“The Curse of the Black Spot” looks at first to be a cashing in on the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. It definitely shares much of the fun and fantastical elements, as well a few silly ones. How exactly does Amy know how to properly fight with a cutlass? She makes a cute pirate, so I suppose it does not really matter. The story bounces from plot to plot, each more absurd than the previous, but the fun generally outweighs the implausible elements.
The TARDIS lands on a 17th century pirate ship that has been stranded for days. The crew is being terrorized by a Siren, played both frighteningly and enchantingly by Lily Cole (Bikini photo from two weeks ago) who makes any person with a bleeding wound disappear with her touch. Anyone with a bleeding wound receives a black spot on his hand. Hence the title.
After some brief pirate movie staples, including a sword swinging Amy rescuing the Doctor from walking the plank, the siren’s motif is established. Eventually, Rory and the captain’s young son get the black spot on their hands. It is the doctor theorizing how to keep them both from coming into contact with the ghostly siren the plot meanders. At first, the doctor surmises she comes from out the water, so they all need to stay away from the wet stuff. Subsequently, he decides she comes out of any reflective object, so they have to destroy anything that might cast a reflection. In spite of the efforts, rory and the kid are eventually taken. To go after them, the doctor decides all three should cut themselves and be taken as well. How emo of him. You would think with the flock of Seagulls hairdo, he would be new Wave instead.
They wake up on a space ship. The Siren is actually a holographic nurse taking care of the wounded. Why she has been observing the pirate ship is never established. The doctor convinces the siren to let them take Rory. There is a dramatic moment when he is taken off life support that feels like it is added solely to make the resolution more dramatic. It feels tacked on and forced. The pirates awaken onboard the alien ship. They decide to take it for their own and explore space. If Amy can be a swashbuckler, 17th century pirates can fly a spaceship.
There are a lot of hard to accept elements even for an episode of Doctor Who, but “The Curse of the Black Spot” is a good enough romp to overlook them. Watching is definitely a good time. The only element from the overall story arc is the doctor covertly scanning Amy’s womb yet again. The scan alternates between displaying positive and negative. Ominous, even if it is not clear exactly what it means for her baby yet.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
“The Curse of the Black Spot” looks at first to be a cashing in on the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. It definitely shares much of the fun and fantastical elements, as well a few silly ones. How exactly does Amy know how to properly fight with a cutlass? She makes a cute pirate, so I suppose it does not really matter. The story bounces from plot to plot, each more absurd than the previous, but the fun generally outweighs the implausible elements.
