Love & Monsters

[parma_violets]

It is vitally important that you keep that ampersand.

Comments

[baron_scarpia]

Ah, I see that we are not only diametrically opposed on The Girl in the Fireplace, but also here. I found it absolutely intolerable.

You may see in it a critique of superfans. I saw in it bad performances - I could not stand Shirley Henderson's performance, particularly at the end - Marc Warren's character was insufferable, the ending was abysmal.

I'd like to just say something, lest you misunderstand my position. My problem was not with the outline. I really would have liked an adventure in which a group of people are searching for this mysterious man called the Doctor. I think you could do wonderful things with it. But the way it was done was lamentably cack-handed, largely because of the characters - in fact, to be honest, because of Warren's character.

It was full of missed opportunities. And that is what hurt so much.

[parma_violets]

What was it that bothered you about Warren's character, exactly? I think I may be coming at it from an area of prior knowledge of the actors - Henderson's performance is basically a standard Shirley Henderson performance, which is a good thing in my eyes. But Warren's performance was exactly the opposite of what I expected from him, and that too was appreciated.

[baron_scarpia]

I've never seen Warren before, and maybe he gave exactly what was required. But I just didn't like his character. He goons about in front of his camera (I really disliked his self-introduction), fails to tell Victor where to get off long in advance - if Victor came barging in like that in real life, 95% of people would tell him where to stuff it, especially considering how rude he is - and his moments of sadness just weren't effective. It seemed like Warren was visibly trying to move the audience, meaning that the actor showed under the character. That isn't a good move.

He was just someone I couldn't relate to. I can relate to Rose, to Jackie, even to Mickey, but not to him.

[alysscarlet]

I loved it too. Glad I wasn't the only one. Marc and Shirly (and ELO) made up for the absence of Rose and the Doctor.

[parma_violets]

I thought, more or less as soon as it ended, that this would be the real opinion-divider this season. More so even than 'The Girl in the Fireplace'. It's good to see a smattering of positive comments on new_who.

[despotliz]

On the cross-section of LJ I read you're pretty much the only person who didn't like The Girl in the Fireplace.

I thought today's episode was mediocre, with good bits and bad bits and bits that really didn't quite work. More details forthcoming.

[parma_violets]

I know Kay doesn't like it, and over at the Christopher Eccleston forums (http://www.christophereccleston.info) it was generally disliked. Then again, the Christopher Eccleston forums have had a bit of a downer on the whole season, for reasons that can probably be predicted.

[baron_scarpia]

What he said.

[baron_scarpia]

Except about Bad Wolf, which was a good episode.

[violetcreme]

You LIKED it ?!

Bloody hell.

LOL !

I thought it was absolute shite. Apparantly the inclusion of Marc Warren meant it had to be shot like an episode of Hustle - right down to flashbacks and pieces to camera, Doctor & Rose were barley an after thought and it surley wins the prize for the only show to hint at oral sex with a pavement slab.

Obvious, cliched, non-sensical (where did his Mother come from ?) and embarassing. And yes, I'm going to say it, NOT Doctor Who. *g*

[parma_violets]

I thought it was absolute shite. Apparantly the inclusion of Marc Warren meant it had to be shot like an episode of Hustle - right down to flashbacks and pieces to camera,

See, I don't watch Hustle because of the effect it has on my blood pressure. I just thought all that was the result of the video diary format.

Doctor & Rose were barely an after thought

Considering how they've been acting most of this series, I don't think that's such a bad thing. Anyway, surely that was the entire format of the episode? It's like criticising a clip show for relying too much on old material.

and it surley wins the prize for the only show to hint at oral sex with a pavement slab.

Again - you're saying this like it's a bad thing!

where did his Mother come from?

Her mother! Nah, I do agree that should have been introduced or at least set up earlier.

And yes, I'm going to say it, NOT Doctor Who. *g*

You had to go there, didn't you? :p

[violetcreme]

It was eerily like Hustle, it was almost as if they were pastiching it and who knows, they might have been, but that's not really Who's remit I would have thought. It was just too much of a stylistic change for me. Be innovative within the style/format, not out of it. The whole thing was just bizarre from the random Elton John clip through to fellating concrete - it was just so smug and self satisfied and so very very RTD.

For me, and I'm not a 'Who' geek as you know, but Doctor Who has to centre around Doctor Who. I don't mind if it's DoctorLite for a week, but I'd at leaest like the story to be told from his perspective otherwise again, it's too much of a stylistic change.

Oh and the Alien ? I have no words for how dire that was. A 'thing' that absorbs people for a reason unknown (unless I missed it) and yet their heads/brains manage to stay intact sticking out of him like a boil ? Er...okay. Whatever. See ya. LMAO !

[despotliz]

The alien was created by a 9-year-old who won a Blue Peter competition. Apparently he had planned for the alien to be the size of a double-decker bus, and was dismayed to find Peter Kay is not that fat.

[pink_sweater_uk]

Hmmm...if nothing else, he's not gonna have to ask Ursula whether she's a "spit-or-swallow" sort of a girl...

Oh, and Bad Wolf was dire. As were Matt Jones's arse piles of poop. Love & Monsters, however, was surprisingly good.

[parma_violets]

When that scene started, I thought it was just my dirty mind reading something into where he was holding the slab. I'm so glad Russell T Davies clarified it for us all.

I like the idea of someone channel-hopping onto that moment in particular. It's like when you watch Boogie Nights in halls of residence and all your flatmates come in at the very moment when Mark Wahlberg gets his cock out. Or was that just me?