DW: Vincent and the Doctor

[usuallyhats]

• I loved that so much! I think it is my favourite episode so far.


• Having said that, I would have liked a bit more explanation on why Vincent could see the monster, I felt it skated a little too close to the "disability gives you magic powers" for my taste, but it could've been fixed with a little technobabble along the lines of "this is because of SCIENCE". And other than that I really liked their portrayal of depression: I was impressed that they emphasised the fact that it's not the same as just feeling sad and not something that a person can be jollied out of. And I liked that they also didn't underestimate the importance of Amy and the Doctor giving Vincent one more good thing to add to his pile of good things. Even if it didn't magically cure his depression, it's still not nothing.


• OH AMY. She didn't just bring Van Gogh sunflowers, she brought him ALL THE SUNFLOWERS. And then she sat in the middle of them all ":D?"


• Hurray, there was a fantabulous contraption made of wing mirrors and cogs and things! A fantabulous contraption that gave us lovely One and Two, to boot.


• ELEVENTY IS GREAT. He's a wonderful mixture of crochety old man and overactive toddler, I love it. And Matt Smith! I love how he moves; a sort of barely controlled stumbling flail that nevertheless gets him exactly where he wants to be.


• So many great comedy moments in this episode! Snappy lines ("overconfidence, this and a screwdriver") and physical comedy and and and... ::loves::


• "Bowties are cool." :DDDD And Bill Nighy was so good! He did marvellous things with his face.


• I loved Amy lining up the cafe with her postcard book! Plus: Amy and the Doctor being all touristy and gleeful in the MUSEE D'ORSAY. Excellent.


• The last section was LOVELY. A little bit of my brain tried to object at ending the plot ten minutes early, but it got shouted down. SO MUCH HUGGING. ♥ It didn't make me cry, but that may have been because I was watching it with other people (though I am sure they would have understood *waves at amicu and the_smut_fairy*), otherwise I probably would've as I am a total sap when it comes to emotions on my telly.


• "I'm not the marrying kind." DDDD: I really liked the way the references to Rory were handled, though the emphasis on "you can't change the past" was a little worrying, given that Rory died before the crack got him. But on the other hand, he only died because the Doctor stopped to investigate the crack, so maybe if they unhappen whatever caused the crack, he'll be ok. *wibbles* I just want to end the season with no-one dead or mindwiped! Is that so much to ask?


• The sheer joy of the scene where the Doctor and Amy were showing Van Gogh the TARDIS was just beautiful. ♥

Comments

[grlnamedlucifer]

>OH AMY. She didn't just bring Van Gogh sunflowers, she brought him ALL THE SUNFLOWERS. And then she sat in the middle of them all ":D?"<

AMY IS VERY SUBTLE, OKAY? It's possible she maybe wanted him to paint them, WHO KNOWS? XD

[usuallyhats]

I can't work it out! She's just TOO SUBTLE. ♥

[brewsternorth]

The sheer joy of the scene where the Doctor and Amy were showing Van Gogh the TARDIS was just beautiful. ♥

Agreed! I liked how they managed to do it without dialogue, as well. Just clearly, Vincent thinking, "It's beautiful - and impossible - and orange."

[usuallyhats]

Just clearly, Vincent thinking, "It's beautiful - and impossible - and orange."
Yes! And then the bit afterwards, where Amy and the Doctor were dancing around the TARDIS, was so lovely too. ♥

(sorry for the late reply, btw!)

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I assumed Vincent could see the monster because of the synaesthesia - he was talking at length about colours that shouted at him...

I loved Amy buying the sunflowers too - it was priceless! And her oh so unsubtle attempt to get him to paint some!

And Bill Nighy FTW! Given I wanted him as Eleven and then he and Eleven were wearing bowties, I thought I might asplode from the squee!

[usuallyhats]

I assumed Vincent could see the monster because of the synaesthesia - he was talking at length about colours that shouted at him...
Yeah, that sounds right, but I would have preferred it if it had been just a little bit more explicit. It was almost perfect!

And her oh so unsubtle attempt to get him to paint some!
Yes! Oh Amy, I love her so.

Given I wanted him as Eleven and then he and Eleven were wearing bowties, I thought I might asplode from the squee!
Hee!

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that sounds right, but I would have preferred it if it had been just a little bit more explicit. It was almost perfect!

Hee...

Yes! Oh Amy, I love her so.

She's fierce and fey and I love her to bits.

[nentari.livejournal.com]

I agree with persiflage_1 - from something Vincent's comments about colour and his reaction about Amy's hair, I got the impression that he had synesthesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia) and that this was the reason why he could see the monster, rather than because of his depression.

[usuallyhats]

*nods* I think you're right, but I would've liked to have slightly more in show explanation that that's what it was. Not necessarily a whole spiel or anything, just a mention would've been good!

[nentari.livejournal.com]

I think they were under the impression that the references they included would be enough for the viewer to put two and two together. But since most people have never heard of that condition (I myself only learned about it from reading a Doctor Who fic featuring a synesthesic companion years and years ago) I'm wondering why they were so confident they didn't need to explain it better.

[usuallyhats]

Me too. I have heard of synesthesia, but even so I didn't quite put the pieces together. Usually I'm all in favour of not spoonfeeding the audience, but in this case I think a little more spoonfeeding would've been worthwhile!

[zurcherart.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. What a sublime episode for all the reasons you said.

I felt it skated a little too close to the "disability gives you magic powers" for my taste.

As the commenter above (eta: who I just now noticed was my friend persiflage_1 ) said, it helped me that they implied (maybe) it was because of his synesthesia. But they skated right up to that brink with "the monster can hear so well because he's blind" comment.

You are right. I think that might be one of the best most "understandable" portrayals of depression/manic depression ever. And in a nominal kids show.

Sigh. This may turn into one of my all time favourites.

[usuallyhats]

But they skated right up to that brink with "the monster can hear so well because he's blind" comment.
Yes, I winced a little at that! It was so close to being ok, but not quite there.

And in a nominal kids show.
That made it even better, because I think it's even more important to get things like this right in children's tv.

[zurcherart.livejournal.com]

For sure. I find it interesting so many serious "adult" shows have who've tried to tackle the issue have failed. Mmm, I guess Doctor Who rarely talks down to the kids in the audience.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

"the monster can hear so well because he's blind"

That bit wasn't so much "blindness gives you powers," though, as scientific studies have shown that other senses compensate for the missing one.

[vandonovan.livejournal.com]

THere were a few things I wish would've been tweaked too (mostly involving the monster), but I agree it was mostly perfect and definitely my favorite so far this season. I feel bad about that since Rory's not in it, but it's still such a good episode! Curran was just marvelous. I want to see a whole movie on Van Gogh's life now, starring him.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

I want to see a whole movie on Van Gogh's life now, starring him.

Me too! He gives the role as Vincent just the right intensity.

[usuallyhats]

I feel bad about that since Rory's not in it, but it's still such a good episode!
Me too, though I loved the way he was still sort of present throughout the episode. Not quite as good as him actually being there, but something anyway!

Curran was just marvelous. I want to see a whole movie on Van Gogh's life now, starring him.
*nods* Yeah, he was fantastic, completely convincing.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I think it's my favourite so far too! The monster felt a bit tacked on, and I think the story would have been even better had the monster been something van Gogh painted to represent the villagers' hostility or his loneliness, and then painted out after he met Amy and the Doctor, and found how much his art spoke to others after his death. Time travel is SF enough, and I felt the monster weakened a beautiful and strong story about the nature of art, time, and mental illness.

And I loved the bedroom. I want it. I had that picture on my bedroom wall (plus another van Gogh of a bridge) and a chair very like his when I was at uni. Looking at them made me very happy.

[usuallyhats]

I think the story would have been even better had the monster been something van Gogh painted to represent the villagers' hostility or his loneliness
Ooo, I hadn't thought of that, but that's a great idea!

And I loved the bedroom.
Whoever was responsible for the sets did a great job. It looked just right!