Matthew's Journal

After last week's disappointment, I didn't have very high hopes of The Rings of Akhaten. In fact, though, this was much better.

Of course there were the plot holes: why is the TARDIS only translating some alien languages for Clara? Surely something you really care about you wouldn't trade in for bike hire? What happened to the vampire? etc. That all said, though, the plot was good enough that it swept me along, able to suspend my disbelief in a way I couldn't last week.

The story of the Queen of Years was nicely done, continually teasing us with the conundrum of whether someone evil wanted to kill this child, or if she really just had stage fright. In the end, she's more knowing and more powerful than we thought. The Doctor's speech as he offers his memories to the god/parasite was pretty moving, and the fact that the potential futures in Clara's leaf could accomplish what the Doctor couldn't was a pleasing twist. The pacing felt a little rushed, though.

I don't think we should read too much into Clara's inability to open the TARDIS; presumably the Doctor simply left it locked. I suggest that the Doctor's continued failure to give Clara a key, though, may prove important.