#also i. did not know what to make of him saying the bigeneration split his soul in two.

[demigodofhoolemere]

Cursory verdicts on the two premiere eps:

Space Babies: Aside from one wholly unnecessary political line of dialogue I thought this was decent. Yeah, the entire premise with talking babies is silly and it can be hard to look past that, but Doctor Who has a way of making you care about things that should sound completely stupid, so I was still on board. I thought the Doctor and Ruby both had good material, individually and together. There were definitely aspects that were an obvious rehashing of The End of the World, but if this is supposed to be a starting point for the show for some people then I get why.

The Devil’s Chord: Very much not a fan of the Maestro character generally but thankfully it didn’t make the rest of it any less entertaining imo. There was some good fun and some interesting drama. Ncuti and Millie are both very good at selling intense emotion as well as joy. Most importantly, THE SUSAN REFERENCE!!! Hearing him talk about living in Totter’s Lane with her at that moment in time made me nearly tear up, thinking about One and Susan just existing right out there, so close by and at the start of it all. (Idk if they should already be there, I believe Susan said that ‘these past 5 months’ were the happiest of her life, unless she’s referring to how long she’s been at Coal Hill if they have a very early start to the school year, but oh well). Am I crazy for thinking this may be an early tease for her returning? She’s been brought up before but never in this capacity of the Doctor wondering what may have happened to her. It feels like it could lead to seeing what did happen to her in the time since, and I just remembered that a heavily cloaked figure roughly Carole’s height was once spotted on set being rushed into a vehicle before anyone could see anything — could it be…? 👀 Now I’m thinking maybe “the one who waits” could use her as a hostage to manipulate and torture the Doctor.

Also, love the cameos from June Hudson and Murray Gold, and THIS perfect shoutout:

Bit giant to still call an Easter egg but if you don’t happen to know the one single line of dialogue it’s from then it means absolutely nothing. I was very very happy to see that.

[geese-villain]

so. doctor who thoughts? doctor who thoughts.

I was leak-spoilered against my will, at least super vaguely, and I gotta say I was worried. Because I am a sucker for traumatic painful catharsis. For sobbing and not feeling okay. For having to sacrifice something I love for the story to go on. And I was worried it would be too meta or too obviously based on out-of-universe/out-of-story decisions and pull me out of the story.

but I have to say despite going into it a little bit apprehensively I came out of it wholeheartedly having enjoyed it. It was really really well executed. It was fun! I teared up, I giggled, I was scared and tense. Despite having been spoilered I believed and felt the intensity of the moment where fourteen gets hit by that beam, David’s performance dragged me with it into this moment hitting despite knowing it likely wouldn’t last. His confusion and realization hit. And Fifteen comforting him like that? Unmade me. I’m here now. It’s okay.

I really think there’s a lot to what I’ve seen others write about: With RTD’s life experiences his interest in and perspectives on the kinds of stories he wants to tell might have shifted. Nine and Ten explored trauma and repression and always running and the myriad of “I’m fines” in such visceral ways. Now, throughout the specials, we got Donna calling it out over and over again. Trying to reach him, trying to make him stop. Fourteen, already much softer and more expressive, still running, and yet more glimpses of confronting the weight of it all and what that means for him. And now, this. Healing, as a central theme, this explicitly.

I’m still unsure about the actual bigeneration mechanics and I wonder if (and hope) it’s going to be explained more. Does Fifteen have all the memories of Fourteen healing and resting and retiring and that’s the reason why he’s so integrated and carefree and light now? Is it basically a “preemptive regeneration” so the Doctor can keep on chugging along and saving the world? Did the Doctor split off the regeneration that was suffering the worst under the trauma (subtitles post bigeneration referring to Tennant!Doctor as Ten?) And basically excised the pain as a separate regeneration who gets to retire now?

I’m not sure what I actually want here. I’m trying not to want anything, because I want to like this story and continue liking it and knowing myself the best way to get there is to trust that it will take me somewhere and go with the flow.

I have to say though, I am still. Very much. A sucker for trauma and pain and whump, so there is a slight worry that Fifteen will not feel like a continuation of that post-time-war NuWho legacy that I latched onto with the show, as someone who doesn’t really know ClassicWho. But I also love love love Ncuti and his energy and charm and presence I could see in this episode so maybe it’s time to rearrange my expectations for where this will go and open myself up to falling in love with a very different kind of character. Who knows what will happen. Who knows how this character will look back onto and relate to the memories and experiences he has integrated and healed from. I mean that’s the thing about trauma, it never truly gets to the point of “as if it never happened”, it changes you and the healing from it does just as well. I’m sure RTD knows that, I hope it will be acknowledged and addressed, but even if it isn’t I think I’m open to see where it goes right now.

Because even if NuNuWho stops satisfying my doctor-specific hunger for whump and associated hurt(/comfort), with the slate of queer talent in front of and behind the camera and the commitment to be political RTD has already shown (even if he’s fumbling in slightly strange ways here and there) it might just start feeding a very different kind of hunger. NCUTI SAVE ME NCUTI. well.

[theglockwizard]

Finally had the time to sit down and watch Doctor Who's third special.

So, I was really excited about the Toymaker's comeback because while I haven't seen the Classic Who's episodes with him, it did look like a fun villain to have and oh boy did NPH deliver! He's been a joy to watch. But I will say this special is a let down from Wild Blue Yonder for me, possibly even from The Star Beast.

It needed to be LONGER. There is so much good ideas thrown around but none are like, discussed enough to actually matter ?? Like The Giggle is a fun concept, the idea of a laugh being subliminally implanted in humans brains to make them feel scorned at and lash out in retaliation, but it's not actually explored at all! Like Mel even says it's just a simple arpeggio I think, which would raise the question would any other similar enough jingle produce the same reaction? Who knows because big laser goes brrr and that's it.

The Toymaker's domain, the toy shop bigger on the inside that answers to no rhyme or logic if not games filled with horrors definetely could've carried one full episodes(even more!), but it is instead quickly dispatched, because we have to go back to show the totally not UNIT spinoff setup.

The game being catch is a fun idea but boring and atrocious to watch (I loved (sarcastic) how the Doctors were doing stunts and stuff while NPH just raised a hand multiple times and that was it). It also takes no advantage of there being actually two Doctors - rock paper scissods would've worked better honestly? First thing that comes to mind, and the fact that the Toymaker is stopped because he dropped it when he could've just jumped and caught it is dumb. And I know that it's because the game bounds him to keep it fair, but his adversaries could've done the same albeit by regenerating after going splat.

And now. Now. The big elephant in the room. Bigeneration. I don't know what to think, because the show doesn't really explain it. My current guess is that it's a myth and the fact that The Toymaker is there plus salt at the edge of the universe made it seemingly real by pulling Fifteen from Fourteen future: he is stated to be older, which would not be the case if this was a split regeneration, and is in a better place mentally because he, as Fourteen, stopped and rested and stuff. But that's my headcanon, because there's no confirmation and RTD has been obviously not very keen to confirm or disprove either option, I assume to keep each door open until one definetely needs to be closed.

But as for now? I don't like it. I was ok with Fourteen especially because he's not Ten (despite having similarities) and because he would be here for three specials only, but this Has Been Certainly A Choice to make huh. First of all, reusual of plotlines much? Tennant having a copy "to gift" to a previous companion? But also, The Doctor's regeneration has always been a baton pass of sorts and that felt missing. Also the way Fifteen is the one going off with the copy TARDIS while Fourteen kept the OG... Don't like it nuh huh. Plus I hope the show goes either off current day Earth a lot or solves the Fourteen's plotline because the moment an invasion comes you will have to answer to why isn't Fourteen helping?

But anyway, I am choosing to trust because this three Specials have effectively revived my interest in Doctor Who, and I think RTD knows how not undermine the entire thing. I hope.

And let's be honest even if I didn't trust, I would still be watching because Ncuti's Doctor HAD ME HOOKED.