retro_eidas (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
retro_eidas) wrote2007-05-27 12:38 am
retro_eidas) wrote2007-05-27 12:38 am
Dr Who - 308 - Human Nature
I'm going on vacation starting tomorrow morning ... or this morning as it is... and I stupidly left everything I needed to take care of / buy to the last damn minute yesterday. My plan was transfer the ep to my iPod and watch it on the plane (as I only got back from errand running, about an hour an a half ago).... but skimming through reviews and I just couldn't wait. Now I'm so wired I can't sleep, so I'm just not going to and instead ramble on my LJ even though it's surefire way to forget something in several hours time. OH WELL! This will be sort of stream of consciousy and I apologize.
Oh I loved that. I loved that a lot. Have much to say.
I got a very The Last Temptation of Christ vibe (and that one ep of ST:TNG and also one of The X-Files) from this ep. However, Jesus was actually a pretty nice guy in that book. John Smith is a git. Appropriate for the occupation (in a boarding school in 1913 England) and generally of the times, but... ugh. He deserved every ounce of that slapping he got from Martha. Anyone who handwaves a child getting beaten and would approve of the NRA? Yeah, no way he's sticking around. But... "My father Sydney was a watchmaker"?OMG SYLAR!!!
Joan was nice in her own way (made mostly awesome due to Daisy! I hadn't realized her range as an actress as I've never seen her in anything else apart from Spaced and Shaun of the Dead. I wasn't sure I'd be able to buy her as a romantic female lead, with a tiny bit of awkward rom-com / Beeb period romance, but she does very well with it). I couldn't help, however, thinking Reinette > Joan, but I liked her. I get a feeling she'll probably figure things out or trust Martha (trying to help the Doctor emerge) before John Smith, between the weird green light, the bizarre not!Nostradamus journal and possibly recognizing the sonic screwdriver from the journal, even if she can't figure what he is exactly (who would unless you're apparently some supergenius like Shakespeare?). I'd have almost wished her to stay if I didn't think tragedy and heartbreak weren't so imminent. As he must leave her (as this is what he does) or she dies (either due to the Family of Blood or the Doctor zooms ahead to when she will die, probably soon considering WWI).
Also feel the need to reiterate, The Sun is a rag that, after this ep especially, obviously speaks total lies. If there was any truth in it and those in charge at the Beeb seriously fired Freema for "subpar acting"? Then they deserve to have Gene Hunt invade their homes and stomp on all their toys (and kick them in the teeth). Lies to the point of blasphemy I'd say. Freema is one helluva an actress and she proved it fantastically in this ep. She broke my heart.
As if Martha needed to be anymore teh roxxorz, putting up with that kind of behavior and casual racism - from those brats to the Doctor himself - for months? All the while carrying the heavy burden of truth all by herself with everyone turning against her, the human Doctor and even her friend Jenny? When she's going on trying to explain to him what he is, these things that are nothing more than dreams and "sto-ries" (stupid ape!!) to him? Martha having to be "John Smith's" guardian angel and then have to watch him fall in love with Joan? (Which I'm baffled why it seems like so many at some places are annoyed with that "And it wasn't me" line? To me, it emphasized what the whole ep seemed to be going for, Martha in another big metaphor of the Doctor. In the case of that line, the Doctor having to watch his companions move on and/or find others to love - basically Be Human - while he goes on and on with that terrible weight of knowledge. They may love him for awhile, but they'll never love him in the end. All alone and left behind with his broken hearts.) "I'd wish you'd come back". Oh god. My heart? It is so broken. Tim may possibly have the mojo in him, but Martha IS The Doctor in this ep, everso literally and in such a painful way.
I also have to give major props to Tennant in delivering John Smith so well. Some were not so subtle differences and others quite subtle (and in a way I'm not always so convinced him capable). My respect for him as an actor has increased so much this season. If he delivers another performance like this one in the finale (minus the gitness thank you). Plus whatever horrible peril bordering or surpassing absurd likely in store? And Freema keeps meeting him there? Added to their chemistry? And... everything else going on in those eps? I'm thinking this year's finale has a better than average chance of killing me dead.
Random thing, but I couldn't pinpoint where I'd heard that weird garbled sound effect (sounds a bit like voices through water) when Tim first found the watch. If I'm not mistaken, it was from "The Unquiet Dead" and the early Gelth speech before it became more refined. The other ep with a psychic human (Tim grow up around a rift too?).
We are the hollow men. We are the stuffed men. Leaning together. Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! So, Cillian Murphy isn't the only one that can make scarecrows scary? *cringes at the wave*
I'm also going to guess that if John Smith does choose (I'm thinking it's more likely he doesn't, there probably will be some big interruption before he does) and inevitably chooses Joan as he doesn't remember being "friends" or reducing himself to be "friends" with a maid (as he is a GIT), than 'Tim' (now carrying some of the Doctor's mojo within him?) will help save Martha... that's if she doesn't save herself.
However, Tim... and that one vision he had of Martha (with her hair down) bumping into him in different clothes in what looked like the modern day? [ They look like the clothes she wears in the finale. The ones she's wearing back in the present (where they don't go apart from briefly in "Utopia" where her hair isn't down and in the finale, aka, Election Day... so it must be the finale) in that midseason promo. ] What was that about?
That "chameleon arch" is very interesting. Insta-Time-Lord-to-Human-o-matic? Those come standard in TARDISes? Now my brain wants to take that thing and go to crazy speculative places, namely in concerns to Davies (by way of Paul Cornell) just possibly having given himself an out to the whole Time Lord extinction and explanation to Big Ole Face's "You are not alone (but you also are)" thing? Also really really crazy speculative stuff re: There's Something About Martha Jones tied to Boe's dying message, all the Doctor metaphoring with her and the TSC line ("Something really close but I can't see it") of anviliciousness. What does it all mean?Are there de-evolved, amnesiac human Time Lords spread out across the long and vast spanse of humanity in the universe? Like easter eggs? And is Martha one of those eggs? "Once it's [the watch] is open the family will be able to find me."? [ "Family"? The Doctor's brother, perhaps? In all accounts, "Saxon" likely sicked the Family of Blood on the Doctor. So the Family of Blood finds the Doctor, so does his brother. Is "Saxon" - and maybe some of his goons - a human Time Lord chameleon arched... but actually remembers what he is? ]
I have to ask again, why does marriage/procreation seem to be such a big theme this season? Just the blood/family theme at play again or ... is there something more to it?
The flashes in the preview? I don't think the Doctor will actually get married anymore than he did in the novelization (even though there were noticeable changes in this ep already as I understand things, haven't read the novel myself), but I'm thinking that's the Doctor coming back while John Smith "dies" and that life, literally, passes before his eyes. As he's (tragically) a Time Lord and his mind isn't bound to just the past or present as most mere mortals, he gets to see John Smith's life that would have been. He could, sadly, show Joan these things before he goes although that seems unduly cruel (I'd probably guess he just has her listen to his double hearts as what I'm told happened in the novel). Considering the sort of man John Smith was, it will likely play as a relief when the Doctor comes back, but with that hint of tragedy as well. And then the Doctor will play a flute (or read a sad goodbye in a love letter).
I'd also take a stab and suggest the Doctor himself (as John Smith) becomes Martha's newest companion next week looking to her for guidance (as this was all but set-up by the Doctor, "Do you trust me?" with that unspoken, "As I trust you?" after it... of course she does), probably Joan as well with Tim playing a major role somewhere.
And a reference to the Time Agents (right at the beginning), will we ever see them canonically (apart from Jack)? I hope so.
Oh I loved that. I loved that a lot. Have much to say.
I got a very The Last Temptation of Christ vibe (and that one ep of ST:TNG and also one of The X-Files) from this ep. However, Jesus was actually a pretty nice guy in that book. John Smith is a git. Appropriate for the occupation (in a boarding school in 1913 England) and generally of the times, but... ugh. He deserved every ounce of that slapping he got from Martha. Anyone who handwaves a child getting beaten and would approve of the NRA? Yeah, no way he's sticking around. But... "My father Sydney was a watchmaker"?
Joan was nice in her own way (made mostly awesome due to Daisy! I hadn't realized her range as an actress as I've never seen her in anything else apart from Spaced and Shaun of the Dead. I wasn't sure I'd be able to buy her as a romantic female lead, with a tiny bit of awkward rom-com / Beeb period romance, but she does very well with it). I couldn't help, however, thinking Reinette > Joan, but I liked her. I get a feeling she'll probably figure things out or trust Martha (trying to help the Doctor emerge) before John Smith, between the weird green light, the bizarre not!Nostradamus journal and possibly recognizing the sonic screwdriver from the journal, even if she can't figure what he is exactly (who would unless you're apparently some supergenius like Shakespeare?). I'd have almost wished her to stay if I didn't think tragedy and heartbreak weren't so imminent. As he must leave her (as this is what he does) or she dies (either due to the Family of Blood or the Doctor zooms ahead to when she will die, probably soon considering WWI).
Also feel the need to reiterate, The Sun is a rag that, after this ep especially, obviously speaks total lies. If there was any truth in it and those in charge at the Beeb seriously fired Freema for "subpar acting"? Then they deserve to have Gene Hunt invade their homes and stomp on all their toys (and kick them in the teeth). Lies to the point of blasphemy I'd say. Freema is one helluva an actress and she proved it fantastically in this ep. She broke my heart.
As if Martha needed to be anymore teh roxxorz, putting up with that kind of behavior and casual racism - from those brats to the Doctor himself - for months? All the while carrying the heavy burden of truth all by herself with everyone turning against her, the human Doctor and even her friend Jenny? When she's going on trying to explain to him what he is, these things that are nothing more than dreams and "sto-ries" (stupid ape!!) to him? Martha having to be "John Smith's" guardian angel and then have to watch him fall in love with Joan? (Which I'm baffled why it seems like so many at some places are annoyed with that "And it wasn't me" line? To me, it emphasized what the whole ep seemed to be going for, Martha in another big metaphor of the Doctor. In the case of that line, the Doctor having to watch his companions move on and/or find others to love - basically Be Human - while he goes on and on with that terrible weight of knowledge. They may love him for awhile, but they'll never love him in the end. All alone and left behind with his broken hearts.) "I'd wish you'd come back". Oh god. My heart? It is so broken. Tim may possibly have the mojo in him, but Martha IS The Doctor in this ep, everso literally and in such a painful way.
I also have to give major props to Tennant in delivering John Smith so well. Some were not so subtle differences and others quite subtle (and in a way I'm not always so convinced him capable). My respect for him as an actor has increased so much this season. If he delivers another performance like this one in the finale (minus the gitness thank you). Plus whatever horrible peril bordering or surpassing absurd likely in store? And Freema keeps meeting him there? Added to their chemistry? And... everything else going on in those eps? I'm thinking this year's finale has a better than average chance of killing me dead.
Random thing, but I couldn't pinpoint where I'd heard that weird garbled sound effect (sounds a bit like voices through water) when Tim first found the watch. If I'm not mistaken, it was from "The Unquiet Dead" and the early Gelth speech before it became more refined. The other ep with a psychic human (Tim grow up around a rift too?).
We are the hollow men. We are the stuffed men. Leaning together. Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! So, Cillian Murphy isn't the only one that can make scarecrows scary? *cringes at the wave*
I'm also going to guess that if John Smith does choose (I'm thinking it's more likely he doesn't, there probably will be some big interruption before he does) and inevitably chooses Joan as he doesn't remember being "friends" or reducing himself to be "friends" with a maid (as he is a GIT), than 'Tim' (now carrying some of the Doctor's mojo within him?) will help save Martha... that's if she doesn't save herself.
However, Tim... and that one vision he had of Martha (with her hair down) bumping into him in different clothes in what looked like the modern day? [ They look like the clothes she wears in the finale. The ones she's wearing back in the present (where they don't go apart from briefly in "Utopia" where her hair isn't down and in the finale, aka, Election Day... so it must be the finale) in that midseason promo. ] What was that about?
That "chameleon arch" is very interesting. Insta-Time-Lord-to-Human-o-matic? Those come standard in TARDISes? Now my brain wants to take that thing and go to crazy speculative places, namely in concerns to Davies (by way of Paul Cornell) just possibly having given himself an out to the whole Time Lord extinction and explanation to Big Ole Face's "You are not alone (but you also are)" thing? Also really really crazy speculative stuff re: There's Something About Martha Jones tied to Boe's dying message, all the Doctor metaphoring with her and the TSC line ("Something really close but I can't see it") of anviliciousness. What does it all mean?
I have to ask again, why does marriage/procreation seem to be such a big theme this season? Just the blood/family theme at play again or ... is there something more to it?
The flashes in the preview? I don't think the Doctor will actually get married anymore than he did in the novelization (even though there were noticeable changes in this ep already as I understand things, haven't read the novel myself), but I'm thinking that's the Doctor coming back while John Smith "dies" and that life, literally, passes before his eyes. As he's (tragically) a Time Lord and his mind isn't bound to just the past or present as most mere mortals, he gets to see John Smith's life that would have been. He could, sadly, show Joan these things before he goes although that seems unduly cruel (I'd probably guess he just has her listen to his double hearts as what I'm told happened in the novel). Considering the sort of man John Smith was, it will likely play as a relief when the Doctor comes back, but with that hint of tragedy as well. And then the Doctor will play a flute (or read a sad goodbye in a love letter).
I'd also take a stab and suggest the Doctor himself (as John Smith) becomes Martha's newest companion next week looking to her for guidance (as this was all but set-up by the Doctor, "Do you trust me?" with that unspoken, "As I trust you?" after it... of course she does), probably Joan as well with Tim playing a major role somewhere.
And a reference to the Time Agents (right at the beginning), will we ever see them canonically (apart from Jack)? I hope so.
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I see next week being once again a Martha show, struggling to snap the Doctor back to "himself", with our boy Lattimer playing a role as well. But Timothy Lattimer is interesting isn't he? (I did see another one of those anagram deals with his name and the result was interesting but is it possible?) Who is he? What about this "gift/curse" of his? Why and how did he "see" Martha in such a vastly different setting, and why didn't she recognise him? Is this the beginning of going around in circles and did he "meet" her prior to this episode? *babblebabblebbabble*
Crap this is getting really good now. All of that Sydney and Verity stuff, the book full of sketches, where the hell is this going?
Fremma and Tennant were top top top notch, while the Baines character tended toward a caricature at times *cringe* Specualtion drives me nutz, and I could go on for hours with possible solutions and explanations, all of which would probably be wrong, so bring on next Saturday I say!!!!
Now a question, after Family of Blood comes Blink correct? Then comes the wind down in Utopia and the rest. Can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!!!!
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Oh, it was so amazing. I wasn't supposed to be thinking fandomy thoughts while off getting sauced out of my mind and losing all my money, but... my mind kept wandering back to Who/this ep. I was half-tempted to wander around with my ipod in my back pocket sneaking in watches but I restrained myself (barely).
It was an episode that was not carried by Tennant, but rather Freema.
They both did phenomenally in this ep, but yes, Freema/Martha is playing the role normally taken up by DT/the Doctor (the one in the know, the one who has to try to organize chaos of stupid apes, the one talking to the TARDIS)... and she does it wonderfully. I really really hope we get her for at least one more season, it would be beyond tragic this is all we ever got of Freema's Martha Jones. I don't want to think about it. I haven't heard anything about FoB yet, but if it's even half as good as HN...?
Timothy Lattimer is interesting isn't he? (I did see another one of those anagram deals with his name and the result was interesting but is it possible?)
Missing the anagram, what is it?
Who is he? What about this "gift/curse" of his?
It's possible he might not add anything more than Gwynath did in "The Unquiet Dead", but ... he seems to have the Doctor mojo in him. I would be very surprised he didn't play some pivotal role in FoB. I still totally think he saves Martha with 'John Smith' waffling around/panicking/being an uncompanionable lousy human..... but isn't that ironic? John Smith is just the sort of human the Doctor would probably never invite on the TARDIS, yet this is apparently the kind of human the Doctor himself turns out to be?
Now a question, after Family of Blood comes Blink correct? Then comes the wind down in Utopia and the rest. Can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!!!!
Yup yup... and "Blink" is the Moffat ep, then it's Jack, then the season finale. It may be too early to say (and I don't want to curse it, but....) I'd say the Doctor Who S3 finale >>> Heroes finale.
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