Some random musings of 'Curse of the Black Spot'

[radiantbaby]

[I just posted this in a comment over on tempestsarekind's LJ, but I thought I'd put it here as well. Call it a mini-review of sorts for 'Curse of the Black Spot'. Or just some thoughts on A Certain Scene at the End.]

This wasn't my favorite episode (wasn't terrible, but not amazing either), but I am wondering if it is planting some seeds about the Doctor's characterization.


I've seen a lot of complaints questioning why the Doctor didn't help Amy save Rory at the end of the episode and how he just sort of stood back (I mean, surely the Doctor could help in some way, if not CPR, some sort of medical bay of his own in the TARDIS?) and I wonder if that is pointing to something bigger. I'm not sure what it is yet, though --

Could it be that the Doctor's changed in some way this season? Could it be that the Doctor already feels as if he's stepping in too much on their relationship, so he gives them this moment (for better or worse)? Is the Doctor a little jealous of Rory's place in Amy's life, so in a small way (that he'd never admit to and/or may not even be conscious of), he wants him gone again? Is he not really the Doctor in the first place (i.e a clone, some other duplicate, etc)?

I hope this all gets answered this season. I've heard hints that Moffat might be playing around with the Doctor's character this year, so I'm intrigued to see what he's going to do.

Comments

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Have we *ever* seen the Doctor give someone CPR? I didn't think that was problematic...if anything, his depiction there was almost like something Troughton would've done. (Okay, Troughton would've run around the console room screaming "Oh my giddy aunt!")

[viomisehunt.livejournal.com]

Maybe the Doctor was more afraid of trying CPR and failing? Or maybe he felt that Amy needed to deal with the moment and have the opportunity to "save" Rory's life with something that was simply human as opposed to a Deus ex machina or in this case a Docēre ex machina
Rory did drown. Maybe the Doctor has had his hands more than burnt once when he's interfered in another's life path (Waters of Mars).

[fourzoas.livejournal.com]

The Doctor not doing CPR was entirely a non-issue for me--I was more annoyed by the circumstances surrounding the need for it in the first place...but I've already expressed my overall reaction to this one elsewhere, so I'll leave off that.

I'm hoping that we find out that this Doctor is not quite right and therefore Very Wrong and must be taken out by the Right Doctor who is in the spacesuit.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I've found the Doctor's affection for Rory marked and obvious so far this season, so I don't buy the argument the Doctor wants to get rid of Rory.

[viomisehunt.livejournal.com]

There is the glaring fact that Rory didn't ask the Doctor to save him, he asked Amy. If she's going to travel with the Doctor and other humans, she could use a little first aid training.