Cri de coeur

[avevale_intelligencer]

So two of my friends, as case-hardened fan critics (if I may say so) as you could wish to meet, are in floods of happy tears over last night's episode and I'm thinking...

...I'm thinking the same thing I thought when I saw "Rose" and read comments saying how wonderful it was that Doctor Who was finally back. I'm thinking what's wrong with me?

Because it's got to be me, hasn't it? It must have been me all the time.

Don't you think I want to be enraptured? Do you honestly think my pride, or some twisted sense of superiority at being the only one marching in step, is more important to me than the magical feeling I still get watching old Troughton and Pertwee and Baker episodes I nearly know by heart? I'm asking because I don't know the answer myself any more. I don't know why, when everyone else is looking at this and seeing their childhood favourite triumphantly returned, all I see is...nuWho. The mixture as before. New boss same as the old boss.

I'm like the lame kid at the end of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin." It doesn't matter how often I tell myself that I'm the lucky one, I get to live in the real world. All I know is that all those other kids were going somewhere really wonderful, and I got left out.

And if I was right the first time, and this new series is really that much better, and the only reason I can't see it is because the first incarnation of nuWho broke my connection and I can't get it back...then it'll be a cold day in hell before I forgive Russell T Davies for doing that to me.

Comments

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Possibly because you loved the old series so much? I didn't. In fact, I only liked bits of it and was never in love with it - and that is the same thing I felt, right from the start, about the RTD era, I have been very critical of much of NuWho and, indeed, gave up watching it over the last full season and most of the specials. But I like this new doctor and this new companion, and this has never happened before in the whole of NuWho.

It's the same way I didn't like ST:TNG or Voyager, but liked classic Trek and DS9 and the reboot... Not in love with any of them, but happier with some that with others.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

I agree (oh gods, I'm agreeing with you again! Must stop this *g*). I've never been a 'fan' (in the sense of "fanatic, must watch every episode live, know everything about every character and actor and date aired and preferred taste in underwear") of any show. With Doctor Who I certainly missed whole stories, and may have missed whole seasons, of the original (many of which I caught on re-runs, often out of order and still with gaps). When people talk about the 'best' or 'worst' ones most of the time I don't even remember them. (OK, I liked Jon Pertwee's Doctor -- but I liked Pertwee, and as the Doctor because he was Pertwee. I didn't like Tom Baker largely because he wasn't Pertwee.)

So with NuWho I'm largely treating it as a new show, which stands or falls on its own (de)merits. When I have disliked it that's been because it hasn't stood up to its own standards, characterisation, continuity, etc. I'm basically not making a comparison, just as to me it isn't reasonable to make comparisons between the earlier versions (comparing Hartnell with McCoy or Tom Baker is IMO silly, the only connection between them is that it was ostensibly the same show).

To me, DW has always had the jarring change in the person playing the Doctor, I can't think of any who I've liked in the first few episodes after regeneration because they were 'wrong' until I got back into the "OK, different show with the same name". The same with Tardis changes between seasons (although at least this latest one gave a plausible reason for that -- the thing also goes through regenerations, and we just haven't seen one happen before). I feel the same when a show I've liked is re-shot with someone else in a lead role but ostensibly the same character (killing off the old character and replacing them with someone different isn't nearly as bad), or when they make a TV series out of a film but with different actors.

Is there something 'wrong' with people who don't feel the same way as me? Obviously, they aren't me, that can't be allowed! But no, unless I go into full solipsism (where did all you zombies come from and why am I imagining you?) I can't actually support that either. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations is much more acceptable to me. To each their own. Whatever floats your boat. Like, do your own thing, man, it's all cool...

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's it. It's all about investment.

Trouble is, when people agree with you about a show, it comes as a shock when they change their minds and you don't change yours.

Keris, we really must be careful or we'll lose our reputation for being at opposite ends of the spectrum on everything!

[aunty_marion]

Or you'll end up at such opposite ends that you'll meet on the other side...

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

We are with you in the same ghetto. It had flashes, but the whole was not there. Some of it is the 40 minute thing, I think -- there isn't enough space for things to make sense, for relationships to develop, for us to care. Some of it was the heavy-handed manipulations -- Save the Whale! Whale is Allegory for Doctor!

[the-changeling.livejournal.com]

I think it's the lack of serial, and the concentration on series.

If you took last night's episode, and played it out properly, over three and it may have made four, episodes... I think you'd be fine.

It would give the depth that's missing. It would allow the characterisation to be nuanced, delicate, and not brisk and shorthand.

It would allow all elements raised in the beginning, to be played out, and not suddenly dropped for the main storyline. For instance, the entire 'police state' sub-thread, which was the most satisfying one of the set up, completely disappeared, with no explanation - smoke and mirrors again.

But cramming it into beginning-middle-end in one go, pushes too much out for you, that you like. You prefer serials, I'd guess.

I prefer serials. Doctor Who used to be a serial.

In fact, if it had nay major faults, in the glory days, was that they took it too slow sometimes.

Now, it's a series. Single story episodes. That means it's missing a few essential elements.

Audiences have got better reading fast - and it reads fast. I've gone on about this at length. I can admire the high concept feel.

But it's not enough. We need serial, not series.

I don't read the reviews or interviews or stuff. Has any of the creators talked about the impact of syndication processes? How they are having to produce series for the USA market, for instance?

I think that may be key.

And, for what it's worth - you are right. It will never be what was the essence of old Who, as a series. It will always be too flashy, and too lightweight, if it's locked into series.

I'm just hoping there is hope, within current television finances, for someone to let Moffat run with a serials for a while... that would be something to see!

As long as he sticks to some discipline, and not do a Rusty. The concentrated essence is there, but it's nor being allowed out, or developed. Worse, it's being glimpsed, then disappears down the rabbit hole time and time and time again...

We are eternally awaiting the next episode, where they will GET IT RIGHT! So we're being suckered, really! ;-)

Unless they go to serial...

[nelladarren.livejournal.com]

I have never liked it either. I'm not forced to watch it week after week because I liked the old series (I've seen like 3 episodes of Old Doctor Who with the blond Doctor but I'm not much drawn toward *any* "old" TV, I don't like StarTrek TOS, either [*waits for hired assassins to kill her for this comment*]) but mainly because all of you Britons have always made such a fuss about it: I kinda desperately have been trying to "get it" why everyone is so much interested in badly made children's TV. >:oD

I've just (one more time) given up, I won't download it anymore. Come on, it's shite. Why even getting upset about it.

I know, if they were making a new series calling it Star Trek and it was bad I'd be upset too. Oh, wait, they did and I was. >:oD

[nelladarren.livejournal.com]

Ok, I just had a memory flash about how I felt about the last season of Buffy, most of Angel and the last season of DS9, how they betrayed my aching fan soul. Enterprise and Dollhouse didn't even hurt so much anymore after that, the damage had been done before...

Argh. But 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all...

[keristor.livejournal.com]

Sending hired assassins as requested! (OK, I could only afford a teenage ninja-wannbe squirrel who is too young to be allowed weapons and will probably be too scared to come near you, but it's the thought that counts...)

Wouldn't it be really boring if we all liked the same things?

[nelladarren.livejournal.com]

So true...

Yes, squirrel!!! :o)))

Who

[lewis-p-bear.livejournal.com]

The Bear saw the very firs episode of Dr Who.
It was badly made, badly acted and had no production values worth the name. And we loved it!

Through the years some Who's were better than others.
Loved John Pertwee, thought most of the UNIT stuff was tedious.

Couldn't stand the weasels down the trousers man but thought he, and Ace, had some excellent material.

Mostly enjoyed the Companions with less clothes but that's just me.

The recent stuff?

The film had big budget "effects" and did sweet FA with them.

Last three Doctors. Mr E. Excellent actor, good production, nice ideas.
Mr T. Much as before and the new boy?
Good start lets see how he does but try to remember; it's just TV.
It does not matter.
If you like it, fine if not,
SWITCH OFF.

[deviant-gent.livejournal.com]

"Just repeat to yourself 'It's just a show,
I should really just relax'".

And this is why I watch MST3K.