Doctor Who from behind the sofa....

[fajrdrako]

auriaephiala sent me this article about Doctor Who and I think it may be the best article I've read on the subject yet.

The paragraph I most loved:

That means Doctor Who is - in technical terms - near as dammit exactly a superhero comic transferred to television. And that, I think, is the source of its power. For superhero comics don't just mean men in tights. They mean myth - and myth in its most naked modern form.

That shows an understanding of both comics and Doctor Who that many people miss - well done, Sam Leith. It's something Russell T Davies and his cohorts understand very well. The emotional power of the myth beyond the details. Not that I'm quite willing to concede that Rose is Jean Grey - Rose hasn't eaten a planet, but there are similarities.

Love his description of a retcon as "a posh term for cheating on the plot". Not to be confused with Captain Jack's amnesia pill. Sometimes we wish we could forget. I'm not sure he's quite right in his examples, which are not retcons as I'd use the term - or perhaps the word has evolved in meaning over the past decade. It doesn't really matter. Comics have different techniques for rewriting past, present and future continuity, and Russell T Davies has stolen been inspired by them all.

Another good paragraph:

On one level, the Doctor is a sort of Wandering Jew figure - a permanent exile, mourning an irrecoverable loss. On the other, he's in a completely cyclical situation. In every show, he saves the day. At the end of every series, he saves the universe. And his ability to regenerate means his acts of sacrificial redemption can take place over and over again.

The same is true of Captain Jack.

Ahh, heroic myths. I love 'em, especially when they tear at the heartstrings.

Comments

[louiex.livejournal.com]

If it wasn't almost four AM I'd leave far more coherent remarks. Right now all I can manage is that 'om nom nom nom mmmm' sound of my brain reveling in this quite gleefully :D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

My brain revels in the same glee.

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

thank youfor this! what a terrific article! it really makes a lot of sense and explains for me the puzzle of why the continuity issues just haven't bothered me one bit, when usually such things would.

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Ahh, heroic myths. I love 'em, especially when they tear at the heartstrings.
Yes, indeed they are very hard not to love

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Isn't it good? Yes, the show manages to override its own continuity issues with a fair aplomb. I think it's the years of reading Marvel comics that has made me cool about it.

Love that icon!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Most of my long list of heroes fits the mythic-heroic archetype one way or another. Even some real-life heroes!

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

I miss his ears. Didn't 9 have great ears? *pets*

Journey's End Stuff When You're Ready

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Btw, here's the Confidential:
http://youtube.com/user/steholtisback

And the audio commentary:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/doctorwho/

Nine and his attributes...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Nine had the best ears ever. And the best voice. And the best nose. I could go on enumerating his great body parts all night.

Re: Journey's End Stuff When You're Ready

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I just finished watching "Journey's End". I'll watch these tomorrow.