Why I don't Like "The Girl in the Fireplace" Part 1: Problematic Themes

[scifiunicorn]

The Girl in the Fireplace. Any Doctor Who fan, even a casual viewer, knows about this episode. It's often considered the best episode of series 2. Written by Steven Moffat, it received critical acclaim, is a favorite of most Doctor Who fans, and even won a Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentation in Short Form. So, what's the problem? Well, a lot,

Comments

[whosintheattic]

Thank you; I only added to what you already phrased so well. :)

Reinette is held up as the ideal, but isn't portrayed in any realistic way, either. She's just a cardboard cutout; it's as if Moffat just Googled her and read the first paragraph of her Wikipedia page. You'd think if he really wanted to write Reinette as Rose's 'superior' replacement, he would have given her a bit more depth.

Clearly Moffat missed the point of the last 40+ years of Doctor Who. The Doctor has always chosen ordinary, everyday people to travel with. He sees the potential in a person that society overlooks. In Classic Who, the Doctor traveled with a flight attendant, college student, delinquent bomb-maker, and high school science teacher, among others. It makes the show accessible to the audience, because a lot of people feel like they have skills and potential that are overlooked.

If suddenly only 'important people' are good enough to travel with the Doctor, it becomes exclusionary. That goes against the long-running theme and message of the show.

For someone who was lurking in fan forums in the 90s, Moffat doesn't seem to care much about the history or the spirit of the show. He wants to say what he wants to say, and it doesn't matter if it's at the expense and disregard of canon.

[scifiunicorn]

I totally agree. One of the things I love so dearly about Doctor Who is that the Doctor chooses regular people to travel with him, and that anyone can be a hero. I mean, Rose Tyler's story really speaks to me, because I know what it's like to feel like you're trapped on a treadmill, doing the same thing every day, never getting anywhere in life.

I think there was an interview where Moffat said that if the Doctor were to fall in love, it would be with someone high-class and cultured like Reinette, and I just.... Ugh. Ewww Moffat, eww.

[whosintheattic]

I completely echo your, "Eew."

It's not like I have a problem with the Doctor traveling with more 'well-to-do people' with more prestigious professions. I've seen some episodes where Four is traveling with Romana; that was fun. I would give my left leg to see the Doctor and Master team up for a bit. I also loved watching Martha Jones grow as a character.

In the end though, I think Rose is the most relatable of the New Series companions, for me. Amy would be a close second for me had her writing been a bit more consistent.

[kilodalton]

I think there was an interview where Moffat said that if the Doctor were to fall in love, it would be with someone high-class and cultured like Reinette, and I just.... Ugh. Ewww Moffat, eww.

That was the DW Confidential for GitF, and yes he did say that =/ Said that if the Doctor were ever going to settle down it would be with someone like her. I don't remember the exact quote and would infuriate myself by listening to that drivel again to find it ... but yup.