Episode Title: "Amy's Choice"
Writers: Simon Nye
Director: Catherine Morshead
Previously on "Doctor Who":
The Doctor (Matt Smith) plucked Rory (Arthur Darvill) from his bachelor party and sent him and Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) back in time to Venice for a romantic getaway. While there, the trio encountered a race of vampires that tried to destroy Venice. After saving the day, the Doctor was unnerved by an otherworldly quiet that fell upon Venice, heralding the end of the universe itself...
Story:
Five years from now, the Doctor returns to Leadworth and finds Rory married to Amy, who is now pregnant with her first child. After a few moments to catch up, the Doctor and his friends suddenly fall asleep and awaken back on the Tardis. The Doctor and his crew quickly realize that they had the same dream and find themselves switching back and forth between the two realities, unable to tell which is the truth.
When they return to the Tardis, they are confronted by the Dream Lord (Toby Jones) who challenges them to determine which is the dream and which is reality. On the now powerless Tardis, the crew is threatened by a Cold Star, while in Leadworth, the elderly residents of the town reveal that they are possessed by aliens as they attempt to kill every young person that they can find. The Dream Lord takes a particular interest in Amy and wants to force her to choose not only between the two realities, but between the Doctor and Rory as well. While the Doctor is convinced that the Tardis is the true reality, Rory argues that Leadworth is real, leaving Amy unable to initially pick one.
After barricading themselves in their house, Amy begins to go into labor. However, Rory is killed by the aliens and pleads with Amy to take care of their child. Distraught, Amy lashes out at the Doctor and declares that the Leadworth reality is false. She doesn't even care if she's wrong, she only wants to be reunited with Rory, whom she truly loves. The Doctor and Amy intentionally crash their car, killing themselves and sending them back to the Tardis. Amy is reunited with Rory moments before the Doctor causes the Tardis to explode, freeing them from the second dream world.
Afterwards, the Doctor explains that the Dream Lord was a manifestation of his dark side from some stray psychic pollen, while Amy and Rory recommit to each other. The Doctor initially seems happy for them, but he soon appears deeply troubled by the sight of the Dream Lord's face in his reflection.
Breakdown:
"If we're gonna die, let's die looking like a Peruvian folk band"
I suspect that this episode was conceived as a way to shoot a story without having to spend a lot of money, as at least half of the scenes take place on the Tardis. But it's still a really solidly executed show.
The producers of "Doctor Who" have successfully flipped the dynamic between the Doctor and his companions. For the majority of the last few seasons, the companion (Rose Tyler and Martha Jones, for example) has fallen in love with the Doctor. But now with Rory and Amy, the Doctor is the third wheel in that relationship.
For the first time this season, the cast felt like a true ensemble. The Doctor's horror at Rory and Amy's domestic bliss was a welcome undercurrent to the new dynamic. To a certain extent, it really seems like the Doctor and Rory don't like each other at all, but that's probably born out of their competition for Amy's attention. That she actually chooses Rory over everything else (even her own potentially unborn child) speaks volumes for her. Rory's death in the episode was also very touching, as was Amy's determination to see him again.
Toby Jones was in rare form as the Dream Lord, who probably won't be back to reprise his role, despite his brief reappearance at the end. As a dark mirror of the of the Doctor, Jones was eerily creepy — especially when he implies that he wants to keep Amy for himself while posing in that open front shirt. In regards to the Doctor's dark side, he's pretty close to the Valeyard (who really should show up on this series at some point).
It's also interesting to note that the Doctor almost immediately identifies the Dream Lord as an aspect of himself when he states "there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do." That's a level of self-loathing we haven't really seen from the Doctor before. And the Dream Lord's comments take on a darker perspective when you know that it's really coming from the Doctor himself.
But even in his worst dreams, the Doctor can't stop himself from trying to save as many people as he can. When the Doctor failed to save Rory in the village, Amy's icy condemnation of him was simply "then what is the point of you?," delivered with intensity by Gillan (who continues to be an impressive companion).
In terms of humor, nothing quite topped the "Night of the Living Old People" moments when the Doctor and his companions ran from the possessed villagers. Director Catherine Morshead uses several shots that seem directly lifted from famous zombie movies as the old people shuffle towards their victims. The old man using his walker in the field was particularly funny.
While the cold star on the Tardis was also a visually interesting threat, the revelation that the entire episode was caused by "psychic pollen" was kind of a cop out. It would have been more interesting if there had actually been a Dream Lord and it seems like a missed opportunity to add another villain to the Doctor's rogue's gallery.
Crave Online Rating: 8.5 out of 10
