![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Doctor Who S11.04 Arachnids in the UK
See gif. This was a fun episode. The spiders were scary (and very well done) – I practically whooped with delight when the big one BROKE THROUGH THE BATH – not-Trump was HILARIOUS (haters to the left, I loved him), there was lots of running about, the Ed Sheeran joke!, and I was thoroughly entertained throughout. Like Classic Who, but not stretched out over 4 or 6 episodes.
• The episode coloured in the space around Yaz, so that was nice. We still don’t know much about her interior, her thoughts and hopes and motivations, but this is better than nothing.
• I think Ryan might be my favourite. He’s not very fleshed out, but his character comes across strongly quite simply in what he says and does.
• Graham keeps getting the meatiest stuff to work with. (See promethia’s post here for a related rant, if you are unhappy with the show prioritising the narrative of the straight white man.) Re. the issue of him wanting Ryan to call him ‘grandad’ (which a lot of people seem to dislike) it strikes me that he doesn’t have much of a family, and from how he talks he wasn’t married before meeting Grace. So I think he is someone very aware that he’s got a 2nd chance – not just at life, but at having a family, and wants to keep hold of what he’s been given. He doesn’t go about it in the best way, but hey-ho, there are worse things.
• Jodie keeps being delightful, and the dramatic flourish whenever she sonics something is adorable. The anti-gun stance is rather ridiculous, but I am hoping it’s building towards something. I’m not saying it’s out of character – it’s a perfectly logical response to having been Twelve (who would probably have shot the spiders himself). But considering all the character stuff we are getting for Graham, where is Thirteen’s grief for Bill? Or any sort of acknowledgement that Twelve was literally suicidal, and deeply depressed over losing everyone? We see a few hints of it her inability to ask the gang to stay (and her thrilled response at being asked to tea), and the way she very carefully makes sure they know what they’re getting themselves into before allowing them to travel with her, but I want more! (I am greedy.) ETA: It could very well be that it's just bewildering not to be in the Doctor's perspective anymore, as suggested by promethia below.
• Speaking of Thirteen we have yet to have a Big Moment, no ‘The Lonely Angel Storm at the Oncoming Fire of the Universe’. I hope (and presume) we will get that at some point (they might be saving it up for the end of the season? And no, her confrontations with Tim Shaw & Krasko don’t count), as I really want a moment of those two thousand years showing through. ‘The [wo]man who can turn an army around at the mention of [her] name.’ Actually, thinking about it, this was also my gripe with ‘Rose’ (the episode) back in the day. And S1 certainly paid off, so I guess I’m just impatient, because I think it’ll be spectacular. (Thought: Maybe she will completely lose it and SHOOT SOMEONE IN THE FACE and it'll be all the more shocking because of how anti-gun she is...)
• Similarly, none of the companions have had a Big Moment. Nothing like Rose saving the Doctor in her first episode, or Amy saving the star whale f.ex. If this is because of a ‘return to basics’ or if these moments are still to come I have no idea.
• Looking at Torchwood though, the characters were very opaque for the first season and then blossomed wonderfully, and the Torchwood team are still some of my favourite characters ever, so here’s to hoping!
• The privilege theme continues! Yay! The most telling point being when not-Trump dismissed any concerns with ‘I’ll just pay you off’, which is especially on-point considering the whole row over Sir Philip Green and NDAs.
• Also the toxic waste dump was nicely done (and timely – see this story). Maybe the ruling classes would be more concerned about global warming if it meant that giant spiders would come after them.
• General issue: Exposition. This episode we had an actual Exposition Fairy (reviews tell me her name was Jade, which is good because I couldn’t remember) and the Standing Around Whilst There Is An Info Dump is a little tedious. This is something we may just have to learn to live with, and I am partly blaming the director(s) who surely could tell the actors to DO something rather than just Stand Urgently. ETA: Apparently Ryan made shadow-puppets in one of the exposition scenes, I completely missed that.
• Made a new Team TARDIS icon, because they look just like ghostbusters. <3
I think that’s everything. It’s weird not having any meta to write about. On the plus side, Doctor Who isn’t eating up all my spare time (and brain power) and I can concentrate on other things (like editing my novel). Am sincerely hoping that everything will come together a la Torchwood.
no subject
I can't even give it that, since the episode was clearly his reworking of/homage to The Green Death. (In which Global Chemicals are carelessly dumping toxic waste down a closed mine shaft, and causing the local insect life to mutate into giant poisonous maggots/flies in South Wales in 1973.)
But then Chibnall seems to be very much a Pertwee fan, which I suppose isn't surprising - which does tend to be the most straight text era of the show. All three of our showrunners have been very much fans, but they each focus on different aspects of it, which is always interesting to see. (For all RTD tends to be into earlier eras, his initial season is very much in conversation with where DW left off in 1989, with Survival in particular.)
Anyway, I was going to renew my S26 offer at this point (if you were missing some meta-ish DW in your life), but realised that with CC's DW ongoing and life being what it is, I can't possibly part with Ghostlight just now! (Maybe not Curse either. ;-p)
In short, I have done a thing and I hope you don't mind. It was very cheap anyhow and I have sent you a 2nd hand copy of Ghostlight. I hope you enjoy it (& that it works okay!!), but if you don't want it or turn out not to like it (it is still probably the weirdest episode), please just pass it on to somebody else who will be happy to have it. <3
no subject
OTOH then Trump has done a lot of damage to Scotland from an environmental POV (see comments on the LJ side), so it might be pointed criticism at Trump...
But then Chibnall seems to be very much a Pertwee fan, which I suppose isn't surprising - which does tend to be the most straight text era of the show.
Yeah, that makes sense.
In short, I have done a thing and I hope you don't mind. It was very cheap anyhow and I have sent you a 2nd hand copy of Ghostlight. I hope you enjoy it (& that it works okay!!), but if you don't want it or turn out not to like it (it is still probably the weirdest episode), please just pass it on to somebody else who will be happy to have it. <3
I shall have to finally watch S26 (i have been saving it up) - it'll probably be via daily motion, but hey, it'll do. YAY for Seven. :D :D :D I could do with a reminder of how the Classic show can be great.
no subject
It remains a pertinent topic, unfortunately, but this is hardly his first Pertwee reworking. Toxic waste = giant insects is... not accidental from such a 70s-era fan! A loving and still relevant homage, if only he hadn't evaporated his plot ten minutes before the end.
(But now I'm getting mean. I promised not to get mean about CC and I am failing 4 eps in, whoops.)
I shall have to finally watch S26 (i have been saving it up) - it'll probably be via daily motion, but hey, it'll do. YAY for Seven. :D :D :D I could do with a reminder of how the Classic show can be great.
Yay! And great and terrible and everything in between, really. And long may it continue!
Ghostlight is seriously weird, so I have no idea what you'll make of it, but it is not lacking in layers and intertextuality at any rate. :-)
no subject
Yes, a lot of people have been remarking on this...
(But now I'm getting mean. I promised not to get mean about CC and I am failing 4 eps in, whoops.)
Dude, I have an icon!! (I don't know if it's *mean*, but I don't feel like pretending that I haven't lowered my expectations.)
Ghostlight is seriously weird, so I have no idea what you'll make of it, but it is not lacking in layers and intertextuality at any rate. :-)
I love weird! And layers and intertextuality. (It's one reason I have saved it up.)