The Christmas Invasion

[jetpack_monkey]

A Doctor Who special episode that's mostly about how we're all screwed when the Doctor's away? Huh.

Tennant's doing well for himself. One minute goofy, flighty ADD boy stringing syllables together like popcorn, then next deadly serious and very dark. Not a far cry from Eccleston, and yet very much completely different. The sword fight was... stupid. As was the lost hand. "OMG, you cut off my hand, oh there it is!" Tennant appears to lack a certain discipline that kept Eccleston's antics charming rather than tiring -- I hope that this is just growing pains.

Rose's emo throughout the episode was quite daft. "The world's ending and the Doctor's OMG left me!" Also, the robot Santas and deadly Christmas tree seemed like goofy recaps of "Rose" that didn't really fit with where the plot eventually headed.

I do like that Ten's personality has changed enough that he's actually fond of Jackie and Mickey (although one suspects that he really always was on one level or another, and a new face just lets him show it). Also, he and Rose have jumped right into the shippy goodness very quickly -- too quickly. I don't trust the new Doctor yet, and this seems too much like Rose dealing with her grief in an unhealthy fashion.

Harriet Jones, Prime Minister ("Yes, we know")! Very cool to see her back, even if she did spend a lot of time hinting darkly about spin-offs to come. 6 words, indeed.

Looking forward to the new season, but with trepidation. This isn't the slambang home run that we could have hoped for after so many months.

Comments

[mara-sho.livejournal.com]

I think if Tennant had played him too different from Eccleston then it would have caused a problem for him. By playing it as he did, with the random energy and the hints at darkness, I think he hit the nail on the head. Yes, the sword fight was silly, and Rose was annoyingly clueless again, but I'm also hoping it's growing pains.

I like the thought of Rose's unhealthy way of dealing with grief - well, not *like* because that would make me some kind of sadist - and possibly her new fixation on how everything is all shiny and new will explain why they're not going back for Cap'n Jack... *g*

As a Brit, can I just use your journal to stand up and say I love Russell for that little dig at Mr Blair?! (Tell the president, and please use these exact words, he's not my boss...) *g*

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm hoping for great things from Tennant. Hoping, not expecting.

What they did with Rose was certainly an unexpected direction... and I hope that they really do deal with her grief and loss properly, instead of saying "No, really, new guy makes it all better!"

And I would've dug the dig more if I hadn't just seen Hugh Grant say the same essential thing in Love Actually.

[mara-sho.livejournal.com]

Aha, see, I kinda hate Hugh Grant and by extension all UK 'RomComs' so the dig was brand new to me. :)

I really hope they deal with Rose properly, but I have the feeling they may go down the latter route mostly because of the tea-time Saturday audience who probably won't understand why she's not bubbly all the time (My 3 year old nephew loves the show for example).

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Awwww. Rose, Rose, Rose. We all hope that girl turns out screwed up. Won't be any fun if she doesn't... I mean, terrible! How awful it would be! Ahem.

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

I think your issue is the fact that you like Eccleston too much. Those of us who weren't as keen on him, including my boy, thought Tennant was quite good.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

I think the part where I said that Tennant's doing well for himself means that I like him. It's the episode I had an issue with, for the most part.

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

It seemed to me like you were meh on your expectations. Ah well.

I personally disliked how Rose was written.

[bitterbyrden.livejournal.com]

I agree, re: Rose's development (or lack thereof). I mean, sure: coming from where they've just left off, I can see how Rose is out of sorts. She just went though a pretty traumatic ordeal and she's obviously freaked out that the doctor isn't the doctor, but IS the doctor, etc. etc. But, even considering all that, why is she sudden incapable of doing anything until Frank Sinatra says it's okay without a dude?? When she speaks for humankind, you'd think she would have barged it a little stronger. At least bluffed it more convincingly. If she's learned anything from the Doctor, it'd be that. Also, she was sort of a badass in her own right by the last episode, even when she wasn't channeling the spirit of the Tardis or whatever. Now she's being written as way weaker and less self-assured. Plus, what was up with her even letting Mickey think he's still in the picture? Was she just covering her bases, or what?

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah. She treated Mickey like rubbish. He may be a prat, but he deserves better.

[timjr.livejournal.com]

...Am I the only person who squeed their face off when HITCHHIKERS GUIDE SUDDENLY BECAME PART OF WHO CANON?

AND IN THE SENSE THAT ARTHUR DENT EXISTS, I MEAN.

[bitterbyrden.livejournal.com]

Haha, I just refreshed after commenting that I also liked the Dent mention. Yeah, I squeed.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

I KNOW OMGWTFPOLARBEARBBQ!

scattered impressions (recorded in your journal! woo!)

[bitterbyrden.livejournal.com]

Okay, I finally watched it this morning and let myself click into this entry. And, sorry to say, but I feel a little let down! I was really excited about it, as everyone else was obviously, but I kind of feel like they phoned it in. The whole thing felt sort of forced to me, and self-conscious to boot. Like, too much in the way of winkwinkCATCHPHRASE! Hello, fandom! D'ya miss us? and not enough actual substance. There is a certain degree of cheesiness to be expected with Doctor Who in general, but a few moments made me just cringe. They didn't come off as cheeky as much as they came off as cheap.

I thought Tennant was ...okay. They didn't give him much to do until the very end, so everything was kind of like "[pant pant]This is my sick and harried face! I'm sick!" -- just seemed like over-doing it, to me. I do miss Eccleston a bit, but as you said, it might just be growing pains. It almost seemed like he was doing some kind of a Doctor Who impersonation, if that makes sense.

[During the swordfight (which was HORRIBLE) I was, like: Oh god. Worst. Swordfight. Ever. They couldn't bring in a choreographer for another few bucks, what?]

All the same, as I watched him go through his closet, I was chanting: "Go for the brown suit! The suit! With the converse! Go on! Do it." And then I sighed with relief.

[The Arthur Dent mention was good, too.]

Re: scattered impressions (recorded in your journal! woo!)

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Yes. That first paragraph. All of it. Yes.

Tennant, I think, has a long hard road to travel, following up an act like Eccleston. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt for the moment.

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

*deliberately avoids reading spoilers*

Did you find this on a torrent? I totally forgot to look for it. Bad me! :(

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

side_of_zen has the fudge ripple scoop.