You know, so far this season there hasn’t been a story I’ve actually disliked, despite there being conspicuous flaws in many of them. And I did like this one a lot. It took its sweet time letting us know what was really going on; and I did wonder if it would have been a stronger episode if the alien presence had turned out to be something benevolent, maybe even protecting the villagers from some other threat. But I liked how the Doctor stressed that it was hate and fear that was the real enemy, not the supernatural, or even the Morax really. The real surprise is that she managed to get King James a little uncertain about his own convictions, even if only for a day or two - the real-life James certainly didn’t back away from his views, although Wikipedia claims he became more sceptical after 1599. Which can’t have been the Doctor’s doing, as the Pendle Hill witch trials were in 1612.
It was nice to have an old-school reference in the Doctor’s getting out those chains via Houdini’s training. I don’t think we’ve seen her do that in an actual televised story since the Third and Fourth Doctors’ eras.
I’m assuming that the Doctor changed her mind on whether that thing in The Satan Pit actually was Satan. Since I thought the whole idea was rather silly, I’m not complaining.
Yes, I imagine the Doctor now has a new appreciation of the problems her female companions have experienced. As for various incarnations’ attitudes towards women, I’d say the main offender was Three; and even he was mostly fairly respectful, particularly if they were scientists. Although there’s that bit in The Time Warrior where, having met Sarah Jane for the first time, he says that now there’s someone to make the tea… I do wonder if the Sisterhood of Karn had been the Brotherhood of Karn, whether Four’s attitude would have been much different. The Doctor has never been fond of superstition after all. And despite what Twice Upon A Time claimed, the First Doctor wasn’t particularly sexist. (I’ve heard someone explain One’s sexism in that story as attitudes he had to pretend to have while stuck in 1963 pre-Unearthly Child so that he could blend in, which he just accidently slipped into when the Captain spouted his patronising comments.)
The take on James I've found the most convincing to explain why he was a far more devout witch hunter prior to 1600 ish is less scepticism and more embarassment.
It was a relatively common take among some of the english nobility, whom he was not popular with, that his witch hunting antics was very provincial and scottish and a bit backwards.
You know, so far this season there hasn’t been a story I’ve actually disliked, despite there being conspicuous flaws in many of them.
I really wish I'd liked more of the stories anywhere near this well, and could roll with the flaws better. But every viewer is different, and is delighted by or put off by different things in different measures. And the show changes enough that eventually everybody gets stuff that works for them and stuff that doesn't. I had a very long run of stuff that, overall, was really up my alley, so I guess I can't complain too hard. Especially as I do really like Whittaker, and love the companions, so it's not that everything is leaving me cold, even in the eps I don't like.
But I liked how the Doctor stressed that it was hate and fear that was the real enemy,
Yes, I think that works really well. It could have felt like too pat a moral, but, again, I think the guest actors really pull it off. They're very convincing as people who, in different ways, are motivated by very real and understandable fears.
Which can’t have been the Doctor’s doing, as the Pendle Hill witch trials were in 1612.
Maybe it just took a while to sink in. :)
I’m assuming that the Doctor changed her mind on whether that thing in The Satan Pit actually was Satan.
I think she really probably only ever thought it was only most just kinda-sorta Satan. I only over thought it was at most just kinda-sorta Satan. But, yes, that was pretty silly, even if I did like the creepiness of those episodes.
I do wonder if the Sisterhood of Karn had been the Brotherhood of Karn, whether Four’s attitude would have been much different.
Possibly not, but it certainly would have come across much differently. Arguably it's the writing, not the Doctor, who is to blame there. (And I say that as someone who really likes "Brain of Morbius." But once I finally realized how much it was about the Doctor showing those silly irrational women how silly and irrational they were and mansplaining their own religion to them, it was sadly hard to ever unsee the implications of that. Fortunately, that's something that's been redeemed in the new series. Ohila is definitely the Doctor's equal, and can give just as much attitude as she gets. I love her.)
The Doctor has never been fond of superstition after all. And despite what Twice Upon A Time claimed, the First Doctor wasn’t particularly sexist.
Yes, and that really, really bothered me about "Twice Upon a Time." It's not that there wasn't any sexism in early Who to call out at all, but Moffat was just completely swinging at straw men there.
(I’ve heard someone explain One’s sexism in that story as attitudes he had to pretend to have while stuck in 1963 pre-Unearthly Child so that he could blend in, which he just accidently slipped into when the Captain spouted his patronising comments.)
Hmm, maybe. I've been thinking something similar about Three and his occasional tendency to be extra-patronizing towards women, but more that it's a case of the local culture rubbing off on him a little too much.
It was nice to have an old-school reference in the Doctor’s getting out those chains via Houdini’s training. I don’t think we’ve seen her do that in an actual televised story since the Third and Fourth Doctors’ eras.
I’m assuming that the Doctor changed her mind on whether that thing in The Satan Pit actually was Satan. Since I thought the whole idea was rather silly, I’m not complaining.
Yes, I imagine the Doctor now has a new appreciation of the problems her female companions have experienced. As for various incarnations’ attitudes towards women, I’d say the main offender was Three; and even he was mostly fairly respectful, particularly if they were scientists. Although there’s that bit in The Time Warrior where, having met Sarah Jane for the first time, he says that now there’s someone to make the tea… I do wonder if the Sisterhood of Karn had been the Brotherhood of Karn, whether Four’s attitude would have been much different. The Doctor has never been fond of superstition after all. And despite what Twice Upon A Time claimed, the First Doctor wasn’t particularly sexist. (I’ve heard someone explain One’s sexism in that story as attitudes he had to pretend to have while stuck in 1963 pre-Unearthly Child so that he could blend in, which he just accidently slipped into when the Captain spouted his patronising comments.)
Diona the Lurker
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It was a relatively common take among some of the english nobility, whom he was not popular with, that his witch hunting antics was very provincial and scottish and a bit backwards.
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I really wish I'd liked more of the stories anywhere near this well, and could roll with the flaws better. But every viewer is different, and is delighted by or put off by different things in different measures. And the show changes enough that eventually everybody gets stuff that works for them and stuff that doesn't. I had a very long run of stuff that, overall, was really up my alley, so I guess I can't complain too hard. Especially as I do really like Whittaker, and love the companions, so it's not that everything is leaving me cold, even in the eps I don't like.
But I liked how the Doctor stressed that it was hate and fear that was the real enemy,
Yes, I think that works really well. It could have felt like too pat a moral, but, again, I think the guest actors really pull it off. They're very convincing as people who, in different ways, are motivated by very real and understandable fears.
Which can’t have been the Doctor’s doing, as the Pendle Hill witch trials were in 1612.
Maybe it just took a while to sink in. :)
I’m assuming that the Doctor changed her mind on whether that thing in The Satan Pit actually was Satan.
I think she really probably only ever thought it was only most just kinda-sorta Satan. I only over thought it was at most just kinda-sorta Satan. But, yes, that was pretty silly, even if I did like the creepiness of those episodes.
I do wonder if the Sisterhood of Karn had been the Brotherhood of Karn, whether Four’s attitude would have been much different.
Possibly not, but it certainly would have come across much differently. Arguably it's the writing, not the Doctor, who is to blame there. (And I say that as someone who really likes "Brain of Morbius." But once I finally realized how much it was about the Doctor showing those silly irrational women how silly and irrational they were and mansplaining their own religion to them, it was sadly hard to ever unsee the implications of that. Fortunately, that's something that's been redeemed in the new series. Ohila is definitely the Doctor's equal, and can give just as much attitude as she gets. I love her.)
The Doctor has never been fond of superstition after all. And despite what Twice Upon A Time claimed, the First Doctor wasn’t particularly sexist.
Yes, and that really, really bothered me about "Twice Upon a Time." It's not that there wasn't any sexism in early Who to call out at all, but Moffat was just completely swinging at straw men there.
(I’ve heard someone explain One’s sexism in that story as attitudes he had to pretend to have while stuck in 1963 pre-Unearthly Child so that he could blend in, which he just accidently slipped into when the Captain spouted his patronising comments.)
Hmm, maybe. I've been thinking something similar about Three and his occasional tendency to be extra-patronizing towards women, but more that it's a case of the local culture rubbing off on him a little too much.
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