obligatory Doctor Who reaction post. a day late and a doctor short.
Lately I've been stuck laughing at the "I has a bucket! Noooo they be stealing my bucket!" elephant seal Lolcat. First of all, NO, I have no idea why it's so funny. It just tends to send me into hysterics and at work we get very giggly around three or four in the morning and I start saying things like "I has a chair. Nooo they be stealing my chair!" and for some reason it is hilarious. I think it might be the caffeine and the whole mid shift thing.
Anyway, point of that is that sometimes I want to make a Lolcat-type thing with the Doctor and Rose hugging on one side and Pete grabbing her from the end of Doomsday on the other side. It would of course say "I has a companion! Nooo they be stealing my companion!"
Meh, the market for that humor might be a little small.
"Partners in Crime." Right. Aside from the fact that they weren't really partners in anything, much less crime, the characters rocked my proverbial socks. The talking through the window scene? Priceless. Granted I was already sitting on the floor, but I actually fell over laughing at that one. I was really looking forward to Donna coming back, and while her change of heart seemed forced (I wouldn't have ever pegged Donna's aggressive personality that would have such a huge turn around), there was something so genuine in her exhaustion with the real world I couldn't help but like it. She'd made all these resolutions to change her life and see all she could, but the reality of it was so dull and pale next to what she knew she could have had.
At first I thought RTD was going to head the Sarah Jane route with Donna. I felt a bit proud of her for a moment when I thought she was getting into trouble and investigating stuff just 'cause. Then there was a moment of conflicting "well, I don't really want Sarah Jane all over again," but all my inner turmoil ended once Donna revealed she was really just looking for the Doctor. I guess we head down the road of Jack now: getting in trouble just to find the Doctor, because you know he's going to be right in the middle of it. Except Jack had a rather valid reason to want to find the Doctor, in that "hey, Doc, I came back to life because of you and now I can't die and I'd kinda like to know WTF IS GOING ON because ending up as a tentacle-y giant face is so not on my list of things to do in the next five billion years."
I digress with many apologies; Jack can be so distracting. Where were we? Ah yes, how Donna came off as a bit pathetic not just because she's spent an awful lot of time investigating random shit just to find the Doctor, but also because she keeps her trunk packed full of random crap. And a hatbox! That'd be like me not dating anyone just in case David Tennant turns up at my door to declare his undying love. I mean, I have to keep my romantic schedule free, just in case!
So I'm still a bit proud of her for getting into trouble and investigating stuff. She was really getting into it, and I'm rather curious if that card she kept flashing at people was one of those credit cards with your picture on it. In any case, she's gotten a bit more clever since the last time we saw her, even if Lance was exaggerating a bit ("can't even point to Germany on a map!"). I'd almost say they're very nearly two different characters, but in her quieter moments from Runaway Bride I'm very sure I see the same woman. I admit to a huge friendcrush on Catherine Tate (that means I have a platonic I-want-to-be-your-friend crush, as opposed to my sexual I-want-to-jump-your-bones crush on David Tennant). I find her comedy uproariously funny for some reason.
As for the plot, wow. I thought it couldn't get worse than Voyage of the Damned. Apparently I was wrong. There was absolutely no sense in this plot whatsoever, and the Doctor's half-hearted attempt to save Mrs. Foster at the end was just...flat. I think David Tennant's a brilliant actor (obviously), but he didn't even try with that bit. Though, mind you, I wouldn't have either with such poor material; RTD really needs to leave the writing to someone else. "Hey, float over here 'cause they're gonna kill you!" [she falls] "Whoops. Oh, well."
The little creatures were rather adorable, though every time they got all cute this was pretty much my reaction: "Aww, they're just so cu...EW THEY'RE MADE OF PEOPLE'S FAT!" I think the loudest shrieking fanbrat could probably shit out a better plot idea than that.
This already way to tl;dr, and I haven't even gotten to the part that's probably got fandom all in a tizzy. I'm refusing to look, though maybe I should check fandom_wank in about a week or so to see if anything's blown up really badly.
First and foremost: "I'm looking for a mate."
Can I get a "what the bloody fuck?!" A mate?! I know it was in the season preview, but I was expecting some sort of silly alien-induced plot where the Doctor has to mate or die. I wasn't expecting a randomly tossed off line in the first episode, though this is probably the better place to get rid of a garabage line. Why not just have the Doctor say "I'm looking for a good fuck, can I take you for a test drive?" I think in a couple years we're all going to look back and say that this is what happens when romantic relationships get in the way of a great scifi show, and that it is a Very Bad Thing.
I presume this line is supposed to be a reference to how much the Doctor has been affected by his relationship with Rose and his subsequent relationship with Martha. He went from romantic (and yes, it was) to friendship where she wanted more. Now he's been left on purpose and he's realized how desperately alone he is. Well, fan-fucking-tastic. Welcome to the club, Doctor. Urgh, my hate for this stupid line is blinding me with rage and I think I'm just going to leave it alone for now.
So it's mate in the friendship context then. I almost went off about that possibility too the first time through, but decided in the whirlwind of fury that I should just cut the tl;dr short. Methinks I need to rewatch soon, as by that point I was sort of tuned out of the episode and wishing they'd just hurry up and get on with the vworping away on adventures.
I still rage against the way they marketed it ;)
Moving on. "You look older."
Hell yes, he did. I'm not saying David Tennant's sprouted wrinkles in the last year, but either the role is really starting to weigh down on him or he's playing the Doctor as a very emotionally exhausted old man. I don't know how much time has passed between Voyage of the Damned and Partners in Crime, but I think the Doctor's earned the right to be tired at this point. He spent a year as an ancient little thing, then got his timeline crossed with his younger self, then had that rubbish adventure on the Titanic. I think the man's earned a stiff drink and a nap by now, and probably a good screw on top of that too.
That part where he says that ridiculous line, where he's standing outside facing the TARDIS and Donna is standing in the doorway? Maybe it was the lighting, but he just looked so old and dark and tired. I'd like former Prime Minister Harriet Jones to see him now and have a few words with him. I think he might have an apology for her by now, because I still believe he acted like an asshat at the end of Christmas Invasion.
Rose.
Uh. Yeah.
I was clicking around trying to find a download very shortly after the episode aired, and inadvertently exposed myself to spoilers about her presence. Whatever, it happens. I wish it hadn't, but it did and there's no use dwelling on it.
To discuss it logically -- with no squeeing involved -- I can't imagine she knows who Donna is and we certainly know Donna has no idea who she is. There's no sign that she even saw the Doctor, if her vaguely lost and confused expression was any indication. I'm willing to bet that latter we'll find out she did see and hear everything and was hurt by the Doctor's apparent acquisition of a new companion to replace her (as she is presumably ignorant of Martha).
If she did indeed hear everything, then maybe the lost/confused look was wistful and sad because she couldn't do anything for him and his massive amounts of emo woe. Cause she, y'know, turns around and disappears. Okay, I get it. She's not in this world. I know she says "this is how I died" in Doomsday, but did she also say something about becoming a ghost? I have this false notion planted in my brain that she did and I have loaned away my DVDs so I can't check. Is this some sort of projection technology that mirror!Torchood or mirror!UNIT developed? Is this some sort of unintended after-effect of the Doctor's last communication with her? [sarcasm]Is this the overwhelming power of their looooove?![/sarcasm]
(Jaysus, you'd think I didn't ship them liekwhoa. I must harbor some pretty deep-seated self hatred.)
So, to sum up the episode. Plot = shit. Characters = love. Rose = ??
I really want to go to bed, but I have to stay up all day to switch back to the day schedule for a couple days for a class, then try to switch back to mids for regular work again. Urg.
Also, a mix CD of Billie Piper after 12 hours of work is amazingly cheerful and adds a boost of happy to leaving work. Also, additional happy from breaking all my co-workers' brains with it, especially when they won't. Shut-up. About. World of Warcraft. All my co-workers are males, by the way.
Anyway, point of that is that sometimes I want to make a Lolcat-type thing with the Doctor and Rose hugging on one side and Pete grabbing her from the end of Doomsday on the other side. It would of course say "I has a companion! Nooo they be stealing my companion!"
Meh, the market for that humor might be a little small.
"Partners in Crime." Right. Aside from the fact that they weren't really partners in anything, much less crime, the characters rocked my proverbial socks. The talking through the window scene? Priceless. Granted I was already sitting on the floor, but I actually fell over laughing at that one. I was really looking forward to Donna coming back, and while her change of heart seemed forced (I wouldn't have ever pegged Donna's aggressive personality that would have such a huge turn around), there was something so genuine in her exhaustion with the real world I couldn't help but like it. She'd made all these resolutions to change her life and see all she could, but the reality of it was so dull and pale next to what she knew she could have had.
At first I thought RTD was going to head the Sarah Jane route with Donna. I felt a bit proud of her for a moment when I thought she was getting into trouble and investigating stuff just 'cause. Then there was a moment of conflicting "well, I don't really want Sarah Jane all over again," but all my inner turmoil ended once Donna revealed she was really just looking for the Doctor. I guess we head down the road of Jack now: getting in trouble just to find the Doctor, because you know he's going to be right in the middle of it. Except Jack had a rather valid reason to want to find the Doctor, in that "hey, Doc, I came back to life because of you and now I can't die and I'd kinda like to know WTF IS GOING ON because ending up as a tentacle-y giant face is so not on my list of things to do in the next five billion years."
I digress with many apologies; Jack can be so distracting. Where were we? Ah yes, how Donna came off as a bit pathetic not just because she's spent an awful lot of time investigating random shit just to find the Doctor, but also because she keeps her trunk packed full of random crap. And a hatbox! That'd be like me not dating anyone just in case David Tennant turns up at my door to declare his undying love. I mean, I have to keep my romantic schedule free, just in case!
So I'm still a bit proud of her for getting into trouble and investigating stuff. She was really getting into it, and I'm rather curious if that card she kept flashing at people was one of those credit cards with your picture on it. In any case, she's gotten a bit more clever since the last time we saw her, even if Lance was exaggerating a bit ("can't even point to Germany on a map!"). I'd almost say they're very nearly two different characters, but in her quieter moments from Runaway Bride I'm very sure I see the same woman. I admit to a huge friendcrush on Catherine Tate (that means I have a platonic I-want-to-be-your-friend crush, as opposed to my sexual I-want-to-jump-your-bones crush on David Tennant). I find her comedy uproariously funny for some reason.
As for the plot, wow. I thought it couldn't get worse than Voyage of the Damned. Apparently I was wrong. There was absolutely no sense in this plot whatsoever, and the Doctor's half-hearted attempt to save Mrs. Foster at the end was just...flat. I think David Tennant's a brilliant actor (obviously), but he didn't even try with that bit. Though, mind you, I wouldn't have either with such poor material; RTD really needs to leave the writing to someone else. "Hey, float over here 'cause they're gonna kill you!" [she falls] "Whoops. Oh, well."
The little creatures were rather adorable, though every time they got all cute this was pretty much my reaction: "Aww, they're just so cu...EW THEY'RE MADE OF PEOPLE'S FAT!" I think the loudest shrieking fanbrat could probably shit out a better plot idea than that.
This already way to tl;dr, and I haven't even gotten to the part that's probably got fandom all in a tizzy. I'm refusing to look, though maybe I should check fandom_wank in about a week or so to see if anything's blown up really badly.
First and foremost: "I'm looking for a mate."
Can I get a "what the bloody fuck?!" A mate?! I know it was in the season preview, but I was expecting some sort of silly alien-induced plot where the Doctor has to mate or die. I wasn't expecting a randomly tossed off line in the first episode, though this is probably the better place to get rid of a garabage line. Why not just have the Doctor say "I'm looking for a good fuck, can I take you for a test drive?" I think in a couple years we're all going to look back and say that this is what happens when romantic relationships get in the way of a great scifi show, and that it is a Very Bad Thing.
I presume this line is supposed to be a reference to how much the Doctor has been affected by his relationship with Rose and his subsequent relationship with Martha. He went from romantic (and yes, it was) to friendship where she wanted more. Now he's been left on purpose and he's realized how desperately alone he is. Well, fan-fucking-tastic. Welcome to the club, Doctor. Urgh, my hate for this stupid line is blinding me with rage and I think I'm just going to leave it alone for now.
So it's mate in the friendship context then. I almost went off about that possibility too the first time through, but decided in the whirlwind of fury that I should just cut the tl;dr short. Methinks I need to rewatch soon, as by that point I was sort of tuned out of the episode and wishing they'd just hurry up and get on with the vworping away on adventures.
I still rage against the way they marketed it ;)
Moving on. "You look older."
Hell yes, he did. I'm not saying David Tennant's sprouted wrinkles in the last year, but either the role is really starting to weigh down on him or he's playing the Doctor as a very emotionally exhausted old man. I don't know how much time has passed between Voyage of the Damned and Partners in Crime, but I think the Doctor's earned the right to be tired at this point. He spent a year as an ancient little thing, then got his timeline crossed with his younger self, then had that rubbish adventure on the Titanic. I think the man's earned a stiff drink and a nap by now, and probably a good screw on top of that too.
That part where he says that ridiculous line, where he's standing outside facing the TARDIS and Donna is standing in the doorway? Maybe it was the lighting, but he just looked so old and dark and tired. I'd like former Prime Minister Harriet Jones to see him now and have a few words with him. I think he might have an apology for her by now, because I still believe he acted like an asshat at the end of Christmas Invasion.
Rose.
Uh. Yeah.
I was clicking around trying to find a download very shortly after the episode aired, and inadvertently exposed myself to spoilers about her presence. Whatever, it happens. I wish it hadn't, but it did and there's no use dwelling on it.
To discuss it logically -- with no squeeing involved -- I can't imagine she knows who Donna is and we certainly know Donna has no idea who she is. There's no sign that she even saw the Doctor, if her vaguely lost and confused expression was any indication. I'm willing to bet that latter we'll find out she did see and hear everything and was hurt by the Doctor's apparent acquisition of a new companion to replace her (as she is presumably ignorant of Martha).
If she did indeed hear everything, then maybe the lost/confused look was wistful and sad because she couldn't do anything for him and his massive amounts of emo woe. Cause she, y'know, turns around and disappears. Okay, I get it. She's not in this world. I know she says "this is how I died" in Doomsday, but did she also say something about becoming a ghost? I have this false notion planted in my brain that she did and I have loaned away my DVDs so I can't check. Is this some sort of projection technology that mirror!Torchood or mirror!UNIT developed? Is this some sort of unintended after-effect of the Doctor's last communication with her? [sarcasm]Is this the overwhelming power of their looooove?![/sarcasm]
(Jaysus, you'd think I didn't ship them liekwhoa. I must harbor some pretty deep-seated self hatred.)
So, to sum up the episode. Plot = shit. Characters = love. Rose = ??
I really want to go to bed, but I have to stay up all day to switch back to the day schedule for a couple days for a class, then try to switch back to mids for regular work again. Urg.
Also, a mix CD of Billie Piper after 12 hours of work is amazingly cheerful and adds a boost of happy to leaving work. Also, additional happy from breaking all my co-workers' brains with it, especially when they won't. Shut-up. About. World of Warcraft. All my co-workers are males, by the way.