chriscolfer If I had a nickel every time someone called me the “Burt Reynolds” of my generation… I’d be in debt. BUT it was fun to pretend! Absolutely loved surprising the audience of #GoldenGirlzLive with these geniuses. 👨🏻🍰
We do NOT give Jackie Tyler and Mickey Smith their props for their character growth in the Parting of the Ways. Rose is absolutely amazing, an absolute ferocious beacon of hope and stubbornness and bravery in the finale, the absolute reason why the Doctor lives and the world is saved and an equal hero to Nine, but she has a moment of doubt. A moment of hesitancy.
And Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler step in and help her save the day. Both Mickey and Jackie give up on their idea of Rose and their hatred of the Doctor and help her pull open the TARDIS. Even within this one episode we see them struggle with their feelings and decide to put them aside and help do this because Rose is right- this is a better way of living your life.
Doctor Who is about ordinary people making extraordinary decisions and making themselves extraordinary and this doesn't just apply to official companions (who I love with all my might)- it applies to the people they love, too. We see it over and over again in Davies' era, with Jackie and Mickey and Sylvia and Tish and Wilfred and Francine and Harriet Jones and every one-off character as well, from Lynda-with-a-Y to Jabe to Gwyneth to Novice Hame to McDonnell to Sally to Chantho to Nancy to all the rest.
Doctor Who is at its strongest when the story is focused on the strength of the bleeding, beating heart of humanity (and character in general, in its non-humans), when the characters drive the story, when at the end of the day you understand why, for all of the world's flaws, the Doctor comes back over and over again because of people like this- not just his companions, but the Jackies and Mickeys and all the rest of the world.
drives me crazy thinking about how Shauna said how much she HATED feeling like Jackie possessed her and controlled every decision she made
only for her to turn around and be the one to possess Jackie. she literally consumes every possible thing about her. physically, emotionally. I mean she literally takes over her life, marrying Jeff and staying in Wiskayok to have a family. poppies everywhere, on her dress, on her wedding cake, in her house. she allows Jackie's parents to treat her like I'm sure they probably actually treated Jackie (because even though all they do is compare Shauna to Jackie, I'm sure if Jackie was still alive they'd be just as critical of her)
Shauna hated their codependency but ultimately she was the one who couldn't let it go