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xparrotY'know, I was telling myself I was going to stop posting about Doctor Who. But then the casting news for 4th season came in. My first thought was that the BBC was playing a practical joke; the second was W.T.F. But upon consideration, I'm kinda jazzed about it.
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gnine and I just rewatched "The Runaway Bride" a couple days ago, and the funny thing is, when it was over, we looked at each other and said, "Y'know, a companion like that would be really interesting." The special's a lot of fun. And while I wasn't actually expecting to get Catherine Tate herself, this is better than I was thinking, far from the last thing I wanted to see... Well, the last thing I wanted was Lana Lang as his companion. I don't think even RTD could save us from that. The Doctor would fall in love with her! and then we would have to spork out our eyeballs! For that matter I didn't want Sally Sparrow, either, because what I really wanted was something different. The show has done a great job with spunky, pretty young women crushing on the Doctor, but it's time to shake things up a bit. And this will be different.
It does depend on how it's played, whether this is a bit of stunt casting setting up TARDIS: The Sitcom (and I have more faith in RTD & co. than that), or more. Donna as the char was played in "The Runaway Bride" would get old really quick. But even in the course of that one hour she evolved a lot; if her char has evolved further, into a willing traveler on the TARDIS, she could be great fun. She already understands the Doctor - in some ways better even than Rose or Martha, who were both so amazed and awed by the Doctor that they wouldn't always notice his faults. Donna's in awe of him in a different way. "You scare me to death." But she still smacks him when he needs it - and he does need it! And she saw how he can't be alone, not just for his sake. "I think sometimes you need someone to stop you." Which he does. If you have worries about the char, watch that last scene of "Runaway Bride" - Catherine Tate can do drama. Comedians are often surprisingly talented in the other end of the emotional spectrum. And shifting nimbly between comedy and drama is one of RTD's strengths.
Not to mention, Tate and David Tennant have great (platonic, semi-antagonistic) chemistry. The Doctor gave it to her good and she gave it right back. They could be the sniping sort of friends who truly love one another, when pushed to the wall...which would be awesome. And hey, it's great to see someone being rude back to the Doctor (and maybe even a little ginger, too!)
How will she get on the TARDIS? The Doctor wouldn't be going back for her just for fun, he doesn't do that; so maybe she gets involved in trouble again - maybe deliberately, what has she been up to for the past year or two? And it'd be terribly funny if she were still interested in finding a good man, pursuing dating opportunities while being totally oblivious to the Doctor being - well, a male alien, anyway. It'd be great to have a companion as oblivious to the Doctor's charms as the Doctor is oblivious to his companions'! (as long as there's hugs. I can't see how there won't be, with Ten, but, yes, need my hugs...) And I'll be curious how Martha will play off her, too...
So, in the final analysis...is it 2008 yet? Darn it!
gnine and I just rewatched "The Runaway Bride" a couple days ago, and the funny thing is, when it was over, we looked at each other and said, "Y'know, a companion like that would be really interesting." The special's a lot of fun. And while I wasn't actually expecting to get Catherine Tate herself, this is better than I was thinking, far from the last thing I wanted to see... Well, the last thing I wanted was Lana Lang as his companion. I don't think even RTD could save us from that. The Doctor would fall in love with her! and then we would have to spork out our eyeballs! For that matter I didn't want Sally Sparrow, either, because what I really wanted was something different. The show has done a great job with spunky, pretty young women crushing on the Doctor, but it's time to shake things up a bit. And this will be different.It does depend on how it's played, whether this is a bit of stunt casting setting up TARDIS: The Sitcom (and I have more faith in RTD & co. than that), or more. Donna as the char was played in "The Runaway Bride" would get old really quick. But even in the course of that one hour she evolved a lot; if her char has evolved further, into a willing traveler on the TARDIS, she could be great fun. She already understands the Doctor - in some ways better even than Rose or Martha, who were both so amazed and awed by the Doctor that they wouldn't always notice his faults. Donna's in awe of him in a different way. "You scare me to death." But she still smacks him when he needs it - and he does need it! And she saw how he can't be alone, not just for his sake. "I think sometimes you need someone to stop you." Which he does. If you have worries about the char, watch that last scene of "Runaway Bride" - Catherine Tate can do drama. Comedians are often surprisingly talented in the other end of the emotional spectrum. And shifting nimbly between comedy and drama is one of RTD's strengths.
Not to mention, Tate and David Tennant have great (platonic, semi-antagonistic) chemistry. The Doctor gave it to her good and she gave it right back. They could be the sniping sort of friends who truly love one another, when pushed to the wall...which would be awesome. And hey, it's great to see someone being rude back to the Doctor (and maybe even a little ginger, too!)
How will she get on the TARDIS? The Doctor wouldn't be going back for her just for fun, he doesn't do that; so maybe she gets involved in trouble again - maybe deliberately, what has she been up to for the past year or two? And it'd be terribly funny if she were still interested in finding a good man, pursuing dating opportunities while being totally oblivious to the Doctor being - well, a male alien, anyway. It'd be great to have a companion as oblivious to the Doctor's charms as the Doctor is oblivious to his companions'! (as long as there's hugs. I can't see how there won't be, with Ten, but, yes, need my hugs...) And I'll be curious how Martha will play off her, too...
So, in the final analysis...is it 2008 yet? Darn it!
