Tick Tock Goes the Clock…

So, here’s what you need to know about Doctor Who’s sixth season: An 1104 years old Doctor is shot by an astronaut at Lake Silencio, Utah. Amy, Rory and River witness this and then run into a 906 years old Doctor who takes them to Washington where we meet the Silence. We learn that Amy’s pregnant, but then she’s not. But then Amy really is a ganger and was pregnant. And she gives birth to a daughter named Melody, but who we all know as River Song! River is trained to kill the Doctor and is a Time Lord. However, she gives up her remaining regenerations to save the Doctor. The Doctor learns the date of his death and parts with Amy and Rory. He ages 200 years, has one more adventure with Craig and the Cybermen. And now River is in an astronaut suit at the bottom of the lake.

The Wedding of River Song or “One Heck of a Kiss”

Time has stopped so River doesn’t have to kill the Doctor. So she marries him instead and as a wedding present, the Doctor doesn’t die!

And I am so happy to have the beard back. But not enough to enjoy this STUPID MORONIC OPENING!

(Earlier)

We hear the Doctor talking about dying and fear. He appears on a camera, except it’s a dying Dalek. He uses the sonic to get information about the Silence. The Doctor asks for someone called Fr. Gideon, who has an eye patch. The Doctor reveals Dr. Gideon has been dead and talks to the little people from Let’s Kill Hitler. The Doctor asks them for the Silence’s weakest link. The Doctor plays chess and offers to concede the game if he gives him the information. He offers to take him to someone who was beheaded and the Doctor concedes. “Oh I hate rats,” the Doctor says just as I was thinking that he looks like Indiana Jones!

The guy they are looking for is in a box because he was rich and could afford one. His head sneezes before the other guy tries to kill the Doctor. Execpt he is standing on a trap door and is killed by the Way of the Dead from Lord of the Rings. The head talks and he still has a sense of humor for a head. Winston thinks the Doctor is mad and wonders why he is listening to the Doctor. The Doctor points out that in another time they are friends. Winston wants to know more about the woman.

The head talks about the Silence, the sentinels of history. The head reveals that the Doctor’s future is a dangerous road ahead. Apparently, the Doctor will ask the question that will cause Silence to fall. The head asks if he wants to know it as the skulls all look at him. The Doctor takes his box into the TARDIS, looking at the date of his death again. The head tries to convince him that he must die as we go to…

COMMERCIALS!

Winston and the Doctor keep talking and Winston wonders why the Doctor must die. The Doctor asks how would he destroy someone who knew a deadly secret. Winston agrees he would kill the man. The Doctor replies that the Silence was his own. He notes that they are in a new room and that Winston has a revolver. The Doctor sees a black mark on his arm, much like Amy and Rory did to keep track everytime they saw an Area 51 escapee in Day of the Moon. Winston bids the Doctor to continue.

He asks the Blue Man Group Head why Lake Silencio in Utah. The head replies that it is a still time and it allows to create a fixed point, which the Doctor’s death will be. The Doctor says he’s been running, saying he could help Rose Tyler with her homework and go to all Jack’s stag parties. He talks to a nurse, who tells him that the Brig is dead (RIP Nicholas Courtney). She tells him it was peaceful and that he always had an extra brandy on hand in case he showed up. He decides that it is time and the Little Justice People agree to deliver his final messages for him. They remind him they are on his side and ask if there was anything on their side.

Winston wonders why the Doctor invited people and we see clips from The Impossible Astronaut. He says he wanted his friends with him when he died. Because they were the best things in his life. And we see his death scene again. Only this time we see River’s face in the astronaut suit. She says she’s trying to fight it but the suit is too strong. The Doctor tells her it is a fixed point and she won’t even remember it. River is surprised to see herself there and the Doctor forgives her. He closes his eyes as the suit shoots. Nothing happens though as she says that fixed points can be rewritten. And everything fades over and the Doctor says that time is dying, it stopped.

Winston notes his gun was shot as the Doctor sees he is holding a sword. His whole arm is covered and the Area 51 refugees cover the ceiling. A flash bomb goes off as centurions rush in, guns trained on the silence. It is Amy, wearing the Evil Eye Patch. She shoots the Doctor, to his surprise and mine as we go to…

COMMERCIALS!

The Doctor comes to on a train, watching a ceiling fan before going to Amy. She reveals it was a stun gun and that they were going to Cairo. He talks to her about her past, asking her to remember their past. He holds a replica of the TARDIS and spots the pictures on the wall. He realizes she does remember him and gives him his old outfit. Oh, good-bye, beard. Amy says she is an agent who realizes that time has gone wrong. Amy can’t find Rory, though, but she remembers both the Doctor dying and the Doctor not dying. He reveals that time is disintegrating as Rory enters. The Doctor realizes that she hasn’t realized Rory is right there.

The Doctor tells her he is what is wrong because he is still alive. Cairo is Area 52? They tell him the Evil Eye Patch is actually an Eye Drive. It is technology that will allow him to remember the Area 51 refugees. They stare at him and Rory reveals they are in the tanks of water to prevent them from drawing energy. The Doctor asks Amy “Captain Williams” first name and she doesn’t know. He tries to set them up and fails. Amy tells him it is time to meet old friends.

River is there with the Evil Eye Patch Lady. She tells him that she used hallucinogenic lipstick on Kennedy and Cleopatra. River tries to make sure he doesn’t touch her because when he does, time moves head again and River kills him. Meanwhile, Area 52 Refugee cracks his tank as we go to…

COMMERCIALS!

Rory hears the running and dripping water as River talks to Doctor. They continue to flirt as Amy notices the water. Back in the cage, Rory notes the Area 51 Refugees are escaping. Evil Eye Patch Lady reveals they aren’t trapped but waiting for the Doctor. They storm the pyramid. River’s assistant is killed by her eye patch and Doctor orders them removed. River helps Amy takes hers off. Evil Eye Patch Lady says the Silence will take them and her eye drive goes off. Amy and River take the Doctor to show what they are working. Rory’s eye patch is going off and he keeps it on to give them some time. The refugees enter as Rory is electrocuted because it’s not an episode unless Rory is in mortal peril.

Amy shoots them all and saves Rory. The Evil Eye Patch Lady asks Amy to help her. Amy tells her that she took her baby and raised her into a psychopath. Amy puts the drive back and walks off with Rory, asking him out for a drink as we go to…

COMMERCIALS!

River reveals that she sent a timey-wimey distress signal to the past and the future to the universe outside. He says she embarrassed him, but River reveals that it isn’t solar flares in the sky. It’s voices telling him that they will help him. They won’t let the Doctor die and River will not let it. She tells him that he is loved by others and her most of all. He reveals she will destroy everything and asks Amy and Rory if they are proud of their daughter. Rory is confused.

The Doctor wipes his tie around his hand and her hand. He tells Rory and Amy to say “I consent and completely give.” He whispers his name into her ear. He says they are married and asks for her help. So she does whisper his name into his ear in Forests of the Dead! She lets him kiss the bride and time restarts again. We see the scenes from The Impossible Astronaut play out again. The Doctor voices over that she is forgiven—“always and completely forgiven.” London is fixed as the old nursery rhyme is sung again, only ending with “Now prison waits for River.”

River visits Amy with wine. River is from right after the angels. Amy reveals that the Doctor is dead and feels guilty about how she killed Evil Eye Patch Lady. She reveals the Doctor’s last secret. Amy says it was his name. River says it wasn’t and Amy demands to know what her daughter knows. Rory comes out and a happy Amy hugs him. Rory asks River if she is certain and she says she is his wife. Amy goes into shock as she realizes she’s the Doctor’s mother-in-law. River sends Rory back inside for wine.

Blue Man Group Head realizes the Doctor is alive because she used the Little Justice People. He isn’t dead, but he’s going to let them think it. Except River’s revealed the truth. The Blue Man Group Head talks about the moment when the question would be asked:

Doctor…Who?

Well. Well played, Moffatt.

I’ve had time to sleep on the finale. And I must say, it was very good. I was always skeptical to see how Moffatt would conclude the season. He couldn’t properly kill the Doctor off nor rework it to be a regeneration—it is common knowledge that Matt Smith is signed on until 2013 (Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary). I liked the resolution—that it was the Tesserect (Little Justice People) and not the Doctor. Amy and Rory know the truth, though I doubt they’re the only ones. In the “Sarah Jane Adventures” episode Death of the Doctor, former companions Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) and Jo Grant-Jones (Katy Manning) doubted the Doctor’s death because they felt he was still alive. When they asked the Doctor if they were ridiculous to believe they would feel his death, he pretty much told them no. So his former companions know he’s still alive.

I liked the mention of the Brig’s death—in accordance with Nicolas Courtney’s earlier this year. The Doctor’s reaction was perfect, given the large role the Brig played in the original series. I also liked the mention of Jack’s stag parties—plural—and Rose. The wedding ceremony was nice, as was all of time happening at once. Over all, I just really enjoyed the episode.

And thus ends season six! I’ll see everyone for the Christmas Special and hopefully we’ll have the premiere date for Season Seven by then. And I guess I should really watch Torchwood: Miracle Day. Oh well.

Exchange of the Episode:

“Rule One?”
“The Doctor lies”
“So do I.” –River and Amy over a glass of wine5:02 April 22, 2011. It’s a weird day in London. Pteradactyls—maybe one from Torchwood—Roman centurions, Dumbledore, Katie Couric…Holy shit, they got Katie Couric? Winston Churchill is the Holy Roman Emperor. A Silurian doctor tends to him as he notes it always is the same time and the same day. He asks for the soothsayer he threw in the tower. Winston asks the soothsayer why everything is the same and why time stopped? And the soothsayer is the Doctor and he replies that “A woman” happened.