“I got too big, Dorium. Too noisy. Time to step back into the shadows.”
This line, uttered by the Doctor himself, resonates deeply and is a key reason why “The Wedding of River Song,” the series 6 finale of Doctor Who, isn’t entirely dismissible. It echoes the sentiment that made “A Good Man Goes to War” so compelling – the idea that the Doctor’s growing notoriety was becoming problematic. In Steven Moffat’s era of Doctor Who, it’s become increasingly unsettling to witness the Doctor’s almost universal fame and fear, and even more disturbing, his seeming acceptance of it. While Matt Smith’s grandstanding and pronouncements – like the iconic “Remember every black day I ever stopped you!” – are undeniably entertaining, they often felt at odds with the Doctor’s core character. Therefore, the moment of self-awareness in “The Wedding of River Song,” where he acknowledges the need to retreat from the limelight, is a welcome and crucial development.
It’s particularly significant that River Song is instrumental in prompting this realization. She, perhaps more than anyone, understands the dangers of the Doctor’s visibility. The wedding scene itself, a spectacle of temporal chaos, cleverly plays with the audience’s long-standing fascination with River’s identity. The question posed – “The woman who marries him or the woman who kills him?” – encapsulates the enigma surrounding their relationship. However, the overt romantic commitment of the Doctor, a character historically detached from such entanglements, still feels somewhat out of character. The allure of the Doctor and River’s dynamic has always been rooted more in the mystery and potential of their intertwined timelines than in straightforward melodrama, despite moments of intense emotion like “I can’t let you die without knowing by so many & so much, and none more than me.”
Much of the criticism leveled at “The Wedding of River Song” stems from the resolution of the Doctor’s supposed death. Pre-broadcast speculation heavily leaned towards the Doctor’s demise being a ruse, perhaps involving a Flesh avatar. When the Teselecta appeared early in the episode, a fleeting thought emerged that this theory might be validated. Yet, the actual solution felt less ingenious than anticipated. Using the Teselecta as a Doctor-substitute felt like a somewhat convenient, almost simplistic, resolution. Perhaps expectations for Moffat’s intricate plotting were set too high, but the reveal lacked the cleverness many had hoped for. Furthermore, if the Teselecta was the intended solution from the outset, the groundwork felt insufficient. The Teselecta Amy in “Let’s Kill Hitler” behaved distinctly robotic, unlike the convincing Doctor-Teselecta in this episode and even in “The Impossible Astronaut.” The robot-Doctor convincingly mimics the Doctor’s mannerisms, even in subtle, unguarded moments. The regeneration sequence itself looked remarkably authentic. Could the Teselecta truly achieve such fidelity, even with the Doctor remotely piloting it? Paradoxically, a Flesh Doctor might have been a more believable alternative, given the established near-perfect replication capabilities of the Flesh.
Alt: The Eleventh Doctor, portrayed by Matt Smith, deep in thought amidst the chaotic backdrop of “The Wedding of River Song,” highlighting the episode’s introspective moments.
Ultimately, “The Wedding of River Song” unveils the pivotal question, “Doctor Who?”, presented as the universe’s oldest question, hidden in plain sight. While the obviousness of the question is apparent, its designation as the oldest question remains perplexing. The Doctor is ancient, but the universe predates him by eons. How can a question centered on him hold such cosmic significance? And what are the ramifications of silence falling upon its answer? The recurring “fall of the Eleventh” prophecy suggests that the answer, and its consequences, will likely remain shrouded until Matt Smith’s departure from the role.
Further Reflections on “The Wedding of River Song” and Doctor Who Series 6:
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River’s Timeline and Future Encounters: The episode implicitly confirms that the Doctor still needs to share his name with River. Otherwise, River’s knowledge of his name during their encounter in “Forest of the Dead“ remains unexplained. It also reinforces that their story is far from over, as the Doctor still needs to gift River her sonic screwdriver. The narrative carefully ensures that future encounters within their complex, intertwined timeline are still possible and anticipated.
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Nods to Doctor Who History and Emotional Depth: While the episode features playful callbacks to Rose Tyler and Captain Jack Harkness, the most poignant moment is undoubtedly the tribute to Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, serving as a touching farewell to the late Nicholas Courtney. These moments enrich the episode and ground it in the broader Doctor Who legacy.
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Humorous Family Dynamics: The comedic exchanges, particularly the “I’m his wife.” “And I’m his…mother-in-law.” dialogue, provide levity amidst the complex plot. This humor is a signature of Moffat’s era and offers enjoyable character interactions.
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Untapped Potential of River and Doctor Adventures: The exchange “And Doctor Song? Imprisoned all her days?” “Her days, yes. Her nights, well. That’s between her & me, eh?” hints at countless untold adventures the Doctor and River could have shared during her incarcerations. It sparks a desire to witness these off-screen escapades, particularly during the 200 years between “The God Complex” and “Closing Time,” suggesting a wealth of unexplored narratives.
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Intrigue of Temporal Anomalies: The concept of a live chess tournament within the fractured timeline adds a quirky, Doctor Who-esque element to the chaotic setting, showcasing the imaginative world-building characteristic of the series.
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The Paradox of Erased Timelines and Lingering Consequences: The line “I can remember it. So it happened. So I did it.” delves into the complexities of time paradoxes. While the episode resolves the immediate crisis by effectively undoing events, it acknowledges that characters are still affected by experiences from erased timelines. This echoes Martha’s trauma from the Year That Never Was or Rory’s millennia as the Lone Centurion. Amy’s conflicted feelings about Madame Kovarian, despite the timeline reset, illustrate this point. This also mirrors River’s past actions, such as killing a Dalek in “The Big Bang,” with the Doctor acknowledging, “River Song didn’t get it all from you, sweetie.”
Alt: Alex Kingston as River Song, radiantly dressed in her wedding gown in “The Wedding of River Song,” emphasizing the romantic and mysterious elements of her character.
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The Doctor’s Isolation and Bootstrap Paradoxes: The question arises: did the Doctor send out the invitation envelopes simply to avoid facing his supposed death alone? This raises a slightly unsettling aspect of the Doctor’s character, highlighting his potential for manipulation, even towards his closest friends. Alternatively, it could be attributed to a bootstrap paradox, where the Doctor’s future knowledge of receiving the envelopes necessitates him sending them in the past.
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Inconsistencies in River’s Backstory and Parental Relationships: River visiting her parents after adventures, though heartwarming, introduces timeline inconsistencies. Given River’s supposed immediate return to Stormcage after events like “Byzantium?”, these visits feel somewhat retconned for emotional convenience. River’s explicit statement to Amy about concealing her knowledge of Amy’s identity and the spacesuit also feels like a retroactive explanation to address earlier plot ambiguities. While acknowledging Steven Moffat’s early knowledge of River’s identity, the execution still feels like a patchwork of retcons to smooth over prior inconsistencies. Greater foresight in planting clues earlier could have mitigated these issues.
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The Underdeveloped Emotional Impact of Amy and Rory’s Lost Child: The line, “You took my baby from me & hurt her. And now she’s all grown up & she’s fine. But I’ll never see my baby again,” poignantly addresses the emotional core of Amy and Rory’s loss. However, the series largely sidesteps exploring the profound emotional repercussions of losing Melody. While a baby on the TARDIS might hinder adventurous storylines, the under-exploration of Amy and Rory’s grief, beyond “Let’s Kill Hitler,” feels like a significant missed opportunity and a narrative weakness within series 6. The couple’s seemingly quick acceptance of being robbed of raising their child, with the “raising Mels” subplot feeling inadequate, remains a point of dissatisfaction for some viewers.
While many reviews lauded “The Wedding of River Song,” critical perspectives, such as this one from io9, effectively articulate the narrative shortcomings within River Song’s overarching storyline. These critiques highlight disturbing undertones, like the dismissive line, “You embarrass me,” and offer insightful analysis of Moffat’s time-manipulation narratives and the potential trajectory of the “Question” storyline. This alternative viewpoint provides a valuable counterpoint to more positive appraisals of the finale.
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Filed under: Amy Yen, Doctor Who, Finale Season, I Watch, Like, a Lot of TV | Tagged: Alex Kingston, Amy in Wonderland, Amy Yen, amyyen, Doctor Who, Doctor Who Amy, Doctor Who Dorium, Doctor Who finale, Doctor Who finale review, Doctor Who Madame Kovarian, Doctor Who oldest question, Doctor Who Rory, Doctor Who season 6, Doctor Who series 6, Doctor Who series 6 finale, Doctor Who The Silence, Doctor Who The Wedding of River Song, Matt Smith, Melody Pond, River Song, Steven Moffat |
