DoctorDonnaFriends recs

[selenak]

Because they're my favourite New Who TARDIS team, and no, I won't stop gushing about them any time soon. It's just - they're so comfortable with each other, you know? So genuinenly enjoying each other's company, without that meaning they agree all the time, on the contrary. But then, that's one of the marks of friendship - you can completely disagree and argue with another person's pov without having to fear this would end the relationship. When this season is over, I'll write a giant meta post on Donna Noble and her impact on the Doctor from the moment she got accidentally transported on his TARDIS and slapped him. Meanwhile, recs:

Vid: I just saw a face: early Beatles somehow fit these two completely.

Fanfic: Four times Donna thought the Doctor was just like any other bloke and one time she didn't: gets extra points for the way it uses Donna's experience with Lee & the kids in the library, but really is superb all around. Oh, Donna.

Comments

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

I love her so much.

(Also, I'm not sure why there aren't more people shipping them and not just friendship ficcing them, although I guess ampersand fic is a nice change. Shame though, since um, so many of their scenes read to me as two people who are sleeping together but not exactly attaching romantic expectations on it. Well, maybe that's why -- shippers seem to gravitate towards the younger 'our love is forever!' couples way before casual part time lovers.)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

At a guess, it's partly because the recent shipper wars left a bad taste in many a mouth, plus the lack of romantic angst after two companions in love with the Doctor in a row was perceived as refreshing and fic mirrors that.

Though I think your other reason is also true, especially for the younger crowd (she says, being 39 and thus ancient and wise): they gravitate towards the whole One True Love Foreverrrrrr! concept, never mind how inappropriate that is when one part of the couple they're shipping has an extremely long life span, and don't find "friends with benefits" as inspirational. (I mean, just look at any given day of Torchwood fanfic. Not just because 98% of it is Jack/Ianto, but of that most going by the summaries is about Ianto being Jack's one and only and of course he's not interested in Gwen/The Doctor/whoever anymore, etc. And during the season, especially in the period before and around Something Borrowed, you had a lot of furious posts of how the implication that Jack and Ianto, instead of being romantic boyfriends, might be more friends with benefits, was purest homophobia. And this is a pairing where one of the participants is pretty much defined by his "if it has a pulse, I'll go for it, unless I'm otherwise distracted" attitude.)

Back to the Doctor and Donna - I think it's telling that in The Unicorn and the Wasp, he can just grin at her and tell her "you look lovely" when she shows up in her flapper outfit, without either of them regarding this as a moment to flirt/tease/pine/angst about, which is what would have happened with either Rose or Martha. Now one can interpret this as a best mates or friends with benefits kind of relationship, but the important thing is that it is proof of being incredibly relaxed with each other. Which is great for the two people in question, but not so inspirational for fanfic writers who more often than not thrive on tension and one party unable to say what they really think/feel, which in fanfic usually leads to sex as a resolution, fandom being one-track-minded in this regard. I don't think the Doctor and Donna have that problem with each other. Whether it's lighthearted stuff or serious problems (like Jenny reminding him of his other family, and how he feels about that), they already talk on screen about this with each other. There is no tension to be resolved, because they tell each other what is going on. How dare they?

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

There is no tension to be resolved, because they tell each other what is going on. How dare they?

Yes, indeed. How /dare/ there be something approaching an functional adult relationship -- friendship or otherwise, on telly. Dammit. *shakes fist* Oh well. It's not like I woke up this morning and realized I was a different sort of fangirl, eh? *g*

And during the season, especially in the period before and around Something Borrowed, you had a lot of furious posts of how the implication that Jack and Ianto, instead of being romantic boyfriends, might be more friends with benefits, was purest homophobia. And this is a pairing where one of the participants is pretty much defined by his "if it has a pulse, I'll go for it, unless I'm otherwise distracted" attitude.

I always wonder what those people thought of 'Queer as Folk', but then again I can't remember if the UK version has the same obsession with OTP as the US version did. (I really must rewatch this, but it's probably going to be difficult to find in the States.)

Plus I think I brought that up with you already. I lump that into fandom's general 'white middle class straight and female' issues, since I'm willing to lay money on the percentage of slashers who have any real experience with the gay subculture as being very, very low.

Anyway. More Donna love makes the world go round. I am so, so, so sad they can't find a way to sign her up to come back for season five.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

wendymr just posted a terrific story set around the last scene of "Midnight" right here (http://wendymr.livejournal.com/90933.html#cutid1). The way she just hugged him when she saw his face was so lovely. She's been so good for him, been a wonderful mate with no baggage (which is ironic, considering the way she loaded him down before boarding the TARDIS). I'm going to miss her so much once she's gone!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Me too. But you know, because they're that anvilly about her being doomed (like with Rose in the second half of s2), I'm paradoxically optimistic now that she won't be dead by the time the season ends. And as long as Donna is still alive, they can persuade Catherine Tate to come back for at least a special or two!

No baggage, yes.*g* Or rather: Donna's kind of baggage - Lance the bastard, a somewhat uneasy relationship with her mother, going from temp job to temp job instead of having a regular one - is something that has nothing to do with the Doctor, and she's already dealt with it. (Comes with being in her mid-thirties; I think in this case the age does make a real difference.) And so his wish in that baggage scene at the season start has come true - they really are the best of mates, through thick and thin. And boy, did he need that hug! (Another mark of a best friend: knowing when to hit - i.e. when your pal just pulled a suicidal martyr act, as in The Poison Sky - and when to hug, which is when he shows up looking like he's about to fall in pieces. Lovely take on Donna's pov in that story, btw.

[kathyh]

I won't stop gushing about them any time soon.

Good, because I feel the same :)

Many thanks for the vid rec. Doctor + Donna + early Beatles = WIN!! In other words I adored it.