PART 2 of 2
Written by Matthew Graham
Directed by Julian Simpson
“I am, and always will be, the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes, and the dreamer of improbable dreams.”
WARNING: even MORE SPOILERS near the end of this review…you get one warning!
Well…just when you think you know what you’re in for…
This will actually be a pretty brief review…for the simple reason that I find The Almost People a virtually seamless continuation of last week’s The Rebel Flesh. The visual aesthetics, the storytelling, the acting…all of it remains at the same level of quality. Watching The Almost People you will find:
a continuing validation of Doctor Who’s social conscience, and a continuation of its return visit to the series’ early 1970s, heart-on-its-sleeve soap box politics; Malcolm Hulke would have been pleased with the conclusion — not everyone comes out unscathed, but everyone learns something, and the entire experience is worthwhile for both humans & gangers…
a surprising resistance to stereotypes…and the biggest one of all is to show that Amy isn’t quite as clever — or quite as tolerant — as she appears to be…or wishes to be…
a welcome continuation of Rory’s stepping-up on the character front, and the wonderful sense that Arthur Darvill is becoming the series’ “everyman”, in much the same way as Colm Meaney filled the role on Star Trek-DS9 as Chief O’Brien…
The only new addition to the episode’s equation is the second “ganger” Doctor. Graham’s script manages to subvert our expectations by playing up just how alike these two Doctors can be…to the point where even Amy must conclude that he can be TWO amazing men, simultaneously. They also have no real antagonism with each other…if anything, they seem to be able to process the random connections of the past five episodes with greater ease, from TWO non-linear points of view. But if you’re not picking up on these lightning-fast clues, never mind…just sit back and enjoy Matt Smith’s delightful double-act with himself.
But the question remains: why did the Doctor come to this acid-and-flesh factory, at this time? It seems he DID have an ulterior motive…and that purpose is…
…SPOILER ALERT…
…that Amy is a MORE ADVANCED GANGER! Has been for…who knows HOW long! This is the reason why she has been seeing (eye patch woman) and feeling things that don’t seem to be connected to her present condition: the REAL Amy is REALLY pregnant, and about to give birth!
And the Doctor & Rory are coming to get her…
So…a sudden, violent mind-shredding lead-in to the mid-season finale…and an interesting left-turn on which to conclude a solid, old-fashioned slice of Doctor Who, made with all the panache possessed by the current series.
But GOOD LORD! That cliffhanger? I HAVE TO WAIT A WEEK? ARGH!!!
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