Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
( full list) Hmmm...I've been slacking on the tv meme but, to be honest, I never expected to finish it in 30 days.
We're now up to my favorite episode of my favorite show! Even though it has some serious competition from Human Nature/Family of Blood, the answer to this question was easy. The tough part is figuring out what to say about it that will do it justice.
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show: Midnight
Midnight appears to be such a simple episode. It takes place in one room; there are only a handful of characters; we never even see the monster, only its effect; and there is hardly a special effect in sight. It sounds dull, average, ordinary but the result is anything but. Blink is usually the episode that people cite when they want to talk about the most scary episode of Doctor Who, but for me it's Midnight. But I'm not scared in a 'oooh, monsters!' sort of way. No, I'm scared for the Doctor. His terror hits me right in the gut and, even though I know he's not going to die (or regenerate), it doesn't make the episode any less painful. Everything about the Doctor gets stripped away bit by bit until he doesn't even have his own voice or control of his body anymore. He has no agency; no defense against the mob; no ability to come up with any sort of solution, never mind a clever one.
It starts like just another normal day in the Doctor's life. One of those normal days when he's not fighting some alien menace and is taking in a few sights instead. And we know he has plenty of days like this even if we don't usually see them. Being Ten (a version of the Doctor who feels such a strong need to connect with humans), he treats the trip like one long 'getting to know you' party.
But soon enough, there's trouble.
Ah, but trouble is just another normal day for the Doctor too! He dives right in; asks questions; checks equipment; and basically does what he always does - take charge.
Unfortunately, this time taking charge just marks him as other. While everyone else is huddled together in fear (and the fear takes hold so quickly in this episode with the implication that the alien has gotten into their heads), he is approaching trying to figure things out. He's fascinated. He's obviously enjoying the mystery. Something new! Something different! His need to understand and engage is as obvious as everyone else's need to cast it out.
He stands against them. He won't LET them cast her out. (As an aside, why does he have to be so pretty in this episode? All this emotional pain and awesome acting and I keep getting distracted by the sheer gorgeousness as I look through the caps. If I were feeling shallow, this entry could be 'Midnight is my favorite episode because it's pretty!')
Oooh, Doctor! Bad idea. They already don't like you much since you're not scared. Telling them you're clever isn't going to win you any friends. You've just called them all stupid and they're not happy about it. And of course this is when the alien makes its move. Did it pick the Doctor because he was the cleverest voice in the room? Maybe. Or maybe it was the voice that talked the most or the voice that was the most vulnerable. I doubt the alien would have had an easy time convincing the group to throw out anyone other than the Doctor.
*whimper* David Tennant can barely move in this scene but every line of his face says terror. There is NOTHING he can do now and that is just as scary to him as his impending death. It's one thing to die and another to die helpless and voiceless.
The Doctor is not impressed by your rationalizing and attempts to pretend that you weren't just trying to kill him.
We're now up to my favorite episode of my favorite show! Even though it has some serious competition from Human Nature/Family of Blood, the answer to this question was easy. The tough part is figuring out what to say about it that will do it justice.
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show: Midnight
Midnight appears to be such a simple episode. It takes place in one room; there are only a handful of characters; we never even see the monster, only its effect; and there is hardly a special effect in sight. It sounds dull, average, ordinary but the result is anything but. Blink is usually the episode that people cite when they want to talk about the most scary episode of Doctor Who, but for me it's Midnight. But I'm not scared in a 'oooh, monsters!' sort of way. No, I'm scared for the Doctor. His terror hits me right in the gut and, even though I know he's not going to die (or regenerate), it doesn't make the episode any less painful. Everything about the Doctor gets stripped away bit by bit until he doesn't even have his own voice or control of his body anymore. He has no agency; no defense against the mob; no ability to come up with any sort of solution, never mind a clever one.
It starts like just another normal day in the Doctor's life. One of those normal days when he's not fighting some alien menace and is taking in a few sights instead. And we know he has plenty of days like this even if we don't usually see them. Being Ten (a version of the Doctor who feels such a strong need to connect with humans), he treats the trip like one long 'getting to know you' party.
But soon enough, there's trouble.
Ah, but trouble is just another normal day for the Doctor too! He dives right in; asks questions; checks equipment; and basically does what he always does - take charge.
Unfortunately, this time taking charge just marks him as other. While everyone else is huddled together in fear (and the fear takes hold so quickly in this episode with the implication that the alien has gotten into their heads), he is approaching trying to figure things out. He's fascinated. He's obviously enjoying the mystery. Something new! Something different! His need to understand and engage is as obvious as everyone else's need to cast it out.
He stands against them. He won't LET them cast her out. (As an aside, why does he have to be so pretty in this episode? All this emotional pain and awesome acting and I keep getting distracted by the sheer gorgeousness as I look through the caps. If I were feeling shallow, this entry could be 'Midnight is my favorite episode because it's pretty!')
Oooh, Doctor! Bad idea. They already don't like you much since you're not scared. Telling them you're clever isn't going to win you any friends. You've just called them all stupid and they're not happy about it. And of course this is when the alien makes its move. Did it pick the Doctor because he was the cleverest voice in the room? Maybe. Or maybe it was the voice that talked the most or the voice that was the most vulnerable. I doubt the alien would have had an easy time convincing the group to throw out anyone other than the Doctor.
*whimper* David Tennant can barely move in this scene but every line of his face says terror. There is NOTHING he can do now and that is just as scary to him as his impending death. It's one thing to die and another to die helpless and voiceless.
The Doctor is not impressed by your rationalizing and attempts to pretend that you weren't just trying to kill him.