Doctor Who 5x10 “Vincent and the Doctor” FULL REACTION

I'm not the biggest fan of this episode but I REALLY expected you to be a bawling mess at the end (knowing how empathetic you are with the characters) and to adore it. I thought it would be right up your street. For me even though the creature is a metaphor for the invisible demons that we have when we're facing depression, which I think is a great idea, the monster and its story were just meh for me. The last 10 minutes make me cry though. I don't think The Doctor and Amy caused his death at all - the point is that he wasn't crazy. That's what this peisode tries to show. He was depressed and without anyone medication or therapy to help him deal with his demons. The fact that he is so happy less than a year before he dies is the reality of depression. It rarely stays in someone the whole time. They have happy days and they have dark days, and sadly sometimes those dark days result in suicide. So there's no need to question 'why does he kill himself'? He just does. It's as simple as that because that's what depression can do if left untreated.

Mark Ward

The rules for changing time are a tad woolly in Who, but in general: sometimes time can be rewritten, but not if the change is likely to create a paradox and there are fixed points that sit along the timeline and cant be altered - like the leader of the Mars colony having to die. As a Timelord, the Doctor can tell when time can be changed and when it can't.

Dani C

Yeah but the thought of him leaving a legacy behind isn’t gonna make him worse. Like the doctor said, it added to his pile of good things. If anything, it probably made him happier for a bit. But obviously it wasn’t enough since he still killed himself. But that’s depression for you. One kind act doesn’t solve everything. But it keeps you going for a bit longer

Kodi E

I‘ve suffered from depression since 9-10 years old. Been "writing" books since before I was literate (my grandma wrote down my stories) Of course, I was born in a different century and had a slightly better understanding of mental illness than Vincent would have had. If the Doctor came along and showed me a future were my books were revered, it wouldn’t cure my depression, but...still, I truly believe that would have added to my pile of good things ❤️ Certainly wouldn’t have made it worse. I love that you frequently dislike my favorite episodes though. You give me brand new insight ❤️

Fiskekake

Interesting take you had on this episode. This is a fan favourite. I personally think the last 10-15 minutes were the best part of the episode. Vincent being taken to the museum and seeing his work being appreciated was genuinely beautiful. However, my unpopular opinion is that I don't really care for the monster or the rest of the episode other than those last few minutes. I do appreciate the message on depression but most of the episode is just very average until the museum scene. Tony's acting is great but I just felt there was too much of the characters aimlessly running around and swinging objects while having unnecessary jump scares that kinda ruined the tension with the monster. I don't think it should have been revealed so early. I don't know how to describe it but I feel like there was a bit of a missed opportunity in showcasing the conflict between the nightmares in Vincent's imagination and reality in a less goofy way. I just think those scenes didn't allow me to take it seriously because the tone was too comedic which took me out of it. They never really explained why Vincent was the only one who could see the monster either.

JY

Kodi E We’ll have to agree to disagree as well. The Doctor shows his companions futures that have nothing to do with them or how they’ve impacted the world. The Doctor showing Vincent how he’s impacted the world is kind in the moment but could make someone even more depressed if he had to return to his own time where he is not respected and will never experience the kind of respect that he received from Bill Nighy. He would have to live with the knowledge that he will never again feel the love and adoration that he felt on that day. He will go to his grave only selling one painting and never be appreciated again until he’s gone

Other Boy Reactions

He didn’t show Vincent’s future, he showed the impact he’ll have in the future. He knew it wouldn’t do anything major like he said in that final speech “life is a pile of good things and bad things”. He just knew it would be wonderful for him to see. It was him being kind. Like the doctor has shown all his companions the future of earth, this isn’t any different

Kodi E

Not sure I’m understanding you. You said there are excellent works of art that you dislike. That is the definition of subjective. You will like things that others don’t and vice versa. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or rather in the eye of whoever has the power and influence to say that it is beautiful. There are artists that may be considered genius in one culture but someone of another culture may not see what is so special about that artist. Also many things in our world today is seen through a Eurocentric lens so art from other countries may never be seen as high brow enough to get into museums or on the cover of a magazine and so forth. History is told by the winners and that includes art history. The fact that Van Gogh wasn’t seen as a great artist in his time proves that art is subjective. His art didn’t change, society did. The world didn’t see his work as beautiful until much later but the “beauty” was always there and it wasn’t until his sister-in-law introduced his work to galleries, who then determined that it was beautiful, that he became known. The point is we all like and dislike things but no one can really say that one piece of art is better than another or that one artist is better than another. Who is deciding this? All one needs to determine if an artist is good is if it speaks to them and art speaks differently to different people.

Other Boy Reactions

Other Boy, you know I always enjoy your reactions, but I need to disagree with something you said. I oppose the attitude that art (appreciation) is entirely subjective. Subjectivity is only part of the equation. Rather than present an argument, I’m just going to assert my convictions. A work of art (painting, poem, symphony, etc.) can be determined objectively good if it is true to itself, if it meets its own internal standards or if it rises above them. Being objectively good doesn’t mean anyone has to like it. There are excellent works of art that I personally dislike. By the same token, a person can love or admire a work of art that, objectively speaking, is deeply flawed, internally inconsistent, at odds with itself. Most art that outlives the artist is a mixture of the objectively good and objectively not-so-good. Critics and art lovers will disagree depending on whether or not a work of art’s objectively good qualities outweigh the bad, and vice versa.

Tumbili

I’ll just say this about this episode. I feel like the Doctor broke so many of his own rules in this episode by showing Vincent his future. Why is Donna not allowed to see her future because of spoilers but Vincent is? Granted, the Doctor asked Donna if she really wanted to know, but he implied that it wasn’t a good idea and so she decided not to look in River’s book. But I got the feeling the Doctor agreed that she shouldn’t be spoiled. But the Doctor felt Vincent should see that he becomes very famous and influential after he’s gone. Maybe the Doctor only shields people from negative futures? I still feel like it was irresponsible of the Doctor to show Vincent his future at all and that it was messing with time and people’s lives even if he had good intentions. If I was Vincent I would’ve been happy for 5 minutes knowing that I would be famous but then I would go right back to being depressed once I had to go back to my own time where I’m not appreciated and hated and will never experience appreciation again in life. That’s depressing as hell to me. I almost wouldn’t care that I’m appreciated after I die, I want to experience that respect and appreciation in life while I’m alive. The Doctor is basically showing Vincent that “Hey your life is gonna suck until you die, but don’t worry because your work will touch many lives after you’re gone. We’ll all benefit from your pain, but you never will” It would be different if the Doctor showed that Vincent will eventually experience happiness and recognition IN HIS LIFETIME, but sadly that’s not the case. It’s a sad story. 😭

Other Boy Reactions

When this has been uploaded to YT,I will be very interested to see what sort of feedback he gets in the comments. I really enjoyed OtherBoy's entertainingly cynical viewpoint; but some people (who seem to regard this episode as the single greatest thing ever made in the history of television) may be horrified! :)

Ian Smith

Interesting, not quite the reaction that usually occurs when watching this episode, which is probably why I subscribe to this channel. Well then, on to the last few episodes of the series!

Henry from CO

“A lighter one”. This is one of the few episodes to make me teary eyed or cry. The greface was very necessary as it’s represented as Vincent’s depression as only he could see it. Definitely a top 10 episode for me

Kodi E

Yup,that was the First Doctor that came up on the printer. This is a much loved episode - but it's one of those stories that I need to be in the right mood to watch. It was written by the ubiquitous Richard Curtis - writer of such films as "Love, actually","Notting Hill" and "Four weddings and a funeral"...films which I ALSO need to be in the right mood to watch :D

Ian Smith

One of my favorites, just an asthetic pleasing ep. This poster became very popular. ASIN B00TJUMEYM

David Murray

This is probably one of the most loved episodes of DW, especially out of Matt Smith's run, and notably for the last 10 minutes or so. And while the first half seems a bit naff with the invisible monster, when you think about it the Greface is there to represent Vincent's depression and mental illness. Its something that only he can see, and ultimately only he can overcome. I also think this episode acts as something of a proxy for Amy's missing grief at the loss of Rory - she is given a moment where she can grieve for Vincent in lieu of Rory. For a family show, this episode is tackling some very serious life issues - depression and suicide - and does it masterfully, without being preachy. When this first aired the BBC followed it up with information about the helplines for people suffering depression, so they were taking it seriously. As for Van Gogh in real life, he was arguably bi-polar, and certainly suffered from manic depression for much of his life. That's not something you can easily cure, and kudos to the writer of this episode for making that point, I think.

Lloyd B

And just another thought, even the sun flowers are described as being half alive and half dead which pretty much sums up depression making this episode quite dark for doctor who if you read between the lines

Personally I don't think it did as for me, madness is how other people see depression or anxiety. Especially back then they didn't understand, this entire episode highlighted the bleak nature of depression and how unappreciated and helpless it makes you. I don't think this is a perfect episode as the monster bit did drag out, but even then the monster being invisible is all just a metaphor for Vincent's depression, with the doctor and amy struggling to see it representing how people without depression don't really understand but are doing there best to. I think this episode is extremely emotional and powerful, especially to people who have gone through this themselves as, like real depression, it can be hard to understand the deeper meaning unless you've felt like that before. But yeah, its a beautifully crafted episode and honestly, from someone who has had it in the past, showing that he has a future would only be a positive thing in his life, even if it is small

This one is definitely without question in my top 5. Looking forward to this after work. Edit: Not the reaction I was expecting.

Daryl

Adore this episode- so happy you've reached it!

WhoviVortex