30 Days of Who: Day 3
Your favorite New series episode: The Girl in the Fireplace/Midnight/Vincent and the Doctor
Again, it's SO hard to pick just one, sometimes you just can't do it.
Unless you count The Infinite Quest, this is the only Doctor Who episode I actually own. I first saw it back before I REALLY got into the series, back when I was a casual viewer enjoying this fun thing to do with friends on Friday nights, but I remember being very impressed by it regardless. I've used this as an introductory episode for other people who've never seen the show before because it has a little bit of everything: you've got future sci-fi, history, drama, romance, comedy, DAVID TENNANT RIDING A HORSE THROUGH A MIRROR FROM 3,000 YEARS IN THE FUTURE, creepy things, and FANTASTIC storytelling. Plus, it's Mickey's first trip in the TARDIS, so you've also got your newcomer character to identify with. I think it was about this time that I started to distinguish the Steven Moffat episodes from the throng (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances were two of the first episodes to really blow me away, the first one being Dalek). I remember my only problem with it initially was that the ending felt a bit rushed (also, the second the Doctor says "pick a star, any star," I KNEW Reinette wasn't going to live until his return), but for some reason it felt better-paced the next time I watched it.
When I first watched this, I'd just had a bit of a fight with my friend who was providing the DVDs (interestingly enough, we were arguing about what Doctor Who meant to our friendship), so I was already in a tense situation of hurt and mistrust. Thankfully, it became inversely proportional to the craziness happening in the actual episode (my friend and I were just fine about 10 minutes in). Midnight is, quite simply, brilliant. It's not so much a story as it is a psychology: what would REALLY happen if a group of strangers were trapped in an enclosed space together with an unidentified, possibly malevolent, entity and a man unnaturally calm and fascinated by the situation? Probably this episode. On top of being wonderfully disturbing, it was also another one of those episodes that illustrates why the Doctor is best off with companions. Because even Time Lords need a friend to save their ass once in a while. Also, this episode has what is, hands down, one of David Tennant's most powerful performances in his entire tenure. I don't really want to say "that scene" because, if you think about it, most of the episode is really one continuous scene, but the climax where he's been taken over by the Midnight creature and can't move or speak in his own voice? He has to convey pretty much everything through his eyes. And we can read them quite clearly: "I. AM. FUCKED."
Oh man, I was excited for this episode ever since it was announced that Richard Curtis was writing it. I mean, the co-creator of Blackadder, the show that got me into British television in the first place, writing an episode for my current favorite fandom? Yes please. I'd been expecting it to be a comedy episode (with lots of Blackadder references, of which I think there was only one, and I didn't notice it until my second viewing), but I could tell that wouldn't be the case when I saw the Next Time preview. Very rarely can I call a Doctor Who episode "beautiful" (the only other one I can think of is City of Death), but this episode more than deserves that title. IMHO, this is EXACTLY what we needed after the horrifying tragedy that was the end of Cold Blood: bits of sadness, but LOTS of heartwarming. Even the Monster of the Week's death scene was touching. Of all the local characters that the Doctor has teamed up with over the course of his many adventures, Vincent is easily one of the strongest (I guess the fact that he was a real person doesn't hurt). He was well-portrayed and believable and, most importantly, very easy for me to sympathize with (that scene where he's crying on the bed out of sheer loneliness? That was basically me back in February. It was not good). Also, I LOVED his relationship with Amy. They had such a touching bond. Pretty much the entire solid last 10 minutes of this episode had me in a state of the most epic "D'AAAAAWWWWWW" ever. I wibbled a bit when The Pandorica Opens opened (no pun intended) with him having a breakdown because of his TARDIS'plosion "vision." I mean wow.
Alrighty, why don't I go and finish up Inferno for you lovely chappies and chappettes?
Day 01 - Your Favourite Quote: Multiple
Day 02 - Your Favourite Classic Series Episode: The Mind Robber/Battlefield
Day 03 - Your Favourite New Series Episode
Day 04 - Your Favourite Doctor
Day 05 - Your Favourite Companion
Day 06 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 07 - Your Favourite Piece of Music
Day 08 - A Who-Related Photo That Makes You Happy
Day 09 - A Who-Related Photo That Makes You Angry/Sad
Day 10 - A Who-Related Photo That You Took
Day 11 - Your Favorite Season (Classic or New)
Day 12 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 13 - Your Favorite Villain
Day 14 - The Villain Who Scared You the Most
Day 15 - Favorite Who-Related Tumblr
Day 16 - Your Favorite Who-Related FanFic
Day 17 - A Piece of Who-Related FanArt
Day 18 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 19 - The Scene That Made Your Cry the Most
Day 20 - The Character Who Is Most Like You
Day 21 - Your Doctor Who OTP
Day 22 - A Who-Related Fan-Site
Day 23 - A Who-Related YouTube Video
Day 24 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 25 - Favorite Who Actor
Day 26 - Favorite Who Actress
Day 27 - An Episode You Wish Hadn’t Been Made
Day 28 - An Episode Idea You Created Yourself
Day 29 - Who You Think Should Be the Next Doctor
Day 30 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Again, it's SO hard to pick just one, sometimes you just can't do it.
Click to viewUnless you count The Infinite Quest, this is the only Doctor Who episode I actually own. I first saw it back before I REALLY got into the series, back when I was a casual viewer enjoying this fun thing to do with friends on Friday nights, but I remember being very impressed by it regardless. I've used this as an introductory episode for other people who've never seen the show before because it has a little bit of everything: you've got future sci-fi, history, drama, romance, comedy, DAVID TENNANT RIDING A HORSE THROUGH A MIRROR FROM 3,000 YEARS IN THE FUTURE, creepy things, and FANTASTIC storytelling. Plus, it's Mickey's first trip in the TARDIS, so you've also got your newcomer character to identify with. I think it was about this time that I started to distinguish the Steven Moffat episodes from the throng (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances were two of the first episodes to really blow me away, the first one being Dalek). I remember my only problem with it initially was that the ending felt a bit rushed (also, the second the Doctor says "pick a star, any star," I KNEW Reinette wasn't going to live until his return), but for some reason it felt better-paced the next time I watched it.
When I first watched this, I'd just had a bit of a fight with my friend who was providing the DVDs (interestingly enough, we were arguing about what Doctor Who meant to our friendship), so I was already in a tense situation of hurt and mistrust. Thankfully, it became inversely proportional to the craziness happening in the actual episode (my friend and I were just fine about 10 minutes in). Midnight is, quite simply, brilliant. It's not so much a story as it is a psychology: what would REALLY happen if a group of strangers were trapped in an enclosed space together with an unidentified, possibly malevolent, entity and a man unnaturally calm and fascinated by the situation? Probably this episode. On top of being wonderfully disturbing, it was also another one of those episodes that illustrates why the Doctor is best off with companions. Because even Time Lords need a friend to save their ass once in a while. Also, this episode has what is, hands down, one of David Tennant's most powerful performances in his entire tenure. I don't really want to say "that scene" because, if you think about it, most of the episode is really one continuous scene, but the climax where he's been taken over by the Midnight creature and can't move or speak in his own voice? He has to convey pretty much everything through his eyes. And we can read them quite clearly: "I. AM. FUCKED."
Oh man, I was excited for this episode ever since it was announced that Richard Curtis was writing it. I mean, the co-creator of Blackadder, the show that got me into British television in the first place, writing an episode for my current favorite fandom? Yes please. I'd been expecting it to be a comedy episode (with lots of Blackadder references, of which I think there was only one, and I didn't notice it until my second viewing), but I could tell that wouldn't be the case when I saw the Next Time preview. Very rarely can I call a Doctor Who episode "beautiful" (the only other one I can think of is City of Death), but this episode more than deserves that title. IMHO, this is EXACTLY what we needed after the horrifying tragedy that was the end of Cold Blood: bits of sadness, but LOTS of heartwarming. Even the Monster of the Week's death scene was touching. Of all the local characters that the Doctor has teamed up with over the course of his many adventures, Vincent is easily one of the strongest (I guess the fact that he was a real person doesn't hurt). He was well-portrayed and believable and, most importantly, very easy for me to sympathize with (that scene where he's crying on the bed out of sheer loneliness? That was basically me back in February. It was not good). Also, I LOVED his relationship with Amy. They had such a touching bond. Pretty much the entire solid last 10 minutes of this episode had me in a state of the most epic "D'AAAAAWWWWWW" ever. I wibbled a bit when The Pandorica Opens opened (no pun intended) with him having a breakdown because of his TARDIS'plosion "vision." I mean wow.
Alrighty, why don't I go and finish up Inferno for you lovely chappies and chappettes?
Day 01 - Your Favourite Quote: Multiple
Day 02 - Your Favourite Classic Series Episode: The Mind Robber/Battlefield
Day 03 - Your Favourite New Series Episode
Day 04 - Your Favourite Doctor
Day 05 - Your Favourite Companion
Day 06 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 07 - Your Favourite Piece of Music
Day 08 - A Who-Related Photo That Makes You Happy
Day 09 - A Who-Related Photo That Makes You Angry/Sad
Day 10 - A Who-Related Photo That You Took
Day 11 - Your Favorite Season (Classic or New)
Day 12 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 13 - Your Favorite Villain
Day 14 - The Villain Who Scared You the Most
Day 15 - Favorite Who-Related Tumblr
Day 16 - Your Favorite Who-Related FanFic
Day 17 - A Piece of Who-Related FanArt
Day 18 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 19 - The Scene That Made Your Cry the Most
Day 20 - The Character Who Is Most Like You
Day 21 - Your Doctor Who OTP
Day 22 - A Who-Related Fan-Site
Day 23 - A Who-Related YouTube Video
Day 24 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 25 - Favorite Who Actor
Day 26 - Favorite Who Actress
Day 27 - An Episode You Wish Hadn’t Been Made
Day 28 - An Episode Idea You Created Yourself
Day 29 - Who You Think Should Be the Next Doctor
Day 30 - Whatever Tickles Your Fancy