hello, my name is hannah and I am a huge RTD stan
In which I tell you all about things that I have expressed a million times before, but I don't care.
Five Reasons I Am In Love With the RTD-era Of Doctor Who And Always Will Be
(in no particular order)
You Think You Love Your Ship, But Then He Surprises You And Loves It More
Normally, when I ship something, it always seems as though I am reading more into it than the showrunner or writers ever intended for the audience to do. I never felt like that was the case with Doctor Who. For as much as I fell in love with the Doctor and Rose's story, I think RTD loves them just as much and more than I do. I've only made it through 100 or so pages of The Writer's Tale, but the fact that he had planned out a way to give his first original character of his show a happy ending from the very beginning? I love him for that, even as messy and as complicated as Journey's End was. The format of this show does not lend itself to happily ever afters (at least for the Doctor) so he did his very best with that crazy brain of his and made his best attempt at a happy ending for Rose.
Also, when he says things like the following:
"What Rose brings to the Doctor’s life is completion, it’s completing a circle - he’s male, he’s alien, he’s a traveller. Between the two of them together they complement each other and discover each other. And are in love with each other, absolutely, unashamedly, unreservedly."
I love that soooo much. I mean who even says such lovely things like that?
Your Favorite Character May Be Trapped In A Parallel Universe, But That Doesn't Mean They're Gone
Again, to discuss my prior television experiences, cast members leave tv shows all of the time for a variety of reasons. Whether they're written off or an actor makes the decision to leave, the episodes following tend to make little or not acknowledgment of their existence. While this is usually because new characters have been brought in to fill the void, and shows only have a certain about of screen time, it's not realistic. We don't forget those that were important to us because they're gone.
After Doomsday, I was ready to flounce from the show. WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS TO ME? However, I was also lucky that it was 2010 and I was spoiled for the fact that Rose comes back in s4. I was so ready to just skip everything and head right for Turn Left. However, some very wonderful people convinced me that I should watch s3 & s4 because Rose was mentioned all of the time. I didn't really believe them, because this was television we were talking about and they never mention characters after they leave. But ultimately, my desire to watch things in order and not skip around won out and I watched The Runaway Bride. OH MY GOD WAS I WRONG. AND SO HAPPY TO BE. THE ENTIRE EPISODE IS BASICALLY ABOUT HOW MUCH HE MISSES ROSE AND IT WAS SHOWN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE.
I was even more surprised when the theme continued on through series 3. American shows would have been taking those precious thirty seconds here or there and not including them for IDK, some CGI shit or whatever, but RTD made his characters people and made them grieve and feel and it is just so wonderful.
When I recommend this show to people and they watch Doomsday and a subsequently upset, I feel like it's a great gift to be able to tell them that Rose is mentioned ALL OF THE TIME. Which she is. It was such an amazing thing when I first watched it, because it is really rare to see that nowadays. I needed it, and the Doctor needed it.
Just When You Think You're As Sad As You Can Be, He'll Punch You In The Grief Bone Once More
Sad that the Doctor sent Rose away to the parallel universe? Don't worry, she comes back, but then dramatically falls and becomes trapped there.
Upset that the Doctor can-but-can't have the love of his life? He'll also be forced to memory-wipe his BFF and stand in the rain and have emo-hair.
Sad when the Doctor has to leave a group of people to die on Mars? Make him listen to their dying screams for help on his intercom as he walks away.
Angry and upset and sad that the Doctor is going to regenerate soon? Don't worry, he'll know too and get to be tortured about it... And then think he's going to live, but then actually die in an act of self-sacrifice...And then he'll be reminded that all of his loved ones had happy endings, except for him...And then his last words are "I don't want to go."
I've said this a million times over, but I have never cried so much at a show before Doctor Who. And I've see a lot of tv in my twenty years. There's just something about it that makes you latch on to these characters, but out of nowhere, somewhere between farting aliens and half-Daleks with penises on faces this show makes all of these emotional connections like I have never known before. HOW. WHY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
You're Upset That Your Doctor Is Going To Wear A Bowtie, But He Makes Sure Your Doctor Resents The Hell Out Of It First
Although the Rose-Is-Returning Arc of s4 is the best arc ever, IMO, if I am being a rational viewer, it is Ten's death arc of the specials that is really some of the most amazing stuff ever. From the end of POTD to his last words in EOT2, it is just beautiful and wonderful and so poetic and emotional.
I wasn't in fandom for the announcement that Tennant was leaving or that RTD was, or even for the live viewing of the specials. However, I've educated myself enough to know that a lot of people share my opinions and were not happy to say the least that Ten was going to regenerate. Now, you could most certainly argue that his regeneration didn't need to be such a big deal, as the New Who audience had already experienced one regeneration with Nine, but everyone knew this was different. And I mean no disrespect to Nine or Nine fans when I say that this just was a much bigger deal.
And the writers let it be a bigger deal.
The huge RTD-stan and Ten-stan that I am is in absolute love with Waters of Mars and both parts of End of Time. I was surprised to find these so controversial in fandom, as they just seemed to be so real and so fitting for such a beloved Doctor. I felt validated in my feels of loss and grief at his upcoming regneration through these episodes. And maybe that's just me. Maybe there are those who like their stoic, perfect heroes, not the imperfect, human, sometimes douche-y hero that we were shown with the Tenth Doctor. But this is my blog, and to me, that kind of imperfect, human hero is so much better.
Specifically, the way RTD wrote Ten's "rage against the dying of the light" speech was just brilliant and moving and everything that Ten represented in his life. Of course he didn't want to die! Who does? And he didn't deserve to die, but that's just who he is. Of course the Doctor is going to save Wilf. Of course he is. The way that RTD gave the choice to Ten? Utterly beautiful and poetic and I love it so much.
Despite All Of The Pain And Suffering And Despair, Hope and The Goodness Of People Shines Through
The absolute best thing about this series and in particular, how heavy-handed this theme was in the RTD-era, is the power of the individual to make things better and the goodness of people. From the very beginning, starting with Rose, we're shown how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. The Doctor inspires this in people. He makes them better, makes them realize their potential.
From actual companions to one-off characters, Doctor Who is all about inspiring people to do the right thing, (and to steal a line from HP) even and especially when it's not the easiest thing. Even in these horrible situations that the show finds itself in every week, with people dying and bad guys running around, there's always this message of goodness. For example, in just an average episode as The Doctor's Daughter, you have the best and the worst of people with their made up war, but then you have Martha's Hath friend who sacrifices himself, and the colony of humans that learns to end their war and unite with the Hath.
And I can hardly mention the Doctor's influence on his companions and the people they meet without mentioning the influence his companions have on him. I've certainly said enough about Rose, but Julie says it best when she says that Rose is like the Doctor, in that she made him better. And that's one of the highest compliments to be given, if you've really watched this series. Rose, Martha, Donna, and the one-off companions are all so amazing and I love all of their arcs and their journey as they meet and travel with the Doctor and ultimately live their life (technically bc ILU Human Ten) without him.
Long meta is long with no pics.
Five Reasons I Am In Love With the RTD-era Of Doctor Who And Always Will Be
(in no particular order)
You Think You Love Your Ship, But Then He Surprises You And Loves It More
Normally, when I ship something, it always seems as though I am reading more into it than the showrunner or writers ever intended for the audience to do. I never felt like that was the case with Doctor Who. For as much as I fell in love with the Doctor and Rose's story, I think RTD loves them just as much and more than I do. I've only made it through 100 or so pages of The Writer's Tale, but the fact that he had planned out a way to give his first original character of his show a happy ending from the very beginning? I love him for that, even as messy and as complicated as Journey's End was. The format of this show does not lend itself to happily ever afters (at least for the Doctor) so he did his very best with that crazy brain of his and made his best attempt at a happy ending for Rose.
Also, when he says things like the following:
"What Rose brings to the Doctor’s life is completion, it’s completing a circle - he’s male, he’s alien, he’s a traveller. Between the two of them together they complement each other and discover each other. And are in love with each other, absolutely, unashamedly, unreservedly."
I love that soooo much. I mean who even says such lovely things like that?
Your Favorite Character May Be Trapped In A Parallel Universe, But That Doesn't Mean They're Gone
Again, to discuss my prior television experiences, cast members leave tv shows all of the time for a variety of reasons. Whether they're written off or an actor makes the decision to leave, the episodes following tend to make little or not acknowledgment of their existence. While this is usually because new characters have been brought in to fill the void, and shows only have a certain about of screen time, it's not realistic. We don't forget those that were important to us because they're gone.
After Doomsday, I was ready to flounce from the show. WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS TO ME? However, I was also lucky that it was 2010 and I was spoiled for the fact that Rose comes back in s4. I was so ready to just skip everything and head right for Turn Left. However, some very wonderful people convinced me that I should watch s3 & s4 because Rose was mentioned all of the time. I didn't really believe them, because this was television we were talking about and they never mention characters after they leave. But ultimately, my desire to watch things in order and not skip around won out and I watched The Runaway Bride. OH MY GOD WAS I WRONG. AND SO HAPPY TO BE. THE ENTIRE EPISODE IS BASICALLY ABOUT HOW MUCH HE MISSES ROSE AND IT WAS SHOWN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE.
I was even more surprised when the theme continued on through series 3. American shows would have been taking those precious thirty seconds here or there and not including them for IDK, some CGI shit or whatever, but RTD made his characters people and made them grieve and feel and it is just so wonderful.
When I recommend this show to people and they watch Doomsday and a subsequently upset, I feel like it's a great gift to be able to tell them that Rose is mentioned ALL OF THE TIME. Which she is. It was such an amazing thing when I first watched it, because it is really rare to see that nowadays. I needed it, and the Doctor needed it.
Just When You Think You're As Sad As You Can Be, He'll Punch You In The Grief Bone Once More
Sad that the Doctor sent Rose away to the parallel universe? Don't worry, she comes back, but then dramatically falls and becomes trapped there.
Upset that the Doctor can-but-can't have the love of his life? He'll also be forced to memory-wipe his BFF and stand in the rain and have emo-hair.
Sad when the Doctor has to leave a group of people to die on Mars? Make him listen to their dying screams for help on his intercom as he walks away.
Angry and upset and sad that the Doctor is going to regenerate soon? Don't worry, he'll know too and get to be tortured about it... And then think he's going to live, but then actually die in an act of self-sacrifice...And then he'll be reminded that all of his loved ones had happy endings, except for him...And then his last words are "I don't want to go."
I've said this a million times over, but I have never cried so much at a show before Doctor Who. And I've see a lot of tv in my twenty years. There's just something about it that makes you latch on to these characters, but out of nowhere, somewhere between farting aliens and half-Daleks with penises on faces this show makes all of these emotional connections like I have never known before. HOW. WHY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
You're Upset That Your Doctor Is Going To Wear A Bowtie, But He Makes Sure Your Doctor Resents The Hell Out Of It First
Although the Rose-Is-Returning Arc of s4 is the best arc ever, IMO, if I am being a rational viewer, it is Ten's death arc of the specials that is really some of the most amazing stuff ever. From the end of POTD to his last words in EOT2, it is just beautiful and wonderful and so poetic and emotional.
I wasn't in fandom for the announcement that Tennant was leaving or that RTD was, or even for the live viewing of the specials. However, I've educated myself enough to know that a lot of people share my opinions and were not happy to say the least that Ten was going to regenerate. Now, you could most certainly argue that his regeneration didn't need to be such a big deal, as the New Who audience had already experienced one regeneration with Nine, but everyone knew this was different. And I mean no disrespect to Nine or Nine fans when I say that this just was a much bigger deal.
And the writers let it be a bigger deal.
The huge RTD-stan and Ten-stan that I am is in absolute love with Waters of Mars and both parts of End of Time. I was surprised to find these so controversial in fandom, as they just seemed to be so real and so fitting for such a beloved Doctor. I felt validated in my feels of loss and grief at his upcoming regneration through these episodes. And maybe that's just me. Maybe there are those who like their stoic, perfect heroes, not the imperfect, human, sometimes douche-y hero that we were shown with the Tenth Doctor. But this is my blog, and to me, that kind of imperfect, human hero is so much better.
Specifically, the way RTD wrote Ten's "rage against the dying of the light" speech was just brilliant and moving and everything that Ten represented in his life. Of course he didn't want to die! Who does? And he didn't deserve to die, but that's just who he is. Of course the Doctor is going to save Wilf. Of course he is. The way that RTD gave the choice to Ten? Utterly beautiful and poetic and I love it so much.
Despite All Of The Pain And Suffering And Despair, Hope and The Goodness Of People Shines Through
The absolute best thing about this series and in particular, how heavy-handed this theme was in the RTD-era, is the power of the individual to make things better and the goodness of people. From the very beginning, starting with Rose, we're shown how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. The Doctor inspires this in people. He makes them better, makes them realize their potential.
From actual companions to one-off characters, Doctor Who is all about inspiring people to do the right thing, (and to steal a line from HP) even and especially when it's not the easiest thing. Even in these horrible situations that the show finds itself in every week, with people dying and bad guys running around, there's always this message of goodness. For example, in just an average episode as The Doctor's Daughter, you have the best and the worst of people with their made up war, but then you have Martha's Hath friend who sacrifices himself, and the colony of humans that learns to end their war and unite with the Hath.
And I can hardly mention the Doctor's influence on his companions and the people they meet without mentioning the influence his companions have on him. I've certainly said enough about Rose, but Julie says it best when she says that Rose is like the Doctor, in that she made him better. And that's one of the highest compliments to be given, if you've really watched this series. Rose, Martha, Donna, and the one-off companions are all so amazing and I love all of their arcs and their journey as they meet and travel with the Doctor and ultimately live their life (technically bc ILU Human Ten) without him.
Long meta is long with no pics.