Doctor Who 4x13
Jul. 7th, 2008 08:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ivyficThere's a little sadistic part of my mind that's wondering if the Doctor mindwiped Donna in part because he wouldn't want to travel with himself. I mean--he chooses companions who know nothing at all about the rest of the universe. He had fun geeking with Jack when he was around, but most of the time he's with people who know nothing. And now he's got Donna who knows everything he knows. Even if she hadn't been in mortal danger, I think he would have booted her off the TARDIS. He takes companions because he doesn't want to travel with only himself for company, and that's sort of what travelling with Donna would be like.
Donna says the best part of the Doctor is his mind. That's interesting. Not his heart? Not his character? His compassion? His beliefs? No, his knowledge. That's pretty revealing, isn't it?
I was not so happy with the Rose ending. I already have problems with the entire genre of fic where character A can't have character B, but they get alternate universe character B, so everybody's happy, right? There's always a part of me going--uh... Not really. Also, Other!Ten has a bit of Donna in him. I bet Rose will find that interesting.
I find it interesting that Ten says other!Ten commited genocide because he was born in battle. I assumed he did it because he was part human. Coming on the heels of "Midnight," an episode that shows that humans are killers when their survival is threatened, it makes perfect sense that other!Ten is so much more dangerous because he's got that little bit of human that lets him go ahead with the genocide when the Doctor would waffle. (And this season seems to have a theme of the Doctor waffling so much other characters make the hard choices about killing the enemy, which I don't think is great moral ground for the Doctor either.)
I think they did pretty well with this giant crossover of every new Who character ever. I liked the Torchwood bits, despite Barrowman's ridiculous overacting. The way he hugs Ianto and Gwen when he hears the Daleks! Ianto's somewhere in his armpit going, what's going on? I'd also like to point out that little exchange about how he found out about Project Indigo. A soldier in a bar. Ianto immediately wants to know when this was (which, from later dialogue, is after the Santoran Strategy, so that would make it pretty darn recent and certainly after he started "dating" Ianto again). I love that Jack says it was "professional." I don't think he means he just talked to the soldier. Oh, no. He slept with the guy. But it was just for information, so it doesn't count, right? It's the James Bond exception to fidelity.
That one shot where Ianto was laughing at the TV? What was that? He looked terrible. I never noticed he had chipped teeth before. Please, emo!Ianto, don't laugh on screen again. It was frightening.
I also realize, thinking back on the episode, that Jack left his team to die. When I rewatched, I noticed that Ianto and Gwen know the Daleks have found them and are coming, but they don't tell Jack, who's too distracted with making his transporter work and going on an adventure with the Doctor. Not only that, but he takes the only gun that works against the Daleks. At least I assume he does, since Gwen and Ianto are left with guns they know won't work. Even if Jack doesn't know that the Daleks are almost there, that's kind of irresponsible, isn't it? If it weren't for Tosh ex machina, the rest of his team would have died five minutes after he left them. This might have been fine--he has to fight the bigger battle--but he's smiling and clearly excited to be going on another adventure with the Doctor. I don't think I need more demonstration that Jack really shouldn't be in charge of things. He's crap at it.
So in my perfect world, Donna (who, as![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dotfic points out is cleverer than the Doctor and would've dodged the mind wipe) takes over Torchwood. Jack is demoted back into his role of soldier, which is really were he should be (I still think there's some file on him in the Torchwood vaults that says he is extremely useful, but don't give him too much latitude or he'll fuck it up). And Mickey and Martha join up. And Donna doesn't put up with anyone's crap, and Mickey snipes at Jack all the time. It would be awesome.
In conclusion, Jack/Doctor/Other!Doctor/DoctorDonna OT4.
Donna says the best part of the Doctor is his mind. That's interesting. Not his heart? Not his character? His compassion? His beliefs? No, his knowledge. That's pretty revealing, isn't it?
I was not so happy with the Rose ending. I already have problems with the entire genre of fic where character A can't have character B, but they get alternate universe character B, so everybody's happy, right? There's always a part of me going--uh... Not really. Also, Other!Ten has a bit of Donna in him. I bet Rose will find that interesting.
I find it interesting that Ten says other!Ten commited genocide because he was born in battle. I assumed he did it because he was part human. Coming on the heels of "Midnight," an episode that shows that humans are killers when their survival is threatened, it makes perfect sense that other!Ten is so much more dangerous because he's got that little bit of human that lets him go ahead with the genocide when the Doctor would waffle. (And this season seems to have a theme of the Doctor waffling so much other characters make the hard choices about killing the enemy, which I don't think is great moral ground for the Doctor either.)
I think they did pretty well with this giant crossover of every new Who character ever. I liked the Torchwood bits, despite Barrowman's ridiculous overacting. The way he hugs Ianto and Gwen when he hears the Daleks! Ianto's somewhere in his armpit going, what's going on? I'd also like to point out that little exchange about how he found out about Project Indigo. A soldier in a bar. Ianto immediately wants to know when this was (which, from later dialogue, is after the Santoran Strategy, so that would make it pretty darn recent and certainly after he started "dating" Ianto again). I love that Jack says it was "professional." I don't think he means he just talked to the soldier. Oh, no. He slept with the guy. But it was just for information, so it doesn't count, right? It's the James Bond exception to fidelity.
That one shot where Ianto was laughing at the TV? What was that? He looked terrible. I never noticed he had chipped teeth before. Please, emo!Ianto, don't laugh on screen again. It was frightening.
I also realize, thinking back on the episode, that Jack left his team to die. When I rewatched, I noticed that Ianto and Gwen know the Daleks have found them and are coming, but they don't tell Jack, who's too distracted with making his transporter work and going on an adventure with the Doctor. Not only that, but he takes the only gun that works against the Daleks. At least I assume he does, since Gwen and Ianto are left with guns they know won't work. Even if Jack doesn't know that the Daleks are almost there, that's kind of irresponsible, isn't it? If it weren't for Tosh ex machina, the rest of his team would have died five minutes after he left them. This might have been fine--he has to fight the bigger battle--but he's smiling and clearly excited to be going on another adventure with the Doctor. I don't think I need more demonstration that Jack really shouldn't be in charge of things. He's crap at it.
So in my perfect world, Donna (who, as
dotfic points out is cleverer than the Doctor and would've dodged the mind wipe) takes over Torchwood. Jack is demoted back into his role of soldier, which is really were he should be (I still think there's some file on him in the Torchwood vaults that says he is extremely useful, but don't give him too much latitude or he'll fuck it up). And Mickey and Martha join up. And Donna doesn't put up with anyone's crap, and Mickey snipes at Jack all the time. It would be awesome.In conclusion, Jack/Doctor/Other!Doctor/DoctorDonna OT4.
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-07 02:39 pm (UTC)The whole 10.2 "genocide" thing is ridiculous, since we already know the Ninth Doctor killed not only his own people but the Daleks to end the Time War. And the Tenth Doctor slaughtered the Racknoss. So what? The only difference is that 10.2 didn't stand around whining about it--he just got it done. And that definitely came from Donna.
I hated the Rose ending, both because it's all "awww!" and because at the same time it's creepy: "Here, take this one and shut the f*ck up!" And she's still whining about it! At least the Doctor shows the good sense to get out while she's distracted. :)
I hate-hate-HATED the Donna ending. What a load of crap! You can't find a way to help her? You can't just remove the recent stuff? 10.2 is fine but she's not? [Though I admit I'd laugh my ass off if Rose finally says "Oh fine, I'll take him," and 10.2 then melts because he's only a human-Galifreyan hybrid too.] WTF? That was a crap way to write her out, and to make sure they can't bring her back.
And yes, I agree with you about Jack. He's demonstrated before (and, again, with Davies writing him) that he's so Doctor-obsessed he'll drop everything and everyone to go after the Doctor. It's pathetic, really.
I've heard the rumor about Martha and Mickey joining Torchwood. That's cool. But yes, I don't think Jack should be in charge.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-10 09:35 pm (UTC)I encourage sadism, and particularly because you're so right. Let's face it, the Doctor is awesome, but is also a total TOOL.
Giving Rose 10.2 and saying he was flawed and so on, I mean, that was a bit much. I love how 10.2 just stood in the background thinking if I want to hang out with Rose, I have to resist punching him the fucking face.
Jack - also awesome and also a TOTAL TOOL. (Why he and Ten make such a lovely couple). I'm not loving the Jack-Gwen-Ianto are a great threesome thingy, because it's kind of creepy. Mickey and Jack are going to be great together, I think. Donna would make an incredible Torchwood leader -- good call, Ivy!