Doctor Who: the Doctor, loneliness, and Rose=Vince=Rose

[butterfly]

His loneliness eats away at him, wears away at him, every moment of every day. Every second that his mind reaches out and he's the only one left. There's this silence, this gaping aching hole that was created when his people died. In the Confidential for Aliens in London (entitled I Get A Sidekick Out Of You), Christopher Eccleston says this: "The notion is that the Doctor's lonely and Rose is bored. He loses some of his loneliness and she loses all of her boredom, when they meet."

Rose is human. She can't fill that empty space in his head where the Time Lords used to be. But she can hold his hand and smile at him and things can be better than they were before he met her. That's enough for both of them, that she helps. One of the things that series one and two put a lot of focus on is what an empathetic character Rose is -- "These people are dying and Rose would care," the Doctor says in New Earth, knowing for certain that something is wrong with Cassandra-Rose (that something's been done to her) because she only worries about whether or not she'll get hurt. From Raffalo and Gwyneth to Chloe and Trish, Rose notices people, notices when things are wrong, and she cares.

She notices that the Doctor's hurting and offers her company. Knowing that she can't make up for the loss of his people, but willing to give what she can to help him. The Doctor is a soldier after a war, one that lost everything. Nothing can ever make that all better. But life can be made endurable, even joyous. Rose did that for him -- made him smile and flirt and care. He looked at her and saw someone that made the universe beautiful and vivid and alive again. And, as they say, that's not nothing.

Additionally, something that I said ages ago about QaF (UK):

Vince makes the comment "I'm always Kate Winslet." As a complaint, it's an interesting one, as Kate's Rose is the Desired Object of the movie Titanic, as well as being the narrator. She's the chased, not the chaser. Like Vince, Rose has to break out of the boxes that her lifestyle has her trapped in, in order to take a chance with the person who is living life moment by moment. Both Rose and Vince are English, while Jack and Stuart aren't. And both Rose and Vince do end up going to America and become more fearless because of the person who loves them...

...Meta-wise, making Vince 'Kate Winslet' tells us that he's the adored one who doesn't quite realise what he's being offered at first. And that Stuart is a free spirit and a talented man, but that's obvious enough (there's also the artist=ad exec connection)...

...When rewatching the first episode, in light of knowing just how much Stuart falls apart without Vince, it's actually pretty easy to see how much he depends on Vince. He depends on Vince to drive him home safely and to bring back his car. He depends on Vince to be there the instant that he needs Vince -- the first phone call we see is Stuart to Vince, not vice versa.

My brain is now going to break over the Rose (Titanic)=Vince=Rose (Doctor Who) thing that's now popped up in my head. Different boxes, that's all. Different labels.

Also, going by Martha's "It's all your fault," turn in The Sound of the Drums, I think she may now officially qualify as Nathan (who also completely misjudged the relationship he got in the middle of, but who grew up and became a sympathetic character in the end).

Everything I needed to know about New Who, I learned from Queer as Folk (UK), apparently.

Comments

[coneyislandbaby]

And don't forget that Rose's lover in Titanic was named Jack, either - I still refuse, particularly with that scene from QAF and knowing that Russell worked with Kate, to believe that it was a complete and total coincidence that we have Jack and Rose in Who.

Except I don't want Martha to be Nathan, because I rewatched QAF to write a story for Yuletide last year and utterly loathed Nathan, even at the end. Considering the first time I watched it, I hated Stuart and loved Nathan, that was an interest turnaround (I liked Stuart much better the second time through but Vince will always be my favourite).

I also have a theory that Owen = Stuart only straight-ish.

And one more thing. No matter how much I like Aiden Gillen as Stuart, I will forever be disappointed that Christopher Eccleston did not play the part.

[coneyislandbaby]

Also, I'll be able to form an actual opinion about Martha soon as we are getting The Runaway Bride here tonight and the new series starts from Saturday night. Given the wide-ranging opinions of the fans, I'm most interested to see what she's actually like. I can say I liked the actress's appearance in Army Of Ghosts at least, as Adeola.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Let me know what you think! I really enjoyed her in her introductory episode, Smith and Jones. She only started to irritate me later on.

And I quite liked her as Adeola, as well.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

And don't forget that Rose's lover in Titanic was named Jack, either - I still refuse, particularly with that scene from QAF and knowing that Russell worked with Kate, to believe that it was a complete and total coincidence that we have Jack and Rose in Who.

Oh, yes. And both Jacks are 'American', too. Definitely not a coincidence. And Jack clearly still adores Rose.

Except I don't want Martha to be Nathan, because I rewatched QAF to write a story for Yuletide last year and utterly loathed Nathan, even at the end. Considering the first time I watched it, I hated Stuart and loved Nathan, that was an interest turnaround (I liked Stuart much better the second time through but Vince will always be my favourite).

Vince is total and complete love. Stuart is a character that gets better the more you watch him, I think, because he's very subtly done -- I didn't realize how much he needed and adored Vince until my second viewing of the series.

I also have a theory that Owen = Stuart only straight-ish.

Careless bastard who enjoys the hell out of sex? Hmm. I'll buy it. Stuart's hotter, though.

[coneyislandbaby]

There's actually several Jack and Rose combinations I know of, some platonic, some not (can't remember if you're into Lost or not but there's a Jack and a Rose there too, and there's a movie called The Ballad Of Jack And Rose).

Still not a coincidence.

And speaking of Titanic and Vince... Craig Kelly was also in Titanic. I love convergences like this.

Oddly I don't find Stuart to be that hot. Got lots of character love, no hot love. So to speak.

Then again, the amount of hot I find Owen is probably very out of proportion. I want to be his Vince. Or at least give him his Vince.

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree that owen was supposed</i< to be a Stuart-type, but the actor brought out all the loathsome layers of that kind of Lothario character and none of the joy or charm that Aiden Gillen brought to the role.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Like, Stuart through the eyes of someone that isn't madly attracted to him (like Donna, who was all "he's so old" and "Nathan, you can do better").

He's a Stuart who isn't enjoying himself as much. Plus, he doesn't have a Vince. A Stuart without a Vince is so lost. The Vince is what makes everything fun.

[laughingduchess.livejournal.com]

And one more thing. No matter how much I like Aiden Gillen as Stuart, I will forever be disappointed that Christopher Eccleston did not play the part.

omg!!!! I have never heard this!! That would have been amazing-did he turn it down? What happened?

Also, hello!