Women and Their Stories in Doctor Who

[fauxkaren]

So, I ended up getting into a really great discussion with therealycats about RTD's Women in Doctor Who vs Moffat's Women in Doctor Who over in this post and while replying to her comments, I realized that I was basically writing the meta that I'd been toying around with writing, so I edited my comments together to create this post. If you want to see my

Comments

[anna_sg1]

I agree with all of this.

And I was so dissapointed/sad by the way River's character turned out to be because I really really loved her. Even when we first see her with Ten, in the Library. And then season 6 happened and Let's Kill Hitler happened and that horrible wedding and I just CAN'T WITH HER LIFE. So freakin' sad and tragic and no one gives any fucks about it, least of all River.

As for Amy, well, like most people say, I like her but I don't get her... or know her. *shrug*

And another thing, usually season finales are the companions turn to shine and save the world/help the Doctor save the world in a big huge shiny way. I never felt that happened in season 5 and 6. Amy just remembered the Doctor (while important was anticlimatic from what I got used to) and River... got married? IDK. I really wanted Amy to have her own laughing-in-the-Masters-face moment... but that's a whole other problem of having non-descript villains to laugh at, I guess it makes it more difficult.

[fauxkaren]

I think that as a whole Moffat is just more interested in the Doctor as a character, so his plots and all the other character's stories end up being about the Doctor. Which... I guess if that's what you like, good for you. But I used to love the companion's stories and I loved their Crowning Moments of Awesome in the finales. We don't really get that with Moffat's Who.

[phoenixrising06]

I'm guessing that, having already read my posts on the subject, you already know I agree with you.

I tried to like Moffat, I really did, but the feminist in me can no longer abide him or his characterizations.

[fauxkaren]

I have liked some thing that Moffat has written, but his poorly constructed female characters and the way the plot has just tripped all over its own feet is just getting to be too much for me.

[phoenixrising06]

There are a few episodes of his I've really liked, so it's not like it's my mission in life to hate everything he does. In fact, the first time I watched DW through (it was just before season 6 started, so I saw 1-5 in the space of a very short time), I loved Moffat and his stories. GitF was one of my favorite episodes, actually.

Then I sat down and rewatched the series at slower pace, paying attention to the characterizations and the narratives. That's when it all fell apart for me. Now season 6 is over, and my days of stanning for this guy are long gone.

[emmymik]

Well said! I agree with basically everything you wrote

[fauxkaren]

Both of Amy and River's stories just reek of wasted potential.

[isawthephoto]

Everything in this is perfect. I shared a lot of this on my tumblr and linked back to you, just so you know.

I had honestly hoped that Moffat might show some of the pain that Amy and River went through--ie: Amy not being able to raise her child because the Doctor was being lazyish; River living her life for a man who either does not trust her or does not love her enough; etc--but lol like he'd pay attention to problems his female characters face that don't have to do with their hair and shoes.

[fauxkaren]

It's totally fine that you linked me on tumblr! I left this post unlocked because I wanted people to see it and spark discussion! For the purposes of stroking my own ego and seeing if people like or reblog it, do you have a link for the tumblr entry handy?

I think that in general Moffat is just so much more interested in his plots than he is any of his characters, and when he does stop to care about a character, it tends to be the doctor.

[ourtremblinkind]

This entire entry is flawless and vocalizes so many of the opinions I've had on Davies/Moffats/Doctors/Companions, but most especially that of River Song, who is a character I find impossible to enjoy simply because I feel like Moffat is using her a tool of manipulation on the viewer.

[fauxkaren]

I'm glad you liked it! I think a lot of the problems I have with River as a character is that she often feels more like a plot device than a real character.

[ourtremblinkind]

I think Moffat tends to be gross about females in general. What were your thoughts on Reinette? He turned a strong historical female and turned her into this woman who spent her entire life waiting around for the Doctor. Actually Moffat in general seems to be prone to writing about women who have a debilitating obsession with the Doctor and devoting their lives for the moment he will enter their lives again. (Reinette, Amy, River). Which is strange, considering his comments about Rose being the clingy girlfriend, but coincide with a weird comment he made about how most women he knows would throw themselves at the Doctor if given the opportunity.

[fauxkaren]

I agree with your assessment of Reinette. There was a lot of telling and not showing when it came to her. The Doctor fanboyed her and said all of this awesome stuff that she did... but we never saw that. All we saw was her being obsessed with the Doctor and being the king's mistress and plotting about how to make that happen. There is that one moment where she's all regal and commands everyone to calm the fuck down, but other than that... yeah. She's a pretty disappointing character that could have been pretty neat if there had been more showing of all the cool things she did.