Torchwood, Doctor Who, and the infamous "Utopia" trailer...

[fajrdrako]

I've been thinking about the "Utopia" trailer that John Barrowman showed on Jonathan Ross, and enjoying the puzzle it represents.

Ever since I saw "The Parting of the Ways", I've pondering the question of why the Doctor didn't go back to collect Jack from the Game Station. My first guess was that the Doctor didn't know Rose had brought him back from the dead - but he clearly did know, as evidenced in "Children in Need", where they made a point of telling us so. And it was clear throughout Torchwood that Jack was looking for the Doctor, but even with a few close calls had failed to find him. So...

My conclusion was that the Doctor didn't want Jack to find him, but why? He liked Jack, and Jack had, first, changed his life for him, and then given his life for him - worth a little more, you'd think, than being abandoned. It looks cruel and arbitrary, especially when you look at the indications in Torchwood of Jack's love and loyalty - having his office decorated in Doctor memorabilia, his treasuring of the Doctor's hand.

The Doctor is seldom cruel and if he's often arbitrary, it isn't without having reasons. Like Jack, I have a lot of faith in the Doctor. Never doubted him, never will.

The thing about the "Utopia" trailer that was both horrific and encouraging is that it made clear how deliberately the Doctor wanted to avoid Jack - to escape him, even. Leaving Jack alone on the Game Station was a conscious decision.

This clip removed various theories I'd heard - that the Doctor really did think Jack was dead, and then lied to Rose about it, for example. Sounded possible but not plausible: the Doctor doesn't make that kind of mistake. He can see the motion of planets. He cares about his friends, and doesn't usually leave them to die alone. Not if he can help it.

My own theory has always been that the Doctor believed that when Rose rearranged the universe as she wished it to be - killing Daleks, saving Jack - she did something that shouldn't or couldn't be done. "You can't," he said, and she said, "I can." But when that kind of thing happens, there are consequences.

When the Doctor uses words like "can't", he means it. Remember how he said "you can't travel between the universes" to Pete and Jake, and they thought he was wrong? He wasn't wrong, though what he should have said was, "you can't travel between the universes without destroying them both". And because they travelled between universes anyway, they then had a problem that needed to be fixed - above and beyond the Cybermen and Daleks.

So I have been envisioning something like the Reaper situation in "Father's Day", where Rose's changing of history (even if it was history that at that point hadn't happened yet) set things in motion that were, are, or will be potentially disastrous. And that the Doctor is trying to avert it by keeping himself and Jack apart, rather like his attempts to keep Rose from touching herself as a baby in "Father's Day".

Of course, Jack and the Doctor will end up meeting again, we know that from the pictures we've seen in Starburst and online. And presumably there is a universe still in existence after they meet again. So my theory still has big huge black holes in it.

Cruel though the Doctor's apparent rejection of Jack is, I'd like to think it's painful for him, too. Not the way he wants things to be.

Still pondering the mystery....

Comments

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

I like your theory - It makes sense to me for the Doctor and the Doctor's motivation. I have no idea what canon's going to do with it, but I desperately hope it's at least that... sensible.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like your theory - It makes sense to me for the Doctor and the Doctor's motivation.

Yes. It's important to me that it should make sense. Not that they are likely to over-embroider the explanation, whatever it is, but so far the Doctor's reasons for doing things are sound, and only seem bizarre when we don't know what we are.

I have no idea what canon's going to do with it

Time will tell. The suspense! The anticipation!

[katesutton.livejournal.com]

I'd actually heard that bandied about as a possible spoiler-that the Doctor has Issues with Jack because he should be dead, or something. It's also possible that Ten thinks the Jack he sees is a past!Jack from a time they were in Cardiff and so is trying to avoid a paradox. I dunno, but I need an answer.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

that the Doctor has Issues with Jack because he should be dead

Issues with Jack? Well, I can see him having issues with the situation, but the blame for what happened, if there should be blame, was Rose's - and she did what she did out of love and compassion and took great risks to do it, so I don't think "blame" is really appropriate and I don't think the Doctor would either. In fact, I think he assessed the situation and immediately forgave Rose.

Doesn't mean there won't be issues, but it won't be a matter of blaming Jack for being alive. It wasn't as if Jack was responsible!

It's also possible that Ten thinks the Jack he sees is a past!Jack from a time they were in Cardiff and so is trying to avoid a paradox.

That too is an interesting possibility.

but I need an answer.

Me too, but I know it's coming.

[katesutton.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't think it's rational or fair, if that really is the Doctor's deal here, but I think the Doctor may not think about 'fair' when it comes to laws of time or whatever. Just what IS.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, he has to deal in realities, and consequences. But I also don't think he would judge Jack harshly.

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

I think he would judge Jack harshly, but only if harsh was also fair.

And blaming Jack for being immortal would be a weebit unjust.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

...Unless there's something we don't know about the situation.

(Have I enthused about your icon yet? It's the same pic as in my bathroom. I love it.)

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

...Yes.

No! Thank you!

[graycastle.livejournal.com]

weeeeell, that trailer is rather interesting - it shows the Doctor noticing Jack in the monitor, and it shows the doctor pressing the lever to start the TARDIS, but the cutting is a little weird, a little too-fast, not showing the things it would show if that were the real chain of events. Knowing the typical wiles of production staff, I'd bet money that it won't actually go down like that. Also, the Doctor doesn't mention or seem aware of Jack sitting on top of the TARDIS. Perhaps the on-screen image of Jack is a replay of the video feed that he accesses later, or perhaps he doesn't actually see Jack, even if we do (again, the cutting is weird). But I don't think it's that he sees Jack and then hits the switch anyway.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

it shows the Doctor noticing Jack in the monitor, and it shows the doctor pressing the lever to start the TARDIS, but the cutting is a little weird, a little too-fast, not showing the things it would show if that were the real chain of events.

True. Judging by what we see, it's difficult to follow the timing of events. We'll know better when we see the episode, of course!

I'm enjoying this as a conundrum in circumstance and motivation.

[lerah1.livejournal.com]

When I saw that clip the first things that came to mind were Jack's first words on Torchwood about how with all the estrogen in the rainwater "at least I won't get pregnant .... never doing that again." That's my theory for Jack's obsession with finding the Doctor and I'm sticking to it for what little time remains before i'm bitch-slapped by canon.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I saw that clip the first things that came to mind were Jack's first words on Torchwood about how with all the estrogen in the rainwater "at least I won't get pregnant .... never doing that again."

You mean you think Jack was pregnant on the Game Station? I do quite like that theory! Usually I don't like mpreg but hey, this is canon, so it's a little different...

That's my theory for Jack's obsession

It's better than many!

I'm sticking to it for what little time remains before i'm bitch-slapped by canon.

Yup, go for it! And in this show... you just never know.

[jwaneeta.livejournal.com]

Very thoughtful! It may well be something like that... and if the Doctor didn't know what was up with Jack's immortality when he left the Gamestation, he'd surely have cottoned on in the time since.

Maybe he dreads meeting Jack because it'd be his duty to "fix" Jack (effectively a death sentence), and he's such a big ole softie he can't bring himself to do it? And he has no way of knowing that fixing's exactly what Jack wants.

I'm trying. ;) I really don't want to scorn Ten for being a heartless dirtbag. I don't like the feeling.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

if the Doctor didn't know what was up with Jack's immortality when he left the Gamestation, he'd surely have cottoned on in the time since.

I wonder how much the Doctor has paid attention to Jack's life. He may have been watching him, keeping an eye on him.... Or have dismissed him from his mind entirely.

Maybe he dreads meeting Jack because it'd be his duty to "fix" Jack (effectively a death sentence),

Oh - scary thought, but it totally rings true. Kill Jack to save the world -- he's been faced with that choice before (mostly with Rose) and his decision has gone either way, but mostly in the direction of saving the person he cares about. And the way to do that in this case would be to avoid Jack entirely.

I like that.

he's such a big ole softie he can't bring himself to do it?

Well, no. Could you?

And he has no way of knowing that fixing's exactly what Jack wants.

What the Doctor would want would be to 'fix' Jack in other ways, take away the pain. I think he would want Jack to survive as much as Rose did, even knowing that it's wrong - what he wants and what should be aren't always the same thing.

I don't believe for a minute that Ten is a heartless dirtbag. Which is why figuring out his motivation for acting like one is so much fun.

[jwaneeta.livejournal.com]

he's such a big ole softie he can't bring himself to do it?

Well, no. Could you?

I simply can't. That's why I'm projecting my motives onto Ten.

But I'm human and he's alien after all. Makes me tremble.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

But I'm human and he's alien after all. Makes me tremble.

Yeah. And I'm convinced the situation, whatever it actually is, is a difficult one for him.

[atheneunknown.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure what the hell what I think of this whole situation.

My initial reaction to seeing the doctor hitting that button was a wave of anger to end most things. But the more I think about it, the more I feel I have to think theres a REASON for the Doctors reaction.

I tend to favor the idea that he wants to avoid seeing Jack because it could cause some sort of mass distruction. Who knows really though. Its all speculation for a few more weeks.

*sigh* I hate being impatient.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

the more I think about it, the more I feel I have to think theres a REASON for the Doctors reaction.

I believe there is. And I have many good reasons for that believe, including knowledge of the Doctor's personality, his past actions, and his values.

*sigh* I hate being impatient.

So do I, but I love haveing a show with a storyline that's good enough to make me this impatient.

[myfavouriteplum.livejournal.com]

"My own theory has always been that the Doctor believed that when Rose rearranged the universe as she wished it to be - killing Daleks, saving Jack - she did something that shouldn't or couldn't be done. 'You can't,' he said, and she said, 'I can.' But when that kind of thing happens, there are consequences."

It's my theory, too.

And as a slasher, I'm almost glad that Jack and Ten'll have some big issues to work out. They're too much alike, being two omnisexual, narcissistic Scots(well, at least the actors are Scottish) in greatcoat. Too much resemblance is not healthy for the pairing. The issues at least can add some spice to their relationship...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm almost glad that Jack and Ten'll have some big issues to work out.

I like it that there's a rich story, there, that there are issues they both have to deal with. I like it that their coming meeting is not - will not be - casual or simple.

They're too much alike, being two omnisexual, narcissistic Scots

Lovely description!

The issues at least can add some spice to their relationship...

Spice is good.

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

the best thing about being at media this weekend is that I have basically eaten, drunk and slept John Barrowman for 2 days now... and watched the Utopia clip about 8xb

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

the best thing about being at media this weekend is that I have basically eaten, drunk and slept John Barrowman for 2 days now...

Ooh, I envy that! I wish I was there! Sounds heavenly.

and watched the Utopia clip about 8xb

I think it's time for me to go and watch it again.

I love the bit where Jack's running and we see him from the back, coattails flipping.

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

Finally got to show Karen the most recent Jonathan Ross with JB last night - such a riot

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That was so incredibly funny. I'm sure she enjoyed it!

[loreleif.livejournal.com]

I'm really interested if you've seen Utopia yet!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I just finished watching it about ten minutes ago.

I'm still feeling happily stunned by it and at the moment can't even begin to articulate reactions. Let me watch it again and maybe then I'll be able to say something articulate - !

Oh, Jack, Jack, Jack. I'm sitting here with a happy smile because I love the dialogue between Jack and the Doctor.

Fixed point in time. Woo.