![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
retro_eidasFirst of all, having just watched the ep, I really loved it. I've also never hated the words "To be continued" more in my life. Damn.
I love that irony in this ep. On one side The Doctor and Rose are all laughing in the face of danger, huggy and (helmet) kissy. There's love there. Yet on the other, it's still never going to be domestic. Not really. Dubious on this writer's part in particular with Rose bringing up and apparently wanting to some degree (the implications behind) a mortgage ... while they're trapped in hell surrounded by folks taking congress with The Beast (tm Wash and since this ep seems to have absconded with "Firefly's" music) and a black hole hovering over them. Topped off with his reaction? It's kind of funny, but yet it's also tragic. I mean, it's the whole "humans wither and die" thing, but it's also The Doctor just wouldn't want to live a life without the TARDIS (the closest thing he has to a constant in his life). Otherwise it's just trapped with a black hole hovering over your head and satan's pit at your feet. Even if that life is with Rose. Like he'll hug her at the mouth of hell, but don't expect him to stay there, not even for her.
Which seems to be something of the difference between Nine and Ten. Nine flat out said he "[didn't] do domestic", yet also practically laments "I've traveled to all sorts of places. Done things you couldn't even imagine, but... you two... street corner. Two in the morning. Getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that." However, Ten will sit there and have Christmas dinner with your family, hug your mum and be much nicer to your not!boyfriend... but bring up "mortgage" and he almost visibly turns green. Not that I think Nine could live without the TARDIS anymore than Ten (or any of the Doctor's incarnations) could, but Nine was so dependent on Rose bringing him out of his depression post-Time War/extinction of his race... for her, he might have almost been a more accepting - maybe even welcoming - of the "get a taxi home" life than I'd guess Ten seems to be. Chips over the end of the world (being "last of the Time Lords"). Ten doesn't wallow like Nine did, so what happens to the chips over the end of the world? What is Rose's role in his life? Because it's certainly not going to be about a "mortgage". Not that it ever really was going to be, but sad that Rose seems to still be at least toying with that dream to some extent. God. Thoughts like that are only going to bring on the hurt.
Of course (and this is where I get a little speccy), as folks have been pondering and I tend to agree... seems Rose and the Doctor are still heading for a hard fall before season's end. I'm also still thinking Rose's fall will probably be in [great?] part bluntly facing her lack of permanence in The Doctor's too, too long life. More blunt than it's been as yet anyway (and that's kind of scary, just how blunt could the writers be? Methinks they could be pretty blunt, despite the show being family viewing). Which could lead to The Doctor's fall... if Rose were pushed to the point of deciding she wants to rectify that 'lack of permanence' and The Doctor is left with the ramifications of what Rose is/was willing to do.
Now for the ep itself... it was, pardon the phrase, fucking brilliant. We're not even at the finale yet, unless part 2 dulls down a bit and I'm hoping not. I am curious to see how they're going to (have to) top themselves, if they can.
Hell. That seems to be a running theme this season or perhaps hell unleashed on hapless Earth/lings. The pestilence of New Earth (I'd also been wondering if the catnuns were possibly a reference to Aker, lion-headed gatekeeper of the Egyptian Underworld). The werewolf god in Tooth & Claw. The demon-like Krillatane of School Reunion (that also strongly reminded me of the Overlords in Clarke's Childhood's End). The girl in the fiery place. The Cybermen as the atypical robot apocalypse, or perhaps (one example anyway) The Committee and The Machine. The constantly hungry ghost in the machine of Idiot's Lantern. Of course, "Hell" in The Impossible Planet. The constant god references throughout the season so far? Namely regarding The Doctor, as it would seem (and slightly Rose in T&C c/o wolfalien). Are we heading for yet another Götterdämmerung this season? Frankly, I don't know how it's going to be avoided.
We have yet another ep where the machine runs amok. The Impossible Planet's answer to Alien's "Mother", even with the ducimal, clinical feminine voice. Since all these far-distant future ship computers have to have that clinical feminine voice. Nice parallel to Satan's baritone of evil. Also, the Ood, living beings that were practically machines who couldn't seem to think for themselves. Although - me and my sick obsession with Bad Wolf that just. won't. die. - I did find it interesting that Rose has has been described as "burned like the sun" (T&C). Granted, the sun pops in again and again at random in Who and it doesn't necessarily mean it's all connected (suns are generally kind of important to sustain life in the universe and all), but in this ep they encounter what's described as a "Black Sun". Something that only sucks things into a ginormous void. For all the Bad Wolf apparently "brings life" (unless you're a Dalek armada), while the "Black Sun"... doesn't. I realize this season it seems to be much more about the Doctor and this godliness or this god image pushed on him (which he seems bordering on acceptant of)... as it should be about The Doctor since the show is called "Doctor Who" (not "Rose and her misadventures with the dishy bloke in the pin-stripped suit"). But.... I just can't shake the Bad Wolf thing. Some things in the ep in regards to the potential parallel between Rose and the Black Sun particularly did disturb me (barring my general mopeyness and emo shipperness above which y'all are welcome to ignore). And I'll use bullets... since I never get to use them:
Perhaps it was just the writers means of conveying exposition (Toby and Danny were also on the receiving end of some nasty messages. Danny to a much lesser extent obviously). Conveying it specifically through Rose also gives it a more human, immediately terrifying spin. Rose's reaction is bound to be immediately terrifying (also inclined more to what the audience might experience in a similar situation thus bringing us mere mortals into the story). The Doctor used in a similar device probably wouldn't be as effective considering The Doc probably isn't going to react like the rest of us sorry slobs (a la Rose). However.... those aforementioned items above seemed to be formulaic in a way I can't seem to ignore. Rose as The Beast? The vessal of the Beast (Ood) / vessal for the Time Vortex? Rose/Bad Wolf as the anti-Beast? The TARDIS(Bad Wolf?) as the anti-Beast (where did the poor thing go anyway)?
Also... what's with the TARDIS disappearing acts? Happened in ROTC, now it's happened again. To show the emotional impact on The Doctor just how homeless he would be without the TARDIS? His one last connection to Gallifrey.
I also doubt I was the only one wondering if a black hole is all that's left of what Gallifrey used to be. Now isn't that a miserable thought of what exactly The Doctor (believed) he'd done to save the universe / kill all Daleks. It would also make sense in a way (if the Daleks fell into a black hole - the doorway Rose was describing at the cafeteria table - and were merely transported elsewhere that would explain their survival). Of course if that were the case, you'd think that actually *would* drive The Doctor insane (looking at something similar to what Gallifrey theoretically looks like now)... then again, he's The Doctor and he also faced an entire fleet of those that waged the last Time War on his planet (until Bad Wolf obliterated them all... and I won't start talking about Bad Wolf again. I WON'T!). Despite it, he's still (relatively) sane from what I can tell.
Heh. "She was only 20 years old." And I could almost here Nine's voice echoing in my head, "She was 19 years old. She was only here because of me." Probably echoing in Ten's head too.
Everyone has been mentioning the ep's likeness to HP Lovecraft and Alien/Aliens and I'd have to agree. Kind of hard not to notice that. Although I was also getting an Event Horizon and Solaris vibe to the overall plot. Especially after Possessed!Toby's line to Commander Jefferson about his wife. The idea of the unknown / incomprehensible entity getting in your head and mucking around your (worst) memories and fears (anti-TARDIS?). In the case of Solaris - despite the troubling trip down memory lane - the entity/ocean wasn't necessarily malevolent, that's just how it communicated. I have my doubts there's a lost in translation scenario working in TIP/SP (despite the amusingly faulty Ood translation bobbles). It probably is more akin to the Event Horizon way of things... and yay for them! [/sarcasm] Hopefully they won't all go batshit insane and (figuratively, British tea time after all) blood-soaked by the end of it.
Also, how much did I love Commander Jefferson and the actor playing him? That line from the Lord Macauley poem may have come off anvilicious, but he delivered it beautifully. A small eulogy for the fallen comrade in a time of war (and at war with something far beyond them. Even The Doctor didn't understand the writing). Too bad he's probably going to die and horribly.
Since I suck at ending these meta-ish ramblings, I'll end with that snippit of that poem Jefferson was reciting since it is so forlorn and awesome.
I love that irony in this ep. On one side The Doctor and Rose are all laughing in the face of danger, huggy and (helmet) kissy. There's love there. Yet on the other, it's still never going to be domestic. Not really. Dubious on this writer's part in particular with Rose bringing up and apparently wanting to some degree (the implications behind) a mortgage ... while they're trapped in hell surrounded by folks taking congress with The Beast (tm Wash and since this ep seems to have absconded with "Firefly's" music) and a black hole hovering over them. Topped off with his reaction? It's kind of funny, but yet it's also tragic. I mean, it's the whole "humans wither and die" thing, but it's also The Doctor just wouldn't want to live a life without the TARDIS (the closest thing he has to a constant in his life). Otherwise it's just trapped with a black hole hovering over your head and satan's pit at your feet. Even if that life is with Rose. Like he'll hug her at the mouth of hell, but don't expect him to stay there, not even for her.
Which seems to be something of the difference between Nine and Ten. Nine flat out said he "[didn't] do domestic", yet also practically laments "I've traveled to all sorts of places. Done things you couldn't even imagine, but... you two... street corner. Two in the morning. Getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that." However, Ten will sit there and have Christmas dinner with your family, hug your mum and be much nicer to your not!boyfriend... but bring up "mortgage" and he almost visibly turns green. Not that I think Nine could live without the TARDIS anymore than Ten (or any of the Doctor's incarnations) could, but Nine was so dependent on Rose bringing him out of his depression post-Time War/extinction of his race... for her, he might have almost been a more accepting - maybe even welcoming - of the "get a taxi home" life than I'd guess Ten seems to be. Chips over the end of the world (being "last of the Time Lords"). Ten doesn't wallow like Nine did, so what happens to the chips over the end of the world? What is Rose's role in his life? Because it's certainly not going to be about a "mortgage". Not that it ever really was going to be, but sad that Rose seems to still be at least toying with that dream to some extent. God. Thoughts like that are only going to bring on the hurt.
Of course (and this is where I get a little speccy), as folks have been pondering and I tend to agree... seems Rose and the Doctor are still heading for a hard fall before season's end. I'm also still thinking Rose's fall will probably be in [great?] part bluntly facing her lack of permanence in The Doctor's too, too long life. More blunt than it's been as yet anyway (and that's kind of scary, just how blunt could the writers be? Methinks they could be pretty blunt, despite the show being family viewing). Which could lead to The Doctor's fall... if Rose were pushed to the point of deciding she wants to rectify that 'lack of permanence' and The Doctor is left with the ramifications of what Rose is/was willing to do.
Now for the ep itself... it was, pardon the phrase, fucking brilliant. We're not even at the finale yet, unless part 2 dulls down a bit and I'm hoping not. I am curious to see how they're going to (have to) top themselves, if they can.
Hell. That seems to be a running theme this season or perhaps hell unleashed on hapless Earth/lings. The pestilence of New Earth (I'd also been wondering if the catnuns were possibly a reference to Aker, lion-headed gatekeeper of the Egyptian Underworld). The werewolf god in Tooth & Claw. The demon-like Krillatane of School Reunion (that also strongly reminded me of the Overlords in Clarke's Childhood's End). The girl in the fiery place. The Cybermen as the atypical robot apocalypse, or perhaps (one example anyway) The Committee and The Machine. The constantly hungry ghost in the machine of Idiot's Lantern. Of course, "Hell" in The Impossible Planet. The constant god references throughout the season so far? Namely regarding The Doctor, as it would seem (and slightly Rose in T&C c/o wolfalien). Are we heading for yet another Götterdämmerung this season? Frankly, I don't know how it's going to be avoided.
We have yet another ep where the machine runs amok. The Impossible Planet's answer to Alien's "Mother", even with the ducimal, clinical feminine voice. Since all these far-distant future ship computers have to have that clinical feminine voice. Nice parallel to Satan's baritone of evil. Also, the Ood, living beings that were practically machines who couldn't seem to think for themselves. Although - me and my sick obsession with Bad Wolf that just. won't. die. - I did find it interesting that Rose has has been described as "burned like the sun" (T&C). Granted, the sun pops in again and again at random in Who and it doesn't necessarily mean it's all connected (suns are generally kind of important to sustain life in the universe and all), but in this ep they encounter what's described as a "Black Sun". Something that only sucks things into a ginormous void. For all the Bad Wolf apparently "brings life" (unless you're a Dalek armada), while the "Black Sun"... doesn't. I realize this season it seems to be much more about the Doctor and this godliness or this god image pushed on him (which he seems bordering on acceptant of)... as it should be about The Doctor since the show is called "Doctor Who" (not "Rose and her misadventures with the dishy bloke in the pin-stripped suit"). But.... I just can't shake the Bad Wolf thing. Some things in the ep in regards to the potential parallel between Rose and the Black Sun particularly did disturb me (barring my general mopeyness and emo shipperness above which y'all are welcome to ignore). And I'll use bullets... since I never get to use them:
- Rose's "Not unless I see you first" while The Doctor is readying to descend into this pit of hell. That came off just a tad menacing (reason being, I suppose, this purported parallel I'm seeing... and/or The Doctor was *bound* to see something horrific down their first which isn't Rose... but her, only her mirror image?)
- The Lunch-Ood's line about destroying god Rose just after Rose got done mentioning she did the very same job.
- Rose comparing herself to the Ood (who take congress with the Beast, tm Wash), not once, but twice.
- Rose's phone call. Beyond the slight vibe of the gasmask-zombie!Jamie in The Doctor Dances.
Perhaps it was just the writers means of conveying exposition (Toby and Danny were also on the receiving end of some nasty messages. Danny to a much lesser extent obviously). Conveying it specifically through Rose also gives it a more human, immediately terrifying spin. Rose's reaction is bound to be immediately terrifying (also inclined more to what the audience might experience in a similar situation thus bringing us mere mortals into the story). The Doctor used in a similar device probably wouldn't be as effective considering The Doc probably isn't going to react like the rest of us sorry slobs (a la Rose). However.... those aforementioned items above seemed to be formulaic in a way I can't seem to ignore. Rose as The Beast? The vessal of the Beast (Ood) / vessal for the Time Vortex? Rose/Bad Wolf as the anti-Beast? The TARDIS(Bad Wolf?) as the anti-Beast (where did the poor thing go anyway)?
Also... what's with the TARDIS disappearing acts? Happened in ROTC, now it's happened again. To show the emotional impact on The Doctor just how homeless he would be without the TARDIS? His one last connection to Gallifrey.
I also doubt I was the only one wondering if a black hole is all that's left of what Gallifrey used to be. Now isn't that a miserable thought of what exactly The Doctor (believed) he'd done to save the universe / kill all Daleks. It would also make sense in a way (if the Daleks fell into a black hole - the doorway Rose was describing at the cafeteria table - and were merely transported elsewhere that would explain their survival). Of course if that were the case, you'd think that actually *would* drive The Doctor insane (looking at something similar to what Gallifrey theoretically looks like now)... then again, he's The Doctor and he also faced an entire fleet of those that waged the last Time War on his planet (until Bad Wolf obliterated them all... and I won't start talking about Bad Wolf again. I WON'T!). Despite it, he's still (relatively) sane from what I can tell.
Heh. "She was only 20 years old." And I could almost here Nine's voice echoing in my head, "She was 19 years old. She was only here because of me." Probably echoing in Ten's head too.
Everyone has been mentioning the ep's likeness to HP Lovecraft and Alien/Aliens and I'd have to agree. Kind of hard not to notice that. Although I was also getting an Event Horizon and Solaris vibe to the overall plot. Especially after Possessed!Toby's line to Commander Jefferson about his wife. The idea of the unknown / incomprehensible entity getting in your head and mucking around your (worst) memories and fears (anti-TARDIS?). In the case of Solaris - despite the troubling trip down memory lane - the entity/ocean wasn't necessarily malevolent, that's just how it communicated. I have my doubts there's a lost in translation scenario working in TIP/SP (despite the amusingly faulty Ood translation bobbles). It probably is more akin to the Event Horizon way of things... and yay for them! [/sarcasm] Hopefully they won't all go batshit insane and (figuratively, British tea time after all) blood-soaked by the end of it.
Also, how much did I love Commander Jefferson and the actor playing him? That line from the Lord Macauley poem may have come off anvilicious, but he delivered it beautifully. A small eulogy for the fallen comrade in a time of war (and at war with something far beyond them. Even The Doctor didn't understand the writing). Too bad he's probably going to die and horribly.
Since I suck at ending these meta-ish ramblings, I'll end with that snippit of that poem Jefferson was reciting since it is so forlorn and awesome.
Then out spake brave Horatius,
The Captain of the Gate:
"To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods...
