Doctor Who!

[rynne]

I am very pleased with this episode. I think it's my favorite season opener since "Rose".

In about the middle of the episode, Donna tells the Doctor he looks older. That was one of the very first things that struck me, when he came on screen. He did look older, and tired. And that scene when he's alone in the TARDIS, and he starts talking, and he just stops and looks up because he realized there's no one there to listen to him?

*is gutted* Oh, Doctor...

I liked how Donna and the Doctor kept being mirrored with each other, in the beginning, and I was very amused at the way they kept missing each other. And then the scene where they finally do see each other...ahahahahaha! I could understand what they were saying until Donna's little pantomime, though you know, the minute the background voices stopped talking in the middle of the Doctor/Donna conversation, I knew that they'd been noticed. Hee.

The Adipose babies? OMGSOCUTE. Just...completely adorable. I was glad they got to live. And Donna's line about how letting them live "makes a change"? Ouch. I'm glad Donna's not afraid to bring that kind of thing up, but still, definitely ouch.

I love the sonic screwdriver, but...wasn't it originally scrapped in the old series because it was getting too deus ex machina? It's an extremely useful tool, but I think having two sonic devices sorta tipped the scales a bit into "too much". Still, I'm glad it wasn't used when the Doctor was saving the million people.

Who else wants to know the details of the Shadow Proclamation? It's been used in the new series three times now, here, and in "Rose" and "Fear Her". Was this something that came up often in the old series?

I'm of two minds about Donna's life since TRB. On one hand, while I'm impressed with her in trying to find the Doctor again and her logic in how to go about it, I wish she'd tried to live her life while searching for him, not just acted like she'd been marking time until she found him again. While a necessary trait in a companion is the desire to see more, I don't think it was a service to Donna's character to have her spend a year plus (since she mentioned the Titanic of VotD, which was a year after TRB) doing basically nothing but trying to find the Doctor. Sarah Jane went on with her investigative journalism. Rose went to work for alt!Torchwood. Neither of them were ready to leave the TARDIS (not the way Martha was), but they didn't let their lives shut down because of it. I get that Donna has regrets from saying no to traveling with him last time, but I'd be happier with her if she tried finding the Doctor while still having a life. And yeah, she said it was harder than expected, but while I think that could have been all right for a few months, over a year is just...much. She got to be pretty awesome while trying to find the Doctor, but still...living her life focused on him. That's not what I wanted for Donna. Though I guess, on the plus side, it means less for her to leave behind while she goes on her trips.

But, on the other hand, I'm very glad the Doctor has someone with him who is so enthusiastic about it! He very much needs that, especially since they've been very clear with each other that neither wants to be more than friends. The Doctor needs a friend, and judging from the way they've interacted in this episode, Donna will make a good one.

Speaking of the "wanting to be more than friends" bit, I was pleased with the mentions of Martha. The Doctor was very appreciative of her contribution to his life, as well as acknowledging that he wasn't necessarily good for her. I do hope that when Martha comes back, she has a similar moment, acknowledging her part in dragging on the Unrequited Love Arc of Doom. I definitely think both of them made mistakes, and I don't want everything to be pinned on the Doctor. What was that proverb? "To treat a person like a doormat, one person must do the walking, and one must allow himself to be walked on"? Yeah. It's like Mickey and Rose--both Mickey and Martha would have been better off if they'd gotten out sooner than they did.

Now, last but very certainly not least, ROSE. *flails* First a Rose mention, then an actual appearance! The mention--it reminded me of "Utopia". There the Doctor said "trapped", and here he says "Still lost". Very different from the line he fed to Martha about her being happy with her family. He's not in denial anymore; instead, he's accepting that no, Rose probably isn't happy with her family, because she wants to be with him. Which I think is definitely borne out by her appearance! She looked really sad, when we saw her--because she was counting on the Doctor being around anything to do with aliens, yet she couldn't find him? She definitely didn't look like someone who was happy with her life in the parallel world. "Lost" is probably a good description. I'm not sure what to think about the way she disappeared. I want to know what's going on! :p

Why isn't the next episode out yet? XD

Comments

[fiery-twilight.livejournal.com]

And that scene when he's alone in the TARDIS, and he starts talking, and he just stops and looks up because he realized there's no one there to listen to him?

*sob* That part killed me. :(

I was very amused at the way they kept missing each other. And then the scene where they finally do see each other...ahahahahaha! I could understand what they were saying until Donna's little pantomime, though you know, the minute the background voices stopped talking in the middle of the Doctor/Donna conversation, I knew that they'd been noticed. Hee.

LOVED LOVED LOVED all of that SO MUCH. XD

OMGSOCUTE. Just...completely adorable.

YES, thank you! My friends thought they were creepy as hell, but I loved them! I want one as a pet. XD

First a Rose mention, then an actual appearance!

AHHH!!! ROSE!!!! *is incapabale of any other coherent thought*

Why isn't the next episode out yet? XD

BAH, I know! A week feels like forever right now. *sigh*

[rynne.livejournal.com]

The Adipose were so cute! I loved them. I'd totally buy a stuffed Adipose. XD

ROSE! :D:D:D

[shaela]

And that scene when he's alone in the TARDIS, and he starts talking, and he just stops and looks up because he realized there's no one there to listen to him?

I know. That scene sucker punched me. It hurt more than all of season three put together. (Then again, it sort of was all of season three put together.)

Other than that, I have no deep, thinky thoughts tonight. Just… Rose! Rose is back!

[rynne.livejournal.com]

I don't think it hurt more than all S3 put together...but wow, that packed quite the whallop. Oh Doctor. You're not meant to be alone. (Thank God for Donna!)

Rose! I so can't wait to see what they do with this.

[okelay.livejournal.com]

the Doctor was so,so lonely
:(

but he found Donna!They can be mates!

I'm still flailing about Rose
i can't believe.it's almost too good to be true!