The Waters of Mars

[purplecat]

Paper thin A plot, non-existent B plot: check

Obvious Sci-Fi cliches "He's stronger than us, I know, let's split up!" served up apparently without awareness or irony: check

Big emotional moments powered by story and character logic that doesn't bear close examination: check

Science sufficiently nonsensical that a bright 12 year-old would probably notice: check

but... but... but...

That was great, wasn't it?

Worth it simply for the scene where the Doctor walks away from the base.

I'm beginning to think RTD writes his best Doctor Who when he's actively trying to question or subvert our assumptions about the show.

Comments

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

Paper thin A plot, non-existent B plot: check WELL, YEAH, BUT...

Obvious Sci-Fi cliches "He's stronger than us, I know, let's split up!" served up apparently without awareness or irony: check EVEN MORE OBVIOUS SCI-FI CLICHES: BASE ON MARS, SCARY ALIEN STUFF, 'CUTE' ROBOT

Big emotional moments powered by story and character logic that doesn't bear close examination: check I'LL LET HIM OFF SINCE THOSE ARE THE SORT OF THINGS THAT GET CUT TO GET THE EPISODE DOWN TO LENGTH

Science sufficiently nonsensical that a bright 12 year-old would probably notice: check THIS BRIGHT 37-YEAR-OLD DIDN'T (EXCEPT FOR THE TOP FUEL ROBOT DRAGSTER), BUT I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT

but... but... but...

That was great, wasn't it? YES. EXCEPT FOR THE ROBOT.




(Actually I thought the best scene was the one where the Doctor doesn't take the f*****g robot with him at the end. I was very relieved by that.)

[gominokouhai]

> Worth it simply for the scene where the Doctor walks away from the base.

I don't know. I was thinking paging Lisa Gerrard, the overcranked camera is on standby and then, two minutes later, Murray wakes up and puts `All the Strange, Strange Creatures' on the soundtrack, and suddenly everything was all right.

It would appear that I like that track a lot, and am willing to use it to forgive a multitide of sins.

Schoolboy continuity errors. Twenty minutes too much angst. Crappy monsters. But yes---it was great, wasn't it?

> I'm beginning to think RTD writes his best Doctor Who when he's actively trying to question or subvert our assumptions about the show.

RTD writes his best anything when he's actively trying to subvert assumptions. Had he not just churned out an hour of excellent quality television I'd be calling him a pomo hack as usual, but lately he's become able to do that and simultaneously write awesome TV.

Hell, the best Doctor Who he ever wrote was when he cast a twelve-year-old girl as the Doctor.

[reggietate.livejournal.com]

You're probably right about the plot, but... yes, it was frackin' AWESOME. I'm definitely going to miss Ten.

[fredbassett]

I have a very strong feeling that I've fallen out of love with Dr Who and RTD. Large scale, noisy climaxes are now just irritating me. (And before my Primeval friends point out the essential irony in that statement, I shall get my retaliation in first and state that that doesn't apply to my favourite fanfic!)

Just for once, I'd like to see an icy calm denouement.

I suspect I won't be watching for much longer, and that rather saddens me. I want to like it, I really do, but it just isn't doing anything for me any more. I also hate the fact that in the information over-load age, we know exactly when the Dr will be changing and into whom. I used to prefer the element of surprise. But I suspect my problem is that I haven't actually liked a Dr since Jon Pertwee until the news guys came along. I did like Ecclestone, and I think Tennant is OK, but I doubt I'll stick around for the next one.