Doctor Who Reaction

[jadesfire]

There are sort-of spoilers for next week's teaser (no plot, just my reaction) at the bottom, so hopefully I've left enough space for those of you who don't want to know. Probably spoilers in comments, though.



I must just begin with: DONNA NOBLE, HOW ARE YOU SO AWESOME???

There was other stuff going on in this episode. Shooting, gas, aliens spaceships, madmen, couple of guns, nice guy getting shot (*sniff* ROOOOOOSSS! NOOOOOO!), clones, families blah blah blah. But what's going to stay with me is Donna whacking a Sontaran on the probic vent with a hammer. She doesn't want to do it, she's terrified out of her mind, and here's the thing. She does it anyway. Donna is a wonderful, everywoman character. She's not got Martha's brains or Rose's courage, but she trusts the Doctor and has spirit in spades. Oddly, she kind of reminds me of Sarah Jane, whose main gifting was a whole lot of determination. Maybe that's why I love her so much - Donna's old school Who, and I love her for it.

Otherwise, there were some wonderful character moments in this, which is always the strength of Helen Raynor's writing. Gramps and Donna's mum in their smoke-filled house. The moment when Rattigan realises that the others don't believe him, and his final sacrifice (which was all kinds of awesome too). Ross' death (*sniff* AGAIN because he's worth it). The Colonel getting clever. Martha and clone!Martha, and taking her ring back.

To be honest, I'm finding it hard to care about the plot. I could be more critical, I'm sure, but I really feel like they've gone back to the roots of Who, with character and aliens and silly science all over the place, with just enough of the new to really make it sing. Stuff the plot. I'm here for the ride.

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And then they drop the trailer on me. *sigh* Look, part of the reason S2 of Torchwood (and S4 of SGA, if it comes to it) worked so well was that they picked up on the themes the fans loved and went with them. It felt at times like we had fanfic on the screen, which was both a blessing and a curse. But no one seems to have pointed out that they were meant to pick the good stuff. I swear, if there isn't a really, really good justification for that, I'm going to treat it like 'Love and Monsters' and just pretend it didn't happen.

Comments

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I swear, if there isn't a really, really good justification for that, I'm going to treat it like 'Love and Monsters' and just pretend it didn't happen.

Yes.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

The OH got a bit worried: "Are you alright? Cos you've gone purple..."

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen yet (obviously) but I've... heard? and yeah, I thought about falling over dead.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Hee. I was deliberately circumspect in case you hadn't. The weird thing is, I read it as a spoiler somewhere and just thought "yeah, right." Seems truth is stranger than fiction.

Next week may require brain bleach...

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I go... look for spoilers in that gap between british airing and my download. I'm odd, but ooh yes. Brain bleach or a support group. WTH?

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Anything to get you through the night gap :) I vote for a support group WITH brain bleach and retcon. And vodka shots. Seriously. There are not enough words for how ghasted my flabber is right now...

On the plus side, it can only exceed my expectations at this point.

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

...How ghasted your flabber. I. I'm keeping you.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Excellent. That means I can hide behind you next Saturday :)

*clings*

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I am seriously afraid. It's like seeing a train coming and being frozen on the tracks or. Something. I think we should plan on gathering ina journal, somewhere, to hold onto each other.

[smithy161.livejournal.com]

Completely with you. I'll be hiding behind a cushion for that one.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

See, my brain went "Susan! SUSAN!!! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE GRANDDAUGHTER WTF?!?"

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you see, you're thinking. I'm finding that the key to enjoying Who at the moment is to just disengage my brain.

I know what you mean though. They keep slipping in old Who references (Sir Alistair - awesome!), and conveniently forget Susan? Or not. Actually, if next week is as bad as it looks, she might be better off out of it...

*SPOILER*

[joanna-may.livejournal.com]

I am currently in mourning for Ross. He was so cute! I so wanted to be allowed to keep him. Like a pet. I'm very glad Donna's grandad didn't die though, he's lovely :)

Oh my Lord, the trailer. The doctor has a super-pretty, flaily, over-confident, sassy, feisty, fighting-machine daughter? Oh no, just render me unconscious for next week's episode, please. RTD is far too much of a fangirl for his own good.

Although at least he's acknowledged that Martha's so awesome, she has to be accidentally kidnapped to want anything more to do with the doctor, after how he treated her.

Re: *SPOILER*

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ross was great, and I'd kind of hoped they'd make him recurring. Like you, I adore Gramps and was so pleased he made it through alright.


render me unconscious for next week's episode, please.
*raises hand for knock-out pills* Apparently no one RTD that when a character's called a 'Mary Sue', it's not a good thing...

Martha is awesome indeed, and at least we get more of her this way. I am determined to find the positives. Somehow...

Re: *SPOILER*

[joanna-may.livejournal.com]

I'm having a party next week, so I probably won't see it. Great coincidences. :D

Although, I am pleased with the casting for the daughter. It is rather clever. I've been searching teh interwez and found a spoiler about the daughter that might make you happier, if you haven't already read it?

Re: *SPOILER*

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I didn't even know about it until I saw the trailer! So all spoiler links gratefully received... (probaby best not to post them here in case there are people who only want to know the basics :))

Thank you!

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Me? I'm watching all the episodes the same way that I did Torchwood - with the 'critical' part of my brain switched off. Glee and analysis are still working fine, though.

This means that I'm going through with things like, "Yay! Brigadier reference!" and "Nooo, Ross!" running through my brain. With an undercurrent of "Species-renewal theme? Check. Rebuilding/buiding of a planet? Check."

Which meant that my own reaction to next week was "Return of a presumably destroyed species? Check." All of which is only providing more evidence for my theory that at the end of the series, they're going to rebuild Gallifrey and repopulate the Time Lords. After all, with Rattigan Academy having built all that terraforming equipment, I very much doubt that getting rid of ATMOS is the only thing it's good for.