Doctor Who blues

[dangermousie]

The Dalek in WW2 ep of this seaon of Doctor Who is the first time I didn't dislike this season. Figures - it wasn't written by Moffat.

I still find Amy completely not interesting - more like a TV fantasy of what a quirky girl should be than a relatable human being (compare to Rose, Donna, and to a lesser degree Martha). Even her prettiness is perfect-actress prettiness. She is a construct, not a person. But then Eleven isn't particularly working for me emotionally either. When he was doing his Dalek-related meltdown, I was very much not interested. I suppose I don't want to throttle him, the way I did in the first ep with his shenanigans about food. That's something.

The reason I loved Russell T. Davies' Who was because these people and their relationships and reactions felt real. Sure, aliens taking over London or planets being towed, or the very existence of a near-immortal time traveller are not realistic. But the characters' reactions to these impossibilities, their emotions, were. I was invested. I cared for Nine/Ten's happiness, I cared for what happened to companions and other people he came across. I keep hearing that RTD's years weren't very Who. But I was never a Who fan to start with. RTD was the first time I have ever felt even slightly motivated to check the show out. For all I know the fandom is right and Moffat is a lot more on track with what classical Who is. But if that is the case - he may be in line with what classic Who was or what fandom wants. But it's not what I want, not what works for me. What I like is the RTD version. If it's not much like classic Who, all that means is that classic Who and I aren't meant to be buddies. And neither am I and Moffat's show apparently.

I will likely keep watching the season - Mr. Mousie enjoys it and it makes a nice together activity. But if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't even think twice about it because what this new show is, for me, is utterly and completely forgettable.

I thought RTD's first season was the best science fiction can be - explore what it meant to be human and the implications of trauma and time travel and everything. S2 continued that even if not as brilliantly, but still remarkably well. S3 and 4 were uneven but when they were good, they were amazing. Specials (i.e. truncated S5) rather bored me. But sadly, Moffat's reign looks to make those specials wonderful to me in comparison.

From the previews for next week it looks as if they are bringing back River Song. *groan*

Comments

[grace-om.livejournal.com]

I've only seen the first episode of this season so far, and so far I totally agree with your post. To us, it seems like a throw-back to the pre-Nine show. Hopefully fun and entertaining, but nothing more. Obviously haven't got much to go on yet, so I'm hoping it will grow on me. Like you, if it wasn't one of the few shows OH, son, and I all watch together, I probably wouldn't be bothered.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah - it's an OK way to pass the time, nothing more

[bzoppa.livejournal.com]

I just finished the last 2 episodes (like, 5 minutes ago). I'm not a fan.

... which I texted to my friend who responded, "I don't get it." She doesn't know what Doctor Who is :(

[bzoppa.livejournal.com]

Oh! Oh! And they're putting River Song in an episode about the weeping angels!! I'm distressed. Do not taint my favorite Doctor Who episode with anything resembling a ship of the doctor! *hate*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

LOL True

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heeeee. Most my rl friends are (luckily) Who fans :)

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I wrote about this one my own journal a few days ago. I'm just copying and pasting it here:


I watched episode 5.03 of Doctor Who today. I have to say that I'm not really feeling this series. It's like it's lost some of that magic. Or maybe it is Steve Moffat - he's great at the creepy episodes where the Doctor loses his companion and hooks-up with the "girl of the episode" (Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, Silence in the Library, Forest of the Dead) and he's great at quick and funny interactions between characters (The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances), but he seems to not be able to do just plain old 'monster of the week' type episodes. This makes me believe that he's also not great at planning them, either.


5.01, The Eleventh Hour was very jarring and just so out there and everywhere. 5.02, The Beast Below had more holes in it than Swiss Cheese. Now, we have 5.03 - Victory of the Daleks. Yup, they are back, again. Mark Gatiss wrote this episode, as well as The Unquiet Dead (1.03) and The Idiot's Lantern (2.07). Both were good episodes, though The Unquiet Dead was more solid. So, we know Gatiss isn't a horrible writer. In fact 5.03 had some really great one-liners and some nice interaction between the Doctor and Amy (it's cute that he calls her 'Pond' now and again.)



Honestly, I think this season was rushed. Therefore, it was poorly planned. I remember reading an article with Moffat that stated that the series had already finished filming; usually they still have four or more episodes to film when the series starts - I think. I just remember reading that they had been very rushed with this series.


At the end of the day - I just think the Eleventh Doctor doesn't have that magic that the others have had. Matt Smith is a fine actor. And yet, the Doctor comes across as someone unlikeable at times. Not that that's a bad thing, but it makes the Doctor seem less like himself. There are moments where I feel like I'm watching some new guy whose picked up the TARDIS.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

have to say that I'm not really feeling this series. It's like it's lost some of that magic. Or maybe it is Steve Moffat - he's great at the creepy episodes where the Doctor loses his companion and hooks-up with the "girl of the episode" (Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, Silence in the Library, Forest of the Dead) and he's great at quick and funny interactions between characters (The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances), but he seems to not be able to do just plain old 'monster of the week' type episodes. This makes me believe that he's also not great at planning them, either.


Word word word word.

And I am with you on not finding 11 likeable.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

And I am with you on not finding 11 likeable.

Yup. Nine was dark, but he was very likable. Ten was a bit depressed,but likable. They had fun and were wacky. 11 just comes across as an ass most of the time. Matt Smith is a good actor, but Eleven is being written as an ass that's not willing to give chances to people - he was going to dump Amy after one (possible) mistake. He just seems unnecessary pissed at people. And. . .not as fun as Nine or Ten.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I've only watched the first episode with the new doctor and I wasn't enthused as much as some people seem to feel to be - it's sort of like all the bits I didn't like about the RTD seasons in one go (and I liked most of those seasons). And I am even less enthused by the return of River Song, a character that irked me massively the first time round.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

River Song - ugh. Ugh. So dull.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Jumping in to say - River Song is a dull Mary-Sue. Whose betting the Doctor 'loses' Amy so he can spend the time with River? It happened with Donna. Oh, and he ignored Rose and Mickey to stalk Madam P. . .Moffat's got a thing for hooking the Doctor up with random women for an episode.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Moffat loves Mary Sues. I saw people rejoice because finally no shiping - are you kidding? He loooover Doctor/random girl of the week.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

He loves having the Doctor fall in love/have the possibility of falling in love with random lady after knowing her for ten hours or less. . .

[stardreemer.livejournal.com]

I've only seen the first episode, and I'm kind of...meh about it. I enjoyed it, but not as much as other seasons.

I'm kind of bummed that everything is new. New Doctor, New companion, new TARDIS, even new sonic screwdriver. Did they have to change everything?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am glad they changed stuff actually. Now I can completely disassociate it with RTD years which I loved

[ficchica.livejournal.com]

I grew up watching Who and RTD's soap opera tendencies got on my nerves. I really, really couldn't care less about the companions bloody family. Not interested. If I want to know about that kind of thing I'll watch East Enders.

I prefer Moffat's episodes to RTD's because Moffat is better at writing complete episodes, he's better at pacing and suspense. RTD had a habit of building something up and then falling flat. He also would bring characters back only to kill them off in the episode which always seemed a complete waste to me.

I'm not sure on Amy Pond though but she appears to have a very big part to play in the story arc of this series.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I like the personal stuff. I never was much of an adventure-of-the-week girl.

Moffat is good at plot, agreed, but IMO his character writing needs help.

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

Well, i can't stand Eleven as well, although, I will concede that (a) he isn't as bad as i first thought he would be and (b) i currently have my hate directed towards a certain Mr. Clegg at the moment (but that's a whole different matter)!

I have to say that the new Dr. Who is just so extremely kiddy, and like you, I feel that it's lost its emotional connection with its audience, but i guess that's what you get if you aim at the children audience.

Interestingly, the FIANCE said that he thinks this Doctor is going to be an 'evil' doctor, having assured me that there have been 'bad' doctors in the past and that Nine and Ten were anomalies really...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Who is Mr Clegg?

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

Britain is the midst of a national election at the moment, and Mr. Nick Clegg is the 'still-wet-behind-the-ears' leader of the Liberal Democrats.

[main-hoon-emily.livejournal.com]

I still haven't seen any of season 5, but I'm not sure I want to. David Tennant was the whole reason I started watching Doctor Who in the first place, and though I ended up loving both Nine and Ten, I can't really see Eleven growing on me. Because a huge part of my interest in the show was the Doctor/Rose relationship, and without that I don't think I can go in open-minded and say, "Well, I spent four seasons hoping for them to have a happy ending but maybe he can be happy with a new girl now?" Ugh. Just can't do it.

And Moffat's episodes, while entertaining sometimes -- Blink, at least, was a good one -- never did much for me. He always seemed to be about getting Rose out of the way somehow so the Doctor could make googoo eyes at some other girl.

And don't even get me started on River Song...ugh. Just ugh.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I loved Doctor/Rose and was happy with how it ended but I don't know - Eleven/Amy just bored me so far.

[iheartkleenex.livejournal.com]

Really this was the first one you liked so far? I LOVED the second one. I almost cried. And Mofatt is my favourite writer of the series. His episodes are always so dark and deep and emotional.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Second one had too many plotholes for me so when I was supposed to be moved I went "OK, all the other countries had tech but UK had to rely on a whale? Whaaaaaat?"