Doctor Who: The Caretaker (spoilers, rants)

[mme_hardy]

So. We have:

• A paternal figure and a boyfriend fighting over a woman, with the men's conflict as the center of the plot.
• An older man trying to direct a younger woman's love toward a proxy for himself.
• A black man being demoted by an authority figure from an intellectual role to a physical role.
• Repeatedly.
• THE MILITARY IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THIS SEASON. REALLY.
• The Doctor going way beyond the line in being an asshole. Way beyond.
• Goddamned Paradise.
• Again.

On the plus side we have:

• Several good laugh lines.
• Chris Addison being evil.

To summarize, in my household we kept shouting "This is really badly written!" at the screen.

Shape up, show.
 

Comments

[mme_hardy]

I'm very sad about Nick Courtney, and there is NO EXCUSE that they gave him a cameo in SJA but couldn't find time for him on the show.

Frankly, the New Era of Who just doesn't trust us with long-season arcs; they feel they have to highlight each clue in neon. See! See! That was a season arc bit! Did you notice?!??! I felt that way about Bad Wolf a few episodes in. Okay, okay, right, Bad Wolf.

Contrast (for all his flaws) Joss Whedon, who trusted the audience to be observant, and who often planted clues that you didn't realize had been clues for several episodes.

"She cares so I don't have to" -- that is bullshit. But it is, at least, a lie the Doctor tells himself. The whole elaborate Teller plot proves that the Doctor does care, very much. He just doesn't want to be bothered with manners (or indeed kindness) while he cares.

[recessional]

Hmm. This is mostly telling me they have kept the characteristics I like least about the Doctor and made me want to shout at him to grow the hell up the most, and then tossed out the bits that made Amy's Eleven appealing to me at all.

I believe I shall pass.

[mme_hardy]

But Capaldi!

Given what you want from the Doctor, I think you'd dislike this one. You might try the Robin Hood episode and see if you enjoy that. I can flag up other ones that are mostly funny.

[muccamukk]

-wanders off to listen to Big Finish and sulk about no Nick Courtney-

I probably have a higher tolerance for screamingly obvious arc plots (though they've gotten to the point where they're testing even my patience.)

He just doesn't want to be bothered with manners (or indeed kindness) while he cares.

Meh, I don't like it more if it isn't true. Then he's just looking for excuses to be rude, and my patience for that is pretty thin. Asshole with a heart of gold (especially white male and posh asshole) is one of my less favourite characters. The Doctor's skated that line before, but he's really pushing it here.

[mme_hardy]

He's pushing my buttons (in a bad way). And the Doctor-versus-Danny plot feels horribly The Red Shoes.