![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I'm feeling very restless but too headachey to do anything about it. I resent this a great deal. Also bought a bag of almonds tonight with the express intention of sitting down and eating it a lot, but had to give up after only a few. Almonds, I will give you this, you are a very filling nut.
Also watched SJA, which was delightful! It has been some time since I watched SJA, for reasons which I shall not go into, and I am so glad I got to see these two particular episodes. I found out a while ago that many respectable and awesome people do not in fact watch SJA, which is sad and slightly shocking, as they do not have my reasons, merely the Fear Of Spinoff. At the time I wrote a whole thing about why they should which essentially boiled down to:
- It has Sarah-Jane goddamned Smith.
- It has K9.
- It has the motherfucking Brig.
- It has great character chemistry, continuity and dialogue.
- Speaking of continuity it handles Classic References supremely well, see:
a) That time SJ randomly referenced Peladon in casual conversation in a way that was relevant without alienating (please take this on board, New Who. Mythos can be both created and reinforcing Classic w/out having to take a dip in the Exposition Ocean. Check also: 'I Have A History That Is More Than Just Showing You My Faces In Order'.)
b) In a move very similar to Dalek, SJ, who is consistently 'no we don't use guns, we never involve the military, this is not our way' aaaalll S1, flipping the fuck out upon meeting the Sontarans and calling up UNIT. For people who've never seen Classic you can just go 'ooohhhhh these are bad bad guys'. For those who have? The part where she was horrifically tortured by a Sontaran makes the instinctive terror and lack of mercy kinda understandable.
- Did I mention it has the motherfucking Brig?
- It has Ten. (This is not so much of interest to me but you know. To others I guess?)
- And now it has Eleven and Jo. Fffffffffffffffffffffffff yes.
Now I want someone to rant with. *sadfaces about*
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
A
C
E
This was awesome and I loved it and I kind of want to marry it and it to marry itself and everyone to marry each other a lot. There were nitpicky things, which I'm already working out workarounds for for based on my personal preferences, because that's what I do, but god just in general. In general so much love.
- Santiago was adorable. I think they're kind of setting up for him to come back (to replace Luke? What's going on with Luke? There is so much I have missed) and I would very much like to see him again, if only because it would be an excuse for Moar Jo, which is a fabulous thing, but also I'm glad that if they're going that route they didn't use the two-parter to do it straight up.
- Elleevvvveeeennnn was very Elevenish mostly. There were a few blah things but I adore him and I'm glad there were hugs for all and god the Jo thing and the Jo and SJ thing and the travelling thing and everything were soooo sad.
- I kind of resent that it's Ten who's going to see Jo again, and also that in a lot of ways bits of it were very About Ten instead of About The Doctor (though often they were very good at this - yessss more Four and Three), but I'm so glad that a) Ten goes and sees everyone (if he's going to do something that stupid it better be like that, the fucking prat, and it makes it more About His Character as an emo than about his Seasons On Who, Oh Tennant, Whose Face Will We Wank To Now? - although I think that's a bit disingenuous to throw in on the part of the writers, redeeming from outside and adding that kind of extra info outside of the source material sort of irritates me (though at least it's in paracanon), a la Dumbledore Is Gay.) and b) that Jo gets to see him again. Because Jo and Three were beautiful together and though I'm glad they confirmed that yes, the Doctor really isn't good at relationships, they didn't slander or lessen that too much. Because I'm not sure where this He Loved SJ Best Thing came from, really, though I adore SJ in SJA, but Three loved Jo best*, and Four didn't really get the Deep Emotional Connections with his companions, though if he did you might suggest he loved Romana best.
*Three loved all his companions though. So so much. Three was beautiful with them.
- Clyde interrogating Eleven (and Eleven's expressions) was beautiful. In a typical case of me I immediately went 'whooo canon confirmation that he doesn't have to be caucasian!' and then 'oh and clearly he's being silly and fobbing him off, HE CANNOT REGENERATE 507 TIMES'.
- God the amount of shots of Delgado in Jo's memories set me squeeing, so so much, god. I want some kind of fic with that now, perhaps Jo and Ten (or Eleven, no reason she can't see him again) talking, it would make me so happy.
- Jo mentioning the TLs didn't feel crass or a deliberate attempt to bring up PATHOOOOSSS the way those things often do in DW proper, I think because it's Jo, and of all the companions (bar Leela, K9 and of course Romana herself - oh and maybe Mel. Look just go with it) she had the most idea of just how much influence the TLs could have, and how they'd frustrated and upset the Doctor so. And that was kind of sweet, really, how she was still worried for him all this time later, for her that hadn't changed at all and that threat was just as immediate as it had ever been, and she cared.
- I am more and more convinced that SJ is a lesbian. Or swings like, %90 of the time to the ladies. (The way the Colonel was leaning over her makes me think she is convinced of this too.) Yes there was the wedding. I do not care.
- As a corollary to that, I got a little frustrated at Jo both assuming SJ was out to get a man and then telling her to. This is the Jo of activism, whose son is doing the Gay Dad's Walk, who used to quote all sorts of 'radical' articles angrily (and poutily) at Three - yes they were often to do with mysticism, and yes there was a strong patriarchal strain in the show in the seventies, but I expect slightly more from Jo. Tying in with SJ's own 'now I have a child I am complete!' moments from S1 it was slightly disappointing.
- I am super glad Jo has loads of kids - I can see it - but I do wish she'd divorced from Cliff. She might have remarried or stayed single (or hooked up again with him later - I may choose to believe that's what happened), but the two of them barely knew each other and weren't necessarily that compatible. I would have liked to have seen some acknowledgement of that.
- God Jo. Just. Jo.
- Much like the '507 times' for regenerating I get that Eleven is going to treat his death like it never happens, especially in front of his companions, but I hope it's nothing more than that. The show is boring if you never die, Doctor. Just like it's boring if the point is you're super special. Oh, on that note, him joking with them? Awesome. Was it slightly too serious? Yes, and that's quite symptomatic of New Who, as I said .... oh. OK I looked and cannot find that post, so I will go post it another day. And then I will link to it.
- I get that the Brig was not there because the plot would not have worked if he was there - he would have been all over that thing like white on rice and sortng shit out, the Colonel would have gotten nowhere, but at the same time! HOW AWESOME WOULD A BRIG/JO/SJ REUNION BE!?!?! WHY DOES ALL THE AWESOME STUFF ONLY EVER HAPPEN ON SJA??? (Not that I resent it, I adore SJA it is well written even without the awesome cameos, but GOD IT GETS ALL THE AWESOME CAMEOS AND NOW I WANT THIS ONE SO HARD.)
- Considering how ..... anti guns and violence and the military and killing people ever SJ is (to the extent of the show that I have seen) I am kind of stunned that the whole 'random human Colonel dying horribly' wasn't dealt with or even ... addressed? Especially when they took a moment to show her begging. Both OOC and she had unexplained and unresolved issues. Do I smell a returning character? (Unless she's been on before and I just don't know/remember about it?) DOES THIS MEAN WE GET MORE ELEVEN? FAR FAR MORE IMPORTANTLY, DOES THIS MEAN WE GET MORE JO!?!?! (And Santiago, I assume? If they wanted to make him a regular, it'd be a good excuse/way to do it.) MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL AS IT WOULD AT LEAST TANGENTIALLY INVOLVE UNIT, DO I FINALLY GET MY JO/BRIG/SJ STORY!?!?!?!!?!?!?! GOD GOD GOD DO WANT. DO WANT SO MUCH.
- I am glad that there was no real weird jealousy between SJ and Jo, only shared sadness. Any jealousy there was was sort of ... understood and therefore made ok by both women, as to a certain extent it was shared.
- I was glad to hear about other companions a lot, and super happy that Ian and Barbara got married, amused by Tegan (has she learnt allllllll the Aboriginal languages yet?) and deeply saddened by Ace. I do not like the idea of Babs and Ian living forever, and with the audios I can sort of just pretend Ace and Seven sort of travel and are awesome together forever. I don't want to know about how she settled down and all the things she's doing, because that means it definitely came to an end. And whilst intellectually I know it did, I prefer to be able to pretend.
- Oh and Jo's entrance was perfect. It was so utterly Jo, I'm glad she hasn't changed, and to have it cut across SJ remembering Three's face was just - augh. I am a sucker for some good emotional tugging. It was great. (Also I love her calling her grandson 'babe'? Little thing, adored it, don't know why.)
I am sure there were many other things but I do not remember them. Essentially it was all glorious and good except for the bits where it wasn't, and even then it was glorious and good because SJ AND JO HOMG (with added Eleven). I do hope they stay friends now. More hugs are necessary, and more appearances. They should write each other letters! (Nnngh, and when Jo referenced Metebelis III it nearly broke my heart). Anyway, it was great, and I am so so happy and hope there is mooorrrre, and so so glad they did it, and now just really really hope they bring back more people (SJ + Jo + Brig! YOU KNOW IT WOULD BE GOOD) and that also this has inspired more people to go watch more Classic, and in particular more Three. Because he is one of My Doctors, and he is good.
M
O
R
E
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
A
C
E
,
J
U
S
T
I
N
C
A
S
E
So also my headache is not hugely better and I wanted to/still want to do some writing but can't because of restless energy and achey pains, but am going with it so whatever. Also I really wish I had a turntable. I want to play that vinyl of Three singing lullabies that I have now. I want it so hard.
Perhaps some Three, and then sleep.
Also I have been very shoddy at answering comments lately (read: always.) I will try to get on that (read: most likely will fail.)
Also watched SJA, which was delightful! It has been some time since I watched SJA, for reasons which I shall not go into, and I am so glad I got to see these two particular episodes. I found out a while ago that many respectable and awesome people do not in fact watch SJA, which is sad and slightly shocking, as they do not have my reasons, merely the Fear Of Spinoff. At the time I wrote a whole thing about why they should which essentially boiled down to:
- It has Sarah-Jane goddamned Smith.
- It has K9.
- It has the motherfucking Brig.
- It has great character chemistry, continuity and dialogue.
- Speaking of continuity it handles Classic References supremely well, see:
a) That time SJ randomly referenced Peladon in casual conversation in a way that was relevant without alienating (please take this on board, New Who. Mythos can be both created and reinforcing Classic w/out having to take a dip in the Exposition Ocean. Check also: 'I Have A History That Is More Than Just Showing You My Faces In Order'.)
b) In a move very similar to Dalek, SJ, who is consistently 'no we don't use guns, we never involve the military, this is not our way' aaaalll S1, flipping the fuck out upon meeting the Sontarans and calling up UNIT. For people who've never seen Classic you can just go 'ooohhhhh these are bad bad guys'. For those who have? The part where she was horrifically tortured by a Sontaran makes the instinctive terror and lack of mercy kinda understandable.
- Did I mention it has the motherfucking Brig?
- It has Ten. (This is not so much of interest to me but you know. To others I guess?)
- And now it has Eleven and Jo. Fffffffffffffffffffffffff yes.
Now I want someone to rant with. *sadfaces about*
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
A
C
E
This was awesome and I loved it and I kind of want to marry it and it to marry itself and everyone to marry each other a lot. There were nitpicky things, which I'm already working out workarounds for for based on my personal preferences, because that's what I do, but god just in general. In general so much love.
- Santiago was adorable. I think they're kind of setting up for him to come back (to replace Luke? What's going on with Luke? There is so much I have missed) and I would very much like to see him again, if only because it would be an excuse for Moar Jo, which is a fabulous thing, but also I'm glad that if they're going that route they didn't use the two-parter to do it straight up.
- Elleevvvveeeennnn was very Elevenish mostly. There were a few blah things but I adore him and I'm glad there were hugs for all and god the Jo thing and the Jo and SJ thing and the travelling thing and everything were soooo sad.
- I kind of resent that it's Ten who's going to see Jo again, and also that in a lot of ways bits of it were very About Ten instead of About The Doctor (though often they were very good at this - yessss more Four and Three), but I'm so glad that a) Ten goes and sees everyone (if he's going to do something that stupid it better be like that, the fucking prat, and it makes it more About His Character as an emo than about his Seasons On Who, Oh Tennant, Whose Face Will We Wank To Now? - although I think that's a bit disingenuous to throw in on the part of the writers, redeeming from outside and adding that kind of extra info outside of the source material sort of irritates me (though at least it's in paracanon), a la Dumbledore Is Gay.) and b) that Jo gets to see him again. Because Jo and Three were beautiful together and though I'm glad they confirmed that yes, the Doctor really isn't good at relationships, they didn't slander or lessen that too much. Because I'm not sure where this He Loved SJ Best Thing came from, really, though I adore SJ in SJA, but Three loved Jo best*, and Four didn't really get the Deep Emotional Connections with his companions, though if he did you might suggest he loved Romana best.
*Three loved all his companions though. So so much. Three was beautiful with them.
- Clyde interrogating Eleven (and Eleven's expressions) was beautiful. In a typical case of me I immediately went 'whooo canon confirmation that he doesn't have to be caucasian!' and then 'oh and clearly he's being silly and fobbing him off, HE CANNOT REGENERATE 507 TIMES'.
- God the amount of shots of Delgado in Jo's memories set me squeeing, so so much, god. I want some kind of fic with that now, perhaps Jo and Ten (or Eleven, no reason she can't see him again) talking, it would make me so happy.
- Jo mentioning the TLs didn't feel crass or a deliberate attempt to bring up PATHOOOOSSS the way those things often do in DW proper, I think because it's Jo, and of all the companions (bar Leela, K9 and of course Romana herself - oh and maybe Mel. Look just go with it) she had the most idea of just how much influence the TLs could have, and how they'd frustrated and upset the Doctor so. And that was kind of sweet, really, how she was still worried for him all this time later, for her that hadn't changed at all and that threat was just as immediate as it had ever been, and she cared.
- I am more and more convinced that SJ is a lesbian. Or swings like, %90 of the time to the ladies. (The way the Colonel was leaning over her makes me think she is convinced of this too.) Yes there was the wedding. I do not care.
- As a corollary to that, I got a little frustrated at Jo both assuming SJ was out to get a man and then telling her to. This is the Jo of activism, whose son is doing the Gay Dad's Walk, who used to quote all sorts of 'radical' articles angrily (and poutily) at Three - yes they were often to do with mysticism, and yes there was a strong patriarchal strain in the show in the seventies, but I expect slightly more from Jo. Tying in with SJ's own 'now I have a child I am complete!' moments from S1 it was slightly disappointing.
- I am super glad Jo has loads of kids - I can see it - but I do wish she'd divorced from Cliff. She might have remarried or stayed single (or hooked up again with him later - I may choose to believe that's what happened), but the two of them barely knew each other and weren't necessarily that compatible. I would have liked to have seen some acknowledgement of that.
- God Jo. Just. Jo.
- Much like the '507 times' for regenerating I get that Eleven is going to treat his death like it never happens, especially in front of his companions, but I hope it's nothing more than that. The show is boring if you never die, Doctor. Just like it's boring if the point is you're super special. Oh, on that note, him joking with them? Awesome. Was it slightly too serious? Yes, and that's quite symptomatic of New Who, as I said .... oh. OK I looked and cannot find that post, so I will go post it another day. And then I will link to it.
- I get that the Brig was not there because the plot would not have worked if he was there - he would have been all over that thing like white on rice and sortng shit out, the Colonel would have gotten nowhere, but at the same time! HOW AWESOME WOULD A BRIG/JO/SJ REUNION BE!?!?! WHY DOES ALL THE AWESOME STUFF ONLY EVER HAPPEN ON SJA??? (Not that I resent it, I adore SJA it is well written even without the awesome cameos, but GOD IT GETS ALL THE AWESOME CAMEOS AND NOW I WANT THIS ONE SO HARD.)
- Considering how ..... anti guns and violence and the military and killing people ever SJ is (to the extent of the show that I have seen) I am kind of stunned that the whole 'random human Colonel dying horribly' wasn't dealt with or even ... addressed? Especially when they took a moment to show her begging. Both OOC and she had unexplained and unresolved issues. Do I smell a returning character? (Unless she's been on before and I just don't know/remember about it?) DOES THIS MEAN WE GET MORE ELEVEN? FAR FAR MORE IMPORTANTLY, DOES THIS MEAN WE GET MORE JO!?!?! (And Santiago, I assume? If they wanted to make him a regular, it'd be a good excuse/way to do it.) MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL AS IT WOULD AT LEAST TANGENTIALLY INVOLVE UNIT, DO I FINALLY GET MY JO/BRIG/SJ STORY!?!?!?!!?!?!?! GOD GOD GOD DO WANT. DO WANT SO MUCH.
- I am glad that there was no real weird jealousy between SJ and Jo, only shared sadness. Any jealousy there was was sort of ... understood and therefore made ok by both women, as to a certain extent it was shared.
- I was glad to hear about other companions a lot, and super happy that Ian and Barbara got married, amused by Tegan (has she learnt allllllll the Aboriginal languages yet?) and deeply saddened by Ace. I do not like the idea of Babs and Ian living forever, and with the audios I can sort of just pretend Ace and Seven sort of travel and are awesome together forever. I don't want to know about how she settled down and all the things she's doing, because that means it definitely came to an end. And whilst intellectually I know it did, I prefer to be able to pretend.
- Oh and Jo's entrance was perfect. It was so utterly Jo, I'm glad she hasn't changed, and to have it cut across SJ remembering Three's face was just - augh. I am a sucker for some good emotional tugging. It was great. (Also I love her calling her grandson 'babe'? Little thing, adored it, don't know why.)
I am sure there were many other things but I do not remember them. Essentially it was all glorious and good except for the bits where it wasn't, and even then it was glorious and good because SJ AND JO HOMG (with added Eleven). I do hope they stay friends now. More hugs are necessary, and more appearances. They should write each other letters! (Nnngh, and when Jo referenced Metebelis III it nearly broke my heart). Anyway, it was great, and I am so so happy and hope there is mooorrrre, and so so glad they did it, and now just really really hope they bring back more people (SJ + Jo + Brig! YOU KNOW IT WOULD BE GOOD) and that also this has inspired more people to go watch more Classic, and in particular more Three. Because he is one of My Doctors, and he is good.
M
O
R
E
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
A
C
E
,
J
U
S
T
I
N
C
A
S
E
So also my headache is not hugely better and I wanted to/still want to do some writing but can't because of restless energy and achey pains, but am going with it so whatever. Also I really wish I had a turntable. I want to play that vinyl of Three singing lullabies that I have now. I want it so hard.
Perhaps some Three, and then sleep.
Also I have been very shoddy at answering comments lately (read: always.) I will try to get on that (read: most likely will fail.)