Doctor Who: favorite things

[butterfly]

If I were going to pick a favorite two-parter of the New Who, it would definitely be The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit. If I could only pick one episode as my favorite, it would be Dalek (though Father's Day is close).

I'm not a big fan of believing that the author's always right, but I do love the DW Confidentials. The actors and crew members say such lovely things. As early as the Confidential for Aliens in London, we have Christopher Eccleston saying, "Rose is the Doctor's equal in every way apart from, possibly, his scientific knowledge."

This is a case where I really do feel that the creators' intentions flowed from the screen. The character things they mention in the Confidential are all things that I got from the show, but it's kinda neat that I do, for the most part, feel so in sync with the creators. They say something, and I say, "Yeah, exactly."

So, I love the way the makers of the show love the show.

I love the Doctor/Rose storyline. Bits of it absolutely kill me and break my heart, but I love that in a good bit of fiction. They had passion and respect and friendship and love. Equality. The Doctor looked at Rose Tyler and was astonished at how much like him she was -- her grins in the face of danger, her way of easing tensions, her compassion and her courage. I love seeing them fall in love in season one and love seeing them be in love in season two. And now the Doctor understands what everyone feels after meeting him. He's now the one who's experienced splendor and lost it. The Doctor is my emotional anchor in season three, when all through the first two seasons, it was Rose.

The Doctor found something, someone, that he believed in. He found a greater truth, in his love for Rose Tyler. He found that person worth breaking his hearts over, a million times over. And he lost her, and it did break his hearts and we're seeing the aftermath. The Doctor is vulnerable this season, vulnerable in a different way than he was when he had Rose.

If the places the TARDIS goes (in this New Who) are reflective of the Doctor's mindset (and from the evidence, I think that's a strong argument), then the Doctor is in bad shape. There's still hope, which gives me comfort, but he's downright suicidal at times, reminiscent of, "I could very well die in the process... but don't worry about me, go on, have your lovely beans on toast," and "Maybe it's about time," but so much angrier. He had his moments of coldness and anger in S2, but it's more than moments in this new season.

I love that he has such a depth of emotion, but I hate to see him in pain. It's a near impossible balance to walk, but David Tennant is more than pulling it off for me. He's breaking my heart and I'm loving him for it.

Comments

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Hi! Remember me? Stalking your journal again because you say pretty things and I've got this strange Doctor Who addiction.

Hi, again! I've friended you, by the by.

Doctor Who is really, really lovely.

I so agree. Martha's really not doing anything for me. But you know what? That's okay. I don't think I need her to. I'd like to sympathize a little more with her than I do, but I'm so enthralled with the Doctor's story this season that I don't mind.

That's it, exactly. Martha seems to be more of a Classic Companion, not anywhere near as filled out as Rose was, but that's all right, because the Doctor is completely filling the Epic space. Lost love can be a very beautiful story, when well-told.

Maybe it's all my years of watching the Jossverse, but I really like the darker, almost bleak sense to this season. Oh, it *hurts* because I adore the Doctor, but it feels very right at the same time. And I appreciate RTD for actually following through on those emotions. But he's lost the Time War, and then he lost Rose, whose importance to him hasn't been diminished at all. No wonder he's in a dark place. If he was bouncing from the walls and impossibly happy, it wouldn't be true to his character.

Yes. Even if RTD hadn't said that he was a fan of BtVS, it would still be clear that he follows the same emotional school as Joss -- make it real. Events and disasters cause emotional pain that doesn't just fade away. Certain lifestyles take a toll on the person living them. The Doctor fell in love. He lost his entire people and then he found this girl. Nineteen years old, but with an intuitive and bright mind. Someone who gave him a home again. In S2, the Doctor's talking about how when the Time Lords died, "the universe became that bit less kind," and this has to be that all over again. Without Rose, the universe is that bit less kind. There's not as much light, anymore.

I'm really loving this season so far. I keep saying to my roommate that I can't believe that the show is actually shippier for Doctor/Rose without Rose on the show. Seeing how the absence of her weighs on the Doctor shows just how much he loves her. His laughter and giddy joy in S2 looks much less like traits of this regeneration and more like the simple happiness of a man deeply in love with someone who loves him back just as much.

[goldy-dollar.livejournal.com]

Hi, again! I've friended you, by the by.

Hooray! Thank you. :)

Martha seems to be more of a Classic Companion, not anywhere near as filled out as Rose was, but that's all right, because the Doctor is completely filling the Epic space. Lost love can be a very beautiful story, when well-told.

I actually think it was a smart move, on their part. Given that I *am* a new series fan, I'm not certain I could just shift all the emotional investment I had in Rose into a new companion. The fact that I don't really have to makes her absence a little less jarring. And while it hurts, I like feeling for the Doctor.

Though I still wish I could relate more to Martha. I still don't feel like I really know *who* she is. I mean, I know the facts, but nothing really concrete. What motivated her to become a doctor? How serious is she about it? Would she be willing to chuck that for the Doctor and the TARDIS? Just... give me something here.

Martha seems to be more of a Classic Companion, not anywhere near as filled out as Rose was, but that's all right, because the Doctor is completely filling the Epic space. Lost love can be a very beautiful story, when well-told.

Exactly! I'm always a little shocked when I hear people saying he should be over it already. I know that might have been more in line with Old School Who, but New Who is *all* about the emotional continuity. And I'm so glad they haven't dropped the Rose/Doctor just because she's not there. He *did* love her. He *still* loves her. He's hurting that she's not there. And it's sad and heartbreaking, but it's all very real and natural.

His laughter and giddy joy in S2 looks much less like traits of this regeneration and more like the simple happiness of a man deeply in love with someone who loves him back just as much.

Yeah. Absolutely.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I actually think it was a smart move, on their part. Given that I *am* a new series fan, I'm not certain I could just shift all the emotional investment I had in Rose into a new companion. The fact that I don't really have to makes her absence a little less jarring. And while it hurts, I like feeling for the Doctor.

Exactly. I adored Rose so much. They completely succeeded in making her the heart of the story. And while I can transfer that love to the Doctor (because he loved and she loved him and DT won my heart in his heartbreak in Doomsday), I can't imagine just loving Martha with that kind of intensity. I need time to miss Rose. And the Doctor missing Rose so much gives me that time.

Though I still wish I could relate more to Martha. I still don't feel like I really know *who* she is. I mean, I know the facts, but nothing really concrete. What motivated her to become a doctor? How serious is she about it? Would she be willing to chuck that for the Doctor and the TARDIS? Just... give me something here.

I liked Martha in the most recent episode, but she doesn't feel anywhere near as complete a character as Rose did. I felt more strongly about Rose at the end of Rose than I do Martha at the end of Evolution of the Daleks.

On the plus side, wow, I do feel for the Doctor and feel like I understand his motivations.

I really do hope that next week's episode gives Martha a bit more depth.

Exactly! I'm always a little shocked when I hear people saying he should be over it already. I know that might have been more in line with Old School Who, but New Who is *all* about the emotional continuity. And I'm so glad they haven't dropped the Rose/Doctor just because she's not there. He *did* love her. He *still* loves her. He's hurting that she's not there. And it's sad and heartbreaking, but it's all very real and natural.

Right! I've been watching the older Confidentials and you have RTD on there saying that as far as they're concerned, it is a new show in many ways. They're going to respect what came before, but not be limited by it. RTD shows much more awareness for the fact that this 'always traveling' lifestyles has both drawbacks and a bit of tragedy living inside it.

They changed the rulebook when they gave the Ninth Doctor the backstory of the Time War and made him the last of the Time Lords. They changed it more when he fell in love. But they're the ones writing the rulebook. They're allowed to change it.

[katesutton.livejournal.com]

Without Rose, the universe is that bit less kind. There's not as much light, anymore.

Oh, I love that. And yes, the times he's been all giddy and manic this season(I'm thinking S&J here)...it's all seemed more desperate, less happy. Although I loved Doctor/Rose from the first, I must admit to surprise at how much he's taken a darker turn without her.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love that. And yes, the times he's been all giddy and manic this season(I'm thinking S&J here)...it's all seemed more desperate, less happy. Although I loved Doctor/Rose from the first, I must admit to surprise at how much he's taken a darker turn without her.

He really, really has. It's had a profound affect on him. Which is wonderful to see, because it means that RTD and Co. meant everything they (and the show) said about Rose. But it's also incredibly painful, because being emotionally true to this story means taking the Doctor to a very dark place. He's so tired, this tenth incarnation of the Doctor. He's tired of people not understanding he's an alien, he's tired of "bigger on the inside", he's tired of explaining things like psychic paper and sonic screwdrivers. He's tired of death following him around like it has nothing better to do. Rose gave him life -- Rose was so full of light and laughter and she willingly gave that joy to the Doctor.

Now, that light (the power of the day, the Carrionite tells us) is gone. The Doctor is lost, laughing at the darkness (as the Plasmavore said). And he stands in front of the Daleks and screams at them to just kill him. He can manage to scrape out happy ending for other people (for some of them), but not for himself (the one strand of personal hope that he's given by the Face of Boe, he finds impossible to believe).