# Doctor Who Season 5 US pace thread. \[No Spoilers until US Airing\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640 "2010-04-19T17:00:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/281 "2010-07-27T19:23:10Z")
I like having two traveling companions. It opens up the story. You get viewpoints of the places and times the Doctor visits. I’m not sure how well it will work having married companions. Real World- I’d be very, very worried about my wife’s safety. The Doctor gets into some dangerous situations. I guess in fiction they’ll ignore it or make fun of any concerns about danger. The danger is there. Amy and Rory both died once during the series. I’m curious if anything is said about one of them dying and leaving the other alone. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/282 "2010-07-27T19:40:11Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Well, once Susan left, the ‘_Susan_, woman, man’ pattern couldn’t, by definition continue… Well, continuing Susan was the _first_ companion to leave, the only way to salvage any valid meaning from your post was to interpret it generously as _Susan or similar character_, woman, man, which is exactly what happened. Vicky was a direct and obvious replacement for Susan. The second Doctor traveled with Jamie and Victoria, and with Jamie and Zoe. Despite having an androgynous name and a skirt, Jamie was all man. It wasn’t until the third Doctor that the single young female companion became the norm, and as mentioned there have been plenty of exceptions since then. Not coincidentally, the third Doctor was stronger and more vigorous than his predecessors and more likely to engage his enemies in physical combat. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/283 "2010-07-27T19:48:01Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The danger is there. Amy and Rory both died once during the series. I’m curious if anything is said about one of them dying and leaving the other alone. Except by this point they may have come to think of death as only a temporary setback. Heck, even being completely erased from existence proved not to be such a big deal in the long run. It could be quite poignant if somehow one of them did truly die and stay dead. I imagine the other wouldn’t ever completely accept it. The problem dramatically is that the audience would never believe it either. It will be difficult to use the potential or actual death of a companion for any real dramatic tension for some time. ETA: Yeesh. Hopefully the typos in my previous post don’t render it completely unintelligible. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/284 "2010-07-27T19:49:28Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > > [@Tengu](#): > > > > Well, once Susan left, the ‘_Susan_, woman, man’ pattern couldn’t, by definition continue… > > Well, continuing Susan was the _first_ companion to leave, the only way to salvage any valid meaning from your post was to interpret it generously as _Susan or similar character_, woman, man, which is exactly what happened. Vicky was a direct and obvious replacement for Susan. > > The second Doctor traveled with Jamie and Victoria, and with Jamie and Zoe. Despite having an androgynous name and a skirt, Jamie was all man. > > It wasn’t until the third Doctor that the single young female companion became the norm, and as mentioned there have been plenty of exceptions since then. Not coincidentally, the third Doctor was stronger and more vigorous than his predecessors and more likely to engage his enemies in physical combat. Yeah, I think that [Venusian Aikido](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venusian_Aikido) would be great for the current Doctor to use. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/285 "2010-07-27T19:52:19Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > > [@aceplace57](#): > > > > The danger is there. Amy and Rory both died once during the series. I’m curious if anything is said about one of them dying and leaving the other alone. > > Except by this point they may have come to think of death as only a temporary setback. Heck, even being completely erased from existence proved not to be such a big deal in the long run. It could be quite poignant if somehow one of them did truly die and stay dead. I imagine the other wouldn’t ever completely accept it. The problem dramatically is that the audience would never believe it either. It will be difficult to use the potential or actual death of a companion for any real dramatic tension for some time. Although it has been done in the past - [Adric](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adric) Also, something I’ve wondered about. If the crack in the wall erased Amy’s parents, then how could she have been born? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/286 "2010-07-27T20:02:41Z")
Being “erased” doesn’t seem to erase all evidence of your existence. The Doctor specifically mentioned “faces in photographs, luggage, [and] half-eaten meals” as things that might remain behind. I guess he could have added “children,” but that might have been too much of a giveaway at that point. > [@Nobody](#): > > Although it has been done in the past - [Adric](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adric) And the aforementioned Katarina and Sara, although again it’s questionable as to whether they really count. But those were a long time ago, and there have been many fake deaths (and quasi-deaths, such as being trapped in a parallel universe with no possibility of coming back, really, we mean it this time) since then. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/287 "2010-07-27T20:59:12Z")
[QUOTE=TWDuke;12733240Well, continuing Susan was the _first_ companion to leave, the only way to salvage any valid meaning from your post was to interpret it generously as _Susan or similar character_, woman, man, which is exactly what happened.[/QUOTE] Like I said, I’d forgotten that Susan left before Ian and Barbara. I’m not sure if I conflated Vicky with Susan - possible - or if Ian and Barbara were just that bland, that I forgot their presence - very possible…they were the least interesting companions of any I saw. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/288 "2010-07-28T02:16:53Z")
I wouldn’t worry too much about Amy or Rory buying the farm permanently. Stephan Moffett seems addicted to happy endings. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/289 "2010-07-28T19:34:21Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > So the reaction seems to be about the same. I hoped so! But I’m curious: Sean and Snoopy, is it okay that Rory’s back? > > While it would have been ballsier to leave him erased, I’m cool with having him back around. He may not be the best companion, but he’s nowhere near the worst. And I have a feeling that marriage is going to help him lose a lot of his dweebiness; he doesn’t have to fret about whether Amy’s really committed to him. Ditto. The man really proved himself by standing watch over the Pandorica for 1900 years, and he wasn’t even a human. Looking forward to the next season with this bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/290 "2010-07-28T19:46:55Z")
If Rory retains his memories of those 1900 years, does he retain any skills learned during that period? If so, he may prove to be one of the most interesting companions in years. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/291 "2010-07-28T20:06:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If Rory retains his memories of those 1900 years, does he retain any skills learned during that period? If so, he may prove to be one of the most interesting companions in years. That’s a good point. It seems like that would be such a good thing to write with: the genuinely odd and alien Doctor, the impetuous Alpha Female, and her quiet but very wise and deeply courageous husband. At the very least Rory will have improved his swordfighting-with-a-broom skills over the centuries. That’s a new Tardis crew combo to look forward to. Can’t wait! However I wouldn’t be too surprised if Rory and Amy aren’t in the Christmas Special much. Just a feeling, rather than any actual knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/292 "2010-07-28T20:18:01Z")
I would really like to see the fact that Rory has a head full of Roman stuff and 2,000 years of experience (even if most of it was spent guarding a cube) pay off. Amy should also have two complete sets of memories: the little orphan girl who was abandoned by the Doctor but as a young adult had several incredible adventures with him, and the young woman who stayed in Leadworth with two loving parents before willing her imaginary friend into existence. From the final scene, though, it appears their personalities and relationship are essentially the same as they were before, with Amy calling the shots and not having a whole lot of respect for Rory. It will be interesting to see if it plays out any differently. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/293 "2010-07-28T21:33:43Z")
Maybe a dumb question: Rory is human again after the reboot, right? Real flesh and blood, not just an Auton with a soul? Great season finale! Once again, (as I think I’ve posted earlier in this thread) the great thing about the writing this season is that it often makes practical use of the reality of time travel in the Whoniverse. Instead of just using it as an excuse to set up historical or futuristic stories, they are making time travel an integral part of the conflict and resolution in some of the stories–moreso, it seems to me, than they’ve done in the past. When the Doctor started hopping back and forth in time to set up his and Amy’s rescue–like leaving the sonic screwdriver for Rory, and the note on the museum pamphlet for Amelia–was anyone else reminded of _Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure_ and the scene at the police station? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/294 "2010-07-28T22:02:27Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Maybe a dumb question: Rory is human again after the reboot, right? Real flesh and blood, not just an Auton with a soul? Looks like it. > [@](#): > > Great season finale! Once again, (as I think I’ve posted earlier in this thread) the great thing about the writing this season is that it often makes practical use of the reality of time travel in the Whoniverse. Instead of just using it as an excuse to set up historical or futuristic stories, they are making time travel an integral part of the conflict and resolution in some of the stories–moreso, it seems to me, than they’ve done in the past. Moffat’s good at that in a way that RTD perhaps wasn’t so strong on. > [@](#): > > When the Doctor started hopping back and forth in time to set up his and Amy’s rescue–like leaving the sonic screwdriver for Rory, and the note on the museum pamphlet for Amelia–was anyone else reminded of _Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure_ and the scene at the police station? 🙂 Doctor Who has always looked to Bill and Ted for inspiration. Similarly Star Trek. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/295 "2010-07-28T22:02:53Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Maybe a dumb question: Rory is human again after the reboot, right? Real flesh and blood, not just an Auton with a soul? He should be - the universe was recreated from scratch with input from Amy and the Doctor (and maybe River and Rory), and it seems unlikely that they’d remember Rory back into existence as an Auton. Besides, he had to live his human life, and I think his parents, Amy, and her parents would be rather confused by his being a 6’ tall mannequin for his whole life. (As would he before his Auton-memories reasserted themselves.) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/296 "2010-07-28T22:24:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If Rory retains his memories of those 1900 years, does he retain any skills learned during that period? If so, he may prove to be one of the most interesting companions in years. I was thinking the same thing. It’ll suck if he really just spent those years obliviously staring at a wall. That doesn’t make him cool for being so faithful. That should make him really creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/297 "2010-07-28T22:33:36Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I was thinking the same thing. It’ll suck if he really just spent those years obliviously staring at a wall. That doesn’t make him cool for being so faithful. That should make him really creepy. According to the actual shown show on television, he didn’t spend it all staring at a wall. Did you miss the legend bits? Even if he had just stared at a wall for 1900 years, it wouldn’t have made him creepy. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/298 "2010-07-28T23:19:35Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Besides, he had to live his human life, and I think his parents, Amy, and her parents would be rather confused by his being a 6’ tall mannequin for his whole life. (As would he before his Auton-memories reasserted themselves.) Very good point, and pretty conclusive if you ask me. Also, just after the Doctor appears at the wedding, Rory says something to the person next to him (Amy’s mother, I think.) It’s easily missed as there’s other stuff going on at the moment, but it’s something to the effect of _How could we not remember the Doctor? I was plastic. He was the stripper at my stag party. It’s a long story._ The key phrase there is “I was plastic,” indicating he’s not now. So he loses the cool hand-gun, but his chances of eventually fathering Amy’s child are much higher. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/299 "2010-07-29T12:48:47Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > > [@levdrakon](#): > > > > I was thinking the same thing. It’ll suck if he really just spent those years obliviously staring at a wall. That doesn’t make him cool for being so faithful. That should make him really creepy. > > According to the actual shown show on television, he didn’t spend it all staring at a wall. Did you miss the legend bits? Even if he had just stared at a wall for 1900 years, it wouldn’t have made him creepy. Yeah, I remember the legend of the Roman dude guarding the Pandorica. It was awhile ago I saw it though. He pulled the Pandorica to safety during… was it WWII, during a fire? He was still wearing Roman drag according to the drawing they showed. Anyhoo, I’m not going to overthink it. I like Rory, and don’t think the 2000 years is going to affect him much, but it will be cool if he has an immortal’s perspective on historical events occasionally. Maybe we could have a Rory/Capt. Jack crossover at some point in the past. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640/300 "2010-07-29T14:52:48Z")
Rory is new, flesh and blood - the Rory that stayed with the Pandorica was an image of Rory after he was killed and pulled into the crack - it had his personality - point being that Rory would do what Rory done. Good on ya mate, Indeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-5-us-pace-thread-no-spoilers-until-us-airing/536640.md?page=16)