"I'm feeling alive all over again, as deep as the scar that's under my skin, like being in love, she says, for the first time."

Now that series four of Doctor Who has begun and we've gotten to see Donna's first journey to somewhere else with the Doctor, it's interesting to note the contrasts between the three main companions so far in the new series. They've all had different journeys to different places, gained different insights from their journeys, and have learned different things about the guy they're traveling with.

Rose's first trip in the TARDIS took her to the end of earth. She saw her planet burn into nothing, and know that she was the only earth-born true human left. This journey wasn't just pointlessly depressing, though; the Doctor had a purpose in taking her there: he couldn't adequately tell her what he had just experienced, but he could show her. Her natural traits of empathy took her still further, and at the end of the episode, she takes the Doctor's hand and lets him know that he isn't alone. Their relationship, then, is based on mutual understanding. Rose isn't going to make uninformed comments about his past and his loneliness, because she's seen it and understands.

Then they're all happy, and then Doomsday happens and tears everyone's heart to tiny pieces and then mashes them with a trencher for a little while. And then Martha comes along.

Martha ends up on the moon, she has an adventure saving the hospital with this cute guy who snogs her and just happens to be an alien. She gets some ideas that he's fun and everything is hunky-dory. But it isn't. She doesn't know he's broken and hurting and he thinks he'll never see his best friend again. She doesn't know he's lost a lot of concepts of what's right and how to be kind even if it might hinder you from saving the world. She takes a trip with him, back in time to meet Shakespeare.

Now, when I first saw 'The Shakespeare Code' I did draw up some contrasts between Rose and Martha. Rose chooses to have an adventure in the unknown future; Martha wants to see a known past. Rose leaves her mother and Mickey behind; Martha micromanages her family before she leaves. Rose is kind of drifting in life, without advanced education or a career; Martha has the ambition to make it all the way through medical school, and knows exactly what she's doing.

Frankly, I thought after that, I'd mostly relate to Martha. I mean, yes, I would totally want to see the past instead of a piecemeal peep at the future. I am ambitious and hold onto things I know. And, like Martha, I've done the whole thing with being infatuated with a good friend who took me on adventures but never seemed to be interested in more. But that's over. But perhaps that's exactly why I didn't relate to Martha more than I did; she was too much of an unflattering mirror.

So the Doctor takes Martha on a fun little adventure for her first trip. He probably thinks this is alright; he hasn't signed on for a full-time companion again, just giving a girl who helped him a little treat is all. And she gets the impression that this is his life, and that he hasn't just lost someone who meant so much to him. She isn't allowed a parallel experience, and so she doesn't understand. She keeps going after him and being infatuated and making bitchy comments about Rose- while we may see she's about as appropriate as a golddigger at a funeral, she can't see that.

And now we come to Donna. After the Doctor has lost SO many things- not just Gallifrey and Rose, at this point, but the only other Timelord, his latest companion, as well as a girl named Astrid who was depending on him, he is pretty fucked up. He's having trouble making decisions, because no matter what he does it turns out badly and he has more guilt on his shoulders. So he takes Donna back, accidentally really (though I think the TARDIS might have taken an active role in this,) to Pompeii, and she has to see what it's like to choose between bad and worse, what it's like to see terrible things happening and not being able to stop them. And when faced with this, she chooses to stand by him and shoulder his burdens; her hands over his on the lever is the same action as Rose taking his hand and saying it was time for chips. Donna can see and understand what the Doctor is going through, and yet she can still encourage him to be kind and help people when his position in the universe gets to be a bit much for him.

I think Donna's going to be good for the Doctor, and help him to heal and again the man that Rose loves. I don't want Rose to see him as he was last season, or even now. Because while she would understand his situation, having gone through many of the same things, his behavior and attitude towards everything isn't something that the Rose I know would tolerate. I look forward to seeing them both healthy and whole and together. At least that's what I hope, and might go threaten RTD to make sure happens....

Fifteen Favorite Fanmixes

As many who know me are aware, I love fanmixes. I think it's a really interesting way to explore themes in shows by finding songs that reflect them, and through cover artwork as well. It's also a great way to find out about new artists- the majority of bands on my iPod I discovered through hearing one of their songs on a fanmix, and then looking up more of their music. So I present to you: my fifteen favorite fanmixes, both my own compilations and others'. Click on album cover to link to each fanmix post.



All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone: A Jack Harkness Fanmix by

boxed

This mix explores the character of Jack Harkness on Doctor Who and Torchwood. It deals with his unique abilities and how he relates to the world and to all the people who've left him behind.


And They'll Never See You Fall: A Tenth Doctor EP by

intrikate88

One of the mixes that I put together. It focuses on the Doctor's brokenness in series three and four of Doctor Who, his difficulties in coping with life without Rose, and the difficulties others have of understanding him.



Broken Things New: A Dexter/Rita Fanmix by

intrikate88

Another mix that I've compiled. This one focuses on the relationship Dexter and Rita have in Dexter, and on the way both of them are emotionally crippled in some way, but still exploring the possibility of being able to love one another.



Cup of Tea: A Doctor/Rose Fanmix by

paperdollgirl

A collection of quiet songs that reflect upon the Doctor and Rose's relationship.



Ten/Rose - The Fine Art of Falling Apart by

boxed

PROBABLY one of my favorite fanmixes ever, and it even comes with some beautiful icons and a wonderful fic! This mix reflects on both Rose's and the Doctor's lives after they are separated in "Doomsday". Wonderful, poignant songs by a great selection of artists.



Happy Phantom: Of Love, Honey, and a Girl Named Chuck by

gimcrack_icons

A cute mix of songs describing Pushing Daisies' Chuck. She's been given a second chance at life by her childhood sweetheart and his abilities to bring the dead to life.



HISS; a Crouch/Lestrange mix by

boxed

The beautiful cover art of this mix is matched by the great concept of the "fleeting moments" of the Doctor and Rose. While their traveling together is temporary, there is something eternal in them as well.



Measures of Infinity (or: How I Lost My Heart to Time) by

boxed

A wonderfully instrumental compilation focusing on the concept of trying to hold on to forever, in the relationship between Rose and the Doctor.



Nicotine: A House/Cuddy Fanmix by

kamikazewaffle

This collection looks at the addictive nature of the relationship between House, M.D.'s Drs. House and Cuddy. While they often drive each other away, they are just as often the only person the other can return to.



No Happy Ending by

katrina87

This mix focuses on the end of Rose and the Doctor's traveling together, and their reflections on their separation.



Pilots Watching Stars: A Post-Doomsday EP by

boxed

Focusing on Rose's learning to deal with her new life in a new universe, this compilation explores her learning to travel on her own.



Running Right Behind You: A Companions Mix by

araceli_maura

This mix lovingly looks at the Doctor's companions- at his friendship with them, his loves, his needs, and each of their own unique features.



See My Friends: a Tenth Doctor mix by

katrina87

Centered around the Doctor's difficulties with relationships in series three of Doctor Who. So sad, but so great.

Take a Walk Around the World by

intrikate88

I had a lot of fun putting this one together- it's all about the journeys Rose takes, from before she meets the Doctor, to long after. Each song has a very short bit of fic with it, showing the various aspects of her travels.



Watching Bridges Burn: A Ten/Rose Playlist by

rainyrainydays

Are the Doctor and Rose separated forever, or can they find a way back? This compilation is all about the doubts and hopes.

Clinging Roses and Emasculated Doctors: The Canon and Fanon Criticisms of the Doctor/Rose Ship

There are a lot of people out there who don't like Rose. That's okay. Everybody responds differently to characters. Many of these people write meta on why they don't like Rose, and again, that's okay. I've read several of these posts; some of them have made sense, some haven't. Some have seemed to make sense up until the logic is deconstructed to reveal sentiments of "Rose should be happy staying home keeping her needy mother and ex-boyfriend happy and being domestic," which is a concept that sounds eerily like the "Angel of the House" ideals of the nineteenth century (and beyond) and aspects of the virgin/whore binary, and those aren't things that I can be comfortable with.

But one thing that appears to be a common theme among this demographic of meta-writing Rose-haters is an assertion that Rose is clingy and therefore emasculating to the Doctor, by inspiring him to cling back.

I can understand why someone might get the impression of clinginess, what with things like this:



and this:



But to generalize that she is clingy based on that evidence is to ignore her consistent behavior of NOT being clingy throughout the series.

Let's face it: travel through time and space would be some pretty scary shit. Traveling with the Doctor involves being penniless and homeless in a foreign place or time where you probably won't be the most popular sort of person: a human in alien territory, or a woman in a misogynistic time period. Personally, if I was traveling with the Doctor and knew that he and his TARDIS were the only things ensuring the possibility of my ever getting home or being protected from a nasty death that no one I knew would ever know about, and knowing the Doctor's tendency to get distracted and wander off? You couldn't peel me off him with a crowbar, y'all. Clingy? I'd be hiding inside his coat with a death grip around his waist.

But Rose isn't doing that. In fact, she wanders off just as much as he does. When there's an opportunity to investigate something odd or to help somebody that appears to be in trouble, she follows that. In her first opportunity to travel with the Doctor, in "The End of the World", she goes off to think, and finds herself sympathizing with a mechanic; shortly thereafter, she's kidnapped, leading the Doctor to label her "jeopardy friendly", which describes her rather well. Whether she's running off to find her alternate universe parents ("Rise of the Cybermen"), grabbing a fire extinguisher and going off to explore a spaceship ("Girl in the Fireplace"), or going to explore a freaky child's bedroom ("Fear Her"), she has no idea where she's headed or the dangers involved or who's going to kidnap her this week but she ventures forward anyway, away from the Doctor and the protection he could offer her.

Even when he's not around and she is kind of lost, she isn't paralyzed- she solves problems, even as she wonders not how she is going to be alright, but whether the Doctor is going to be alright. ("Fear Her"- "But who's going to hold his hand now?") When he is otherwise incapacitated, as in "The Christmas Invasion," she steps up to face the threat to her planet, using the knowledge she knows of intergalactic politics.

While she may be close to the Doctor, she's not really that clingy; not as much as she could be. She's like she is because it is her choice- and the fact that she can choose, consciously, shows that she is a strong, independent woman.

And what about the other popular assertion, that Rose is emasculating to the Doctor, because he's always running after her or needing her? I think it is safe to say that he often works to rescue her, such as from the Wire in "The Idiot's Lantern" and from Cassandra's minions in "The End of the World." But does this cause him to be too dependent upon her, and make her nearness and safety the motivating factor of his actions?

I really don't think so. In "The Empty Child," he wanders off and leaves Rose alone in the middle of a German air raid. In "Father's Day" he walks out on Rose and her father. In "New Earth," he doesn't bother to make sure Rose gets in the right elevator (which leads to her possession by Cassandra.) In "Girl in the Fireplace" he leaves Rose on a ship, essentially stranded. In "The Satan Pit" he makes a choice that seems to epitomize all of these behaviors: to defeat the Beast in the pit, he essentially dooms Rose to being sucked into a black hole and killed. However, he doesn't do this because he's uncaring; he is able to make such a difficult decision because he trusts Rose's ability to survive. He is able to make decisions independent of concerns for her safety, because he knows that she is able to take care of herself independently.

However, in the end, they're not independent of each other in their relationship. And that's a good thing! One of the themes of the show is the triumph of human values, such as interconnectivity and relationship. They help each other and bring out the best in each other. While they can be successful on their own, it is the way they each complement the other that allows us to see their best features: Rose's kindness and bravery, the Doctor's intelligence and regard for humans.

In conclusion, I do think that feelings of dislike for Rose in other people are valid. However, if the argument explaining those feelings is not reasoned and supported with canon examples, there is no way for me to consider the argument valid. As far as I can tell from my understanding of the show and what the creators of the show have said, the Doctor/Rose ship makes sense, and is textually supported.

Yeah, bitches. I just pwned you all like only an English major can.

A few thoughts on the BBC's Doctor Who image gallery. Which is also a laugh, and usually needs a good copyeditor. *volunteers*

OMG GUYS. Guys. Y'all. I am nearly done downloading the second Doctor Who ep this season. I like this world where there is new Who! I also am scared! What if something awful happens and fandom explodes again?

To help my suspense, I went to the BBC Doctor Who site. Of course.

They have this new game up! About how far in time you can fly the TARDIS in the vortex. It sounds really cool! Except there was this one time I played the Christmas Special game about how many aliens you can identify and freeze or something and I ended up destroying the world and having the website!Doctor telling me I was a really rubbish companion. It totally broke my heart and made me cry jaded me against playing any more games on the site. I also think my US IP address will block me from playing, too.



There are so many pictures of the Doctor looking really disturbed and traumatized. I think this may be Donna's effect? It is kind of funny, but it also looks like he doesn't know where the walls of his universe are anymore. Series three, it keelz.





More trauma!face. Also: why the Blue Suit of Doom? Whyyyyyy? It makes him look skinnier and boxier than he already is, and it usually makes his hair look sad. However, I am TOTALLY with the Browncoat love here.



And with the Browncoat look here. Donna, rock on. IT IS TOTALLY TIME FOR A CANON FIREFLY CROSSOVER. Ohmygod, BBC, please. It'd be like Joss and Rusty's lovechild.



I like that top, Donna. Kinda ehhh about the hairdo, but it's a pretty top.



Oh, Donna. I kind of love you. Not the way I love Rose, not "OMG you are so cute and hot and need to be grinning on my computer screen at all times if not actually hugging the Doctor" but my Donna-love is more like for a big sister. Like, I want to sit around watching movies and commiserate about the complications of having stupidly large boobs, and why guys don't fancy us more than they do but we don't need them anyway, and making plans for trips we'll never take.



Oh, Doctor. Don't look so panicked. DD-cups are scary, but not that frightening. I mean, reserve that face for the triple-Ds at least, right?



"Just because I am mimicking his oh-so-important-Timelordy crossed-arms stance and suit, doesn't mean I am holding back giggles! I am not being ironic at all."



"Donna. They're watching us. Through that box there."
"...I know."


And, to end:


"Look what I did with MY eyeliner pencils, guys! And my mum's Christmas tablecloth."

Oh, Beeb. You're so cute. And so is your special effects budget.

Movie review: The Shadow in the North

What with beautiful Victorian dresses, the attractive and talented J.J. Fields and Billie Piper in leading roles, and a mystery plot filled with gritty London alleyways and looming villains of all types, one would expect that The Shadow in the North, the BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman's novel and the sequel to the 2006 adaptation of The Ruby in the Smoke, to be engaging and fantastic in a beautifully historic fashion.

Dear Reader, one would be wrong.

One almost, in fact, doesn't know where one might begin to mention where one would be wrong.

Though rushed and semi-insensible, the plot is a fairly direct adaptation of the novel. Sally Lockhart, several years after the events of The Ruby in the Smoke (where she solved the mystery of several murders, including that of her father, and of the mystical Indian ruby behind them all) is working as an accountant in 1870s London, while avoiding marriage to her friend Fred Garland, a photographer and her partner in any mystery(along with another friend, Jim, who completes their trio.) When approached by a client who has lost her life's savings in a bad investment and has suspicions of corporate fraud, Sally, Jim, and Fred become involved in an investigation that will lead them to spiritualists and magicians, the cream of society and the dirty criminal element, patent offices and parties, and more tragedy than they ever imagined. And that's even before they discover a weapon of such diabolical intent that someone would be willing to kill them all, just to keep them from exposing his creation.

All in all, some very good ingredients for a splendidly suspenseful time. Except we find ourselves cheated from suspense as the director rushes through all threats from the bad guys to our heroes, dumping us off the edge of our seats to let us get a better view of their bruises afterwards. Instead of truly building the mystery, the movie rushes around to briefly touch on each of the minor characters, only to leave us without sufficient explanation of who they are, or why they merit any place in the movie beyond providing a fraction of a clue to advance the mostly-indecipherable plot- or, in fact, being memorable enough for me to recall their names the second after they leave the screen. While novel adaptations frequently change characters' relation to plot points adversely, a little compression could not possibly have hurt any more than this scattered mess did.

Possibly the most appalling thing about this movie, however, was the dearth of historical accuracy. The BBC's determinedly colorblind casting meant that a high degree of racial diversity was found at all levels of society, with none of the characters appearing to notice the differences between themselves. Not unless sexism counts- one of Sally's prime motivations is her desire to prove that women can be just as good as men at running a business or solving a problem, and frequently has to prove herself. But that is there for plot propulsion; the fact that outright racism isn't an issue in this book does not necessarily equate to all nationalities being represented at a society ball- the imperialistic politics of the time would have strictly forbid such a thing.

All of this historical fallacy seemed mostly excusable while I was watching it. After all, it might be just barely possible that an Indian man could be a clerk at the Patent Office. There might be mysterious, politics-circumventing reasons to explain how he came to be there. Maybe.

But the last shreds of the suspension of my belief were flung to the wind when a Rastafarian gentleman showed up (with no explanation for why his character should be a Rastafarian,) and I knew the movie would, in all likelihood, not get better.

As the movie spins towards its despondent and further credulity-stretching end, much of the cinematography and editing turns into a series of close face shots and extreme high establishing shots, as if to say, "Look! We have people looking Serious and Intense. We also have Victorian baubles! PAY ATTENTION TO NOTHING ELSE. Like, say, plot or historicity."

The movie ends on an ostensibly cheerful note, as Sally again violates a certain strong social more and nobody says a word, thus proving that mentioning Victorian society as it was (past the pretty dresses and decor) is unnecessary, except as it serves to fabricate character depth. Because I have a special interest in nineteenth-century Britain and am therefore rather picky about its representations, I found this film to be far less enjoyable than I expected. Perhaps someone less interested in the past would find this movie to be a good time, but frankly, if I want to see Billie Piper in the late nineteenth century, I'll just watch "The Unquiet Dead" and "Tooth and Claw" episodes of Doctor Who, where she's definitely a lot more fun.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Murder and mayhem and Miami, oh my!

... and at first glance, that seems to be what Showtime's Dexter is all about. Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall) is a charming blood spatter analyst for the Miami PD... who also has the little problem of being a sociopath and likes to kill people as a hobby. Thanks to the moral code instilled by his adoptive father, Harry, he only kills other killers- especially the ones that escape the justice system. Dexter attempts to blend into society by means of elaborate fake emotions, his attachment to his sister Deb, and his girlfriend Rita and her two kids, Cody and Astor. But while he considers himself a fraudulent human, we of the audience suspect there may be more to Dexter than even he believes.

The television series is based on the book series by Jeff Lindsey; the books and the show, while featuring the same premise and comparative plot, have different focuses- the show is far more detailed, rounding out many characters that are only briefly featured in the books, which are very strongly written in a first-person narrative- and who can expect a sociopath to incorporate the feelings of others in his book?

I would have to say one of my favorite things about the television series is the way it explores issues of community/isolation, realness of self/realness of others. There is so much dramatic irony to be seen as Dexter thinks himself alone and unique in his problems, even though its stuff we can all sympathize with- stuff like not understanding the people around us.

When it comes to fandom, Dexter is sadly nearly as dead as one of the title character's evening entertainments. However, there are some communities that produce some decent fanfiction- the Dexter Fanfic and DD_Dexter communities at LiveJournal especially. Thunderemerald is one of my favorite authors, for her quality characterization and dialogue- she just wrote "Water Through a Rusted Pipe," which I was totally impressed with the way she wrote Dexter and Deb. Dexter is inspiring me to explore the characters in more depth, too- so far I've written "Breakable Girls and Boys" and am writing another fic, and I'm also putting together a fanmix of songs that musically portray Dexter and Rita's relationship, and the hurdles that they both face to understanding each other.