Dr Who S03E11 ~ Utopia
What a brilliant ep! Yay! The Captain is back. I was rocked by the Doctor's sternness with Jack, reigning in his every greeting to any lovely thing he came across. How was he with that hunky guy in the bunker? *g* and with Chantho? Jack's mock petulant "Can't I say hello to anyone?" followed by his all too knowing lascivious grin! Guh ... so much slashy sub text in their interactions. Captain Jack is so much better in DW than Torchwood. He was sent way off track character-wise in the latter, and I'm pathetically grateful TPTB have reprised him as his previously charming, flirty (and a bit naughty) self!
I loved the language play with Chantho's name - the amalgam of the two elements "chan" and "tho" she uses to bracket her every utterance. I need to re-listen to that to probe what they are doing with that, but I'm intrigued with the language play and how they were obligatory for polite, civilized discourse. Interesting that they seemed to irritate Martha and had driven the Professor insane over the years. I'm wondering if it is pointing up some RL fed-upness/intolerance of other cultural-linguistic patterns ...?
Confession time! I must admit to a weakness for the Doctor donning those dark-rimmed rectangular frame glasses. He looks so geeky, capable and absolutely "brilliant"!
Wow, they are getting the kids just so right lately! I was thoroughly taken with Tim in Family of Blood - how "thinky" he was as he struggled to understand and know what to do with the fob watch - and now they have a very pert, articulate and able young girl working within the bunker. It's an interesting issue - child labour. Martha is clearly concerned with her working, but the way it was presented harked back to times/cultures where children were part of an extended family economy and the role resonated more benignly - with a respect for a child's contribution to the community. Not that I'm supporting forced child labour in any way, shape or form - especially the horrible conditions of the Industrial Revolution or in modern situations of poverty, but I think they got it right in this one by showing that children are due respect, as little people who do contribute, are valued and develop their own sense of self-worth early, instead of being coddled in a disempowering way.
Whoo! The whole issue of Jack's immortality and the doctor's sense of wrongness about that. I'm intrigued to see where that goes. The radioactive room conversation was the pinnacle of the episode for me. Very powerful stuff going on there between them and how it out worked on the Professor, triggering emotional pain/memories.
I also really loved the Doctor's "Master, I'm sorry." (although I'm not too clear on what he was sorry for) and the Master's gleeful rejoinder, "Tough!" He is going to be so wicked *g* and so much fun! I had heard that John Simm was cast for the role, but it was only a rumour. I'm glad to say I was thoroughly surprised and gladly despoiled! I didn't even realize at the half way transformation point that it was him! I'm SO looking forward to seeing how those two tangle *g*. And it looks like the Master has shot to a modern position of power from the spoiler for next week. Has anyone noticed the similarity in build (and something of a very distant resemblance) JS has to Tony Blair and does that U.S. President not look like Dick Cheney? Am I mistaken? This was just Dr Who at its best! I've loved the darker, edgier episodes of the last three or four weeks and hope the season continues in a similar vein!
I loved the language play with Chantho's name - the amalgam of the two elements "chan" and "tho" she uses to bracket her every utterance. I need to re-listen to that to probe what they are doing with that, but I'm intrigued with the language play and how they were obligatory for polite, civilized discourse. Interesting that they seemed to irritate Martha and had driven the Professor insane over the years. I'm wondering if it is pointing up some RL fed-upness/intolerance of other cultural-linguistic patterns ...?
Confession time! I must admit to a weakness for the Doctor donning those dark-rimmed rectangular frame glasses. He looks so geeky, capable and absolutely "brilliant"!
Wow, they are getting the kids just so right lately! I was thoroughly taken with Tim in Family of Blood - how "thinky" he was as he struggled to understand and know what to do with the fob watch - and now they have a very pert, articulate and able young girl working within the bunker. It's an interesting issue - child labour. Martha is clearly concerned with her working, but the way it was presented harked back to times/cultures where children were part of an extended family economy and the role resonated more benignly - with a respect for a child's contribution to the community. Not that I'm supporting forced child labour in any way, shape or form - especially the horrible conditions of the Industrial Revolution or in modern situations of poverty, but I think they got it right in this one by showing that children are due respect, as little people who do contribute, are valued and develop their own sense of self-worth early, instead of being coddled in a disempowering way.
Whoo! The whole issue of Jack's immortality and the doctor's sense of wrongness about that. I'm intrigued to see where that goes. The radioactive room conversation was the pinnacle of the episode for me. Very powerful stuff going on there between them and how it out worked on the Professor, triggering emotional pain/memories.
I also really loved the Doctor's "Master, I'm sorry." (although I'm not too clear on what he was sorry for) and the Master's gleeful rejoinder, "Tough!" He is going to be so wicked *g* and so much fun! I had heard that John Simm was cast for the role, but it was only a rumour. I'm glad to say I was thoroughly surprised and gladly despoiled! I didn't even realize at the half way transformation point that it was him! I'm SO looking forward to seeing how those two tangle *g*. And it looks like the Master has shot to a modern position of power from the spoiler for next week. Has anyone noticed the similarity in build (and something of a very distant resemblance) JS has to Tony Blair and does that U.S. President not look like Dick Cheney? Am I mistaken? This was just Dr Who at its best! I've loved the darker, edgier episodes of the last three or four weeks and hope the season continues in a similar vein!