caz963 | DW 5x10 - Vincent and the Doctor (Reply)

Richard Curtis. In the words of David Cassidy, in fact ... while he was with still with the Partridge Family - I think I love you.

We were promised an emotional episode, and Curtis certainly delivered – that’s the first time I’ve felt a real pull at the heartstrings or cried at DW since EoT. And he's the first writer this series to have - finally - given me a real sense of Eleven's connections to his past lives - most particularly the last one - and to make me feel as though he's really moving on.

Curtis isn't the first name that would come to mind when making a fantasy league of who should write a DW episode, but then neither is Simon Nye - and they've written my favourite episodes of the series so far. They're both best known as comedy writers - but the comedy series' for which they're famous were based on incredibly well-defined and well-written characters, facts which I don't doubt contributed to their longevity. Well, that and they were really funny :-) But I find it interesting that people who are 'known' for comedy - Curtis, Nye, Catherine Tate, Meera Syal- have all come to a show that I wouldn't normally have thought of in the same breath as their names - and made such an impression on it.

As to the actual episode...

I liked it, even if the invisible giant chicken was a bit naff. But as I find is the case with the best of Who, and other branches of Sci Fi/Fantasy and even Horror, the monster itself turns out to be of secondary importance to the other things going on in the episode. As anyone who reads my Who-musings regularly will know, it's some of the 'other things' that I've felt have been sadly lacking this series; that I've felt things have for the most part been a bit flat so far and that my concerns are primarily issues to do with character driven vs. plot driven episodes. But Vincent and the Doctor worked well as a standalone with a few references to the series' story arc thrown in.

Interestingly this series, we've gotten two "Doctor meets a real historical person" episodes. Not that I'm objecting; I rather like them.

The good bits

The Doctor being like a kid with ADHD - “is this is how time normally passes?... In the right order”. I can completely buy him not being someone who waits well.

The Doctor going into the church armed with over-confidence, a suitcase and a sonic screwdriver.

The Rory mention! I liked the way it was done - the Doctor has got so used to referring to them together that it just slips out.

The nods to the rest of the story - Vincent being able to see Amy's inner sadness and her comment about not being the marrying kind. Also - she didn't grate on my nerves this week, which is a plus.

Tony Curran was simply brilliant.

The absolutely beautiful, beautiful work of the sfx/graphics team when the night sky was transformed into the Starry, starry night.

It’s not explained why Vincent can see the monster and nobody else can – I just assumed it’s because he’s an artist and obviously has a different way of looking at things than everybody else. His speech about “hearing” colours was wonderful.

Kudos to Curtis for even thinking of featuring Van Gogh in a kid’s programme – Vincent’s probably as famous for the fact that he was mentally ill as he is for his paintings, yet Curtis didn't shy away from it - he couldn't really, considering the story is set in the final year of his life. But the touches of 'madness' we did see weren’t too scary for the kiddies, but were enough for the adults to know that those aspects of the character hadn't been ignored. I'm sure there are going to be protests from some quarters about the way the issue was presented and handled, but I'm not an expert, so I'm not going to say any more about that.

But oh, those final scenes. Whisking Vincent off to the Musée d’ Orsay so that he can see how his life’s work is revered a hundred years on and his reaction to Dr Black’s words was a real tearjerker. Curtis can be mawkish and oversentimental at times, but not here. That was note perfect.

And then, when the Doctor and Amy return – Eleven’s words about the bad things not cancelling out the good... that was the speech I've been waiting for all series, I think.

And the "for Amy. Vincent" on the painting was a lovely touch... as was the comment about the ultimate ginger.

So yeah, I liked it. I've missed getting emotional about my Who and this episode pushed all the right buttons and has left me feeling a bit more optimistic about S5 than some of the others.