a thought about Sanctuary and Doctor Who
I was watching the most recent Sanctuary episode last night, and at some point, this comparison wormed it's way into my brain. It was rather late so my babble might not make sense XD
Anyway, what I saw was just how alike Helen and the Doctor are...and in more than just basic ways. There's the obvious; both are really old and they spend their time helping/saving humanity from things we shouldn't know about. But there's so many other similarities. Each has lived long enough to have loved and lost so much. Both are, in essence, the last of their kind (in Haunted it was believed that John Druitt is dead, and Tesla no longer has the powers gifted by the source blood; the other two members of the five are already deceased) and are considered rather odd by people around them.
Another interesting facet is their ability to attract around them younger people who at first might seem useless but eventually prove themselves in one way or the other. 'Cause I really want to explore this bit, I'm going to use Will as an example on Helen's side, and Rose as an example on the Doctor's side. Before Will joined the Sanctuary, he appeared to be rather aimlessly drifting through his life. He had no real purpose in his life, and he knew it. Then one day a case came along and he met one Helen Magus, and his life changed completely. Sound like someone else?
Yup, Rose has a very, very similar story. She's in line for a perfectly mundane life when she meets the Doctor, and her life changes forever after that fateful meeting.
After these meetings, both companions(for lack of a better word) really begin to enjoy their now-dangerous lives, even when there are bad days. For a while, things stay the same. It's the status quo. Then, at some point, a pivotal event occurs in the lives of both The Doctor and Helen. Helen loses her daughter to the Cabal, and the Doctor regenerates. This affects everyone differently, but it happens nonetheless, and characters have to adjust to new people(Kate and Ten, respectively).
So far I've gone chronologically, but anyone who knows both NuWho canon and Sanctuary canon knows about these events. What really interests me is how much the dynamic between Helen and Will and The Doctor and his companion play out in a rather similar way.
A few comparisons I've noticed that don't fit in above; how in Sanctuary TV canon it's never mentioned(however it might be assumed) that Will isn't the first protege/assistant/friend of Helen's, but previously in the websodes, there is a part that shows there was another guy before Will. In NuWho, it is never mentioned that the Doctor had previous companions until he and Rose meet Sarah Jane in School Reunion. Back to the Will/Rose comparison(though really, any companion could be used), they each experience a major event that changes many things, but afterwords forget. For Will it was his last meeting with Kali, and for Rose it was her transformation into Bad Wolf.
Another underlying but obvious theme is the mantra that both Helen and the Doctor exude; If you work or travel with me, then you will get hurt, and I might not be able to fix it.
So. That's pretty much my thoughts. Um...haha I apologize if this is another explanation!fail...I'm good at those.
Anyway. Am I seeing things in my crazy brain, or might there actually be similarities?
Anyway, what I saw was just how alike Helen and the Doctor are...and in more than just basic ways. There's the obvious; both are really old and they spend their time helping/saving humanity from things we shouldn't know about. But there's so many other similarities. Each has lived long enough to have loved and lost so much. Both are, in essence, the last of their kind (in Haunted it was believed that John Druitt is dead, and Tesla no longer has the powers gifted by the source blood; the other two members of the five are already deceased) and are considered rather odd by people around them.
Another interesting facet is their ability to attract around them younger people who at first might seem useless but eventually prove themselves in one way or the other. 'Cause I really want to explore this bit, I'm going to use Will as an example on Helen's side, and Rose as an example on the Doctor's side. Before Will joined the Sanctuary, he appeared to be rather aimlessly drifting through his life. He had no real purpose in his life, and he knew it. Then one day a case came along and he met one Helen Magus, and his life changed completely. Sound like someone else?
Yup, Rose has a very, very similar story. She's in line for a perfectly mundane life when she meets the Doctor, and her life changes forever after that fateful meeting.
After these meetings, both companions(for lack of a better word) really begin to enjoy their now-dangerous lives, even when there are bad days. For a while, things stay the same. It's the status quo. Then, at some point, a pivotal event occurs in the lives of both The Doctor and Helen. Helen loses her daughter to the Cabal, and the Doctor regenerates. This affects everyone differently, but it happens nonetheless, and characters have to adjust to new people(Kate and Ten, respectively).
So far I've gone chronologically, but anyone who knows both NuWho canon and Sanctuary canon knows about these events. What really interests me is how much the dynamic between Helen and Will and The Doctor and his companion play out in a rather similar way.
A few comparisons I've noticed that don't fit in above; how in Sanctuary TV canon it's never mentioned(however it might be assumed) that Will isn't the first protege/assistant/friend of Helen's, but previously in the websodes, there is a part that shows there was another guy before Will. In NuWho, it is never mentioned that the Doctor had previous companions until he and Rose meet Sarah Jane in School Reunion. Back to the Will/Rose comparison(though really, any companion could be used), they each experience a major event that changes many things, but afterwords forget. For Will it was his last meeting with Kali, and for Rose it was her transformation into Bad Wolf.
Another underlying but obvious theme is the mantra that both Helen and the Doctor exude; If you work or travel with me, then you will get hurt, and I might not be able to fix it.
So. That's pretty much my thoughts. Um...haha I apologize if this is another explanation!fail...I'm good at those.
Anyway. Am I seeing things in my crazy brain, or might there actually be similarities?