Doctor Who - Christmas Special
Dec. 29th, 2017 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatFinally saw The Doctor Who - Christmas Special, and I liked it. It wasn't quite what I expected but it worked, revisiting and re-emphasizing various year-long themes, such as "be kind", war is pointless, and hate foolish, while love is wise. And...patriarchial values and belief systems have resulted in a toxicity that could very well destroy us all, if we let it.
To hone in on this theme -- we have the first or original Doctor -- who was not kind, often cruel, cynical, and filled with hubris. He feared changing, so tried to just die. Better to end, then change. Reality is not a fairy tale. Enter Bill Potts who challenges all this old Doctor knows, and reinforces what the current one has learned. It's almost as if the writers are addressing the two fanbases...the old school who fear change and would rather the show end completely, destroying it, then see it change and challenge their world view, and the new school fans who desire change and renewal. And addressing on a much broader scale the political split between those who ache for the good old days, nostalgic for the old Doctor Who, the Britian of old, where white men ruled, and women wandered with them as housekeepers, companions and wives. The Original Doctor even states -- you should bring her along, this ship is in desperate need of spring cleaning. OR you use that language and I shall smack your bottom. The current Doctor is ashamed, and tells Bill to forget it, and tries to shut him up. For he has changed. And he tells his old self -- we are the fairy tale, we bring the magic...and if you change, if you develop, if you regenerate and become something new -- you'll find out.
It's a theme I've seen echoed across various mediums this year from books to plays to songs to television series to films...and in the national and world news. A battle is being waged between those who want a return to old school, conservative, 1950s values and those who wish to be kind and embrace multiculturalism, and gender equality -- to evolve. I read recently an article about how the ult-right conservatism is in its final death throes. That these past two years is the last great stand of a dying regime. And I think that's true...the Doctor states this clearly in his final monologues. He's moving on from being the Doctor of War...to something else. His final lesson is to be kind. Which also echoes something else I read recently, how everyone's New Year's Resolutions appear to be about becoming a better, kinder person. A good person. Not losing weight, or making money, or obtaining some success. But being kind.
It's in the water, it's in the air, it's the theme of Star Wars The Last Jedi, Greatest Showman, Doctor Who, The Good Place, The Crown, and oh so many others.
Also, the final reel, really made me want to tune into next season. It's almost as if the Tardis, herself, struggled with this new take on the Doctor. Change is hard, the episode seemed to state, but vital.
It's the end of the RT Davies/Stephen Moffat/Mark Gatiss era of the series. So a quick rundown of what I liked most about it.
I have to admit, I'm more of a Moffat than RT Davies fan. So came into the fandom late as a result.
I honestly couldn't figure out the appeal until Moffat's Blink, Silence in the Library and Forests of the Dead. Although I did like The Empty Child. RT Davies was a bit too sentimental for my taste, and I felt a bit on the preachy side. Also the lonely god theme felt old and tired, a trope that I wanted to see exploded and subverted. Enter Stephen Moffat, who basically did just that -- he not only did it, he questioned the trope, and the consequences of playing that role. Moffat basically showed the rot under that romantic trope, and why it did not work. YMMV. I know a lot of people online adored RT Davies Who. But it didn't work for me. I did however like Davies "Torchwood" spin-off, and the miniseries that followed it. (Not both of them, just the one entitled Children of God, I think.) Torchwood and Captain Jack Harkness was a better fit for Davies than Who.
My favorite Doctor Who is a tie between Eccleston and Capadali. I liked Eccleston (Nine) bad boy, dark leather jacket, edginess, and Capadali's wacky old man charm.
My favorite companions? A tie between Amy/Rory and Bill Potts. I liked Donna but hated how Davies handled the character's arc. Rose didn't work for me at all (neither the actress nor the character and I gave up on the series for a bit). The middle one did work, but she felt somehow underdeveloped, as if the writers weren't sure what to do with her. Clara? Not crazy about the actress or the character. (Skipped over most of her episodes as well). Amy/Rory arc worked for me, and I loved both actors. Also adore Pearl Mackie's Bill Potts. Who exuded warmth and delight in every scene she was in.
My favorite non-companion recurring character? River Song. Adore this character. Favorite character in the series. I shipped this character hard.
Most of the non-companion recurring characters I liked -- Nardol grew on me, as did Captain Jack, and
Missy (who was much better in the last season) and my favorite version of the Master since the old guy, who I think was played by Derek Jacobi but probably am wrong about that. (There's two British actors that look alike that I keep confusing.).
Favorite episodes? The Empty Child, Listen, Blink, Family of Blood, The Human Condition, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, Let's Kill Hitler, A Good Man Goes to War, The Girl Who Waited, The Impossible Astronaut, The Wedding of River Song, The Many Husbands of River Song, The Doctor's Wife,
and Pilot.
Favorite Season? Don't know. I own the second part of Season 4, the complete Sixth Season, and Season 7 (Part I). I know a lot of people didn't like Season 6 and don't think it makes sense, but I rather enjoyed it (and to be honest, I had begun to hand-wave the plotting and science of Doctor Who a while back, because much like Star Wars franchise, it doesn't make a lot of sense most of the time. It's like a soap opera, you just sort of except the fact that the writers don't care that much about continuity and tight plot arcs. Actually having a deep love of the soap genre helps a great deal in this regard. You accept it makes no sense, that isn't really supposed to, and move on. The focus is really on theme and metaphor. It's fairy tale not science.)
Have I read fanfic on it? Yes, for a bit I read River Song fanfic. But nothing outside of that. I think I read a Rose Tyler one once because a friend wrote it.
Favorite Ship? The Tardis. Or the Doctor/Tardis. I'm not really a romantic shipper for Who. He seemed rather adrogynous to me somehow. I don't know why. In part, it's how Tennant and Smith played him. Capadali as well. Eccleston is the only one who didn't play him that way, and Eccleston left the role early on due to creative differences. While I liked Eccleston in the role...I honestly think Smith/Tennant's takes were closer to the writer's vision, along with Capadali's. Hence the reason they were in it longer.
I'd admittedly given up on Doctor Who for a bit, but this season brought me back and I find I'm intrigued to see what Chinball and Jodi Whitaker will bring to it.
To hone in on this theme -- we have the first or original Doctor -- who was not kind, often cruel, cynical, and filled with hubris. He feared changing, so tried to just die. Better to end, then change. Reality is not a fairy tale. Enter Bill Potts who challenges all this old Doctor knows, and reinforces what the current one has learned. It's almost as if the writers are addressing the two fanbases...the old school who fear change and would rather the show end completely, destroying it, then see it change and challenge their world view, and the new school fans who desire change and renewal. And addressing on a much broader scale the political split between those who ache for the good old days, nostalgic for the old Doctor Who, the Britian of old, where white men ruled, and women wandered with them as housekeepers, companions and wives. The Original Doctor even states -- you should bring her along, this ship is in desperate need of spring cleaning. OR you use that language and I shall smack your bottom. The current Doctor is ashamed, and tells Bill to forget it, and tries to shut him up. For he has changed. And he tells his old self -- we are the fairy tale, we bring the magic...and if you change, if you develop, if you regenerate and become something new -- you'll find out.
It's a theme I've seen echoed across various mediums this year from books to plays to songs to television series to films...and in the national and world news. A battle is being waged between those who want a return to old school, conservative, 1950s values and those who wish to be kind and embrace multiculturalism, and gender equality -- to evolve. I read recently an article about how the ult-right conservatism is in its final death throes. That these past two years is the last great stand of a dying regime. And I think that's true...the Doctor states this clearly in his final monologues. He's moving on from being the Doctor of War...to something else. His final lesson is to be kind. Which also echoes something else I read recently, how everyone's New Year's Resolutions appear to be about becoming a better, kinder person. A good person. Not losing weight, or making money, or obtaining some success. But being kind.
It's in the water, it's in the air, it's the theme of Star Wars The Last Jedi, Greatest Showman, Doctor Who, The Good Place, The Crown, and oh so many others.
Also, the final reel, really made me want to tune into next season. It's almost as if the Tardis, herself, struggled with this new take on the Doctor. Change is hard, the episode seemed to state, but vital.
It's the end of the RT Davies/Stephen Moffat/Mark Gatiss era of the series. So a quick rundown of what I liked most about it.
I have to admit, I'm more of a Moffat than RT Davies fan. So came into the fandom late as a result.
I honestly couldn't figure out the appeal until Moffat's Blink, Silence in the Library and Forests of the Dead. Although I did like The Empty Child. RT Davies was a bit too sentimental for my taste, and I felt a bit on the preachy side. Also the lonely god theme felt old and tired, a trope that I wanted to see exploded and subverted. Enter Stephen Moffat, who basically did just that -- he not only did it, he questioned the trope, and the consequences of playing that role. Moffat basically showed the rot under that romantic trope, and why it did not work. YMMV. I know a lot of people online adored RT Davies Who. But it didn't work for me. I did however like Davies "Torchwood" spin-off, and the miniseries that followed it. (Not both of them, just the one entitled Children of God, I think.) Torchwood and Captain Jack Harkness was a better fit for Davies than Who.
My favorite Doctor Who is a tie between Eccleston and Capadali. I liked Eccleston (Nine) bad boy, dark leather jacket, edginess, and Capadali's wacky old man charm.
My favorite companions? A tie between Amy/Rory and Bill Potts. I liked Donna but hated how Davies handled the character's arc. Rose didn't work for me at all (neither the actress nor the character and I gave up on the series for a bit). The middle one did work, but she felt somehow underdeveloped, as if the writers weren't sure what to do with her. Clara? Not crazy about the actress or the character. (Skipped over most of her episodes as well). Amy/Rory arc worked for me, and I loved both actors. Also adore Pearl Mackie's Bill Potts. Who exuded warmth and delight in every scene she was in.
My favorite non-companion recurring character? River Song. Adore this character. Favorite character in the series. I shipped this character hard.
Most of the non-companion recurring characters I liked -- Nardol grew on me, as did Captain Jack, and
Missy (who was much better in the last season) and my favorite version of the Master since the old guy, who I think was played by Derek Jacobi but probably am wrong about that. (There's two British actors that look alike that I keep confusing.).
Favorite episodes? The Empty Child, Listen, Blink, Family of Blood, The Human Condition, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, Let's Kill Hitler, A Good Man Goes to War, The Girl Who Waited, The Impossible Astronaut, The Wedding of River Song, The Many Husbands of River Song, The Doctor's Wife,
and Pilot.
Favorite Season? Don't know. I own the second part of Season 4, the complete Sixth Season, and Season 7 (Part I). I know a lot of people didn't like Season 6 and don't think it makes sense, but I rather enjoyed it (and to be honest, I had begun to hand-wave the plotting and science of Doctor Who a while back, because much like Star Wars franchise, it doesn't make a lot of sense most of the time. It's like a soap opera, you just sort of except the fact that the writers don't care that much about continuity and tight plot arcs. Actually having a deep love of the soap genre helps a great deal in this regard. You accept it makes no sense, that isn't really supposed to, and move on. The focus is really on theme and metaphor. It's fairy tale not science.)
Have I read fanfic on it? Yes, for a bit I read River Song fanfic. But nothing outside of that. I think I read a Rose Tyler one once because a friend wrote it.
Favorite Ship? The Tardis. Or the Doctor/Tardis. I'm not really a romantic shipper for Who. He seemed rather adrogynous to me somehow. I don't know why. In part, it's how Tennant and Smith played him. Capadali as well. Eccleston is the only one who didn't play him that way, and Eccleston left the role early on due to creative differences. While I liked Eccleston in the role...I honestly think Smith/Tennant's takes were closer to the writer's vision, along with Capadali's. Hence the reason they were in it longer.
I'd admittedly given up on Doctor Who for a bit, but this season brought me back and I find I'm intrigued to see what Chinball and Jodi Whitaker will bring to it.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 08:50 pm (UTC)(It's those same people who then went and started the meme of Moffat as Most Sexist TV Producer Ever, because they were convinced that RTD wanted to give them that romantic happy ending and that Moffat did something evil to stop him. Which is why I'm particularly annoyed with that view of Moffat, as I find it hard to see Ten/Rose as in any way a feminism-friendly ship.)
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 09:10 pm (UTC)(Although will admit that there are crazy and somewhat illogical shippers in every fandom, regardless of the television show. And seen a little bit of the Ten/Rose wackiness on the periphery.
Which is why I'm particularly annoyed with that view of Moffat, as I find it hard to see Ten/Rose as in any way a feminism-friendly ship
Agreed. I don't see Moffat as any more sexist than Whedon. Actually less sexist in some respects. And, I was NOT a Ten/Rose shipper or fan. That ship irritated me. Rose irritated me. Much preferred Ten/River, Ten/Jack or Ten/The Master. Although I tended to see the Doctor as rather aesexual to be honest. I have troubles envisioning him doing it with anyone, regardless of who plays him. It's how the wrote and directed him.
Rose irritated me as a character. RT Davies take on Buffy didn't work for me. ;-)
ETA: Didn't RT Davies provide the Ten/Rose Shippers with their happy ending though? The Alt-Verse Doctor or Ten 2, who turned human, got to go off into the parallel verse with Rose and her family. Sort of gave everyone what they wanted.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-02 12:07 am (UTC)The writers aren't romance novelists. The story is on-going.
But..logic and fandom shippers appear to be unmixy things.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-02 12:03 am (UTC)Anyhow she basically told him at one point that he'd completely missed the point of the series, and wasn't a true Who fan. This was after debating the topic for days. They were throwing old Who episodes at each other, and dialogue and canon.
The other one, which was rather tame by comparison, and female, kept whining about it on her journal -- "how were boys going to handle not having a role model any longer." She was old school Who. Also a Ten/Rose shipper -- but didn't strike me as diehard. She finally came around and decided to give it a chance.
The whole thing reminded me oddly of the Angel fans getting up in arms over Spike joining Angel. Seriously. Except a lot worse. Fans can be bat-shit crazy about certain things.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-05 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-06 01:49 am (UTC)Harry Potter comes to mind, as does Frodo, Bilbo Baggins, Sherlock Holmes (who didn't strike me as either), Hercule Poirot, Mr. Darcy, Jeeves, and oh so many others. Does this person not read? Do they not watch anything else?
I had an lengthy argument with a female anti-female Doctor fan, at least I think she's female (there's no way of knowing really), who argued the same thing. They also argued, and this bewildered me to no end and made me wonder what they've limited themselves to watching -- that it was impossible to have a complicated female action hero, who did violent and nasty things, because women heroes aren't permitted to be portrayed in this manner or something. The woman had watched Buffy. I mean, seriously, she had watched Buffy and was a Buffy fan.
I don't think these people are being honest with themselves. Because their arguments are absurd.