Russell T Davies: such a complete romantic

[butterfly]

Every single RTD series that I've seen has given me those heartclenching "Oh, he loves you so much, oh!" moments. Sometimes it's as obvious as Bob actually telling Rose that he's in love with her; sometimes it's more like the moment when the Doctor looks over at Rose at the end of The Christmas Invasion and it's obvious that he wants her to come with him more than anything else in the universe. It's Stuart, looking over at Vince and saying in a teasing voice, "Come and save me."

Russell does romance. Unashamedly and without cynicism. Possibly the best summation of it comes from Bob and Rose. Bob and Rose are on their first date and they end up talking about love and he says...

Bob: "It just happens, though. Anyone can fall in love with anyone."
Rose: "That's a bit romantic."
Bob: "Oh, hold on. I think that anyone can fall in love with anyone and I think it almost never happens. Cause most people just... miss."
Rose: "That's still romantic."
Bob: "Here was me, hoping I was a cynic."
Rose: "You're not that."

Russell likes writing about people who fall in love. About when two people who fit each other meet and none of the rest of it matters. And he's aware of the downsides of that kind of love -- Holly feels the same kind of shut-out that we see the Doctor and Rose do to Mickey; and, of course, there's the 'what if the love of your life is already involved with someone else?' question that is brought up in both Bob and Rose and Doctor Who. There's nothing wrong with Andy, just like there's nothing wrong with Mickey. But then Rose meets Bob/the Doctor and her world shifts. In both cases, Rose's relationship with her SO is nice; there's nothing wrong with it. But it isn't enough for her. It was just passing the time; doing the done thing, what was expected.

He likes writing about people who find each other -- street corner, two in the morning, getting a taxi home.

There was a boy in class today, an Irish boy.

And then I met a man called the Doctor.

There's a pattern with what he writes -- nothing as limiting as an outline, but vague character and relationship patterns. You could never mistake Stuart Alan Jones for the Doctor, but they inhabit the same position in their respective relationships.

I love that there's nobody perfect in these relationships. Stuart's a careless asshole. Vince is a lying coward. Rose Cooper dates Bob while she's still with Andy and is a pretty dab hand with a lie herself. Bob flails about in denial for ages before giving in to what was obvious in the first episode (and lies several times about how much Rose means to him). Rose Tyler treats Mickey terribly (and Mickey lets her). The Doctor is rude, selfish, arrogant, and controlling (particularly near the start of their relationship, when he's unsure of her).

The relationships themselves are messy and hard to define. "He's not my boyfriend, Mickey. He's much more important than that." It's complicated, but, ultimately, worth it. When two people find each other and click, it's worth chasing after it.

He also deals with the topic of unrequited love alongside -- there's Nathan, who falls for Stuart before eventually realizing that he wants to be Stuart. There's Holly, who has been sabotaging Bob's relationships for years and who needs to (in Martha's words) get out so that she can find herself. There's Martha, who falls for the Doctor but never quite reaches him and who needed to let him go so that she could find her own happiness (a great big love of her own). Nathan and Holly both redeem themselves for being jerks to the requited love interest by prompting a get-together (and reunion) and then start to move on with their lives.

There are interesting Venn diagrams of things -- Vince/Stuart, which looks like unrequited love at first, versus Holly/Bob, which really is unrequited love. Mothers and their reactions to their children exploring strange new worlds of whatever nature. Whether or not romantic love requires shagging and what a 'special' relationship means.

Vince and Stuart go 'traveling', tour America with a gun they don't shoot, and hold hands. Bob and Rose choose a domestic life with dinners at home and at least one baby. We don't know about the Doctor and Rose yet.

In all three cases, we get to see what it's like for them to be separated, with the Doctor and Rose having (appropriately, considering the genre) the most epic separation. When Stuart's lost Vince, all the beautiful men in the world can't console him and his huge world is far too big. "My world is so fucking huge!" he shouts and the actor himself mentions in the audio commentary that he looks like he wants to shoot himself. A vital part of him has been ripped away and he has to learn how to breathe all over again. That's what the Doctor's been doing, the third and fourth series -- relearning how to breathe.

Then there's something that I'm really looking forward to -- the reunion (there's always a reunion). Stuart sees Vince at the club (Vince having just dropped his boyfriend Cameron) and they race to the stage and dance like idiots together (again, in series two, when Vince walks out on his job and races to meet up with Stuart before he leaves town). Bob and Rose see each other across the way and she walks past him and brushes him and they turn to each other and the relief on their faces when they realize that they've each made up their minds to be together is just... so beautiful (the actors do so much with their faces in this -- there's no dialogue between them at all. There doesn't need to be -- and the world starts spinning around them, the same way it did back when Bob first told Rose that he loved her (by phone!). The world is spinning and they're clinging to each other, clinging to the surface of this tiny world and not letting go.). Russell does wonderful reunions.

He also does fantastic endings. QaF and B&R each have absolutely beautiful 'this is just the beginning of their story together' endings that always fill my heart with such joy. Russell knows how to end things in a satisfactory way, whether with joy or with sorrow (the 'death' of the Ninth Doctor is simply gorgeous). He makes me cry, sometimes, but he always makes it worth it.

Comments

[mekare-enra.livejournal.com]

Beautiful post! I love all three of these couples you write about here, and all three shows.

xx

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

They're such great pairings. Russell is so good at writing couples that actually seem like they really love spending time together and that they could spend forever with each other and not get bored.

[nic]

I'm so nervous about the upcoming episodes I can barely stand it, but this post makes me feel a bit more hopeful. :)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I don't think we have a guaranteed happy ending by a long shot, but I do think that whatever happens, Russell is going to respect Rose and her relationship with the Doctor. And, given the constraints of this particular show (that it will continue on after Russell's done with his story), that's all that can be done. This show doesn't do 'forever' because it doesn't belong to any particular person. But Russell will write his story the way that he wants to and I enjoy his stories.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Love what you've said here. I just finished watching "Bob and Rose," and so much really can be paralleled to the Doctor and Rose, just like you say. Obviously completely different stories but there's something so fundamental about finding that person you mesh with.

And I completely agree - he tells very complex stories, but they aren't cynical which is such a joy to watch in this day and age.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

There really isn't an ounce of cynicism in his writing. It really is very refreshing to watch someone who believes that love can be found and who wants to write stories that celebrate people -- flawed, difficult and fantastic people.

[doctor-addict.livejournal.com]

here via the SPDN

Can I just say, complete and total WORD.

I'm a huge fan of Rusty's, always have been. Your post up there, is what has been going 'round in my head since I'd stopped crying over Doomsday (the first time 'round). You articulate it perfectly.

And this is why that although I'm nervous about the next four weeks, I know that my hope will win out.

I hope.

;-D

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I know that RTD will do right by Rose and her story, whatever that means. He brought her back because her story wasn't done yet and he's built up to her return enough to make anything other than a truly epic storyline rather silly.

[shinyopals.livejournal.com]

I don't think I can possibly add anything intelligent to this because it's lovely to read and I've only seen one of the series, but thank you for writing it! :D

Words of support for RTD and for the stories he writes (and which so far I've always loved) are always great.

Sometimes I panic, but sometimes I think to myself that maybe I just need to have some faith in him.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

He loves Rose and, unlike Joss, RTD is capable of writing happy endings. He keeps saying that Doctor Who is about hope. Let's see him prove it.

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

I don't normally doubt the end of D/R - but I think I'll memory this so I can reread it if I start to.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thematically, he can't drop the ball on her relationship -- he's made sure that the general audience hasn't forgotten it (and, judging by the Doctor and Rose's appearance as #1 on "50 Ways to leave your TV lover", they definitely haven't) and he's built up to her return.

I remember, when "Utopia" aired Rose's flashback scene, I was saying, "Oh, that's interesting -- RTD wants to make sure that anyone who started watching with series three knows what Rose looks like." Because showing that scene wasn't necessary -- Jack's scene with the Doctor would have still had enough weight without it. But it shows us her face again.

And anyone watching specifically for Catherine Tate would have seen Rose back in the flashback in "The Runaway Bride".

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

ooh good points.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I love a writer who knows his way around a narrative. And Russell has proved to me that he does.

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

Hi, here via who_daily (although I've noted several reviews in the past that I've agreed with you on and I don't remember even commenting!).

Have you seen The Second Coming? I don't want to give anything away, but there's, in a way, the flipside of Mickey and Holly, of turning around and saying, "It was you, it was always you." You get some of that with Vince and Stuart, but set in a much larger context, this tiny little human story in a huge, world-changing whirlwind. It's my favourite of RTD's love stories, and the most painful. (Just once, would it kill RTD to give CE an ending that didn't rip your heart out? Seriously.)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Hi, here via who_daily (although I've noted several reviews in the past that I've agreed with you on and I don't remember even commenting!).

Hello! It's nice to see you.

Have you seen The Second Coming?

I haven't seen either The Second Coming or Casanova, which I hear are his two heartbreakers!

I don't want to give anything away, but there's, in a way, the flipside of Mickey and Holly, of turning around and saying, "It was you, it was always you." You get some of that with Vince and Stuart, but set in a much larger context, this tiny little human story in a huge, world-changing whirlwind. It's my favourite of RTD's love stories, and the most painful. (Just once, would it kill RTD to give CE an ending that didn't rip your heart out? Seriously.)

He's really good at writing very vivid and real relationships against a backdrop of a larger world. And he's been building up -- the progression from Qaf to B&R to DW makes sense and I look forward to seeing how TSC, Casanova, and whatever he does next fit into his style.

I love the web of connections there are with RTD. He did QaF and Donna from that is in B&R. Murray Gold did the music for QaF and then also The Second Coming, Casanova, and (of course) Doctor Who. Lesley Sharp from B&R just guested on DW (and she's in TSC, too, I hear, with CE) and Penelope (Bob's mum) and Jessica (Holly) have also both guest-starred on Who. And David was in Casanova before he was in Who. And they're all immensely talented people.

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

The Second Coming is just devastating. CE and Lesley Sharp are breathtakingly brilliant, and there are a number of strong supporting actors as well, especially Mark Benton (Clive in "Rose"). There's a scene near the end that makes me fight between sobbing my heart out and goggling in wonder at the acting technique. I'll admit, Casanova didn't affect me that much, but it's my least favourite thing RTD's done (though I quite liked Murray Gold's score). But Penelope Wilton as Bob's mum is my favourite thing about Bob & Rose - despite how good everybody else is, that's just such a beautifully heartbreaking part.

Do you want to hear a few other incestuous connections? CE starred in a play that Murray Gold wrote; Carla Henry, who played Donna in QaF, played CE's sister/love interest (yes) in Revengers Tragedy (and, I've heard, was a finalist for Rose in DW); Derek Jacobi and Marc Warren were also in Revengers Tragedy; and CE was the original choice for Stuart in QaF!

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

The Second Coming is just devastating. CE and Lesley Sharp are breathtakingly brilliant, and there are a number of strong supporting actors as well, especially Mark Benton (Clive in "Rose").

Ooo, another of Russell's repeat performers. He was really great in "Rose". He made Clive feel very real.

There's a scene near the end that makes me fight between sobbing my heart out and goggling in wonder at the acting technique.

That sounds wonderful. *looks forward to it*

I'm the sort of person who watched Moulin Rouge for fun. I love a good epic tragedy as much as a happier ending.

I'll admit, Casanova didn't affect me that much, but it's my least favourite thing RTD's done (though I quite liked Murray Gold's score).

I've heard various reports, some glowing and some less so. Right now, I'm torn about what my favorite show of his is. It might still be QaF, the first thing of his that I saw. Vince and Stuart are just... absolutely perfect to me. I love them so much. But I adore Rose and I love the Doctor and I adore their relationship... but it isn't all Russell's. DW might be my favorite if it were just Russell's but it belongs to more people than that. And B&R was just stellar. I really adored the... quiet way that Holly redeemed herself. RTD doesn't make her grovel or break down or anything stupid like that, he just has her do the right thing and then step out of the way so that Bob and Rose can be happy (it's like what Stuart tries to do in QaF is the broken fun-house mirror version of what Holly does here, because Vince isn't in love with Cameron the way that Bob loves Rose, he's in love with Stuart, so Stuart has to push things so hard that they'll break rather than just stop screwing with them).

But Penelope Wilton as Bob's mum is my favourite thing about Bob & Rose - despite how good everybody else is, that's just such a beautifully heartbreaking part.

That was a really fantastic part, yeah. Very well-done. She's a great actor.

Do you want to hear a few other incestuous connections? CE starred in a play that Murray Gold wrote; Carla Henry, who played Donna in QaF, played CE's sister/love interest (yes) in Revengers Tragedy (and, I've heard, was a finalist for Rose in DW); Derek Jacobi and Marc Warren were also in Revengers Tragedy; and CE was the original choice for Stuart in QaF!

Oh, my god.

*attempts to imagine CE as Stuart*

I can't do it. It just... it doesn't work in my head. It's like it actually breaks my brain. And it's not because CE isn't sexy, because he definitely is but... Aidan Gillen was so perfect as Stuart (I love the commentary on one of the episodes, where Russell talks about how they all fell in so much love with him as Stuart and that Aidan gave him so much more depth than they were ever expecting -- I love how much Russell praises the brilliant, brilliant actors that he gets. They deserve every bit of it, too.).

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

Mark Benton is amazing. In TSC, you want to hate him; but he makes it really, really hard. Jo Joyner (Lynda-with-a-Y) was also in it, but her part got cut out, so I think she got Lynda as a trade!

Casanova was kind of fun, but it just didn't hit the spot for me. I don't think I like RTD in his smart-ass pop culture mode as much - even though I do tend to like anachronistic things; I'm a huge Alex Cox fan, as my icon attests. I'm sure a lot of people love it because it's more of David Tennant doing his Doctor thing!

I think Steve and Jude (TSC) are my favourite RTD couple, but Nine/Rose is way up there, too. I'm glad Stuart and Vince got together, but I do feel like Stuart is a bit of an ass and Vince probably deserves more...but then, he wants Stuart. And around it goes. I love Bob & Rose, too, of course, but CE and Lesley Sharp have a sparkier chemistry.

Apparently, CE was the one who "found" Aiden Gillen to replace him in QaF- how's that for generous? I think the thing was, by the time they got the damned thing off the ground, CE was 34, and they were afraid he was too old for 29 (although at 34, he still looked pretty young). I've tried to imagine it, too, and I think it would have just been different, maybe a bit edgier. Aiden Gillen is more your typical übercharming guy, and he comes off as irresponsible and shallow, it's only toward the end that you really start to get the depth. CE probably would have been more obviously wounded, and perhaps a bit more predatory/dangerous. Sexier in a darker way than Gillen's shiny-happy brittleness, although I would have loved to see him play the storyline with the baby and the scene in the car dealership. I do find it funny that I suspect TSC was in some way a thank-you/compensation for QaF, and his role goes from the guy who shagged half of Manchester to the virgin lamb of God.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Mark Benton is amazing. In TSC, you want to hate him; but he makes it really, really hard. Jo Joyner (Lynda-with-a-Y) was also in it, but her part got cut out, so I think she got Lynda as a trade!

Sounds quite intriguing (and I love that little story -- RTD and his actors. So cute).

Casanova was kind of fun, but it just didn't hit the spot for me. I don't think I like RTD in his smart-ass pop culture mode as much - even though I do tend to like anachronistic things; I'm a huge Alex Cox fan, as my icon attests. I'm sure a lot of people love it because it's more of David Tennant doing his Doctor thing!

Just watched it and quite enjoyed it, though it definitely has a 'breaking-the-fourth-wall' quality to it. It's definitely a very different product to the rest of his stuff that I've seen.

I think Steve and Jude (TSC) are my favourite RTD couple, but Nine/Rose is way up there, too. I'm glad Stuart and Vince got together, but I do feel like Stuart is a bit of an ass and Vince probably deserves more...but then, he wants Stuart. And around it goes. I love Bob & Rose, too, of course, but CE and Lesley Sharp have a sparkier chemistry.

Oh, Stuart doesn't deserve Vince in the slightest but I don't think there's anyone on Earth who could make Vince happier. Even without shagging (considering their relationship, that should maybe be especially without shagging). Plus, Vince has more issues than Discover magazine.

Apparently, CE was the one who "found" Aiden Gillen to replace him in QaF- how's that for generous? I think the thing was, by the time they got the damned thing off the ground, CE was 34, and they were afraid he was too old for 29 (although at 34, he still looked pretty young).

That is interesting.

I've tried to imagine it, too, and I think it would have just been different, maybe a bit edgier. Aiden Gillen is more your typical übercharming guy, and he comes off as irresponsible and shallow, it's only toward the end that you really start to get the depth. CE probably would have been more obviously wounded, and perhaps a bit more predatory/dangerous. Sexier in a darker way than Gillen's shiny-happy brittleness, although I would have loved to see him play the storyline with the baby and the scene in the car dealership.

Hmm. Yeah. It would have been quite different. So, did they mention if Chris would have done an accent for the part or did they change it to be Irish when they cast Aidan?

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

It's definitely a very different product to the rest of his stuff that I've seen.

I don't know quite why it doesn't work for me. It contains many things that I like quite a lot, including that breaking-the-fourth-wall thing. I think the tone doesn't quite work for me - it's neither as silly nor as deep as I'd like. It's a little slow to be an out-and-out romp, and I don't get the emotional payoff at the end, perhaps because I couldn't really engage with most of the main characters. Bellino is the only one I really cared for. Anyway - interesting attempt!

So, did they mention if Chris would have done an accent for the part or did they change it to be Irish when they cast Aidan?

I don't remember that being mentioned - although the Irish thing could be shorthand for something that could have been brought by CE anyway, which is Catholicism. I know he's an atheist, but with his name and a number of his significant roles (Nicky Hutchinson, Norfolk, most of his Alex Cox parts) he does bring a Catholic tinge. He can do an Irish accent... although, like many of his accents, it's quite good at the beginning of sentences, not so good at the end!

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I don't remember that being mentioned - although the Irish thing could be shorthand for something that could have been brought by CE anyway, which is Catholicism.

Good point. It would have been quite interesting to see him in QaF2, because Stuart is quite scary at points there. Plus, the 'queer' speech. Chris does look a bit older than Aidan which would have made the 'fucked a fifteen year old' thing even darker than it was (and I'm wondering what his vibe with Craig would have been like, because it's that chemistry that sells that relationship so hard. Stuart just bleeds need for Vince, but Chris did do a great job selling bravado over vulnerability with Billie). Dunno, I think I need to see Chris in more things -- I've just seen him in Doctor Who and Heroes.

He can do an Irish accent... although, like many of his accents, it's quite good at the beginning of sentences, not so good at the end!

Hee!

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering what his vibe with Craig would have been like, because it's that chemistry that sells that relationship so hard

It's possible they would have cast someone different, since he was the first person attached to the project. But CE has had amazing chemistry with almost everyone he's ever worked with (as an actor, his focus is exceptional, and he manages to get good performances out of a lot of very young and inexperienced actors), and the homoerotic subtext in both Othello with Eamonn Walker and 28 Days Later with Cillian Murphy wasn't very "sub".

I think I need to see Chris in more things -- I've just seen him in Doctor Who and Heroes.

Ah - I recommend The Second Coming and Revengers Tragedy for bravado over vulnerability; and Let Him Have It for unadorned vulnerability. Possibly Shallow Grave, which was the first time I ever saw him. He went from tightly wound accountant to sexy psychopath with nary a bump in characterization - I'd never seen anyone control that kind of arc like that before.

[madhowan.livejournal.com]

Hello - here via who_daily.

Thanks for this lovely post. It makes me feel less like a frantic lunatic worrying about what will happen, and very very excited for the upcoming episodes. (!!!eeee!!!) Because you're right, he won't do bad by her.

Must also track down Bob and Rose - it sounds interesting.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Hello! It's nice to meet you!

Bob and Rose is a really fun little show. The lead actors have a really sweet chemistry with each other -- it's really easy to believe in their relationship and that it's worth all the hassle.