Doctory thoughts...
Re-watched ‘Rose’ the other day, and I am still annoyed by the same things as on first view. I beg of anyone trying out this show, do not judge it on it’s pilot. Watch up to ‘Dalek’ at least. Oh and The Girl in the Fireplace is *awesome*! :)
ETA: Ack! I has been linked! Should probably clarify that I have a huge fondness for 'Rose', so please don't start defending it - I love it really. I was just focussing on the less good parts, OK?
OK, so some things in the pilot get turned around later - I am very, very grateful that they made Mickey a hero, but even so he’s *impossibly* pathetic here.
Looking at the transcipt, I realised that there was dialogue that I never really caught due to the shouting and stuff - which is sad, because it’s v. good.
DOCTOR: Nothing, it loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air... perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. It's food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth... dinner!
[later...]
[The Autons grab him. One of them takes the anti-plastic out of his jacket pocket]
DOCTOR: That was just insurance! I wasn't going to use it.
[The plastic globbers angrily]
DOCTOR: I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not... what do you mean?
[Doors above him open to reveal the TARDIS]
DOCTOR: Oh, oh no - honestly, no! Yes, that's my ship.
[The plastic roars]
DOCTOR: That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war - it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!
ROSE: What's it doing?!
DOCTOR: It's the TARDIS! The Nestene has identified its superior technology - it's terrified! It's going to the final base. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Rose! Just leg it! Now!
I never heard the ‘terrified’ line before... which is a shame, because it shows that to a great extent it is The Doctor himself who brings the situation to critical point... Who - what - he is, is dangerous. And of course he tries to save the Nestene, since it is in some way his own victim - or fellow victim... a victim of the Time War.
Anyway, then came the part that really made me grumble when I first saw it, and *still* makes me grumble now: The Doctor is being held by one auton - ONE! - and he can’t get free. And he’s supposed to be the hero? Yes I get that Rose has to save the day, that’s fine, but do not make the actual hero so pathetic. My exact thoughts at the time were: 'Well Spike or Angel would have got out of there without even breaking a sweat'. Please give me something to admire - otherwise what’s the point?
Aaaanywho, I was looking through the transcript for The Girl in The Fireplace - which continues to delight upon repeated viewings - and came across this bit which I’d forgotten. (From when The Doctor is searching through her memories):
Reinette flinches.
DOCTOR (quickly): Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect.
REINETTE: Oh, such a lonely childhood...
DOCTOR: It'll pass. Stay with me.
REINETTE: Oh, Doctor. So lonely. So very, very alone.
DOCTOR: What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life--
His eyes snap open.
DOCTOR: When did you start calling me 'Doctor'?
REINETTE: Such a lonely little boy. Lonely then and lonelier now.
She opens her eyes.
REINETTE: How can you bear it?
DOCTOR (stepping away from her): How did you do that?
REINETTE: A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction...
The Doctor stares at her, vulnerable.
REINETTE (softly): Oh, Doctor. (steps towards him) My lonely Doctor. Dance with me.
DOCTOR (warningly): I can't.
REINETTE (adamant): Dance with me.
DOCTOR: This is the night you dance with the King.
REINETTE: Then first, I shall make him jealous.
DOCTOR: I can't.
REINETTE (sadly): Doctor... Doctor who?
She looks at him for a few moments.
REINETTE: It's more than just a secret, isn't it?
DOCTOR: What did you see?
REINETTE: That there comes a time, Time Lord, when every lonely little boy must learn how to dance.
Did I mention that I love this show? Like LOVE it?
“It’s more than just a secret, isn’t it?”
"What did you see?"
*shivers happily* Way to hit ALL my kink buttons! Oh there’s so much there... My Doctor, my poor lonely Doctor.
(Also I refuse to believe that the ‘dancing’ was only dancing. If ever there was a word that has hidden meanings... *raises eyebrow*)
ETA: Via the_royal_anna a wonderful review of 'Sound of Drums' (spoilers!), talking about Doctor Who's increasing Buffiness:
The Doctor’s recreator, Russell T. Davies, has expressed his admiration for Joss Whedon, the genius behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the series gets Buffier by the moment: witty, literate, sophisticated, and revelling in postmodern panache.
ETA: Ack! I has been linked! Should probably clarify that I have a huge fondness for 'Rose', so please don't start defending it - I love it really. I was just focussing on the less good parts, OK?
OK, so some things in the pilot get turned around later - I am very, very grateful that they made Mickey a hero, but even so he’s *impossibly* pathetic here.
Looking at the transcipt, I realised that there was dialogue that I never really caught due to the shouting and stuff - which is sad, because it’s v. good.
DOCTOR: Nothing, it loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air... perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. It's food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth... dinner!
[later...]
[The Autons grab him. One of them takes the anti-plastic out of his jacket pocket]
DOCTOR: That was just insurance! I wasn't going to use it.
[The plastic globbers angrily]
DOCTOR: I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not... what do you mean?
[Doors above him open to reveal the TARDIS]
DOCTOR: Oh, oh no - honestly, no! Yes, that's my ship.
[The plastic roars]
DOCTOR: That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war - it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!
ROSE: What's it doing?!
DOCTOR: It's the TARDIS! The Nestene has identified its superior technology - it's terrified! It's going to the final base. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Rose! Just leg it! Now!
I never heard the ‘terrified’ line before... which is a shame, because it shows that to a great extent it is The Doctor himself who brings the situation to critical point... Who - what - he is, is dangerous. And of course he tries to save the Nestene, since it is in some way his own victim - or fellow victim... a victim of the Time War.
Anyway, then came the part that really made me grumble when I first saw it, and *still* makes me grumble now: The Doctor is being held by one auton - ONE! - and he can’t get free. And he’s supposed to be the hero? Yes I get that Rose has to save the day, that’s fine, but do not make the actual hero so pathetic. My exact thoughts at the time were: 'Well Spike or Angel would have got out of there without even breaking a sweat'. Please give me something to admire - otherwise what’s the point?
Aaaanywho, I was looking through the transcript for The Girl in The Fireplace - which continues to delight upon repeated viewings - and came across this bit which I’d forgotten. (From when The Doctor is searching through her memories):
Reinette flinches.
DOCTOR (quickly): Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect.
REINETTE: Oh, such a lonely childhood...
DOCTOR: It'll pass. Stay with me.
REINETTE: Oh, Doctor. So lonely. So very, very alone.
DOCTOR: What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life--
His eyes snap open.
DOCTOR: When did you start calling me 'Doctor'?
REINETTE: Such a lonely little boy. Lonely then and lonelier now.
She opens her eyes.
REINETTE: How can you bear it?
DOCTOR (stepping away from her): How did you do that?
REINETTE: A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction...
The Doctor stares at her, vulnerable.
REINETTE (softly): Oh, Doctor. (steps towards him) My lonely Doctor. Dance with me.
DOCTOR (warningly): I can't.
REINETTE (adamant): Dance with me.
DOCTOR: This is the night you dance with the King.
REINETTE: Then first, I shall make him jealous.
DOCTOR: I can't.
REINETTE (sadly): Doctor... Doctor who?
She looks at him for a few moments.
REINETTE: It's more than just a secret, isn't it?
DOCTOR: What did you see?
REINETTE: That there comes a time, Time Lord, when every lonely little boy must learn how to dance.
Did I mention that I love this show? Like LOVE it?
“It’s more than just a secret, isn’t it?”
"What did you see?"
*shivers happily* Way to hit ALL my kink buttons! Oh there’s so much there... My Doctor, my poor lonely Doctor.
(Also I refuse to believe that the ‘dancing’ was only dancing. If ever there was a word that has hidden meanings... *raises eyebrow*)
ETA: Via the_royal_anna a wonderful review of 'Sound of Drums' (spoilers!), talking about Doctor Who's increasing Buffiness:
The Doctor’s recreator, Russell T. Davies, has expressed his admiration for Joss Whedon, the genius behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the series gets Buffier by the moment: witty, literate, sophisticated, and revelling in postmodern panache.