Doctor Who, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love School Reunion/Girl in the Fireplace

[surrexi]

(Warning! Extreme Verbosity Ahead! Proceed With Caution!)

I'm going to perhaps not strictly follow the rules (they're more like guidelines, anyway?) because I want to briefly touch on Tooth & Claw and then I can't really address the things I want to address about School Reunion and Girl in the Fireplace without taking them together.

First,

Comments

[principia]

A series of excellent points, but... the Doctor would hardly have died if he were 'stuck' on the slow path. Because he wouldn't be there any longer than at the longest 16 years. And that's because we know he was at the Boston Tea Party, which took place in 1774. He probably would've waited at or near Versailles until Reinette passed away in 1764, and then either hung out in England or moved to the US and kept a low profile until he could hitch a ride from his younger self.

The Doctor was on Earth all over the place during that period, but even I can remember that one just off the top of my head.

[surrexi]

Well, all right, fair point. But my point on the parallels between Reinette and Rose (of which Reinette's saving the Doctor from the slow path was only a part) still stands, I think.

[principia]

That's why I said it was excellent points but. I think she certainly would've helped make his time stuck on the slow path livable.

Incidentally, Julie Gardner stated (and RTD coyly 'refused' to confirm) in the commentary that the Doctor was indeed going to finish with 'I love you.' As I've mentioned in posts elsewhere, the way they cut that sequence could even lead one to surmise that he was saying it while we're watching Rose crying on the beach... and then he realizes he just said it to empty air, at which point his tears come.

[hotarus_sister]

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I've actually always enjoyed GiTF (surprise!snogging not withstanding) and was amazed by the collective fan response of "Madam Poopydoo" hate. You did an excellent job here of illiterating the real point behind those two episodes, in relation to the Doctor & Rose, and I really appreciate that. I hope the people who read this will come to appreciate the episodes as much as you have.

[surrexi]

You're welcome :D

Yeah, even when I wasn't particularly fond of GitF as an episode, I never really hated Reinette. I mean, really, if I'd been in her position can I really say *I'd* have passed up a chance for surprise!Doctor-snogging? Hardly. Besides, I really ought not complain too much when I get to see David Tennant snog/be snogged like that. But her overtures towards the Doctor aside, Reinette was actually kind of cool. She handled herself incredibly well against something she should never have had to understand.

You did an excellent job here of illiterating the real point behind those two episodes, in relation to the Doctor & Rose, and I really appreciate that. I hope the people who read this will come to appreciate the episodes as much as you have.Thank you! I'm a bit of an English nerd and I enjoy writing, so trying to fit the eps into the overall story structure of S2 when at first glance they can seem rather out of place in an otherwise largely Ten/Rose-shipfest-y season was actually kind of an enjoyable challenge.

[sagacious_c]

This analysis was a real treat to read. I'd had some initial gurglings of ideas of Doctor/Reinette as a juxtaposition of Doctor/Rose but couldn't quite articulate why, and after reading your explanation I think you said what I was trying to get my brain to say

[aroniwen]

Excellent analysis.

I absolutely LOVE (looks around warily)Girl in the Fireplace. Mostly. Except for the enraged shipper it usually brings out. But any episode that can bring up that kind of emotional reaction is good, right? And it's so well written.

But the Dr/Rose thing that always gets me in GitF is that as soon as he snogs Madame de P. the first thing he does (after collecting his scattered braincells) is run through to tell Rose, like the fan boy he is.

I think she's like one of his history crushes. Like Dickens, or Shakespeare-- only she's prettier. Like she's one of his five people or something. (You know that game, "if I got a chance to sleep with _______ that's just got to happen, regardless lol)

[tardis_stowaway]

I LOVE your analysis here. I'd come to similar conclusions about School Reunion actually being quite a shippy episode. Your way of seeing GitF as fast-forward Doctor/Rose is fascinating. I like it, although I'm not sure I 100% buy it at an emotional level.