Doctor being the last of his kind in episode 1 when she was a child then there’s at least 12 years of mulling that over and understanding that. In this episode however I don’t even think she even learns that the Doctor actually is the very, very last of his kind. The Doctor only really says ‘no it’s just me now’. So the jump is a bit too extreme. But if still works overall I suppose
Some... Most people are pretty dense bro... Matt Smith is the doctor on an episode or 2 on torchwood... He explains the thinking of intelligent thoughtful people vs the masses beautifully to another like minded kid on that episode... Helped to stand people quite a bit... its great
Love the way you think and analyze the things you watch... I do the same... Not many grab as much meaning from the things they watch as whole... Refreshing
The Eleventh Hour is widely regarded as the best Doctor Introductory episode. For my money, this is the best second episode. End of the World, Rose doesn't actually do anything (but there is an argument between 9 and Rose - so early friction as seen here also), New Earth spends most of it with either The Doctor or Rose not as themselves. (And then the subsequent episode, Tooth and Claw was meant to be Episode 11 of that series and it shows. Series 2 kind of drops the ball in that regard.) The Beast Below really solidifies who the Doctor is to new viewers and what travelling with him is like. S5 may not be my favourite (it's up there, but not quite) but it really does set the tone for new viewers very well indeed.
Everyone chose forget… because if they chose the other option, they’d be fed to the star whale. Unless 3% chose the other option, but the smilers made it sound like dissenters would get fed to the whale until that 3% was reached, thus ensuring it would never happen.
I have to say this, there is one part in this first season i really didn't like, i understand what they were trying to imply, but i really didn't like it. I got over it as the episodes went on though lol. I'll point it out when you have watched the episode.
I like this Episode too but actually in an interview moffat was asked what he. Thinks was his best and worst episodes and he put this as his weakest episode
