New Who Review: The Doctor’s Wife
Posted By Kathleen David on May 17, 2011
As usual no spoilers before the cut but afterwards and in the comments, all bets are off.
This was an episode that moved around a bit. It could honestly be dropped in just about anywhere in the Doctor, Rory, and Amy saga with little re-jiggering. In fact I believe it was suppose to be for last season and came into this season and got moved around again.
It was also what is called a bottle episode. Not many sets or character and utilizing a lot of things that they had hanging around.
Also a small disclaimer, the author of the episode is a long time friend of Peter’s and mine. In fact he is what we call a mutual before friend meaning that we were friends with him before we got together.
Overall it was a love letter to the series. It was the kind of episode that fans could embrace without worrying that their fellow fans would look down on them. For me it felt more of a sort of “what if” episode. Also Old Who and New Who can join hands on this one and all feel good about it and the implications of it. Again it would have worked with just about any of the Doctors but better with each incarnation.
I enjoyed and enjoyed the implications of the episode going forward.
I am grateful that Neil finally got his shot to write Doctor Who.
I enjoyed the “who stole who” dynamic. Did the Doctor run off with the TARDIS or did the TARDIS run off with the Doctor? I also loved the banter and familiarity between the TARDIS and the Doctor. They are an old married couple in so many ways. (I was flashing back to Rose and Sarah Jane trading notes about the Doctor stroking bits of the TARDIS lovingly.)
Anthropomorphizing the TARDIS is a long used trope in Fanfic. I have to say even with the clever dialogue and lovely characterization, I had to remind myself that this was NOT fanfic but now part of cannon.
Suranne Jones did a wonderful job all through out the piece. It was like the TARDIS and the Doctor are of a mind. Some of the quirks that she displayed were those of the Doctor which when two “people” live together for such a long time is just going to happen.
I am betting that some of the Rory/Amy dialogue was not written by Neil but by Moffat and dropped in as it was needed. It was not as seamless as most of it. We got a few more clues about what is going on but it still is such that one will probably go back and watch the whole series to see where we are going (besides 200 years in the Doctor’s future with a blaster in it),
It was a fun episode and I enjoyed it a lot. It is nice to occasionally have a pause in the great arc.
I think Neil acquitted himself well with this episode.
I’m thankful for your who-reviews. Love to read them!
This episode reminds me of the old line about why Kirk never married; he was married to Enterprise.
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Although when I first read the title, I did wonder if we might finally learn more about River.
I’m pretty sure that in one of his interviews Neil Gaiman does mention that there were a few things that Moffat wanted him to insert in the episode. Overall, I thought it was quite an enjoyable episode.