The Stolen Earth - review/speculation
Jun. 29th, 2008 11:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
metztlimoonSPOILARS
I'm going on memory as haven't watched it again yet. However.... I have spent something close to 5 hours post ep discussing it with my mates. 5 hours is a very very long time.
OVERVIEW (personal)
I really liked it. Plot wise and writing wise there are probably many things that aren't so hot with it, I'll know for sure when I watch it again. However, I'm one of those people who rates on two scales- my personal emotional one, and a more impersonal one. Given that I watch things for pleasure, If I like it, personal comes first and fuck the plot. When I watch an episode and finish it with red eyes and with teeth marks in my balled fists... that's a score in my eyes. The presence of flaws in things I love doesn't make me weak or gullible, it makes me human.
I shall also say that yes, I am a Tennant fangirl. But that isn't all I am so please don't go thinking I'm incapable of rational thought. I have a lot of respect for RTD but don't go thinking I think the sun shines out of his arse, I don't. Disagreeing with someone else about an Episode of Who doesn't make either of us wrong, just different.
Things that niggle- out of the way early....
At the moment, the things that niggle:
1) Sarah Jane's cliffhanger I found to be lame.
2) The Doctor Rose running was telgraphed too much, but I can see why, not everyone watching Who is in the top quartile, ladies and gents.
3) The CGI of the TARDIS caught in the telephone message wave was awful
4) One number, at the same time, oh please................. at least word it differently guys!!!!!!!
5) Daleks do not accept apologies - Why was this here? Funny -ish - but still......
Characters
Cool ref. to Copper foundation - the Old guy from Voyage :)
Questions, questions, questions.....
What IS the key Martha has: Deus ex Box? Earth self destruct Key?
Why is Donna hearing heartbeats?
What is Davros doing? 27 planets? how much power???? WTF?
Is the regen the best kept secret ever?
Medusa cascade, again!
Bad Wolf connection?
The regeneration......
Bears some thingking about. There seem to be several options.
before I do, an aside on the nature of regeneration ;
Regeneration limits: 12.
Used to be the case but, Gallifrey is gone, and with it the Matrix and the Eye of Harmony. As the Time Lords could grant more cycles of regeneration and resurrect people, I see no reason why this limit shouldn't entirely legitimately no longer exist, or be circumvented. Don't think it's relevant.
Selecting an appearence:
Romana did it.
It happened too fast.
As expounded in Turn Left the Doctor didn't regenerate as it happened 'too fast'.
Extermination and regeneration
To be scary opponents for Time Lords, Daleks would have to be able to stop regeneration with their weapons. Two options. 1) Dalek weapons themselves stop regeneration or 2) Extermination is too fast for regeneration to occur.
If 1) The regeneration could fail. If 2) the fact the Doctor appeared to be hit by the only 'glancing blow' in Dalek history is relevant as it gives him time to regenerate
ANYWAY, on with it.
1) We really do get a permanent regeneration. Dramatically, this would be stunning. Absolutely freaking stunning. (Tennant fangirl weeps, but there was Who before Tennant, and will be after).
Unfortunately, this for various reasons makes not so much sense - unless Tennant wants to leave or the Beeb are bored of him. It makes sense as a cliffhanger which means the reason he doesn't change had better be freaking good:
eliminating option 1 - he doesn't regenerate. How this is handled could be extremely disappointing or indeed, beliveable. Depending.
2) He regenerates into himself - This would be shit.
3) He regenerates but it's reset because he's 1 sec out of phase with himself. Almost as shit as 2. I'm not saying I won't forgive if that's how they do it, but, I'll be less than happy. I won't say I wont be swept up in a tide of elation. But please, No MOAR retcon!
4) His regeneration fails because of the reasons given above. This presents us with the Doctor actually Dying. Another way to save him has to be found. i'LL buy this (and 5) as okay.
5) His regeneration fails for another reason: ie Davros wants to steal the energy to rebuild himself ; he lost the ability when the Master used the screwdriver....
Is there evidence for a potential mechanism of saving him if the regen fails, in the series- why yes there is .
a) the hand: We get a lingering shot in the early moments of the Stolen Earth. Chekov's gun, anyone? (Plot device) Doctor's biological code?
b) the DNA sampler/cloner in Doctor's daughter. The clone vat in Sontaran Strategem.
c) pseudo regeneration (Again, the Doctor's Daughter)
d) Bad Wolf and Jack
e) The psychograph and the chameleon arches- store consciousness.
Is Donna a Time Lord compatible organ donor? Does his consciousnessend up in her body (he did want to be ginger). Time will have to tell.
I shall stop on the subject here. Many cracky theories abound. I know my personal joy would be to see John Simm emerge from that regeneration :)
BAD WOLF -
How does this become relevant? We saw too much of it other than to wave a 'bad shit is happening flag'. Bad wolf created itself - and could see everything that was and could be?- is this something to do with Donna? Did Bad Wolf create her? Is there a link to the red fox? graffiti we've seen a few times?
Predictions and mutterings
"The death of his most faithful companion." (I can't recall clearly, my mate says it was something like final or lasting death.) Going with that:
Jack: Waited longest, has died and come back often. (Kill Jack, for real? Fuck. Potent. Unexpected deceased!Jack.)
Rose: Crossed universes
Donna: Died for him once already.
Martha: Hasn't died.
TARDIS - As faithful as they come- his oldest and most loyal companion. Killing the TARDIS has real potential. It happened in the BBC books- are our specials waiting for the TARDIS to regrow? This happens I called it!
"The Dark one is coming"
We see Davros immediately after IIRC, but could this mean more?
"Journey's End"
Whose?
"The three fold man"
Father son and holy spirit. Don't holler, it was my immediate thought.
Probably NOT messianically though - it's a metaphor for the divine force and the divine entity and the incarnate form. That metaphor of 3 isn't new - remember the Ood brains, (emotion, thought, consciousness). (Doctor, companions and TARDIS?)
"His name burns in the cascade of medusa" / "Sealed the rift at the Medusa cascade" all the other Medusa cascade references.....
Did he sign it the last time he was there? (That rift he sealed when he was 90, pretty much definately left at the end of this season, I think)
Right that's yer lot for now, will edit after watching it again.
What do we want ? NEXT WEEK. When do we want it? NOW!
I'm going on memory as haven't watched it again yet. However.... I have spent something close to 5 hours post ep discussing it with my mates. 5 hours is a very very long time.
OVERVIEW (personal)
I really liked it. Plot wise and writing wise there are probably many things that aren't so hot with it, I'll know for sure when I watch it again. However, I'm one of those people who rates on two scales- my personal emotional one, and a more impersonal one. Given that I watch things for pleasure, If I like it, personal comes first and fuck the plot. When I watch an episode and finish it with red eyes and with teeth marks in my balled fists... that's a score in my eyes. The presence of flaws in things I love doesn't make me weak or gullible, it makes me human.
I shall also say that yes, I am a Tennant fangirl. But that isn't all I am so please don't go thinking I'm incapable of rational thought. I have a lot of respect for RTD but don't go thinking I think the sun shines out of his arse, I don't. Disagreeing with someone else about an Episode of Who doesn't make either of us wrong, just different.
Things that niggle- out of the way early....
At the moment, the things that niggle:
1) Sarah Jane's cliffhanger I found to be lame.
2) The Doctor Rose running was telgraphed too much, but I can see why, not everyone watching Who is in the top quartile, ladies and gents.
3) The CGI of the TARDIS caught in the telephone message wave was awful
4) One number, at the same time, oh please................. at least word it differently guys!!!!!!!
5) Daleks do not accept apologies - Why was this here? Funny -ish - but still......
Characters
| Jack: Nicely scared. Nice brooding moments and then to action! You were too late this time ! | Rose: Big gun! Pouty lips. Jealous! | Ianto: Smart, but not terrified enough. Resolved. |
| Gwen: Going out fighting. Oh yeah. | Harriet: I whimpered. Still not sure I trust her. | UNIT guy in US: OMG is that Michael Brandon? Cool! |
| Luke: Never seen you before, don't watch SJA. Approve. | Sarah Jane: Going to peices just a little. | Caaan: WTF. Creepy soothsaying. |
| Wilf: Best minor character ever! Paint gun! | Donna's mum: I cant remember your name. That's how much I like you. | Davros: Nicely done, you creepy old bastard. |
| Shadow Proclamation: Look scary, but just a little- um- meh? | Francine: I still don't like you, Missis. | The Doctor: OMG. |
Cool ref. to Copper foundation - the Old guy from Voyage :)
Questions, questions, questions.....
What IS the key Martha has: Deus ex Box? Earth self destruct Key?
Why is Donna hearing heartbeats?
What is Davros doing? 27 planets? how much power???? WTF?
Is the regen the best kept secret ever?
Medusa cascade, again!
Bad Wolf connection?
The regeneration......
Bears some thingking about. There seem to be several options.
before I do, an aside on the nature of regeneration ;
Regeneration limits: 12.
Used to be the case but, Gallifrey is gone, and with it the Matrix and the Eye of Harmony. As the Time Lords could grant more cycles of regeneration and resurrect people, I see no reason why this limit shouldn't entirely legitimately no longer exist, or be circumvented. Don't think it's relevant.
Selecting an appearence:
Romana did it.
It happened too fast.
As expounded in Turn Left the Doctor didn't regenerate as it happened 'too fast'.
Extermination and regeneration
To be scary opponents for Time Lords, Daleks would have to be able to stop regeneration with their weapons. Two options. 1) Dalek weapons themselves stop regeneration or 2) Extermination is too fast for regeneration to occur.
If 1) The regeneration could fail. If 2) the fact the Doctor appeared to be hit by the only 'glancing blow' in Dalek history is relevant as it gives him time to regenerate
ANYWAY, on with it.
1) We really do get a permanent regeneration. Dramatically, this would be stunning. Absolutely freaking stunning. (Tennant fangirl weeps, but there was Who before Tennant, and will be after).
Unfortunately, this for various reasons makes not so much sense - unless Tennant wants to leave or the Beeb are bored of him. It makes sense as a cliffhanger which means the reason he doesn't change had better be freaking good:
eliminating option 1 - he doesn't regenerate. How this is handled could be extremely disappointing or indeed, beliveable. Depending.
2) He regenerates into himself - This would be shit.
3) He regenerates but it's reset because he's 1 sec out of phase with himself. Almost as shit as 2. I'm not saying I won't forgive if that's how they do it, but, I'll be less than happy. I won't say I wont be swept up in a tide of elation. But please, No MOAR retcon!
4) His regeneration fails because of the reasons given above. This presents us with the Doctor actually Dying. Another way to save him has to be found. i'LL buy this (and 5) as okay.
5) His regeneration fails for another reason: ie Davros wants to steal the energy to rebuild himself ; he lost the ability when the Master used the screwdriver....
Is there evidence for a potential mechanism of saving him if the regen fails, in the series- why yes there is .
a) the hand: We get a lingering shot in the early moments of the Stolen Earth. Chekov's gun, anyone? (Plot device) Doctor's biological code?
b) the DNA sampler/cloner in Doctor's daughter. The clone vat in Sontaran Strategem.
c) pseudo regeneration (Again, the Doctor's Daughter)
d) Bad Wolf and Jack
e) The psychograph and the chameleon arches- store consciousness.
Is Donna a Time Lord compatible organ donor? Does his consciousnessend up in her body (he did want to be ginger). Time will have to tell.
I shall stop on the subject here. Many cracky theories abound. I know my personal joy would be to see John Simm emerge from that regeneration :)
BAD WOLF -
How does this become relevant? We saw too much of it other than to wave a 'bad shit is happening flag'. Bad wolf created itself - and could see everything that was and could be?- is this something to do with Donna? Did Bad Wolf create her? Is there a link to the red fox? graffiti we've seen a few times?
Predictions and mutterings
"The death of his most faithful companion." (I can't recall clearly, my mate says it was something like final or lasting death.) Going with that:
Jack: Waited longest, has died and come back often. (Kill Jack, for real? Fuck. Potent. Unexpected deceased!Jack.)
Rose: Crossed universes
Donna: Died for him once already.
Martha: Hasn't died.
TARDIS - As faithful as they come- his oldest and most loyal companion. Killing the TARDIS has real potential. It happened in the BBC books- are our specials waiting for the TARDIS to regrow? This happens I called it!
"The Dark one is coming"
We see Davros immediately after IIRC, but could this mean more?
"Journey's End"
Whose?
"The three fold man"
Father son and holy spirit. Don't holler, it was my immediate thought.
Probably NOT messianically though - it's a metaphor for the divine force and the divine entity and the incarnate form. That metaphor of 3 isn't new - remember the Ood brains, (emotion, thought, consciousness). (Doctor, companions and TARDIS?)
"His name burns in the cascade of medusa" / "Sealed the rift at the Medusa cascade" all the other Medusa cascade references.....
Did he sign it the last time he was there? (That rift he sealed when he was 90, pretty much definately left at the end of this season, I think)
Right that's yer lot for now, will edit after watching it again.
What do we want ? NEXT WEEK. When do we want it? NOW!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2008-06-29 01:34 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-29 01:16 pm (UTC)[edit] unless that's what you meant and I'm slow.. and in which case.. ignore the slow puppy :)
no subject
on 2008-06-29 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-29 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-29 02:02 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-29 05:25 pm (UTC)a) Peter Pan did it.
b) RTD did it in season 3.
wtg, Rusty. wtg.
no subject
on 2008-06-29 06:10 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-30 10:35 am (UTC)I don't really know how they work other than connecting to towers/cells
but if Mr. Smith was only using the exchanges, was he only using the landline phones?
no subject
on 2008-06-30 11:07 am (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-29 01:38 pm (UTC)You have some really good ideas about this episode!
no subject
on 2008-06-29 01:40 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-29 02:30 pm (UTC)And interesting stuff, I had the same thoughts on Jack, the hand and the TARDIS but it never really crossed my mind that the regen could fail. That would be interesting.
no subject
on 2008-06-29 02:58 pm (UTC)OMG, the death of the TARDIS would be.... *shudders* yeesh.
Maybe she saves the Doctor from regenerating? I was thinking more along the Donna lines... Donna does something to stop the regeneration or something like that. I think it would be interesting to see it start going *wrong* next week, due to the Dalek-blast-iness or something. Reset button would be shit, yes, I agree.
no subject
on 2008-06-29 03:02 pm (UTC)Three in one
on 2008-06-29 03:03 pm (UTC)