Thus revealed, the creature buried its nose in the tire-tilled soil...
June 8, 2008
Touché, Steven Moffat
Category: Toys … TV, Film, & DVDs

So I wasn't too keen on the first part of the most recent 2-part "Doctor Who" serial, but Steven Moffat managed to almost completely redeem himself in the second by focusing less on creepiness and confusion and more on intrigue and resolution. Granted, there was little about the episode that was particularly clever or unexpected -- apparently I'd guessed correctly regarding pretty much all of the "mysteries" of last week, though there were a few pleasant surprises and one interesting revelation that was never really a major concern in the first place (and that may make studying alone in the stacks even more unsettling for you students out there) -- but I'm a total sucker for happy endings. Talulah Riley even got her adorable face back! Everyone wins.

There was, however, one line that I found to be especially noteworthy:

I have the two qualities you require to see absolute truth: I am brilliant... and unloved.

I'm even tempted to make it the heading quotation of Wesoteric (or at least one of several; I've been thinking of randomizing the display there as I do with the DVD screencaps on the sidebar), since it's a pretty concise summary of my experience in life.

Mai Shiranui & Chun-Li!

In other news, as I mentioned in the latest Scary-Crayon piece, I did receive the replacement item from that seller this week -- so I enthusiastically recommend Treasure Island Sports, Inc. to anyone in the market for some toys. I was initially drawn by the great prices on the figures of my affection (pictured above), but the unexpectedly fantastic and accommodating customer service are what will make a repeat customer of me. Granted, I reserve the right to change my opinion if future orders go less smoothly, but right now I'm singing nothing but praises for TISInc. Many thumbs up. 🙂

-posted by Wes | 12:07 am | Comments (9)
9 Comments »
  • Mickelodeon says:

    Damn! I've got to get on the ball and catch up with this season's shows. I've been trapped in the classic series for so long now...not always a bad thing, though! 😉

  • Wes says:

    Not a bad thing at all! But don't ignore the new series for too much longer -- as far as I can tell Sarah Jane's triumphant return will take place three weeks from yesterday. 🙂

  • jenny says:

    not *quite* unloved, wes!

  • Mickelodeon says:

    Oh, my emm's gonna love me for taking over her television to watch it first run...you know how much she loves Sarah Jane and the Doctor! 😉

  • Jaded says:

    Being unloved is a far better option than being unlovable. I know you're not the latter, and I seriously doubt you're the former.

  • T.A.B. says:

    That two-parter was the best of the season so far. And since the remaining two episodes are being written by RTD, they'll likely be the best overall.

  • dave says:

    I think this was one of the top 10 stories of the whole new series. Although I'm fairly certian some person mentions the doctor's real name in a Tom Baker episode. I totally bought how they brought the little girl into the story, even though last week it seemed weak.

    Even the usually irritating things were done creatively. His savior status now includes ressurecting the dead and bringing them into a better world.

    The line was interesting for more reasons than one:
    It's also the kind of thing the kid from the Sontaron's episode would have said (not a bad episode either - Sontar-huh!)

    Four good episodes in a season makes this one a winner, I think.

  • Wes says:

    I dunno, Dave -- 4/13 would get a failing grade from me! I think I might give Series 4 a 5/13, though, which I guess isn't significantly worse than my 6/13 scores for Series 1 and 2. All of new Who is still getting owned by "The Sarah Jane Adventures" in my estimation, though.

    TAB: I sincerely hope that was sarcasm. Not about the 2-parter being the best story thus far -- it was -- but about Davies writing the best overall episodes of the series. Ugh.

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