Here’s the thing—there is absolutely no reason for Rory and
Amy to be tagging along after the Doctor anymore. What inspires this thought?
The sight of this young, newlywed couple playing a lackluster game of darts
while the old man fiddles with gadgets and some blaring music echoes off the
TARDIS’ walls. By all rights they should be enjoying a lively round in a
neighborhood pub, surrounded by friends while downing a pint of ale after
having cheered on their favorite team on the telly.
Initially Amy was running away from life when she hitched a
ride with the Doctor. It was the night before her wedding and she was scared of
the future. But she is married now. Why is she still running? I can see why
Rory is there—he’s tagging along after his wife, although at some point he
should start taking his doubts as to her fidelity seriously and put his foot
down. It is selfish of the Doctor to keep this young couple from starting their
life together, establishing roots, planning a family, setting up house and
home.
Why would they give it up, you ask—the exciting life in the
TARDIS, visiting alien worlds, embarking on thrilling adventures? Well, from
what I can see, excitement in the TARDIS consists of darts and bunk beds. Then they
spend the majority of their time on Earth, so you can throw the alien worlds
argument out the door. And those thrilling adventures are more psychological
torment than anything of late, not to mention the continual life and death
rollercoaster Rory is on. I just do not see that they are having any fun.
Oh, well there is that pesky pregnancy test that can’t make
up its mind, so I guess the Doctor needs to keep Amy around to resolve that
hanging thread. Let’s get on with it already.
The Rebel Flesh is getting on with it already, in its long
and drawn out way. Another story in service to the arc.
The TARDIS makes a seemingly random landing at a converted monastery
on (where else?) Earth, except it is evident from the start that this was
intentional by the Doctor. He has a reason for being there, and it can be one
of two things. Either the acid that is being mined there or, more obviously,
the Flesh that is used in the mining operation.
It is, of course, the Flesh. The acid is incidental—it is
only there to provide an excuse for the Flesh. It is a rather flimsy excuse,
but it will do. Realistically, any major corporation with its eye on profit
would not waste money on what I can only imagine is an expensive technology
when I am sure there are a host of less costly methods for extracting the acid
without incident. For one thing, they could train their staff better, or get a
better quality, more sure-footed staff. Perhaps knowing that it is a Ganger on
the job makes them less safety conscious which leads to more accidents. If they
knew it was their life on the line these workers might not be so careless. However,
the least expensive and simplest way to cut back on deaths would be to invest
in some lids for the vats of acid that the technicians have to stand
precariously over. Or how about move the equipment they have to work on to
areas that are not so inconvenient to access?
At this point I am wondering why the Doctor didn’t go to a
Flesh factory if that is his real interest.
But he didn’t. He came to an acid factory with a vat of
Flesh on hand that also happens to be under a solar storm warning. The story
that emerges from this arc saddled device is a decent enough if not spectacular
base under siege scenario.
The Rebel Flesh, as the first in a two parter, sets up the
characters and their Ganger counterparts for us. It is a standard issue cast,
some more fully fleshed out than others if you’ll pardon the expression.
Jennifer is the standout, both in her human and Ganger form, and the
relationship she establishes with Rory in the brief span of time is believable.
It’s nice to see Rory chase after someone other than Amy, and for Amy to do a
bit of chasing after Rory for a change. The scene of Ganger Jennifer recounting
her childhood memories and asserting herself as an individual is most
effective. “I am not a factory part,” she declares in defiance, thus stating the
most compelling theme of the story. Unfortunately it gets lost along the way.
“Us and them” is the central conflict that the show is
setting up, and it doesn’t take the time to explore the moral and psychological
aspects in detail. It gives us brief and powerful scenes as related above, but
then takes action genre shortcuts to move the plot along. Thus we have Cleaves,
for no apparent reason, arming herself with a zapper of some sort and going on
a murderous rampage.
“They’re monsters; mistakes; they have to be destroyed.”
This is not a sane and rational leader talking. It is all the more puzzling
because up to that point I thought the show was presenting Cleaves as a
hard-nosed but respected manager of people, not an unstable personality. Ganger
Cleaves is more intriguing as she comments on her alter ego: “Oh great. You
see, that is just so typically me.” Except that it doesn’t seem typical at all.
It would make more sense if Jennifer went berserk to mirror her Ganger.
Speaking of which, the CGI Ganger Jen with her rubber arms
and neck abilities is very cheesy and unnecessary.
The show needs the ‘us
vs. them’ mentality to make the drama work, though, and so it resorts to
stereotypical thriller behavior. Because the Doctor is right, there really is
no reason for anyone to be terrified of the Gangers going on a “walkabout.” Cause
for concern perhaps, but no need to fly off the handle just yet. Especially
since the Doctor has been able to reason with the Gangers and is bringing them
all together to work things out. Thus the need for Cleaves to go off her rocker
and force them into war.
The other members rounding out our cast aren’t particularly
memorable. Dicken and Buzzer are interchangeable except that Dicken has a cold
and Buzzer is inordinately proud of his rudimentary card house making
abilities. Jimmy is the one with a son.
It is a decent enough adventure, but it doesn’t end. This
was just the beginning, and as the credits roll I’m thinking, do we really need
another hour of them running around in dark corridors?
However, the cliffhanger is outstanding as Ganger Doctor
emerges:
“It’s frightening, unexpected, frankly a total, utter
splattering mess on the carpet, but I am certain, one hundred percent certain,
that we can work this out. Trust me. I’m the Doctor.”
It is a bold statement he makes, Gary; one that, frankly, he
won’t be able to live up to. But it is a stunning moment to leave the episode
on.
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