Doctor Who: The Runaway Bride...

[fajrdrako]

A new episode of Doctor Who. It feels as if it's been a long time. What a joy and delight. It was interesting to see what the Doctor is like, immediately post-Rose. I thought they'd treat it as they do in most serial fiction, and gloss over the subject: I was so pleased they did not. My favourite line was something like, "Rose isn't dead. She is so very alive."

My love for the Doctor is undiminished.

The plot? I liked it fine. Not one of the top-notch Doctor Who stories, and it's a little too bad that the Empress of Racknoss was more funny than scary, but that's okay. Catherine Tate was... adequate. I did find myself a little perplexed as to why people have been talking about her as a great star. Perhaps I misunderstood? Her role was quite fun, but mundane, but I would have been disappointed if she had chosen to go with the Doctor in the end. And I'm sure he'd have found her pretty dull after Rose.

I liked the conversations on rooftops and the murderous Christmas trees and the pseudo-scientific explanations of what was going on and the draining of the Thames (heh!). I liked it that Donna invited the Doctor for Christmas and he ducked out so transparently.

I also watched the Christmas confidential about the concert and the Millennium Centre. What a beautiful place! What a great concert. I wonder if there's any chance they'll put out a recording of it, of if it's downloadable somewhere.

The trailers were fun, too. I was most impressed with the one for The Sarah Jane Adventures, which I'd been pretty much ignoring, but having seen that, my interest has perked up a thousandfold.

Captain Jack meeting Captain Jack. Soon!

And a reappearance of the Face of Boe.

And Dalek Sec again.

Bring on series 3, I'm more than ready.

Comments

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

Well, Catherine Tate has her own show and all, although I rarely watch it. It's one of those celeb appearances you half-dread and half-anticipate, and I thought she did better than I expected.

Yeah, the Face of Boe was cool. I can hardly wait. And David was adorable as hell.

But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is Chris Eccleston on Heroes. I've downloaded episodes 1-11 and now we'll see if I get to watch them!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

what I'm REALLY looking forward to is Chris Eccleston on Heroes.

oh, I'm looking forward to that too! I don't really know what to anticipate on his role - it appears he'll be a mentor to Peter Petrelli, which is fine by me, as Peter is my favourite character.

Heroes is well-written, well-acted and crafted with throught and intelligence, so I don't think it will disappoint us whatever they do with Eccleston.

(Smiling in anticipation.)

[raissad.livejournal.com]

The Thames scene is on YouTube. Yay!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAbf3rp-dY&NR

I liked the performances and character moments. Overall, though, I preferred The Christmas Invasion.

I do have one major gripe: How f***ing stupid is Torchwood? Things go belly up at Canary Wharf, and no one from the surviving branches checks up on the base under the Thames. Huh?

After AoG/Doomsday, The Runaway Bride, and the bizarre plot-driven incompetence demonstrated in the spin-off, I am majorly underwhelmed by these people.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The Thames scene is on YouTube. Yay!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAbf3rp-dY&NR

Thanks for the link. Love it. So here I am, at work and supposed to be working, and I'm suddenly all teary-eyed and sniffly. I love it way too much.

Overall, though, I preferred The Christmas Invasion.

I liked the Sycorax more than the Empress of Racknoss. On the other hand, the Doctor was absent for so much of The Christmas Invasion and he was so very present here.

I suspect the other branches of Torchwood didn't know about the base under the Thames. I think the branches of Torchwood are very autonomous. (For instance, Jack's Torchwood has precious little resemblance to Yvonne's Torchwood, just as he has little resemblance to her.)

Torchwood is not necessarily supposed to impress us. At best, they are chauvinistic. At worst, they are destructively incompetent. I have a theory that at some point the story we'll be watching is Jack Harkness vs. Torchwood, or maybe the Doctor vs. Torchwood.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right. At this point, I have a feeling I'd enjoy Sarah Jane Adventures more, and not just because of the nostalgia factor. The stuff meant for the kids and family seems better writen to me.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't find that the intended age level affects the quality of a work much - which is to say, I've seen some appalling stuff meant for kids. But on the whole I think Doctor Who is incredibly well written (and Torchwood is not, though it has its moments). I'm hoping to see some of that quality of writing and spirit in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

I don't find that the intended age level affects the quality of a work much - which is to say, I've seen some appalling stuff meant for kids.

I have, too. I was thinking specifically about DW in relation to Torchwood. Btw, your avatar is adorable. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, isn't it cute? It's by teh talented redscharlach.

I agree that the writing on Doctor Who is better than the writing on Torchwood - usually by a long shot, though Torchwood has its moments of brilliance. But I don't think it's a function of the age it's aimed at, I think it has to do with the talent and effort put into it.

[beck-liz.livejournal.com]

Note: I haven't actually seen the episode yet, not being anyplace where I could safely acquire either it or Torchwood. However:

I did find myself a little perplexed as to why people have been talking about her as a great star. Perhaps I misunderstood? Her role was quite fun, but mundane, but I would have been disappointed if she had chosen to go with the Doctor in the end. And I'm sure he'd have found her pretty dull after Rose.

I think some people either don't like Rose, or didn't like the Rose/Doctor relationship in Series 2, and so are very grateful for something different. Also, I think some people are familiar with the show Catherine Tate is on and were afraid of how she'd be because of that, and then found her to be better than anticipated.

"Rose isn't dead. She is so very alive."

I am so very thrilled by this. I can't wait to see it this weekend when I get home!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Horrible to wait, isn't it? I'll have that problem with Torchwood next week - I am so eager to see the two-part story, and don't know when I'll be able to.

The parts about the Doctor and Rose, or just about the Doctor himself, his nature and his personality - those parts are terrific. And some of the special effects are brilliantly done - I'm not usually impressed with special effects, but the TARDIS-chase down the motorway is brilliant, and the Christmas Tree scene, and the unflooding of the Thames.... well. You'll see.

I look forward to hearing what you think when you see it.

I must have been more moved by it than I thought. I saw a bit of it on YouTube this morning and I was practically crying over it at work. It revived all my not-particularly-dormant Doctor love.

[vervassal.livejournal.com]

Ah! So much darker! I like!


I really like.

:)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I really like, too. So very much.

It just whets my appetite for more.

I am so very jealous!

[jedichad.livejournal.com]

Goodness knows when I'll get to see Runaway Bride, but I adored your review!

Re: I am so very jealous!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I hope you get to see it soon, and I hope you enjoy it. I'm asure you will! I watched bits of it again today and it made me cry a little - very happily.

[widget-alley.livejournal.com]

I liked it that Donna invited the Doctor for Christmas and he ducked out so transparently.

That was my favorite bit. I like that she wasn't fooled and didn't even argue, although I didn't have a lot of fondness for Donna's character-- I have little patience for people who aren't clever.

I also realized, after my break from Doctor Who for a couple of months, that my current boy looks a lot like David Tennant, and even has those exact glasses. Ha! Good to know my subconscious is Doctor-obsessed even if I'm not. :D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I didn't have a lot of fondness for Donna's character-- I have little patience for people who aren't clever.

Neither do I, and I thought she quite lacked charm. She had some funny lines - I certainly enjoyed her for the space of the story - but the Doctor had far more patience with her than I would have had. Loved it whenever she called him a Martian, though.

my current boy looks a lot like David Tennant

Oh, lucky you!