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Voyage of the Damned (Spoilers)
Oy, people! Stop with all the nagging!
I admit, there was a lot that could be criticized in this episode. If you're going to look at it from an analytic POV, there's almost nothing but stuff to criticize. But c'mon, folks, this was the Christmas Special. Let's take a look what we had the last two years.
In 2005, we got homicidal Christmas trees, robot Santas that wreaked havoc with their flame-throwing brass instruments, and a sword fight on a huge space ship that was hovering over London. In 2006, we got a motorway chase with the TARDIS and a huge spider empress planning to have her children eat every single one of the 6 billion people living on Earth.
I could criticize the hell out of these two episodes if I looked at them from an analytic POV. They're rather silly, both of them. NOT only Runaway Bride, but also the Christmas Invasion. I mean, just take that Lion King scene. The whole speech. It's worse than in the theater.
What was so terrible about this year's episode? Okay, so Ten was being a slut. HOW IS THAT ANYTHING NEW? The companion was played by a famous pop singer. So what? She did a good job of it. The plot was sort of lame. How is a rich business cyborg guy wanting to blow up the Earth to ensure his retirement plan working out any lamer than an evil almost-cyborg guy resurrecting the Cybermen in order to prolong his life? There were too many religious parallels in that episode. Again, people, please stop over-analyzing. Ten is a drama queen! I can totally see him giving a I R SRS TIEM LORD speech. He loves his emo, that's why we got all the melodramatic fire-and-sparks background slo-mo shots. And as far as the thing about the angels is concerned - they were flying in the SUPERMAN POSE. I mean, come on. You want to see a religious parallel in that scene, go right ahead. You must forgive me, though, if I can't quite take that seriously.
Yeah, this episode had a very straightforward plot, it had a lot of classic action scenes, a bit of almost-slapstick, and there was a lot of melodrama. Just like the Christmas Specials of 2006 and 2005. What were you expecting?
Well. I think I know what many (not all, but many) of the people who are at the moment busy ripping the episode a new one didn't like about it. There was no Rose in it. 2005 Christmas Special, Rose was still around, 2006 Christmas Special, Rose was the major angst factor for Ten. This Christmas Special, Rose was not mentioned.
I really liked Rose. I thought she was funny, and I thought she went well with the Doctor, even though imho, she fit better with Nine than with Ten. But she is not the be all end all of companions, goddammit. I know I have a bunch of Rose shippers on my f-list, and I really don't mean you guys. I know how it is when one has an OTP that was ripped apart by canon. No matter how hard you try to move on, you will always wistfully remember the good old days back when A and B were still together. And that's okay! I will never hold it against you if you say that there will never be a better companion for you than Rose.
I just find it tiring if people can't enjoy crack and cheesy action episodes when Rose isn't around. Or, wait, no, that's not right. I find it tiring when they feel the need to go online and tell a whole big community how cheesy and bad that episode was, without even only once mentioning what really bothered them - that for the first time, their OTP didn't even get a mention.
Gah. This turned rather ranty, sorry about that. I'm not saying that all the people who have posted critical reviews to VotD are Rose/Ten shippers, and neither am I saying that all Rose/Ten shippers are bad, narrow-minded people. Not at all! Really, I don't mean that. But as it is with all popular ships, there are a few that are. And as usual, those are the ones that are talking the loudest.
I admit, there was a lot that could be criticized in this episode. If you're going to look at it from an analytic POV, there's almost nothing but stuff to criticize. But c'mon, folks, this was the Christmas Special. Let's take a look what we had the last two years.
In 2005, we got homicidal Christmas trees, robot Santas that wreaked havoc with their flame-throwing brass instruments, and a sword fight on a huge space ship that was hovering over London. In 2006, we got a motorway chase with the TARDIS and a huge spider empress planning to have her children eat every single one of the 6 billion people living on Earth.
I could criticize the hell out of these two episodes if I looked at them from an analytic POV. They're rather silly, both of them. NOT only Runaway Bride, but also the Christmas Invasion. I mean, just take that Lion King scene. The whole speech. It's worse than in the theater.
What was so terrible about this year's episode? Okay, so Ten was being a slut. HOW IS THAT ANYTHING NEW? The companion was played by a famous pop singer. So what? She did a good job of it. The plot was sort of lame. How is a rich business cyborg guy wanting to blow up the Earth to ensure his retirement plan working out any lamer than an evil almost-cyborg guy resurrecting the Cybermen in order to prolong his life? There were too many religious parallels in that episode. Again, people, please stop over-analyzing. Ten is a drama queen! I can totally see him giving a I R SRS TIEM LORD speech. He loves his emo, that's why we got all the melodramatic fire-and-sparks background slo-mo shots. And as far as the thing about the angels is concerned - they were flying in the SUPERMAN POSE. I mean, come on. You want to see a religious parallel in that scene, go right ahead. You must forgive me, though, if I can't quite take that seriously.
Yeah, this episode had a very straightforward plot, it had a lot of classic action scenes, a bit of almost-slapstick, and there was a lot of melodrama. Just like the Christmas Specials of 2006 and 2005. What were you expecting?
Well. I think I know what many (not all, but many) of the people who are at the moment busy ripping the episode a new one didn't like about it. There was no Rose in it. 2005 Christmas Special, Rose was still around, 2006 Christmas Special, Rose was the major angst factor for Ten. This Christmas Special, Rose was not mentioned.
I really liked Rose. I thought she was funny, and I thought she went well with the Doctor, even though imho, she fit better with Nine than with Ten. But she is not the be all end all of companions, goddammit. I know I have a bunch of Rose shippers on my f-list, and I really don't mean you guys. I know how it is when one has an OTP that was ripped apart by canon. No matter how hard you try to move on, you will always wistfully remember the good old days back when A and B were still together. And that's okay! I will never hold it against you if you say that there will never be a better companion for you than Rose.
I just find it tiring if people can't enjoy crack and cheesy action episodes when Rose isn't around. Or, wait, no, that's not right. I find it tiring when they feel the need to go online and tell a whole big community how cheesy and bad that episode was, without even only once mentioning what really bothered them - that for the first time, their OTP didn't even get a mention.
Gah. This turned rather ranty, sorry about that. I'm not saying that all the people who have posted critical reviews to VotD are Rose/Ten shippers, and neither am I saying that all Rose/Ten shippers are bad, narrow-minded people. Not at all! Really, I don't mean that. But as it is with all popular ships, there are a few that are. And as usual, those are the ones that are talking the loudest.
no subject
WORD right back at you, and superman poses for the win! I actually really liked that scene. You're right, Ten likes his bad-ass melodrama. It wouldn't be Christmas without it. :) And I LOVE the Lion King speech. Nothing has ever made me laugh so hard. It was utterly brilliant, and a perfect way to introduce the manic idiosyncrasies of the Tenth Doctor.
As a die-hard Doctor/Rose shipper though, may I just state for the record that I was a little disappointed that she wasn't mentioned, but was in no way scary about it. I think of the Doctor as a widower. Even he needs to move on at some point. I liked Astrid.
I will say though, that when they asked him how he knew so much about Earth, he said he'd been homeless and the Earth took him in. That could have been about Rose and her family. Just maybe.
no subject
I was a little disappointed that she wasn't mentioned, but was in no way scary about it
That's just what I meant when I said I don't think that all Rose/Ten shippers are bad people. Of course you'd interpret the episode in a Ten/Rose-ish way, and that's just fine :). I've nothing against shippers, I'm one myself in other fandoms. I just don't like it when shippers turn into missionaries.
no subject
I'm perfectly fine with people all about the OTPs (I've never been a monoshipper myself, but I definitely get the viewpoint). But when someone starts criticising other (equally valid) interpretations, and when that criticism extends to canon... yeah. Gets a bit annoying.
Plus, Christmas special, people! Silliness abounds! It's traditional!
no subject
Lol, you're more than welcome. I just get annoyed when I see people spoiling all the fun that a Christmas episode should be. I mean, if you look at the Xmas episode SPN showed on the 13th - PURE CRACK. It's a Christmas Special, people! Do not apply Earth Logic, just enjoy!
I've been monoshippish - actually, this is the first fandom where I'm not, lol - and I totally get it! But, being a shipper myself, I know that it is very well possible to at least accept the idea that there are other viewpoints. This is fandom, people! Anything's possible!
xD Looking forward to your thoughts on the ep!
no subject
I really liked Rose. I thought she was funny, and I thought she went well with the Doctor, even though imho, she fit better with Nine than with Ten.
Wordy McWord Word. Exactly.
I really liked Kylie Minogue's character, which I didn't expect to.
I thought the Queen staying in the palace because there had been alien attacks two years running and she wanted to prove it was safe was really funny.
And I liked "I AM THE DOCTAH!" and the little red guy.
Off now to read all the hate...*sigh* I thought it dragged a little in spots, but other than that, I have no complaints.
no subject
Nah, it doesn't really have the right ring to it, does it.
Yeah, Astrid was okay. A little straightforward, and a little bleak, but likable. The Doctor liked her, but I suspect that's only because she was BLONDE. Lol ;).
Haha, yeah, that thing about the Queen was sweet xD.
BANNAKAFFALATTA FTW! He was awesome. I'm so sorry he died! :((
Sometimes I get the impression there are some people in DW fandom who just wait for the next episode to come out so they can make another post about how much they hate RTD and how much better the show was in the good ol' times. *sigh* The old show was cancelled! Now it's the new show's turn. And no, they won't be using 80ies special effects just for continuity. Sorry.
I just rewatched VotD in a fengirl chat, and it was so much fun. I LOVE THAT EPISODE, LOL ;).
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And how cute was Ten in his tux + formal black Converse??
It was kind of a high body count for a Christmas ep, but...the Titanic.
Was Max supposed to remind us of Davros?
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Now we know why Ten loves Five so much.
Oooh Ten in tux? *DROOL* Plus specs! Soo pwetty.
High body count... well, yeah. But considering that last Xmas Special, they killed off an uncounted number of people by having that Christmas Star-web ship firing randomly at London...
Davros? Is that someone from Classic Who? Or did I miss something important?
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LMAO! Win. :D
Davros was the leader of the Daleks in classic Who. Whups, I forget who has watched it and who hasn't in NewWhoFandom. Bad me.
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I'm still catching up! Lol, this is going to take forever, dloading and watching all of Old Who.
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I really enjoyed VotD. I loved the Speech and the SLOW-MO and even Kylie.
And I have to admit I'm glad he's finally stopped moaning about Rose. I mean, I did miss her, when she left, but it's been a year. And he's just the kinda guy who moves on. He has to be. So, stop whining people... please.
*goes to bed*
no subject
I was surprised at Kylie's performance, actually. I didn't really mind having her in the episode, but she actually wasn't all that bad, and that surprised me. In a good way :D.
And yeah, Rose is gone. There'll be emo when she comes back, and that's okay, but till then... DONNA! YAY! xD
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yeah, I was surprised how good Kylie was. I mean, taking into account that she is a singer, not an actress. :-)
Martha is coming back too! I actually prefer her to Rose. But Donna is okay, too. :-)
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You know my feelings about Martha. Not my angst. But hey, at least she's marginally funny xD.
Donna, though. YOU'RE NOT MATING WITH ME, SUNSHINE! LOL!