AMY'S CHOICE

This is my favourite episode so far. The writer here has achieved a truly outstanding psychological based tale that will be remembered as one of the best Dr Who stories ever.
The plot is in true Hitchcock style and has been carefully crafted with well-conceived mystery and suspense. As viewers we are propelled like the Doctor and his companions into a place where we don’t know what is real and what is unreal an intoxicating dream like state. I was giddy with speculation and anticipation as each scene unravelled before my eyes. Wonderful stuff!
A character called the Dream Lord has taken control of the Tardis and crew and induced a dream state in order for inner personal demons to be realised and dealt with by the crew. The Doctor’s shadow self is explored here, I so love Jungian psychological theoretical perspectives when applied to television drama, other writers could take note of the technique which calls for the character to examine their darker subconscious flaws and subsequently allows the viewer to consider their shadow self motivations.
In Jungian psychology, the shadow or "shadow aspect" is a part of the unconscious mind consisting of repressed weaknesses, shortcomings, and instincts. It is one of the three most recognizable archetypes, the others being the anima and animus and the persona.
Jung also believed that "in spite of its function as a reservoir for human darkness—or perhaps because of this—the shadow is the seat of creativity and invention of the macrabre and fantasy."
Somehow though I think I would have made the Doctor’s shadow self or ‘Tardis projected shadow’ female. Although the actor portraying the part was superb, we really need more of these seasoned veterans making appearances in Doctor Who. The balance of the new Doctor and his cohort of fresh actors and the well-travelled professionals in my opinion needs to be maintained for the show to have credibility with all age groups viewing.
Matt Smith’s performance was superb throughout this story, we see his confusion and vulnerability explored and greater awareness blossom through connection to his inner voice. We all feel vulnerable when we see the Doctor’s sacred sanctum, the Tardis easily infiltrated by the character of the Dream Lord and as viewers we realise that the


Doctor does not have superior technology or ability, here for once we see him really struggling with the answer to the riddle before him. TimeLords are vulnerable! Here he is no longer in control and in his own personal domain, a place we always think of as sacred and safe, it’s a shocking realisation for the Doctor and the viewer, I felt this connection and that is what good writing does it attacks you, frightens you, unbalances you and then elates you with release. At last the Doctor is put into the same position as his companions, whisked up in an adventure where things are out of his hands and current perception, he is given a chance to experience events from a different perspective. The Doctor is castrated and no longer sure of himself the Dream Lord serves up his Sphinx like twin dilemma to save the Tardis crew choose between reality and non reality, the cold sun or the grotesque old people possessed by aliens – which one is real? – Choose correctly and live, choose incorrectly and cease to exist? The ultimate solution is always going to be that none of the realities exist and to escape the trap of the Doctor’s own doing he just has to think more laterally, the lesson is served there is always another way, another solution, perhaps a better one for everyone, true brilliance, true humanity comes from heartfelt actions not blind self sacrifice. But how wonderful to watch Matt Smith and the supporting cast explore the possibilities and realise friendship, loyalty and real love.

The comparisons to other TV Drama and Films seems to me not required here because of the wonderful inventiveness and innovations achieved in the writing.
There are touches from Life on Mars (BBC) and Star Trek. The major influence seems to come from Hitchcock himself and the episodes were a fitting tribute to him.
There were shades of classic who, when the elderly people, who were a great idea, kids are always a bit frightened of their grandparents, when they opened their mouths it reminded me of that scent in the Troughton show Fury from the Deep. There was influence as portrayed from those classic songs Dream a Little Dream and Mr Sandman, well done Simon Nye a great story, which shows that you do not need lots of gismos and CGI and does not treat the audience like idiots. By the way loved the Titanic (1997) references