So do I, for aobvious reasons. I'm trying not to set my hopes beyond what they can deliver. Still, even an episode that's almost this good would be excellent.
Joan had many wonderful points, but I couldn't warm to her - possibly because I love the Doctor so much, and it was John Smith she loved, not the Doctor, which put us in opposite camps (so to speak). But I also found her role and her personality rather passive. Nothing wrong with that - particularly in terms of this story - but I tend to prefer stronger characters. It's a mark of her importance to the story (and good acting and writing) that I view her with the judgement I reserve for a protagonist, not a temporary minor character.
The pacifistic message was satisfying as it was couched in a way that didn't denigrate those who choose to fight.
Exactly! Extremely well done, and insightful. Even though the young soldiers going to fight for freedom weren't wrong the message of the expisode was still pacifist and I loved that. They found exactly the right balance and tone without sacrificing the integrity of the theme.
At least she stopped mooning and was honest about how she felt.
I think she's been fairly honest all along, but isn't sure how to handle the many paradoxes she sees in the Doctor - a man who isn't a man. I liked her honest too, and her resourcefulness.
I rather liked the fact that she couldn't feel pity for John Smith; after all, he was just a work of fiction to her, a temporary mask.
Yes, and one that got in the way of her purposes - after all, John Smith couldn't save the day, couldn't see the reality she knew, and wasn't the person she loved and knew.
How about offering something meaningful for Joan?
Perhaps he felt it would be wisest and kindest to meddle in her life as little as possible? Clearly at the end the Doctor was doling out punishment rather than reward - except for giving the watch to Tim.
after going to a lot of trouble setting up Tim Latimer, well he got a resolution but not much purpose.
Yes. I'd have liked more meaning to that as well. His 'heroic journey' didn't have enough screen time to be a focus, so the impact of it's outcome was a sort of sidebar, interesting enough but not really emotionally powerful. But still... it added something. Another shade of meaning to the overall picture.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2007-06-04 04:01 pm (UTC)So do I, for aobvious reasons. I'm trying not to set my hopes beyond what they can deliver. Still, even an episode that's almost this good would be excellent.
Joan had many wonderful points, but I couldn't warm to her - possibly because I love the Doctor so much, and it was John Smith she loved, not the Doctor, which put us in opposite camps (so to speak). But I also found her role and her personality rather passive. Nothing wrong with that - particularly in terms of this story - but I tend to prefer stronger characters. It's a mark of her importance to the story (and good acting and writing) that I view her with the judgement I reserve for a protagonist, not a temporary minor character.
The pacifistic message was satisfying as it was couched in a way that didn't denigrate those who choose to fight.
Exactly! Extremely well done, and insightful. Even though the young soldiers going to fight for freedom weren't wrong the message of the expisode was still pacifist and I loved that. They found exactly the right balance and tone without sacrificing the integrity of the theme.
At least she stopped mooning and was honest about how she felt.
I think she's been fairly honest all along, but isn't sure how to handle the many paradoxes she sees in the Doctor - a man who isn't a man. I liked her honest too, and her resourcefulness.
I rather liked the fact that she couldn't feel pity for John Smith; after all, he was just a work of fiction to her, a temporary mask.
Yes, and one that got in the way of her purposes - after all, John Smith couldn't save the day, couldn't see the reality she knew, and wasn't the person she loved and knew.
How about offering something meaningful for Joan?
Perhaps he felt it would be wisest and kindest to meddle in her life as little as possible? Clearly at the end the Doctor was doling out punishment rather than reward - except for giving the watch to Tim.
after going to a lot of trouble setting up Tim Latimer, well he got a resolution but not much purpose.
Yes. I'd have liked more meaning to that as well. His 'heroic journey' didn't have enough screen time to be a focus, so the impact of it's outcome was a sort of sidebar, interesting enough but not really emotionally powerful. But still... it added something. Another shade of meaning to the overall picture.