This episode all felt a bit muddled to me, and the quick treatment the Doctor's goodbye got smacks of it not being the last time we see Amy and Rory, which lessened the impact of it for me.
To me, the story would have been much stronger if it was played a bit more like Blink, focusing in on ONE character (Amy) rather than all of these other - mostly comic relief - characters. (That's a pun thanks to David Walliams being in this episode AND having been a huge component of this year's Comic Relief)
Here's how I would have written it: (Feel free to disagree)
They should have had maybe one character left, Rita, and show her as the last one standing. While she's fighting against the loss of faith, show Amy slowly falling prey to the same thing. Then by the time Rita finally succumbs, have the Doctor realize that he's been blind to the truth. He runs to Amy, where she is about to sacrifice herself, grabs her and moves her into a room.
The monster tries to bash in the door and Amy tries to claw her way to the door, THEN there would be MUCH more time for a really touching talk, between Amy and the Doctor, where he destroys his faith in her.
Cue haunting glockenspiel music as the ghostly Amelia turns around and comes to the aid of Amy, comforting her (Or possibly Amy having to comfort the waiting Amelia, signaling a newfound faith in herself). They all walk out in the hallway together, Amy and Amelia hand in hand, to face the monster. The doctor gives his little speech, then the hotel and Amelia fade away.
They jet off to home, the doctor then has 8 minutes to explain away the house and car, and say his goodbye.
The we can get a beautiful long shot with a swelling orchestration in the background of the doctor walking around in the TARDIS, idly flipping a switch, then going back to watch young Amelia waiting in her window, asleep, as he tenderly says, "Goodnight, pond."
And the TARDIS blinks out, indistinguishable from a twinkling star in the night sky.
FADE TO BLACK.
-Nick
PS: Does anyone else think it would have been more powerful if only the affected person could see their own fear and the other people would have no clue what he or she is seeing?
To me, the story would have been much stronger if it was played a bit more like Blink, focusing in on ONE character (Amy) rather than all of these other - mostly comic relief - characters. (That's a pun thanks to David Walliams being in this episode AND having been a huge component of this year's Comic Relief)
Here's how I would have written it: (Feel free to disagree)
They should have had maybe one character left, Rita, and show her as the last one standing. While she's fighting against the loss of faith, show Amy slowly falling prey to the same thing. Then by the time Rita finally succumbs, have the Doctor realize that he's been blind to the truth. He runs to Amy, where she is about to sacrifice herself, grabs her and moves her into a room.
The monster tries to bash in the door and Amy tries to claw her way to the door, THEN there would be MUCH more time for a really touching talk, between Amy and the Doctor, where he destroys his faith in her.
Cue haunting glockenspiel music as the ghostly Amelia turns around and comes to the aid of Amy, comforting her (Or possibly Amy having to comfort the waiting Amelia, signaling a newfound faith in herself). They all walk out in the hallway together, Amy and Amelia hand in hand, to face the monster. The doctor gives his little speech, then the hotel and Amelia fade away.
They jet off to home, the doctor then has 8 minutes to explain away the house and car, and say his goodbye.
The we can get a beautiful long shot with a swelling orchestration in the background of the doctor walking around in the TARDIS, idly flipping a switch, then going back to watch young Amelia waiting in her window, asleep, as he tenderly says, "Goodnight, pond."
And the TARDIS blinks out, indistinguishable from a twinkling star in the night sky.
FADE TO BLACK.
-Nick
PS: Does anyone else think it would have been more powerful if only the affected person could see their own fear and the other people would have no clue what he or she is seeing?
