(A wee bit late) The Girl in the Fireplace and why I dislike it...

[shinyopals]

I've been thinking about GitF a fair amount recently, trying to work out which bits bug me.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty much at the stage where most of it bugs me. It just doesn't work for me, as an episode. I am one of those people that likes the lack of emotional continuity because it makes it easier to pretend it never existed

Comments

[fauxkaren]

But instead it's set up as an extra-marital affair.I totally agree. This is what bugs me about the Reinette/Doctor "relationship

[shinyopals]

For me personally, I can forgive the most craptastic plots as long as I get the fantastic characters. I do generally like Moffat's other episodes but I tend to prefer RTD even if you could fly the TARDIS through his plot holes! I'm definitely a little worried about him leaving!

[reaperfox]

It's very important to remember Moffat hadn't even read the previous script (School Reunion) so he wouldn't have known of the relationship intensity or jealousy that had previously been brought in...

*staunch Moffat lover*

(fwiw, I LOVE Girl In The Fireplace for a lot of reasons, but HATE HATE HATE it as a Doctor/Rose shipper.)

[shinyopals]

I would argue that he *should* have read the script though. Or at very least got a summary and talked to RTD and the School Reunion writer about the emotional tone at the end of the ep, since he planned to continue directly on. If a fanfic author wrote something and said "I've only watched one episode!" they'd be told to watch the rest. Just because he's getting paid, I don't think that should excuse him!

[hotarus_sister]

Very interesting point about the Doctor's dodging Rose's questions as an indicator that he's not clueless and in well aware of what's going on and the wrongness of it. He could convince himself that he and Rose aren't technically an item so he can flirt with whomever he wants, but he obviously doubts he could convince Rose of that.

I'm one of the few who actually liked this episode (liked, not loved) and I honestly think this could have worked FAR better as a two parter. Several of your qualms might have been adressed then. The rush of the Doctor/Reinette relationship (my one major gripe with the ep myself) could have been smoother. We could have seen Reinette do more and there would have been time for some sort of either on screen conflict or resolution between Rose and the Doctor.

The episode does a great job giving us a fastforwarded version of the Doctor&Rose's relationship, but when Doctor/Reinette looks like a cheap tryst, the overall effect is lost in the aggravation.

[shinyopals]

The episode does a great job giving us a fastforwarded version of the Doctor&Rose's relationship, but when Doctor/Reinette looks like a cheap tryst, the overall effect is lost in the aggravation.

Yeah, logically I know it works on that level but I cannot get away from how it just didn't quite work for me on an emotional level. Authorial intent and Moffat being an idiot about it in the interviews doesn't help, either!

[laeti]

You nailed it! Ihad been wondering and wondering why the whole relationship was bugging me so much and this whole deceptive, secret affair thing is exactly what it is! Thank you for putting words on my thoughts and feelings, now I can go ahead and hate this episode while having a sound wordly reason to do so that goes beyond "I'm a Rose/Doctor shipper".

[shinyopals]

I don't think there's anything wrong with dislike based on shippy reasons, but I do like to be able to justify my reasons as well!

[marble_rose]

I am so talked out when it comes to this episode. It makes me angry just thinking about it, mostly because of the points you brought up about the Doctor and it being staged as "an extra-marital affair". And then there's the implication that Rose is just supposed to accept it because she loves him and he's "worth it". Just... no.

[shinyopals]

I could almost stomach that if it hadn't felt to secretive because it would have come across as just a part of their relationship that they'd if not agreed on, then had an understanding about. Wouldn't like it, but I might have been slightly less squicked.

But the fact that it was secretive was the bit that bugged me: Rose is accepting it but only on half the knowledge she should have about the situation.

[violet_lane]

I never thought about how MdP was turned into a damsel-in-distress. Which is a shame since MdP was amazing at politics. You think she would've gotten to do something. Then again, the real MdP probably would've slapped Ten and said, "I can handle this on my own-and thanks for destroying my mirror. Silly boy." =)

And the ick!factor of the adultery bothers me too. >__

[shinyopals]

Anyone with ANY SENSE AT ALL would have slapped the Doctor silly in that ep!