S5E10: Vincent and the Doctor

Just how are you supposed to pronounce his name anyway? I had always done it "Van Go" not "Van Gof"?

Ronpur wrote:

Just how are you supposed to pronounce his name anyway? I had always done it "Van Go" not "Van Gof"?

I was under the impression that's how the French pronounce it.

Strictly speaking, I believe the "gh" is one of those annoying gutteral sounds we don't have in English, hence the wide variety of pronounciations.

Oh, and the episode was really good.

Indeed, there are about 3-4 different pronunciations, and the wiki article on Van Gogh goes over that towards the end.

In the states, we tend to pronounce it as the word "Go", whereas in French, it sounds like those Klingon bloodworms Commander Riker had to eat once *lol*

squishy wrote:

So who on the production team has a thing for William Hartnell? After 40 years of very little mention we get his image in the Season opener, but then also in a few little sight gags throughout the season. You'd think it would be Tom Baker scarf jokes or an abundance of frilly shirts in the TARDIS. As someone who loves the original Season 1 it's nice to see the man who started it all get a bit of notice.

i just watched season 1 for the first time recently and i'm surprised how much i enjoyed it and the first doctor. it's a shame the marco polo serial is lost though.
there was great chemistry between the doctor, susan, barbara, and chesterton.

I think they are really playing up the "old" angle this series for whatever happens in the finale. Showing the first Doctor is a great way to remind everyone that despite his looks, there's an old man inside.

Beautiful episode! Really deep and emotional, brought a tear to my eye. One of my favourites from the series thus far.

CJSchmidt wrote:

I think they are really playing up the "old" angle this series for whatever happens in the finale. Showing the first Doctor is a great way to remind everyone that despite his looks, there's an old man inside.

Since Moffat ending up picking a young kid instead of the middle aged actor I can see why they're slipping in a few nods to Troughton and Hartnell. Although I can't recall any scene where they've made Matt Smith play the character as incredibly old and wise. They usually let him off playing goofy and eccentric.

Best episode of the season! Beautiful and moving, definitely felt a lump in my throat at the end.

Did anyone else think the music was particularly good in this one? (The score, not necessarily the more pop oriented stuff at the end, though that was ok.).

Though I gotta say. Bill Nighy relegated to little more than an extended cameo? FAIL! I loved seeing him as Dr. Black in this ep., but when I saw the brief glimpse of him in the series trailer a few months ago, I was excited that they got him to do an episode, he's such a great actor. I was hoping he was going to be a more pivotal character.

Regardless though, I absolutely loved this episode. Matt behaved the most "Doctor-ish" to date in this one. Loved the bit when he was being chased while using the rear-view-mirror contraption.

I loved everything about this episode.

1. It was a small-scale story the likes of which the modern series often forgets in favor of big "save the universe" epics. I love an epic as much as the next guy, but I like character bits and stories that explore small setting and events, too.

2. Another historical episode...and it wasn't set in World War II! This element earns double points from this so-sick-of-WWII-he-could-vomit historian.

3. Wonderful character bits. Van Gogh was portrayed brilliantly, and while it would've been nice to see more Bill Nighy, he was perfect for this small but critical role, and his interplay with the Doctor was great.

4. We see the beauty and tragedy of the Doctor's life in the very same moments...good stuff.

5. The wacky gizmo, the abandoned invisible monster, the First and Second Doctor "cameos"...yep, this felt quite a lot like classic Who.

I've enjoyed the heck out of this season, but this episode was something really new and special, while being comfortably familiar at the same time.

mysterylad wrote:

I've enjoyed the heck out of this season, but this episode was something really new and special, while being comfortably familiar at the same time.

You know, I suppose this is why I love Doctor Who so much, its potential for VARIETY! The Cave of Skulls was so different from The Daleks which was so different from Marco Polo. Sci-fi, Horror, Historicals, Mystery, Biographies, it can be all of these and more.

Quote :

and while it would've been nice to see more Bill Nighy, he was perfect for this small but critical role, and his interplay with the Doctor was great.

Oh yes, you were nice about my tie.

Yes, and today is another cracker if I may say so.

Best. Line. Ever.

Indeed. That was awesome.

Sometime I'll write up a good comment for this one, but I'm still crying.

Van Gogh has been one of my favourite artists since I was little and seeing him portrayed so brilliantly just made this episode even more.

And you know me, I couldn't help but cry over the poor creature.

Toy? Please?

AND THEY BETTER PUT A MAJORITY OF THAT MUSIC ON THE CD!!!
~

Okay, first off, let me jut say this. Absolutely brilliant. Out of all the Historical figures we've met in the new series (1-5) this one blows them all out of the water.

Given the first half of the story it was all hype and energy, and what not (about the best way i can think of it) and all the humor thrown in as well, it really doesn't warn you about what is to come.

the second half, is just amazing. the entire ending i was in tears (with a few exceptions). in many respects, the fact that I am a writer and musician and therefore an artist, this episode really did hit close to home. so many brilliant messages and very well delivered at that.

the fact that 11 brought Vincent to the future and to hear how people see him today truly was key. it showed that 11 cared, and gave Vincent the encouragement to continue with his work, and despite the fact that he still took his own life in the end, he never gave up.

still, this is an episode I will never forget, will look to many a times, shed plenty of tears over, and recommend to my friends.

artanyus wrote:

Okay, first off, let me jut say this. Absolutely brilliant. Out of all the Historical figures we've met in the new series (1-5) this one blows them all out of the water.

Given the first half of the story it was all hype and energy, and what not (about the best way i can think of it) and all the humor thrown in as well, it really doesn't warn you about what is to come.

the second half, is just amazing. the entire ending i was in tears (with a few exceptions). in many respects, the fact that I am a writer and musician and therefore an artist, this episode really did hit close to home. so many brilliant messages and very well delivered at that.

the fact that 11 brought Vincent to the future and to hear how people see him today truly was key. it showed that 11 cared, and gave Vincent the encouragement to continue with his work, and despite the fact that he still took his own life in the end, he never gave up.

still, this is an episode I will never forget, will look to many a times, shed plenty of tears over, and recommend to my friends.

Amy and 11's reaction to meeting Van Gogh was dead-on for how we would have reacted meeting him, no?

~

a1cmustangpilot wrote:

artanyus wrote:

Okay, first off, let me jut say this. Absolutely brilliant. Out of all the Historical figures we've met in the new series (1-5) this one blows them all out of the water.

Given the first half of the story it was all hype and energy, and what not (about the best way i can think of it) and all the humor thrown in as well, it really doesn't warn you about what is to come.

the second half, is just amazing. the entire ending i was in tears (with a few exceptions). in many respects, the fact that I am a writer and musician and therefore an artist, this episode really did hit close to home. so many brilliant messages and very well delivered at that.

the fact that 11 brought Vincent to the future and to hear how people see him today truly was key. it showed that 11 cared, and gave Vincent the encouragement to continue with his work, and despite the fact that he still took his own life in the end, he never gave up.

still, this is an episode I will never forget, will look to many a times, shed plenty of tears over, and recommend to my friends.

Amy and 11's reaction to meeting Van Gogh was dead-on for how we would have reacted meeting him, no?

~

Yes it was. I know I would have reacted the same way if I met him.

I've not been impressed with much of this year's episodes but the last 10 minutes of this episode made up for it. Beautifully done and moving. The first 35 minutes where okay but Tony Curran was brilliant.

CrochetOwl wrote:

I've not been impressed with much of this year's episodes but the last 10 minutes of this episode made up for it. Beautifully done and moving. The first 35 minutes where okay but Tony Curran was brilliant.

Tony was amazing! So hope he gets a BAFTA! I do love the line about his and Amy's accents....Are you from Holland, too? Good old TARDIS translation circuits!

The episode was pretty average...except every time Van Gogh was on screen.

The scene where they brought him to the future and had Bill Nighy speak about his legacy literally had tears spilling from my eyes. A wonderful bit of writing.

you know i have to quote someone from another forum, about another post. and don't think i'm being mean here, i just think i feel this strong about this episode(and this is coming from one of, if not, the most critical person of this year's series).

if you don't like this episode, then i officially hate you.(jk) but you get the point.

Shatterbang wrote:

The scene where they brought him to the future and had Bill Nighy speak about his legacy literally had tears spilling from my eyes. A wonderful bit of writing.

Oh I know. That whole scene had me in tears, just knowing what they were doing, and then hearing Bill Nighy give that speech and everyone reacting at the end just made it even more powerful. I was in tears for pretty much the entire ending after that.

Overall vote: Fantastic episode! Brilliant! Molto benne!

wow I just saw this and this was an above average episode. The scene of the gallery near the end was so powerful and the writing was poetic...this episode was so moving. Matt Smith has finally won me over- these episodes are getting better and better. I think this episode is my favorite this season so far. I am an artist/illustrator myself and really connected with vincent's character. The rejection, complexities of creating art and feeling underapreciated are part of the trade...I felt great empathy for this guy.

I'm really glad you liked it. I reviewed it on my site when it aired in the UK, so feel free to check that out if ya like.

========================================
...^o^CORVUS^o^
Doctor Who: The Winds of Time