not drifting, just waiting

[calikalie]

I feel a bit sorry for those of you I recently added as friends since this is the first post you're getting, but it's overdue and I have been promising it for ages. Truth be told, this post is mostly an exercise in giving my side-Tumblr a rest, because I use it far too many times to rant about various aspects of
Doctor Who, its fandom, and do so in

Comments

[crazyumbrellas]

I'm still reading this and I just finished your Reinette portion and I love it and you stated everything I adored about her. Somethings I did momentarily forget since it's been so long since I saw that episode but I also love the scene in the ballroom(?) and she's just so brave when addressing all those people around her.

[crazyumbrellas]

SO I JUST FINISHED I LOVE EVERYTHING. YOU COVERED LIKE, EVERYTHING. And oh my gosh I am still like, shocked they considered not keeping that apple scene because it is perfect and my very favorite scene in the premiere.

"She joins UNIT because she wants to keep defending the Earth long after the Doctor has left and she wants to help make the organization better by working from the inside to change it."

I love this. Actually, it is such a pattern with my absolute favorite television ladies in general. Generally, just working to make the world a better place. And just so much what I love about Martha is how much she cares for people. Even in those Dalek episodes I couldn't hate it because she was just her stunning, caring self.

[calikalie]

Thanks so much! I was so surprised when they mentioned in the commentary that they weren't going to keep the apple scene in. Even their first cut of the episode didn't include it, because they felt it slowed down the action too much. Thankfully, they changed their minds, because it's probably my favorite scene from the premiere as well. That, and the last eight or so minutes, which are just brilliant.

Even in those Dalek episodes I couldn't hate it because she was just her stunning, caring self.

Martha was so great in those episodes, especially the second half where she assumes the Doctor role for a bit and works to get shit done. She's definitely the bright spot for me when it comes to that two-parter. And this is why I can't hate "The Last of the Time Lords" like a lot of people seem to. She's too fierce and fabulous and all-out wonderful in that episode for me to hate it.

[crazyumbrellas]

I am going to re-watch "The Girl in the Fireplace" again later because this post just reminded me again of how much I loved it. And also, it is so pretty. I need to watch it on Netflix since the only series I own is series 5. And also re: River Song. The hypocrisy fandom generally has for her really drives me up the wall, especially when in comparison to Ten.

Like, the issue I have with "The Last of the Time Lords" is just how the plot wrapped up but Martha is just so flawless and Freema is perfect. I mean, the girl essentially was a legend. Everything I love about Martha was all in those last two episodes.

[calikalie]

There's a lot of hypocrisy in most fandoms when it comes to criticisms of female and male characters. Female characters are usually held up to impossible standards that are rarely ever met. When fandom does largely approve of a female, it's usually because they're "safe" or they hold to some familiar, widely-beloved trope. So, it doesn't surprise me in the least that River and Amy get a lot of the same criticisms for things the Doctor or even Jack does.

Those last two episodes of series three wrapped up Martha's arc wonderfully. I too have an issue with the finale and the way the general plot was wrapped up (somehow it all fell apart in those last 15 minutes) and I have issues with the way Martha was written a lot of the time, but I think her strength of character comes through pretty clear even when the writing is questionable.

[crazyumbrellas]

Yes yes yes there is regarding the hypocrisy. Like, take the Lost fandom for example. The slut-calling towards Kate and Ana Lucia and sometimes even Juliet was gross but obviously Sawyer got none of that kind of treatment. But ugh, fandom. And agreed with everything else you said in that first paragraph.

Yeah, Martha was an afterthought to RTD a lot of the time and it showed but yet she did have extremely amazing and strong characteristics and that when they were given a chance to shine, they shined brightly imo. But yeah, I just appreciated how absolutely fierce Martha was when facing the Master and telling him what was going down but then after that. IDK.

[calikalie]

That ballroom scene is fantastic and I love how she tells everyone to calm down and have some decorum. I've always had the impression that she was a woman out of her time. Writing about Reinette allowed me to go back and re-watch this episode, which is something I love doing since it is one of my favorites.