#as someone who's old favorite doctor was ten and old favorite companion was donna

[soyboysace]

this is exactly why i was worried about rtd returning and why i dislike bi-generation plot. because despite everything rtd says about "omg the fans are gonna hate me because this is so new. this will mess w the lore hihi," it's actually not? in fact, it's extremely reductive and it's a lazy pandering move on rtd's part.

it's frustrating because it feels like rtd can't choose between (1) wanting to be extremely outspoken and creating a completely new doctor who and (2) trying to bring back most of the things the fans loved as a last ditch effort to go "hey, look! the old catchphrases! the old things! the old characters! please come back!" to old fans. i just wish he picked a lane.

because at the end of the day, it's not the bi-generation as a plot point on its own that bothers me. it's what it means behind the scenes and how it was introduced. i will always stand by my statement that anything can happen in doctor who as long as u write it well enough knowing the base plot of doctor who. but knowing public perception of doctor who in recent years along with the lack of proper explanation as to why the bi-generation is possible, that plot move certainly feels different.

and that's what worried me and will continue to worry me. it feels like rtd will continuously paint every lazy writing choice as "it's doctor who, deal with it bitch! anything can happen!" without actually putting in the time to explain the damn thing. like i'm open to the change if u didn't make it feel so evident that you are trying to pander to old audiences in the most blatant way possible.

and to elaborate on how reductive it is (and to echo a post i saw on here a couple minutes ago), the one of the other main reasons why the bi-generation plot bothers me so much is that it feels like it has ultimately shrouded and tainted what could've been a fresh new run for ncuti. he could enjoy his time as the new doctor (and first new black doctor no less!) but because rtd chose the bi-generation pipeline, it has effectively opened up the opportunity for fans to choose not to view ncuti as the new doctor when mr. fan favorite is still around somewhere. it feels like such a disrespect towards ncuti's run which sucks because i just know ncuti is going to be incredible.

and u know what? most people would've hated that plot choice too if it had been done by chibnall and to a different doctor. but because it's happening to david tennant's doctor with the old fan favorite companion by the old fan favorite writer, suddenly it gets a pass? nah

[broken-clover]

In rewatching Revival!Doctor Who and analyzing it as I go I think part of the reason that Rose Martha and Donna work so well as a conceptual trio of companions is obviously in part because they were written really well but also because they all serve as such excellent counterbalances to the doctor based on where he was as a person when they met him. Once of my favorite parts of my rewatch is seeing all the character interactions and just how starkly the companions differ between the first few seasons because it really speaks a lot both to their characters and the Doctor's.

Rose encounters him fresh off of a war, still mourning a massive loss and guilty for the role he played in it. He's an old man, alone and grieving and implied to have been like that for a while. This is one analysis that I have seen before, Rose bumping into him, young and full of life and uncertain but so willing and eager to see more of the world that it rekindles his passion to explore time and space and show it to someone for the first time. Pretty much all of season one is about showing off how rusty he is about interacting with people and cleaning up the messes his traveling causes, but it's clear that despite Nine's gruffness Rose helped him rediscover his enjoyment of just being around others.

Martha, for all her underrated moments, acted as a sort of well-needed opposite for Rose. Ten was well-known for being very bombastic, very showy, typically in a way that was endearing but sometimes veered into showboating and self-aggrandizing. Rose was never much for telling him to rein it in, because she was often just as caught up in the excitement as he was. Martha comes in slightly older, more confident, detail-minded and an aspiring doctor who can clearly handle herself, not cynical but far more realistic and practical. I think that's a lot of the reason why she's less liked by the fandom, but I also think that's why she works so well as a character and as a companion. Though she ends up harboring a crush similar to Rose, it's not enough to keep her from calling the doctor out when need be, whether he's being reckless or deliberately hiding things from her. For all of his accomplishments, the doctor still needs someone willing to call him out when he's going too far, to (no pun intended) bring him down to earth and remind him of the effect he has on others and to think things through a little more. She's also emotionally intelligent enough to recognize how incompatible they were and leave on her own accord, knowing there was nothing she had to fundamentally change about herself because she was already happy with who she was as a person.

Donna, in a way, acts as a sort of happy medium, less 'major change' and more 'course maintenance.' Though she's passionate about traveling, she still has no trouble in offering her snarky barbs and jabs when she disagrees with something. She's a slightly older career-oriented woman like Martha, but yearning for something more and trying to find fulfillment like Rose. Donna and the doctor feel on very equal footing despite their short time together, because despite her sense of insecurity the doctor does actually listen to her even if it's just the two of them snarking about them something silly. She can cheer him up as easily as she can pull him back. Just a lot of little nudges to make sure he neither loses his enthusiasm nor forgets to think about what he's doing.

All three of them build off of the Doctor's growth as a character during the first few seasons, and I think that's a really interesting progression to watch unfold. All three play an important role with him, and it's a good clear reminder of how important the companions are to the series aside from just acting as an audience surrogate

[metacrisisdoctor]

At the end of end of time, when Ten says he will get his "reward"... do you think he meant all companions or just seeing Rose (because she is the last one)? And how would you interpret his outrage when he has to die for Wilf?

this is actually my favorite thing to think about, the specials make me NUTS. i've rambled about this a lot on main but i'm too lazy to link the posts back so i'll be insane about it again.

what i really love about the specials and the doctor's descent into madness is how it mirrors him saying tentoo is "too dangerous to be left on his own" and how that solidifies that they're the same person with different opportunities. we see this particularly in the water of mars, which is his breaking point.

i think part of this madness is simply because he can't take losing anymore. he lost rose, he lost donna, he lost everyone and he just needs a win. and this makes him really scary and dangerous because the doctor is good because he chooses to be, and he needs companions to keep him human. when he's alone he loses sight of himself and becomes power hungry. this feeds into wilf in the end, and we'll get back to it in a bit.

that aside, there is the element that until he regenerates he is living two completely seperate lives. there is this life, and there is the life he is not experiencing; the life he wants. and not having that also is driving him mad. the blue suit, him saying the name mia over and over and not knowing it's his daughters name. the life in pete's world is haunting him. he is dragging it around like a dead body. but he cannot let it go. (in the original script tentoo was going to feel ten regenerate, which i think ties into this too)

the tenth doctor, in the end, is all about becoming comfortable with your trauma and your pain because you want to believe that you can find your way back to how you used to be before (whatever before is for you.) he's about how hope can become a vice, and strangle you.

ten was born out of his love for rose, his love for humanity and therefore he had to become human- at least in one life. and when he doesn't get to, he has to regenerate. there is no other option! but since he is so human he feels like regeneration is death and he knows that when he changes he will get over (to some degree) all he has been through as ten- and he doesn't want that. but it's a double edged sword because the longer he fights off the regeneration the colder and more inhumane he becomes!

i think his outburst with wilf is a combination of both of those things. he wants to keep being this version of himself in futile hopes that things could get better, because he loves this version of himself that is tied to rose and humanity. on the other hand it's out of being power hungry still and/or that he could do more: change things! there is a comic that takes place between je and the specials where he has a device where he could, hypothetically, do anything and he knows he should destroy it but he cannot bring himself to do it because the thought of breaking the walls between reality and giving donna her memories back is too tempting and someone else has to do it.

this is a sore subject that i haven't touched on bc it would get tentoo antis all riled up, but i really think his "well, it's not fair!" moment is about tentoo. it's like he's been holding at outburst in for so long and it ends up getting directed at wilf because wilf is everything he will never get to be again: a father, an old man who has had his time. but that doesn't make wilf any less important or less worth dying for and that reminds him of who he is and brings him back to himself. that moment of, "oh, i've lived too long." is him accepting that he has to change because if he doesn't he is going to go down a very dark path and that's not who he is.

i think his reward is, of course, having that time to say goodbye. but it's definitely specifically mostly about rose. she is not only the last interaction but the one rtd most thought through because it was so important. his reward is simply seeing her, and it's the first and last time, we see him feel like himself. yes, he's dying and he's in so much pain but even then they still flirt and banter. he stays up right for her, despite how much pain he's in. but more than that, his reward is knowing that rose is happy: that their story is one that he would not change, even though it's hurt him so much, because he loves her. he knows she's happy and that's all he wanted. that's his reward.

[sasukeless]

one of my favorite doctor who’s scene is that one where ten is giving that “they [his companion] break my heart” speech. because if you heard it with no context you will view ten as the ultimate victim but its so funny how he’s was the problem in all of them. “they leave” he says referring to martha. but ofc he doesn’t mention how the treatment he gave her was shitty and she left because she couldn’t take his bullshit anymore. “they find someone else” he says referring to rose but ofc he doesn’t point how he had the idea of dropping her off the other world with a human version of him. yeah sure it was for her to have a happy life and in the end she picked/kissed tentoo but still it was his choice to do that. “they forget me” he says and it’s obviously about donna but ofc he once again fails to admit how he took the choice of making donna forget. to save her life yes, but it was a choice he took from her because donna did not want to go back to her old life.

honestly ten’s arc is tragic thats true but its a greak tragedy in the way that all his miseries in the end are because of his own actions and just like in greek tragedies he meets his end because of his hubris

[alwaysspeakshermind]

A-Z of Favorite Fictional Ladies C is for: Clara “Oswin” Oswald

Imagine my surprise the first time I got on the internet to check out the DW fandom, and discovered that a good portion of it cherished an intense dislike toward Clara Oswald. (Really, the surprise is my own fault. The internet tends to only like strong female characters in theory; in general, whenever it’s presented with a loud, bossy girl who’s clever enough to reasonably obtain most everything she wants through a combination of wits and self-made luck, it labels her either a bitch or a Mary Sue, no exceptions. while characters who bitch for no reason whatsoever are given free passes by fandoms and actual Mary Sues are hailed as Empowering To Little Girls! But I digress.)

I, however, am most definitely not the internet, and I disagree with all the Clara haters in the fandom. Clara is either my favorite or my second-favorite companion in Doctor Who, and I’m not embarrassed at all about that. In fact, if anything, it mystifies me how often I see people who praise characters like River, Astrid, Mme. Pompadour, and Jenny labeling Clara annoying and/or a lazy plot device. I mean, I’m a to-each-their-own type of person, but in what world is Clara or any non-villain Doctor Who character more annoying, contrived, or plot-device-y than River? And what makes any of those other characters better than the nanny/teacher who argues with the Doctor more than any character since my dearly beloved (but admittedly abrasive) Donna Noble?

Honestly, I don’t get it. I love Clara, and there is a less-than-charitable part of me that makes certain judgments about the confidence levels of people who despise her but, you know, that’s another essay. This is one in praise of my short little bossy bestie with an ego that rivals the size of the TARDIS’ interior, and an even bigger heart.

 Why she’s my girl:

So. Again. It may bug the heck out of everyone else, but I love the fact that Ms. Clara’s character shifts drastically between S7-S8 from thwarted dreamer with sweet-but-fierce-but-kind-of-scared tendencies to seasoned, bossy-bordering-on-shrewish traveler who becomes so angry and terrified (and all the angrier because she’s terrified) at the sudden loss of control when a lot of unforeseen changes are suddenly heaped on her that she cries in the middle of negotiating for her life.

Hate her all you want, call her ‘convenient,’ ‘flat,’ or ‘a walking plot device’ all you want, but Clara is the best all-around companion in ten seasons of Doctor Who, and it’s not even close. If Martha had gotten more than one season I’d probably be making a different argument but here we are and yes I’m still bitter about how dirty they did my girl. Justice for Martha and a pox on that witch from The Family Blood who challenged my baby’s medical knowledge. She’s quick-thinking, decisive, stubborn, kind-hearted, loyal, domineering, and a delightful, more-than-is-strictly-healthy amount of conceited—in essence, a natural foil for the Doctor. She strong-arms her way into the role of conscience when the Doctor forgets human constructs like sympathy and compassion exist, and even the usual ditch-the-companion-because-their-life-is-in-danger-if-they-stay tactics can’t get rid of her…she has to be tricked into leaving the eleventh Doctor, and it doesn’t even work the first time.

The TARDIS dislikes her at the outset, and she retaliates by calling it a “grumpy old cow.” She is the companion who finally mentions the first thing I would mention upon being told to get inside a random blue box—in all seriousness, why, why did it take 6½ seasons for someone to be like, “What exactly are you planning to do with me inside that box, because…?”

She is a born adventurer and loves being in charge, but is willing to put her heart’s desires on the back burner to help those she loves. She is often afraid, but hates being afraid so much that she combats the fear by standing up and confronting it almost recklessly. She cares deeply for the Doctor and keeps him on track, whether it’s reminding him to focus in their early days together, or reminding him he can’t just run roughshod over people in their later days together. She resents the fact he seems to take her company for granted, but can’t stop the part of her that gets excited every time she hears the TARDIS arriving. She pranks—and has allegedly kissed!!!—Jane Austen. She stays with the twelfth Doctor even after he runs off and abandons her multiple times in the days following his regeneration because her Doctor—the fez-and-bowtie-loving Doctor she trusted her life to—asks her to please not leave him. She struggles to balance her tame, ordinary life-commitments with her dangerous, exciting life in the TARDIS, and finds herself caught between the life she wants to lead and the life sense is telling her she ought to lead.  

I could go on about her for days, but the essence of it all is this: Clara is loyal, clever, and determined. She is never fearless, but she frequently pretends to be, and beneath her calm, cocky, put-together exterior lurks a girl who will always stay longer than she probably should because she is still not really over all the people she’s loved who’ve left her. 

Favorite quotes:

Too many to count, but some of the ones I keep coming back to are:

“Is this what you do? You just…crook your finger, and people just jump in your snog-box and fly away?”

“I am the boss.”

“And do you know what? Run. Run, you clever boy. And remember me.”

“Why do I have to be the witch?”

“Hang on. Three of you in one room, and none of you thought to try the door?”

“Are you trying to scare me? Well, ‘cause I’m already bloody terrified of dying, and I’ll enjoy a lot of pain for a very long time before I give up the information that’s keeping me alive; how long have you got?”

“I am not a control freak!”

“That’s the look you get when I’m about to slap you!”

“Is that what I look like from the back?” [“It’s fine.”] “I was thinking it was good.”

“Speak for me again, and I’ll detach something from you.”

“Let me be brave.”

[intrepidradish]

Media: Dr. Who

Year/my age: 2019/29

What drew me to the media:

In the vacuum of completing Good Omens, I was going through both David Tennant's and Michael Sheen's filmography. David Tennant's was much more fun (the only thing I remember of Michael Sheen was his weird stint in Twilight and Far From the Maddening Crowd.) I watched Broadchurch, and then I...hesitated. I had never seen Dr. Who. It felt like a big undertaking but also years and years ago (back in college) I pledged to *never* watch Dr. Who *ever*.

Why?

When I was a freshman and David Tennant was Dr. Who, a kid in my year pretended to be him full time...with the screwdriver, the hair... everything. Naturally, I hated this kid. He ran everywhere. Interrupted people. He was also that kind of 18 year old abusive twerp that really gets under the skin of a repressed and angry queer kid.

Fast forward, I'm 29 looking at watching Dr. Who.

I knew it was supposed to be good, because people loved the tenth doctor. I bitched and moaned about it for a bit. I wanted to stand behind my stubborn statement from ten years prior. Never a WHO.

But I swallowed my pride. You know. Because I am a big nerd, and the least I could do was understand why I'm hating something.

So I watched David Tennant's run as the tenth doctor... And then I watched all the doctors post 2005.

What made me a fan:

'Silence in the Library' made me a fan. It also changed my life. If you're unfamiliar, it's in David's third and last season as the Doctor. His companion is Donna. They travel to the universe's library, which is a huge monster of a space building that contains records of all space time. When they arrive it is horrifyingly empty. It has been invested with invisible creatures that live in the shadows and devour flesh.

On top of that, the Doctor runs into a woman (River Song) who claims they are madly in love and have been for centuries, but this is the last time she'll see him in her lifetime and it's the first time the Doctor meets her. It's devastating for her, and the familiarity creeps out the Doctor.

To me, its a fucking gorgeous two part episode. It's scary. It's delightful. It's heart-achingly sad. It's so campy too. It makes me laugh. It's also very referential to old science fiction tropes. Finally, it shocked me, because I'd never experienced an episode like this one. It is the pinnacle of everything I could want in a single hour of watching television.

After I watched this episode, I realized I wanted to write science fiction.

Sometimes Dr. Who really fucking did that too me.

It's also a great show because since they change the main character's actor regularly, you always get a different taste with the same premise. I have SO MANY OPINIONS about the Doctors and their companions. Like FUCK.

Donna and the 10th is the CREME for me. They are BEST FRIENDS OKAY. The arc of who the Doctor is at this point in time and the crushing feeling at the end of their cycle is so potent. Like

^^^^ THIS IS REAL.

But! My favorite Doctor is actually Peter Capaldi's run, because he's a Doctor finally embracing his age and trauma. He trusts Clara after three seasons, the longest run of a companion, enough to show her how he thinks of himself, which is devastating for him, but like...trauma is man. We also get Missy in this run and I love Bob (although the show did her so rawly dirty, I'll never recover from that).

Ugh. Shit. I could go on. I probably will.

Have I written fanfiction for it? Why or why not?

Because no! I haven't written fanfiction for it!

I don't ship anyone! The Doctor isn't hot, and the relationship he has with his companions is like...intimate in ways that aren't physical. I know! I'm such a PRUDE. SOBS.

"Well, you don't have to ship someone to write fanfiction about them."

FAIR. But when I was watching Dr. Who, I was still a rooky writer. When I write fanfiction I try to emulate the tone, and Dr. Who is... a very difficult tone to capture. To me, it's quintessentially British, but in a way that goes beyond like...calling pants trousers. It's the approach to history and how the Crown engages with shaping it as a colonizing force. (mkay, sorry I went there but yeah)

I'm an American, and we have her own GLUT of problems, but it's different, ya know? It's why there isn't an Americanized Dr Who. America doesn't have a space wizard because history is bullshit for us. Do I agree with that? No.

One of the strongest parts of Dr Who as a series is that there have only been a few writers for that show and some assorted guest writers. It makes the show consistent despite the casting changes. It keeps it strong. I just can't see an inroad for me to write it.

However, I do have one WIP on the house sparrows trapped inside the TARDIS that have been warped by the space magic into an sentient warrior race. They have to prevent a great evil from escaping. Yes that's something I just wrote. No, you didn't hear me incorrectly.

This, at the time, was too difficult for me to complete. I still love the idea though. I might try to file off the serial numbers and finish it someday.

I also have an Americanized Dr Who idea. She's a weird immortal alien too, and a traveling salesman. She accidentally bombs the world with music.

It's complicated.

Opinion on the fandom:

No idea! I never read fanfiction for it. I never wrote fanfiction for it. I don't seek out fanart of it. I think most Dr Who fans are super annoying. What with the tardis dresses and the bumper stickers. The daleks everywhere. I don't really want to interact with them.

"Why are you putting it in this lineup then?"

You know, I have no idea. A real head scratcher. I think it's because 2019 was a super duper important year for me and finding media that got me in this headspace to see writing as viable.

A month after watching Good Omens I read The Left Hand of Darkness too, and got absolutely shot in the face when a queer character dies. That also changed my life. I didn't write a big thing about it in this journaling experiment because fandom for a book written in the 1960s is...different.

So Dr. Who was this big eye opener for me on storytelling. The Left Hand of Darkness was a big eye opener for me on storytelling. Good Omens started it again, making me GAY.

GAY AGAIN. I'm a infernal gay engine.

Would I read again?

Naw. Don't care. Maybe when I finally get to watch the Jodie Whittaker run. I'm pretty excited about the new doctor too.

Other things you didn't ask for

My opinion on all the doctors and shit.

9th Doctor (Christopher Eccelston) - the doctor stumbling out of killing his entire race with a time bomb. severely messed up and unhinged. A raw nerve. Doesn't know how to laugh anymore but tries anyway. All his smiles are false.

Rose - 19 year old darling teaches a fucked up old man to love life again (seriously, I will be shot by some shippers in this fandom)

10th Doctor (David Tennant)- sensing Rose's romantic attraction, the doctor regenerates as a young, energetic Ferrari of a man (in red converse and enough hair gel to raise a flag. what a nerd) If you look really close you get a sense of his overwhelming sadness, but it's all paved over with goofy jokes and lingering gazes.

Rose - totally fucking in love with him, because he's a space wizard and she's 20 and a cashier from the slums, like okay. Of course this falls apart, but she gets her cake in the end too. She deserves it.

Martha Jones - They have some distance between each other. Martha is a huge realist, and it helps the doctor recover from losing Rose.

Donna - She just wants some magic in her life again. They find each other at that perfect time when they both needed a best friend. Someone to riff on, to be a tourist.

11th Doctor (Matt Smith) - He's a bit more mature than the 10th, but he's still running away, so much so characters vocally point it out to him. He's straddling the line between staying lighthearted, a good friend, and disappearing completely. His inability to face his personal hardships means that he can't be there for people when they need him to. He fails a lot in these seasons.

Amy Pond - She has her own life, and the Doctor dips in when he's needed or when he's not and sometimes disappears entirely when she needs him to be by her side. She's strong though. She has Rory, who is the biggest godsend for her even as she looks emotionally elsewhere as an escapist.

Clara Oswald - the doctor thinks he can do without a companion for awhile and uuuuh, he can't. Clara course corrects him as a morality check.

12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi) - after the visit with his old self, the War Doctor, we finally get to see how the doctor really sees himself, a broken and tired man. He's no longer dithering around or running away. But he's also wounded. He's dabbling in nihilism. He's got a lot of friends to help him out.

Clara Oswald - She's steady. She's there, and she's got her own weird magic to her that the doctor can't explain but no longer questions.

Bob - She's fun! She's not really his student in this gig the doctor's trying to falsely fill, but he does take on this professor-like position. Ultimately that dynamic falls apart. He's too caught up with his duties to keep her safe. He's also caught up in the prospect of finally dying and being thankful about it. (too bad that doesn't happen...)

[laurelismyblackcanary]

Doctor Who Davies Era Rankings

The ranking of the seasons is: 1) Season One; 2) Season four 3) Season three 4) Season two.

Season 4

Fires of Pompei I'm obsessed with history and my favorite period is the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece (not for nothing I graduated in Ancient Roman and Greek Literature). Fires of Pompei is just so good for me. The idea that the Doctor had to cause the eruption of the Vesuvio is really intriguing. He had to chose between Pompei and the whole Planet. I loved how Donna was there to share the weight of the decision. And I love how in the end it was her that appealed at his more merciful side and convinced him to save that family.

Silence in the Library/Forest of the dead It's such a good episode. I loved it. And the love story between Donna and the guy whose name I forgot is one of the best love stories in the show. And it's so heartbreaking that he saw her but couldn't call out to her in time. The characters were all great and it was a shame that they all died in the end. And there was River Song. Who I love as a character but I believe her story with the Doctor is too messy and I get an headache every time I think about it.

The stolen Earth/Journey's end I'm a sucker for episodes where they bring back old characters and they all come together to save the day. I loved seeing Martha and Jack and Sarah Jane and Jackie. They are the Doctor's family and I love them all so much. Plus the story is engaging and the stakes are high and at the end of The stolen earth everything seems pretty hopeless. I loved how they flew the TARDIS all together. I'll admit that the metracrisis thing isn't really one of my favorite storylines. I was gutted that Donna had to forget in order to survive. It wasn't fair to her. And Rose's "happy ending" is the crappiest happy ending ever. She's stuck with someone who's not the man she loves and will never be, because they will never live through the same things that shaped Ten to become who he is.

The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky. As I said above I love when old characters come back, and in this one there's Martha, who's my favorite companion probably even before Donna. So it was a jackpot for me. The story is good, the stakes are pretty high and Martha talking with her dying clone was really sad.

Turn Left I liked the glimpse in what Donna's world and our Planet's history would have been if she hadn't met the Doctor. The part where that Italian family was deported and the look in Wilf's eyes was heartbreaking. We all knew what he was thinking there. When Donna died in Rose's arm was heartbreaking too. It was a nice foreshadowing thought. In the end she had to sacrifice herself in order to save the world.

Planet of the Ood I love the Oods. And Ood Sigma is a genius and I loved when the guy was turned into an Ood. The Ood taken prisoners... their song was heartbreaking.

Partners In Crimes It's a nice episode. The part with Donna and the Doctor talking through the glass was mildly fun, and the Adipose are cute. Nothing special but good.

Midnight This episode scares the hell out of me. I realize that it's well written and well acted but no. Terrifying I could only watch it once.

The Doctor's Daughter/The Unicorn and The Wasp This is actually and exaequo. In my opinion they are the worst episodes of the series and I always skip them in my rewatches

[moonah-rose]

Doctor who game- 12, 20, 29, 92

12. Your favourite Doctor?

Three. No idea why, I spend half the time calling him a bitch! But damnit, he’s so infuriatingly charming. It’s that old school gentleman quality mixed with kickass grandpa with a dash of ‘defrosting the ice queen’ trope that just makes him so endearing to me. My second favorite is Two...and to be honest I would probably have more trouble deciding between them if more of Two’s stories existed in full.

20. Best Doctor/companion pairing?

This is the toughest question for me! It’s a very close three-way tie between Three x Jo, Two x Jamie and Ten x Donna - the latter probably just inching their way to the top because Donna is my all time favorite companion. All three have different dynamics but are so enjoyable to watch. If I had to list my favorite pairing for each Doctor it would be One x Vicki, Two x Jamie, Three x Jo, Four x Leela, Five x Tegan, Six x Evelyn, Seven x Ace, Eight x Charley, Nine x Rose, Ten x Donna, Eleven x Amy, Twelve x Bill, Thireen x Yaz.

29. Favourite (canon or non-canon) DW universe relationship?

Kinda feel this is similar to the last question so I’m not going to count Doctor x Companion pairs. Probably the Doctor x the Brigadier are the ultimate brotp as the Brig is not considered to be a companion. The Brig always had that energy of being totally done with this weird friend of his but never hesitated to help him out or run to his rescue. Honourable mention to Vastra x Jenny, also Doctor x Jack if we’re not counting Jack as a companion. Also Three x Delgado!Master are just electric together (throw in Jo, they’re a precious OT3).

92. Issue you’d like to see addressed in DW?

Right now, given the shitstorm that’s going on in the UK at the moment with the royal family, I’d love to see a story that tackles something like how bias the press is or something like what Zootopia did with addressing racism/sexism and how it’s not always someone waving a BMP or Nazi flag but general attitudes and assumptions. I REALLY want them to do a third Peladon story that parallels them leaving the Federation with Britain leaving the EU, and considering the second Peladon story dealt with sexism, that could also be revisited and updated. 

[iamdeltas]

B, K, L, R, X

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind. Hmm. There are a couple, but since it’s you asking, Rachel, that make me think of how I didn’t really ship Winndox at all really until you started posting fic and stuff about them, and I’m very glad you did. I really like Winn’s and Brainy’s relationship, even if we only got to see it for a short while. K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc? Oh wow. The best? That’s kind of hard to decide, and if I go with favorite, that tends to vary by day because I’m very fickle. Right now, I have to say, and this might be a strange choice, but bear with me: Rose Quartz’s development arc. The more I think back on Steven Universe, the more I think Rose Quartz might be my favorite character, and it certainly helps that her arc was really cool to see unfold. It was definitely an inspired choice to have the audience basically learn about her arc backwards, as in, we learned who she was when she died (through the rose (heh)-tinted filter of her closest friends and lovers) and then we learned more about her life from the end to the beginning. Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond was very much the very first redemption arc in the Steven Universe... universe. And, sure, the story of a royal learning that their upbringing is wrong when they contact the outside world is not new (that is basically the Buddha’s life story, after all), I found it neat that it wasn’t just that Pink was naive and sheltered, but more that she started off being... kind of terrible? She was a brat, she put poor Pink Pearl through hell, she threw tantrums. She grew up in an abusive family, of course she’d start out perpetuating the cycle herself. But she learned and she broke the cycle. She learned how to care about other beings because this wasn’t something that came easily to her but she did learn it! And she was inspired by the Crystal Gems to fight to liberate the Earth and the Crystal Gems from Homeworld’s tyranny. But even that process wasn’t perfect and she honestly fucked up with a lot of her decisions, even if she meant well. And I think that just contributes to making her character really interesting. Even though she still wasn’t perfect, she still made strides and improved as a person from who she was as Pink Diamond, and that’s why I find her such an interesting and well-developed character. L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.) Hmm... a character I’m meh about or merely dislike... I guess I’m pretty meh about Dave from Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, even if I don’t hate him as much as a lot of people seem to. But even so, I do think he manages to be pretty funny most of the time, and he’s especially hilarious in his old man form. Old Man Dave in the Fun Gus two parter had me howling. R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom? My favorite? So I can only pick one?! Oh geez... I don’t know if I can decide on a favorite but one of my absolute favorite platonic relationships has to be the one between the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble. They are to this day my favorite Doctor-companion duo, I think. They just bounce off each other so well and are genuinely hilarious together but also just incredibly sweet. Donna was always willing to call out Ten for his bullshit (which he sorely needed, I love Ten but oh my god he was an asshole) but she also supported him when he needed it, and in turn, Ten helped her learn just how important and amazing she is as a person. Not that she remembers anymore. X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom. I don’t know if this counts as a fandom trope, but I’m always here for fics about platonic relationships. I don’t encounter them much, but those I do see I cherish dearly. 

[aenslem]

Doctor Who Tag Game

Tagged by: @thirteenstardisfam thank youu and i am so sorry it is so super long lmao i did not mean too, but somehow ended up with it, and also i think i will make fandom hate me for some stuff about 11, but i love him! don’t you dare to think otherwise :’D

im tagging: @tennant @luke-skywalker @panlyra @stupidape @buffyrosenbergs @expelliarmus idk who of you whovians wanna do it out there feel free to say i tagged you and go on ;)

Favourite Doctor:  still Ten, i love 12 and 13 almost as much, even if not harder atm, but if it comes to choosing 1 fav doctor then it’s always Ten, so far no one stepped higher for me :’D I loved his era, i loved so many episodes with him, his season arcs, his companions, his relationships with everyone, and this is the only Doctor whose regeneration was smooth for me, he was continuation of Ninth Doctor and it felt like that. I was not like ‘but he is so different in so many ways’ nope, never. Maybe it’s because companions were the same, everyone was still around which was great btw, and I fell in love with the show with Tenth Doctor, dare I say that I stopped watching back then when Matt Smitt became doctor? lmao, must be shock for some but yes, I dropped this show because of THAT lmao??now i laugh at my own self but yeah, i did. where’s everyone, why it feels so different? that was huge nope. Only years later I got back into it, thanks to amazing Michelle Gomez. Actually I was not even going to watch other doctors at that moment, but I watched episodes only with Missy, then i said well it’s not bad I like it and Missy and Twelve were?? OOOF LOVES OF MY LIFE FOR SURE because their relationship were so cool and of course i loved it, so i started a huge rewatch, the first since i dropped the show. Fell in love with Doctor/Master all over again, Ten was as amazing as I remembered, Nine was perfect and I love him too!!! and then... i got to s5... oh god, i was like, let’s give him a chance, what do i lose? but it still felt so weird, and the show was so different, and suddenly everyone else is so important but where are old characters? but i got into it because i have already seen some of 12′s episodes and i got used to the style?? i guess. and then River appeared, not because of her but around episode 5 or 6 i was into it already, not as much as i was before but anyway, maybe weeping angels helped because i loved them and it reminded me of Ten, i felt some kind of a connection to old doctor. I liked River with 10, i thought i will like her with 11 too... but alas, still felt like you know those boys who have never had sex but try to act like they know everything about it and hit on every moving thing and think they do it cool? :D i am sorry if i hurt someone’s feelings with it, but that’s how 11 was for me back then, and while I do understand river/11 it’s the least of all river ships for me, 11 is still the least fav doctor because of those feelings i had back then when i stopped watching, they are not rational i know that now but still feel them, but i love him now, and will protect that kid at all costs! i love ponds, i will kill if anyone says anything bad about Rory Williams! and Amy and Rory? quoting my favorite star trek couple? DUDE WE GO TOGETHER OR NOT AT ALL!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! and even if i was not into all river/11 relationship i loved the story, and of course i liked 12, but s8 still feels like what the hell for me, not because of the doctor but because they tried so hard to show clara as bossy, i mean, i liked her with 11 and then suddenly they turn her into some control freak, it was not so MUCH with 11... but i know now why they did it, so Missy’s words have an effect and all. but still, i love clara before and after s8 :’D s9 clara? i will kill for her too. it’s too long but idk  :’D and actually, this shows that if you give it a chance even if you don’t like actor/actress at first - you might love the show ;) so stop acting like jodie is miscast honestly, i am ready to fight anyone for saying that :D say whatever you want about plot choices, but do not fucking act like it’s Jodie’s fault! actors are not responsible for show runner choices. She acts amazing with the material she has. anyway, 10 is my fav idiot!

Favourite Master: Missy, always was and always shall be. My favorite character in general in the show, no one tops my girl!

Favourite Sonic: honestly? i don’t really remember any sonic but 12′s glasses :D so... glasses. I mean, i don’t really care how it looks like, it does its job... most of the time lmao, but i liked those glasses and the thing with browser history was my fav :D

Favourite Companion: oh it’s soooo hard!!! either Donna or Bill. I can’t choose. but yeah, those are both with whom there were no ‘romantic’ relationship implied, i love friends more than couples. and I just loved 10 and Donna as a team and Bill and 12, i still wish they had more time. also Martha, the smartest companion lol she was amazing.

Favourite Story: anything involving The Master :D all episodes with them are my favs, but i can’t just pick one story, i still remember the first episode i watched back when it was airing and are you my mummy stuck in my head for the rest of my life giving me brrrr feeling, like it was not scary but somehow made me super uncomfortable? also vashta nerada?? duuuuude, you can’t just look at the shadow the same way. and ten/river together were really great, i mean, he did not know who is she, the mystery, i love shit like that?? yeesss!!!!! there are so many great ones. I don’t want to choose.

Favourite Soundtrack: that unreleased tiny melody when the master dies in the last of the time lords T--T and this is gallifrey and clara’s theme! those are my favs. and I also really like 11′s theme, kinda ready for adventures and doing some weird but funny shit :D

Dream Actor for next Doctor: ooooof OOOOF dude! you know what, usually it is one actor for 3 seasons, that’s how it was for the last 3 doctors, i want Jodie to break that rule and stay with us for 4th season as well, i just want to see how pissed off those haters will be lmao i really really think the entire timeless child thing will not feel the same with someone else yet, and i don’t think they will reveal much in 13th season, that’s HUGE thing, or they should make it so good and the next doctor... aaah i don’t want to feel that change again, like i did with 10 to 11, and felt with the every next doctor, but i overcome that shit and just give them a chance, it’s the doctor after all and im sure loving all of them now. not sure it can disappoint me even if most of plot choices in the season are ... weak. idk who, there are so many great actors but whoever i choose will not be as great as someone they choose, because they always somehow cast amazing people, but i agree with emily it’s time for a doctor of color! tho, they can’t go back to white male actor right now, i just can imagine how it will look like, with all the hate Jodie received and how people still whine about female doctor, it will look like they tried and decided to go back to white male doctors, one half will be happy but the other one will eat them alive! so yeah, i am pretty sure it’s not gonna be white man again yet lol

Dream Composer: idk

Dream Story: well, considering 13 is in jail now, i would love to see someone “we know” rescuing her, because honestly if they just showed me jack and left it like that, i will not accept it!!! but also since yaz will be the only one left with the doctor, since bradley and tosin leave the show, i hope we will have some yaz and doctor relationship development without anyone else, maybe jack could stay because i love him, but jack’s presence did not hurt doctor and rose relationship development back then, so it should not hurt now also. but if they bring someone new, at least don’t make it right away, let yaz and 13 have an adventure at least 1 episode, some talk and stuff. so when yaz leaves also... (and i kind of had that stupid feeling that yaz will die in the end, because somehow everything hints on that for me? idk maybe it’s because i rewatched and giffed orphan 55 today and vilma (?) telling yaz to run and stay alive kinda felt like something that hints on yaz’s future... and yaz is always going somewhere without thinking, to random alien ship, to save the doctor, she steps into trouble like a doctor hoping everything will somehow be ok, but im not even sure she hopes, it’s more like i am as good as her so i can do it, not in clara’s way when everything hinted she is like the doctor, because let’s be honest she was and even got her own tardis, but she thinks she is, but she is not, i think some day that might end bad for her... so when she also leaves i don’t want it be like well yeah, what’s next? i mean, i still miss Bill, that was like NOOOOOO with tears and screams for me, i loved Bill! and we had 2 seasons with yaz and i still don’t feel the same connection to any of the current companions atm, so i would like the show to make me love them more, i do love them, just not as much as those i still miss, but im sure defending any of them lmao i love them anyway. you know what i mean...

A Companion You’d like to see back: oh OH. we cant bring them back for entire season right? but doctor can meet Donna at some point, which will have no point lmao cos she doesn’t remember and it will only hurt doctor and i don’t see how her appearance will help any plot, it will be just fanservice cameo. But Bill is out there with Heather, they are powerful creatures now, i think it could somehow fit into the story, I want Bill back. But also, Clara is still one heartbeat away from death, she can be out there, and she has tardis. tiny cameos will be fine for me :D and Martha, but also Madam Vastra and Jenny, Kate and Osgood, where they are??? bring them back and it can make sense, their appearances. I mean, imagine someone from UNIT in s11, not unit itself but osgood??? it would feel so much different. 

An Enemy/Alien/Creature you’d like to see again: weeping angels!!!! OOOF they were creepy, and i love them, like, DON’T BLINK!!! how can you not blink for so long? that is cool, i want them back. and also the most beautiful shots are always with angels so... :’D

If you could travel with one of the Doctors, which Doctor and why?: oooh, while 10 is my fav, and I totally would hit on 13 :D i will choose 12, 12 from season 10, because he was such a grandpa, no lovey dovey stuff, he would lecture me on thing i do, give me new info about something, we would explore shit together and he would be like a grandpa i never had. We would definitely have long discussions about stuff and have good laugh together and i would make references to movies and then we would watch those movies :D i would act like Bill lmao yess i want to travel with 12!!!

[spacetimeconundrum]

For the fanfic ask jawn, let's get some writer commentary on a paragraph from Knots in Time that you're particularly fond of. :D

Oh hey, the Metacrisis/Rose wedding fic! Sure, we can talk about that one. :)

I dunno that there’s one particular paragraph that stands out, so you’re gonna get a few highlights and behind the scenes thoughts, bearing in mind that I wrote this story in (checks publication date on ff.net) 2012, so it’s been a solid 8 years since then. (Actually had to do a quick re-read and poke through my files for a bit to refresh my memory to answer this.)

Popping the rest behind a ‘read more’ because it got long and also, spoilers?

There was a sharp "CRACK", a brilliant flash, and the scent of ozone in the air. The Doctor stood stupefied, part-Time Lord senses tingling, staring at the empty space where Rose had been standing.

"What?"

He blinked. "What!"

The guests looked as shocked as he was. But they weren't left staring with him for long; they were interrupted by a distinctly curious wheezing sound. The Doctor's eyes raised in disbelief in time to see a very familiar, very blue police box appear at the back.

"What?"

Ah yes, I thought I was very clever here, with this call-back to Ten’s favorite reaction to anything unexpected happening / Donna’s first appearance on DW. Feels a little too cutesy-clever now, but maybe it’s fine and I’m just being hard on my old writing.

Also! Why does it matter that the police box is blue here? Of course the Doctor’s TARDIS is always blue, you say, what other color would it be? This is actually because of a different story I hadn’t actually written yet at the time, Unsinkable (and later And Then There Was One), wherein I posit that the Pete’s World Universe actually does have its own Doctor, and his TARDIS is red, because in this parallel universe, most police boxes came in red instead of blue.

(Incidentally, there ARE in fact real red police boxes in the UK, or there were, see proof here.)

I had originally intended (spoilers for a long unfinished/abandoned fic) to have Rose and the Metacrisis Doctor meet the Pete’s World Doctor in Parallel Adventures, which takes place chronologically before Knots in Time, and thus, they’d recognise the red TARDIS if it showed up unexpectedly, so having a blue one pop up means Something is Definitely Up. Well, okay, since I hadn’t actually written those other stories yet, when I did go to write them, I realised I needed a reason why the TARDIS appearing here would be so shocking to everyone, thus the color change for Pete’s World Doctor’s TARDIS. (Overthinking details, in MY fic writing? It’s more likely than you think.)

Other fun things - at the time I actually did some little sketches of a few scenes / bits from this fic, and this is one of them:

Next!

Rose dug through her skirt until she found the hidden pocket she'd had sewn into the dress. Her mother had protested, telling her it was her wedding gown, why would she want to risk spoiling the lines of the skirt with pockets? What could she possibly need to be carrying anyway? Rose was glad she'd insisted. Grinning, she pulled out the two items she never left home without: her Torchwood communicator and the sonic screwdriver the Doctor had made for her as a surprise when he'd recreated his own.

Turning on the communicator, she wasn't exactly surprised to find it was out of range of the Torchwood network. Brilliant. She keyed in the code for the 'Agent in Distress' locator beacon and was rewarded for her efforts by the lights in the room flashing green and a mechanical voice announcing what could only be some sort of warning or displeasure at her actions.

"Didn't like that, did you?" She grinned up at the ceiling, tongue between her teeth. "Just wait for my next trick."

So, I may have a thing for competent!Rose. It was important to me that she not end up the generic ‘helpless companion in need of rescue’, even though, yes, she does need a little help getting back to her wedding from the space ship she’s been teleported to, because plot, but Rose has agency here beyond plot McGuffin, dammit!

See also, Rose engaging in diplomatic relations (good grief those aliens look lame, what the hell, 2012-me) with her captors:

And...

Rose stared at her, struggling to think of something to say as the pieces slowly came together in her mind. The girl had a soft London accent and her mannerisms felt so like someone she knew, it was unsettling. It wasn't until she looked down and noticed the scuffed blue Converse trainers that it finally clicked. She couldn't be.

As if to confirm her suspicions, a familiar voice called out and Rose looked up from what could only be her daughter to see the Doctor come jogging around the corner.

"Jane! How many times have I told you not to wander off? If you're not going to listen then you can go back to wait in the Tar-" He paused mid-sentence when he saw who she was standing next to. "-dis. Hello, Rose."

Fun with time travel! You never know when you’re going to run into your own future, whoops. :)

Sudden, unexpected kid!fic! Because if you’re going to write a ‘happily ever after’ fic, might as well go all-in, right? Not that everyone’s happily-ever-after should or would involve marriage and kids, but it seemed like the sort of future the non-Metacrisis Doctor very specifically can’t have, so why not give it to his half-human double? I dunno.

Upon reflection, this might be the fluffiest thing I’ve ever written, I think.

Future Metacrisis!Doc and kiddos:

-

That’s probably way more information than you wanted or expected about this story, huh? Hope it was entertaining at least!

PS - still kinda proud of myself for the terrible pun in the title of this story

[thehylianbatman]

Doctor Who Favorites

OPINIONS these are my OPINIONS these are not hard and fast facts nor are they arguments they are simply OPINIONS that are MINE. If you share them, COOL. If you don’t share them, COOL. Don’t get mad at me.

Additionally, I haven’t seen Series 12 beyond the first episode yet, I was away from cable when it aired. Don’t talk to me about it.

I was tagged by @lissy-strata​. I’ll be dividing everything up into Classic and New.

Favourite Doctor: Five and Eleven. Five is exactly what the Doctor needs to be. Technically proficient, good at talking people down or up, funny, serious. Davison can do it all, and it astounds me when people don’t like him. He’s got a little bit of all his predecessors, and he used that and owned the Doctor for three years. Eleven is my Doctor. He’s wild and crazy. He can go anywhere and do anything, he’s just having a grand old time. He came fresh off the Tennant fantrain and used that to propel the show to the highest it’d been in a while. The relationship between Tennant and Smith reminds me a lot of Hartnell and Troughton; so similar, yet so, so different. Smith knew he was taking over a large part, and so pulled what he could from Tennant (and every other Doctor, namely Troughton, funnily enough), and then spun it on his own terms or invented his own facets. He’s just great, and, even though the writing past Series 5 can be dodgy at times, Smith commits, and it’s beautiful. They’re both just fantastic. Honorable mentions: One, Three, Four, Ten, Twelve.

Favourite Master: Delgado & Missy. When it comes to Classic Who, you’ve got four Masters: Delgado, Pratt, Beevers, and Ainley. Delgado is the only one that gets it right; I haven’t seen any Pratt or Beevers, and Ainley is too mustache-twirling, cackling 80′s villain for me. Delgado portrays perfectly the depth of the Master, how similar and yet how extremely different he is from the Doctor. He knows how similar they are. It’s fantastic. For New Who, you only have two: Simm and Gomez (and Sacha Dhawan, I haven’t forgotten him, I just haven’t gotten to him yet, I promise*), and Simm is just... too melodramatic. He’s so soaked in that mid-to-late 2000′s “Every villain is complicated and relatable and interesting but also extremely EVIL and here’s all the reasons you should sympathize with them but you CAN’T because they’re EVIIIIL”. Gomez is... not that. Well, she is that, but she’s not TRYING to be that, she just... is that. She has all sorts of energy and layers of depth, and she really pulls out how similar and yet how different the Doctor and the Master are, something that, in my opinion, hasn’t been done right since Delgado. She’s evil and she revels in it, but she’s not stuck in it. She wants to be noticed by the Doctor, that’s all she wants, and, if it takes being evil, so be it. If it takes being good, so be it. She was my favorite part of Series 10, and I just love her. They’re both just excellent, well-crafted, deep Masters. Honorable mentions: None.

Favourite sonic: Three’s & Eleven’s. Three’s isn’t stripped down like Four’s, it’s still got color on it, and I love that. Eleven’s is green, I like green. It seems like a big, actually useful tool, not a small little whatsit like Nine/Ten’s. Nine/Ten’s is closer to the original, but they’re both just... too small. You’ll lose that if you’re not careful. Three and Eleven’s both seem tough and hefty. I just like them. Honorable mentions: Five’s, Nine/Ten’s.

Favourite companions: Jo Grant and Donna Noble. Jo’s such a beautiful human being. She knows she’s a bit of a ditz. She knows that she’s not Actionman 9000, and that worries her, but the Doctor assures her that that’s okay. All he needs is Jo. Someone who can related to the common human being. Someone who isn’t caught up in procedure. Someone who can think just slightly outside of the box, just enough that it’s possible. Jo Grant is just excellent. Donna Noble is very much the same. She knows that she’s just a temp, she’s not super smart or super skilled, but she’s human enough to save the Doctor when he needs plain old human ingenuity. They both know they have value because they exist, and they don’t need anything else, and that’s beautiful. I love them both. Honorable mentions: Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright, Steven Taylor, Jamie McCrimmon, Zoe Heriot, Liz Shaw, Sarah Jane Smith, Leela, Romana I & II, Nyssa of Traken, Martha Jones, Amy Pond, Bill Potts, Graham O’Brien, Yasmin Khan.

Favourite episode: Horror of Fang Rock and “The Doctor’s Wife”. These both are excellent pieces of isolation. The Doctor and company are stuck alone, and have to get out of the alone, but they can’t, because of whatever reason. They both show the heavy work and heavy thought the Doctor has to do to escape every week. They’re both excellent episodes of Doctor Who and just excellent television in general. Honorable mentions: The Edge of Destruction, Inferno, The Curse of Peladon, The Three Doctors, Carnival of Monsters, The Ark in Space, Pyramids of Mars, City of Death, Black Orchid, “Dalek”, “Father’s Day”, “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances”, “School Reunion”, “Gridlock”, “Utopia”, “Voyage of the Damned”, “Partners in Crime”, “The Doctor’s Daughter”, “The Unicorn and the Wasp”, “Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead”, “Midnight”, “The Waters of Mars”, “Amy’s Choice”, “Vincent and the Doctor”, “The Lodger”, “The Girl Who Waited”, “Cold War”, “Hide”, “The Crimson Horror”, “Time Heist”, “Mummy on the Orient Express”, “Dark Water/Death in Heaven”, “The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion”, “Heaven Sent”, “The Pilot”, “Smile”, “Thin Ice”, “Knock Knock”, “Empress of Mars”, “The Eaters of Light”, “The Tsuranga Conundrum”, “Demons of the Punjab”, “Kerblam!”, “It Takes You Away”.

Dream actor/actress: Christopher Lee. He was a multi-faceted, deep, varied character in Count Dooku, and I really want to see that on Doctor Who. Someone whose loyalties you don’t know, someone who could do anything, someone who you have to trust but you wouldn’t if you didn’t have to, and, in the end, someone worthwhile in knowing. I think that’d be an excellent character. Hell, that might have to be a recurring character or even a companion, if done right. I wouldn’t want him as the Doctor, however; he’s too big to be the Doctor. The Doctor needs to be an unknown. Honorable mentions: Vincent Price.

Dream story: I really want to see Three’s planned final story, The Final Game. Failing that, I think a story where the Doctor and companion get trapped in some kind of holographic world by big alien bads, so that they can do whatever they want, while the Doctor has to solve whatever trivial thing’s happening in the hologram, realize it’s a hologram, escape the hologram, and stop the big alien bads would be very, very cool. That being said, I don’t think that plot could be done right in one episode, so it’d have to be serialized in some way. A story in Classic Who, or a multi-part thing (maybe a whole season arc, if the writers are brave enough and smart enough to do it right) for New Who. Honorable mentions: None.

Dream composer: John Williams. What more do I have to say? Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Jaws... the list goes on. He’s an excellent composer that would kill on an episode/story of Doctor Who. Honorable mentions: None.

*A note on my inclusion of Pratt and Beevers despite me not seeing them, but my exclusion of Dhawan, despite me not seeing him: Pratt and Beevers are past me, they are before the point I am caught up to, and so they are counted because they have “happened” for me, I just haven’t seen it. Dhawan is future me, I am not caught up to him yet (besides the three minutes in Spyfall, Part One), and so he has not “happened” for me yet, and so he isn’t included.

I tag @elden-12 (whom I can’t actually tag for some reason), @hartnellwho and @barbara-is-not-yetaxa (whom I also can’t tag), plus anyone else who wants to do it.

[snapadoodlez]

Twelve Days of Twelve: Favorite Series

“July 17: Favorite Series. What series that the 12th Doctor featured in has been your favorite?”

This is a tough one!  

I think all of Capaldi’s tenure meshed very well together as smaller pieces of a bigger picture.  I loved them all (particularly S9 & S10), but I’d have to saySeries 9 wins the title of favorite series by a hair’s breadth.

Some of the stand-outs for me:

Character Dynamics:

Series 8 did much of the heavy lifting in terms of fleshing out Twelve and Clara’s characters and navigating their new relationship.  When Series 9 came around, all that work paid off beautifully: both Twelve and Clara had found their groove, and the two of them had developed a Doctor/Companion rapport that was a joy to watch. It seemed like everyone was having a blast, and it really showed.  Not even to mention Missy: The Magician’s Apprentice/Witch’s Familiar really allowed Michelle Gomez to devour the scenery in every on-screen appearance.  All three actors (Peter/Jenna/Michelle) had an amazing chemistry, and I loved watching them all work off each other.

Structure & Connectivity:

I really enjoyed Moffat’s decision to use the two-parter structure throughout Series 9. With that extra-breathing room, there seemed to be ample space to settle into each story, and the one-off characters that the Doctor and Clara met on their adventures felt more developed; In my case, at least, I found myself caring more about those characters than similarly placed ones in other series’.

I also thought this series did a nice job of connecting the Moffat/RTD/Classic Who Eras in a way that (in my opinion) didn’t feel forced, but added extra layers of enjoyment for long-time fans .  For me, those moments (Davros & Twelve’s conversations which felt like it picked up where Genesis of the Daleks left off; the flashback to Ten/Donna/Caecilius in The Girl Who Died) really amplified the feeling that everything was part of a larger epic story (and Series 10 has continued to carry that torch masterfully).

Peter F***n Capaldi:

More than anything, Series 9 served as a showcase for Peter Capaldi as an acting tour de force.  All of the Doctors have had some incredible moments, but Twelve has an understated magnetism and gravitas that will be difficult to replicate.  In the hands of other actors, his speeches, could be played for grandiosity: however, instead of going big, Peter very effectively draws the audience, and is able to communicate more with a single look than I thought possible.  One of the things I love about Twelve, is that he’s such a raw nerve of emotion, and he was given wonderful material to work with (especially Heaven Sent): Somewhere between his conversation with Davros on compassion and his War speech in the Zygon Inversion, Twelve cemented his place in my heart as my Doctor.

Behind the Scenes Talent:

Speaking of Heaven Sent, Series 9 showcased some remarkable work from women working behind the scenes.  Sarah Dollard (who is fast becoming one of my favorite writers on the show) made her writing debut for the series and gave Clara a beautiful exit in Face The Raven. Rachel Talalay outdid herself once again with the beautifully directed and visually stunning Heaven Sent/Hell Bent finale (*side-note* someone please let this women direct a big-budget superhero/sci-fi movie already!  Or anything. I would honestly watch any project she directs in the future).  A favorite moment: those beautiful “Old-West” style shots of Twelve on Gallifrey that scream “Rebel Time-Lord” in every detail.

There is so much to love about Capaldi’s run, but more than anything else I hope that Moffat, Peter, and all those who worked on the show on and off-screen feel proud of and appreciated for their wonderful work.  Thank you all for sharing it with us.

[background-noise-headache]

Aw, love the gifset with Rory needing a ridiculous miracle, and the Doctor pops up! Awwww, love your second self portrait! I'm sorry about your head and hope you're feeling much better soon! To pass the time you should watch the first three episodes with Gwaine! If you're doing the Doctor Who Ask Thingy: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 - 24, 26. Ahem, you need to post a link to the Rory/Sara youtube video!

Rory does need (and get, if the number of not permanent deaths is anything to go by) a ridiculous miracle. Thank you about the self portrait. I definitely like it better than the firstWoooooow, you do not mess around with these Doctor Who asks (as well you don't, nobody else responded, might as well ask for as many as you like) okay:1: top three doctors?Eleven, Twelve, Ten 2: top three companions?Rory, Amy, Rose3: favorite quote?"We're all stories in the end, just make it a good one" I'm a writer, I must5: if you could pick any companion to travel with any Doctor, who would it be?Rose and Eleven. (Matt and Billy are friends I hear, and they've worked briefly in other projects, I think it would be amazing, the chemistry would be there. I probably ship them harder than I ship RosexTen tbh)7: Amy and Eleven had a great best friends thing going, but Rory and Eleven also had a good thing in that Rory was all "I will take no shit" and their general humor together 8: OTP?Amy and Rory, Rose and Eleven9: NOTP?Don't generally have those... I let people ship who they ship without any objection (unless someone in the ship has somehow been abusive towards the other, or they've tried to kill each other, or something awful like that)*remembers there are people who ship the Doctor with the Master/Missy*O.O ooohh.... yeah that10: any ships?The Titanic?11: first doctor you sawNine (yes, I do love Nine, just because he hasn't been mentioned yet doesn't mean I don't love him)12: favorite doctor?Don't make me choose between Twelve and Eleven, please. Eleven is so whimsical and hopeful and sweet. Twelve is so sarcastic and snide but secretly very endearing. They're like the two sides of my personality in a nutshell to be honest, I love them both13: first story you saw on tv?Okay so I watched the entire NewWho via Netflix so I started with Rose, episode one. The first episode I saw on actual television was the 60th anniversary special Day of the Doctor with David Tennant and Matt Smith and John Hurt (I made scones from scratch that day to celebrate, which is when you really know something is special. I only make scones for special occasions)14: how long have you been a fan?Since about 2012/2013? 15: if you could travel with one doctor, which one would it be?I feel like at this point everyone can guess at my answer. If I HAVE to pick just one I'm picking Twelve. We'd never get anything done, we'd just be snarky with each other all day16: favorite Tardis interior?Eleven's first interior, I love that steam-punky vibe20: least favorite story?Are there any episodes I vow to never go back and watch? Yes, and I think they're all in Ten's era (sorry Ten) the weird absorbing monster, Fear Her, Family of Blood and I have a love hate relationship (I want to go back and rewatch it just once for a refresher but goddamn I want to punch Ten so damn much and cringe all the damn time) and I think that's it21: did you cry while watching any of the episodes?I cried like crazy when Ten and Rose said goodbye, cried when Eleven read Amy's letter. The first time I watched The Library I don't think it really hit me, and didn't mean as much when River died, because I didn't know her, but when I went back I think I cried. Special mention to Torchwood and when you heartlessly killed Ianto, I fucking sobbed. I was pissed, I stopped watching and didn't bother with season four22: least favorite doctor?Least favorite doctor implies I found anything to really dislike about any of them, and I didn't. I love Nine and Ten, as well as the War Doctor, so pass23: least favorite companion?Martha. The combination/bad timing of her being written to have a crush on the Doctor after Rose leaving made it hard for me to like her. She's a great character, I just couldn't appreciate her. I also sadly didn't appreciate Donna the way I should have.24: Any eras you would like to know better?I'm assuming you mean different Doctor eras, in which case I'd like to watch old who and know more about that26: Favorite episode? (Or top 3)Hmm.... The Empty Child/Doctor Dances, or in other words enter Captain Jack Harkness with Rose and Nine then maybe Van Gogh because I love that and then Amy's choice is always interesting to go back an watch (also there's something really magical about the way some of the frozen Tardis scenes were filmed and the way Amy and Rory opened their eyes to look at each other and see how ice crystals had begun to form around their bodies, those images really stick with me from a visual sense, plus the psychology between the Doctor being attacked by a twisted version of himself is interesting enough)Okay, link. Link to the Rory/Sara video. Link... Link... let me look(I'm on mobile so I switched to my computer for three minutes to post the link so it's up on my blog now, check it out)

[musingsfromthetardis]

Doctor Who Tag

via @canyousonicme

Doctor you started with: The 9th Doctor! I started watching new Doctor Who from the beginning with 9 on Netflix in 2015. I watched the entirety of new Who in less than two months. My life has never been the same since. 

Favourite Doctor: It’s actually hard for me to answer this question because I love all of them for different reasons. I love 9′s sassiness. I love 10′s drama and boldness. I love 11′s childlike comedy and how he can go from that to dead serious in a second. But I know this- 12 is MY Doctor because he is the first Doctor I watched as the show aired live on TV. 

Favourite Companion: My favorite companion is Bill now. 

Favourite Episode: Gah how can I choose? My favorite two-parter has to be The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang. For standalone episodes, Heaven Sent, The Girl in the Fireplace, and The Husbands of River Song take the top.

DW OTP: River and twelve. Old adorable married couple! My hearts can’t take the feels excuse me as I go cry in a corner for a bit...

Favourite line/quote: "Goodness is only goodness in extremis”- River Song in her diary

Favourite character that isn’t the Doctor or a companion: 

RIVER. EFFING. SONG.

BrOTP: I had to think about it a bit but it just has to be Ten and Donna. The whole thing was just great on so many levels. 

Favourite DW fic (if you have one): I’m still a bit new to the fandom and I haven’t read many fics yet so I can’t answer this. 

Favorite DW fanart/blog (if you have one): If you know anything about me you know I can’t pick just one - Fanart: @mistysblueboxstuff and @jephwho Blogs: @scriptscribbles and @whovianfeminism

If you could pick anyone to be the next Doctor, who would it be?: Look I’m just going to say it even though many people might disagree with me EDDIE REDMAYNE I’m sorry there I said it moving on

If you could pick anyone to be the next companion who would it be? (Why?): Gosh I have no idea... I don’t want it to be an actress we already know. I think it would be cool if it was someone from a different time than present-day. AND FROM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN BRITAIN. 

Favourite fan theory: The more you regenerate the younger you get.

Other fandoms: Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are the other two fandoms I remain at least somewhat involved with. 

I tag: E V E R Y O N E - - You must all do this now and tag me so I can read them.    ↫ …what she said.

@pardon-my-scifi @emoryhemsworth Up to you if you want to do it!

[caedmonfaith]

This is a great idea!! Thanks for doing this, @doctorroseprompts !!

Archives: I’m almost exclusively on ao3, although I do have a few things on Teaspoon (which are also on ao3) 

Ships:

I write a lot of Nine/Rose and Ten/Rose, and lately a lot of Twelve/Rose. I love writing Team Tardis, and I’m getting more comfortable with other companions. 

Rating:

Good Lord yes, I write smut. I haven’t yet written anything kinky, but I’m willing to try if that’s your jam. 

DW ‘verse or AU:

…although, to be fair, I’ve been more in AU mode lately. But I’ve written a ton of canon ‘verse and have absolutely no problem writing more.

Genres:

Not horror. Beyond that, I’m pretty much DTW (Down To Write). 

Tropes:

I like secret relationship, I like older man/younger woman (*looks at TwelveRose stories*)…Once again, I’m pretty much DTW whatever. 

Nopes:

Adultery, gore, horror, drug or alcohol abuse. Childhood-friends-to-lovers. Please don’t make me.

Babyfic:

absolutely. Yes sirree. Yep yep yep. 

Head canons that influence my writing:

I think it was Christopher Eccleston that said it was love at first sight, and I believe that - even if neither of them realized what it was. 

I have this headcanon that the Doctor bought Rose a pink blanket and she cuddled in it while they sat in front of the fire and read on quiet nights. (I wrote a fic about this blanket.) That’s another one - the Doctor and Rose spent a lot of time in front of the fireplace in the library just reading together. 

Nine never ever would have treated Rose the way Ten did in GitF, and I cannot be convinced otherwise. There are a couple other things that I would remember if they came up in conversation, but I’m drawing a blank right now. 

Thoughts on other companions:

I don’t know enough about the old Who companions (save Sarah Jane) to say much of anything. 

~Sarah Jane - an absolute bamf. I mean, they all are, but Sarah Jane set the bar.

~Martha Jones - deserved better than she got. I’m not particularly comfortable writing Martha - I can’t get her voice. 

~Donna Noble - actually my favorite companion, believe it or not. She reminds me of me, and I adore her. Talk about deserving better than she got… Oh, my poor Donna. 

~Amy Pond - I never really connected with Amy until almost the end of her run. I do like to write her, though. She’s often Rose’s BFF in AU’s. 

~Rory Williams - I haven’t written him much, but frankly I’m a little in love with him. (And you should be, too. 2000 years?)

~River Song - I love her character, hate her arc. That’s a very simplified version of a very complicated opinion.

~Clara Oswald - (unpopular opinion time) I do think Clara was bossy and tried to be the Doctor too much. But I also think she gets a bad rap. I have next to no problem with Clara. She’s not my favorite, but the Doctor loved her. She made him happy. And isn’t that all any of us want? For the Doctor to be happy? I write Clara in AU situations. 

Other things of note:

I’m very prolific. I write a lot and I write it fast.  (Somewhere, @rishidiams laughs uproariously.) I also don’t ship Rose with Eleven. I just…have a hard time with that. I could probably write it easier than I could read it.

Open for prompts?

I am absolutely open for prompts - NineRose, TenRose, TwelveRose. If I’m in the middle of another project and fixated on that it might take me a while to get to your prompt, but I will get to it. Currently I’m working on a TwelveRose multichap, I owe a NineRose babyfic to someone, and Leather Fetish has a project in the works, as well as a couple of other things that I’ve back-burnered for now (and they can stay there). But yes, I’m willing to take prompts. :)