![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Sorta, kinda unpopular 'Doctor Who' opinions
For the most part. Just reading comments here and there over the last couple of months and finding myself thinking but I DO like that or I DON'T like that, and after writing up this quite, quite unpopular opinion re: Donna post, I was inspired to compile a list and am just now putting it up. Now, I know one is extremely unpopular, and one I found out after I wrote the list, edges more towards popular and my goodness, can I ramble? Anyhoo, the list in no particular order ...
- I actually quite like "Love & Monsters." I wouldn't put it in my top ten, and I know it's both Doctor and Rose-lite, but I still enjoy it. I like the story, I like Elton and I think that it's a fabulous little mini Jackie story. Plus, I love the few moments we do get with the Doctor and Rose.
- Here's the biggie: I don't really care about Jack. I do not understand for the life of me why he is SUCH a huge part of fandom, why an entire other show was built around him, etc. He's handsome, but nothing to write home about in my book; he a decent actor, but nothing to write home about. And I don't get the whole great, fabulous, amazing friendship between the Doctor, Rose and Jack. They traveled together for what really amounted to one episode: "Boomtown." And sure, they had travels in between, and were all buddy-buddy and rah!rah!rah! in said "Boomtown," but Mickey fit in pretty nicely with those three and yet I don't see OT4 fics with them. I just don't get it.
On that note, I pretty much despise the OT3 thing with Doctor/Rose/Jack. I just ... ick, it gives me the ickies. Just yuck. The Doctor belongs with Rose. Rose belongs with the Doctor. Jack can have a raging hard-on for either one all he wants, but for me, it's all on him, and Rose is into the Doctor, and the Doctor is into Rose and if Jack were to attempt to insert himself in the mix, they'd be as squicked as I am.
So, yeah, that one was the biggie, the major, 'that is SOOOOOOOOOOO unpopular.' Moving along.
- Due to forms of character assassination ranging from mild to OHMYGOD!GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SHOW!!!!, I've found that I only love "Blink" by Moffat. I love some of the moments in "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" and do adore the overall concept, but the episodes themselves rub me the wrong way in light of Rose's characterization and some of the Doctor stuff too. I think that "The Girl in the Fireplace" is a gorgeously written, conceived and acted episode ... but one that does not even REMOTELY fit character-arc wise in RTD's Who. The less said about "Silence of the Library/Forest of the Dead" the better, other than that the only thing I liked about it was the alternate Donna-verse, but everything else? Meh to Noooo. "Blink," though? I loved. (Like lots of others, I know.)
- I've said this before and I know I'm not the only one, but I'll still add it: I love Ten, but I do love Nine just that little bit more.
- On that note, I think that Eccleston has more chemistry with Billie Piper than does David Tennant. (And on the chemistry note, I don't see anything but BFF chemistry between Piper and Tennant in real-life ... at all, nothing hinting at some underpinning of longing, etc.)
- Donna is not just my favorite companion (I'm sorry, Rose, I do adore you, but Donna is just ... Donna), Donna is my favorite character EVER on Who -- yes, I love her more than the Doctor (Nine or Ten). In fact, Donna Noble may be one of my top five favorite characters ever in ANY fandom. EVER! I love her so much.
- My favorite kiss is the Nine/Rose kiss from "The Parting of the Ways." None other comes close.
- I may be lynched for this, but {ducks}, I don't like David Tennant's hair in series four. I just don't. It's too short, too spiky, just not as ... yeah, don't like. It's okay in series three, but do not want in series four. I ADORE it in series two. A-D-O-R-E it in series two. I almost like his hair, series two, as much as I like Donna. But series four? Yeah, just no.
-I don't care if they keep popping up after being exterminated once and for all: I don't think I'll ever get tired of the Daleks. E-V-E-R!
- "The Unquiet Dead" is one of my favorite episodes. In fact, I won't be surprised if when I'm done rewatching the whole series again that it's in the top five, if not top three. I really, really love it.
- I apologize in advance to Christopher Eccleston because for the first time in forever I'm actually acknowledging that even he can't overcome something. It's not his fault, but still ... even he couldn't overcome the cheese of the "You need a doctor" line from "The Parting of the Ways." I keep hoping it will get better each time I watch it and I'll grin and glory in the romantic cheesiness, but no. It's just always groan-inducing cheese. Sigh. Not even the amazing Christopher Eccleston can save it.
- [verysmallvoice]I like the blue suit.[/verysmallvoice] I ADORE the brown pin-striped suit, but yeah ... [verysmallvoice]I like the blue suit.[/verysmallvoice]
- I like John Simm, he's a great actor, very charismatic. Still, I way, way preferred Sir Derek Jacobi over him and really wished that Jacobi had just stayed as the Master. (I know! This one rivals the Jack/OT3 above for unpopularity.)
- Poorly-conceived/written character or not, I think the biggest problem with Martha is that compared to most other regular/recurring actors on this show, Freema Agyeman is just not that good. I like her, I think she's very personable and quite lovely. I simply don't think she's a strong enough actress to make Martha work as RTD likely envisioned her. I just find it difficult to believe that a man who is so amazingly wonderful at creating characters and writing such fabulous character arcs and motivations for them would mess up so with Martha Jones. Therefore, I think the fault in the character lies in Agyeman not able to deliver on RTD's vision. (Why do I feel guilty writing this? It's not like she'll ever read it. Sigh, I DO like her, I just ... well, you know.)
- I really, really loved Yvonne Hartman. I did.
So share your thoughts, your own opinions that might be a tad outside the norm. Will be fun to read. :D (I know some of my other Who icons are much more appropriate, but new Billie icon! Squee!! I had to use it.)
- I actually quite like "Love & Monsters." I wouldn't put it in my top ten, and I know it's both Doctor and Rose-lite, but I still enjoy it. I like the story, I like Elton and I think that it's a fabulous little mini Jackie story. Plus, I love the few moments we do get with the Doctor and Rose.
- Here's the biggie: I don't really care about Jack. I do not understand for the life of me why he is SUCH a huge part of fandom, why an entire other show was built around him, etc. He's handsome, but nothing to write home about in my book; he a decent actor, but nothing to write home about. And I don't get the whole great, fabulous, amazing friendship between the Doctor, Rose and Jack. They traveled together for what really amounted to one episode: "Boomtown." And sure, they had travels in between, and were all buddy-buddy and rah!rah!rah! in said "Boomtown," but Mickey fit in pretty nicely with those three and yet I don't see OT4 fics with them. I just don't get it.
On that note, I pretty much despise the OT3 thing with Doctor/Rose/Jack. I just ... ick, it gives me the ickies. Just yuck. The Doctor belongs with Rose. Rose belongs with the Doctor. Jack can have a raging hard-on for either one all he wants, but for me, it's all on him, and Rose is into the Doctor, and the Doctor is into Rose and if Jack were to attempt to insert himself in the mix, they'd be as squicked as I am.
So, yeah, that one was the biggie, the major, 'that is SOOOOOOOOOOO unpopular.' Moving along.
- Due to forms of character assassination ranging from mild to OHMYGOD!GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SHOW!!!!, I've found that I only love "Blink" by Moffat. I love some of the moments in "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" and do adore the overall concept, but the episodes themselves rub me the wrong way in light of Rose's characterization and some of the Doctor stuff too. I think that "The Girl in the Fireplace" is a gorgeously written, conceived and acted episode ... but one that does not even REMOTELY fit character-arc wise in RTD's Who. The less said about "Silence of the Library/Forest of the Dead" the better, other than that the only thing I liked about it was the alternate Donna-verse, but everything else? Meh to Noooo. "Blink," though? I loved. (Like lots of others, I know.)
- I've said this before and I know I'm not the only one, but I'll still add it: I love Ten, but I do love Nine just that little bit more.
- On that note, I think that Eccleston has more chemistry with Billie Piper than does David Tennant. (And on the chemistry note, I don't see anything but BFF chemistry between Piper and Tennant in real-life ... at all, nothing hinting at some underpinning of longing, etc.)
- Donna is not just my favorite companion (I'm sorry, Rose, I do adore you, but Donna is just ... Donna), Donna is my favorite character EVER on Who -- yes, I love her more than the Doctor (Nine or Ten). In fact, Donna Noble may be one of my top five favorite characters ever in ANY fandom. EVER! I love her so much.
- My favorite kiss is the Nine/Rose kiss from "The Parting of the Ways." None other comes close.
- I may be lynched for this, but {ducks}, I don't like David Tennant's hair in series four. I just don't. It's too short, too spiky, just not as ... yeah, don't like. It's okay in series three, but do not want in series four. I ADORE it in series two. A-D-O-R-E it in series two. I almost like his hair, series two, as much as I like Donna. But series four? Yeah, just no.
-I don't care if they keep popping up after being exterminated once and for all: I don't think I'll ever get tired of the Daleks. E-V-E-R!
- "The Unquiet Dead" is one of my favorite episodes. In fact, I won't be surprised if when I'm done rewatching the whole series again that it's in the top five, if not top three. I really, really love it.
- I apologize in advance to Christopher Eccleston because for the first time in forever I'm actually acknowledging that even he can't overcome something. It's not his fault, but still ... even he couldn't overcome the cheese of the "You need a doctor" line from "The Parting of the Ways." I keep hoping it will get better each time I watch it and I'll grin and glory in the romantic cheesiness, but no. It's just always groan-inducing cheese. Sigh. Not even the amazing Christopher Eccleston can save it.
- [verysmallvoice]I like the blue suit.[/verysmallvoice] I ADORE the brown pin-striped suit, but yeah ... [verysmallvoice]I like the blue suit.[/verysmallvoice]
- I like John Simm, he's a great actor, very charismatic. Still, I way, way preferred Sir Derek Jacobi over him and really wished that Jacobi had just stayed as the Master. (I know! This one rivals the Jack/OT3 above for unpopularity.)
- Poorly-conceived/written character or not, I think the biggest problem with Martha is that compared to most other regular/recurring actors on this show, Freema Agyeman is just not that good. I like her, I think she's very personable and quite lovely. I simply don't think she's a strong enough actress to make Martha work as RTD likely envisioned her. I just find it difficult to believe that a man who is so amazingly wonderful at creating characters and writing such fabulous character arcs and motivations for them would mess up so with Martha Jones. Therefore, I think the fault in the character lies in Agyeman not able to deliver on RTD's vision. (Why do I feel guilty writing this? It's not like she'll ever read it. Sigh, I DO like her, I just ... well, you know.)
- I really, really loved Yvonne Hartman. I did.
So share your thoughts, your own opinions that might be a tad outside the norm. Will be fun to read. :D (I know some of my other Who icons are much more appropriate, but new Billie icon! Squee!! I had to use it.)
Re: I've mention I ramble, yes? Sigh, part 2 ...
But...how could Martha not live by her emotions when in 3x02, they show her crushing on the Doctor? Maybe she didn't live by them, but she didn't make much of an effort to hide them.
No, I wasn't clear. I meant ... BEFORE she met the Doctor. I got the impression that Martha had never really fell for someone before, but she DID fall for him. THAT was her arc, being overwhelmed by her emotions, before learning to use them for strength (as she did in the series finale -- there's no way a Martha who didn't love the Doctor would have been able to deal and do with what he asked of her).
I could buy it was FA's fault if the scripts seem to have Martha attempting to hide her crush or sublimate it or deny it. But they didn't. They had her waxing on about it in public -- practically to the Doctor himself.
Yeah, this continues with what I hadn't made clear. She wasn't used to her emotions on the surface like that, and so didn't know how to deal with them.
And there was no way, even if you had Catherine Tate herself playing Martha, that Martha wasn't going to come across as pathetic and sad -- especially given that we knew how the Doctor felt about Rose.
Ah, but remember, Martha didn't really get it. She only found out in "Utopia" what happened to Rose. She thought they had a bad break-up, Rose broke his heart and left him, and the logical side of Martha couldn't get why the Doctor would not just get over it. It was after "Utopia" that we saw Martha become stronger with the mind and heart working in unison.
I just think the crush itself was a mistake to begin with. Could a better actress have given it more layers? Maybe. But the material doomed it to failure, IMHO. I still don't know what point it served, other than to either create sympathy or irritation (or both) towards Martha.
I don't. At all. I think it was to show (a) the Doctor's love for Rose, (b) a different arc than Rose had and (c) show how a person who is all brains, could kinda become silly and stupid and lose it over an unexpected romantic affliction ... like the Doctor. And we saw Martha comes to term with it, which probably helped the Doctor comes to terms with his own issues, thus the lighter, happier Doctor after Martha.