Single Father Picspam/Review -- Episode 1
Yay! I finally finished my picspam of Single Father episode 1! I decided to do something a little different than usual and arrange the pictures into groupings from different scenes. The really tough part was choosing only a few of the thousands of screencaps I have. :D
Many pretty pictures under the cut! Dial-up beware!
First of all, before we get started on the episode proper, let's just take a moment and appreciate David Tennant. Oh, he can act too (damn, he can act) but I'll get to that. Right now is about the pretty. He looks quite lovely throughout the episode: while getting the kids ready for school, showing off his oral fixation, kissing women, and being all miserable/angsty. He also sounds quite lovely with his Scottish accent in full display. Guh. Sometimes hard to understand but that's when you just let it wash over you. *g* He needs to not stay away from my tv screen for so long ever again.
One thing that rewatching the episode did for me was that it allowed me to pick up on subtleties that went right past me the first time. On first viewing I could barely tell the two boys apart and didn't really get a feel for Evie either. Lucy, though, had more focus so she made an impression -- more about her later. On second viewing, I see the older boy, Paul, getting leaned on a lot by his father. He goes from a normal young boy to the caretaker in the family, trying to keep the younger ones in line and keep his father focused on them instead of staring off into space.
Poor happy family. Everything in controlled chaos and looking like a mess but running smoothly. Rita amuses Evie as Dave runs about the kitchen dispensing cereal and checking on the toast. Everything as it should be.
Even on his job with the frustrations of crying children and an older (seemingly rather fluff-headed) daughter that would rather listen to music than work, Dave knows what he's doing and is in a good place in his life. Also, he's very cute with the little bunny as he amuses the children.
I'm not sure how I feel about the 'I love you too' in this scene. I know it was the original idea in the writer's head (the first moment that started him writing the screenplay) but it does seem a little overdone. I think I would like it better if we didn't see it, and her death, twice. The first time it all worked for me. The second not so much.
*ahem* I certainly couldn't resist collecting up all of Dave and Rita's kisses and putting them in here. Knowing that there was going to be sex and romance in this show was definitely one of its selling points. *g* I also like getting this glimpse into their marriage and seeing how physically affectionate they are. At this point they've been together over 11 years and have four kids living in the house with them and they still quite definitely enjoy each other's company. They fight and yell and apologize and make up. Dave might be tired in that last scene but I do think he approves of her method of apologizing.
Since we only see one day in the life of Rita, I'm not sure if she gets the short end of the stick as far as her characterization goes or if this is just how she is. We don't know if she tends to be high-strung or the stress of her exam made her more difficult than usual. I do get the sense that a certain amount of yelling and making up was standard for their relationship though and it seemed to work for them.
Rita, however, is shown to have a manipulative side. We see it twice: when she talks about having another child whether Dave wants one or not and also when she promises a dog to the kids knowing full well that Dave really doesn't want one. I wonder how much more evidence we're going to see of that side of her in future episodes. Not that Dave is an innocent. We see him giving the boys lessons in manipulating their mother. (It looks like gin and tonic -- or something similar -- is the way to distract Rita and get what you want.)
For the rest of the picspam we will be seeing shocked, sad, devastated, angry, and miserable Dave. Which is really what we're here for, right? :D
This is quite definitely one of my favorite scenes in the episode. The shocked surprise, the hyperventilating, the stumbling, the flashes of anger. None of it overdone but rather understated as we see the horror of the situation reflect from his eyes. One can forget since his Doctor is so full of noise, but David is amazing at showing quiet devastation.
*sobs* He's wandering around the house like a ghost. Grandma is with the kids and his sister-in-law is taking care of things around the house while he looks completely adrift and bereft.
Whether or not it was wise of Dave to go off speeding on his bike while he was still in shock (and it's not clear who was in the house with the kids at this point), I understand his need to get away. To let out some of his anger and finally be alone for a little while to grieve.
Also, damn but he looks hot here. *is shallow*
The second breakfast scene with Dave trying desperately to keep all the balls in the air and not managing very well at all. We have spilt milk, the eldest not eating and pretending to go to school, wet clothing, unsigned permission slips, and burnt toast. I get the feeling that Dave deals with whatever is shouting directly in front of him and can't even focus on anything that isn't. His life right now is a slog from one responsibility to the next when all he wants to do is curl up and sleep for a month. We can see it when he's chatting with Sarah and Matt outside the house later that day. Paul keeps asking for help and attention while Dave shouts halfhearted directions through the window until it's time to brace himself to go in and go on.
Another heart wrenching scene. Lucy finally admits what a big black hole she's in and how she doesn't feel as though she belongs in the family anymore; that this isn't her family. And what does Dave do? Nothing. He has nothing to say to her even though he's raised her since she was about 2 or 3 years old. Does he not feel like a father to her? Was that part of his arrangement with Rita that Lucy was hers and he was expected to stay out of it? I don't know. I do know that sitting there saying nothing as Lucy pushed him away was not the right answer. I wonder though if part of him (a small and selfish part) was wishing that he could send her to her father so he be absolved of the responsibility.
Ah, the crying and kissing scene. So sad to begin with and hotter than it should be by the end. You can see him trying so hard to keep it together and be strong for his children but when Sarah comes in, it all wells to the surface. Lucy running away was the last straw and he can't take it anymore. It was rather disconcerting how quickly missing Rita turned into kissing Sarah as though his life depended on it. But still hot. I am looking forward to more in episode 2. :D
All caps made by pineapple_sky
Many pretty pictures under the cut! Dial-up beware!
First of all, before we get started on the episode proper, let's just take a moment and appreciate David Tennant. Oh, he can act too (damn, he can act) but I'll get to that. Right now is about the pretty. He looks quite lovely throughout the episode: while getting the kids ready for school, showing off his oral fixation, kissing women, and being all miserable/angsty. He also sounds quite lovely with his Scottish accent in full display. Guh. Sometimes hard to understand but that's when you just let it wash over you. *g* He needs to not stay away from my tv screen for so long ever again.
One thing that rewatching the episode did for me was that it allowed me to pick up on subtleties that went right past me the first time. On first viewing I could barely tell the two boys apart and didn't really get a feel for Evie either. Lucy, though, had more focus so she made an impression -- more about her later. On second viewing, I see the older boy, Paul, getting leaned on a lot by his father. He goes from a normal young boy to the caretaker in the family, trying to keep the younger ones in line and keep his father focused on them instead of staring off into space.
Poor happy family. Everything in controlled chaos and looking like a mess but running smoothly. Rita amuses Evie as Dave runs about the kitchen dispensing cereal and checking on the toast. Everything as it should be.
Even on his job with the frustrations of crying children and an older (seemingly rather fluff-headed) daughter that would rather listen to music than work, Dave knows what he's doing and is in a good place in his life. Also, he's very cute with the little bunny as he amuses the children.
I'm not sure how I feel about the 'I love you too' in this scene. I know it was the original idea in the writer's head (the first moment that started him writing the screenplay) but it does seem a little overdone. I think I would like it better if we didn't see it, and her death, twice. The first time it all worked for me. The second not so much.
*ahem* I certainly couldn't resist collecting up all of Dave and Rita's kisses and putting them in here. Knowing that there was going to be sex and romance in this show was definitely one of its selling points. *g* I also like getting this glimpse into their marriage and seeing how physically affectionate they are. At this point they've been together over 11 years and have four kids living in the house with them and they still quite definitely enjoy each other's company. They fight and yell and apologize and make up. Dave might be tired in that last scene but I do think he approves of her method of apologizing.
Since we only see one day in the life of Rita, I'm not sure if she gets the short end of the stick as far as her characterization goes or if this is just how she is. We don't know if she tends to be high-strung or the stress of her exam made her more difficult than usual. I do get the sense that a certain amount of yelling and making up was standard for their relationship though and it seemed to work for them.
Rita, however, is shown to have a manipulative side. We see it twice: when she talks about having another child whether Dave wants one or not and also when she promises a dog to the kids knowing full well that Dave really doesn't want one. I wonder how much more evidence we're going to see of that side of her in future episodes. Not that Dave is an innocent. We see him giving the boys lessons in manipulating their mother. (It looks like gin and tonic -- or something similar -- is the way to distract Rita and get what you want.)
For the rest of the picspam we will be seeing shocked, sad, devastated, angry, and miserable Dave. Which is really what we're here for, right? :D
This is quite definitely one of my favorite scenes in the episode. The shocked surprise, the hyperventilating, the stumbling, the flashes of anger. None of it overdone but rather understated as we see the horror of the situation reflect from his eyes. One can forget since his Doctor is so full of noise, but David is amazing at showing quiet devastation.
*sobs* He's wandering around the house like a ghost. Grandma is with the kids and his sister-in-law is taking care of things around the house while he looks completely adrift and bereft.
Whether or not it was wise of Dave to go off speeding on his bike while he was still in shock (and it's not clear who was in the house with the kids at this point), I understand his need to get away. To let out some of his anger and finally be alone for a little while to grieve.
Also, damn but he looks hot here. *is shallow*
The second breakfast scene with Dave trying desperately to keep all the balls in the air and not managing very well at all. We have spilt milk, the eldest not eating and pretending to go to school, wet clothing, unsigned permission slips, and burnt toast. I get the feeling that Dave deals with whatever is shouting directly in front of him and can't even focus on anything that isn't. His life right now is a slog from one responsibility to the next when all he wants to do is curl up and sleep for a month. We can see it when he's chatting with Sarah and Matt outside the house later that day. Paul keeps asking for help and attention while Dave shouts halfhearted directions through the window until it's time to brace himself to go in and go on.
Another heart wrenching scene. Lucy finally admits what a big black hole she's in and how she doesn't feel as though she belongs in the family anymore; that this isn't her family. And what does Dave do? Nothing. He has nothing to say to her even though he's raised her since she was about 2 or 3 years old. Does he not feel like a father to her? Was that part of his arrangement with Rita that Lucy was hers and he was expected to stay out of it? I don't know. I do know that sitting there saying nothing as Lucy pushed him away was not the right answer. I wonder though if part of him (a small and selfish part) was wishing that he could send her to her father so he be absolved of the responsibility.
Ah, the crying and kissing scene. So sad to begin with and hotter than it should be by the end. You can see him trying so hard to keep it together and be strong for his children but when Sarah comes in, it all wells to the surface. Lucy running away was the last straw and he can't take it anymore. It was rather disconcerting how quickly missing Rita turned into kissing Sarah as though his life depended on it. But still hot. I am looking forward to more in episode 2. :D
All caps made by pineapple_sky