Because this is what I do, every time, every day, every second. This.

[elisi]

DoWntime has come through again, and how:

BIT OF ADRENALINE, DASH OF OUTRAGE: Our Thoughts on “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” and Series 11 Wrap-Up — Part 1/2

BIT OF ADRENALINE, DASH OF OUTRAGE: Our Thoughts on “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” and Series 11 Wrap-Up — Part 2/2

(They go through EVERYTHING: the characters, the villain, Themes and Motifs, Diversity and Representation, Marketing, Politics, Ethics and Aesthetics and The Discourse Problem. If you want to know what I think, just read those posts.)

Alternatively, here is the shorter version, as propergoffick put it here (spoilers in post!):

'And you get this Doctor who you know in your soul votes Lib Dem, recycles, and gets properly annoyed about what Nigel Farage said in the paper the other day, but doesn't do anything about huge systemic problems. She fixes the very specific problem in front of her and leaves well alone. J. K. Rowling in space and time.'

ETA: I *want* Thirteen to be wonderful and amazing and her companions to have fabulous depth and for there to be story-arcs and something to sink my teeth into. But there isn't.


In other news, I have almost finished S22 and may write up some thoughts on that! Six is my darling and I luff him to pieces. ♥

Comments

[nostalgia]

SIX IS DELIGHTFUL

[elisi]

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! And his OUTFIT! ♥ ♥ ♥ EVERY Doctor should dress like a rainbow.

[auroracloud]

I got very little Six viewing into my Twitch marathon - The Mark of the Rani was the only one I was able to watch in full, though I did watch enough of The Two Doctors to get my Season 6B foundations (important for a Jamie fan). But I love his Big Finish audios, so I'm definitely going to return to the TV era. And just got to love someone who dresses in ALL THE COLOURS. (I need to make room for the Six icon I've got saved...)

Re: Thirteen era, I'm so mixed because on the other hand I enjoy the characters and enjoyed most of the episodes and I love what the actors do, and I was super hopeful early on and willing to forgive some flaws; but when I look at the season on a whole, it is disappointing, because you just don't get the sense that the Doctor is doing anything or that she stands for anything, and the lack of character development for Yaz is frustrating, and I just want something more powerful. I want more of the Doctor who forged her own sonic screwdriver out of scraps, but instead we just get the one who told Karl off for tripping up Tim Shaw. And the finale was so underwhelming. I don't need the universe to be in danger in every finale, and I'm fine with not needing several rewatches and a spreadsheet to keep track of what went on in the season, but I would still like more than I got. The episode just didn't do anything, and even forgot to follow through with its interesting elements.

I still felt good while watching the episode and after it. But literally minutes after I'd watched it, I was buying Classic Who DVDs online, and not thinking about the episode anymore. That's not how it's supposed to go.

One of the podcasts I listen to - I think Verity! - summed it up well by saying that S11 was playing too safe. And that it feels like it's got training wheels on.

[auroracloud]

Oh, and I wanted to add, I'm glad those posts you linked to addressed the lack of LGBT representation. That has seriously frustrated me.

[elisi]

I got very little Six viewing into my Twitch marathon - The Mark of the Rani was the only one I was able to watch in full, though I did watch enough of The Two Doctors to get my Season 6B foundations (important for a Jamie fan).
Mark of the Rani is fab, and Jamie! <333 Good choices.

But I love his Big Finish audios, so I'm definitely going to return to the TV era.
I am loving his TV stories so much I am seriously considering looking up his Big Finish stuff. (And I am not a fan of audios.) Glad to hear they're great.

Re: Thirteen era, I'm so mixed because on the other hand I enjoy the characters and enjoyed most of the episodes and I love what the actors do, and I was super hopeful early on and willing to forgive some flaws
All of this. I was so ready to love it.

I want more of the Doctor who forged her own sonic screwdriver out of scraps, but instead we just get the one who told Karl off for tripping up Tim Shaw.
This is sadly a very accurate summary. :(

I still felt good while watching the episode and after it.
Me too!

But literally minutes after I'd watched it, I was buying Classic Who DVDs online, and not thinking about the episode anymore. That's not how it's supposed to go.
LOL. I resemble that remark! (I was keen to get back to watch Six...)

One of the podcasts I listen to - I think Verity! - summed it up well by saying that S11 was playing too safe. And that it feels like it's got training wheels on.
*points to icon* Doctor Who should not be safe.

[unfeathered]

But literally minutes after I'd watched it, I was buying Classic Who DVDs online, and not thinking about the episode anymore.

Yeah, I have to admit, after that my son and I realised we really wanted to watch some *real* DW so we continued with our S4 rewatch and hell, even the Sontaran two-parter, which I've never rated particularly highly, felt amazing after this, and the Library two-parter felt incredible! I know I've criticised both RTD and Moffatt for plot holes and over-dramatising things, but hell, at least they gave me something to get excited about!

[masakochan]

This has been the first time (since I became a fan back in 2010) that I've still not gotten around to watching the finale yet, and that it's not driving me up and over the mental wall. which... definitely shows how disappointed I've been. Even if I still love the Doctor.

I think I'm mainly just sticking around 'cuz of how gay I am for Thirteen. x]

[elisi]

This has been the first time (since I became a fan back in 2010) that I've still not gotten around to watching the finale yet, and that it's not driving me up and over the mental wall. which... definitely shows how disappointed I've been. Even if I still love the Doctor.
I didn't watch it until... Tuesday? It's a perfectly fine episode, I quite enjoyed watching it, but I just... have nothing mire to say. Which is sad.

I think I'm mainly just sticking around 'cuz of how gay I am for Thirteen. x]
That is a perfectly valid reason.

[shadowkat]

I *want* Thirteen to be wonderful and amazing and her companions to have fabulous depth and for there to be story-arcs and something to sink my teeth into. But there isn't.

No, there really isn't. The only compelling episodes were the Rosa one and the Demons of Punjab, and neither gave us much on the Doctor or other characters, really.

I think there's a problem with the writers -- the overall tone reminds me of the problems I had with Broadchurch -- I liked the first season of Broadchurch, but rapidly lost interest. It just wasn't all that compelling.

Also, there's a lack of humor and fun here. It feels rather forced.

[elisi]

I think there's a problem with the writers -- the overall tone reminds me of the problems I had with Broadchurch -- I liked the first season of Broadchurch, but rapidly lost interest. It just wasn't all that compelling.
Interesting. People have only ever said nice thing about Broadchurch, but I never watched it... If this is a Chibnall-running-his-own-show issue, I guess we'll just have to wait out.

Also, there's a lack of humor and fun here. It feels rather forced.
Ooooh yes. The lack of humour is almost fatal. :(

[ever_neutral]

Yup.

I'm above all baffled that we just had an entire season of Doctor Who where the Doctor had zero character arc. The Doctor. How do you even write an entire DW season where the Doctor has no arc. ABSOLUTELY MYSTIFYING.

And of course the woman of colour is the companion the writers care least about.

Anyway, I did enjoy several episodes as self-contained specimens, but the season as a whole wasn't even half-baked as a narrative.

[elisi]

I'm above all baffled that we just had an entire season of Doctor Who where the Doctor had zero character arc. The Doctor. How do you even write an entire DW season where the Doctor has no arc. ABSOLUTELY MYSTIFYING.
It's almost impressive...

And of course the woman of colour is the companion the writers care least about.
I don't know about that, but she was the sacrificial lamb. And possibly too Doctor-like to work as a companion. (Graham's grief was the only actual character-arc, so I'm loath to complain too much... Which is a sad state of affairs.)

Anyway, I did enjoy several episodes as self-contained specimens, but the season as a whole wasn't even half-baked as a narrative.
Frog on a chair - brilliant. Historicals - good. The rest? From boring through to offensive. :(

[unfeathered]

Wow, there's a lot there! Very comprehensive. And it's really nice to know I'm not the only one feeling so underwhelmed by the season, even if it's still frustrating to be feeling it. The point these discussions really brought out for me is what I'd been edging towards but hadn't quite reached yet: this season was too safe. Too middle of the road, too passive, never challenging anything or taking any risks. No excitement.

And that's just weird, because if there's one thing I feel DW has never been before, it's safe!

[elisi]

Wow, there's a lot there! Very comprehensive.
Promethia discovered it, back after ep 1 aired, and it's been a lifeline!

And it's really nice to know I'm not the only one feeling so underwhelmed by the season, even if it's still frustrating to be feeling it.
Well it WAS underwhelming. So yeah.

The point these discussions really brought out for me is what I'd been edging towards but hadn't quite reached yet: this season was too safe. Too middle of the road, too passive, never challenging anything or taking any risks. No excitement.
Apparently that's what the Verity podcast ppl have said too.

And that's just weird, because if there's one thing I feel DW has never been before, it's safe!
*points to icon* Hear hear!

[sea_thoughts]

It's a shame the finale was so anticlimactic given that this the first episode where we saw some brief conflict within the team between Ryan and Graham about what to do with Tim Shaw.

I wouldn't say JK Rowling does 'nothing' about huge systemic problems, she founded an NGO that works to help institutionalised children and to end institutionalisation for children by 2050.

[elisi]

The thing is, I didn't hate the finale, I just... didn't really care.

And that makes me sad.

Re. JK, then it's not so much her personal actions, as her work. See this post for a (very extremely long) take:

Fascistic Beasts and Why You Shouldn't Fight Them

(Spoilers obviously, and if you loved the film... probably don't read it.)

[kathyh]

If you like Six he’s brilliant on audio and some of the early Big Finish stories are really cheap now.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Seconded!

[elisi]

Others have said this too. I might go add them to my wish list... (Where do I *find* Big Finish? Like, where does it live? Ignore me. I forgot that google existed.)

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Six is awesome! :D

[elisi]

*points to icon*

He's quite a bit like Twelve, but without any of the angst. Just... ♥

[(Anonymous)]

I suspect that Thirteen's tenure will be very much like Six's, in the sense that the spinoff media (comics, novels, audios) will be more fondly remembered than the actual television tenure. I've read the novel "The Good Doctor" by Juno Dawson, and it's worlds away from the likes of "Kerblam!"

[elisi]

Which is a crying shame in Six's case - I am finding him delightful! And (in contrast to S11) never boring.

Ah well, tie-in stuff here we go... (Well, when I can be bothered. There is way too much Classic Who first.)

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

"I *want* Thirteen to be wonderful and amazing and her companions to have fabulous depth and for there to be story-arcs and something to sink my teeth into. But there isn't."

Yeah, that just about sums up this season for me. Very underwhelming.

I liked Six. I hated both his companions, but I really enjoyed what Colin attempted to bring to the role. It's such a shame he got stuck with some epically crummy writing, too.

[elisi]

Apologies for the late reply, Christmas... *waves hands vaguely*

Yeah, that just about sums up this season for me. Very underwhelming.
Well, let's hope New Years' does *something*.

I liked Six.
:D

I hated both his companions,
Mel was a bit much, but I adore Peri.

but I really enjoyed what Colin attempted to bring to the role.
Everyone who said he was Twelve-like were right. ♥

It's such a shame he got stuck with some epically crummy writing, too.
See people say that too, but I found almost the opposite? OK, the cybermen were a bit pants (but then, that's cybernmen for you and there was a lot of good notes, like Six trying to fix the Chameleon circuit and having a Thing That Goes Ping and Lytton etc.). The Vervoids are harder to defend, but at least they were important to the overall arc, which is good. Apart from that I liked it all. And Trial might be my favourite Classic season (I realise I have yet to watch One through Five, but I haven't heard anything about the rest of Classic Who to suggest they attempt anything like it). ♥