Touchy-feely; or, musings on Eleven and companion-love
This post arises after reading the following statement on a certain mesage board that shall remain nameless (and I know, I probably shouldn't be wasting my time on those things, but I'm stuck inside with an ear infection, and bored.)
'Matt Smith has as much Charisma as a garden slug. .... and he has no chemistry with anyone whatsoever.'
And it was so desperately wrong in so many ways that I felt obliged to write a mini-rant/essay about it. Because I believe that, while Matt's charisma and chemistry with his fellow actors is entirely unlike anything we've had on the show so far, it's also way more interesting.
With Nine, about the closest he'd get to Rose at first was hand-holding. Humans were stupid apes and the smaller, domestic stuff wasn't his problem. Then, as the series progressed, he started to open up more- there's that lovely moment in 'Father's Day' where he cups his hand against her cheek, then pulls her in for a hug-, culminating in the kiss at 'Parting of the Ways'.
Ten, by contrast, couldn't stop hugging people, and was always being kissed (though rarely actually doing the kissing). At the same time, he had quite an elevated view of himself, especially as time went on- people went under his radar, got dismissed as unimportant, swept aside until he wound up alone, watching everyone who'd left him from the sidelines.
But Eleven...from the moment he sits down to fish custard with little Amelia, you know something's changed. The way Eleven interacts with people is just so different; maybe unsuprisingly, since the guy can't even empty a glass of water or walk through a door like a normal person. But though it's strange- he's always poking and prodding at people, tugging at their clothes, bobbing up and down in their personal space- there's a sweetness and an intimacy to it that I sort of feel has been missing in the Doctor for a while now, ever since Ten got dumped by all his companions in 'Journey's End'. He's also much more openly attached to quite a few men that he meets. Ten restricted himself to occasionally bumping fists with Mickey; Eleven gets all bromantic with Winston, Vincent, Craig and even Rory on occasion.
One of the little gestures I adore is the way he keeps bumping foreheads with Amy (and occasionally with other people, a bit too hard- see 'The Lodger'...). Kissing on the forehead, too; again, it's so intimate without being romantic.
And the moment as he prepares to sacrifice himself in 'The Big Bang', where he kisses his fingers, and then very, very gently, touches her hair...just sums up, in about two seconds, everything that's lovely about their relationship.
Long post is long, but I hope I've got my point across. Opening the floor up now for discussion, character observation, favourite moments, relevant quotes, and of course, squee.
'Matt Smith has as much Charisma as a garden slug. .... and he has no chemistry with anyone whatsoever.'
And it was so desperately wrong in so many ways that I felt obliged to write a mini-rant/essay about it. Because I believe that, while Matt's charisma and chemistry with his fellow actors is entirely unlike anything we've had on the show so far, it's also way more interesting.
With Nine, about the closest he'd get to Rose at first was hand-holding. Humans were stupid apes and the smaller, domestic stuff wasn't his problem. Then, as the series progressed, he started to open up more- there's that lovely moment in 'Father's Day' where he cups his hand against her cheek, then pulls her in for a hug-, culminating in the kiss at 'Parting of the Ways'.
Ten, by contrast, couldn't stop hugging people, and was always being kissed (though rarely actually doing the kissing). At the same time, he had quite an elevated view of himself, especially as time went on- people went under his radar, got dismissed as unimportant, swept aside until he wound up alone, watching everyone who'd left him from the sidelines.
But Eleven...from the moment he sits down to fish custard with little Amelia, you know something's changed. The way Eleven interacts with people is just so different; maybe unsuprisingly, since the guy can't even empty a glass of water or walk through a door like a normal person. But though it's strange- he's always poking and prodding at people, tugging at their clothes, bobbing up and down in their personal space- there's a sweetness and an intimacy to it that I sort of feel has been missing in the Doctor for a while now, ever since Ten got dumped by all his companions in 'Journey's End'. He's also much more openly attached to quite a few men that he meets. Ten restricted himself to occasionally bumping fists with Mickey; Eleven gets all bromantic with Winston, Vincent, Craig and even Rory on occasion.
One of the little gestures I adore is the way he keeps bumping foreheads with Amy (and occasionally with other people, a bit too hard- see 'The Lodger'...). Kissing on the forehead, too; again, it's so intimate without being romantic.
And the moment as he prepares to sacrifice himself in 'The Big Bang', where he kisses his fingers, and then very, very gently, touches her hair...just sums up, in about two seconds, everything that's lovely about their relationship.
Long post is long, but I hope I've got my point across. Opening the floor up now for discussion, character observation, favourite moments, relevant quotes, and of course, squee.