Doctor Who: anticipating Utopia...
Jun. 11th, 2007 02:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fajrdrakoI watched the latest trailer for next week's Doctor Who episode "Utopia". And I thought that this was was infintely better than the one we saw televised on Saturday - which, frankly, looked to me like a dud episode except for its inclusion of Captain Jack. And of course, I don't believe any episode of Doctor Who will be a dud, much less one I've not yet. But... let's just say I wasn't impressed.
But Jack with Martha? Jack with the Doctor? That impresses me without half trying.
A few thoughts on series three:
1. The Doctor/Martha relationship I love the relationship between the Doctor and Martha but I'm starting to find it frustrating - perhaps even more than she does. The Doctor slept on the couch when they were living together for three months? Hasn't she earned some degree of affection? Does he think she has a horrible disease? What?
Keep in mind that I believe the Doctor to be sexually fully functional with humans, and not cold-hearted, and even - amazing as this might sound - not neurotic. Perhaps I have sadly underestimated his level of neurosis.
It's all very well for him to have trouble getting over Rose, and frankly, I don't care if he gets over Rose or not. I just want him to treat Martha less unkindly.
Watching with friends - the best episodes
2. Yesterday I had friends over for a video-party and we watched "Daleks in Manhattan", "Evolution of the Daleks", "The Lazarus Experiment", "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood". Two of my friends said they thought "Human Nature/The Family of Blood" to be the best Doctor Who episodes they'd ever seen. I said I liked "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" better, and someone else replied, "Oh, well, yes. Captain Jack."
Daleks in Manhattan revisited
3. There is so much about the two Dalek episodes that I like that I was trying to put my finger on why I find them dumb. For one thing: the suicidal aspects of the Doctor don't make sense to me there - he may well be truly suicidal, but if so, it needs to be better shown. The other problem: Diagoras-the-Dalek-Hybrid lacked dignity. He looked way too silly. I think if I'd designed him he'd look something like a Dalek and something like a human - perhaps more Cyberman-like. This is exacerbated by the silly-looking pig-slaves and poor Laszlo not looking much better.
The best thing about those episodes was the Doctor's fury on seeing the Daleks again - "I lose everything, and they survive".
I think it should have been a single episode, and simpler.
Daleks
4. One of my friends said they find all the Dalek episodes lame. Since I love all the Dalek episodes I've seen except "Manhattan/Evolution", I was a little suprised. I loved "Dalek" (still do), and associate the other Dalek appearances I've seen (in "The Parting of the Ways" and "Doomsday") with wonderful climactic relationship-rich episodes. And the Cult of Skaro was so cool when we first met it.
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Date: 2007-06-11 07:46 pm (UTC)Utopia in Seven. Six. Five...
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Date: 2007-06-11 08:11 pm (UTC)beautiful
I'm at work, I can't sit and stare, but oh my goodness...!
Thank you.
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Date: 2007-06-11 09:11 pm (UTC)*wanders over to watch some Any Dream Will Do with DT in the audience...*
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Date: 2007-06-12 01:05 pm (UTC)Five days till Utopia!
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Date: 2007-06-12 01:58 pm (UTC)Eee... soon. But not too soon! (and there's a new trailer, and to say that Jack hits on Martha SOON is an understatement. He does so seemingly before he's fully regained consciousness. But then again, that's Jack...)
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Date: 2007-06-12 02:47 pm (UTC)Oh, good. Not that I doubted it would... okay, I'll watch it when I get home tonight! I'm torn between being eager to see it and reluctant because once it's over it's over and I won't have any more of it to see. I suppose I could always watch it from the beginning again!
I saw the new trailer and I love the Jack/Martha bit. Oooh. And yes, of course he'd hit on Martha before he was even conscious yet - that's our Jack, true to form, and he has good taste in people!
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Date: 2007-06-11 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-11 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-11 08:30 pm (UTC)on account of it is quite possible the Doctor doesn't sleep
or at least not sleep on a human cycle.
in the books I read, the 'Doctor Who collection' 10 books with 9 and 10 and Rose, it makes a big thing of the others going to sleep and the Doctor sitting on a chair or going out on his own.
Now if he doesn't sleep at all that's a change since 2 cause in the tomb of the cybermen one he was asleep. But if he only sleeps a lot less than humans then him staying on the couch makes a lot more sense.
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Date: 2007-06-11 08:39 pm (UTC)Right. I believe that - just as I believe Captain Jack doesn't sleep any more - I mispoke. I should have said "stayed on the couch".
You make me feel much better abut this, actually.
I didn't know the Doctor seemed to be asleep once in the past. Hmm.
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Date: 2007-06-11 08:27 pm (UTC)Hmm, I don't know... he knows Martha is head over heels in love with him, and since he either can't reciprocate or is too neurotic to allow himself, I would say it was kinder not to share a bed with her. If the sharing was platonic, that would be awkward as hell for her, and I think pretty painful. And if it wasn't platonic, that would be worse.
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Date: 2007-06-11 08:37 pm (UTC)No, actually, I do think I know his motivation, and I can't fault him for it - I just get impatient!
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Date: 2007-06-12 07:39 pm (UTC)Yeah, I'm not sure that was the best way to put it - I'm not actually sure what the Doctor feels for Martha, but he isn't reciprocating in his actions for whatever reason, so I assume he must have a reason...
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Date: 2007-06-12 08:15 pm (UTC)The Doctor always has a reason for what he does. Always.
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Date: 2007-06-11 08:48 pm (UTC)Wouldn't be surprised if Jacks inclusion in the next few episodes brings out the Doctors jealous streak again. I'd like to see that actually. The two of them having a competition over Rose/Martha/Whoever is always amusing to me.
As for the Dalek thing, I agree with what you said about the hybrid. It just looked...kiddish? Is that a word? I don't know. I'd still be terrified if I saw that on the street, but seeing it on the televison I was equally unimpressed lol.
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Date: 2007-06-12 01:45 pm (UTC)That sums it up nicely. I think the fact that she's outwardly unlike Rose is a point in her favour. Inside, they both have certain qualities of intelligence, independence and courage that the Doctor likes.
Wouldn't be surprised if Jacks inclusion in the next few episodes brings out the Doctors jealous streak again. I'd like to see that actually.
It isn't exactly jealousy I want because I like to see them as a threesome. It's... that edge of competition as they each try to impress Rose (or Martha) and each other. Some mixture of challenge, banter and flirting. Will we get it again? I don't know, it's a whole sort-of-new relationship with a whole sort-of-new Doctor, but the trailer implies... it will be there.
Yes, the hybrid looked like a joke or even a toy to me. Nothing I could feel adquate fear of, or compassion for.
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Date: 2007-06-11 09:14 pm (UTC)I want to know if he realises how she looked after him as 'John Smith' or did he lose some of those memories when he was restored. I was expecting him to thank her but it never really happened.
I get the feeling that the writers have sometimes struggled to find things for Martha to do (the dalek episodes were a case in point).
Loving that Utopia trailer - much better than the one at the weekend. I was worried by the shots of Jack getting electrocuted - reminded me of the Torchwood finale a little too much.
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Date: 2007-06-11 09:45 pm (UTC)Since I see no reason to think he is oblivious of anything, ever - canonical evidence to the contrary is welcome! - I think he knows he is hurting her, and exactly how much, and that he is playing it very, very carefully, in such as way as to give her more happiness than unhappiness - a very thin line to tread.
I see no reason to think he lost any memories of his life as John Smith. He did thank her - and gave her a big hug at the same time. I liked that moment. At the end. Outside the TARDIS. Right before they were interrupted by Tim.
You're right, Martha didn't have much of a role in the Dalek episodes - a few good moments but not much in the way of necessary moments; most of it was exposition. But that's okay. Exposition has its place.
I was worried by the shots of Jack getting electrocuted - reminded me of the Torchwood finale a little too much.
And Cyberwoman, yes. And I don't like scenes of Jack suffering physically. But that wasn't what bothered me so much as the implied chasing-around-after-futuristic-barbarians. Looks as if it may not be so bad. And it has Jack!!
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Date: 2007-06-11 11:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-12 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-11 10:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-12 12:33 am (UTC)Suddenly I'm fantasizing about rashers of bacon.
Uh... sorry.
You know, I wouldn't mind another Bad Wolf story that had pig-slaves in it.
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Date: 2007-06-12 07:14 am (UTC)Yes, you could almost smell it at the electrocution scene!
You know, I wouldn't mind another Bad Wolf story that had pig-slaves in it.
Three of them. With different building techniques… ;-D
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Date: 2007-06-12 08:34 pm (UTC)Re: The Doctor & Sex -- If you acknowledge the novels as canon, Gallifreyans got out of the habit of sex, just like they got out of the habit of food, reproducing through a type of genetic engineering. Andred was the first Gallifreyan in a long, long while to reproduce the old-fashioned way when he married the Doctor's human companion Leela. She was the first alien allowed on Gallifrey.
If the books aren't canon, I've always thought that Gallifreyan sex involved a psychic, as well as physical componet, hence Ten's reaction to Reinette. If he couldn't form a psychic bond, the physical aspect alone might not do enough for him, per se.
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Date: 2007-06-12 09:25 pm (UTC)So why'd I think it was months - ? Hmm. I'm not sure.
If you acknowledge the novels as canon, Gallifreyans got out of the habit of sex, just like they got out of the habit of food, reproducing through a type of genetic engineering.
I have only the televised material for the Eighth Doctor and onwards to go by - I consider that canon not because I have any arcane definition to go by but, for practical purposes, I can only go by what I've seen or read - which then becomes the basis of my personal background for the stories I write. As I read more, I may expand on that. I don't include canon from the books because I haven't read them, and because I don't much like bits and pieces of what I've heard. Such as what you quote. So.
But I have several rules of thumb, regarding the Doctor: Like Russell T. Davies, I don't believe he is asexual; and though no one has said so canonically or otherwise, I believe his psychology is parallel to human, allowing for greater capacity for intelligence and sensory understanding. He really is simpatico where humans are concerned.
I'm happy to accept a psychic component to Gallifreyan sex, but I see no reason he couldn't have such psychic ties to humans, just as he could have physical or sexual ties.
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Date: 2007-06-12 10:25 pm (UTC)He could, hence Reinette and possibly Rose (Time Vortex side effect, the Doomsday dream). I'm just saying that a lack of psychic connection to Martha, in particular, would explain why he slept on the couch.
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Date: 2007-06-12 10:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-12 11:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-13 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-13 02:30 am (UTC)Now, add the sexual component back in, and Reinette, Rose, and Jack (Greeks Bearing Gifts) become viable partners. At this point, Martha is not, because the only telepathic signal she's receiving is the passive TARDIS translator signal.
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Date: 2007-06-13 11:35 am (UTC)Are you saying, then, that no sexual relationship between Joan and the Doctor would be possible because of this?
I still see Martha as a viable sexual partner for him. It may be that there is a psychic link possible there and he has carefully not activated it; but he could.
I am also not convinced that the Doctor needs the psychic link for sex or love. I think it's a sort of... optional bonus.
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Date: 2007-06-13 02:15 pm (UTC)I am also not convinced that the Doctor needs the psychic link for sex or love. I think it's a sort of... optional bonus.
True. But, in that case, unless the Doctor activated the link, Joan could have only had sex on all cylinders, shall we say, with John Smith. The irony being that Smith being a proper, reasonably repressed gentleman of 1913, it wouldn't have happened. Not on Joan's schedule, anyway.
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Date: 2007-06-13 05:05 pm (UTC)