Thursday, December 01, 2005
She's still dead, though, isn't she? (INCLUDES SPOILERS)
I greatly enjoyed "Boom Town," primarily for the fine acting, especially that of Christopher Eccleston and Annette Badland during their "date". However, I thought the episode had some major flaws, including the ever-present problem all season long (with the exception of the "two-parters") that the 45-minute format simply doesn't work! I mean, the Doctor rumbles "Margaret's" plot and captures her almost instantly. Not enough time for a real chase.
Also, "Margaret" gives up way too quickly. I know she's old and fat, but can't she at least try to fight back? Why not unzip her forehead and let her inner Slitheen out? Sure, I suppose the Doctor could be carrying vinegar just in case, but isn't it worth a shot? (But no, there's that pesky 45-minute format getting in the way. There simply isn't time for her to make a real, serious escape effort. Gotta move on, gotta get to the denouement.)
Also also, the Doctor knows nothing about the Slitheen in "Aliens of London"/"World War III" (although he identifies their homeworld of Raxicoricofallapatorius - hey, that's not a bad name for a fanzine or blog, huh? - quickly enough). But in "Boom Town" he knows a lot about them. Guess he Googled them in between episodes.
These are all nitpicks. The real problem I have with "Boom Town" is the ending. A real "Awwwwww" moment, we're supposed to think, when Blon Fel-Fotch looks into the soul of the TARDIS and is reborn as an egg.
But -
She's dead now, isn't she? The Doctor was reluctant to return her to Raxicoricofallapatorius for execution, and she was certainly trying to talk him out of doing just that. So, now she's an egg - but what happened to Blon Fel-Fotch's consciousness? It's gone, right? She's completely dead, as dead as if the Doctor had brought her back to Raxicoricofallapatorius (I just love saying or typing that) to be boiled in acid. Less messy, sure, and a lot less painful. But just as dead. So how is that an improvement for Blon Fel-Fotch? It's not really a chance to start over, is it? All her life experience, all her knowledge, even all her evil - wiped out, hard disk reformatted, game reset. Whatever the egg grows up to be, it won't be Blon Fel-Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen. It'll be someone completely else, completely different.
Blon Fel-Fotch cheats the executioner, beats the reaper. She's never put on trial by her own people, never called to account for her crimes. She's also never called to account for murdering the real Margaret Blaine, either. Both Raxacoricofallapatorius and Earth are likewise cheated out of their justice.
Not that it does Blon Fel-Fotch any real good.
"Boom Town" is a good episode. The acting at times is exquisite. But the ending is very unsatisfying. Blon Fel-Fotch doesn't really get away with anything - she does indeed die in the end - but the script would have you cheer for her escaping the real punishment she so richly deserves, which perverts the point. Just because the Doctor has killed means he can't seek justice for other, indisputably worse killers? Since when? Especially considering that his chosen solution, driven no doubt by his kindness and compassion, leaves Blon Fel-Fotch no less dead than if he had delivered her to her rightful executioners.
Also, "Margaret" gives up way too quickly. I know she's old and fat, but can't she at least try to fight back? Why not unzip her forehead and let her inner Slitheen out? Sure, I suppose the Doctor could be carrying vinegar just in case, but isn't it worth a shot? (But no, there's that pesky 45-minute format getting in the way. There simply isn't time for her to make a real, serious escape effort. Gotta move on, gotta get to the denouement.)
Also also, the Doctor knows nothing about the Slitheen in "Aliens of London"/"World War III" (although he identifies their homeworld of Raxicoricofallapatorius - hey, that's not a bad name for a fanzine or blog, huh?
These are all nitpicks. The real problem I have with "Boom Town" is the ending. A real "Awwwwww" moment, we're supposed to think, when Blon Fel-Fotch looks into the soul of the TARDIS and is reborn as an egg.
But -
She's dead now, isn't she? The Doctor was reluctant to return her to Raxicoricofallapatorius for execution, and she was certainly trying to talk him out of doing just that. So, now she's an egg - but what happened to Blon Fel-Fotch's consciousness? It's gone, right? She's completely dead, as dead as if the Doctor had brought her back to Raxicoricofallapatorius (I just love saying or typing that) to be boiled in acid. Less messy, sure, and a lot less painful. But just as dead. So how is that an improvement for Blon Fel-Fotch? It's not really a chance to start over, is it? All her life experience, all her knowledge, even all her evil - wiped out, hard disk reformatted, game reset. Whatever the egg grows up to be, it won't be Blon Fel-Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen. It'll be someone completely else, completely different.
Blon Fel-Fotch cheats the executioner, beats the reaper. She's never put on trial by her own people, never called to account for her crimes. She's also never called to account for murdering the real Margaret Blaine, either. Both Raxacoricofallapatorius and Earth are likewise cheated out of their justice.
Not that it does Blon Fel-Fotch any real good.
"Boom Town" is a good episode. The acting at times is exquisite. But the ending is very unsatisfying. Blon Fel-Fotch doesn't really get away with anything - she does indeed die in the end - but the script would have you cheer for her escaping the real punishment she so richly deserves, which perverts the point. Just because the Doctor has killed means he can't seek justice for other, indisputably worse killers? Since when? Especially considering that his chosen solution, driven no doubt by his kindness and compassion, leaves Blon Fel-Fotch no less dead than if he had delivered her to her rightful executioners.
// posted by Tom Beck @ 1:30 PM 
