Doctor Who: Turn Left

[butterfly]

This week, Rose Tyler is back. Even just writing that gives me shivers. Rose!

She's such a fantastic character. I just want to say, before I see her again, that I adored her character development through the first two series. Growing up, taking charge of her life, deciding who she wanted to be and what she wanted to do, taking all of that raw potential and becoming so much more than she ever dreamed possible. I'm so excited to see her again, to see how she's grown and changed in the time that she's been gone.

And I'm looking forward to seeing how she and Donna interact! Donna was great with Martha; Catherine and Billie are both such great actors. I'm so thrilled that they're going to be sharing scenes. Plus, RTD's "Midnight" was such a good episode and that's simply filled me with anticipation for today's "Turn Left".

Turn Left

There may have been a mild amount of shrieking at seeing Billie's name in the credits. Just a bit.

And, ooo, the title makes so much sense. It's practical as well as being evocative.

So, Rose could tell that something was wrong. That things weren't happening the right way. That's interesting.

The UNIT blokes think that the Doctor "didn't have time" to regenerate. Thinking back to his state of mind on Christmas day and considering what we know the Master could do later on... I'm thinking that maybe he chose not to. He was near-suicidal several times in S3.

Without the Doctor, Martha died. Two thousand people died. Aw... Martha died saving a life. That's... that's so her. *hugs Martha*

Sarah Jane saved the world. Oh. She died saving the world. That's so bloody her. *hugs Sarah Jane* (and Luke, Maria and Clyde... oh, of course, they'd be helping. Oh.)

Wow, Rose can so see the thing on her back (and seems to know not to mention it). Is this all happening the same day for her, I wonder? Ooo, Rose knows so much. Cool. She's trying to set things right.

And there goes London.

So, when Foster's scheme goes according to plan, sixty million people die.

The bees are still disappearing (just a nod to real life or something else...).

And then ATMOS goes off (because the Sontarans still want to breed their clones). And Gwen and Ianto die to save the world this time.

"I think you dream about him sometimes. It's a man in a suit. Tall, thin man. Great hair. Some really great hair." Hee! That's what she remembers you for, Doctor. Really great hair. I love the way she looks when she talks about him.

"He needed someone to stop him and that was you. You made him leave. You saved his life."

"Donna Noble, you're the most important woman in the whole of creation." (echoes -- the Doctor; Father's Day. "An ordinary man, that's the most important thing in creation.")

"Blonde hair might work on the men, but you ain't shifting me, lady."
"That's more like it."

"Sorry, so sorry." She comes in with a blazing flash of light and then fades away. It's the contrast that's particularly intriguing.

And Rose doesn't tell UNIT her name and asks them not to salute her. Very shades of the Doctor. So, Rose has been mysteriously working with UNIT and holding the TARDIS all this time. Very interesting!

"Is it awake?"

They built a time machine! Ha! Brilliant.

"How do you know it's going to work?"
"Huh? Oh, we... don't. We're just guessing."

"I'm half a mile away!"

Well... it seems to be just about as accurate as the TARDIS generally is. Hee.

And then... Bad Wolf everywhere. Dude. "It's the end of the universe." Dude. That was so cool.

Bad Wolf! Gah! Really, really fantastic and the trailer made me squee and I'm just so excited for next week! Brilliant, brilliant episode!

Comments

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

The UNIT blokes think that the Doctor "didn't have time" to regenerate. Thinking back to his state of mind on Christmas day and considering what we know the Master could do later on... I'm thinking that maybe he chose not to. He was near-suicidal several times in S3.
I didn't even THINK about that. My poor Doctor.

"Donna Noble, you're the most important woman in the whole of creation." (echoes -- the Doctor; Father's Day. "An ordinary man, that's the most important thing in creation.")
Seriously the day that RTD leaves Doctor Who will be sad for me.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I didn't even THINK about that. My poor Doctor.

My heart hurts for him so much. And drowning is... not the best way to go (not the worst way either, but... yeah).

Seriously the day that RTD leaves Doctor Who will be sad for me.

Especially since I do not get the impression that Moffat feels the same way about 'ordinary' people. He likes SuperSpecial people.

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

Especially since I do not get the impression that Moffat feels the same way about 'ordinary' people. He likes SuperSpecial people.
Without any of the work of showing why someone is special.

[adelate]

It really was amazing. I was a bit tired when I first started watching it after one a.m. or so but I woke up fast, it was so intriguing. Plus this more than made up for the lack of Donna last week (I love her so!) and really, I was watching and I never wanted it to end. Donna! And Rose (you weren't the only one making noise at the credits :D)! Oh I can't wait for next week. ♥

Why don't I have a Donna icon? Clearly I need to make one.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It was so good! Catherine Tate did such an amazing job. Donna's such a great character.

[pluckyyounggirl.livejournal.com]

There may have been a mild amount of shrieking at seeing Billie's name in the credits. Just a bit.

HAH! I know! I did the same thing. I screamed and hit my friend. She was bewildered. That's okay. She accepts my hysteria, and loves me still. Thank goodness.

So, Rose could tell that something was wrong. That things weren't happening the right way. That's interesting.
"I can see everything. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be."
I WANT THIS TO RELATE BACK TO THAT. It has to.

Is this all happening the same day for her, I wonder?
I'm inclined to think it is. What's time and space to the Bad Wolf, after all?

I love the way she looks when she talks about him.
Me too. It's just so wonderful, and she looks happy, for a moment, remembering him and them.

And then... Bad Wolf everywhere. Dude. "It's the end of the universe." Dude. That was so cool.
I screamed, and yelled, and it was the coolest thing EVER.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

"I can see everything. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be."
I WANT THIS TO RELATE BACK TO THAT. It has to.

It's possible. Though she seemed to know more as time went on, like she was gathering data -- she didn't recognize Donna straight off, but once she could tell that there was something on her back, she got more interested in her. And then when she came back the second time, she seemed better informed. I think she'd been doing a lot of universe-hopping. God, she's got to be tired, doing all that and building a time machine, too (Rose built a time machine! Eee!)

Me too. It's just so wonderful, and she looks happy, for a moment, remembering him and them.

And then the way she looked when Donna saw the TARDIS! And then Rose stroked the TARDIS and it responded to her! Still *hearts* her, I bet.

So cool.

[pluckyyounggirl.livejournal.com]

And then when she came back the second time, she seemed better informed. I think she'd been doing a lot of universe-hopping.

She seems to have massive amounts of information available to her very quickly, too, since all of this seems to take place on the same day for her. Oh, Rose. She did look so tired.

(Rose built a time machine! Eee!)

I KNOW.

And then Rose stroked the TARDIS and it responded to her! Still *hearts* her, I bet.

Absolutely. That was such a lovely, lovely moment. I may or may not have teared up on account of TARDIS/Rose love.

[shinyopals.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my first thought when they revealed just *how* the Doctor had died was that. He'd literally just done the whole Bad Wolf Bay thing - sometimes we forget cos there's a time disconnect between the episodes - and he had no one to pull him out. It's an echo of DiM/EotD, but somehow *more* terrifying because he succeeds.

Rose was brilliant - very Doctor. And the hair line still has me squeeing now.

IS IT NEXT SATURDAY YET?

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my first thought when they revealed just *how* the Doctor had died was that. He'd literally just done the whole Bad Wolf Bay thing - sometimes we forget cos there's a time disconnect between the episodes - and he had no one to pull him out. It's an echo of DiM/EotD, but somehow *more* terrifying because he succeeds.

*nods*

He'd only just said good-bye to Rose. And he didn't manage to finish his sentence and then there was a non-Donna person and a situation and it maybe wasn't someone who noticed that he was hurting and it wasn't someone he could bond with and it wasn't someone who was brave enough to yell up at him when he was being terrifying.

And the spiders were drowning and he was just... so tired. It would easier not to try to escape. Easier just to let the water rise up and just... not bother anymore. Because everyone leaves in the end and there's no point in going on if all you do is lose the people you love.

Oh, Doctor.

Um, yes. I may have thought about this a bit.

Rose was brilliant - very Doctor. And the hair line still has me squeeing now.

She really was! She continued on the journey that she was already taking in S2, becoming more and more like him. They were already so naturally suited and as her knowledge grows, she understands the universe more the way that he does (which was one of his biggest "Oh, Rose" moments in "The Parting of the Ways"; having her truly experience the universe the same way that he does. It leveled the playing field between them in a way that few other things could have).

[blackcat-1.livejournal.com]

He'd only just said good-bye to Rose. And he didn't manage to finish his sentence and then there was a non-Donna person and a situation and it maybe wasn't someone who noticed that he was hurting and it wasn't someone he could bond with and it wasn't someone who was brave enough to yell up at him when he was being terrifying.

And the spiders were drowning and he was just... so tired. It would easier not to try to escape. Easier just to let the water rise up and just... not bother anymore. Because everyone leaves in the end and there's no point in going on if all you do is lose the people you love.

Yes, this was exactly what I was thinking. Quite possibly what RTD wanted to get across to the adult audience.

i think i’m allergic to your journal

[shaela]

Um, yes. I may have thought about this a bit.

And just like that, “The Runaway Bride” becomes ten thousand times more awesome. And it was already one of my favorite episodes of the series. I didn’t think it was possible for me to love it more. But finding out that it was actually RTD’s best case scenario, post-“Doomsday”… oh, wow.

[katesutton.livejournal.com]

Ack! He DIED. Without Rose or Donna, he died. That 'didn't have time to regenerate' business? Piffle. He didn't WANT to. Donna saved him in so many ways, just as he said. I'm really looking forward to seeing what else she means to the story. I just hope I don't want to hurt someone for hurting Donna after it. And Rose was just so awesome. She knows stuff! How? Why? What? The answers had better be GOOD.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Donna really did save him so much.

*hugs Donna*

*hugs poor suicidal Doctor*

*hugs Rose for good measure*

[spiletta42.livejournal.com]

Wow. Dude, I want the next episode right the frak now.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I know! Saturday is too far away!

[teskafuture.livejournal.com]

Pretty much just nods on everything you said. *grin*

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Rose! Donna! Dude!

BAD WOLF!!

[sheron]

I am stuck on the thought that the Doctor effectively kills himself after saying goodbye to Rose. That just blows my mind.

And did it really "happen too fast for him to regenerate"? After all unlike the UNIT we do know it took quite a while for things to flood down there.

[sheron]

Sorry, barging in again> but I often read your reactions, so can't help myself today...

Another thing stuck with me: the way Rose tries to brush against the creature on Donna's back. While Donna's freaking out, the look on Rose's face is all wonder and curiosity and "you're beautiful". Echoes of the Doctor in her every move when she doesn't know if their Time Machine will work (what do they call it I wonder??) but she's grinning because she thinks it's absolutely brilliant. Having spent some time away from Rose you always forget just how fantastic she was with the Doctor, and wow, what a rush to have her back!

/end squee..well in your journal at least :)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

She was so very much like the Doctor in enjoying the wonders and the beauties of even the most terrifying things. They worked so well together!

[sheron]

HAH you had the same line in your reaction, lol, I didn't even see at first I just saw squee and joined in, lol

[leviathan101.livejournal.com]

I loved your recap/review. I adored the part where Rose commented on his really great hair, and I also loved when she didn't answer the question about the Doctor and her 'together'. They just shared knowing glances.

Thanks for your thoughts. I enjoyed reading them!

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

He does have really great hair. It's nice that Rose appreciates that as we do.

[lacktruth.livejournal.com]

The bees are still disappearing (just a nod to real life or something else...).

I actually thought nothing of this quote until I re-watched "Planet of the Ood" last night, where Donna and the Doctor mention the disappearance of bees. Also, Donna mentions it in "The Unicorn and the Wasp" right? Anyway, I think RTD et all are just putting my fandom brain into overdrive and that the bees thing just means that the entire universe is about to end, as the Doctor said. Though when you Google "doctor who bees" you come across a very interesting, amusing and probably unlikely "spoiler" here. (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=801473)

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Growing up, taking charge of her life, deciding who she wanted to be and what she wanted to do, taking all of that raw potential and becoming so much more than she ever dreamed possible. I'm so excited to see her again, to see how she's grown and changed in the time that she's been gone.

I LOVE that while RTD said he wasn't reinventing Rose, he masterfully grew her in a way that would completely fit the time period she's been away. There's no question she could take control like this - just look at The Satan Pit for a small sample of her on her own. Already back then she was starting to sound like the Doctor.

There may have been a mild amount of shrieking at seeing Billie's name in the credits. Just a bit.

Uh huh. :D

Is this all happening the same day for her, I wonder?

It almost seemed to, didn't it? What with her never changing clothes. (I loved how that was another little Doctor similarity.) So Rose has been doing some time travel of her own. And I love that she's smart enough to try and leave as small of a footprint as possible when she does it.

[thegrungediva.livejournal.com]

Have you seen _Pretty Woman_? Early in the movie Vivian (Julia Roberts' character) tells Edward (Gere's character) about her fantasy that a knight in shining armor would come and save her from her miserable life. At the end, he comes to "save" her (in a very cute and romantic scene), and he asks, "So, when this knight in shining armor comes to save you, what do you do?" She answers, "I save him right back."

It's so wonderful to recognize that the Doctor, who has saved the world countless times, himself needs saving, and Donna is the one to do it.

This is the difference between good writing and great writing. In good writing, heros are omnipotent and perfect. In great writing, they're vulnerable.