The Impossible Astronaut

Well, I was pretty much blown away by it. The Doctor dying? Amy shooting a kid? That's one Hell of a way to start a series! And those creatures are downright creepy...

What did everyone else think?

I agree about the alien creatures...very disturbing and very effective.

The performances were all good, the script fine, and it certainly whets the appitite for next week and the rest of the series.

There was something of an X-Files feel to this one, I think. Those aliens wouldn't have been out of place facing Mulder and Scully.

Well, there were a lot of American accents and dark rooms, I suppose.

I personally think it had more humour, panache, style, wit, suspense and imagination in its 43 odd minutes than all the X Files filed together.

And it had a stetson. Stetson's are cool.

I was uncomfortable with River going around shooting stuff all the time, but damn did that P.O.V. get a rebuttal in the last minute of the episode.

Obviously I wasn't expecting

Spoiler:

, so Moffat gets 100 points for successfully surprising the audience.

I think the member of the Tardis crew I sympathise with most is Rory, who has to be the sensible one and do what he's told. It takes strength to do that.

One wonders why Amy had to choose that particular moment to tell the Doctor

Spoiler:

... perhaps all will be revealed next Saturday.

I think rory is rapidly becoming one of my favourite companions. His world weary attitude and total lack of enthusiasm for rushing into danger are just such a wonderful contrast to the others.

tony ingram wrote:I think rory is rapidly becoming one of my favourite companions. His world weary attitude and total lack of enthusiasm for rushing into danger are just such a wonderful contrast to the others.

Someone has to be the only sane person aboard the Tardis. Perhaps it comes from being a nurse. Nurses are very practical.

Wow! The Doctor is DEAD? Gotta see that!! Is it on iplayer? I'll take a look and hopefully take a look...

GBF wrote:Wow! The Doctor is DEAD? Gotta see that!! Is it on iplayer? I'll take a look and hopefully take a look...

It should be on iplayer. You'll appreciate the setting...

Just watched and I enjoyed it (and, you won't believe me, but I'm afraid it's true fellas - I have driven down that very road in an RV! Back in 1988. It's Death Valley. I think it was also where Clint Eastwood was climbing in 'The Eiger Sanction'. Anyway - it's VERY hot there (up to 60ºC) at mid-day and VERY cold at night. But beautiful). Back to the Doc: I enjoyed the show, except for the stereotype aliens (they always have to make some kind of clicking noise, don't they?). The Nixon guy was great, but no Secret Service advises the president that there is 'a clear and present danger'. (Nice line from Curly when the Doctor said "you can't just shoot me" - she replied with, "They're Americans!". Great line! And weren't the Secret Service detail a long time in responding! The curly haired woman is sexier than Ms Pond - not that Ms Pond isn't nice (sexism rules, I'm afraid!). I particularly enjoyed the camera work and the music in the background: it was more like a film than a TV show. I'll watch the rest of the story, no doubt. Two things: Matt Smith still reminds me of Ninestein from Terrahawks and I wish the Doctors weren't so 'crazy' and quirky all the time. But I'll give it 7 out of 10 and will watch the next episode...

Good grief-a positive review from Fleming! They must be doing something right!

Was the spacesuit accurate enough? Come on, you're our official NASA advisor...

Okay - the space suit WAS accurate and did look like the ones that Neil and Buzz wore on the first landing. I've seen those suits close up and some of the later versions (the later mission suits changed with experience and technology etc). I was impressed - some one in the props department had done their homework. One thing though- there would be no decompression when the 'thing' in the suit pushed up the outer visor to expose the face. The outer visor had a layer of gold leaf to reflect the sun and protect the astronauts eyes. That said, on Apollo 17, Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt both lifted the gold visor when they found 'orange soil' at Taurus Littrow. Obviously they lifted them so they could get a clearer view. But, yeah, the suits were correct! All they have to do now is get rid of Matt...stand by for some FANTASTIC news regarding my 'Dark Side of the Moon' book...

Get rid of Matt!!? The man is a genius, the best Doctor since Paul McGann!!

If Matt is a genius then, I'm sorry, but I don't know what a genius is. Matt isn't even as good as Peter Cushing, who looks remarkabley like my father-in-law (www.glennbfleming.com/illustration...scroll down - he's there!!).
As for Paul McGann...he didn't have a chance really, did he? One more thing I forgot to tell you - if an Apollo astronaut in his suit were walking along a concrete floor, you wouldn't hear "Clump, Clump". You wouldn't hear anything...

I always think its only in hindsight that things can be really judged. The show in 2011 is quite different from the RTD years. I enjoyed Doc #9, (loved that first return series, in fact) but found #10 very hit or miss. Mostly hits, but lots of misses. The show in these years, especially with Tennant, bears little or no resemblance to 'The Impossible Astronaut'.

The show now is a lot more adult. If the majority of last year and this season opener is anything to go by, its also a lot darker and sombre, despite the comedic moments of interplay between the Tardis crew. It's like S18 after the high jinks of S17, but, like Tony says, with the added bonus of a stetson.

Yeah, 'serious, with a stetson' kind of sums it up.

And Matt Smith is so the Doctor. McGann never really was.

Oh, I disagree! McGann has done some excellent work in the Big Finish audio adventures (and continues to do so), so much so that he's now one of my favourite Doctors.

tony ingram wrote:Oh, I disagree! McGann has done some excellent work in the Big Finish audio adventures (and continues to do so), so much so that he's now one of my favourite Doctors.

Yes, I realise there is a whole world of Who out there I'm missing out on by not listening to the audio's, or reading the novels, and the old New Adentures books... some of which have been very very good and gone on to be adapted for the screen (Jubilee I think became 'Dalek' and very good it was too, and Paul Cornell's novel Human Nature made a successful move onto TV and was quite effective as a two parter for Tennant.) But I do have to draw the line somewhere! All that stuff is, for me, fandom making Who for fandom, mostly during a time when it was off our screens, and I've never considered myself part of any grouping as such, but rather someone who happens to really like (most) of this great TV show. So, it's on-screen Who for me or nothing.

The made for American TV Movie had its moments, (and McGann was actually one of the better things in it) but just wasn't very good IMO, so I have a hard time relating to Eight.

Still, he was better than Six.

Well, each to his own-but I consider a lot of the 'expanded Whoniverse' (to coin a phrase) stuff to be as good as or even better than some of the TV stuff, and for almost a third of the time Doctor Who has been in existence, it wasn't a TV show so for me, it's all just as legitimate. If you've never heard McGann in 'The Chimes of Midnight', you've no idea what you've missed...

tony ingram wrote: and for almost a third of the time Doctor Who has been in existence, it wasn't a TV show...

This is why we've got two different viewpoints here, why we're coming at this from two differing angles. For me, if Doctor Who isn't a TV show, it isn't in existence so you're rationale above about 'third of the time' doesn't make sense. (Just as I'm sure mine doesn't to you).

I've seen/heard/read many a ridiculious argument about what is or isn't 'canon'. For me its a question of choice. By choosing to not listen to Big Finish audio's, and therefore not listening to The Chimes Of Midnight, or reading some fan favourite novel where the Seventh Doc is revealed as a God (or something), or another where the Brig dies, I'm diminishing neither my love of Who nor my cultural life. Honest.

kembel wrote:

tony ingram wrote: and for almost a third of the time Doctor Who has been in existence, it wasn't a TV show...

This is why we've got two different viewpoints here, why we're coming at this from two differing angles. For me, if Doctor Who isn't a TV show, it isn't in existence so you're rationale above about 'third of the time' doesn't make sense. (Just as I'm sure mine doesn't to you).

So we won't be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 2013 then, since only 34 televised series' will have been shown? For me Doctor Who never went away-it simply transferred to other media in the nineties. I don't buy the fan fiction argument, either; the books and the audios were professionally produced, commercially released and licensed by the BBC, which is all I need to consider them legit. Which also means they're canon, to me. After all, the BBC have never said they're not.

I've seen/heard/read many a ridiculious argument about what is or isn't 'canon'. For me its a question of choice. By choosing to not listen to Big Finish audio's, and therefore not listening to The Chimes Of Midnight, or reading some fan favourite novel where the Seventh Doc is revealed as a God (or something), or another where the Brig dies, I'm diminishing neither my love of Who nor my cultural life. Honest.

Purely because I'm a pedant; those last two examples have never happened...

So by your, ahem, logic, we won't be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the very first moon landing in 2019 because we haven't had one every year?

And as a bigger pendant, I choose all the Big Finish audios never happened. Hey, I'm just following your rules...

Seriously, what works for you is fine. If you believe the Doc to be God whose mother was human or whatever thats fine. But if I even begin to follow your logic here, I'm in real trouble. I mean, the BBC licenced the comic strip to TV Comic once and I remember Pertwee living in a country cottage and driving a car called, 'Betsy', and they never said that wasn't canon either.

That way lies madness, I tell you, madness....

kembel wrote:So by your, ahem, logic, we won't be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the very first moon landing in 2019 because we haven't had one every year?

And as a bigger pendant, I choose all the Big Finish audios never happened. Hey, I'm just following your rules...

Seriously, what works for you is fine. If you believe the Doc to be God whose mother was human or whatever thats fine. But if I even begin to follow your logic here, I'm in real trouble. I mean, the BBC licenced the comic strip to TV Comic once and I remember Pertwee living in a country cottage and driving a car called, 'Betsy', and they never said that wasn't canon either.

That way lies madness, I tell you, madness....

Where are you getting this Doctor as God thing? It's never been stated anywhere, as far as I know. And the rather controversial line about the Doctor's mother is from a TV story, so whether we/you like it or not, I doubt anyone could seriously dispute its canonicity...

tony ingram wrote: Where are you getting this Doctor as God thing? It's never been stated anywhere, as far as I know. And the rather controversial line about the Doctor's mother is from a TV story, so whether we/you like it or not, I doubt anyone could seriously dispute its canonicity...

Oh dear, I'm actually trying to be concilatory when I say what works for you is fine. Why do you have a problem with what works for me?

My whole point is that 'canonicity' isn't for me. Canon is argued about continuiously, and it just holds no interest for me. I guess if its 'in' its widely accepted by the majority of the fan community to fall into place somewhere in the Who universe. Yeah, well the best of British to yer, trying to fit all that lot into one seamless whole.

Believe me when I say that if I want to disregard the fact that even the TV movie states him to be half human I can. You see, I just ignore it. Its a TV programme. Its not that I'm going to ever watch the TV movie again. (Come to think of it, I can completely forget about The Twin Dilema in the same way, hey, this is good)) See, its that easy.

Oh, I'm sure the God thing is there, not long after the last McCoy, in some New adventure book of the very early 90's. But, hey, if you say it isn't Tony, maybe it isn't. Your statement of 'never hearing about it before' is pretty impressive and I'm sure you've read and devoured every last one. Good for you.

I agree with Macca (I think!). Speaking of 'six' and 'eight', there were references to The Prisoner in this episode. I'd like to refer you honorable gentlemen back to a post of mine way back saying that the writers of this programme (whoever they are/were) simply don't 'get' what they have: a fantastic ADULT theme here that is constantly ignored. It's like THEY, too, believe it's just a kids programme. It's not and, in my opinion,never has been. Let's get some GRIT in there and the early slot be damned...

If that first episode is anything to go by, you might get your wish...

GBF wrote: Let's get some GRIT in there and the early slot be damned...

Yeah, I've read somewhere that Moffat isn't pleased with the early slot. But although not a commercial set up, the Beeb are still mindful of viewing figures, and I think they were looking to get the viewers early and keep 'em all evening. By all accounts the overnight figures show this didn't really work for them, as the 'unofficial' overnight figures show about 3 million viewers stopped watching the Beeb after Who had finished.

Maybe the slot will change later on. I certainly felt 'The Impossible Astronaught' seemed out of place at 6.00pm. It's not every Saturday night you see someone getting shot then their body being burned alive all by 6.15 on terrestial TV.

kembel wrote:

GBF wrote: Let's get some GRIT in there and the early slot be damned...

Yeah, I've read somewhere that Moffat isn't pleased with the early slot. But although not a commercial set up, the Beeb are still mindful of viewing figures, and I think they were looking to get the viewers early and keep 'em all evening. By all accounts the overnight figures show this didn't really work for them, as the 'unofficial' overnight figures show about 3 million viewers stopped watching the Beeb after Who had finished.

Maybe the slot will change later on. I certainly felt 'The Impossible Astronaught' seemed out of place at 6.00pm. It's not every Saturday night you see someone getting shot then their body being burned alive all by 6.15 on terrestial TV.

It's not every Saturday night you see your heroine apparently shoot at a little girl at 6.15PM....

Certainly a lot of gunslingin' seen by the end at 6.45

No more gunslingin' than the current News, whenever it's on. It's time all matured and grew up a bit. I mean, how many XXX vids did Ghengis Khan watch before he went out and conquered the world (his army got to what is now SPAIN!!). I'd just like to see less of the quirkyness and silliness in the programme. As I've said before, the whole premise of Doctor Who is tremendous and only held back by the writers imagination. The sad thing about it's slot is that it will never be watched instead X-Factor or that kind of programme. We just don't enjoy that kind of culture where drama will beat "Talent" shows.

I've never understood the appeal of that kind of programme. What is the fascination? Or am I just odd and missing something obvious.

It's EASY to watch those shows as one doesn't even need to take much notice and they don't challenge ANYTHING about those who are watching. Simon Cowell
knows this. And he's made a wad because of it. Look at his face when he's on: his eyes are already bored when he starts a new series until a SooBo comes on and his eyes say "Ca-ching". And who can blame him. Wasn't it Paul Weller who sang "The public gets what the public wants..."? Weller is another clever man. Anway, I'm missing Cheryl...

Amy's iatrolatry is getting on my nerves.

Some people are saying that a better title for the episode would have been 'The Implausible Astronaut', 'The Unlikely Astronaut' or 'The Unexpected Astronaut'.

Lucy McGough wrote:Amy's iatrolatry is getting on my nerves.

Some people are saying that a better title for the episode would have been 'The Implausible Astronaut', 'The Unlikely Astronaut' or 'The Unexpected Astronaut'.

"The Wet Astronaut"?

"The Dead Astronaut"?

'The Deadly Assasstronaut'?

"The Astronaution Factor"

"The Astronauts of Tara"

"The Astronaut Invasion"

"The Astronauts....OF DEATH!!!"

Nah, still can't top yours, Lucy

Lucy McGough wrote:'The Deadly Assasstronaut'?

That just sounds like he has dangerously bad flatulence.

Tony's just jealous of my creative genius. Pay him no attention.

Terror Of The Autonauts?

The Moonwalk?

Cape Canaveral Of Monsters?

Re-entry of the Daleks?

The MIR Robber?

The Lunar Hive?

Gravity Five?

The Asteroids Of Tara?

Horror Of Moon Rock?

The Parting Of The Milky Ways?

Vampires of Venus?

This thread appears to have been taken over by lunatics!

"About as funny as farting in a spacesuit"

Anyway of course there was a lot of shooting in this one, it's set in America! What it didn't have was advertising, so I had to watch it the next day on Iplayer. Oh well it means I have less time to wait to find out what happens!

The aliens you forget when you aren't looking at them is a decent idea, but If I was Amy i'd also have set an alarm on my phone for 10 minutes later saying "Look at the last photo you took".

Oh and also when the president suddenly turns around and sees the Doctor just standing there taking notes was amazing. Even better than the "Donna sign language" thing XD

What aliens? I didn't see any aliens.

........


Sorry, what was I talking about?

felneymike wrote:"About as funny as farting in a spacesuit"

I hate it when that happens

Obviously the aliens don't show up on film or its digital equivalent, or they'd've been captured on CCTV.

Lucy McGough wrote:Obviously the aliens don't show up on film or its digital equivalent, or they'd've been captured on CCTV.

But anyone who saw them on camera would forget it as soon as they went to tell anyone...

CCTV in 1969?

A time machine and a time traveler who regenerates in 1969? Calm down, dears!

felneymike wrote:CCTV in 1969?

CCTV was in use (though not available on the open market) in the 1940s.