I was blown away here, by the performances all around. This was one of the rare episodes that didn't make me go all "bah" when I saw the bad guys. *flashback to Runaway Bride...great episode, horrrrrrrrible main villain* Baines/Son of mine, Mother of mine...hell all four of the "of mines" were just creepy without drifting off into cartoon land. Happens quite often. And Timothy Lattimer? I want to adopt that kid right here, right now. He was superb is all respects. Martha/Freema was in control here, and Mr. Tennant? His breakdown when hiding and seeing the TARDIS make my throat tighten.
What I saw here was perhaps a Doctor, while in Simm's body, not wanting to go back to his own life. It is a bit or a coward's way out, to reject the life you led for so long, and all the pain caused and suffered, to remain safe and secure and...happy...inside a simple man and his simple life. When the Doctor proclaims that John Smith still exists, deep down inside himself, I firmly believe the opposite is true as well. Deep down inside John Smith, the Doctor existed, and, to me at least, (in my rather sentimental reading of the episode), the Doctor was inside, wanting to remain there, wanting to no longer be responsible, directly or indirectly for the death and destruction that follows him where he goes. "I WANT TO BE JOHN SMITH!!"
Perhaps it is my fanficcy beast deep inside me that sees that. In my eyes, I could fully understand the tormoil that John Smith/The Doctor was going through. John did not want to die/cease to exist, and the Doctor deep inside also did not want John Smith to die either. For me at least, it was not the Doctor who burst out to save the day, it was John Smith forcing him out, knowing it was what was "best". The Doctor knew what he would end up doing, it was what he always did. He ended things. "I'm the Doctor...I win." And often his end is not a pretty one.
The emo bits, for once at least, did not bother me at all. I expected them, and to me they weren't jarring at all. The Doctor was forced back and he was forced to be what he had always been, and basically what he has come to hate. Time Lord. Damaged, hurt, scared and ultimately responsible for what happens in his wake. I believe this is why, when faced with all the deaths and violence and mayhem it was so painful for Smith to let go. It was because the Doctor didn't want to let go. The Doctor wanted to live the mundane, anonymous life as John Smith.
I was rooting for Joan in the end. She was absolutely right. A painful attention getting metaphorical slap across the face with a sharp muddy rock. Go Joan.
Getting to know the Doctor can be a real gift, and at the same time it can be a real, life altering (or ending) curse as well. (see previous companions) I firmly believe, for as oblivious as he seems at times, he fully knows that. Yup, he's lonely, and he needs someone in his life to keep him company. And I do belive Donna was right. He needs to be stopped. This was the chance to stop himself, and he tried, in vain. He failed. And I do believe that in future episodes we will see his failure eat away at him with a vengeance. Can he in fact be stopped, or is it too late? Or will a self-sacrifice/death (a real death, not another regeneration) be the only way out for him?
Damn, this was wordy wasn't it? Sorry about that...just had to get it out.
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Date: 2007-06-03 10:23 pm (UTC)I was blown away here, by the performances all around. This was one of the rare episodes that didn't make me go all "bah" when I saw the bad guys. *flashback to Runaway Bride...great episode, horrrrrrrrible main villain* Baines/Son of mine, Mother of mine...hell all four of the "of mines" were just creepy without drifting off into cartoon land. Happens quite often. And Timothy Lattimer? I want to adopt that kid right here, right now. He was superb is all respects. Martha/Freema was in control here, and Mr. Tennant? His breakdown when hiding and seeing the TARDIS make my throat tighten.
What I saw here was perhaps a Doctor, while in Simm's body, not wanting to go back to his own life. It is a bit or a coward's way out, to reject the life you led for so long, and all the pain caused and suffered, to remain safe and secure and...happy...inside a simple man and his simple life. When the Doctor proclaims that John Smith still exists, deep down inside himself, I firmly believe the opposite is true as well. Deep down inside John Smith, the Doctor existed, and, to me at least, (in my rather sentimental reading of the episode), the Doctor was inside, wanting to remain there, wanting to no longer be responsible, directly or indirectly for the death and destruction that follows him where he goes. "I WANT TO BE JOHN SMITH!!"
Perhaps it is my fanficcy beast deep inside me that sees that. In my eyes, I could fully understand the tormoil that John Smith/The Doctor was going through. John did not want to die/cease to exist, and the Doctor deep inside also did not want John Smith to die either. For me at least, it was not the Doctor who burst out to save the day, it was John Smith forcing him out, knowing it was what was "best". The Doctor knew what he would end up doing, it was what he always did. He ended things. "I'm the Doctor...I win." And often his end is not a pretty one.
The emo bits, for once at least, did not bother me at all. I expected them, and to me they weren't jarring at all. The Doctor was forced back and he was forced to be what he had always been, and basically what he has come to hate. Time Lord. Damaged, hurt, scared and ultimately responsible for what happens in his wake. I believe this is why, when faced with all the deaths and violence and mayhem it was so painful for Smith to let go. It was because the Doctor didn't want to let go. The Doctor wanted to live the mundane, anonymous life as John Smith.
I was rooting for Joan in the end. She was absolutely right. A painful attention getting metaphorical slap across the face with a sharp muddy rock. Go Joan.
Getting to know the Doctor can be a real gift, and at the same time it can be a real, life altering (or ending) curse as well. (see previous companions) I firmly believe, for as oblivious as he seems at times, he fully knows that. Yup, he's lonely, and he needs someone in his life to keep him company. And I do belive Donna was right. He needs to be stopped. This was the chance to stop himself, and he tried, in vain. He failed. And I do believe that in future episodes we will see his failure eat away at him with a vengeance. Can he in fact be stopped, or is it too late? Or will a self-sacrifice/death (a real death, not another regeneration) be the only way out for him?
Damn, this was wordy wasn't it? Sorry about that...just had to get it out.