Doctor Who 4.5x01 - The Next Doctor

[butterfly]

The Next Doctor

I thought that this episode was beautiful and delicate and very well-done.

A couple of moments really hurt my heart -- when Jackson Lake, having been told that his son gives him a reason to live, asks the Doctor, "You haven't?" and the Doctor's silence is so telling. Him saying to Ms. Hartigan, "The question is, what do you make of me? This is what you make me," just before he sends the wave that lets her realize the extent of what she's done, causing her suicide.

And, of course, "I suppose that they break my heart." His reason for not having a companion along with him anymore. The nod to Donna, his most recent heartbreak, but also to all the others.

There were some really lovely, heartwarming moments -- tiny squee at him calling Rosita 'a good name', all of his allusions to previous companions. Him agreeing to stay to Christmas dinner. I was so glad about that. I loved the glimpse we had of all ten Doctors in the Cybermen's imprint device (and, while the sketch in HN confirmed that the Eighth Doctor was canon, it's nice to have that reaffirmed here).

The story of Jackson Lake and how he'd imprinted on the Doctor was really sad and lovely and he was a great character (compare and contrast: Jackson's 'corrupt' and very full of memory holes imprinting versus Donna's full exposure to the Doctor's mind... Jackson can't handle staying in the TARDIS for too long). Rosita was also really wonderful.

All in all, I just really loved every moment of the special. And it just reminded me that... oh, for all that I'm glad that David is getting to do other things to stretch himself and how thrilled I am for him, I'm going to miss his Doctor. So much.

David M. did such a good job as Jackson Lake/'the Doctor' and he did have all the chemistry that I was hoping he would still have with David T.

Comments

[beck-liz.livejournal.com]

The Davids really have such fabulous chemistry with each other, don't they? I found myself wishing that Jackson could stick around as companion. Or really be Eleven, because he was Just That Good.

This episode was jut wonderful, wasn't it? And it didn't completely rip your heart out like the last two specials, thank goodness. :-)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

The Davids really have such fabulous chemistry with each other, don't they? I found myself wishing that Jackson could stick around as companion. Or really be Eleven, because he was Just That Good.

He really was! He did such a great part with the role and made all the different emotional beats feel so natural and lovely.

This episode was jut wonderful, wasn't it? And it didn't completely rip your heart out like the last two specials, thank goodness. :-)

Yes. Christmas dinner, in remembrance of what's lost. It felt very fitting. It's not the giddy joy of the end of TCI, but it's not the fresh pain of TRB or VotD. He can sit and remember. No invitations, because he's not ready for that again, but there's still hope, because he changed his mind and said yes.

[solitude-82.livejournal.com]

i thought the same. david m really had that doctor feel to him and i would've loved to have him as eleven. but at the same time, i sort of love the rumours going around that james nesbitt could be considered for the doctor. i love that man