Ramblings (rather pointless)
I fail at posting... I have a tendency to leave something half-written for a week before finally putting it up. So instead of talking about what I saw last week, my pointless ramblings are now on "The Shakespeare Code". And whatever that episode of Torchwood was called. I'm not that great with names.
What struck me was, I think I've turned a corner. It's not that I've stopped thinking that Ten's a ADHD teenager with a dangerous Jesus of Suburbia complex, but more that I don't care; or, more precicely, that I don't expect anything different anymore. I don't expect anything more. I think over all this time, I hadn't forgotten how much better it used to be-- or I hope it used to be; I'm almost wary of rewatching any old episodes, for fear of learning that this is how it was all along-- but now... Now, I don't expect anything bigger, deeper, more interesting, more sensical; if Ten doesn't have a manic episode or exhibit any symptoms of schitzophrenia ("Smith and Jones": clang), it's a good episode. The bar has lowered, and I don't have any emotional investment anymore; I don't have to justify being a fan of it, because I'm... not, anymore. It's a show I watch on Saturdays because there's nothing else on; I don't even write fic for it, not for Ten. It doesn't shame me anymore when he acts like an idiot, because the divorce is final, now. I've set the bar so low I don't want to look at it. I am... not happy about this turn of events. Maybe he'll do something insane next episode and I can get mad at him again.
Anyway, to specifics. Something about the way they treated Shakespeare... Not the character; mainly Ten''s attitude. Shakespeare is The Genius of All Time. And I'm not saying he wasn't a genius, but... All Time and Space, or at least Earth, it was implied. And, really? God, I want to give these people maps. Usually I want to get a copy of the Hubble Deep Field and make them stare at it until they get what it means, but this time, all I need is a globe. No one, ever, was better with words? In the world? There weren't other geniuses whose words didn't get written down, didn't last, never got that sort of airing? This isn't just a Shakespeare's Sister thing; hell, narrow your search to Classical White Male Playwrights. No Sophocles, no Aeschylus? No Euripides? Cato or Cicero or Catullus? Ovid or Virgil or Homer? No one in Japan, Africa, China, Europe, the Americas? Why is the Doctor's world limited to the England of old history books?
Also: All hail the Jesus of Suburbia. He's out again. That penultimate scene, driving out the demons... And seriously, who the hell wrote those verses? I could write better verses. I could've written better verses when I was 13 and stupid. Give my video-game addict cousin a week or two and he could write you something better. Give my cousin Mallory... yeah, think I've made that point now. Now, for content-- to paraphrase: "You think I'm your plaything, but My Doctor says I'm not". You can't trust yourself to render that judgment? And something about the phrasing.... like you could've slipped in "My Saviour" and retained all the meaning. And Ten. "You're a genius! And we're a lot alike!" Praising others to magnify himself, bringing out Rose whenever he needs to feel tragic. Elizabeth hates him? Always knew she was my favorite English monarch for a reason.
Wasn't thrilled with the witches... Meant to be where he got the idea for the ones in Macbeth, hmm? That "Here's where he really got the idea!" thing gets problematic in large enough doses... But the other thing that got to me was, even the freaking witch has to think he's cute, because she is female and he is catnip. *mutters something unintelligible about "woman-identified women", "slutbunny", and "vapid whore"* Rose loved him, Sarah Jane loved him, Martha loves him, Donna's more than halfway... it is getting WAY more than old.
If they ever had a conversation like this on the show, it would be a sign that they had finally regained their heads. It isn't the only possible sign; but it would be a decisive one.
Ten: All right! This time, I swear, we're actually going to get to Woodstock. Which do you want me to hit, the time or the continent?
Girl: ...Actually, I was going to stay here.
Ten: What?! Since when?!
Girl: Lot of good investment opportunities, nice atmosphere, really like the people.
Ten: I didn't see you with anyone! How could you have a boyfriend here already?!
Girl: I don't. I told you. I like the place.
Ten: Oh come on. Bird stays behind in a time not her own, it's always a man.
Girl: Have I mentioned it isn't?
Ten: Right, right, whatever you say. Well. I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you need, but I am a wanderer, and this bird you cannot-- hang on--
Girl: The hell are you on about? Look, I like you a lot. It's been very fun, and you've been a great friend. But I don't want to do this anymore. We're still friends.
Ten: Right. "Friends".
Girl: Yes. Friends. You're talking like you think I'm attracted to you.
Ten: Well, of course you are.
Girl: ...I'm not.
Ten: Well, I'm sure it's awkward to admit it, for I must be travelling on now--
Girl: Seriously! You're cute, but I'm just-- god, you're like a brother to me!
Ten: ...What?!
Girl: A little brother!
Ten: What?! That's not-- that's not possible!
Girl: Not possible?! What, you think every girl in the world wants to jump your bones?
Ten: ...
Girl: Oh my GOD, you DO!
Ten: I'll have you know that's an evidence-based--!
Girl: Just 'cause I'm a straight girl, you think I want to shag you!
Ten: Well-- er--you'll be sorry!
Girl: You don't think I'll be pining, do you? Oh my god, you think I'll be pining!
Ten: Of course you'll be pining! Everyone pines for me!
Girl: Oh my GOD! You don't think I'd have ANYTHING better to do with my time than obsess about YOU?
Ten: I-- I--
Girl: The hell with YOU! I don't care WHAT you're a Lord of, you're not worth any more than I am! I don't ******ing need you! I'm LEAVING, you self-righteous twat of a narcissist! AND I'M TAKING THE TIN DOG WITH ME!
Ten: Yeah?! I'd like to see you try! *door slams* Damn it! Why do they ALWAYS take the dog?! *sigh* She'll be back. Give it five seconds. *beat* *beat* *beat* *fade to black* Crap.
*credits*
My apathy also extended to Torchwood. I barely even like Toshiko anymore. Well... A little. There were a couple of questions: if you already know she's an alien but doesn't know it, what's really the point of the "interrogation"? If she can manipulate their scans, what was with that ominous blip on the readout right before the commercial break? Even if she can confuse their machines, doesn't she have a range, and shouldn't there be alarms at some point? Though, after Owen's "I think we should have sex", Ianto's "I didn't think the end of the world could get any worse" was almost enough to make up for the utter pointlessness of his character. (Gah, that was mean. But true.)
I'm toying with the idea of a series of "Red-Headed Characters Beat Ten Down" drabbles. I've already got one, and I know of at least one other one I've started that just needs a little work. I probably won't, if only because I don't know enough redheaded characters (so far? I can think of 3), but I do kind of like the irony of it. "Rude and not ginger versus ginger and unfailingly polite" was a good summary, and so was "Rude and not ginger meets ginger and not buying it". I guess I just like damning Ten with his own words. It's not exactly a difficult pastime. ("If you want to take it to a higher authority, there isn't one"?!)
What struck me was, I think I've turned a corner. It's not that I've stopped thinking that Ten's a ADHD teenager with a dangerous Jesus of Suburbia complex, but more that I don't care; or, more precicely, that I don't expect anything different anymore. I don't expect anything more. I think over all this time, I hadn't forgotten how much better it used to be-- or I hope it used to be; I'm almost wary of rewatching any old episodes, for fear of learning that this is how it was all along-- but now... Now, I don't expect anything bigger, deeper, more interesting, more sensical; if Ten doesn't have a manic episode or exhibit any symptoms of schitzophrenia ("Smith and Jones": clang), it's a good episode. The bar has lowered, and I don't have any emotional investment anymore; I don't have to justify being a fan of it, because I'm... not, anymore. It's a show I watch on Saturdays because there's nothing else on; I don't even write fic for it, not for Ten. It doesn't shame me anymore when he acts like an idiot, because the divorce is final, now. I've set the bar so low I don't want to look at it. I am... not happy about this turn of events. Maybe he'll do something insane next episode and I can get mad at him again.
Anyway, to specifics. Something about the way they treated Shakespeare... Not the character; mainly Ten''s attitude. Shakespeare is The Genius of All Time. And I'm not saying he wasn't a genius, but... All Time and Space, or at least Earth, it was implied. And, really? God, I want to give these people maps. Usually I want to get a copy of the Hubble Deep Field and make them stare at it until they get what it means, but this time, all I need is a globe. No one, ever, was better with words? In the world? There weren't other geniuses whose words didn't get written down, didn't last, never got that sort of airing? This isn't just a Shakespeare's Sister thing; hell, narrow your search to Classical White Male Playwrights. No Sophocles, no Aeschylus? No Euripides? Cato or Cicero or Catullus? Ovid or Virgil or Homer? No one in Japan, Africa, China, Europe, the Americas? Why is the Doctor's world limited to the England of old history books?
Also: All hail the Jesus of Suburbia. He's out again. That penultimate scene, driving out the demons... And seriously, who the hell wrote those verses? I could write better verses. I could've written better verses when I was 13 and stupid. Give my video-game addict cousin a week or two and he could write you something better. Give my cousin Mallory... yeah, think I've made that point now. Now, for content-- to paraphrase: "You think I'm your plaything, but My Doctor says I'm not". You can't trust yourself to render that judgment? And something about the phrasing.... like you could've slipped in "My Saviour" and retained all the meaning. And Ten. "You're a genius! And we're a lot alike!" Praising others to magnify himself, bringing out Rose whenever he needs to feel tragic. Elizabeth hates him? Always knew she was my favorite English monarch for a reason.
Wasn't thrilled with the witches... Meant to be where he got the idea for the ones in Macbeth, hmm? That "Here's where he really got the idea!" thing gets problematic in large enough doses... But the other thing that got to me was, even the freaking witch has to think he's cute, because she is female and he is catnip. *mutters something unintelligible about "woman-identified women", "slutbunny", and "vapid whore"* Rose loved him, Sarah Jane loved him, Martha loves him, Donna's more than halfway... it is getting WAY more than old.
If they ever had a conversation like this on the show, it would be a sign that they had finally regained their heads. It isn't the only possible sign; but it would be a decisive one.
Ten: All right! This time, I swear, we're actually going to get to Woodstock. Which do you want me to hit, the time or the continent?
Girl: ...Actually, I was going to stay here.
Ten: What?! Since when?!
Girl: Lot of good investment opportunities, nice atmosphere, really like the people.
Ten: I didn't see you with anyone! How could you have a boyfriend here already?!
Girl: I don't. I told you. I like the place.
Ten: Oh come on. Bird stays behind in a time not her own, it's always a man.
Girl: Have I mentioned it isn't?
Ten: Right, right, whatever you say. Well. I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you need, but I am a wanderer, and this bird you cannot-- hang on--
Girl: The hell are you on about? Look, I like you a lot. It's been very fun, and you've been a great friend. But I don't want to do this anymore. We're still friends.
Ten: Right. "Friends".
Girl: Yes. Friends. You're talking like you think I'm attracted to you.
Ten: Well, of course you are.
Girl: ...I'm not.
Ten: Well, I'm sure it's awkward to admit it, for I must be travelling on now--
Girl: Seriously! You're cute, but I'm just-- god, you're like a brother to me!
Ten: ...What?!
Girl: A little brother!
Ten: What?! That's not-- that's not possible!
Girl: Not possible?! What, you think every girl in the world wants to jump your bones?
Ten: ...
Girl: Oh my GOD, you DO!
Ten: I'll have you know that's an evidence-based--!
Girl: Just 'cause I'm a straight girl, you think I want to shag you!
Ten: Well-- er--you'll be sorry!
Girl: You don't think I'll be pining, do you? Oh my god, you think I'll be pining!
Ten: Of course you'll be pining! Everyone pines for me!
Girl: Oh my GOD! You don't think I'd have ANYTHING better to do with my time than obsess about YOU?
Ten: I-- I--
Girl: The hell with YOU! I don't care WHAT you're a Lord of, you're not worth any more than I am! I don't ******ing need you! I'm LEAVING, you self-righteous twat of a narcissist! AND I'M TAKING THE TIN DOG WITH ME!
Ten: Yeah?! I'd like to see you try! *door slams* Damn it! Why do they ALWAYS take the dog?! *sigh* She'll be back. Give it five seconds. *beat* *beat* *beat* *fade to black* Crap.
*credits*
My apathy also extended to Torchwood. I barely even like Toshiko anymore. Well... A little. There were a couple of questions: if you already know she's an alien but doesn't know it, what's really the point of the "interrogation"? If she can manipulate their scans, what was with that ominous blip on the readout right before the commercial break? Even if she can confuse their machines, doesn't she have a range, and shouldn't there be alarms at some point? Though, after Owen's "I think we should have sex", Ianto's "I didn't think the end of the world could get any worse" was almost enough to make up for the utter pointlessness of his character. (Gah, that was mean. But true.)
I'm toying with the idea of a series of "Red-Headed Characters Beat Ten Down" drabbles. I've already got one, and I know of at least one other one I've started that just needs a little work. I probably won't, if only because I don't know enough redheaded characters (so far? I can think of 3), but I do kind of like the irony of it. "Rude and not ginger versus ginger and unfailingly polite" was a good summary, and so was "Rude and not ginger meets ginger and not buying it". I guess I just like damning Ten with his own words. It's not exactly a difficult pastime. ("If you want to take it to a higher authority, there isn't one"?!)