In which I review Curse of the Black Spot

This week's episode centred on the TARDIS gang's adventures on a pirate ship cursed by a Siren which was actually an emergency medical hologram from a spaceship in a parallel dimension which was parked in the exact same space of the pirate ship and she used reflective surfaces to come through to the pirate ship's dimension and take its crew to the parallel-dimensional spaceship to "cure" them of being human but that "cure" actually meant they had to stay on the spaceship forever.

In my opinion, let NO ONE say that this was just a filler episode, because I enjoyed it the most out of any episode so far this series.

Yeah, I did just say that.

The thing I loved about this episode (which basically encompasses the entire 45 minutes of it) was that it combined every single thing I love about Doctor Who - every single reason why I watch this show. A rollicking plot that made you unexpectedly shed a tear or two? Check. Real, multidimensional characters that made you feel for them without cramming pathos down your throat? Check. A refreshingly (and surprisingly) sci-fi take on a human legend? Check. Moments of ridiculous yet warm humour? Check. And finally, an ending that somehow managed to be even more than the sum of its incredible parts? Check.

So, let's go through all of these (I don't really feel like doing a summary-type review, since every part of this was just such a joy that I'd be squeeing delightedly to you all the way through and there isn't really any overreaching arc that's been newly introduced).

First, plot. Loved it. It was absurd, yes, but in the best Doctor Who tradition: makes sense in the logic of the Whoniverse, doesn't make the slightest bit of sense in any other sort of thought process. Why did the Siren choose reflective surfaces to come between dimensions? How did she recognize Amy's wedding ring as a sign of her responsibility for Rory? Why does it matter? Unlike plot glitches which weaken the integrity of the central story or the reasoning behind certain characters' actions, these questions are ones that don't have to be answered in the Whoniverse - and in fact, can't be answered without taking some of the "fi" out of "sci-fi".

Besides, you're watching a show where a hologram travels between dimensions from a spaceship to a pirate ship. I think you've got to suspend your disbelief a little.

Second, characters. What really reeled me in about this episode was the real, believable relationships between the Captain and his son, between Amy and Rory (yes I know there's nothing new there, but there were added layers of depth), between the Doctor and his companions, and between the Doctor and the Captain. Though the Captain and Toby were new characters, brought to the screen for a brief 45-minute life, they felt like people to me, not plot devices.

Also, bromance. Just sayin'

 And I know people feel a little fed up with the constant Amy-Rory business ("I love you!" "No you don't, you love the Doctor/this space tramp/your future clone/etc!" "NO RLY I LOAAAF U" *kisses*) but I think it was different here. First off, Amy never really thought Rory loved the Siren more than her, she was just miffed. Second, this was a really well-done reversal in which Amy was the one saving Rory, Amy was the one holding strong for him. And in a lovely way too: while the Doctor was still the "hero" of the episode, figuring out the twist with Time Lord smarts and logicking the general solution, Amy saved Rory in a way that only fallible humans would use: good old CPR. I stand by my opinion; I thought this was done beautifully. Not in a way that tried to go OH LOOK RORY'S DEAD FOREVER, because of course no one would believe that, but in a way that cemented their relationship even further. There's no rule that says relationships can't deepen over a series, and when you're travelling in the TARDIS they're likely to deepen over you both saving each other's lives. So in conclusion, no I didn't think it was cliche or harping on a tired theme, I thought it was a perfect way of showing how Amy's and Rory's relationship (as well as both of theirs with the Doctor) is strengthening over the course of shared adventures.

/endrant

I totally didn't post this picture because it had Rory's naked back, oh no.

And now, the sci-fi. Anything even vaguely Trek-reminiscent tickles my heart, and this...

...set it full on gasping and choking. BIOBEDS. WITH AN EMH. I CAN'T I JUST CAN'T EVEN. (Okay, this part of my review is somewhat biased.)

The humour is pretty self-explanatory, I think. Nice one-liners by Smith as always, good riffing on the Captain, etc.

And finally, the ending. Moffat, for all his twisted nightmarish visions, is at heart a Good Fairy.

Just imagine a tiara and a pair of wings on that. I don't feel like Photoshopping.

His theme is "everybody lives"; we've seen it in Empty Child/Doctor Dances, in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, Pandorica Opens/Big Bang, and again here. When River says, "That impossible man...He just can't give in", I feel she's talking about Moffat just as much as she's talking about the Doctor. Here, yes, the crew didn't exactly get off scot-free - being trapped in a spacegoing version of the Flying Dutchman's ship is a bit of a bittersweet ending - but they're alive, they're together, and the Captain's with his son travelling through the stars. It's an ending that's not a perfect reset, but offers us a reaffirmation of life anyway. That's why I loved it.

So all in all, though it may be an unpopular opinion, I stand by it: this episode made me happier than any DW episode has made me in a long long time, there was nothing I did not like about it, and it embodied all the reasons why I love this show. And that's why...

Verdict: 5/5

Yep, I went there.

Predictions, theories, and other tidbits:

- Don't think I mentioned it above, but Eleven was once again in fine form, being the Sherlock in a bowtie and logicking out the solution while constantly revising it (Blood! No, injury! Water! No, reflective surfaces!). Loved it.

- Quick Matt Smith's Expression Appreciation Moment: when he's smiling at Toby, you really see how warmly he appreciates the boy's courage, how paternal he feels without overdoing the "I'm really really really old" thing:

- Interesting Midas-like moral here: give up the gold to find your true treasure. If this were a class paper I'd embark on a Marxist analysis of this episode. Fortunately this is not class and I do not have to bore you out of your skulls.

- Eyepatch woman shows up again! I'm not going to try theorizing about her because I don't even know where to begin. Evidently she's looking in from some other dimension or plane, and insinuating that Amy's dreaming all of this (or remembering it, or hallucinating it, whatever). But yeah, nice nod to the arc there.

- Was semi-expecting an "Amy gets hooked by the Siren" bit. I suppose girl-on-girl is still a little too risque for 6pm Britain, though. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it didn't happen, but after all the sex jokes in "Space" and "Time", I would not have been surprised if they'd gone there.

- Finally, let's also have a Matt Smith's Hat Appreciation Moment.

That's all for now. Agree? Disagree? Let me know; I'd love to hear your thoughts. Other than that, till next week. Happy squeeing!