Trust and Partnership: A Doctor/River Revelation

I just realized something: I'm not really a Doctor/River shipper. Not in the "OMG it's true love!" sense, at least. Oh, their flirtations are fun, and they have hints of sweet moments here and there, but as a loving, romantic, long-term relationship I don't feel it.

I can hear the Doctor/River fans now. "Oh it's just because she's not Rose." I can't tell you how many times I've heard that utter bollocks. Just hush that part of your mind and hear me out.

Thoughts on the Moffat Era, Especially Series 6

It’s not that he took out all the emotion. I’m just thinking out loud here now, but I think it’s perhaps that he made the emotion…not mean that much. Everything comes and goes so quickly.

For example, in A Good Man Goes to War, Amy’s baby is snatched away. Very emotional, yes, but…then it just kind of goes away and the Doctor runs off giggling. Emotional moments don’t have consequences anymore. The characters feel something for a fleeting moment, and then they’re back to normal. It makes that emotion seem less genuine to me.

Fan Commentaries

This is more of a request than anything, but if I start ranting, bear with me.

I'm looking to find fan-made audio commentaries for New Who. Specifically, I'm looking for people who've done fan commentaries of *all* the episodes, not just a handful here or there. I'm also looking for fan commentaries from people who don't spend 90% of the episode moaning about how bad the episode is. I'd like to hear some witty commentary that actually sounds like these fans are actually enjoying themselves, because really...I've tried a few and it's hard to try to watch a scene I enjoy while listening to people rant and rave about how completely crappy the scene is. It drives me nuts, because I spend most of the time just yelling, "Okay, I get it! You think New Who is crap! Now shut up, turn the video off and go put in Caves of Androzani or something!" It's also grating when they talk like they have no clue of the subtleties of what's going on, when if they'd just pay attention, rather than complaining, they might actually get it.

I don't know, I think I may have been spoiled by the commentaries that are on the Red Dwarf DVDs. I got so used to listening to the actors sitting around together, having a good time and if they did have criticisms, they were made in such a way that sounded more teasing and goofy than just pure nastiness.

Or maybe I just have to invite some friends over and make my own. I don't know.

Think, people!

Okay, the question has been asked over and over again:

"Why didn't the Doctor stay in the parallel world with Rose?"

The answer is simple and not nearly as psychologically convoluted as people are making it out to be. And the answer is: He couldn't. He literally could not stay there. They only had a few minutes to get Rose back to her world and leave again before the walls between realities closed up again forever, AND he had to get Donna back home. He had to get Donna back to her home, so she could live her life after he wiped her memory.

Exactly how was he going to manage to do all that while fulfilling his fantasy of being with Rose again? It would have been a horribly selfish move to leave Donna's head burning up from the inside out while he went gallivanting around with Rose. He also couldn't wipe her mind and leave her all on her own in the parallel world either because she'd be left with nobody and no memories of what happened to her, and it's not like the Doctor could stay around her, because the memories would come back and she'd burn.

So, really, the answer is simple. He didn't because he couldn't. He has a greater responsibility to others than to his manly urges.

Time for a Nice Big Gloat

Okay, if you hate spoilers, run now.

On the subject of spoilers...

Spoilers...I love 'em.

Now, I know many people absolutely hate them with a passion. I have friends that won't even let me say if something they haven't seen is good or not. "Oh, Midnight was gr--" "DON'T TELL ME!" Well, good grief. I was just going to say it was great. Sue me. That is one of the reasons why I started this blog, even though I haven't gotten to it yet. I'd like to actually be able to talk about episodes people might not have seen yet without being yelled at for even saying if an episode is good or not.

Lets start this off with a rant...

Normally I ignore the nasty comments from fans of the old series who absolutely hate the new series with a passion. However, this is my blog and I'm going to vent my spleen on the subject right here, right now.

If, gentle reader, you are one of those people who hates the New Who with a passion because it's not the Classic Who, and has had the bad taste to spend your online time trashing every detail of New Who, let me just give you a little tip to lower your blood pressure:

1. Step away from the computer
2. Pull out your Classic Who video tapes
3. Watch Classic Who, and forget New Who even exists

No, really, it gets tiring to watch someone complain about something they can easily just change the channel on, or just plain turn off altogether. Why people choose to go to websites and blogs about Doctor Who and specifically go to sections for the new series to bitch and moan, when there are perfectly good places to just discuss Classic Who, is beyond me. The only thing I can think of to explain it is that they're not really against New Who at all. They just like being trolls.

It's simply not fair to those of us who like New Who to have to wade through post after post of constant complaints and insults towards something we enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, don't participate in discussions about it.

And vice versa, by the way. If you're a New Who lover who thinks the Classic Who was lame for whatever reason, either find a constructive way to express that opinion, or stay out of Classic Who discussions. You are neither wanted nor needed there.

I guess common courtesy is about as "common" as common sense, eh?