I have a Christmas list, too! (Doctor Who 7.1&2)

I know we’re growing in distance from our first Dragon Con experience, but I’m still overwhelmed and I just can’t narrow it to a readable amount.  So here's my thoughts so far about Doctor Who- Season 7.  (Other than one TINY thing, the first part of this review is actually spoiler free.)

What I was thinking when I heard this quote...

Right after watching the second episode of the season, I realized I MISSED RIVER!!! (That's the tiny thing.) I then turned right around and watched The Time of Angels (S5.4), just to see River, but it made me notice a few other things.  Matt Smith has a come a long way as the Doctor.  You don’t notice the change from mere quippyness right away.  He still carries himself in a similar manner and says the same clever lines, but he somehow seems less superficial.  It’s almost like at the beginning he was saying lines and acting like the Doctor, but now he really IS the Doctor. 

I know most Whovians who adored Tennant will never be satisfied with Smith, and I get it.  Tennant was able to convey deep emotion with an eyebrow while Smith fills episodes with jokes and quips.  It's easy to fall for someone when he wears his hearts on his sleeve. The thing is, Smith has created a Doctor who is believable. You can’t let everything rip your heart out for 900 years without building some walls, and you can believe that Smith’s Doctor is laughing to keep from crying.  He’s living with some barriers.  I came to adore River, and she adores the Doctor.  I thought that I just fell for him with her, but in retrospect I realize now that I also came to believe in him through the later episodes.

As for particulars about the new episodes, I’ll keep it short. 

SPOILERS!!

I loved meeting Oswin. She’s fantastic.  I miss River, but I understand she’s not always around.  What’s weird is them not mentioning her at all. Is something up with that; are we supposed to be questioning why no one even talks about her?  I mean, the “gang” was gathered up for episode 2, and the Doctor’s gang has no River?  Is it possible this is to distance her storyline from the Ponds?   I also felt like meeting the extra characters in the second episode was kind of random.  They seemed like such full characters, but it also doesn’t look like we’ll see them again.  I hope we do, because it just felt strange and disconnected.   I loved the Doctor and his Christmas list, and I appreciated meeting Rory’s dad.  He was fun, and he made me feel like I knew Rory a little better. 

So Jana, do you want to share some thoughts on Doctor Who, or do you want to dive into Dragon Con?  Take your pick!

Stay Shiny!

Kristin