Opining for the Fjords
Jun. 18th, 2007 03:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kingandyOpinions are funny things, aren't they?
I am of the opinion that Human Nature/Family of Blood was some of the finest Who to emerge in recent years (surpassed only by every episode written by Steven Moffatt). A respected friend and avid Who fan of my acquaintance[1], however, is of the opinion that, well, basically and fundamentally, it wasn't a Doctor Who story and if he wanted to watch a period romance between a schoolteacher and compassionately proper school matron, well, that's what he would have done.
(I eagerly await his views on Blink, which has a similar amount of Doctor in it, though vastly less Tennant.)
(Did I mention that I thought Joan was the role for whom Jessica Stephenson was invented? She fit her like a glove, really she did.)
By the same token, I've no doubt that many corners of Who fandom will take issue with this week's Utopia, though it is in essence a story one-third told. I must confess I was hardly awaiting the Master's return with bated breath; as a nemesis I can take or leave him, though - having built the Doctor up as unbeatable - I can certainly see the merit in introducing a foe who is basically like the Doctor but bad. That said, though parts of me hoped the production team would pull a fast one, had scattered rumours of his return as misdirection, I was still faintly disappointed when it became increasingly apparent that Professor Yana had no recollection of a time travelling Doctor nor, it seemed, a malevolent bone in his body.
Then, oh, the pocket watch, everything becomes clear. (And, not incidentally, cementing Human Nature's role in the series arc - it doesn't just lift right out, as Blink appears to; without Human Nature things would have been very different indeed.)
Anyway, to return to my point, though I personally love this new, young, strong Master and look forward to meeting him properly (and I'm confidant he won't remain quite so bouncy and frivolous for long - that was simply post-regeneration disorientation and exuberance, the fifteen hours or so where you find out what sort of a person you are now) I am certain that there are ripples throughout the fandom of "Oh dear, they have turned out dignified evil genius into a prancing buffoon".
I will, to those people, point out that though the Master has been through several bodies, this is the first time he has undergone a proper regeneration since his introduction (barring potential pre-Jacobi antics).
Also this weekend, I went to see the new Fantastic Four movie. I was of the opinion that it was a great improvement on the first, a perfectly presentable action adventure movie with more than a little tongue in cheek. The script was reasonably tight, the effects were solid and convincing and you even got a glimpse of Galactus' big purple helmet without the behatted one atually appearing on camera which would have been dumb. In my opinion it was a well-balanced blend of the source material and the necessary big-screen updates (though Johnny's topless scene was gratuitous and unnecessary and far too brief) - all the best parts of the earlier movie with none of the wretched science (unless you count talk of "cosmic rays" as physics) or the brain-thumping escalation of hostilities between the Four and lifelong friend Von Doom - in this movie it's simply established that they are archnemeses and left at that.
Many of those with whom I saw it, however, were of the opinion that the film held no redeeming features at all. Which is odd, since in the past we have broadly agreed on the relative merits of various motion pictures. Certainly we universally agreed on the utter, utter hideous abomination that is the new entryway to The Orient at the Trafford Centre - a mockery of taste in brown marble and faux gold and what must surely be the most gross offence to the word "staircase" since records began. Mammon must be pleased indeed.
It is the conclusion of this rambling editorial that It Just Goes To Show.
ASIDE: For more on what I did at the weekend, see here.
[1] Redundant? If he's my friend, of course he's of my acquaintance.
I am of the opinion that Human Nature/Family of Blood was some of the finest Who to emerge in recent years (surpassed only by every episode written by Steven Moffatt). A respected friend and avid Who fan of my acquaintance[1], however, is of the opinion that, well, basically and fundamentally, it wasn't a Doctor Who story and if he wanted to watch a period romance between a schoolteacher and compassionately proper school matron, well, that's what he would have done.
(I eagerly await his views on Blink, which has a similar amount of Doctor in it, though vastly less Tennant.)
(Did I mention that I thought Joan was the role for whom Jessica Stephenson was invented? She fit her like a glove, really she did.)
By the same token, I've no doubt that many corners of Who fandom will take issue with this week's Utopia, though it is in essence a story one-third told. I must confess I was hardly awaiting the Master's return with bated breath; as a nemesis I can take or leave him, though - having built the Doctor up as unbeatable - I can certainly see the merit in introducing a foe who is basically like the Doctor but bad. That said, though parts of me hoped the production team would pull a fast one, had scattered rumours of his return as misdirection, I was still faintly disappointed when it became increasingly apparent that Professor Yana had no recollection of a time travelling Doctor nor, it seemed, a malevolent bone in his body.
Then, oh, the pocket watch, everything becomes clear. (And, not incidentally, cementing Human Nature's role in the series arc - it doesn't just lift right out, as Blink appears to; without Human Nature things would have been very different indeed.)
Anyway, to return to my point, though I personally love this new, young, strong Master and look forward to meeting him properly (and I'm confidant he won't remain quite so bouncy and frivolous for long - that was simply post-regeneration disorientation and exuberance, the fifteen hours or so where you find out what sort of a person you are now) I am certain that there are ripples throughout the fandom of "Oh dear, they have turned out dignified evil genius into a prancing buffoon".
I will, to those people, point out that though the Master has been through several bodies, this is the first time he has undergone a proper regeneration since his introduction (barring potential pre-Jacobi antics).
Also this weekend, I went to see the new Fantastic Four movie. I was of the opinion that it was a great improvement on the first, a perfectly presentable action adventure movie with more than a little tongue in cheek. The script was reasonably tight, the effects were solid and convincing and you even got a glimpse of Galactus' big purple helmet without the behatted one atually appearing on camera which would have been dumb. In my opinion it was a well-balanced blend of the source material and the necessary big-screen updates (though Johnny's topless scene was gratuitous and unnecessary and far too brief) - all the best parts of the earlier movie with none of the wretched science (unless you count talk of "cosmic rays" as physics) or the brain-thumping escalation of hostilities between the Four and lifelong friend Von Doom - in this movie it's simply established that they are archnemeses and left at that.
Many of those with whom I saw it, however, were of the opinion that the film held no redeeming features at all. Which is odd, since in the past we have broadly agreed on the relative merits of various motion pictures. Certainly we universally agreed on the utter, utter hideous abomination that is the new entryway to The Orient at the Trafford Centre - a mockery of taste in brown marble and faux gold and what must surely be the most gross offence to the word "staircase" since records began. Mammon must be pleased indeed.
It is the conclusion of this rambling editorial that It Just Goes To Show.
ASIDE: For more on what I did at the weekend, see here.
[1] Redundant? If he's my friend, of course he's of my acquaintance.
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no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 03:20 pm (UTC)Family of blood/human nature was by far one of the best episodes ever and it is a Dr Who story by the simple fact that it explores facets of the Doctor's personality and his relationship with the universe. Still not certain if it beats Girl in the Fireplace or any of Steve Moffat's other efforts yet - may need to watch them all again to make sure - but (having come into both episodes late) I was convinced they actually were Steve Moffat ones.
I have to say that an awful lot of the new series seems to be drawing on the short stories published in the time between the end of McCoy and the start of Ecclestone for inspiration. Probably because a lot of them are written by writers who also wrote those short stories :) Many of the shorts I have read are well off the scale in terms of wierdness and cover concepts where the Doctor is evil or not really the Doctor or is only a cameo (there is one where the Master is present and the Doctor is only hinted at being present by the sound of the TARDIS dematerialising as Sarah Jane realises what it going on...) and so on.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 03:45 pm (UTC)... I can't tell, from that, if you're aware that Human Nature is in fact a direct adaptation of one of the Virgin novels (of the same name). It was reworked to be more dynamic (they were hiding instead of simply exploring what it means to be human), but it was done by the original author so it's hard to find fault there ;)
Incidentally, "Blink" was also an adaptation (greatly extended and re-worked) of Steven Moffatt's short story in the 2006 Doctor Who Annual, though that was definitely Ecclestone era.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 03:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 03:55 pm (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_New_Adventures
Jacobi
Date: 2007-06-18 04:12 pm (UTC)Re: Jacobi
Date: 2007-06-18 04:16 pm (UTC)He mentioned something else too but I forget what.
Re: Jacobi
Date: 2007-06-18 06:20 pm (UTC)Apparently.
Re: Jacobi
Date: 2007-06-18 10:38 pm (UTC)I only saw Confidential cut down.
The Tenative Poetics Of Your Rise
Date: 2007-06-18 11:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 03:32 pm (UTC)1) Doctor [X]
2) Companion [X]
3) TARDIS [X]
4) Alien Monsters [X]
5) Psuedo-science [X]
6) Quarry [ ]
7) Running Through Corridors [X]
8) Pontificating Bad Guy [X]
9) Moral Lesson [X]
10a)Homosexual References (RTD Series only) [ ]
10b)Unrequited Longing for Doctor from Companion (RTD Series only) [X]
8.5 out of 10 is a pretty good score.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 04:16 pm (UTC)As I have often observed, the Trafford Centre was obviously designed by a committee of architects who were placed in a big room with some paper, crayons and a big bowl of hallucionagens (sp?), which they were invited to imbibe, and to subsequent;y 'draw what you see, we will build it'. It is the only thing possibility which makes sense :)
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 06:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 06:42 pm (UTC)However, there is precedence of him not looking like classic Galactus. From Wikipedia:
"Although Galactus is usually perceived in humanoid form, each species perceives Galactus in a form resembling its own.[11] As a being who is both an abstract entity (e.g. Death, Eternity, et al) and a physical creature, Galactus' true form and nature are beyond the capability of mortal beings to comprehend.
As Galan, he was a humanoid, but as Galactus, his true form is unknown. He has adopted the appearance of a roughly humanoid energy being on at least three occasions.[33]"
I don't really care what he looks like. I saw the first Fantastic Four movie at the cinema...
"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me"
I think I'll wait for Transformers to come out. They've never hurt me.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 06:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 06:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 07:19 pm (UTC)I like how you're this vehement in a post about how people's opinions differ. So he stayed inside the ship, big deal. You know that if they'd shown him you'd be just as upset about how they difn't do him justice.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 06:53 pm (UTC)But they're in the movie.
I have no idea if there are lots of invisible ladies in the world. I'll assume not.
Thing Dog would be cool!
Date: 2007-06-18 07:14 pm (UTC)I'm just saying that Galactus could be a cloud if he really wanted to be.
Oh and for the record, don't think I didn't notice that you didn't refute my suggestion that there are loads of invisible women in the world. I'm on to you.
I could care less too, I could care a lot less.
Date: 2007-06-18 07:42 pm (UTC)I'm somewhat worried for your sanity when the inevitable retcon of the comic to make it like the movie happens. They're rather fond of such antics - I hear Spiderman is back in his black suit - and I can only but guess that the Hulk has become so god-damn-awful it hurts to stay in line with the film concept.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-18 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-19 01:41 pm (UTC)