The Vampires of Venice

[librarylover]

I figured I would get the thread ready 48 hours early, before Newton scolds us again!

Don't forget to white out spoilers!

[jjpor]

Isn't the title of the episode a bit of a spoiler? ;D

[lostspook]

Well, possibly. Or it could be a cunning ploy to hide the fact that it's actually a return to The Web Planet.

[jjpor]

May 8, 2010 9:25:50 GMT lostspook said:

Well, possibly. Or it could be a cunning ploy to hide the fact that it's actually a return to The Web Planet.

We can only hope! ;D

I kind of admire the straightforward approach to story titles often taken by Doctor Who; none of that trying to be arty, I say. I mean, in what sense is the child empty? ;D I can picture the scenes in the BBC production offices back in the day:

"Right, so I'm working on this story. It's about a planet called Androzani, that has some caves on it. In fact, most of the action takes place in the caves. The caves of Androzani. The only problem is I can't think of a suitably catchy title..."

[librarylover]

Okay, so far I've only seen the pre-title sequence, but does anyone else suspect that Toby Whithouse reads stories on Teaspoon? **I know he wasn't covered in cake, or naked under a cape, but still - clearly cakefic inspired in my mind! **

[librarylover]

Ok, I've watched the whole thing now.

** I thought it was good, and I liked the pun of it being a school of fish. I am more in love with Rory. He is smart, caring, brave, and not afraid to stand up to either the Doctor or Amy. I loved the end when she called them her boys, Rory said they aren't her boys, and the Doctor says they are. This threesome has great potential!

Plot points I found interesting:

• The Doctor said something about jumping out of a cake more than once . . . like he had to try multiple times to hit the right time.
  
• When Amy suggested that she pretend to be a student to get into the school, the Doctor said "No, it can't keep happening like this."
  
• Amy was able to shake off the effects in the green room and kick Signora Calvierri . . . but did she just get lucky and hit her perception device, or did she know where it would be?
  

Next week looks pretty creepy!

[pitry]

This episode made me a happy Pitry.

[jjpor]

*The resolution of the plot seemed very rushed and handwavy and once again the token black characters bought it first, but apart from that...

I couldn't stop laughing! And I mean that in a good way! ;D

Also, was it just me, or was this the most RTD-like ep we've had so far this season? Like Toby Whithouse didn't quite get the Moff memo or something? I don't mean that as a criticism, just an observation. Well, maybe as a slight criticism - the slightly clunky way they handled Rory's understandable emotions and misgivings regarding Amy's companion status just reminded me of things that used to make me cringe when Rose or Jackie or somebody came out with them back in S1 or S2.

But apart from that slightly curmudgeonly nitpicking on my part, this was another solid episode. Not an instant classic like Eleventh Hour or last week's, but definitely decent. Mainly because it was so funny. I didn't think Amy shone as much this week as normal, although she had a couple of moments ("you look about nine!"), but it was the Eleven and Rory show, and they were both brilliant.

The whole bit with the cake was comedy gold - from Matt Smith's expression and line delivery (I love the way he sometimes looks astonished and appalled by the things coming out of his own mouth) to the shocked reactions of all of the bystanders in the pub. Loved that old guy's look of disgust and the way someone dropped a glass in the awkward silence. Also loved that bit about "there's a girl outside in a bikini...etc etc"

But yeah, Rory - his complete rubbishness at swordfighting (loved the little martial arts moves he was trying very unconvincingly with the broom) - the cross made out of candlesticks - his attempt at going undercover in the school ("I'm a gondola...driver...").

I also thought the psychic paper stuff was really funny. "It says here I'm your eunuch..." And the King of Sweden...

I mean, there was so much of that kind of stuff that I can't remember all of it right now, and if I quoted every line I thought was hilarious I'd be typing all night. Suffice to say that while it won't be remembered as an all time classic of Who (probably) it was still an excellent 45 mins entertainment.

Squee over the Hartnell library card, even though we'd all seen that clip before! And I love the way Eleven always unconsciously does that nose-miming thing when he talks about Rory. Not very nice of him, but kind of funny.

The bit where the Doctor suddenly showed up sitting on the throne after just being electrocuted made me think it was the mysterious "other Eleven" for a moment, but I don't think that's true actually, seeing as he was still unaware of things regarding the fish-people etc. Moffat has me jumping at shadows when I'm watching Who now! ;D

The styling of the "vampire" girls - hairdos and nighties - was very Hammer. As indeed was Rory's bit with the candlesticks (I think the Cush actually does that in at least one Dracula film, but there it works!).

And next week's... Unwise to judge things just on the trailer, but it looks like another instant classic coming up. If it's not, I'm going to be really disappointed, aren't I? ;D*

[clocketpatch]

The squee!! I may not have been able to watch it in Venice, but that doesn't matter one bit because this episode was just awesome -

even if the resolution, as JJ noted, was all rather rushed. I LOVE Rory. Even moment he was on screen was gold. I love how he counters Eleven's seeming cluelessness with deep wisdom and outside opinion. I love how he actually seemed to be using his medical training. I loved how he was a complete idiot by times and was absolute rubbish at sword-fighting.

I loved Eleven and his ability to learn from his past lives (he was practically quoting Sarah-Jane's words to Rose at one point), I love his cluelessness - and his uncanny wisdom - which is how the Doctor ought to be. And I liked how he shows his fear when alone but gets angry (or pretends to get angry) to hide it in public. *pats him*

And Amy... well, I didn't like her as much this episode, but I think next episode might improve things (okay, so, going to watch that one in two minutes, and maybe it's awful, but OMG TARDIS EPISODE!!!)

But, most of all, above all of the squee and gratuitous referencing and clever puns etc

THEY JUST MADE CAKE!FIC CANON!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

random things:

-that bit where the Doctor clutched his ears when the bell was going. Was it supposed to be hurting him because it was too loud? I was confused.

-there seems to have been a scene cut between the Doctor getting zapped and sitting on the thrown. I thought it was other!Doc too...

-When Isabella's father was about to set fire to the gunpowder and Eleven was just standing outside, what was that sound effect before he went running? Because it sounded like a TARDIS landing to me

-The silence. The TARDIS. Creepy...

[jjpor]

*Yes - Cakefic is now canon!!!

As I said above, this story made me laugh so much...and in a good way! ;D

I need to watch it again though for stuff like that TARDIS sound. I need to make some time to watch all of S5 again, because it seems I've missed most of the "clues" others have mentioned, even though I've been looking out for them ever since the weird stuff in Eleventh Hour was pointed out. I guess I'm no Sherlock Holmes!

And yeah, I think you're right about that missing scene because I remember being confused as anything by the Doctor on the throne - how did he get there?

Oh, and another thing that really amused me, when they were all sitting around the table covering each others mouths so the Doctor could think... ;D*