Ah it's been awhile since I watched it *is bad at rewatching the episodes* but it came off to me as the Doctor and Rose being silly and not taking this adventure seriously and when it did become serious they couldn't really stop. The way they're giddy around each other - the honeymoon period really seems pronounced in the first two episodes.
Although the bet didn't bother me, maybe it's because Rose didn't see Victoria quite as a real person. I mean, yes, she's standing right in front of her, but she's a historical figure of staggering importance and her manner is just so foreign to Rose. She's imperious and honestly, arrogant. She has reason to be, as she's the monarch of a world-wide empire, but I would think she's eminently tease(or mock, whichever) worthy to someone like Rose. Who is still young. Rose also missed the more revealing discussion over dinner about Alfred.
She founded it because she almost got bitten by a werewolf.
Or because she did? I think they were just teasing at the end, but it WOULD be a fantastic way of keeping your eye on the competition, no?
The other thing to remember is where Rose grew up, on a council estate. In my experience that often doesn't result in affection or a lot of respect for authority.
So you think it was sort of reverse snobbery? That’s… interesting. I’m trying to think-was Queen Victoria the first authority figure Rose met? (I’m guessing Harriet Jones doesn’t count-she wasn’t Prime Minister when Rose met her.)
The joke doesn't sit well with me very well either, and upon rewatching I cringed more severely each time Rose egged her on. Rose and the Doctor are like adorable but obnoxious 6th graders in this episode... I like the "honeymood" theory mentioned above, and think there's also a bit of showing off involved, in keeping with the 6th grader mentality. I love that Rose is usually sensitive to other people, so I don't like the idea of her making fun of someone even if she thinks that person is arrogant and unnecessarily stiff. That's what feels off -- being too judgmental about another time period.
See, this is what I hate about season two. I want to like it, but I keep tripping over things that kill my squee. And I want to understand it, but all the explanations I can think of don’t fit the story as a whole. Maybe I should just skip it and come back when we get to season three.
The joke is what really makes me want to hate this episode, honestly. It seems very OOC to Rose's character (and the Doctor's, honestly) and really makes me cringe and annoyed. YMMV, of course, but that is what I thought. *shrug*
The joke is what really makes me want to hate this episode, honestly.
I know! And if it weren’t for that stupid bet, I think I’d love this episode. As it is, though, I want to rewatch the scene with Rose and the werewolf and pretend the rest of the episode doesn’t exist.
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She founded it because she almost got bitten by a werewolf.
Or because she did? I think they were just teasing at the end, but it WOULD be a fantastic way of keeping your eye on the competition, no?
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Plus, you know: all the stuff you said up there.
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Yeah. I think that’s what bothered me.
Or because she did?
Oh, I hope not-like I said, I liked Victoria.
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It's a bit... irreverent, sure. But I think the episode would be too dark without the Doctor and Rose goofing off.
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And it’s not because it seemed irreverent. Rose’s joke about fitting into a size smaller in “World War Three” was irreverent. This seemed… unkind.
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I know! And if it weren’t for that stupid bet, I think I’d love this episode. As it is, though, I want to rewatch the scene with Rose and the werewolf and pretend the rest of the episode doesn’t exist.
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