The Power of Three
Oct. 7th, 2012 07:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I seem to be alone in preferring Dinosaurs on a Spaceship to The Power of Three. I think I've always liked having a good underlying plot to any characterisation, which is one of the things I often found frustrating about the Davies era. Not that Dinosaurs on a Spaceship had much of a plot, but what it did have did, at least made sense.
I said when I reviewed Dinosaurs on a Spaceship that Chibnall scripts have a tendency to sacrifice characterisation in order to move the plot on to its next beat. This story seemed to suffer from almost the opposite problem, in that the plot was constructed entirely in order to move to the next characterisation beat.
That said I enjoyed the characters a lot. Kate Stewart was great, and surely this, together with the revamped UNIT, is a set up for a return performance. Brian Williams was wonderful - almost the perfect not-companion for the Doctor: dependable, conscientious, but also full of understanding and appreciation. I really like the way you could see the similarities between Brian and Rory and, of course, the way Brian ultimately sent the Ponds off with his blessing.
I'm unsure about the double-bluff over the reasons for the Ponds' departure. Throughout its length this episode (and, to be honest, those preceding it) is hinting that Amy and Rory will grow out of travelling with the Doctor, only to over-turn this at the very end. I'm not hundred percent sure that playing with audience expectations in this kind of way is wise. Like the introduction of Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks, it's an explict acknowledgement that most of those watching know more about the show than the story on the screen. It's not quite breaking the fourth wall but I suspect it is a device that should be used equally sparingly.
As for all the stuff with the cubes, the tally and the Shakri. I'm not sure its worth dignifying with much commentary. Very little of it made any sense. The Shakri and the Tally (is the tally a race, organisation or thing or just a count? - the episode could be read either way, I think?) were presented with a pomposity and significance which they could not sustain. I think the only thing that might redeem their appearance is if The Power of Three is set up for some repeat appearance later in the season. Otherwise the slightness of the plot really did not need and could not sustain an ancient enemy from Time Lord myth.
So ultimately most of this was really nice. But the underlying structure that was supporting the character interactions was tissue-paper thin which meant that I was left, at the end of the episode, thinking little more than "is that it?".
I said when I reviewed Dinosaurs on a Spaceship that Chibnall scripts have a tendency to sacrifice characterisation in order to move the plot on to its next beat. This story seemed to suffer from almost the opposite problem, in that the plot was constructed entirely in order to move to the next characterisation beat.
That said I enjoyed the characters a lot. Kate Stewart was great, and surely this, together with the revamped UNIT, is a set up for a return performance. Brian Williams was wonderful - almost the perfect not-companion for the Doctor: dependable, conscientious, but also full of understanding and appreciation. I really like the way you could see the similarities between Brian and Rory and, of course, the way Brian ultimately sent the Ponds off with his blessing.
I'm unsure about the double-bluff over the reasons for the Ponds' departure. Throughout its length this episode (and, to be honest, those preceding it) is hinting that Amy and Rory will grow out of travelling with the Doctor, only to over-turn this at the very end. I'm not hundred percent sure that playing with audience expectations in this kind of way is wise. Like the introduction of Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks, it's an explict acknowledgement that most of those watching know more about the show than the story on the screen. It's not quite breaking the fourth wall but I suspect it is a device that should be used equally sparingly.
As for all the stuff with the cubes, the tally and the Shakri. I'm not sure its worth dignifying with much commentary. Very little of it made any sense. The Shakri and the Tally (is the tally a race, organisation or thing or just a count? - the episode could be read either way, I think?) were presented with a pomposity and significance which they could not sustain. I think the only thing that might redeem their appearance is if The Power of Three is set up for some repeat appearance later in the season. Otherwise the slightness of the plot really did not need and could not sustain an ancient enemy from Time Lord myth.
So ultimately most of this was really nice. But the underlying structure that was supporting the character interactions was tissue-paper thin which meant that I was left, at the end of the episode, thinking little more than "is that it?".
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 07:00 pm (UTC)Also, if you could explain to me the purpose of the two creepy orderlies abducting people, I would be forever grateful! Because even after a second viewing, that made absolutely no sense to me, and seemed to have no plot relevance whatsoever except to fabricate a way to get Rory on to the spaceship. And even that wasn't really necessary, given that the Doctor identified the location of the portal through his scans, and he and Amy could have just picked up Rory on their way through the hospital...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:10 pm (UTC)*iz confuzzled*
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-08 06:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:10 pm (UTC)Chibnall also tends to sacrifice continuity where I think he doesn't care for it. You'd think with centering around a year in the Ponds' life that they would make a single mention of their daughter? The anniversary party was especially glaring. No mention of her absence or even Amy's parents not being there.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:17 pm (UTC)You're right the episode need River in some way, shape or form as well. If only as a reference.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 08:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-07 10:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-08 09:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-09 07:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-11 10:03 am (UTC)