drakyndra | "With this ring, I thee biodamp."

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"With this ring, I thee biodamp."

Yes, it's my Thoughts On The Runaway Bride (and some S3 type speculation).

The non-spoiler version: I quite liked it. It wasn't my favourite episode, and there were some plot flaws, but only minor, and all in all, it was fun. And it told it's story well. More behind the cut...

My main worry going into this episode was an over-reliance on Rose related emo - a worry which had been exascerbated somewhat by some of the comments in the OG spoiler section after the press screening. Of course, I forgot the important fact that when you know little about an episode, everything you do know seems a lot more huge than it probably is - and, of course, there's Ye Olde Friend context.

So, I was rather pleased with the way it was handled. The Doctor upset about Rose, but still being, well, the Doctor, and latching onto the next one who comes along. And only mentioning her when pushed about it - which fits with what we know about the Doctor (and makes me wonder why Rose apparently didn't push him on what happened about Jack). The only thing I felt was a little unnecessary were the flashbacks at the party, which we really didn't need to understand what was going on there - Tennant's acting got it across clearly enough.

I also felt, to borrow an idea I have pinched from someone else's review, that there was very much a feeling of coming full circle with this episode. If the end of Doomsday was the Doctor giving Rose some closure, this episode would be the show giving the Tyler era (Mickey and Jackie included - so glad to hear the Doctor talk about having Christmas dinner with them!) closure. We started with that Earth zoom, which we got for the introduction of Rose and the Tenth Doctor, and finished up with a mention of Rose in the past tense. With the Doctor asking someone to come along with him, just like he did after the Nestene. It feels sort of... fitting. And then, we start anew S3.

Another reflection was taking Donna to the start of the Earth, as opposed to Rose seeing it end, and with a line rather similar to that one from New Earth. It interests me that the New Series is starting to develop as it's own creation, with it's own building mythology and all, and it's an interesting way to take on it.

I liked also the through a dark mirror irony of Lance teaming up with the Empress to see the universe, in opposition to the Doctor and Donna - or any companion, really. How the Empress was so casual with someone who had sworn her loyalty to him, and yet the Doctor defended someone he barely knew.

Speaking of Donna, I have to say, I never quite understood the outrage over having Catherine Tate on Doctor Who. And you know what? I still don't get it. Yeah, she was a bit irritating and shouty to start with, but if you listen to the lines from the other characters, you get the impression she was supposed to be a naggy drama queen type. And so it made sense, even if we had some temporary Capslock Of Rage. But, beyond that, once we had the rooftop scene and onward, she was, well, good. Caught up in something she really didn't want to be, but still wanting to help the Doctor and defend him. Hurt by Lance's betrayal, and upset by what she had lost, but very true to herself, and to wanting to move on and make a better life of it in the end.

Also: She called the Doctor on his actions, and went around slapping him. And gave a little companion creed, about needing someone to hold the Doctor back (which again gives me good vibes for S3). All in all, Donna was awesome.

And the needing someone to hold him back stuff - so true. It's been said, numerous times, that Tennant does cold anger better than the shouty kind, so seeing the Doctor be a ruthless bastard to the Empress? Cool as fuck. It was ruthless and nasty, and reminds me all over again why I think manipulative, vaguely Ten is so easy to imagine. Especially when he went on his "greater good" tangent earlier on. The Doctor's scary not because he knows it's wrong, but because he thinks it's right.

Some faith in how Rusty will be handling Martha has been restored to me. Hooray!

That said, if I could ask him one question about Martha, it would be if he has a plot arc worked out for her - or, at very least an end in mind. Partially because the whole having a medical student as a companion for the Doctor... That just gives me vibes of being a set-up for something. Not sure what, yet, but it's an interesting thematic thing to have, and I'm curious to see what is done with it.

Other random S3 thoughts - I also find it interesting that the guy who apparently makes him self young again (played by one Mark Gattiss - no offence to him, but I hope I like his performance better than I did both his stories) is called Doctor Lazarus. Not only is it another Doctor, but Biblically, Lazarus was the name of the man who was resurrected from the dead by Jesus - and had a sister named Martha. This is also, as far as I can tell, the sixth episode and the first apart from Smith and Jones that has Martha's family in it. And the biblical stuff with the talk of miracles... I'm probably reading too much in here, but the whole resonances of family and Doctors is interesting me.

(Random note on Martha's family: according to the Jo Whiley radio thing, Leo is a younger brother of Martha's. No idea where the sister Tish fits in. Oh, and I think I heard mention that the parents aren't getting on spectacularly)

Oh, and on the "You're not replacing Rose" bit of the trailer - I can actually see this making sense, if Martha pulls a Donna, and asks the Doctor about something of Rose's that she finds lying about. Also, time will have passed since the loss (which is why I think the Doctor seems rather less pained to mention it). I like her reaction to it, mind.

Some random comments from the rest of the trailer: I love the bit when Martha says her "if I ever pass my exams." The shot just looks lovely, and the line amuses me. Also: male catpeople! ~~And I just saw Cats on DVD two days ago~~ Chorusgirls! Boe! Explosions! Shakespeare! Dalek Sec pwns yo arses!

But back to the actual episode:
- The Monster was a bit eh. They should have had it moving round more.
- The joke about Donna missing both the Sycorax and the Cybermen invasion amused me, as well as indicated that the show is actually aware that people should know about these things. It might become an injoke, though. I'd love it if Martha's reaction to aliens was totally blase, mind.
- Some awesome dialogue and one liners. Ten's can't-shit-up-ness continues to amuse. (As has been commented on the OG, it's one thing that would actually make him a good companionless Doctor - and, might bode well for Big Finish in times to come)
- Doctor/TARDIS OTP. Always and forever.
- Donna and the Doctor had some wonderful sarky banter. I was much amused.
- The plot was silly, but in a silly but still mostly making sense way. Technobabble, psuedo-science and the Doctor having tricks up his sleeve.
- Speaking of, dimensionally transendental pockets, hee!
- I applaud their strength in putting in neither a black widow or Incy-Wincy Spider gag.
- I liked the TARDIS tricks. Fun. Esoecially the Doctor putting on a bit of a show for Donna. Bless him, he wants to impress her.

And finally: HE SAID GALLIFREY! ~~God, it's sad how excited that makes me~~

Okay, I now need some S3 trailer and Runaway Bride icons.

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I am SO HUNGRY that I can hardly think right now, but I read an interview with Rusty in the DWM (I think?) or maybe it was that other producer guy, and they said yes, we have Martha's arc worked out. So ... yay?

I think that's a yay. It's just having a medical student and a Doctor together gives me distinct arcy vibes. It strikes me as being the metaphorical shotgun on the wall in the first act, if that makes sense.

The Doctor's scary not because he knows it's wrong, but because he thinks it's right.

Okay, I just got cold chills because I think you've nailed it right there. I guess after the first genocide, the others get easier?

I've always felt that the most interesting villains are the ones who don't actually consider themself villains. Diabolical schemes are all well and good, but people who are working for a cause that they genuinely believe is right, is good...

And when challenged on it, what do they get? "You don't understand, it's for the greater good!"

And in this episode we had the Doctor chiding Donna for not seeing the big picture, talking about the greater good... And icily drowning the remains of the Racnoss.

This is why the Doctor can be scary as fuck. The worst villain never thinks of himself as a villain. ~~And this is why Ten scares me more than Nine ever did. God, I love Dark!Ten~~

the most interesting villains are the ones who don't actually consider themself villains

Oh, hell yes - more interesting to write, and fascinating to watch. (Lando on Babylon 5 comes to mind, the ultimate good-guy/clown-turned-villain, and we watched him sell his soul piece by piece.)

What gets me here isn't villainy so much - he WAS saving the Earth yet again, after all - but the inconsistency. Harriet did much the same as he's just done, and he's so furious with her that he carried the grudge into another universe. But when he does it, it's the right thing to do.

Donna is so right that he needs someone kicking his ass. Rose hadn't filled that role since Dalek, and Sarah Jane didn't come with him again.

I have not seen Babylon 5, so I can't comment on the analogy. Oh well.

I'm still a little iffy on the Harriet comparison - the Sycorax had, after all, surrendured and were retreating when they were killed, whereas the Empress had specifically been offered a chance to surrendur, and turned it down, but yes, there is a bit of that self-imposed deification going on with the Doctor. The fact that we actually have Donna address that point strikes me as a good thing - it might hint at something.

And I agree totally on the fact someone to call him on his actions is needed. Hell, we even get Jack back in S3, so there will be something at the very least, but here's hoping for Martha.

Londo starts out as a guy nobody (including himself) takes seriously. By the end, he's a lonlier god than the Doctor.

Well, yes, about Harriet, although I'm less than convinced that the Sycorax were going to deal in good faith. And the Doctor didn't bother listening to Harriet when she pointed out the number of people who died while they were waiting for him to pull himself out of his post-regeneration funk. At least he listened to Donna, nagging though she be!

Donna: She won't take no for an answer. Ever.

"To honor and obey." I watched that scene about 7 times and laughed like a hyena every time.

Whenever he does the whole genocide thing I remember the fifth Doctor agonising about whether or not to wipe out the Dalek race before it even exists. He couldn't commit genocide on an as then innocent species. I wonder what would happen now?

Fourth Doctor, actually, but that's an interesting point. The Ninth Doctor couldn't do it, as a consequence of, well, having already done it in the Time War. Methinks the Tenth wouldn't have those doubts.

The Ninth Doctor couldn't do it

That's the part that makes bits of my brain short out. The Doctor is *the same guy* - yet we've seen Four and Nine refuse to commit genocide even to protect the whole universe... while we've seen Ten do so to protect the Earth. Best handwave I can come up with is that Ten is at least warning people off before he does it... but he still *does it.*

And even though they keep piling the guilt on Nine and Ten, I don't think that the Doctor deliberately killed his own people. If he couldn't wipe out the Daleks, he certainly couldn't wipe out Gallifrey and his own family! I believe him when he says he doesn't know why he still lives... and I have theories that he was used as a catspaw by the Time Lords one last time in a last all-out bid.

And finally: HE SAID GALLIFREY! God, it's sad how excited that makes me

You're not the only one. It was so brilliant how the Empress was totally like "Oh shit." when he said that. And it was just so powerful, my mouth was literally hanging open. I like Ruthless!Ten. We should have more.

OT, but can you also possibly report the wank I've posted on Wank Report? I think its quite good. Its the Wikipedia Review one. Thanks.

He's from Gallifrey, and he'll fuck your shit up! Yes, Ruthless!Ten is utterly awesome. And I agree we should have more.

I don't really report things from wank_report unless I am familir with the story behind them. Context, you know...

Was it me or did it seem like, y'know, the first time he'd said it? As in it's not just our first chance to hear it, he hasn't actually said the name since the war?

That would actually be an interesting take on things. He's moved on enough to claim his home...

It was ruthless and nasty, and reminds me all over again why I think manipulative, vaguely Ten is so easy to imagine. Especially when he went on his "greater good" tangent earlier on.

-- I had forgotten that. Geez, this whole thing just gets sicker and sicker the more you think on it . . .

medical student as a companion for the Doctor

Like you said; shotgun on the wall. Brilliant and I hope it's the case, although when you mentioned all that stuff about Lazarus and Martha (very very clever) it makes me wonder if they're setting it up so the companion does the moral and 'right' thing to do while the Doctor gets bogged down into that whole 'I could save them all' thing again.

Geez, this whole thing just gets sicker and sicker the more you think on it . . .

So much for those who whinged that Ten wasn't dark enough for them. I'm curious as to where this is all going, actually.

Like you said; shotgun on the wall.

It just... gives me a feeling. Which is a stupid comment, really, but it just does - ala JK Rowling and her significant names. That said, I have a reasonably good strike rate with predicting story endings. And, well, it's the sort of thing I'd do. It appeals to my story-telling style.

On Lazarus and Martha, it's an interesting Bible story. Jesus is informed of Lazarus being ill, but does nothing for a few days, so when he arrives, Lazarus is already dead - and Martha calls him on not doing anything (that it is his fault). Then we get the traditional miracle.

t makes me wonder if they're setting it up so the companion does the moral and 'right' thing to do while the Doctor gets bogged down into that whole 'I could save them all' thing again.

Playing Sarah Jane in School Reunion?

Playing Sarah Jane in School Reunion?

Well, you know. He doesn't do well with power and resurrections and all that. But now I really really really want to see these hunches of yours play out, because if they're right, they're awesome.

Another intersting point is that, as far as I am aware, the episode with Doctor Lazarus is the first since Smith and Jones to have the Jones family in it. It's certainly the first since then set in the here and now, and the family was seen on location.

I am very possibly seeing patterns in things that aren't there. But I think rampant speculation is a fun hobby.

*singsong* Mar-tha's bro-thers gonna di-iieee . . .

I don't know about die, but he was definitely seen injured/getting medical treatment from someone watching the shoot

It's already been a couple days, but I've just started following the conversation... Normally I wouldn't continue something that you were discussing so long ago, but your comment struck me --

>> Jesus is informed of Lazarus being ill, but does nothing for a few days, so when he arrives, Lazarus is already dead - and Martha calls him on not doing anything (that it is his fault). Then we get the traditional miracle.

Reminds me eerily of the setup in End of Days. Jack has been dead for days. Gwen gives up just as everyone else has, kisses him, walks away. Jack comes back to life. The Doctor miraculously comes to retrieve him, something Jack has been waiting for for who knows how long. There's two deaths and two resurrections, really -- the merely physical and the mental breaking off from the Doctor.

That Jack seems to be coming back sometime middle-to-end of the next Doctor Who season would let there be time for Martha to get an idea of what happened during the first two season finales and bother the Doctor over Jack, as well...

(Sadly the Martha/Jack siblings thing doesn't work nearly as well. ;-))

Random side note: Martha in the Bible had a brother and a sister. Doctor Who Martha? Brother and sister.

~~Please stop me before I start researching the significance of the names Leo and Tish</strike~~

Leo. Huh. Lion, male, king, Caesar? Herod? Tish. Short for? Tricia? Arggh, this is more up your alley.

I blame JK Rowling. Her tendency to give characters significant names means my first response to character names is to research their history.

*not looking not looking*

pleeease I needs it nowwww!!! :D:D next time I see you will have discs at the ready. ^___^

When do you think that might be?

Hmmm, don't know, unless a second-floorey type thing is organised sometime, probably not until uni.... boo. oh well I'll think of something.

You can see it on Google Video here (For now, anyway). Dunno if it's all there, but it seems about right.

The S3 trailer can be found there with a search, too.

You forget I have le sucky dial-up. ;)

It's ok, either I'll just have to wait, or scheme up a scenario where I shall bump into you. :D

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"With this ring, I thee biodamp."

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