The Salvation of Saint John

HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!  

I would like to apologize for the blog post title. The titles of Arrow and Doctor Who this week just don't mash together well. That said, I've got some reviews for you today so quickly on to the obligatory:

SPOILER WARNING

If you have not seen last week's episodes of Arrow or Doctor Who, please leave the blog and come back later. The following reviews will contain spoilers. And yes, I am considering last night's episode of Doctor Who last week's episode due to it having aired on a Saturday and now it's Sunday so... there you go.

Arrow - "Salvation" - Review

I really loved this episode. But first, I have to get a random cross-fandom observation out of the way: It's really kind of strange hearing Alex Kingston speak in an American accent. I kept expecting an English lilt to pop out, and then was slightly disappointed when it didn't. Thank you, Doctor Who, you've made things weird for this show, again. Okay, onto the episode.

I thought Thea and Roy's relationship was rather realistic. She's changed from her druggy ways and excepts him to change, too. He's grown up in a bad part of town where all he knows is the bad stuff. It's what he goes home to and wakes up to everyday. And then he gets kidnapped in the middle of their fight. I'm extremely glad Roy didn't die, though I didn't actually expect him to. I'm glad he and Thea have sort of patched things up after his almost death. Looks like Roy's gonna have to solves the mystery of "The Hood." Ya know, since he has the mini-arrow and all.

I thought Felicity was amazing. She was her usual tech-brilliant self with a couple of amusing bits thrown in. I'm so glad she's joined the... these guys really need a name, I can't call everyone "Scoobies"... Olly's team. I thought her reaction to the DA's death was realistic and I'm glad Olly's gonna be her person to talk to. Those moments were very sweet.

I liked the way Laurel showed her parents that the girl in the photo wasn't Sarah. I liked Tommy doing the big brother thing with Thea, freeing Olly up to be the hero. I'm really happy Olly's decided not to isolate himself anymore.

Speaking of which, the going on in the island flashbacks were... uninteresting. I feel like the small bits being fed to us aren't enough. They aren't holding my interest as they should be. I feel like they need to be focused on more. That said, I hope we find out what Fyers is up to sooner, rather than later.

Lastly, Mrs. Queen is getting herself in way over her head. It's clear from the end of that scene that things are just now hitting home for her. Having her husband and son killed and then her new husband kidnapped just hasn't done it, I don't think. Having someone killed in front of her, I think, has shocked her system, as it were. I did like that she pleaded with Mr. Merlyn, who she didn't know was Mr. Merlyn, not to kill her friend's daughter.

Doctor Who - "The Bells of Saint John" - Review

Turns out, the concept's much more interesting than I thought it would be when I heard what it was on The Doctor Who Podcast. Also, dude! The Great Intelligence! I did not see that coming! It was a wonderful surprise at the end of the episode.

I absolutely love love love Clara. She's cute, she's quick, she's clever, she's - as Sarah Jane Smith says about Rose - more than a match for The Doctor. I think my favorite parts of the episode were the tug-of-war across the table and when she tells him to come back tomorrow at the end. Those moments just made me grin. I can't wait to have her doing the companion thing for real.

I thought the way people had their personalities/feelings/minds hacked was pretty cool. However, a hike in IQ doesn't correlate to increased creativity. I feel like that's a completely different area of the brain, even if he was trying to reverse hack things. Anyway, not sure exactly what they wanted with Clara, seeing as they tried to get her a) before she met The Doctor and then b) were going out of their way to get her. She's either connected to The Great Intelligence somehow or he knows she's special. Hmmm...

I thought The Doctor was brilliant, as he usually is. I seriously thought he'd been taken over by the Spoonheads till I saw him come up behind it. That was a very tense commercial break when I watched it the first time, I tell you what. The Doctor also had me completely taken in by the switch he pulled with the Spoonhead. I probably would have cheered if I'd been watching by myself. That bit was just... Gah! Brilliant.

Couple things about technical show details:

• LOVE the new TARDIS "desktop theme." Like, a lot.
• LOVE the new title sequence. It's all spacey and stuff.
• Really liked the new music.

In closing, I can't wait for this Saturday. I want more!

Love ya, Jessie.