Comments | chloris: Doctor Who -- Moffat's view of the Doctor

chloris

Doctor Who -- Moffat's view of the Doctor

Dec 29, 2010 17:04

I have now seen the Doctor Who Christmas special! \o/ It'll be good to be able to read everyone's discussions about it now. Not that I was fussed about spoilers but I didn't want preconceived notions in my head as I watched ( Read more... )

doctor who: s5, tv, doctor who: meta, tv: doctor who, meta

Comments 21

sensiblecat December 29 2010, 22:27:42 UTC

Yes, I think you're spot-on there. RTD went for emotional realism and to hell with plot realism. Moffatt is also pretty indifferent to whether everything hangs together plot-wise, but he approaches the whole thing as fairytale and that gives it an intellectual coherence. The price, however, is that character is reduced to ciphers.

Looking forward to your further thoughts.

chloris December 30 2010, 03:36:50 UTC

Heh. I completely agree that both of them aren't afraid of plot holes! Moffat has the reputation of better plotting but I can't tell the difference.

I like your point of emotional realism versus intellectual coherence. Excellent way to put it!

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kilodalton December 29 2010, 23:34:02 UTC

This is a common refrain I've heard. And it's sad =( I really dislike it too, but I'm sticking with it if for no other reason than to be up-to-date with canon for when a new writer takes over.

That, and I make icons. Hard to make icons if I don't watch the eps for screen grabs XD

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kilodalton December 30 2010, 00:11:05 UTC

Really? I know a lot of people who love Eleven and Moffat. (And that's a wonderful thing!!)

I think it might be community-specific - birds of a feather and all. Most of the people I am friends with (online and rl) are big Ten fans, and like RTD's character-driven style more than Moffat's idea-driven style. Then again ... birds of a feather, so YMMV XD

My husband for one LOVES Eleven, but he's kind of "mehhh" on Moffat. On first viewing, he loved s5, then he got the DVD set to rewatch it ... and got bored halfway through and decided not to rewatch the rest because it was dragging.

Thread 12

2nd2ndalto December 29 2010, 23:26:31 UTC

One thing that I've realized about Eleven just recently is that he is the Doctor as seen by human or at least non-timelord eyes.

That's so true. I enjoyed this episode, too, and I'm more impressed with Matt Smith than I ever thought I'd be, but Eleven really seems more alien to me than Ten ever did. And I think that's one of the things that's making it harder for me to connect with the character. One of the things, anyway.

chloris December 30 2010, 04:01:16 UTC

Eleven is at such a remove from us that I'm not surprised that you're having some trouble connecting. We knew so much about what Ten wanted and what he was feeling while we're left scratching our heads about Eleven.

caz963 December 29 2010, 23:48:16 UTC

*nods*

I've said a couple of times recently that it seems that Moff is definitely more interested in writing a more "distant" Doctor, and that his concentration on plots is probably more attractive to the kids in the audience who are going to be more interested in Daleks and Smilers than in who fancies who, or why a character acts the way they do.

I suppose, when it comes down to it, the Doctor is whatever the guy running the show says he is. Sometimes, we'll agree with and like that view, and sometimes... we won't.

Matt Smith is damn good, though.

chloris December 30 2010, 04:08:45 UTC

Moffat doesn't see the Doctor as a character but as the plot mover. The Doctor creates the plot by showing up but the plot isn't about him. It's not about what he wants or what he's interested it or what he's feeling about anything. To Moffat the Doctor is the Good Wizard or imaginary friend so that's what he is for the next few years!

I agree about Matt Smith! In the hands of a lesser actor, I would not have enjoyed season 5 nearly as much as I did.

develish1 December 30 2010, 03:05:12 UTC

I could waffle on for hours, but....I was already wavering in the wake of the season 5 finale and it's abuse of canon and plot holes etc, and watching A Christmas Carol has left me even more worried about where DW is going than I already was. I’m sure SM means well, but it just seems to me that the longer he’s in charge, the more he’s turning a character that I’ve loved for decades, into someone I’m not sure I even like any more.

"He is the Doctor through a child's eyes"

This might well be the case, and perhaps this is the very thing SM is hoping for, maybe he's trying to make it more of a juvenile show again, but if he is then he will sadly lose many more viewers than he already has, including me, that's clear from the number of similar comments I've seen in the last couple of days.

(edited because my fingers and brain are not quite in sync tonight)

chloris December 30 2010, 05:02:25 UTC

I find that view interesting (if sad as well!) since I've read many people with the opposite view. That Nine and (especially) Ten became characters they didn't really like anymore while Eleven has reignited their love for the show.

It is a more juvenile show definitely. I think Moffat sees Who as a show for children that adults can enjoy while RTD saw the show as one more for adults that children could enjoy.

develish1 December 30 2010, 05:44:20 UTC

oh there were definitely eps with Ten that I didn't like, or liked less, Waters Of Mars is one I'll probably never watch again), but even when the Doctor himself was being an ass his companions often made up for it. I don't think there's a single one of Nines eps I don't like, but then there are far less of those ( ... )