He really is adorable, isn't he? Have you seen him watching BtVS for the first time? Hilarious. I have never come across him before, but I might have to look him up now... Esp if he's watched Buffy!
My Doctor. I let you go. Capaldi was definitely in my top three. Or four. (Other contenders Troughton, T Baker and Tennant.) Top Three sounds right. MY Doctor will always been Eleven, but Twelve was very very very good. And his ending was beautiful. ♥
No, I loved Eleven's speech! I was thinking of the last time we had a showrunner and a Doctor leave at the same time. Not that the line wasn't IC, just left a bad taste in my mouth and wasn't a good look.
Aaah. Yes, I get you now. And it has amused me that Twelve & Ten's final lines were basically exact opposites.
Like, Ten's final line was perfect for him, but he was broken and everything was sad and lonely. (ETA: 'He always says that...' <- Love it that they made fun of it!) Anyway, then Moffat came and fixed everything and now the whole 'verse has been fixed, Gallifrey is back, the Time Lords are jerks and the Doctor is a renegade who is running away. And the new Doctor started life with the word 'Brilliant!'.
I loved that Moff gently mocked "I don't want to go", I never thought anything could make me love that line but he managed it.
then Moffat came and fixed everything and now the whole 'verse has been fixed, Gallifrey is back, the Time Lords are jerks and the Doctor is a renegade who is running away. And the new Doctor started life with the word 'Brilliant!'.
I loved that Moff gently mocked "I don't want to go", I never thought anything could make me love that line but he managed it. He mocked it already in Day of the Doctor, but yes, this one was better. <3
Honestly, I wish people gave him more credit. 'Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.'
Or rather, no showrunner is appreciated whilst actually running the show. I remember when EoT aired and there were literally about three people in fandom who didn't hate it (me, jackaholic and aria). And LOOK HOW PEOPLE LOVE RTD NOW!!
So give it a few years, and oh, he will get his due. :)
There was an official countdown page for Moffat taking over... (something like 'www.isitmofftiemyet.com') Good times. Seriously, Moffat was hailed as the bringer of the promised land, RTD's name was MUD.
I look forward to Chibnall, cause he's very much a character-centric writer, so it'll be something very different, and it probably won't wear out my brain to the same degree. *g*
I'm almost curious to find out what they'll hate him for? RTD was a sort of free for all (he was sexist, racist, homophobic, you name it), Moffat of course HATES women (*eyeroll*), so I'm sure Chibnall will somehow make them all hate him. Poor guy. It's a poisoned chalice.
I'm almost curious to find out what they'll hate him for? RTD was a sort of free for all (he was sexist, racist, homophobic, you name it), Moffat of course HATES women (*eyeroll*), so I'm sure Chibnall will somehow make them all hate him. Poor guy. It's a poisoned chalice.
Well, it's not POC representation as we have two POC companions so I'm going to stick with women.
Our brains will definitely get a rest, yes. ;) Fewer metaphors, more character arcs. Mmm, like Torchwood used to be. But with less depressing stories, presumably.
Well, it's not POC representation as we have two POC companions so I'm going to stick with women. BUT THE DOCTOR IS A WIMMINS! Surely that means that everything will now be wonderful... (Seriously, I can almost feel Tumblr sharpening their pencils. There is no way to do it right.)
(Also, if you want to die from adorableness, check out "STAR WARS: My Son's Adorable First-Time Reaction". They've done all the original films and TFA, and the videos are very small.)
Really, in general, you're missing out. I couldn't see the point at first, but it grew on me during the past 2 years. Now, watching reactions has become a bit of hobby for me. Heaven Sent was a goldmine. I'd like to think Moffat spends his free time browsing youtube while eating popcorn and laughing maniacally at the traumatised children. God knows I do.
My younger sister became a Whovian recently (ONE OF US, ONE OF US). It’s great, I now have *Live* DW Reactions. Besides, I often sit by and practice my poker face.
(Also, if you want to die from adorableness, check out "STAR WARS: My Son's Adorable First-Time Reaction". They've done all the original films and TFA, and the videos are very small.) I may just have to do that...
I'd like to think Moffat spends his free time browsing youtube while eating popcorn and laughing maniacally at the traumatised children. God knows I do. Dear god, I hope he does. And I have no particular objections, it's mostly a question of TIME. /o\
My younger sister became a Whovian recently (ONE OF US, ONE OF US). It’s great, I now have *Live* DW Reactions. Besides, I often sit by and practice my poker face. Ah enjoy. How old is she?
She’s 14; started when she was, let’s say, 13 and a half. She’s in the middle of Series 6 now. Really, really liked The Doctor’s Wife, called the twist in a Good Man Goes to War but still enjoyed it.
Other interesting reactions so far include, but are not limited to:
Liking the music from the beginning.
Each and every time a dalek appears, she adores them –hence the first finale blowing her away. I mean, I had to reassure her after the first one died and many times after, that really, the Doctor is kind of an idiot, no, this is not the last we see of them.
She remembered David Tennant from the 4th Harry Potter, and was like “yay, I know someone!”
She cried in Doomsday.
At first, she didn’t like Jack or River, but they both grew on her; and then she kept asking me when they will turn up again, who to ship them with, and squeeing a lot at their presence. Also, commenting that River looks like a lion because of the hair and nicknaming her accordingly.
Loves the Master, as one does.
She is somewhat more susceptible, shall we say, to Continuity Cavalcades and Cameos, that is, “OMG, EVERYONE’S HERE, YAY!” So you can imagine what happened in Series 4. She also recognised Davros, “oooh, it’s… what’s-his-face from those old serials that you showed me!” (We can’t find subtitles for the classics, and she needs them, so I just occasionally show her scenes.)
Loved Wilf, was incredibly heartbroken about Donna (shakes fist at the sky and/or RTD)
Agreed that no matter how seriously Lord President Bond takes the situation, there is no way in heaven or on earth to *not* make the whole “Master aggressively devours everything, including the scenery, and in one scene shoots lighting out of his hands, jumps 60 feet into the air, and attacks two bums while screaming 'DINNER TIMEEEE!’ at the top of his lungs", really, really funny, Narm, and So Bad It's Good.
“But why is Ten *such* a miserable emo killjoy all the time?” “Well…” Though she loves him, the David Tennant Parade of Death wore her out a bit.
She found Matt Smith very, very adorable from the very first moment but she couldn't say why exactly.
She also figured out RTD's modus operandi, aka “If people are happy TERRIBLE THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO THEM!” as you had so eloquently put it once, so there was much, much rejoicing when Series 5 ended so happily. She kept begging me to tell her that they wouldn’t die, poor thing.
She fell in love with the fez and was more heartbroken than the Doctor when it was destroyed, so I brought her mine and she happily wore it throughout the finale.
Her only concern about Capaldi is “…but *will* there be shipping if he’s older?” (maniacal laughter) And she’s very excited about Thirteen
Oh, and upon watching “Smith and Jones”, she realised that she had seen it before on TV, hadn’t understood a thing, and had freaked out a bit because she was like, four. There *was* a strange time about ten years ago when some Greek channels had put some episodes on. I remember not being interested because I had thought it was yet another medical drama. It also looked very cheesy in the magazine. Finally, to the eternal shame and horror of our country, some episodes of the first series had been dubbed. Yes, there’s still a scene on youtube. Look on my cringe, ye Mighty, and despair!
Liking the music from the beginning. How can anyone not? (Rhetorical question, I know some people don't like Murray Gold) But honestly, the music alone can be enough to make people cry...
Each and every time a dalek appears, she adores them –hence the first finale blowing her away. I mean, I had to reassure her after the first one died and many times after, that really, the Doctor is kind of an idiot, no, this is not the last we see of them. AHAHAHAH. Oh dear, yes, the Daleks were there right from the beginning and will NEVER leave. (Impish Girl wanted to marry a Dalek when she was younger.)
At first, she didn’t like Jack or River, but they both grew on her; and then she kept asking me when they will turn up again, who to ship them with, and squeeing a lot at their presence. Also, commenting that River looks like a lion because of the hair and nicknaming her accordingly. Love the lion thing. And I still remember how offended fandom was when Jack first turned up and how Rose was flirting with him. HOW DARE SHE? *g*
Loves the Master, as one does. Of course.
So you can imagine what happened in Series 4. Twas a smorgasbord. And the Classic show is... so very long. /o\
Loved Wilf, was incredibly heartbroken about Donna (shakes fist at the sky and/or RTD) Blessed be Clara & Moffat forever.
Agreed that no matter how seriously Lord President Bond takes the situation *snerk* Also, I defy anyone to make that plot make sense. It's a fun romp, but dear god it does NOT hang together...
Though she loves him, the David Tennant Parade of Death wore her out a bit. Well it made it easier to say goodbye? Like, just put him out of his misery already? It's for his own good.
She also figured out RTD's modus operandi, aka “If people are happy TERRIBLE THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO THEM!” as you had so eloquently put it once I learned that lesson from Joss Whedon, and learned it well.
She kept begging me to tell her that they wouldn’t die, poor thing. Lesson number One: This is Moffat. EVERYONE dies. Repeatedly. Just get used to it.
She fell in love with the fez and was more heartbroken than the Doctor when it was destroyed, so I brought her mine and she happily wore it throughout the finale. Awwww. <3
Her only concern about Capaldi is “…but *will* there be shipping if he’s older?” One of my daughters (12 at the time) after Capaldi was cast: "Don't get me wrong - Peter Capaldi is awesome. But he is too old and wrinkly to kiss someone as pretty as Alex Kingston."
and had freaked out a bit because she was like, four. Not surprising. Hope she hid behind a sofa.
I remember not being interested because I had thought it was yet another medical drama. It also looked very cheesy in the magazine. LOL
Finally, to the eternal shame and horror of our country, some episodes of the first series had been dubbed. These things happen. I grew up with all Disney cartoons being dubbed into Danish. It was not good.
How can anyone not? (Rhetorical question, I know some people don't like Murray Gold) !!! Horror of horrors!
Like, just put him out of his misery already? It's for his own good. LOL Seriously though, I consider EVERYTHING in the EoT absolutely worth it for that small, beautiful scene with Verity Newman in the bookshop: “To the Doctor. Funny, that's the name he used…” “Was she happy in the end?” “Yes. Yes, she was. Were you?” And he just looks at her gives that devastated, heartbreaking smile. I call it “The Tenth Doctor in a nutshell.”
"Don't get me wrong - Peter Capaldi is awesome. But he is too old and wrinkly to kiss someone as pretty as Alex Kingston." To which I would have answered “Well, yes, and Matt Smith has a face that looks like a bean or a shoe, so what is your point? They are still adorable!”
These things happen. I grew up with all Disney cartoons being dubbed into Danish. It was not good. Yeah, but you know, at least when it’s animation it’s…tolerable? Heck, it can even be *good*. But it’s utterly impossible with live action. Why would anyone ever prefer dubbing over subtitles, I’ll never know.
Blessed be Clara & Moffat forever. Can we just appreciate just how life-affirming Moffat’s writing is?
I know he has a reputation as the scary one, as a troll, and it’s justified, but he isn’t dark or needlessly cruel. His best stories are the ultimately optimistic ones. Everybody lives, etc. It’s RTD whose stories are *better* when they are dark and gritty (see Turn Left, Midnight, Waters of Mars. I think it’s because he is more pessimistic about human nature, life, and the universe in general, so he often struggled in the family-friendly DW framework.)
Don’t get me wrong, I love Game of Thrones, but in a culture where we are constantly being bombarded by pessimism, by darkness and grittiness, where to be edgy is to be realistic, where to kill characters for the sake of killing them and shock value is considered a great move, where to be cynical is to be wise and laughter and hope are naïve…how much of a breath of fresh air is a Doctor Who that resoundingly goes “No, the Doctor always has been and always will be a kind and hopeful soul. And that is still important and relevant, dammit! Yes, compassion is right, love is never foolish, hope and kindness is what the Doctor stands for”? And then –shock– dares to gives happy endings to poor characters who deserve them, even the Doctor (!), and not always kick them when they’re down?
And then get blamed for not understanding grief (facepalm). In no way does Moffat Who deny the darkness; but it gives us good things in spite of it and maintains that those ultimately make it worth it. (It’s quite unconsciously Christian in that regard.) And I won’t give examples because I know that you’ll probably agree with me, so I’d be preaching to the choir (Though that great post of yours on The Doctor, the widow, and the wardrobe does come to mind). Plus, we’d be here all day.
But I will ramble a bit.
The whole thing with the sis is that besides being an absolute blast, it has also paved the way for some surprising, marvelous insights and currently relevant epiphanies through revisiting the old stuff. Case in point, the Series 5 finale. Besides it reminding me how much, and why I adore Eleven, and the obvious bit about the Doctor saving the day by being kind, duh, which you had noted and hoped for as early as 2010, high five, there was also a great quote in your Big Bang meta:
Why Moffat Is the Weird Trickster Eru Ilúvatar of DW; or as promethia put it in one word, “hopepunk”.
“In addition to its common meaning (hope), the Elvish word estel refers to a complex philosophical concept found in Elvish thought. This idea is best understood as *trust* or "faith", and the hope that comes from it: estel refers to the belief that Ilúvatar, the Creator of the Universe, is good and that his designs for his creatures will ultimately be good as well, despite the troubles that seem to plague Arda, this world. Certain knowledge of what is to happen to the Elves after the end of Arda has thus been withheld from them, so that all they can rely on is estel. The Elven-king Finrod Felagund explained estel as an idea that "is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and first being. If we are indeed the Eruchin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any Enemy, not even by ourselves." "
Hope is not just what the story is about; it is in the fabric of the story itself. And it *can* be in the fabric of the story because we trust and have faith in the storyteller.
(We are both Tolkien fans, and yes, I have used this in the past: but now it is meta and conceptualized and important!)
Or, as you had put it:
Moffat to us: “It has never been more important that you trust me.” Audience: “But you don’t always tell me the truth.” (Rory died, Amy died, the Doctor was erased...) Moffat: "If I always told you the truth I wouldn't need you to trust me.”
Re the whole Game of Thrones environment right now, as the great man himself said, “Doctor Who is a big-hearted, optimistic show that believed in kindness and love and that wisdom will triumph in the end. I don’t believe it’s the kind of show that says there are bitter, twisted endings because it’s not. It’s not gritty, it’s aspirational. It says it can work. And wisdom and kindness will triumph and love will always come through in the end. I think there’s not enough people or TV shows says that and I’ll be damned if Doctor Who is going to join in with the general chorus of despair.”
DOCTOR: What? Dead? Yes, yes. Of course he's dead. Right, I've got twelve minutes. That's good. AMY: Twelve minutes to live? How is that good? DOCTOR: Oh, you can do loads in twelve minutes. Suck a mint, buy a sledge, have a fast bath. Come on, the roof.
Can we just appreciate just how life-affirming Moffat’s writing is? Absolutely. There is a quote which I can't find, where he talks about how he loves to make people survive. Especially because you can then go darker beforehand.
I think it’s because he is more pessimistic about human nature, life, and the universe in general, so he often struggled in the family-friendly DW framework. Midnight is the closest he's written to his actual POV. The man is a nihilist, and it shows. (All the Toclafane trapped at the end of the universe? DELIGHTFUL way for humanity to end...) I am very fond of him, but I'll take Moffat's worldview any day.
And then get blamed for not understanding grief (facepalm). In no way does Moffat Who deny the darkness; but it gives us good things in spite of it and maintains that those ultimately make it worth it. (It’s quite unconsciously Christian in that regard.) IKR? It's great. (And people are stupid, so there's nothing you can do about that.)
how much of a breath of fresh air is a Doctor Who that resoundingly goes “No, the Doctor always has been and always will be a kind and hopeful soul. And that is still important and relevant, dammit! Yes, compassion is right, love is never foolish, hope and kindness is what the Doctor stands for”? This. [insert Moffat quote about giving THIS hero two hearts & a box where you can call for help, rather than gadgets or guns...]
Hope is not just what the story is about; it is in the fabric of the story itself. And it *can* be in the fabric of the story because we trust and have faith in the storyteller. Very nice. You are clearly far better 'versed in Tolkien than I am!
Absolutely. There is a quote which I can't find, where he talks about how he loves to make people survive. Especially because you can then go darker beforehand. Oh, I know exactly the one you mean, I think you had mentioned it in the past, but I can’t find it right now either. It’s cool. I call it the Reverse Don Bluth Principle.
[insert Moffat quote about giving THIS hero two hearts & a box where you can call for help, rather than gadgets or guns...] Oh, I adore that quote, it’s beautiful.
Very nice. You are clearly far better 'versed in Tolkien than I am! Well, probably not to the degree that it would seem, but thanks! And I just loved that quote of yours. Reading your Series 5 posts now is very interesting. And seeing you slowly fall in love with Eleven is adorable. When did he actually, officially become *your* Doctor?
Reading your Series 5 posts now is very interesting. And seeing you slowly fall in love with Eleven is adorable. When did he actually, officially become *your* Doctor? Well, the *official* post is here, but right from The Eleventh Hour there was that undefinable something (well I tried defining it in that post) that I knew felt *right* on a level I couldn't quite articulate.
...here are two small excerpts from my fanfic "Join theTriumph of the Skies" which I wrote *exactly* a year ago. It's the final part of a huge and epic thematic trilogy of fics structured around a quote from Shelley's Prometheus Unbound. They try to connect EVERYTHING in 50+ years of Who, and explore the Doctor's beliefs and spirituality, the good things and the tragedies of his long life, the effect of his companions, his role as a bringer of hope in the universe, loss and grief, humanism, philosophy, happiness, universalism, Christmas, the mystical and enduring nature of love, and at what point a fic becomes an excuse to quote Harry Potter, Robert G. Ingersoll, Hugo, Tolkien, Shelley, C.S Lewis, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett.
(Yes, you obviously don't comprehend the level of insane I operate at. Enjoy.) ----------------------------
(It’s called marriage.)
Amelia turns away from the TARDIS, from endless adventure, from freedom from time, from immortality, and steps towards the tombstone, because just this once, the blue box can’t cross the sundering seas of Time that lie between love. There is one thing death can give her and She cannot. Just one.
And he pleads and he pleads and he begs, selfish old man that he is, because he knows what’s about to happen, as if it’s already written in stone. Beren and Luthien, he thinks absurdly, looking at the angel. They kill you kindly, and inexorable Mandos was moved…
And Amy makes her choice, chooses a world, and it’s the correct choice, he knows it deep down in his hearts, even though he cries, even though he can’t stop the wail of impotent despair that tears out of him. Because this can’t be real life. It can’t be life if Rory isn’t here.
In New York, a woman publishes a book. She reads the afterword aloud to her husband and he nods and kisses her.
(Beren and Luthien passed away long ago. There was no forest this time but a city, and they were not that good at singing; but they were still sorrowless).
In the future, a daughter breaks down at last in her office at the University, tired of hiding the damage. She resists the temptation to visit a grandfather who barely knows her, and instead, puts the pieces back together again and travels. In the future, the friend whom they’ll love always stops. He sits on a lonely cloud and reads the last page again and again until he learns it by heart. One day the universe takes pity, and he obeys the small letters and stops being alone. He’s never alone again until he dies.
(The Elves carried the sorrow, bound to the circles of the world, chained to Time, because their beautiful lives endure as the world endures).
A different man who is still their friend is bored one Tuesday night, (his new, curly-haired human is having a break from all the running and companion-ing), rummages through his endless wardrobes and discovers a cherry-wood, silk-lined box he had forgotten. Inside rests a purple bow tie, alongside a curl of frizzy blond hair, a short Roman dagger, and the yellowing page, carefully folded under a pair of round glasses.
He expects to cry; but he smiles softly instead and runs a reverent hand through them. Estel, he thinks inexplicably. Arda Envinyanta.
(I also had the War Doctor reading the entire works of Tolkien in his rare free time; because he desperately needs to believe that in *some* universe there is a war that can be won, that has a happy ending.)
I also had the War Doctor reading the entire works of Tolkien in his rare free time; because he desperately needs to believe that in *some* universe there is a war that can be won, that has a happy ending. Awwww. Although it's a bittersweet victory, but even so, I can see it. <3
And he just looks at her gives that devastated, heartbreaking smile. I call it “The Tenth Doctor in a nutshell.” Oh yes. It's such a tiny little scene, but I'm so glad they included it. Like, tie up ALL THE LOOSE ENDS! As yhlee once wrote re. Wesley (played by Alexis Denisof) on AtS:
"I can't believe I forgot how Denisof as Wesley can stand there and exude pain. It's like a superpower."
Ten is very much like Wesley. (I am sure I have mentioned this before. But it continues to be apt.)
To which I would have answered “Well, yes, and Matt Smith has a face that looks like a bean or a shoe, so what is your point? They are still adorable!” Matt Smith has the BEST face. Also Twelve didn't actually ever kiss River, so all is well! :)
Yeah, but you know, at least when it’s animation it’s…tolerable? Heck, it can even be *good*. But it’s utterly impossible with live action. Why would anyone ever prefer dubbing over subtitles, I’ll never know. Well, it's funny?
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My Doctor. I let you go. Capaldi was definitely in my top three. Or four. (Other contenders Troughton, T Baker and Tennant.)
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I have never come across him before, but I might have to look him up now... Esp if he's watched Buffy!
My Doctor. I let you go. Capaldi was definitely in my top three. Or four. (Other contenders Troughton, T Baker and Tennant.)
Top Three sounds right. MY Doctor will always been Eleven, but Twelve was very very very good. And his ending was beautiful. ♥
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"Rusty! My boy!"
<3
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"I let you go."
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Like, Ten's final line was perfect for him, but he was broken and everything was sad and lonely. (ETA: 'He always says that...' <- Love it that they made fun of it!) Anyway, then Moffat came and fixed everything and now the whole 'verse has been fixed, Gallifrey is back, the Time Lords are jerks and the Doctor is a renegade who is running away. And the new Doctor started life with the word 'Brilliant!'.
:D
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(Anonymous) 2017-12-29 04:06 pm (UTC)(link)I mean, should I wait, or bombard you with meta?
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I am still trying to gather my thoughts, but a post shall be forthcoming.
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then Moffat came and fixed everything and now the whole 'verse has been fixed, Gallifrey is back, the Time Lords are jerks and the Doctor is a renegade who is running away. And the new Doctor started life with the word 'Brilliant!'.
Honestly, I wish people gave him more credit.
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He mocked it already in Day of the Doctor, but yes, this one was better. <3
Honestly, I wish people gave him more credit.
'Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.'
Or rather, no showrunner is appreciated whilst actually running the show. I remember when EoT aired and there were literally about three people in fandom who didn't hate it (me, jackaholic and aria). And LOOK HOW PEOPLE LOVE RTD NOW!!
So give it a few years, and oh, he will get his due. :)
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Or rather, no showrunner is appreciated whilst actually running the show... So give it a few years, and oh, he will get his due. :)
I hope so. I am waiting for the wave of disappointment when certain people find out Chibnall isn't the woke saviour they were promised.
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I look forward to Chibnall, cause he's very much a character-centric writer, so it'll be something very different, and it probably won't wear out my brain to the same degree. *g*
I'm almost curious to find out what they'll hate him for? RTD was a sort of free for all (he was sexist, racist, homophobic, you name it), Moffat of course HATES women (*eyeroll*), so I'm sure Chibnall will somehow make them all hate him. Poor guy. It's a poisoned chalice.
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I'm almost curious to find out what they'll hate him for? RTD was a sort of free for all (he was sexist, racist, homophobic, you name it), Moffat of course HATES women (*eyeroll*), so I'm sure Chibnall will somehow make them all hate him. Poor guy. It's a poisoned chalice.
Well, it's not POC representation as we have two POC companions so I'm going to stick with women.
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Fewer metaphors, more character arcs. Mmm, like Torchwood used to be. But with less depressing stories, presumably.
Well, it's not POC representation as we have two POC companions so I'm going to stick with women.
BUT THE DOCTOR IS A WIMMINS! Surely that means that everything will now be wonderful... (Seriously, I can almost feel Tumblr sharpening their pencils. There is no way to do it right.)
And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2017-12-28 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)(Also, if you want to die from adorableness, check out "STAR WARS: My Son's Adorable First-Time Reaction". They've done all the original films and TFA, and the videos are very small.)
Really, in general, you're missing out. I couldn't see the point at first, but it grew on me during the past 2 years. Now, watching reactions has become a bit of hobby for me. Heaven Sent was a goldmine. I'd like to think Moffat spends his free time browsing youtube while eating popcorn and laughing maniacally at the traumatised children. God knows I do.
My younger sister became a Whovian recently (ONE OF US, ONE OF US). It’s great, I now have *Live* DW Reactions. Besides, I often sit by and practice my poker face.
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
I may just have to do that...
I'd like to think Moffat spends his free time browsing youtube while eating popcorn and laughing maniacally at the traumatised children. God knows I do.
Dear god, I hope he does. And I have no particular objections, it's mostly a question of TIME. /o\
My younger sister became a Whovian recently (ONE OF US, ONE OF US). It’s great, I now have *Live* DW Reactions. Besides, I often sit by and practice my poker face.
Ah enjoy. How old is she?
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2017-12-29 05:59 pm (UTC)(link)She’s in the middle of Series 6 now. Really, really liked The Doctor’s Wife, called the twist in a Good Man Goes to War but still enjoyed it.
Other interesting reactions so far include, but are not limited to:
Liking the music from the beginning.
Each and every time a dalek appears, she adores them –hence the first finale blowing her away. I mean, I had to reassure her after the first one died and many times after, that really, the Doctor is kind of an idiot, no, this is not the last we see of them.
She remembered David Tennant from the 4th Harry Potter, and was like “yay, I know someone!”
She cried in Doomsday.
At first, she didn’t like Jack or River, but they both grew on her; and then she kept asking me when they will turn up again, who to ship them with, and squeeing a lot at their presence. Also, commenting that River looks like a lion because of the hair and nicknaming her accordingly.
Loves the Master, as one does.
She is somewhat more susceptible, shall we say, to Continuity Cavalcades and Cameos, that is, “OMG, EVERYONE’S HERE, YAY!” So you can imagine what happened in Series 4.
She also recognised Davros, “oooh, it’s… what’s-his-face from those old serials that you showed me!”
(We can’t find subtitles for the classics, and she needs them, so I just occasionally show her scenes.)
Loved Wilf, was incredibly heartbroken about Donna (shakes fist at the sky and/or RTD)
Agreed that no matter how seriously Lord President Bond takes the situation, there is no way in heaven or on earth to *not* make the whole “Master aggressively devours everything, including the scenery, and in one scene shoots lighting out of his hands, jumps 60 feet into the air, and attacks two bums while screaming 'DINNER TIMEEEE!’ at the top of his lungs", really, really funny, Narm, and So Bad It's Good.
“But why is Ten *such* a miserable emo killjoy all the time?” “Well…”
Though she loves him, the David Tennant Parade of Death wore her out a bit.
She found Matt Smith very, very adorable from the very first moment but she couldn't say why exactly.
She also figured out RTD's modus operandi, aka “If people are happy TERRIBLE THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO THEM!” as you had so eloquently put it once, so there was much, much rejoicing when Series 5 ended so happily.
She kept begging me to tell her that they wouldn’t die, poor thing.
She fell in love with the fez and was more heartbroken than the Doctor when it was destroyed, so I brought her mine and she happily wore it throughout the finale.
Her only concern about Capaldi is “…but *will* there be shipping if he’s older?”
(maniacal laughter)
And she’s very excited about Thirteen
Oh, and upon watching “Smith and Jones”, she realised that she had seen it before on TV, hadn’t understood a thing, and had freaked out a bit because she was like, four.
There *was* a strange time about ten years ago when some Greek channels had put some episodes on. I remember not being interested because I had thought it was yet another medical drama. It also looked very cheesy in the magazine.
Finally, to the eternal shame and horror of our country, some episodes of the first series had been dubbed. Yes, there’s still a scene on youtube. Look on my cringe, ye Mighty, and despair!
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
How can anyone not? (Rhetorical question, I know some people don't like Murray Gold) But honestly, the music alone can be enough to make people cry...
Each and every time a dalek appears, she adores them –hence the first finale blowing her away. I mean, I had to reassure her after the first one died and many times after, that really, the Doctor is kind of an idiot, no, this is not the last we see of them.
AHAHAHAH. Oh dear, yes, the Daleks were there right from the beginning and will NEVER leave. (Impish Girl wanted to marry a Dalek when she was younger.)
At first, she didn’t like Jack or River, but they both grew on her; and then she kept asking me when they will turn up again, who to ship them with, and squeeing a lot at their presence. Also, commenting that River looks like a lion because of the hair and nicknaming her accordingly.
Love the lion thing. And I still remember how offended fandom was when Jack first turned up and how Rose was flirting with him. HOW DARE SHE? *g*
Loves the Master, as one does.
Of course.
So you can imagine what happened in Series 4.
Twas a smorgasbord. And the Classic show is... so very long. /o\
Loved Wilf, was incredibly heartbroken about Donna (shakes fist at the sky and/or RTD)
Blessed be Clara & Moffat forever.
Agreed that no matter how seriously Lord President Bond takes the situation
*snerk* Also, I defy anyone to make that plot make sense. It's a fun romp, but dear god it does NOT hang together...
Though she loves him, the David Tennant Parade of Death wore her out a bit.
Well it made it easier to say goodbye? Like, just put him out of his misery already? It's for his own good.
She also figured out RTD's modus operandi, aka “If people are happy TERRIBLE THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO THEM!” as you had so eloquently put it once
I learned that lesson from Joss Whedon, and learned it well.
She kept begging me to tell her that they wouldn’t die, poor thing.
Lesson number One: This is Moffat. EVERYONE dies. Repeatedly. Just get used to it.
She fell in love with the fez and was more heartbroken than the Doctor when it was destroyed, so I brought her mine and she happily wore it throughout the finale.
Awwww. <3
Her only concern about Capaldi is “…but *will* there be shipping if he’s older?”
One of my daughters (12 at the time) after Capaldi was cast: "Don't get me wrong - Peter Capaldi is awesome. But he is too old and wrinkly to kiss someone as pretty as Alex Kingston."
and had freaked out a bit because she was like, four.
Not surprising. Hope she hid behind a sofa.
I remember not being interested because I had thought it was yet another medical drama. It also looked very cheesy in the magazine.
LOL
Finally, to the eternal shame and horror of our country, some episodes of the first series had been dubbed.
These things happen. I grew up with all Disney cartoons being dubbed into Danish. It was not good.
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2017-12-30 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)!!! Horror of horrors!
Like, just put him out of his misery already? It's for his own good.
LOL
Seriously though, I consider EVERYTHING in the EoT absolutely worth it for that small, beautiful scene with Verity Newman in the bookshop:
“To the Doctor. Funny, that's the name he used…”
“Was she happy in the end?”
“Yes. Yes, she was. Were you?”
And he just looks at her gives that devastated, heartbreaking smile.
I call it “The Tenth Doctor in a nutshell.”
"Don't get me wrong - Peter Capaldi is awesome. But he is too old and wrinkly to kiss someone as pretty as Alex Kingston."
To which I would have answered “Well, yes, and Matt Smith has a face that looks like a bean or a shoe, so what is your point? They are still adorable!”
These things happen. I grew up with all Disney cartoons being dubbed into Danish. It was not good.
Yeah, but you know, at least when it’s animation it’s…tolerable? Heck, it can even be *good*. But it’s utterly impossible with live action. Why would anyone ever prefer dubbing over subtitles, I’ll never know.
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2017-12-30 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)Can we just appreciate just how life-affirming Moffat’s writing is?
I know he has a reputation as the scary one, as a troll, and it’s justified, but he isn’t dark or needlessly cruel. His best stories are the ultimately optimistic ones. Everybody lives, etc. It’s RTD whose stories are *better* when they are dark and gritty (see Turn Left, Midnight, Waters of Mars. I think it’s because he is more pessimistic about human nature, life, and the universe in general, so he often struggled in the family-friendly DW framework.)
Don’t get me wrong, I love Game of Thrones, but in a culture where we are constantly being bombarded by pessimism, by darkness and grittiness, where to be edgy is to be realistic, where to kill characters for the sake of killing them and shock value is considered a great move, where to be cynical is to be wise and laughter and hope are naïve…how much of a breath of fresh air is a Doctor Who that resoundingly goes “No, the Doctor always has been and always will be a kind and hopeful soul. And that is still important and relevant, dammit! Yes, compassion is right, love is never foolish, hope and kindness is what the Doctor stands for”?
And then –shock– dares to gives happy endings to poor characters who deserve them, even the Doctor (!), and not always kick them when they’re down?
And then get blamed for not understanding grief (facepalm). In no way does Moffat Who deny the darkness; but it gives us good things in spite of it and maintains that those ultimately make it worth it.
(It’s quite unconsciously Christian in that regard.)
And I won’t give examples because I know that you’ll probably agree with me, so I’d be preaching to the choir (Though that great post of yours on The Doctor, the widow, and the wardrobe does come to mind). Plus, we’d be here all day.
But I will ramble a bit.
The whole thing with the sis is that besides being an absolute blast, it has also paved the way for some surprising, marvelous insights and currently relevant epiphanies through revisiting the old stuff. Case in point, the Series 5 finale. Besides it reminding me how much, and why I adore Eleven, and the obvious bit about the Doctor saving the day by being kind, duh, which you had noted and hoped for as early as 2010, high five, there was also a great quote in your Big Bang meta:
Why Moffat Is the Weird Trickster Eru Ilúvatar of DW; or as promethia put it in one word, “hopepunk”.
“In addition to its common meaning (hope), the Elvish word estel refers to a complex philosophical concept found in Elvish thought. This idea is best understood as *trust* or "faith", and the hope that comes from it: estel refers to the belief that Ilúvatar, the Creator of the Universe, is good and that his designs for his creatures will ultimately be good as well, despite the troubles that seem to plague Arda, this world. Certain knowledge of what is to happen to the Elves after the end of Arda has thus been withheld from them, so that all they can rely on is estel. The Elven-king Finrod Felagund explained estel as an idea that "is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and first being. If we are indeed the Eruchin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any Enemy, not even by ourselves." "
Hope is not just what the story is about; it is in the fabric of the story itself. And it *can* be in the fabric of the story because we trust and have faith in the storyteller.
(We are both Tolkien fans, and yes, I have used this in the past: but now it is meta and conceptualized and important!)
Or, as you had put it:
Moffat to us: “It has never been more important that you trust me.”
Audience: “But you don’t always tell me the truth.” (Rory died, Amy died, the Doctor was erased...)
Moffat: "If I always told you the truth I wouldn't need you to trust me.”
RE: Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2017-12-30 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
AMY: Twelve minutes to live? How is that good?
DOCTOR: Oh, you can do loads in twelve minutes. Suck a mint, buy a sledge, have a fast bath. Come on, the roof.
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
Absolutely. There is a quote which I can't find, where he talks about how he loves to make people survive. Especially because you can then go darker beforehand.
I think it’s because he is more pessimistic about human nature, life, and the universe in general, so he often struggled in the family-friendly DW framework.
Midnight is the closest he's written to his actual POV. The man is a nihilist, and it shows. (All the Toclafane trapped at the end of the universe? DELIGHTFUL way for humanity to end...) I am very fond of him, but I'll take Moffat's worldview any day.
And then get blamed for not understanding grief (facepalm). In no way does Moffat Who deny the darkness; but it gives us good things in spite of it and maintains that those ultimately make it worth it.
(It’s quite unconsciously Christian in that regard.)
IKR? It's great. (And people are stupid, so there's nothing you can do about that.)
how much of a breath of fresh air is a Doctor Who that resoundingly goes “No, the Doctor always has been and always will be a kind and hopeful soul. And that is still important and relevant, dammit! Yes, compassion is right, love is never foolish, hope and kindness is what the Doctor stands for”?
This. [insert Moffat quote about giving THIS hero two hearts & a box where you can call for help, rather than gadgets or guns...]
Hope is not just what the story is about; it is in the fabric of the story itself. And it *can* be in the fabric of the story because we trust and have faith in the storyteller.
Very nice. You are clearly far better 'versed in Tolkien than I am!
<3
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2018-01-02 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)Oh, I know exactly the one you mean, I think you had mentioned it in the past, but I can’t find it right now either. It’s cool. I call it the Reverse Don Bluth Principle.
[insert Moffat quote about giving THIS hero two hearts & a box where you can call for help, rather than gadgets or guns...]
Oh, I adore that quote, it’s beautiful.
Very nice. You are clearly far better 'versed in Tolkien than I am!
Well, probably not to the degree that it would seem, but thanks! And I just loved that quote of yours.
Reading your Series 5 posts now is very interesting. And seeing you slowly fall in love with Eleven is adorable. When did he actually, officially become *your* Doctor?
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
Well, the *official* post is here, but right from The Eleventh Hour there was that undefinable something (well I tried defining it in that post) that I knew felt *right* on a level I couldn't quite articulate.
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
(Anonymous) 2018-01-02 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
On the subject of Tolkien...
(Anonymous) 2018-01-07 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)(Yes, you obviously don't comprehend the level of insane I operate at. Enjoy.)
----------------------------
(It’s called marriage.)
Amelia turns away from the TARDIS, from endless adventure, from freedom from time, from immortality, and steps towards the tombstone, because just this once, the blue box can’t cross the sundering seas of Time that lie between love. There is one thing death can give her and She cannot. Just one.
And he pleads and he pleads and he begs, selfish old man that he is, because he knows what’s about to happen, as if it’s already written in stone. Beren and Luthien, he thinks absurdly, looking at the angel. They kill you kindly, and inexorable Mandos was moved…
And Amy makes her choice, chooses a world, and it’s the correct choice, he knows it deep down in his hearts, even though he cries, even though he can’t stop the wail of impotent despair that tears out of him. Because this can’t be real life. It can’t be life if Rory isn’t here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In New York, a woman publishes a book. She reads the afterword aloud to her husband and he nods and kisses her.
(Beren and Luthien passed away long ago. There was no forest this time but a city, and they were not that good at singing; but they were still sorrowless).
In the future, a daughter breaks down at last in her office at the University, tired of hiding the damage. She resists the temptation to visit a grandfather who barely knows her, and instead, puts the pieces back together again and travels.
In the future, the friend whom they’ll love always stops. He sits on a lonely cloud and reads the last page again and again until he learns it by heart. One day the universe takes pity, and he obeys the small letters and stops being alone. He’s never alone again until he dies.
(The Elves carried the sorrow, bound to the circles of the world, chained to Time, because their beautiful lives endure as the world endures).
A different man who is still their friend is bored one Tuesday night, (his new, curly-haired human is having a break from all the running and companion-ing), rummages through his endless wardrobes and discovers a cherry-wood, silk-lined box he had forgotten. Inside rests a purple bow tie, alongside a curl of frizzy blond hair, a short Roman dagger, and the yellowing page, carefully folded under a pair of round glasses.
He expects to cry; but he smiles softly instead and runs a reverent hand through them. Estel, he thinks inexplicably. Arda Envinyanta.
Until the world is mended.
Re: On the subject of Tolkien...
(Sorry, busy week, work eating me alive. But wanted to say thank you.
Re: On the subject of Tolkien...
(Anonymous) 2018-01-13 07:55 am (UTC)(link)You're welcome! And always at your service.
Re: On the subject of Tolkien...
Awwww. Although it's a bittersweet victory, but even so, I can see it. <3
Re: And when you see it, *I* see it
Surely we must pity them.
And he just looks at her gives that devastated, heartbreaking smile.
I call it “The Tenth Doctor in a nutshell.”
Oh yes. It's such a tiny little scene, but I'm so glad they included it. Like, tie up ALL THE LOOSE ENDS! As
"I can't believe I forgot how Denisof as Wesley can stand there and exude pain. It's like a superpower."
Ten is very much like Wesley. (I am sure I have mentioned this before. But it continues to be apt.)
To which I would have answered “Well, yes, and Matt Smith has a face that looks like a bean or a shoe, so what is your point? They are still adorable!”
Matt Smith has the BEST face. Also Twelve didn't actually ever kiss River, so all is well! :)
Yeah, but you know, at least when it’s animation it’s…tolerable? Heck, it can even be *good*. But it’s utterly impossible with live action. Why would anyone ever prefer dubbing over subtitles, I’ll never know.
Well, it's funny?