The Middleman - 111 - The Clotharian Contamination Protocol

[retro_eidas]

Of course one might wonder why I pulled out the Brig icon for an MM post. Because there were enough Who refs in tonight's ep to choke the Loch Ness Monster which was actually a Zygon flunky... the Zygons that were totally ref'd in this ep, yes they were. The icon was another and I admit I squealed there, loudly. Also at least two refs to Second Doctor era (Heriot and McCrimmon, four if we count Benton and Lethbridge-Stewart). And then there was Peri... but I think I'll ignore that bit. I even kind of want to categorize MM and Dubbie's relationship as classic Doctor/Companion and I wouldn't be shocked, considering all these refs, that could be intentional on Javi's part. Mentor and apprentice. It's captured the romance of adventuring and do-gooding that I feel even the new Who series misses the mark on once too often. Also not unlike many of my favorite Doc/Companion pairings, I ship them a little, even though I know full well I probably shouldn't. Matt Keeslar and Natalie Morales are far too attractive and chemistry-addled for their platonic, strictly mentor/apprentice characters' well-being.

I loved this one a lot, despite the fact the inevitable imperfection which totally will put a damper on Wendy/Tyler's perfect relationship has potentially reared it's head. When has Mark Sheppard ever not played someone duplicitous and/or evil? Romo Lampkin counts in the non-evil category I suppose, but he was rather on the mentally unhinged side of things. Not to mention Manservant Neville is right up there with the classic Bond villain camp names.

Entirely random, but I wonder if Matt Keeslar has auditioned for Captain America? If not, he totally should. The character is like an ultracamp version of Cap. Despite this interloping on "The Middleman" filming schedule since any show that name-drops Classic Who this profusely and unashamedly despite merely a handful of Americans getting such refs must be on forever and ever. He'd be the perfect Cap though. He'd nail the golly gee whiz side of Cap (unless the movie went for major emo as the superheroes of late tend to), but he can obviously do the serious as well. I'll admit to heartstrings being tugged with his mantears listening to Dubbie's goodbye. Of course, I could be just saying all this because the idea of Matt Keeslar and Robert Downey, Jr. potentially sharing screen space does make me a little light-headed and giddy.

Comments

[biichan.livejournal.com]

Not to mention the alien dude, who was dressed in Time Lord couture.

in the words of the president of the high council of Gallifrey

[eido.livejournal.com]

...Yippie-kay-yay, [bleep]! I was pondering whether that wedge-ish high hat was a shout-out to those everso high Time Lord wedge collars.

I'm also willing to take the fact humans aren't allowed in Gallifrey O2STK as another Who ref, since I'm just about that batshit.

[amaresu]

I know I missed more references then I got. I almost didn't believe they were making that many Who references until it got to Peri Perpigillium and there was no way it could be anything else.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I straight up LOL'd at the Perpigillium ref. No, you can't really mistake it, a name like that and all. Javi is Whovian hardcore. I also noticed they were all classic refs, the ones I caught anyway. Not a single "Allons-y!!" or "Fantastic!" to be had. Classic ftw!! <3 And two of them (four if you count the UNIT boys) were Troughton era. Between that and the Willow shout-out? I was just about dying of all the pop culty goodness yesterday and the ep turned out to be excellent all by itself. I also don't get why Matt Keeslar isn't crazy famous. Hot and can act.