Doctor Who 4/30.08 Silence in the Library

[selenak]

In which I get to use my default icon, and there is praise and frowning alike.



Okay, complaint first, because I always like to get these out of the way before I move on to the praise, and it's not really a complaint in the sense of "this is badly written", it's more an observation about long term implications. If you look at all the episodes Stephen Moffat has written for New Who - The Empty Child/ The Doctor Dances, The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink and now Silence in the Library and (presumably) its second part, there is one element they share beyond being clever and scary and award material. They're all decidedly lite on a) Doctor/Companion interaction and b) companion on her own doing things. This is a bit unfair in regards to Blink, which was designed to be the Doctor-lite episode of the season and hasn't much more of him than of Martha, either, but it stands as an observation in regards to the others. The memorable stuff in EC/DD is given to Nancy, Jack and the Doctor, with good minor characters like Dr. Constantine added, and of course scary, scary monsters; Rose gets to dance and be rescued. GiFP, which is one of my favourites, again has Rose being rescued (along with Mickey) in the only scene she really interacts with the Doctor, and her most memorable scene in the episode is probably her conversation with Reinette... about the Doctor. Blink, well, see above - minimal Doctor and companion content was the pre-condition. And now Silence in the Library has minimal Donna and next to no Donna-Doctor interaction. I can't help but suspect a pattern there, which is that Moffat is basically more comfortable with putting the companion du jour aside in a holding pattern (this time literally) while he creates his own (excellent) characters. This is no problem if a writer just contributes one or two episodes per season - the format is flexible enough, and there are all the other episodes written and plotted by other writers in which the Doctor and his companion interact a lot more. But it might be a problem if the headwriter of the season, responsible for coming up with the basic plots for all episodes, still continues with said pattern. Otoh, this worry of mine might be redundant if it's just that Moffat isn't that interested in the RTD-created companions - Rose, Martha and Donna alike - but would be in his own. Still, I couldn't help but notice.

Now, on to the praise. Firstly, like Girl in the Fireplace, which works wonderfully as metafiction on several levels (the Doctor meeting, having a relationship with and losing Reinette again in a short space of time being the quintessence of how all his relationships with short-lived humans must be to him; also, the way he interacts with her, watching selected emotionally charged moments of her life until he becomes involved steps into the narrative is very much what tv viewers do when falling in love with particular characters and then starting to write for them), Silence in the Library is a story about stories, both Doctor Who as a story and in general. Biographies needing to end with death, no skipping forward to the end, spoilers, spoilers, it's all there, and I'll probably have more thoughts when I rewatch later. And there are two levels, and the question of who is the story and who is the teller - the little girl or the Doctor? Great twists with usual conventions: the Doctor and Donna show up as basically the monsters at first; the little girl, which by now tv viewers are pre-conditioned (thank you, Life on Mars) to see as creepy, is actually more likely the heroine; similarly, we're pre conditioned to see the psychiatrist/doctor (DOCTOR!) as creepy, and he's the one who tells the girl at the end her nightmares are real, he's the truthteller, not the preventer. Then there is the library level of the narration, and timey-wimey stuff strikes again as the Doctor meets someone for the first time who has long since met him. (Technically, this was also true about the first time he met Sally Sparrow from his pov, but that was the resolution of the narrative, not part of the set-up.) And she doesn't let him read/fast forward to the end of the book. Spoilers!

Speaking of that enterprising lady, several possibilities (other than the obvious, that she and the Doctor are intimate friends/lovers in his future and her past):
a) She's still hiding something other than that, and we're not supposed to completely trust her, or
b) She might be not a one (or two) episodes character but an actual future companion. (There is a precedent, I think; Mel as the Sixth Doctor's companion, whom the audience met at a point in her timeline when she already had met and travelled with him.)

At any rate, her being an archaeologist and the whole archaeology versus time-traveller concept is great. Also, without already having read other reviews, may I speculate that something I said more than once about Jack Harkness will turn out to be true? That if Jack had been female, and all other things equal - time traveller like the Doctor, has sonic instrument, is sexually magnetic, instantly hits it off with one of our two regulars and before the end of his introduction two-parter becomes accepted and embraced (if one counts dancing as that) by the other - a lot of the audience would have cried "Mary Sue!!!!" and hated him, or rather, her.

Donna didn't get much in this episode, but the scenes she had - kicking open the door, her sympathy for the ridiculed Miss Evangelista (that must have reminded her about Lance's scornful words about how stupid she, Donna, was), - were memorable. And then the Doctor seeing her as a disembodied face was just gutwrenching. The phrase "Donna Noble has been saved" was terribly creepy before (trust Moffat to turn something banal - "saving" in the computer sense - into something scaaaaary, again), but the moment he sees her, despite the knowledge this is a two parter, not the season ending, and Donna will indeed be saved in a different sense - the horrible realisation and the way he touches her cheek.... It slayed me. (Also, great, great acting from David Tennant.)

The data ghost business: horribly sad and efficiently scary at the same time. I suspect it might also be crucial to the solution later. And note it, like the books everywhere, is about phrases, storytelling even in this brief and elliptic form.

So, on to the next part, even though it presumably will have minimal Donna as well. I do hope the one after that will be a Donna extravaganza!

Comments

[honorh.livejournal.com]

River strikes me as a female Jack Harkness in many ways--she's from the 51st century, she has some great alien tech, she flirts for bear, and it looks like she's done some traveling in time before settling into a steady job. She appears to be upsetting some people, though, and I do expect the "Mary Sue!" cries to have started in earnest by now. Blech.

Once Moffat gets to create a companion, I think he'll improve his record. As CT has stated she'll only do one season, it looks like the S5 companion will have to be Moffat-created, and he can't very well ignore him/her then, eh? Or them. It'd be nice to have a "them" again.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

She appears to be upsetting some people, though, and I do expect the "Mary Sue!" cries to have started in earnest by now. Blech.

I knew it. Sigh. Fannish misogyny is so sadly predictable. You know, I didn't exactly love her on first sight, but I didn't do that with Jack, either. I am intrigued, and find her very interesting, plus I'm really glad we got an actress for the part who isn't in her early 20s but looks like an experienced woman.

A them would be nice, and Martha's recent three episodes have given us a taste of how well it could work without neglecting anyone. But as I said re: regular male companion (as opposed to what Jack and Mickey were), they haven't done that since Five's day, so I'm a bit sceptical whether the BBC will give us a full season of a full TARDIS...

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

Beyond fannish mysoginy, which I see as well, the Rose/Doctor shippers are losing it. It's very funny to see. River is apparently too "pushy," "indiscreet" and almost "unhinged." It seems to me that all those adjectives could easily apply to Ten. :-)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

To Ten, and most though not all incarnations of the Doctor.*g* (And, as mentioned before, to Captian Jack Harkness.) But yes, given that River's very existence in the future of the Doctor's timeline demonstrates he'll go on having intense long term relationships with people not Rose I can see why mono shippers would be upset. (However, I also have Rose/Doctor shippers on my flist who are entirely rational about this. Sadly, it's always the extremists who stand out.)

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think the next one (after Silence in the Forest) is Donna-lite as well, but supposedly because she's in EVERY scene of episode eleven. So that'll be interesting, that they switch off the now traditional 'Doctor lite' episode for this pattern.

I need to watch it again as well; I suspect the reaction to River Song VASTLY depends on what spectrum you're coming from when you watch the show. I know the shippers aren't crazy about it. /wry.

I think you're right about Moffat not being very interested in the companions. I get the sense that he's dissatisfied with the role they play in the narrative, not that he individually dislikes Donna, Martha or Rose, which bodes troublesome in a sense that they are the ground for the narrative. On the other hand, maybe it's good, because I seem to like the companions that fit less the traditional mode -- bring on Barbara and the Romanas and Captain Jack's and Turlough.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Romana is entirely a companion in the traditional mode (travels with the Doctor, banters with the Doctor, gets occasionally rescued by the Doctor and occasionally rescues the Doctor), and Turlough was unusual just in the sense that he came on board the TARDIS with hostile intentions originally, so I don't quite see your point? Barbara basically started the companion tradition together with Ian and Susan, so it's hard to call her untraditional. In retrospect she is unusual because most of the later companions didn't have their primary relationship with someone else (Ian), but otherwise, Barbara basically is the ancestor of the Liz Shaw/Sarah Jane/Martha archetype of clever professional.

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

There seems to be a pretty strong expectation that they be single human girls aged 20-25. (Especially, from what I've read, from upper management at BBC, though who knows how true that is.) Granted, a fair number of companions actually DON'T meet that mold. Kind of like how no one actually said "Beam me up, Scotty" on TOS but culture has that as the catchphrase.

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

They're all decidedly lite on a) Doctor/Companion interaction and b) companion on her own doing things.

Very good observation.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Moffat phasing out the Companion in favour of his original characters: I never consciously noticed it before, but after you mentioned it, it rather jumped out at me in this episode.

I thought the spoilers meta was purposefully breaking the fourth wall and quite directed at both viewers who search for them and magazines and tabloids that give them away, especially considering Ten's resigned admission that he did a bad job of keeping the surprises from Donna in the end. I found it very interesting - for one because I am interested in the discussion about spoilers in general, but also because Moffat wasn't vitriolic about it, and considering how heavily creators usually fume about spoilers, that was rather surprising.

Two levels: I liked that concept a lot, especially that we don't really know who the narrator/hero is, as you point out. I read a theory on someone's lj on who the little girl might be, and I'm very curious if it turns out to be right. There were certainly hints to it in the story itself. And I also loved that Colin Salmon's doctor actually was a benign force, because at first it really seemed he is of the more common cliched breed.

River Song (and do I love that name): so far, nobody whose review I've read accused her of being mary sueish, but I might be reading selectively. From the way she behaved, I actually picked her as the Doctor's future wife, not his future Companion, but either way I would be thrilled if we see her again. Not least because I adore Alex Kingston. Also, I'm guessing her remark that the Doctor is so young is a hint that Eleven won't be played by Jack Davenport, like andrastewhite and I wished for. Such a pity.

The plot developments with Donna were rather disturbing, although I'm now wondering if only her essence was saved, or if there is also a backup copy on the hard drive. /random computer geek
I loved her trying to bond with poor poor Miss Evangelista, and her reaction to the data ghosts was awesomely played by Catherine Tate. I just really wish they would stop hurling anvils of death at her. I wasn't feeling that well when I watched the episode, so it freaked me out a lot more than it probably would have otherwise, but this especially is really started to get to me.

[crossoverman.livejournal.com]

Also, I'm guessing her remark that the Doctor is so young is a hint that Eleven won't be played by Jack Davenport

Well, she was referencing the fact that Ten is "young" compared to The Doctor she knows - presumably Eleven, since Moffat will get to create him. She does seem to suggest the age difference is much bigger than this, but there might be an intervening century or two somewhere in The Doctor's future personal time line (whether or not Song knows the next incarnation or the one beyond that)!

I love the fact that Moffat is starting to lay the groundwork for his stint in the showrunner chair. Also, Alex Kingston must be pleased - she'll get some work in 2010!

[crossoverman.livejournal.com]

Well, I suspect we won't get an answer about when Song first meets The Doctor for a good long time year - at least two years! And that she is certainly talking about a future incarnation even though she "recognises" him.

That said, Ten might well go missing - or traveling without a companion - for a hundred years between season four and five. I suspect that Moffat would like to put some distance between his and RTD's tenure, even if it's not with a new Doctor.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Well, she was referencing the fact that Ten is "young" compared to The Doctor she knows - presumably Eleven, since Moffat will get to create him. She does seem to suggest the age difference is much bigger than this, but there might be an intervening century or two somewhere in The Doctor's future personal time line (whether or not Song knows the next incarnation or the one beyond that)!

Hm. I have to watch again, but I definitely thought she was referring to his looks, not his actual age. I mean, he is somewhere around a millennium, I don't think one or two hundred years would make much of a difference.

ETA: That is, wait, someone said she's from the 51st century, like Jack? Okay, that would likely make a difference.

I love the fact that Moffat is starting to lay the groundwork for his stint in the showrunner chair. Also, Alex Kingston must be pleased - she'll get some work in 2010!

I do, too, and here's hoping Kingston will indeed return.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Two levels: I liked that concept a lot, especially that we don't really know who the narrator/hero is

Who dreamed it, Alice or the Red King?

Having got into literary echoes: every time I heard the Doctor say "Vashta Nerada", a voice in my mind started whispering "Sredni Vashtar the Beautiful".

River Song (and do I love that name): so far, nobody whose review I've read accused her of being mary sueish

I didn't really see her that way (I had a brief panic about whether to read anything into RivER SOng, but eventually decided it was impossible for assorted reasons). I was interested by selenak's comparison with Jack; I certainly liked her more than I did him when he arrived (I suppose I've got used to Jack over the years, but I don't think he's ever going to be a favourite of mine). Now I think about it, perhaps her insistence on their closeness might have irritated me a bit more if part of my mind hadn't been calculating "Alex Kingston ain't going to be more than a one-off guest".

Re the absence of "companion on her own doing things", I thought from the start that that was a weakness of the 45-minute format. Traditionally, the companion had two main roles: to get the Doctor to explain what was going on, and to lead the subplot, so over several 25-minute episodes you'd expect them to be separated and reunited on a regular basis. There's less time for a subplot in 45 minutes and, though I think they've got better at handling the format in the Martha and Donna eras, I thought Rose suffered badly from that; she rarely seemed to function independently outside two-parters (not always then, even), and it made her look clingy.

[thesecondevil]

Also, I'm guessing her remark that the Doctor is so young is a hint that Eleven won't be played by Jack Davenport

River said that specifically in reference to his eyes, that his eyes looked younger than she'd seen before. That combined with her expectation for The Doctor to recognise her (and that she recognises him on sight) makes me think that her previous encounters with The Doctor still take place within Ten's lifespan.

[wondygal.livejournal.com]

That was what I thought too. Hmm.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I watched it again and you're definitely right. I must have been really tired to miss that the first time around.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I never consciously noticed it before, but after you mentioned it, it rather jumped out at me in this episode.

I'm really curious about how he'd write Jack on DW now, because he's never written him as a companion - he created him for his original two parter, and at that point Jack might as well have been a one-shot character like Nancy. And it would settle the question whether Moffat just favouris one shots over regulars or whether regulars he created would be different.

Back up copy of Donna: that is a good idea! You know, if Catherine Tate wants to return, they could always use that if bad things happen to Donna otherwise... *hopes against hope Donna will somehow survive the season*

And I also loved that Colin Salmon's doctor actually was a benign force, because at first it really seemed he is of the more common cliched breed.

That was a very welcome twist.

I found it very interesting - for one because I am interested in the discussion about spoilers in general, but also because Moffat wasn't vitriolic about it, and considering how heavily creators usually fume about spoilers, that was rather surprising.

I, err, on one level hate it myself when people spoil themselves for the ending, but as a fan I can understand the temptation - I've done it for a while and then came to the conclusion it really is much more enjoyable when I am unspoiled. Moffat's attitude here seems to be "guess it's inevitable it happens, but try anyway, hmmm?" Which is sensible.

Alex Kingston: I had a moment when I went "wait... so the Doctor will date Moll Flanders in his future?" (As this was the role I first saw her in.) I'd like to see her again, too, and am enjoying her very much for. As for her remark about the Doctor being young, I thought this was referring not to his physical appearance; I had an instant flashback to Delenn saying that to John Sheridan in the flash forwards from War Without End, adding it's not his look, it's his eyes and an innocence there which he was to loose. (This being pre Anna's return and Z'ha'dum.) Though I do wonder given the Doctor's actual age and experience what more traumatic thing will happen to make the version River Song knows more weary/broken/not-young. Hmmm.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Back up copy of Donna: that is a good idea! You know, if Catherine Tate wants to return, they could always use that if bad things happen to Donna otherwise... *hopes against hope Donna will somehow survive the season*

I'm so with you. I hope the anvils of death are of a similar nature as Rose's were in Season 2, although the way River looked at Donna wasn't very encouraging. On the other hand, remember that one quote from Planet of the Ood how "every song ends"? I'm a bit worried about River, too.

I, err, on one level hate it myself when people spoil themselves for the ending, but as a fan I can understand the temptation - I've done it for a while and then came to the conclusion it really is much more enjoyable when I am unspoiled. Moffat's attitude here seems to be "guess it's inevitable it happens, but try anyway, hmmm?" Which is sensible.

*g* I've come to terms with the fact that I will spoil myself for certain shows, usually when they are new to me and I'm more involved in fandom - currently, that's Heroes and Lost (and you wouldn't believe how many fake spoilers there are for the latter. Not even official ones - although those exist, too, for instance they filmed three coffin reveals to throw people off - just people making up things. Strange.). It does wear off, though, it's like the urgency goes away. And really, as long as I'm not constantly whining that an episode I was spoiled for didn't have surprising twists and keep watch that I don't accidentally spoil others, I'd say the problem is solely mine...

Alex Kingston: I had a moment when I went "wait... so the Doctor will date Moll Flanders in his future?" (As this was the role I first saw her in.)

I saw her first on ER, where she played a character with quite a similar attitude to River Song.

As for her remark about the Doctor being young, I thought this was referring not to his physical appearance

No, you're right, it wasn't, I've watched it again, and she's talking about his eyes looking younger. And yes, it's very worrying.

[crossoverman.livejournal.com]

One would expect by the time he gets to create his own Doctor and companions that he'll have to care about both, enough to create a relationship that he'll find satisfying. And Dr Song might well be a future companion - which he's setting up here. And, one imagines, he will also get to create whatever Doctor she is refering to - Eleven, obviously. (Although the dialogue seems to suggest she knows a Doctor further into the future than the next incarnation, she probably can't know how far along the spectrum Ten is really. The Doctor is never that forthcoming about regeneration or his different forms.)

But so far so great for Doctor River Song - the notion that she can spoil the Doctor's story but won't is a great meta comment as you suggest and presumably next week won't be the last we see of her, so no one can yet spoil her future role... except for Stephen Moffat. (Although maybe if she meets Eleven in the future, she's destined to die here with Ten?)

Yes, Donna's predicament was very disturbing - and indeed the whole set-up of this episode has me intrigued for next week. The two-parters have a history of putting one of the minor characters or companions in jeopardy as the cliffhanger, but this time I'm worried about them all. Even the little girl, who might well be the big computer.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Although maybe if she meets Eleven in the future, she's destined to die here with Ten?

That had occured to me, but if she is a future companion, I don't think Moffat would tie himself up like that - we'd always know what will happen to her, and that reduces the narrative possibilities. They don't have the problem with Jack in Torchwood because even though we know exactly how and when Jack will eventually die, there are enough other characters where we didn't/ don't know. DW, by contrast, has just two regulars (currently, unless Moffat goes back to the good old days of a crowded TARDIS later), and one is the title character who pretty much won't die permanently before the show ends.

You know, the fact the little girl could be the computer didn't occur to me until I read KdS' post and now I feel thick, because that would make so much sense!

[crossoverman.livejournal.com]

Yes, that makes sense actually - that would destroy narrative possibilities. It depends what his long range plan is, though. He might just want her for a two-parter in Season Five and be done with her anyway!

The girl being the computer is so obvious - but yeah it took someone else's post for me to figure it out, too. There was so much going on in this episode - so many distractions - that I'd forgotten about how long the computer had been alone, etc.

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

I think that the River will ultimately "spoil" her future and it will be eradicated.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thought, and have seen other people complaining that Donna was too abrasive and thick in this one in comparison to how most other people have been writing her this season.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I've seen a couple of posts suggesting she might in part be based on Bernice Summerfield from Virgin's New Adventures, but Moffat didn't write any of those so it may just be coincidence.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any Benny adventures, either, but got enough via fannish osmosis to think of her when River Song announced her profession.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I wonder if she's the Doctor's wife (I like her, but then I'm old and long past the "I have to hate you if you get in the way of my One True Pairing"). I also wonder if he'll realise this about the time he has to take some action that will wipe out her entire timeline...

I don't think she's a companion, I think she lives her own life and he enters and leaves it at random intervals that are never in chronological order. (I really must go and read 'The Time Traveller's Wife)

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was *very* much reminded of the Time Traveller's Wife! What with the book that chronicles their future meetings, and her having met him before he meets her, and him being a time traveller.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I also wonder if he'll realise this about the time he has to take some action that will wipe out her entire timeline...

That's one possible outcome: he'll be able to save Donna and free the library planet from the Vashta Nerada but only if he wipes out River's timeline, and just before that he learns they're married. Although it's sort of a fake dilemma in that we the audience are more invested in Donna so of course we want the Doctor to save her plus we know she's back in the next episode...

OTPness to the degree of hating every other possible love interest is indeed very silly. Bah, humbug.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I think he'll realise first, that will make the decision all the harder. Then again, it would be a really bitter twist if he only finds out afterwards.

I love Donna, but River has grown on me very quickly. I wonder if this is payback for all those "We're not married" jokes...

[gaspodex.livejournal.com]

The main problem with River that she very very nearly is Bernice Summerfield (who of course is one of Paul C's characters rather than Stevens) ... Unless of course it's going to turn out that River Song isn't her real name and Paul and Steve has conspired to introduce Benny to the TV cannon ...

[meret.livejournal.com]

Biographies needing to end with death,

I hadn't thought of that scene in terms of being meta on the show. That death has to happen to give things weight or whatever it was he said. I just got a very bad feeling about Donna's chances of surviving the season, and she's my favorite companion ever. :(

She's still hiding something other than that, and we're not supposed to completely trust her, or

I really liked her. I'm interested to see how River Song ties in to the Ood saying the doctor's song will end soon.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought of that scene in terms of being meta on the show. That death has to happen to give things weight or whatever it was he said.

I was reminded of a line in Neil Gaiman's Sandman early on, which of course foreshadows the ending of that story as well - there a character reflects the problem with stories is that if you tell them long enough, pursue the fate of the characters long enough, they all end in death, sooner or later. She tries to cheat by always breaking off before that, but of course the narrative overpowers her...

The Song/song pun is something that hadn't occured to me! Intriguing.

I'm constantly worried about Donna but desperately hoping there will be a twist permitting her survival somehow so that she can at some point return.

[thesecondevil]

I had not noticed Moffat's tendency to sideline companions before, hopefully he will feel more comfortable giving his own companions the big moments.

[wondygal.livejournal.com]

I didn't *love* the episode, but I expect I'll love the next one. Great acting by Tennant, yes, and also Tate. I absolutely love their chemistry.

You speak truth about Moffat's tendencies to sideline the companions. I haven't minded much before, I did this episode, but I don't know if it's because I love Donna more or because we know he's next headwriter. It worries me a little bit also because, while I like both Jack and River Song, I don't love them like I do all three RTD companions. But yes, they had more time to earn my love, Moffat only starts in 2010. I think I'll try to not worry and just enjoy Donna Noble. She kicked down a door, you know. *loves*

I don't go out into wide open fandom, but I've already heard there's hate on River because whatever. I love your theories she might not be what she's implying to be, though. I didn't assume wife/girlfriend/love interest because I try very hard to keep my gen goggles on, but future companion was on the cards, and while that could be good, I like that she might be untrustworthy. If only because then I can dismiss the "You're THAT Donna Noble! I won't verbalize it but my look implies something bad will happen to you." scene.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

She kicked down a door, you know. *loves*

That was a terrific moment. (And also a very old school call back to the fact the sonic screwdriver is really useless with that type of door.*g*)

River being possibly untrustworthy is something that came to me because of the Jack similarities, actually. Let's remember, Jack was a con man in his debut, and he was responsible for the disaster of the day, though he hadn't intended anything of the sort. Hence the idea River could be hiding something other than the exact nature of her relationship with the Doctor - not in the sense of being a villain, I'm certain she is one of the good guys, but in the sense of being somewhat implicated in the current event and/or having an additional agenda which will be revealed in the next part.

The companion sidelining wasn't something that I had consciously realized until now, either, and yes, like you I think the reason I noticed this time (and then looked back and saw there was precedence) is due to my Donna love (and awareness every moment of DonnaDoctor interaction counts because we won't get an unlimited supply of same).

[abigail-n.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right that the sidelining of the companions is simply the result of Moffat favoring his characters over Davies's, though I keep flashing back to the post-"Girl in the Fireplace" Confidential in which he basically said that Reinette was the kind of woman the Doctor could love because, unlike Rose, she was posh. I was also annoyed by Donna's bout of jealousy, which isn't something we've seen from her before.

Where I'd have to quibble about River Song being placed in the companion role instead of Donna is in the Doctor's reaction to her. He most emphatically is not going through the motions of the traditional dance of new companion infatuation (see "Rose," "Smith and Jones," "Partners in Crime," "Utopia," "The Doctor's Daughter," and too many others to mention). In fact, inasmuch as he has an emotional reaction to her beyond being annoyed that she won't do what he wants and then treating her like a plot token, that reaction is confusion and distrust. River is being projected at the audience - a mysterious, cool character who knows the Doctor better than we do and has a potted history with him - but not at the Doctor. I'm not really sure where Moffat is going with that.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Reinette was the kind of woman the Doctor could love because, unlike Rose, she was posh

My recollection was stunningly intellectual and multi-talented, rather than posh. (Was it Moffat or RTD that said it?)

[kindkit.livejournal.com]

stunningly intellectual and multi-talented

The historical Madame de Pompadour no doubt was, but I don't feel like we saw any of that in Reinette's character. I didn't hate her or anything, but apart from her beauty, she didn't come across, in the episode, as anything special.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

No, that was the weakness of the episode, and why I'd have preferred it to be a two-parter, with the Doctor stuck on the slow path but getting a chance to see her dominate her own world in the second half. We were told how brilliant she was, but apart from telling people not to panic because they were French she never did anything. (I was hoping for a plot twist in which they were saved by her gardening abilities.) However, it was the explanation of why the Doctor could love her in the accompanying Confidential documentary to which abigail_n referred, rather than anything she did in the episode.

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

Well, Reinette figured out the Doctor's psychology almost instantly, read his mind back when he tried to use telepathy on her and managed to figure out the concept of time travel on her own well before H.G. Wells. On the screen we saw that she was sexy, brave, flirtatious, and dignified. Reinette has a lot to recommend her in this episode.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Also, without already having read other reviews, may I speculate that something I said more than once about Jack Harkness will turn out to be true? That if Jack had been female, and all other things equal - time traveller like the Doctor, has sonic instrument, is sexually magnetic, instantly hits it off with one of our two regulars and before the end of his introduction two-parter becomes accepted and embraced (if one counts dancing as that) by the other - a lot of the audience would have cried "Mary Sue!!!!" and hated him, or rather, her.

Hmm. Hard to say. I do know that I didn't actually like Jack until Boomtown, the first time I was watching the show. But he screws up enough in TEC/TDD to have probably escaped being called a Mary Sue.

[queenspanky.livejournal.com]

I think she's the Doctor. It explains the sonic screwdriver and how she knew about parts of the TARDIS, and if she's as old as she says the Doctor ends up, she would have been through many companions, and may have forgotten Donna.

Just my two cents!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Given that Stephen Moffat already wrote the Doctor regenerating into female form once, you might be right.*g* Though she definitely behaved as if she had known him as another person, especially with her "tell me you know me" and telling Donna it makes her sad he doesn't. Which doesn't sound like a future regeneration.

[queenspanky.livejournal.com]

Yes, when she said 'tell me you know me' I wondered if she was a Time Lord, as she's 'Professor', but then my delightful flatmate pointed out that he would be able to sense that. And it could make her sad that he can't see himself in her, that s/he's changed so much? I am so sure that somehow all these words can be twisted!

Moffat is a genius though at creating fandom explosions of speculation :)

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Also he's written the Tenth Doctor meeting an earlier incarnation in Time Crash; but the Doctor doesn't usually make a habit of meeting past and future selves outside emergencies, and all that "picnicking at Asgard" sounded more social and fairly regular. So I ruled that possibility out.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

You're right about Moffat sidelining the current companion in favor of his OC. I find it particularly frustrating here because we're only getting one season of Donna, and I want as much of her as I can get! I doubt it'll be a problem once Moffat takes over, though, since he'll be the one in charge of creating the companions.

I have to say, a big difference between Jack and River is that Jack didn't show up claiming to know more than the audience, dropping frustrating hints and refusing to explain, and claiming an unprecedented (and unearned, from the audience's POV) importance to the Doctor's life. I'm not hugely fond of Jack either, but I found River infinitely more annoying.

And it's not because I'm an OTP shipper; I love Doctor/Rose, Doctor/Donna, and (more than anything) Doctor/Master, because I like the characters and see the chemistry. Here I just felt annoyed by this rude stranger who I wished would go away. (And I should clarify that I thought the actress was great. It was the writing that made me dislike her.)