DWM Mighty 200 - Top Ten Watchathon: Parting of the Ways (#10) Reaction Post
Who_Daily Link: < a href="URL-of-Post">DWM Mighty 200 - Top Ten Watchathon: #10 Reaction Post by < lj user=persiflage_1>
This is the first week of my watchathon posts for the top 10 episodes selected by Doctor Who Magazine readers in the DWM Mighty 200 survey to find their readers' favourite episodes (published in issue #413).
At #10 is Parting of the Ways. Since it's the second half of the Season 1 2-part finale, I've watched both episodes and will comment on both (though my focus is on Parting of the Ways). Be warned, there are spoilers below for other stories besides this one.
Bad Wolf
- I wondered why so many people voted for this story, and I think that maybe it's the combination of it being Nine's regeneration story (and that he sacrificed his life to save Rose just as Five does for Peri in The Caves of Androzani), and it's the first face-off between the Doctor and the Daleks in all their might, since RTD brought Who back. But I could be wrong!
- I notice that Jack's the only one who's enjoying the games on the Game Station: the Doctor's alternately bored or annoyed, while Rose is just scared, but Jack's loving the attention of the Trinny and Susanna bots (and the fact that he's appearing naked on TV in front of millions, apparently!).
- I love Nine flirting with Lynda-with-a-Y, and the fact that when she suggests that she goes with him once he 'wanders off', he agrees quite readily. (Of course, this was a signal to astute viewers that Lynda wasn't going to survive to the end, but it was nice to see him agree to her going with him - considering how many people Ten goes on to turn down thereafter!)
- The Doctor is utterly horrified that his interference during the events of The Long Game have lead to the development of the Game Station. Again that's something he seems to become more blase about after his regeneration. Ten seems as eager as ever to throw his weight around and claim to be the ultimate authority (look at his speech to Novice Hame in 'New Earth', for example), but he seems to care less about the effects of his actions. His regeneration into Ten seems to turn the Doctor careless.
- I love Jack's line: 'Do I look like an out-of-bounds sort of guy?' No, Jack, you look like a man who doesn't understand the concept of boundaries!
Parting of the Ways
- Rose has to be told twice to get down when the Doctor materialises the TARDIS around her and the Dalek? Not exactly quick to recognise her danger, is she?
- Jack believes the Time War was just a legend, noting that the Daleks abruptly vanished out of Time and Space after being the greatest threat in the universe.
- The Doctor tells the Daleks he's got 'five billion languages' and then shouts at them to 'Shut up' and some of them glide backwards away from him, such is the strength of his anger.
- The Doctor's utterly disbelieving when the Daleks tell Rose not to blaspheme (by saying the Daleks are half human). The idea of the Daleks worshipping the Emperor Dalek and having a concept of blasphemy seems utterly absurd.
- Rose's expression when Lynda tells the Doctor that she didn't want to leave him, and when the Doctor's shaking hands with Lynda clearly betray her jealousy, despite the fact that she barely knows Lynda at this point.
- When Emergency Programme One kicks in, and the hologram of the Doctor turns to address Rose I get choked up.
- Just how far did Mickey run when he heard the TARDIS' engines? However far it is, he continutes to demonstrate just how much he cares for Rose despite her lack of interest in him.
- I love Jack's line to the Dalek Emperor: Never doubted him, never will. (Sometimes I wonder if that comment came back to haunt him as he made his way back to Earth and tried to catch up with a version of the Doctor who knew him.)
- It becomes clear that Rose really does think she's better than Mickey or Jackie, particularly in S2, when she continues to treat Mickey badly.
- Rose's line 'There's nothing left for me here' - and Mickey's expression when she repeats 'Nothing' break my heart on his behalf. She really doesn't deserve his friendship.
- I can't help wondering how Rose survived so long with the TARDIS' power in her head, when Nine didn't? Seems like an inconsistency on RTD's part - after all, the Doctor's a Time Lord, not a mere human - he should've survived longer than Rose could, surely?
Feel free to add your thoughts/comments below - no flaming, please!
This is the first week of my watchathon posts for the top 10 episodes selected by Doctor Who Magazine readers in the DWM Mighty 200 survey to find their readers' favourite episodes (published in issue #413).
At #10 is Parting of the Ways. Since it's the second half of the Season 1 2-part finale, I've watched both episodes and will comment on both (though my focus is on Parting of the Ways). Be warned, there are spoilers below for other stories besides this one.
Bad Wolf
- I wondered why so many people voted for this story, and I think that maybe it's the combination of it being Nine's regeneration story (and that he sacrificed his life to save Rose just as Five does for Peri in The Caves of Androzani), and it's the first face-off between the Doctor and the Daleks in all their might, since RTD brought Who back. But I could be wrong!
- I notice that Jack's the only one who's enjoying the games on the Game Station: the Doctor's alternately bored or annoyed, while Rose is just scared, but Jack's loving the attention of the Trinny and Susanna bots (and the fact that he's appearing naked on TV in front of millions, apparently!).
- I love Nine flirting with Lynda-with-a-Y, and the fact that when she suggests that she goes with him once he 'wanders off', he agrees quite readily. (Of course, this was a signal to astute viewers that Lynda wasn't going to survive to the end, but it was nice to see him agree to her going with him - considering how many people Ten goes on to turn down thereafter!)
- The Doctor is utterly horrified that his interference during the events of The Long Game have lead to the development of the Game Station. Again that's something he seems to become more blase about after his regeneration. Ten seems as eager as ever to throw his weight around and claim to be the ultimate authority (look at his speech to Novice Hame in 'New Earth', for example), but he seems to care less about the effects of his actions. His regeneration into Ten seems to turn the Doctor careless.
- I love Jack's line: 'Do I look like an out-of-bounds sort of guy?' No, Jack, you look like a man who doesn't understand the concept of boundaries!
Parting of the Ways
- Rose has to be told twice to get down when the Doctor materialises the TARDIS around her and the Dalek? Not exactly quick to recognise her danger, is she?
- Jack believes the Time War was just a legend, noting that the Daleks abruptly vanished out of Time and Space after being the greatest threat in the universe.
- The Doctor tells the Daleks he's got 'five billion languages' and then shouts at them to 'Shut up' and some of them glide backwards away from him, such is the strength of his anger.
- The Doctor's utterly disbelieving when the Daleks tell Rose not to blaspheme (by saying the Daleks are half human). The idea of the Daleks worshipping the Emperor Dalek and having a concept of blasphemy seems utterly absurd.
- Rose's expression when Lynda tells the Doctor that she didn't want to leave him, and when the Doctor's shaking hands with Lynda clearly betray her jealousy, despite the fact that she barely knows Lynda at this point.
- When Emergency Programme One kicks in, and the hologram of the Doctor turns to address Rose I get choked up.
- Just how far did Mickey run when he heard the TARDIS' engines? However far it is, he continutes to demonstrate just how much he cares for Rose despite her lack of interest in him.
- I love Jack's line to the Dalek Emperor: Never doubted him, never will. (Sometimes I wonder if that comment came back to haunt him as he made his way back to Earth and tried to catch up with a version of the Doctor who knew him.)
- It becomes clear that Rose really does think she's better than Mickey or Jackie, particularly in S2, when she continues to treat Mickey badly.
- Rose's line 'There's nothing left for me here' - and Mickey's expression when she repeats 'Nothing' break my heart on his behalf. She really doesn't deserve his friendship.
- I can't help wondering how Rose survived so long with the TARDIS' power in her head, when Nine didn't? Seems like an inconsistency on RTD's part - after all, the Doctor's a Time Lord, not a mere human - he should've survived longer than Rose could, surely?
Feel free to add your thoughts/comments below - no flaming, please!