I have now seen all the River Song episodes of Doctor Who, and OH, HELL, YES!!! Count me among those who have fallen head over heels for the mysterious Dr. Song
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Oh, I love this post and that you have fallen for River so much more than I can say.
As to the show itself, what you're sensing with the fairy tale, though, is very much an attribute of the new showrunner - Steven Moffat. He has written a number of episodes for NuWho before this (including the first two River episodes) and they all have this kind of feel. This fairytale, runaway, for-children-but-only-because-you-were-one-once feeling.
Old!Who was...closer to that in that it wasn't really considered a kids TV show. Some is camp as hell and by the end of the run, a lot of people think it wasn't so good, but...honestly it's the OldWho I like best. They were starting down that path again, the path of myth and magic and symbolism: the Doctor as the wizard who often lied to trick the demons, the companion as the brave girl to grow and change and learn. With symbolism that ran through episodes about subcurrents and evolution.
But, sad to say, I imagine that your impression of NuWho through fannish osmosis is much more apt and correct, though I can rec you some of the less "that"ish eps if you like.
Certainly the so excellently executed themes of fairytales, of growing up, of memory and loss, of magic boxes and recorded history, all of it taking place in a single night, and through 2,000 years. The boy who waited, the girl who waited, and the woman who burned at the heart of time and the sun, the woman who is always waiting until one day, finally it will be the man who waits. The old man in the young man's body, the child who never grew up, and who, when she did, discovered being an adult - getting married - was not actually the end of her story at all. All these things are...new. RTD...I know I'm hardly unbiased, but his stories, his proponents say revolve around characters, while they claim Moffat's revolve around plot. I would say Moffat's include plot and Davies depends on soap opera, on emotional manipulation, on "it's a kids show" to excuse the ridiculous before he hits the overblown. I apologise for my diatribe, but I really disliked what Davies did with the show for so long, it's so freeing to see it in a new light.
I read someone, somewhere say that Doctor Who has grown up by becoming a children's fairytale, and it's incredibly apt.
It's interesting to hear Moffat's thoughts on the issues too. Because he has been a Who fan his entire life. I think it might actually have been one of the reasons he originally became a writer - imagining his own stories as he was growing up. Now, Davies was also a big Who fan. But it's so clear the different ways their visions of the characters come through.
For Davies, the Doctor is a power fantasy - the gary stu he loves and wants to be.
For Moffat, the Doctor is an escapist fantasy - the mad man in a box who steals you and runs away.
I vastly prefer the second one. It's also telling that he talks about Who. To offer one of his more publicised quotes (bold mine):
"Calling ‘Doctor Who’ a children’s show isn’t a definition of the audience, it’s a definition of the show. In style, pace, tone, sensibility, ‘Doctor Who’ stories are children’s stories. Like Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Hobbit, Narnia, Toy Story, The Incredibles, and all gorgeous magical stuff. Does that mean it’s not for adults? Don’t be daft, adults love children’s stories - just look at that list. Some of the most famous creations in human history! People who grow out of children’s stories are people who never understood them in the first place."
In short, you weren't wrong to stay away before. But, while not all episodes are this good or symbol laden, the new series does seem to herald a new era of Who, and one I'm genuinely moved and excited by.
My reply is now longer than your entire post, so I'll stop. <3
As to the show itself, what you're sensing with the fairy tale, though, is very much an attribute of the new showrunner - Steven Moffat. He has written a number of episodes for NuWho before this (including the first two River episodes) and they all have this kind of feel. This fairytale, runaway, for-children-but-only-because-you-were-one-once feeling.
Old!Who was...closer to that in that it wasn't really considered a kids TV show. Some is camp as hell and by the end of the run, a lot of people think it wasn't so good, but...honestly it's the OldWho I like best. They were starting down that path again, the path of myth and magic and symbolism: the Doctor as the wizard who often lied to trick the demons, the companion as the brave girl to grow and change and learn. With symbolism that ran through episodes about subcurrents and evolution.
But, sad to say, I imagine that your impression of NuWho through fannish osmosis is much more apt and correct, though I can rec you some of the less "that"ish eps if you like.
Certainly the so excellently executed themes of fairytales, of growing up, of memory and loss, of magic boxes and recorded history, all of it taking place in a single night, and through 2,000 years. The boy who waited, the girl who waited, and the woman who burned at the heart of time and the sun, the woman who is always waiting until one day, finally it will be the man who waits. The old man in the young man's body, the child who never grew up, and who, when she did, discovered being an adult - getting married - was not actually the end of her story at all. All these things are...new. RTD...I know I'm hardly unbiased, but his stories, his proponents say revolve around characters, while they claim Moffat's revolve around plot. I would say Moffat's include plot and Davies depends on soap opera, on emotional manipulation, on "it's a kids show" to excuse the ridiculous before he hits the overblown. I apologise for my diatribe, but I really disliked what Davies did with the show for so long, it's so freeing to see it in a new light.
I read someone, somewhere say that Doctor Who has grown up by becoming a children's fairytale, and it's incredibly apt.
It's interesting to hear Moffat's thoughts on the issues too. Because he has been a Who fan his entire life. I think it might actually have been one of the reasons he originally became a writer - imagining his own stories as he was growing up. Now, Davies was also a big Who fan. But it's so clear the different ways their visions of the characters come through.
For Davies, the Doctor is a power fantasy - the gary stu he loves and wants to be.
For Moffat, the Doctor is an escapist fantasy - the mad man in a box who steals you and runs away.
I vastly prefer the second one. It's also telling that he talks about Who. To offer one of his more publicised quotes (bold mine):
"Calling ‘Doctor Who’ a children’s show isn’t a definition of the audience, it’s a definition of the show. In style, pace, tone, sensibility, ‘Doctor Who’ stories are children’s stories. Like Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Hobbit, Narnia, Toy Story, The Incredibles, and all gorgeous magical stuff. Does that mean it’s not for adults? Don’t be daft, adults love children’s stories - just look at that list. Some of the most famous creations in human history! People who grow out of children’s stories are people who never understood them in the first place."
In short, you weren't wrong to stay away before. But, while not all episodes are this good or symbol laden, the new series does seem to herald a new era of Who, and one I'm genuinely moved and excited by.
My reply is now longer than your entire post, so I'll stop. <3
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