selenak

12_12_12 has just finished watching the first season of Lost - check out her season 1 post and her Kate, Michael, Locke and Shannon meta, and please don't spoil her for later seasons - and her observation re: the forming of a community in s1 reminded me of something I want to explore if I ever get to write my big meta post on Lost: how the forming, falling apart and reforming of communities and smaller family/friendship units is an ongoing theme through all seasons so far, and how whether or not you're on board with the later seasons depends on whether or not you're prepared to accept the seasonal changes in characters and emphasis. In season 2, we get introduced to the Tailies as a contrasting community to the original cast - how they coped with the crash and the aftermath in circumstances that were even more dire is a harsh mirror. We also meet Desmond, and the various Dharma stations, which start to introduce the huge backstory of the island. You have season 1 relationships and certainties falling apart or being forcibly separated - Charlie and Claire (hell, Charlie and everyone at some point), Locke goes through his crisis of faith, Michael turns his back on the community and then turns traitor because he needs to rescue his son, Shannon dies, we find out that his lottery win isn't the only disturbing element of Hurley's backstory and that behind his cheerful facade there is fragile mental health, and so forth. There are also some new bonds formed and some reunions - Bernard and Rose among the later, obviously, Mr. Eko, Libby and Hurley, and at the end Desmond joining the Losties. Season 3's new community to get presented are the Others; not that we haven't met individual members before, most crucially Ben when he was undercover as Henry Gale and started to have his first intense scenes with Locke, but season 3 is when the Others really get explored, and Ben and Juliet get established as characters with as much importance and screentime as the old regulars. There are ongoing movements between the communities - early in the season Jack, Kate and Sawyer are with the Others by force, later in the season, as Juliet joins the beach community, Locke joins the Others voluntarily. Season 4 introduces the Freighter people, wo are important, but I'd say the most important new community to be explored actually is an old one - the Oceanic Six, that future/present which reintroduces us to five of our regulars in very different circumstances. And of course the big narrative of the season is how they got there. Where I'm getting at: I understand why some fans who were in love with the season 1 setting didn't stick with the show. But to me, most of the additions and the ongoing changes in areas and characters to be explored really worked and contributed to making the show, and while I was sad for most deaths, they keep my on my toes in viewing expectations when it comes to Lost.

Meanwhile, in DW fandom: the great thing is that we don't just get fannish hairpulling but also really interesting meta posts. I must say this one about River's fate and the ending has persuaded me from my original pov; also, I liked the point

skywaterblue made about Miss Evangelista.

And then there was fanfiction:

Everybody knows that: short, beautiful and sensitive tag to the episode, with Donna and the Doctor dealing. (Or not.) I love these two together so very, very much.

Mistitled: The one way the Doctor could remember his name. It's

calapine, so you know it's good: poetic and convincing.

Not inspired but the most recent episode but by the earlier two-parter dealing with the Sontarans and UNIT: The Doctor takes Donna for a trip to the 70s (or was it the 80s?) in order to show her why he used to work for UNIT. Home? gives us Donna and Ten interacting with the Brig, Jo, and finally an irascible Three and, of course, the Master (this is a law with the Pertwee era!), and since I am a fan of all parties named, this had me squeeing in delight.