Sadly, the most distinctive thing about this past weekend's semi-season finale of Doctor Who was how underwhelming it was. Not only were the hard-boiled detective trappings used in the most boring way possible, the ending didn't even come close to being "sad" or " heartbreaking" or any of the other adjectives that were used in overselling this episode to fans.
While the device of the Doctor learning what happened to Amy and Rory through the last page of the book was set up nicely, what it revealed was actually quite disappointing. Learning that they lived well frankly undercuts any sense of sadness or tragedy and the Doctor's reaction to the revelation was ridiculous. One of the few constants in Doctor Who is that, while the Doctor may miss the friends who leave him, he always wants them to be happy in their lives that come after no matter what it means for him.
It's not like Steven Moffat doesn't understand this concept. He executed it brilliantly in the Doctor's monologue near the end of "The Big Bang". Two seasons later, Smith's Doctor, who once exemplified the character's simultaneously ancient but youthful soul, now comes across like a desperate high-schooler whose crush has gone off with someone else. When I think back to the way previous Doctors handled these kinds of losses - Pertwee's somber dignity when Jo Grant left or Eccleston's heartfelt request that Rose "have a fantastic life" - it's hard not to feel cheated, especially because I know Moffat and Smith can do far better.
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