Doctor Who. - The Woman Who Fell to Earth
Oct. 7th, 2018 07:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat[I have no idea what season this is? 13th?]
Just finished watching the New Doctor Who, starring Jodi Whittaker as the first female doctor, and with new show-runner, Michael Chinbale. (Sorry for misspellings, Who fans and internet spell checkers.)
And...
It was good. I was pleasantly surprised. I love Jodi's take on the Doctor, and love the team companion approach. Much prefer three companions to one. It gets rid of the romantic shipping with the Doctor, which frankly never quite worked for me. The only characters that made sense as romantic love interests for the Doctor were Doctor River Song and Missy/Master. Everyone else seemed a bit ludicrous and my suspension of disbelief hopped out the window. Rose Tyler? Seriously? Why would a 1000 year old alien, who is brilliant, immortal, and can travel back and forth through time and space in the blink of an eye... fall in love with someone who is the equivalent of a little kid, with zero knowledge of the universe, history, or anything else? They've zip in common. I can see him/her mentoring her or even becoming friends, but falling in love in a romantic way? No. Also, not helped by the fact that all the companions did increasingly dumb things. Platonic relationships work a lot better in these types of series.
Anywho...finally, we have a female doctor, and the story not mention the Whoverse just got a bit more interesting. I felt like they were repeating themselves for a while there. With the exception of the River Song arc, and Nine, the series felt very boilerplate. Now, it's a bit shaken. Less predictable. I like that. You need to shake up things a bit. It also got a less sexist. I'm sorry but the previous incarnations had a sexist undertone that irritated me. Even the Doctor River Song arc. This feels a wee bit less sexist.
I have to admit I leaped out of the Capadali/Clara arc due to boredom, also the fact that the actress playing Clara does little for me. And left for a bit during Tennent/Rose arc also do to boredom (and I'm rather apathetic about Billie Piper). I didn't like either pairing. Nine -- I found interesting, because the Doctor was played very dark and angsty by Christopher Eccleston. And Alex Kingston's take on Dr. River Song fascinated me, along with Rory/Amy and Matt Smith's Doctor. I did like Bill/Capadali, that pairing worked for me. This one, with Whittaker/et al appears to be working as well. I liked and cared about all the characters.
The story? It worked for the most part.
Interesting new villain, even if I've seen that done before. (But let's face it there are no new ideas just new ways of telling them.) The companions were relatable and a nice-cross section of Britain. We have black man, an Indian woman, and an old white guy. Covering all the bases.
Was a bit upset that they killed off the mother/wife/nurse character ("Grace" - I think) -- whose name I can't remember. I saw it coming a mile away, because I already knew that there were only three companions not four. And I could not envision that character agreeing to stay behind while the others went off on adventures. But I liked her. And she was a nurse with a lot of common sense, a rarity in companions.
Most of them lack common sense.
Apparently the companions in this scenario aren't willing traveling companions, but sort of accidental ones. The Doctor in her attempt to get back to the Tardis, took them along with her. Nifty. Now they are all floating in space. Together. I'd be a bit pissed at the Doctor.
The villian, hereinafter known as Frost Hunter, kills his prey with cold, then takes a tooth as a trophy. He's on earth to hunt a random human, take him back to his planet, and put him in a stasis between life and death for eternity. As the Doctor puts it..."So you just leave them to rot?" The villain - "they don't matter."
The whole theme of the episode is how we all matter. Even a lowly and lonely crane operator. Who just wanted to get to his job and not go off on some adventure. Watching them go out of their way to save him was rather inspiring.
It was an episode that was heavy in character development and emotional issues. Less sci-fi heavy. Each of the remaining companions is a bit insecure in some way. The black young male companion has troubles riding a bike -- he suffers from a coordination disability, the white old guy - had cancer which is in remission and is skeptical of anything that exists beyond his realm of knowledge, the young female Indian cop, is struggling to make a dent in her career and feel worthy. Interestingly enough the two characters with professions are the female Doctor and the female cop.
The lowly crane operator is listening to a self-help tape about how he matters. And that people do care about him.
And the guy leaves the tape behind is hunting his sister, who was randomly taken and disappeared, indicating that she mattered.
I liked this theme. I found it to be comforting in a time in which it feels as if nothing matters. But whomever's ego is on display. The War of the egos. Doctor Who like so many other shows popping up right now seem to be depicting a counterpoint or counter-argument, showing that caring for others, not just our own tribe, not just our family, or romantic partner or kid is vital. That putting aside our ego and our need for trophies, and putting others lives first has more meaning.
Interesting...when the crane operator pushes the villain off the crane, instead of congratulating him for doing it (which the old Doctors would have done - ETA: Apparently they all would have, I just have no memory of it. ), this new Doctor says..."You had no right to do that." I rewound it twice, and yep, she said that. He said -- "I'm important." She says, "Yes, but you did not have the right to do that." I found it to be an odd response but in keeping with the new theme of a merciful Doctor.[Apparently this isn't new, and I just don't remember the others doing that.] Not one who saves the world by killing things.
She tells her companions, "I'm just a traveler, who occasionally fixes things where I think they need fixing...nothing more." A definite change from previous Doctors, who announced broadly -- "I'm the Doctor, I'm the hero."
It's moving away from the hero-worship. The boy at the beginning of the story is on "You Tube" talking about this extraordinary woman. We are mislead into thinking it's the Doctor that he is talking about, but no, it's a homage to his mother, who heroically died trying to save their lives.
A nurse. An ordinary woman, who saved lives with little to no fanfair, and never hurt anyone in the process.
I'm sticking with this new Doctor, it was enjoyable, inspiring, comforting, and held my interest. Which is basically my criteria for most things nowadays.
Also, need icons.
Just finished watching the New Doctor Who, starring Jodi Whittaker as the first female doctor, and with new show-runner, Michael Chinbale. (Sorry for misspellings, Who fans and internet spell checkers.)
And...
It was good. I was pleasantly surprised. I love Jodi's take on the Doctor, and love the team companion approach. Much prefer three companions to one. It gets rid of the romantic shipping with the Doctor, which frankly never quite worked for me. The only characters that made sense as romantic love interests for the Doctor were Doctor River Song and Missy/Master. Everyone else seemed a bit ludicrous and my suspension of disbelief hopped out the window. Rose Tyler? Seriously? Why would a 1000 year old alien, who is brilliant, immortal, and can travel back and forth through time and space in the blink of an eye... fall in love with someone who is the equivalent of a little kid, with zero knowledge of the universe, history, or anything else? They've zip in common. I can see him/her mentoring her or even becoming friends, but falling in love in a romantic way? No. Also, not helped by the fact that all the companions did increasingly dumb things. Platonic relationships work a lot better in these types of series.
Anywho...finally, we have a female doctor, and the story not mention the Whoverse just got a bit more interesting. I felt like they were repeating themselves for a while there. With the exception of the River Song arc, and Nine, the series felt very boilerplate. Now, it's a bit shaken. Less predictable. I like that. You need to shake up things a bit. It also got a less sexist. I'm sorry but the previous incarnations had a sexist undertone that irritated me. Even the Doctor River Song arc. This feels a wee bit less sexist.
I have to admit I leaped out of the Capadali/Clara arc due to boredom, also the fact that the actress playing Clara does little for me. And left for a bit during Tennent/Rose arc also do to boredom (and I'm rather apathetic about Billie Piper). I didn't like either pairing. Nine -- I found interesting, because the Doctor was played very dark and angsty by Christopher Eccleston. And Alex Kingston's take on Dr. River Song fascinated me, along with Rory/Amy and Matt Smith's Doctor. I did like Bill/Capadali, that pairing worked for me. This one, with Whittaker/et al appears to be working as well. I liked and cared about all the characters.
The story? It worked for the most part.
Interesting new villain, even if I've seen that done before. (But let's face it there are no new ideas just new ways of telling them.) The companions were relatable and a nice-cross section of Britain. We have black man, an Indian woman, and an old white guy. Covering all the bases.
Was a bit upset that they killed off the mother/wife/nurse character ("Grace" - I think) -- whose name I can't remember. I saw it coming a mile away, because I already knew that there were only three companions not four. And I could not envision that character agreeing to stay behind while the others went off on adventures. But I liked her. And she was a nurse with a lot of common sense, a rarity in companions.
Most of them lack common sense.
Apparently the companions in this scenario aren't willing traveling companions, but sort of accidental ones. The Doctor in her attempt to get back to the Tardis, took them along with her. Nifty. Now they are all floating in space. Together. I'd be a bit pissed at the Doctor.
The villian, hereinafter known as Frost Hunter, kills his prey with cold, then takes a tooth as a trophy. He's on earth to hunt a random human, take him back to his planet, and put him in a stasis between life and death for eternity. As the Doctor puts it..."So you just leave them to rot?" The villain - "they don't matter."
The whole theme of the episode is how we all matter. Even a lowly and lonely crane operator. Who just wanted to get to his job and not go off on some adventure. Watching them go out of their way to save him was rather inspiring.
It was an episode that was heavy in character development and emotional issues. Less sci-fi heavy. Each of the remaining companions is a bit insecure in some way. The black young male companion has troubles riding a bike -- he suffers from a coordination disability, the white old guy - had cancer which is in remission and is skeptical of anything that exists beyond his realm of knowledge, the young female Indian cop, is struggling to make a dent in her career and feel worthy. Interestingly enough the two characters with professions are the female Doctor and the female cop.
The lowly crane operator is listening to a self-help tape about how he matters. And that people do care about him.
And the guy leaves the tape behind is hunting his sister, who was randomly taken and disappeared, indicating that she mattered.
I liked this theme. I found it to be comforting in a time in which it feels as if nothing matters. But whomever's ego is on display. The War of the egos. Doctor Who like so many other shows popping up right now seem to be depicting a counterpoint or counter-argument, showing that caring for others, not just our own tribe, not just our family, or romantic partner or kid is vital. That putting aside our ego and our need for trophies, and putting others lives first has more meaning.
Interesting...when the crane operator pushes the villain off the crane, instead of congratulating him for doing it (
She tells her companions, "I'm just a traveler, who occasionally fixes things where I think they need fixing...nothing more." A definite change from previous Doctors, who announced broadly -- "I'm the Doctor, I'm the hero."
It's moving away from the hero-worship. The boy at the beginning of the story is on "You Tube" talking about this extraordinary woman. We are mislead into thinking it's the Doctor that he is talking about, but no, it's a homage to his mother, who heroically died trying to save their lives.
A nurse. An ordinary woman, who saved lives with little to no fanfair, and never hurt anyone in the process.
I'm sticking with this new Doctor, it was enjoyable, inspiring, comforting, and held my interest. Which is basically my criteria for most things nowadays.
Also, need icons.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-08 08:10 am (UTC)Interesting...when the crane operator pushes the villain off the crane, instead of congratulating him for doing it (which the old Doctors would have done), this new Doctor says..."You had no right to do that."
ANY Doctor would have said that. Ten especially would have been VERY cross.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-08 09:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-10-08 11:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-10-08 01:58 pm (UTC)It's possible I didn't see those episodes. I've admittedly skipped over quite a few of them here and there. A Doctor expert, I'm not. Buffy and The X-men comics - yes. Doctor Who - no.