new to who

[xparrot]

So we just finished season 2 of the new Doctor Who, and while I'm not quite as far gone as certain people (*coughnayecough*) I can totally see why those certain people are. Of course I'd heard of it before, but it's my first experience actually watching any of the series. My not-very-spoilerific reaction (probably spoilers in the comments, though please to not be spoiling me on season 3, which is busy downloading now):

--While I loved Christopher Eccleston's Doctor...Ten!!! David Tennant is the living embodiment of "adorkable." I...he...the cute...no words. *coos and gibbers*

--Doctor + Rose + Jack = OT FRELLING 3 BABY. Holy Moses. Could that be anymore canon? No? I didn't think so.

--I watched Torchwood when it was on (it actually does make quite a bit of sense all on its own) but Jack is better in Dr. Who (what is the appropriate abbreviation for that, anyway? Dr.W? Who? DW gives me Disney Afternoon flashbacks - in the best of ways, but still.) Everyone is better, really. Torchwood is a bit too real-people for me (in spite of the crack); I like my scifi heroes to be Heroic!

--Regarding the season 1 finale and Crack Pairings From Hell That No One Will Get But Me: Source!Lex/Space&Time!Rose. Oh yeah baby.

--Much as I joke about pairings, I completely adore the Doctor's sorta-platonic nature and what he and Rose have.

--Rose is on a one-woman quest to give a hug to everyone in the universe who needs one. I entirely approve. There needs to be more like her.

(--Speaking of hugs and crack crossovers, JD totally needs to become a Companion. He and Ten can trade hugs and hair styling tips and do a "Thank you, Doctor." "No, thank you, Doctor." "No, thank you, Doctor!" routine.)

--I rather loved the end of season 2, too. I mean, it had to happen, so that's about the way I wanted it to happen, since it had to. Still. *sniff*

--I'm sorry, but the Borg trump Cybermen any day of the century.

--So do Daleks, but that goes without saying.

--My biggest problem with the show is that I really don't think I'm supposed to be cheering wildly whenever the Daleks make their inevitable appearances. But! Cutest li'l genocidal coffeepots in the universe! Awww! I am so getting one of these. The only thing better would be if it squeaked you-know-what when you squeezed it.

--"Nice to meet you, Rose. Now run for your life!"

--"EX-TEEER-MI-NATE!"

--In conclusion, much much <3


Also I'm on book 4 of the Dresden Files and quite enjoying that as well. ^_^

Comments

[lazulisong.livejournal.com]

sad daleks are sad :(

I gotta finish watching Season One but it makes me sad because Meg loev Nine. :( I'm sure Meg will loev Ten, but MEG LOEV NINE :(

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ten is ADORKABLE. I adore him beyond all reason. More than Nine, to be honest...but yeah, hard not to love Nine!

[yma2.livejournal.com]

Dr Who is, indeed, VERY awsome. And I can tell you this too... IMO...

Season 1: For Teh Win!
Season 2: Meh... not bad.
Season 3: OMG THIS IS SO AWSOME!!!

I can't wait to see your reaction to it, I must admit.

Which reminds me. I've always wanted to ask you this but... I hear that Dr Who is being (or has been) shown in Japan, right. And I can't help but wonder... how do they translate 'The Doctor'? Do they translate it at all? I know it's a dumb assed, fan-girl, wierd question but for some reason it's hoenstly been consuming my mind. So yeah, if you know could you tell me?

But at any rate; if you can do try and see the rest of series 3. I think I can even give you links to some download site... things. It's REALLY good thus far. The last three eps can easily be considered some of the best yet of all the seasons!

[naye]

Okay, I'm not xparrot, but I'm the one obsessively fanning on the show, and she's watching it in English, so I hope you don't mind my poking into the discussion!

In Japan, the show is known as ドクター・フー, "dokutaa fuu" (no "w" sound in Japanese, no), and according to the Japanese Wikipedia, he's called "Dokutaa". So not translated, but the Japanese incorporate a lot of English words into their own language, enough that most people would instantly understand "Doctor". (Much more than we'd understand "issha", anyway!) As far as I can tell, nothing gets translated - Time Lords are "taimu roodo", and the TARDIS is called "taadisu". Huh. Now I'm kind of curious to check it out in Japanese, just to see what they do with all the nuances of both Japanese and English...! (Yes, I am a weird fangirl geek. ^^)

And I agree on this season - they've done some absolutely awesome eps this time around! And this from a show that usually surpasses my expectations. ♥

[yma2.livejournal.com]

Wow, thanks so much! I had wondered about that. The TARDIS doesn't suprise me, but Doctor and Time Lords does a little, though not overly. I thought it might be the case but, you know, it's just an interesting question when it comes to translation.
I would be interested on hearing how different the show is in Japaneese, and how it's recieved generally. Being a bit of an anime fan I'd like to hear it from the other side.
Mmm... gonna go check out your LJ now.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I'm getting season 3 now, will be starting it tonight. The only reason we stopped for time to write this post was because it was bedtime! I'm looking forward to it (and Jack is back! yays!)

[yma2.livejournal.com]

Not for another three or four days he isn't...
Oh Satderday... you cannot come soon enough... :(

[nekokoban]

♥♥♥♥

I ... am sometimes afraid to admit it in my house, but I think I like Ten a bit better than Nine -- it's something about the much more obvious manic energy, I think, and the fact that visually (and on a purely shallow level), he's a lot more type. XD

BUT♥♥♥

I'mma cry when we run out of episodes. (We're on the season two finale! Aieeeeeeeeeee--)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

No fears of admitting it here! ^_^ I loved Nine, but not quite as much as I do Ten. Nine might be the better actor but Ten is just...the squee! the squee! And also the cute, because yah, shallow...

Yeah, the wait for new eps is gonna be loooooong >.< (yay s2 finale! <333)

[nekokoban]

We watched the season 2 finale last night! I ALMOST CRIED. (I never cry at TV shows. o_o)

And sooooooooooooooooo uh. You said you were downloading s3? Could you, uh, gimme pointers where because I'mma be wanting to see sooner than later? :3

The squee ate my HTML

[naye]

Reposting!

YES! ♥ I got a Doctor Who post!! *happy happy*

Both Doctors have such brilliant first lines. ♥ The "Run", and of course "New teeth. That's weird." God, I LOVE David Tennant, and I love his Doctor. I mean, you know how much I loved Chris Eccleston, and he was fantastic, no doubt about it, but Ten just makes me dissolve into happy fangirl glee at the absolute cute and amazing dorkability of him. The suit! The shoes! The coat! The glasses! Waah! Too much of the adorable, fanning levels reaching maximum...! *coos and gibbers right along with you* (And have you heard the accent yet? I mean, other than in the episode with Queen Victoria in Scotland, where he actually got to use it for a little bit. But - accent just makes him better.)

And you! You are so cute, with your finding the Daleks cute! Your obsession with them is the funniest thing ever. *hugs*

You already know my view on the OT3. So very much canon; the only way to get it more canon would have been if they happened in Torchwood, where people get explicit. And, yes, Jack is better in Doctor Who. ♥ Jack is happier in Doctor Who, for one! So not so much of an asshole.

Correct abbreviation? I keep seeing DW, actually. Or "Who", when talking about the fandom. But just throwing Who into a general discussion can be confusing...

I'm convinced that the Doctor and Rose are very much in love, but being the huge gen fan I am, it just makes it better that they're not acting it out. It's there, it's there in everything they say and do ("if I believe in anything, I believe in her"), and it might have gone somewhere, after he in particular got used to the idea, but... No, what happened was inevitable. And absolutely heartbreaking, but inevitable. And I love the writing for that last episode, and the acting, and all of it (save for the absolutely unique and special "Norwegian" - I'll go with the "alternative dimension Norwegian" theory, or my head will explode)... Just. Wow. Ow. Very few shows manage that level of emotional connection and depth and just - love what they did. I hated it when it happened, because it made me cry, and I hate crying, but now I can't think of any other way it could have gone, and that it was handled so very well is something I will be eternally grateful about.

Hugs! Holding hands! JD would love it, absolutely.

So, so glad you're all hearts for this show, even if it's not tripping the fanning switch. It deserves to be loved. *snuggles*

Re: The squee ate my HTML

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ten is pure <333. His coat! And the trainers! Yesss!! <333 (the accent? so he's not using his real accent? he doesn't sound Scottish to me but I know the actor is, what is his real accent? is it really more like the one he uses in Scotland with the Queen??)

DALEKS! I...I have no idea! Just! "EXTEEEERMINATE!" How can you not find that adorable? Also they trade snark with the Cybermen. That was all kinds of beyond awesome. AND they make the Doctor all angsty and scary! Absolutely the best of all worlds! There is nothing not to love about Daleks! Well, other than the whole trying to wipe out all life in the universe. But really, now, can you hold that against them?

I thought that the Doctor and Rose love each other, and Rose was in love, and I think the Doctor was too in his way, but I really rather like thinking of the Doctor as pretty much asexual. He wants and needs love, affection, physical contact; but sex isn't in the picture for him. I think he might get more attached to women because they fall in love with him, and he craves that closeness, but it's not exactly that he's attracted to them? And Rose got that, she was okay with it, because she loves him that much...

Or something like that...I feel hopeless inadequate trying to analyze a char with, what, 30 years of history I know almost nothing of? But hey, asexual chars don't exist on TV, I'd love to have at least one...

And their goodbye! Awww! So touching. It was what I wanted, for Rose to be in the alternate world, because it will be so good for her, a world that needs rebuilding, a life that's important and meaningful, and she has her family, too, and Mickey (I couldn't help it, I liked her and Mickey, even if he is an idiot. So is she sometimes, so it works out. And he is so hopelessly in love, awww...) But oh! The Doctor, so totally alone again, no one left to even remind him of Rose...

Anyway, yup, I can see why you're head over heels. Really I think the only reason it didn't trip the fanning switch is because it's still set on "Lex" and you know how hard it can be to move it...otherwise I'd probably be with you all the way. As it is I'm enjoying the fringes! (off to check out those links! <3)

Re: The squee ate my HTML

[ro-anshi.livejournal.com]

30 years of history

Try something like going-on-44. :D (IIRC, the show debuted in November 1963.)

Guess who exceeded the character limit!

[naye]

David Tennant is Scottish, from the Western area of the country - Glasgow, kind of. And since I grew up with older friends from both Glasgow and Edinburgh that I loved and looked up to, Scottish accents makes me happy. It is the accent he uses in Scotland with the Queen, yes! I had no idea it was his real accent when I watched that, though...

(And John Barrowman is also from Glasgow, originally, and bi-dialectal, so he can go into this really thick Glasgow accent which is incredibly fun to hear.)

Anyway, I love Ten with all my heart. He's brilliant. He's just a good an actor as Eccleston - only different. I've started watching the two series he did right before Doctor Who (in one of them he has blue contacts - very distracting), and - yeah. The man can act!

The Daleks bringing the angst DID make me love them! Though not... not in a "cute and squishy" kind of love, but more in a "oh, holy shit, that little thing just killed every single living thing in its path, and there's not even a scratch on it!!". I can see why they made such an impression on people! Even though they look kind of silly. ♥

I could see the Doctor as asexual in canon, as long as I get to read OT3 fic with him and Rose and Jack! (Also - he's telepathic, so there are interesting speculations to how possible it is for him to be physically intimate with someone without having that mental connection...) Wouldn't really explain the flirting and the kissing, unless that's just the way he reacted to what the people around him were doing and saying, but - no, asexual works. Or at least "alien".

That's the thing. He looks human, but he's not. Human labels don't really apply, no matter how much we try. And I think Rose understood that. I don't think she asked more of him than she did, because - well, for one she knew how damaged he was. But she also understood that he wasn't what he appeared to be, and was happy to just love him and be with him, and have him reciprocate in his own way. Hugs and smiles and holding hands and wanting her beside him. I can't see canon as more than that, at the same time as I have no problem at all reading fic that goes quite a bit further. ^_^

As long as you don't try to deny that the Doctor did love her, and that she was incredibly important to him. Not that he loved her exclusively, but she met him at a time in his life when he was so wounded and lonely, and she made all that better. With his regeneration into Ten, he put some of his past behind him. The worst of the survivor's guilt and trauma, the immediacy of what had happened - because she was there, he got through it. She saved him. And loved him. And he loved her.

(Rose-bashing makes me sad, because I think Rose is made of awesome because she was so normal, and then did everything she did. There are no words for how much I love those times when he tries to get her to safety, and she returns, because she wants him safe. And I love the Satan Pit, where you'd expect the choice to be all his, with her as a victim waiting to be either saved or doomed because of his actions - but he knows her well enough to believe in her, and she is given agency, and TAKE THAT, stupid "damsel in distress" cliché. Take that. Rose saves the Doctor. Rose saves the world. And she's just a girl. That is why she is so fantastic.)

Re: The squee ate my HTML

[yma2.livejournal.com]

You know I'm not sure about the 'asexual' thing. At least not in the literal sense. It's pretty much hinted in 'The Doctor Dances' that he has had some... ah... experience in these matters. And the way he reacts in a few places shows he's not entirely oblivious.

That said I DO think that he's not particually... sexually interested, shall we say. And that kind of makes sense. I mean, the average Human, with excellent medical care, can live up to about 100. The Doctor is already 900 and he's lived a very fast and furious life. So I think it's safe to say that the average Time Lord, with good medical care, careful living, ect, can live a LONG, LONG time. Which probably means that their sex drive, (whether cultural or biologically induced) is probably very low.

Basically, I think that the metaphore of 'dancing,' actually works really well for a Time Lord sex drives.

It's like dancing for humans. I like dancing. Dancing is fun, especially with the right partner to the right music, dancing can be great. But I don't walk about every day thinking, 'I wanna dance,' or look see a cute boy/girl and think, 'oooh, wouldn't mind dancing with him/her.' I might think 'I wanna kiss him/her' or 'I wanna talk with him/her' or even, 'Oooh, I wanna have sex with him/her.' but not dancing. Wouldn't immediately figure in to it.

So the Doctor probably does DO sex, he almost certainly has, of his 'I was a dad once,' can be believed, or if old cannon is being followed at all. But I just don't think it's one of his major motivations on any level. Emotional and intelectual connection is, I think, for him far more important. Beautiful girls/boys/creatures are probably ten a penny in space and time. But true companions? People he can connect with? Far rarer and more precious. So yeah, for me not so much asexual but just with a very LOW sexual interest.

Oh golly

[ro-anshi.livejournal.com]

Dear heart, this post makes me feel SO OLD. You would not/could not know that one of my very first VERY intense full-body-contact/involvement fandoms was Doctor Who... back in 1978. Tom Baker - the Fourth Doctor - is and will always be "my" Doctor... and my Companion of the Heart will always and ever be Sarah Jane Smith. Even having said that, I've avoided watching "School Reunion" because I don't want the tears.

(Side note: I helped put on a Who-con back in 1980, and Elisabeth Sladen was a guest, and I got to MEET HER and TALK WITH HER and OMG SHE EVEN ATTENDED A POST-CON WRAPUP MEETING AT MY APARTMENT SQUEE! Can you tell how much I love her?)

And I just crack up but in a GOOD way when I hear new Whovians talk about "first/second/third" seasons etc., because to us old-schoolers, "first" etc. seasons mean, "Oh, William Hartnell?" :D

Damn, I need to drag out my old Who-fic, which included my first fan novella ever - and first zine too - "Death Trap." Man, it sucked.

Re: Oh golly

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ahh, Sarah Jane Smith was Tom Baker's Doctor's Companion? I see! (I've been avoiding reading too much of the show's past until I'm caught up with the present and can't be spoiled...)

But hee! I know Dr. Who was a lot of fens' first! I've been curious about it for a while, but the sheer size of the fandom and series terrified me. The new series is more compact and thus more accessible, and I'm very glad after all this time to finally know what people are talking about! Even if I imagine a lot of old-school-Whovians (Whovians? ^__^) are less than pleased with the current incarnation (I haven't really checked this out, but knowing fans...yeah, I bet there has to be some friction!)

I rather love that David Tennant was a major Who fan. I think it must account for at least some of his utter irrepressible and obvious joy at being the Doctor!

Re: Oh golly

[ro-anshi.livejournal.com]

Ahh, Sarah Jane Smith was Tom Baker's Doctor's Companion

Yes ma'am. And many theorized back then that SJS <3 her Doctor....

If you were in the US right now, I'd say go rent "Pyramids of Mars" from Netflix, and see an enjoyable, VERY h/c-ish episode of vintage Who (canon torture FTW!) with the Doctor and Sarah. SJS has never looked more beautiful in her Edwardian gown; and the Doctor had his Big Hair thing going on then, which we loved in the 70s, not so much now.

I just can't get involved in present-day Who-dom. Not even tempted. It's not so much that I'm old-school and don't want to get involved in it now; it's just a closed chapter of my life, and the memories are PERFECT as they are. Did that make any sense?

Doctor Who! Doctor Who! Doctor Who!...

[greenlady2.livejournal.com]

... Um, I love Doctor Who.

I think the abbreviation is just DW.

I love both the new Doctors, and David Tennant does not disappoint after Chris Eccleston. He's perfect. I just wish CE had stayed at least one more year. I understand it's his life, and I don't hate him for leaving, but it was so hard to say goodbye. Loved his Doctor.

The Daleks! Perfect villains. Way better than Cybermen, of course. The Daleks are Evil. The Cybermen just tools. The Daleks want to EXTERMINATE every other life form in the universe. The Cybermen just want all other life forms to conform. That's all. You surrender, they might let you live, even if they do sentence you to a life in a metal suit. The Daleks take no prisoners. And they psych you out. They're worthy adversaries for The Doctor, which is why he hates them so much. And they hate him back. The Oncoming Storm!

I cried so hard at the end of Season One, and Season Two. The Doctor and Rose. Loved that. Loved it when it was The Doctor and Rose and Jack, even more. They were great together. But yeah, The Doctor has this Platonic nature about him. His loves don't feel truly sexual. It's just him, I believe, because the other Time Lords weren't asexual at all. Not The Rani, not The Master.

Space and Time!Rose. So Fantastic. I can watch that over and over. :-)))

Re: Doctor Who! Doctor Who! Doctor Who!...

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

CE's Doctor was so incredibly intense, you can't help but understand how he burnt out so quickly. (the char, I mean, I know the actor had his own reasons for wanting to leave.) David Tennant is just so much fun, though! You can just see how much he loves playing his part...

The Daleks are awesome in part because of their effect on the Doctor, how dark and scary he becomes around them. And the way they're afraid of him as they are of nothing else in the universe - eeee! bad-ass! I admit I love them half because I just love their voices. The "exteeerminate" cracks me up, I can't stop saying it! XD

The Doctor really seems asexual to me, which I enjoy because it's something you never see on TV. He loves as deeply as anyone (more, really) and he needs physical affection, but not in a sexual way...(which may be how the OT3 could work, since both Rose and Jack do have those desires (Jack x 1,000. Possibly a million. Or 6 billion. Er, how many sentient lifeforms are there in the galaxy? ^^)

Re: Doctor Who! Doctor Who! Doctor Who!...

[greenlady2.livejournal.com]

"CE's Doctor was so incredibly intense, you can't help but understand how he burnt out so quickly."

Yes, especially since he's the first Doctor after all the other Gallifreyans die. He was actually there when they died. Ten has the memories, but he's different enough, I think, that he can step back and not feel so much pain as did Nine.

Ack! The Doctor is so complex. It's hard to talk about him rationally.

And yes, David Tennant obviously just loves playing The Doctor, and is ready to play him to the hilt. All the actors who played him loved the role. How could they not? I think Chris Eccleston loved the character too, but just wasn't ready to commit to more than a year on the show. I don't think anyone expected DW to be so popular. After all, the show has been around for donkey's years.

Exteeeerminate! :-))))

[littlehollyleaf.livejournal.com]

I am an old!school DW fan, and I love Ten, he is brilliant :D But I'm sorry to sad I don't share your opinions of Rose... I've had a love/hate relationship with her for a long time, but these days it tends more towards the 'hate.' I just don't think she's mature enough for the Doc to care about her in anyway that might possibly border on romantic and there have been many old!school companions who were so much cooler, and no so much of a whimp to cry when they first enter the TARDIS. Pfft.

I'll end the rant there before I start making things explode. Glad you're watching the show though.

Although, Source!Lex/Space&Time!Rose WTF? This was the only time I really liked Rose (although I like to consider her as being possessed by the TARDIS at that point, so it's really the TARDIS talking :p), so I'm intrigued. I of course haven't the foggiest what/who Source!Lex is, but he sounds fancinating!

And you can always cheer for Daleks :p But hush about the Cybermen, because they are brilliant! <3 Cybermen.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee! I had the impression that Ten was in feeling more like previous Doctors than Nine? At any rate, yep, I adore him! As for Rose, I could see how there might be differing opinions about her. I like her because she is so young and rather immature and not anything special, and yet she dives right in anyway and does her best and isn't afraid to feel even when it hurts and, well, she tries! And I don't think that her maturity could have much impact on the Doctor; at his age how can any human be mature? ^^ Though I didn't really see their bond as romantic, at least on the Doctor's side...I rather like to see him as asexual...

(though as a new fan with no decent grasp of the past, I feel wholly inadequate really analyzing any part of the show or chars, so feel free to discount anything and everything I ramble about! XD)

Source!Lex is from the end of Justice League Unlimited - Lex Luthor enters "The Source" which seems to be some version of the space-time continuum made manifest, gains the "anti-life equation" (key to creating/destroying the universe) and uses it to save Earth, seemingly sacrificing himself, but a few of us have a theory that he ascends to godhood, or at least Q-hood...anyway, very similiar situation, he and Space&Time!Rose would have a lot to talk about!

As for Cybermen, I only have one thing to say to you: EXTEEERMINATE! XDDD

Doctor Who Fandom: Even our Cannon isn't Cannon.

[yma2.livejournal.com]

Dr Who fandom is a bit scary but, to be honest, so long as you write some half way decent stuff (which you do) and perhaps add a bit of a disclaimer saying something along the lines of, 'only really familiar with teh recent series,) then I doubt most reasonable people will mind. I tend to view the two as somewhat seperate, if linked, entities. And yeah, you may catch the bile of a few really HARD CORE fans, but I wouldn't worry about that.

Not that I'm saying you should write Who fic or get into teh fandom but... damnit, I love your stuff, I love Dr Who, let's just say I could think of far, far, FAR worse things.
:D

Re: Doctor Who Fandom: Even our Cannon isn't Cannon.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

...iffen I wrote DW fic, I am terrible afraid that it would either be wacky OT3 stuff, or else even wackier x-overs (it's so very easy to x-over! And Clark and the Doctor would get along so well, last of their species heroes and all...ahem. Not that I'm thinking about Who-Clex crossovers or anything. Really!)