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shadowkatWell, semi-productive weekend - bought a swimsuit online, learned how to do online newsletter for church (which I'm volunteering for and appears to be a relative cakewalk in comparison to some of the fan/academic/television discussion boards I've posted to (there were a couple that took themselves a bit too seriously and made me wonder if it is true that the politics of academia does actually drive some people insane) and re-installed a mirror on my door. With any luck - this one will not fall to the ground and break into a million pieces.
Also watched the latest Doctor Who - okay latest for me, I'm well aware that I'm five to six episodes behind the British aired series, damn BBCAmerica! This is what appears to be the controversial Amy's Choice? Where folks were actually whining about Rose being better than Amy. Considering the fact that I did not like Rose or the actress portraying her, or her entire family and boyfriend and stopped watching the series during S2 in part because of it, I can't really relate. The stories are different as are the writers. Amy makes the opposite choice from Rose. But I'm not sure the themes are well...okay, let me put it this way - Doctor Who is not a feminist tv series and is not about equality for women. That's not its main focus, point or interest. While it does discuss gender - it does so from a white British male point of view - which makes sense, since most of its writers are British, male and white. That does not mean I don't enjoy it. That I don't think it is worth watching or that you aren't a feminist if you think it's the cat's pajamas and the best thing ever!! Just that I think it is a waste of time to be discussing how it fails as a feminist tv series, when, it never intended to be one in the first place. Sort of like discussing how Supernatural fails as feminist tv series. Or Angel. Or The Dark Knight Returns. OR the television series M*A*S*H for that matter. (Had a rather lengthy fight with a female advisor/professor in undergrad on this point, I lost and got a lower grade on the paper and class because I did not see the point in discussing how women were treated in a series that wasn't about women or told from a female perspective. I wanted to look at the show on its own terms, not superimpose what I or others wanted it to portray. An example of my on-going battle with feminism and political correct sensibilities - within myself and externally, which may explain the contradictory posts I do on this topic, making one wonder if I'm a hypocrite. No folks. Just a self-aware agnostic who is still trying to figure out a rather murky and frustrating topic.)
Anyhow, what did I think? I'm not sure anyone out there still cares...considering you are about five episodes past it by now.
I rather liked this episode. It plays with your head long after it has finished. And proved that someone other than Stephen Moffat can actually write. I did not like the episode before it - the extreemly cheesy and somewhat cliche Vampires in Venice, which I won't bore you with a commentary on. But every season of Who has at least three to four duds, actually every season of just about every tv series to air has about that many duds. I think BSG S1 is amongst the very few that did not. That and Torchwood Children of Earth - which doesn't really count being a sort of mini-series.
In Amy's Choice - Who follows up on his promise in the episode Time of Angels, when he realizes that Amy has a thing for him and is running away from her commitment to Rory, potentially endangering the universe as a whole. This is a storyline that several of us predicted and dreaded from episode one - The Eleventh Doctor. So it hardly came as a surprise. And yes, I find the whole - which guy's dream life do I choose to be incredibly self-indulgent and short-sighted on the part of the writers, it does however underline how some men view things. And
it also, at the same time highlights a more universal thematic - do we choose the adult life - the calm staid, relaxing world that is so incomparably dull with child, wife, hubby, and job - which most of us have and most of us would object to being called "dull" as Amy does, or the high adventure, risky, uncertain life filled with peril that the Doctor promises, the dream.
Which they wonder is the dream world. The world were age eventually turns us into dust, or the world where we skip like children through time until we hit a cold star or a black hole or some such thing that turns us off? And who should we choose - security or adventure? Or is it even that simple?
The other theme and far more entertaining one to me at any rate, which is still playing with my head - is who the dream lord was. The Doctor states at the very end - he's me, of course, the dream crystals brought him out of me - he's the expression of my dark side. An that expression is a short, old man, who sorts of reminds me of the Master. In fact for a bit that is who I thought he was. Was a bit surprised to learn he was The Doctor, not only surprised but thrilled. This turn of events made me quite happy and I immediately rewound to see if it tracked, and it does. What fascinates me about Doctor Who is how complex and mysterious the protagonist is - he's not really a hero, so much as a protagonist. He can at times be an anti-hero. His actions are not always in the best interest of those involved and his motivations are not always clear-cut. He is in some respects extreemly ambiguous morality wise.
And his dark side is manipulative, it questions and plays with Amy. Asking her again and again who she really wants. What she really wants. Digs at her love for adventure. Digs at her humanity. And digs at what she believes her relationship with the Doctor truly is. You don't even know his real name - has he told you? The discussion reminds me a bit of the one with Donna Noble - where Donna realizes she does not remain the Doctor's companion, that she isn't in River Song's book. That she doesn't really matter to him, as much as he matters to her.
And to a degree Martha Jones - who discovers much the same thing.
The Doctor has had many women. Many companions. He commits to no one. And as for friends, he leaves them behind. They remember him. They may dream of him. But he seems to forget them.
I know who you are,The Doctor tells the Dream Lord, because there's only one other person who hates me that much in all the universe, the other, well that's impossible.
The other is The Master or The Daleks. Not sure which. When it is revealed the dream lord is the shadow self of the doctor, the dark side, you realize how much he hates himself.
His failures. He is the last of the time lords, because he caused their demise - in order to save the universe. He destroyed his own species to save the world. That is a heavy burden to live with and may well be why he can't quite let himself care too much for any one human soul.
Makes me wonder who or what River Song is? Is she his female counter-part - finally? And if so, why cage her in a library? The female animus put inside a secure and happy world, gifted with child, and hubby, and occassional visitations? A happy heaven for her sacrifice?
And what about Amy? Why does she choose wimpy Rory, with his rat tail that he finally cuts off?
Perhaps because he lets her lead? Is her equal? And doesn't dominate? She chooses, not Rory.
And that is important. The Doctor while alluring - seems to be in control of each of the situations they fall into, and Amy much like the companions before her going as far back as Rose Tyler - I can't really go further than that, because I didn't watch the earlier versions of the series - makes the choice she has to - to grow up, to let go of the childish playmate,
and take control and responsibility of her own life. My quibble is that in Doctor Who this keeps leading to marriage for some reason. Even Martha Jones gets married. The only who doesn't is male - Captain Jack, who in reality is yet another version of The Doctor himself. As if the male writers can't quite concieve of a fitting ending for a female companion that does not lead to the alter? And/or raising children/motherhood? Sad. That. Of the companion endings - my favorite continues to be Martha Jones - who ends up leading her own research team and exploring, she's engaged - true - but she still has her adventures.
It's an interesting episode. And makes me curious as to where they will go next.
Also saw the Disney film The Princess and The Frog (saw Fantastic Mr. Fox last week.) Must say after seeing Princess, I do not agree with the selection of UP as best animated film. I liked Princess better - art and story wise. Got rather bored with UP. UP won for the first 20 minutes. Half-way through it becomes a somewhat grating adventure yarn, which bored my 5 year old niece as well. Princess on the other hand charmed me. I had a big grin on my face all the way through. Tiana has got to be my favorite Disney Princess ever. And much like Beauty and The Beast before it - she's bright, clever, and with a healthy work-ethic. No interest in marriage, security, or those things. He has to win her heart, convince her to give up her independence and to share a life with him - where they will be equal partners. Except Princess is even more feminist than Beauty and even more progressive. True the male lead sort of looks like very tan white guy, but at least he's dark skinner and has a deep voice. An the heroine is the first Princess who is black. There's also a rather innovative animation bit in the middle - where Tiana is singing "Almost There". It is a fun film, with fun songs, and
a fun storyline. Certainly worth the rental.
Next in the queue is True Blood but since it's not being released until 6/22 - I have a feeling I'll get something else first. Can't remember what - my netflix queue has over 322 items on it.
Also watched the latest Doctor Who - okay latest for me, I'm well aware that I'm five to six episodes behind the British aired series, damn BBCAmerica! This is what appears to be the controversial Amy's Choice? Where folks were actually whining about Rose being better than Amy. Considering the fact that I did not like Rose or the actress portraying her, or her entire family and boyfriend and stopped watching the series during S2 in part because of it, I can't really relate. The stories are different as are the writers. Amy makes the opposite choice from Rose. But I'm not sure the themes are well...okay, let me put it this way - Doctor Who is not a feminist tv series and is not about equality for women. That's not its main focus, point or interest. While it does discuss gender - it does so from a white British male point of view - which makes sense, since most of its writers are British, male and white. That does not mean I don't enjoy it. That I don't think it is worth watching or that you aren't a feminist if you think it's the cat's pajamas and the best thing ever!! Just that I think it is a waste of time to be discussing how it fails as a feminist tv series, when, it never intended to be one in the first place. Sort of like discussing how Supernatural fails as feminist tv series. Or Angel. Or The Dark Knight Returns. OR the television series M*A*S*H for that matter. (Had a rather lengthy fight with a female advisor/professor in undergrad on this point, I lost and got a lower grade on the paper and class because I did not see the point in discussing how women were treated in a series that wasn't about women or told from a female perspective. I wanted to look at the show on its own terms, not superimpose what I or others wanted it to portray. An example of my on-going battle with feminism and political correct sensibilities - within myself and externally, which may explain the contradictory posts I do on this topic, making one wonder if I'm a hypocrite. No folks. Just a self-aware agnostic who is still trying to figure out a rather murky and frustrating topic.)
Anyhow, what did I think? I'm not sure anyone out there still cares...considering you are about five episodes past it by now.
I rather liked this episode. It plays with your head long after it has finished. And proved that someone other than Stephen Moffat can actually write. I did not like the episode before it - the extreemly cheesy and somewhat cliche Vampires in Venice, which I won't bore you with a commentary on. But every season of Who has at least three to four duds, actually every season of just about every tv series to air has about that many duds. I think BSG S1 is amongst the very few that did not. That and Torchwood Children of Earth - which doesn't really count being a sort of mini-series.
In Amy's Choice - Who follows up on his promise in the episode Time of Angels, when he realizes that Amy has a thing for him and is running away from her commitment to Rory, potentially endangering the universe as a whole. This is a storyline that several of us predicted and dreaded from episode one - The Eleventh Doctor. So it hardly came as a surprise. And yes, I find the whole - which guy's dream life do I choose to be incredibly self-indulgent and short-sighted on the part of the writers, it does however underline how some men view things. And
it also, at the same time highlights a more universal thematic - do we choose the adult life - the calm staid, relaxing world that is so incomparably dull with child, wife, hubby, and job - which most of us have and most of us would object to being called "dull" as Amy does, or the high adventure, risky, uncertain life filled with peril that the Doctor promises, the dream.
Which they wonder is the dream world. The world were age eventually turns us into dust, or the world where we skip like children through time until we hit a cold star or a black hole or some such thing that turns us off? And who should we choose - security or adventure? Or is it even that simple?
The other theme and far more entertaining one to me at any rate, which is still playing with my head - is who the dream lord was. The Doctor states at the very end - he's me, of course, the dream crystals brought him out of me - he's the expression of my dark side. An that expression is a short, old man, who sorts of reminds me of the Master. In fact for a bit that is who I thought he was. Was a bit surprised to learn he was The Doctor, not only surprised but thrilled. This turn of events made me quite happy and I immediately rewound to see if it tracked, and it does. What fascinates me about Doctor Who is how complex and mysterious the protagonist is - he's not really a hero, so much as a protagonist. He can at times be an anti-hero. His actions are not always in the best interest of those involved and his motivations are not always clear-cut. He is in some respects extreemly ambiguous morality wise.
And his dark side is manipulative, it questions and plays with Amy. Asking her again and again who she really wants. What she really wants. Digs at her love for adventure. Digs at her humanity. And digs at what she believes her relationship with the Doctor truly is. You don't even know his real name - has he told you? The discussion reminds me a bit of the one with Donna Noble - where Donna realizes she does not remain the Doctor's companion, that she isn't in River Song's book. That she doesn't really matter to him, as much as he matters to her.
And to a degree Martha Jones - who discovers much the same thing.
The Doctor has had many women. Many companions. He commits to no one. And as for friends, he leaves them behind. They remember him. They may dream of him. But he seems to forget them.
I know who you are,The Doctor tells the Dream Lord, because there's only one other person who hates me that much in all the universe, the other, well that's impossible.
The other is The Master or The Daleks. Not sure which. When it is revealed the dream lord is the shadow self of the doctor, the dark side, you realize how much he hates himself.
His failures. He is the last of the time lords, because he caused their demise - in order to save the universe. He destroyed his own species to save the world. That is a heavy burden to live with and may well be why he can't quite let himself care too much for any one human soul.
Makes me wonder who or what River Song is? Is she his female counter-part - finally? And if so, why cage her in a library? The female animus put inside a secure and happy world, gifted with child, and hubby, and occassional visitations? A happy heaven for her sacrifice?
And what about Amy? Why does she choose wimpy Rory, with his rat tail that he finally cuts off?
Perhaps because he lets her lead? Is her equal? And doesn't dominate? She chooses, not Rory.
And that is important. The Doctor while alluring - seems to be in control of each of the situations they fall into, and Amy much like the companions before her going as far back as Rose Tyler - I can't really go further than that, because I didn't watch the earlier versions of the series - makes the choice she has to - to grow up, to let go of the childish playmate,
and take control and responsibility of her own life. My quibble is that in Doctor Who this keeps leading to marriage for some reason. Even Martha Jones gets married. The only who doesn't is male - Captain Jack, who in reality is yet another version of The Doctor himself. As if the male writers can't quite concieve of a fitting ending for a female companion that does not lead to the alter? And/or raising children/motherhood? Sad. That. Of the companion endings - my favorite continues to be Martha Jones - who ends up leading her own research team and exploring, she's engaged - true - but she still has her adventures.
It's an interesting episode. And makes me curious as to where they will go next.
Also saw the Disney film The Princess and The Frog (saw Fantastic Mr. Fox last week.) Must say after seeing Princess, I do not agree with the selection of UP as best animated film. I liked Princess better - art and story wise. Got rather bored with UP. UP won for the first 20 minutes. Half-way through it becomes a somewhat grating adventure yarn, which bored my 5 year old niece as well. Princess on the other hand charmed me. I had a big grin on my face all the way through. Tiana has got to be my favorite Disney Princess ever. And much like Beauty and The Beast before it - she's bright, clever, and with a healthy work-ethic. No interest in marriage, security, or those things. He has to win her heart, convince her to give up her independence and to share a life with him - where they will be equal partners. Except Princess is even more feminist than Beauty and even more progressive. True the male lead sort of looks like very tan white guy, but at least he's dark skinner and has a deep voice. An the heroine is the first Princess who is black. There's also a rather innovative animation bit in the middle - where Tiana is singing "Almost There". It is a fun film, with fun songs, and
a fun storyline. Certainly worth the rental.
Next in the queue is True Blood but since it's not being released until 6/22 - I have a feeling I'll get something else first. Can't remember what - my netflix queue has over 322 items on it.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-07 02:13 am (UTC)And yeah, Amy totally made the right choice. What she has with Rory is real. As much as I love The Doctor, he is very much a fantasy.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-07 11:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-07 02:59 pm (UTC)Haven't had a chance to see this week's episode, though.
Also, I would think that M*A*S*H would be difficult to analyze from a feminist perspective because, as you said, it wasn't written from one plus it sort of works at three levels. Ostensibly, it's supposed to be the 1950s and the Korean War even though in writing it was always a stand in for the Vietnam War which was the late 60s. Then it was written and filmed in the 1970s. That's layering three eras on top of one another, so it begins to be a bit difficult to analyze what is coming from where.
And I wouldn't advise analyzing True Blood on any level. Just go for the camp. It functions best as camp.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-07 04:13 pm (UTC)Oh don't misunderstand me - I was happy with Amy's Choice. Rory annoys me to no end, but he is perfect for Amy and I was rather pleased she didn't go the Martha Jones, Donna, and Rose routes of choosing the Doctor. Donna was the only one of those three who didn't fall for the Doctor - which I was also growing sick of. You can only play with that troupe so far.
I think Moffat is wisely going in another direction, where the romance is NOT between the Doctor and the companion, but rather between the Doctor and someone else he visits through time except in the wrong order.
So that his future is her past, and her past is his future, except less linear than that. In other words a completely non-linear romance - gives it a bit more mystery than normal romantic tropes.
Amy's romance is also interesting - in that Rory has joined her as her companion and lover, instead of waiting behind. Which means I may grow to like him in later episodes.
Rather like Amy, although my favorite companion is still Donna. So far it is Donna, Amy, Jane, Martha and Rose (in that order). (River isn't really a companion)
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 09:37 am (UTC)