I am unreasonably twitterpated about the return of Doctor Who...

[capri0mni]

In a way that I haven't been since 1996 (My disappointment in the "TV Movie" *cough*failed pilot*cough* has muted nearly all twitterpation since then -- but not this time)... There may be deep, philosophical, self-identity, reasons for this ... or maybe not.

In any case, to help my brain in its whirl, I drew an alien landscape:



I've also been watching fan review videos of Doctor Who on YouTube, including this: He Who Moans: Doctor Who Reviews: Every Moffat penned episode from 1999-2013. And even though I understand this critic's points, and can see why certain features of Moffat's stories are considered weak, the bit I have seen, and from what I've seen of him personally in interviews, etc., just makes me happy with his leadership of the show, so far.

And this morning, between waking up and getting up, it came to me why this is: Little details in the stories, lines of dialog, show me a reflection of my own philosophical beliefs about things like the meaning of death, and life, and the relationships in between (of all the named philosophical schools that I know of, I tend to fall between Taoism and Epicurism). And yes, even while I acknowledge that writing a story in order to present a philosophical treatise may not be the best use of narrative, I have to admit that I find most popular culture subtext so counter to my own philosophy, that even a badly written antidote to that is sweet and refreshing.

Also, someone made their own trailer for Deep Breath, out of the leaked black and white version of the first episode. And now, I understand why Moffat wrote Clara as not trusting/believing the Doctor post regeneration -- And it made me very, very, throat-lumpy, teary-eyed, happy. And more excited for the start of a new era than the Beeb's own work.

That trailer is here (Spoilers, obv. -- but especially one I'm sure the Beeb really wants to keep under wraps.)

(I need a new Doctor Who icon...)

Comments

[gordon_r_d]

I'm definitely looking forward to this Saturday more than any other Saturday since the show's original return in 2005. Everything I hear makes me think Moffat and Capaldi are going very old-school and since Moffat's Who already clicks with me in a big way (all the power of stories, mythology and general worldview just appeal to me greatly) I reckon I'm in for a heck of a ride this season.

[capri0mni]

When I first saw a clip of Matt Smith's regeneration, I got the immediate sense that Moffat was having one of those fanboy debates with Davies about what really happens during regeneration, of the sort I remember from the heyday of RADW:

As I remember it, one school said that each version of the Doctor is actually a replacement of the one that came before -- a swap-out with a parallel universe, and that the previous Time Lord ceases to exist, on a fundamental level. This is clearly the school of thought RTD belongs to (Not only did he have Ten whining "I don't wanna go," he also had Nine tell Rose: "...it means I'm not going to see you again," instead of the other way around). Whereas Moffat belongs to the other school of thought: that regeneration is a natural, biological, process, only slightly different (although more complex) than the ordinary aging we humans experience.

And after seeing that fan made trailer, it became crystal clear to me that the main reason Clara's reaction to the Doctor's regen is so similar to Rose's in "The Christmas Invasion" (Even though it makes no sense, plotwise), is that it gives Moffat his one chance to rebut that whole whiny "What will I do? My Doctor's Gawwwn!" shpiel.

And since he has the Doctor say exactly what I wished he would have said to Rose in TCI, I'd forgive a plot hole the size of Belgium...

[gordon_r_d]

I've mostly avoided spoilers but know about something that reassures Clara about the new Doctor but won't say what in case it's not the thing in the fan trailer.

I'm really looking forward to a companion having to deal with a new Doctor, since we didn't get that with the Ten/Eleven changeover, you'd think Clara would be more receptive to a change, with her having seen other incarnations, but I'm thinking Twelve will just be so unlike War, Ten and Eleven that it'll throw her a curveball.

There's also a great line in a wee clip from episode two shown during a news item that immediately gave me that alieness and slight disconnection from humanity and made me think of either or both Bakers.

[capri0mni]

The Beeb have caught the fanvid I linked to and have blocked it on copyright grounds. :-/

That's okay. I can wait three days to talk about it... I think that the bit you're thinking about as the bit that reassures Clara is in this fanvid (but the lines that that had me lumpy-throated happy, and thinking "Dammit, Russell, that's how you should have written the post-regeneration tension!" were something else entirely, and made the *big spoiler* seem like small peas in comparison, imnsho).

[gordon_r_d]

Now that the episode's aired, the reassurance bit I'd heard about was the phone call, but I was expecting it to be audio only. Without any spoilers, I love Capaldi's Doctor, he's prickly, mad but still kind of lovable and there's some nice ambiguity about exactly what he's doing or has done. Can't wait to see more.

[capri0mni]

Ayup. That's the bit in the fanmade trailer I was pretty sure the Beeb was paranoid about eager to keep unspoiled.

The bit in the fan trailer that had me gulping and blinking back happy tears was his line about how painful it was to be invisible to Clara, just because he'd changed. Because that's a pretty strong point-blank metaphor for changes within families and friendships after an acquired disability. And I got the feeling (that may turn out to be mistaken, after I see the episode), that Moffat wrote Clara's response the way he did so that he could have the Doctor yell at Rose for her self-indulgent response by proxy.

[gordon_r_d]

That bit leads directly from the phone call and is done so well, especially a bit where Eleven and Twelve echo the exact same line of dialogue. There's just so many wonderful little bits in the episode, call backs, call forwards(?) and the occasional all out belly laugh.

[capri0mni]

Okay, then. I will definitely have to buy the downloadable version from Amazon. ... I won't have the money to get the whole season, but the reviews coming back from this one tells me it's one I should have for my very own.

[capri0mni]

Okay! I've gone ahead and bought episode one. I've watched it once through, plus gone back and rewatched bits. Am debating watching the whole thing through again.

Some thoughts: 1) I definitely feel better about Clara's confusion over the regeneration, now, since it's not based on her disbelief that it can happen, but rather a whole bunch of wrong assumptions.

2) I'm definitely getting a Seventh Doctor vibe, here, especially the sense that he's now testing his companion's mettle, and maybe preparing her for something (q.v. "Ghostlight"), and also with the manipulative streak.

3) Loved the speech about finding more beauty in the world close up, than at a distance.

4) I've seen several speculative comments (on YouTube) that Missy is either River or the TARDIS, because of the "boyfriend" comment. But I doubt it. The TARDIS called him "My thief" (and the TARDIS is with him). And I've seen references to comments from Moffat that the River arc is complete.

5) hard to pick a favorite line, but "Everyone stay away from the mirror -- it's furious!" is making me grin, right now.