#if you're a good great or amazing storyteller there's writers out there who don't understand the magic of your brain

[seedsofwinter]

It's actually really difficult to be both a good writer and a good storyteller. (I am not one of those people who is both *at all*.) Sure, you can work on your writing skills, and you can learn more about storytelling craft. But damn, I just don't understand people who naturally have endless stories to tell, understand narrative promise, play with expectations in a fun and satisfying way, leave you wanting more AND whose prose and characterization feel effortless. Kudos, a million kudos.

[itsclydebitches]

for all that it's very clear RWBY took influence from a lot of anime, the writers sure don't seem to have learned much of anything from it. i'm watching the redub of the classic sailor moon anime right now, and it's insane to me how much better this thirty-year-old anime packed with filler was at things like character arcs and believably redeeming villains and having a main character that is at once childish and yet a great leader who, when the chips are down, could talk some of the worst evils in the universe down from their plans.

if anyone could talk salem out of her plans for world annihilation by just being able to love her, it's usagi tsukino.

Right? Man, I'd pay for a high-budget, animated version of that crossover lol.

That's one of the big arguments of the Why RWBY is Disappointing vid though, using Cowboy Beebop as an example, if I remember correctly. There's no doubt that RWBY has been influenced by a number of classic series, but deliberately mimicking something that worked in another show doesn't guarantee success, particularly if you don't understand why it worked in the first place. I'm constantly emphasizing that stories are whole products made up of a thousand smaller pieces, like a puzzle or a patchwork quilt, and simply slapping one piece down because it looks good in another story isn't enough. You have to carefully build everything around that piece so that it fits into the unified whole. Continuity, world building, characterization, setup... RWBY is very good at throwing out those "cool" moments, but it does none of the work ahead of time (or, just as often, after the fact) to make those moments satisfying outside of the initial adrenaline rush of watching.

Plus, RWBY is over-crowded nowadays. Characters, mysteries, real world issues, and those "cool" ideas have populated like bunnies until, I think, it's easy for a lot of fans to just get swept up in the spectacle of it all. The simpler your story is, the less there is to hide behind, which is why I think a lot of manga like Sailor Moon still rings true 30+ years later. If you do right by your core concepts and prove to the reader (often subconsciously) that your storytelling skills are strong, it will resonate even after new generations have different expectations in their media, or these ideas have become "cliche" in wake of that initial popularity. If we go with a food comparison (always my favorite lol) Sailor Moon makes me think of something like good home cooking. Looking at it now it's simple, it's straightforward, it has some technical flaws, but the comparatively low number of ingredients have all been treated stunningly well and there is an insane amount of love poured into the dish. Meanwhile, later seasons of RWBY feel like a semi-successful restaurant serving a special so long it took the server a week to fully memorize it, rattling off an absurd number of ingredients and fancy techniques used until you're not even sure what the dish is supposed to be anymore. Some diners go, "Wow, what an amazing, clearly high-end dish! And they've included this super rare ingredient which means it must be good." Meanwhile, others are going, "... Honestly, that sounds like Too Much. I'd have preferred a simple, well-done pasta." And all the while the restaurant—which is pretty big and popular now, garnering a lot of critical attention—is trying to pass this complicated, fancy-for-the-sake-of-fancy dish off as the product of a humble, mom-and-pop establishment. No, you used to serve that kind of food: simple, technically flawed in a lot of ways, but with so much love poured into the dish that most diners didn't care. Now people suspect that your chefs are miserable and we definitely know they're overworked, so even if that insane dish would have tasted great to certain pallets, it was doomed before it even left the kitchen.

[convivialjoys]

the signs summed up, from my personal experiences with them

Aries: Spring and Fireworks together, somehow. But they're all of the new, exciting parts of spring, none of the soft, pretty parts. They are life, new life. Young souls. Usually very funny, laugh at a lot of things, and don't get embarrassed easily. Usually make great leaders when they can pay attention for long enough, especially if it involves a cause with passion, but they bore easily if the experience is not new. They fizzle out quickly, which makes them seem angry and volatile at times. Need to constantly be Doing something. Very physical energy. Can be indecisive, especially when bored. They don't linger on the past; only move forward into the new. They don't tend to hold grudges. Blood in the Cut by K. Flay. A little bit egotistical, but they also can laugh at themselves. Quick anger; explosive, but not lasting. The embodiment of Mars. Flashy and powerful.

Taurus: Earthy; almost doe-like. Innocent. Unintentionally hilarious, usually in a very cute, charming way. Very reliable and consistent. Stubborn, sometimes to a fault - they've found what they like, they've found what works, and that's that on that; don't waste their time. They like to take things slow. They don't tend to worry about things that don't matter / infringe on their happiness. They like the simple, beautiful pleasures in life; they like being comfortable, and living in luxury. Deep, solid, Venus energy. Over and Over by Tullio. Prone to laziness if they are not careful, but they are also consistent in the work they do. Their anger is rigid, but not bitter, and not fire-y. They do not hold grudges; they'll charge, and forget why they charged two minutes later. Often can laugh at themselves.

Gemini: The definition of adaptable. The chameleons of the zodiac. Quite chaotic. Generally unattached to most things, but fascinated by all things. Tend to be fantastic storytellers through acting. The fun side of Mercury. Amazing at holding conversations. Karma Chameleon by Boy George. Quirky; oftentimes have a difficult time sitting still, due to their constant need to "drift." Always up for a good time. The person that you lose track of time talking to. Don't take themselves too seriously, and will admire you if you can one-up them at their own game. Never offended. Masters of shade, oftentimes without anyone else realizing it. Quite content with having their own inside jokes with themselves. Generally entertained by others, which makes them social, even if they're not necessarily emotionally involved. Have very original thoughts. Geniuses, but can't always organize their own ideas, or say them in a way that make sense. Don't need to be seen or heard by others to feel validated, but do need to be engaged in some way, socially.

Cancer: Gentle, understanding, compassionate. Easily nurture others, and know exactly when it is needed. Associated with the moon and the mother. Soft, but not fragile. Very solid and reliable. Are You Alright by Lucinda Williams. Make for good instigators of things, due to their cardinal energy - are likely the friends to take the lead, if a lead should be taken - but they'll do so in a graceful and tactful way. Can be withdrawn, surprisingly, and prone to social exhaustion quickly. Sensitive to vibes of the environment, especially of the home. Empathetic. Can sense when someone is "off" emotionally, and are likely to ask you about it. Offer hugs, but don't want them in return. They want to nurture, but not be nurtured, or they'll withdraw.

Leo: Pride, nobility, courage. Roar loudly and proudly. Don't Rain On My Parade by Barbra Streisand. Feel fulfilled by being the "light" in the room, and the center of it. Shameless in this; finds shame distasteful. A maned aristocrat. The Sun. Unyielding in their opinions. Will charge and kill, and will not hold back once they've decided to do so. Loyal to their loved ones, and are likely the first ones to stand up for you. Like to show off, and like to show you off, too, if you're in a relationship with them. A bit grandiose; can be jokers. Thrive off of others looking at them. They will love you if you love them. No pretense with them. Ignoring them is one of the worst things you can do to them. Usually appear "large" and take up a lot of space; they have a presence. They could pull Apollo's chariots. Always have the last word; you will not "win" an argument with them.

Virgo: The fixers. Both perfectionists and chaotic. Generally fit in where ever they are, due to their mutable energy. Obsessions by MARINA. Very tasteful; not promiscuous. Have a pure light about them that makes them seem "untainted" by the world around them, despite any hardships they might have endured. Mercurial, conversational, oftentimes make for exceptional writers. Similar to Gemini, but if Gemini were more grounded. Observant about others, but not always necessarily about themselves. Probably well read, even if they can't remember from which book their facts are coming from. Can be at odds with themselves often, due to their dual need for material success / values, and their simultaneously floaty, dreamy energy. Can be very self critical, and prone to anxiety, especially if things are not in order. Like things resolved, and will obsess if they are not. Often the nerd friends. Dabbled in a lot, and know about a lot. Usually very successful, even if they don't want grandiose things. May struggle with self image, or some form of dysphoria. Soft hearted.

Libra: The diplomats, the judges. Very graceful; love to be comfortable and stylish. A little bit shady, but you have to look hard to see this, as it will be disguised in tact. Charming, with soft eyes. Venus energy, but a bit more forward and extroverted than Taurus. Vogue by Madonna. Have a tendency to mirror who they are communicating with. Social, usually good at taking lead, and at communicating your thoughts back to you in a way that makes sense to all. Mediators. Fascinated with relationships between people, and enjoy observing / talking about them. Oftentimes romantic, but can bore easily. Flirts. A little vain. Very into looks and appearances, due to the artistic influence of Venus. Interested in what you have to say, and in hearing all viewpoints, so they can judge which is the just one. See the light and dark of most situations, and the beauty in both. Find disharmony abhorrent; will oftentimes hide their true anger at a situation because of this. Will bend over backwards to try and understand others and their situations; will find it unjust if the same treatment is not given to them. Can be ruthless in their judgments, especially if they perceive injustice. Are usually forgiving if you've wronged them in some way and attempted to reconcile. Social; easy to get along with and talk to. Could be ambassadors for humanity.

Scorpio: Powerful, perceptive. Dark, mysterious. Observant; probably the most observant of all of the signs. Terrible Thing by AG. Can be quite funny, and have a weird sense of humor that seems uncharacteristic. They do not reveal information unless absolutely critical; power through knowledge is of utmost importance to them. Incredibly sharp and remember conversations from five years ago that seem meaningless to you. Everlasting souls. You likely will not forget these people, and they won't forget you, either. Unyielding and relentless, but also crafty. Probably have a number of topics that they've researched extensively, and could easily write a thesis on, but instead let only hints of said information out occasionally. Deep, transformative. Somehow the Scorpion and the Eagle in one. There is a sense that they will be the last ones standing. Reliable; they will never flake. They want to know everything about you. Their observations about things are masterful, poetic, and unbelievably perceptive. Emotional, but not open about this, and not necessarily empathetic. A deep focus, and sometimes there is a tendency to hyperfixate.

Sagittarius: Very lucky. Fun; an all around great time. Probably not good at holding alcohol. High Hopes by Panic! At the Disco. Are the most likely of your friends to end up in an obscure bar at 4am, dancing on tables. Will fight at all times, but will also laugh quickly after fighting. Chaotic, but somehow always survives every situation unscathed. Love to travel, and are probably well traveled, or have dreams of doing so. Curious about everything; very easy to talk to because of this. Have a lot of various interests that may make them seem flighty, but it is simply because they are infatuated with the world. Overstimulated easily; very physical. Will never judge you for anything. Probably have laughter that is infectious. Have a somewhat humorous quality about them. Can be egotistical, but are usually good-natured, too. There is a sense that they are good friends, and a deep positivity around being with them. They have their own backs.

Capricorn: Organized, classy, powerful, or crave becoming powerful. Very earthy, but the part of earth that makes diamonds. Disciplined, due to Saturn being their ruler. Have dreams rooted in either material possessions and wealth, or status through other means, but want to get there through hard work, and all on their own. We Have It All by Pim Stones. Never want to count on others, but you can count on them to be reliable and to give you practical, good advice. Usually very good at gift giving. Prone to being critical, but it is always to help you, and well intentioned. Both crave status and feel unworthy of status. Admire those with status. Care very deeply, but may have a hard time showing it. Prideful. They don't hold grudges. They somehow make practicality look artful. Structured, responsible. Somewhat of traditionalists at heart. Probably very family oriented, and "tough love" nurturers, but are also appropriately nurturing.

Aquarius: The politicians, the humanitarians, the executives. Probably philanthropists, or would make good ones. Water bearers; they bear the "life" of the world and its answers, and are here to communicate that with us. Quite social, yet emotionally disconnected. Higher Love by Kygo & Whitney Houston. Can seem distant; they see the problems of any given situation or initiative easily, and know exactly how to communicate fixing those, but in an unemotional way. Speaking with the masses is what they are best at. They seem almost other-worldly, or above everyone, because of this. They usually make successful CEOs. A misfit, in the best of ways. They tend to have reasons for everything they do. Fun and open-minded, they love to goof off, but surprisingly tend to have a stubborn streak due to their fixed modality. Very hard to win a debate against them; they can probably sway you in their direction, since it is always logical and well reasoned. Intellectuals. A little unusual, but not in the quirky way that Gemini is; more because they stand out as very intelligent leaders. Charismatic. Social. A little "zany" because of their air. Have a sense of "unease" or sudden movement about them, due to the unexpected, restless energy of Uranus.

Pisces: Always seem to be drifting; quirky, probably funny in that way. Very dreamy. Loving souls; very soft. Tend to be introverted and artistic. They are curious about intuitive, creative ventures, such as acting, painting, writing, musical instruments or music. Talented at such things. Very good at reading emotions, and are usually also affected by them, too. Can get overstimulated very easily. Empaths. Love involving themselves in people and situations in the same way that Gemini does, and are adaptable, but very emotionally sensitive. May even be emotionally volatile or unpredictable due to this. Their intuition is other-worldly. They are the oldest signs in the zodiac, and probably seem psychic, or are, in many ways. Have a sense of living many past lives about them. Blowing Kisses in the Wind by Paula Abdul. Usually very content with being in their own heads. Visual or auditory thinkers. Sometimes have synesthesia. Have a hard time staying "rooted" because of all of the amazing worlds they see, outside of our own immediate one. The dreamers, the psychics. Neptune, associated with illusion and dreams. Make for excellent storytellers, and usually lead by example, rather than by communication. Have a way of understanding the universe that is unique and unlike any other.

[dramayeoja]

Goblin ❣︎ 도깨비

Kim Shin, an undefeated war general, is ultimately killed by a jealous young king named Wang Yeo. After death, Shin is revived by the gods—but his revival is by no means miraculous. He becomes a 도깨비 (dokkaebi, goblin), and is cursed. He will have to pay for all the lives he took in battle by living alone in immortality, witnessing everyone he's ever loved, die. Remaining lodged in his chest is the very sword that killed him. There is only person who can see that sword, and draw from his heart so that he can finally rest in peace: his bride... whom he's yet to meet.

Things get spoilery under the cut—you've been warned! ;)

Chipper, yeah? Haha so, right off the bat, the premises of Goblin remind me of like, a much more morbid version of the legend of King Arthur. You know, a man draws a sword from stone to prove himself the greatest king in all of Britain? Yeah. Just to be clear: this is a good thing (imo). Like, I personally think this is just such a cool idea for a drama 😍

Let's jump right in. I'm gonna be honest and say that, at first, I felt a little turned off at the female lead, Eun Tak, being nineteen (in the beginning of the show), meanwhile the male lead, Shin, is 900+ years old (but physically looks to be in his thirties). It just... rubbed me weird. But hey, the Twilight series (both the books and the movies) is exactly the same—high school girl, century-old man, bananas yet somehow romantic storyline... And I loved me some Twilight as a young adult. So I mean, I have no right to judge, really. Plus, Eun Tak soon turns twenty anyway. So that's an improvement I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️ We follow her character into her late twenties, nearly thirty. So things are definitely fine by then haha! 👍

Don't let that previous bit make you think I didn't enjoy Goblin—I LOVED it. That detail is just a lil funky to me, is all. Back during my Twilight obsession days, I was nearly twenty myself, and the thought of being pursued by an older man was exciting. Hell, I mean, it still is! But now that I'm two years shy of my 30th Birthday, I feel differently sometimes. I think, LAWD get that girl away from that man, she too young for him LOL. I am definitely getting old... Enough about Twilight now, apologies! I'm only using it for the sake of conveying similarities seen in Goblin 🙏 Let's talk cast!

Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak and Gong Yoo as Kim Shin

Eun Tak is a bubbly young woman with limitless energy! While still in her mother's womb, Mama Ji was involved in a hit-and-run incident which, sadly, took her life. During Mama Ji's dying moments, she prayed to anyone above that her child's life be spared. Sat on a rooftop from afar, beer in hand (lol), Shin hears her prayers, as he is a god of sorts. He appears before Mama Ji, and shows mercy to her unborn baby. Eun Tak grows up with the ability to see/speak to ghosts. Said ghosts tell her constantly that she is the goblin's bride. How do they know? A strange birthmark on the back of Eun Tak's neck tips them off. Eun Tak unfortunately was taken in by her abusive bitch of an aunt, who jabs Eun Tak every chance she gets. Her cousins are assholes. Eun Tak's aunt really only keeps her around in hopes of collecting Mama Ji's savings (intended for Eun Tak) one day. Sad, right? I mean, isn't Eun Tak being born without her mother enough as it is? Life can be so cruel 😔

Lee Dong Wook as Grim Reaper/Reaper/Wang Yeo

This is Grim Reaper (or Reaper for short), portrayed by the handsome Lee Dong Wook. His character is just this strange, not at all tech-savvy man with a constant deadpan facial expression. Said facial expression provokes so many giggles during funny moments, and drives home the longing and desperation during sad times. We learn quite a ways in that he, in his previous life (again, just in case: spoiler), was Wang Yeo G A S P ! The young king that is essentially responsible for Shin's death, as well as all the misdeeds that were done to Shin's family. Again, this is something I don't want to spoil. Well, more, anyway 😆 You gotta see it!

Yoo In Na as Kim Sun/Sunny

Kim Sun, or simply, Sunny (she loves to spell her name for people lol, S-U-N-N-Y!) is the second female lead. Yoo In Na is so gorgeous that one look at her makes you feel like such a potato hahhah. 🥔 This fact about her beauty bleeds over into the show itself—every time another character meets Sunny, the camera does this slow motion pan into her lmao. She really is that pretty! Sunny's personality comes across so odd at first... Having watched all of the episodes now, I feel the intention of Goblin's creators was to make her seem like a soul searching for something it has lost in a previous life. idk if that makes sense, but yeah. She has this way about her, like she's disconnected from others, and is sifting through the haziness to find this thing she feels she's lost.

Yook Sungjae (my BtoB bias 😍) as Yoo Deok Hwa

Sungjaeeee ahhhh 💘💘💘 I had to gush, sorry! Hehe. Meet Deok Hwa: unofficial nephew of Shin. Deok Hwa is a third-generation chaebol (heir to a family-owned corporation) and spoiled man-child, always seeking his credit card hahaha 🤣 But I love him so much. Between Gong Yoo, Lee Dong Wook, and BtoB Sungjae? Man, I'm dying over here! Deok Hwa's true identity is revealed later in the show, which if you haven't seen it yet, I won't spoil it. Just watch. But his ending sucked. Like where did he go? Everyone else's endings got tied up neatly except for his. What gives, man? 🤔 Edit: I was actually reading an online conversation about what happened to Deok Hwa online—someone jokingly said he was reincarnated as BtoB Sungjae LOL 💯

Other various comments

AMAZING OST 😍😍😍

Good pace, episodes drag at times. A little confusing in the beginning, but you get there eventually. Maybe this is just me though, viewers who are a little more keen than I will likely catch on sooner ;) My mom was a little confused as well, and actually said at one point, "This should be called the 'what-the-hell-is-going-on' show," hahaha. Like I said though, we quickly moved on from this, and loved all the things. There are actually, I think, three (?) specials that were made to aid viewers in making sure they understand the complex events and relationships clearly. I haven't watched them yet, but want to!

Quite repetitive tbh, as there are unnecessary flashbacks often. Probably for two reasons: the obvious of reminding you what's what, but also to create suspense. Typical duration of most tvN dramas seems to be about 16 episodes, so it's possible these flashbacks and things are, for lack of a better word, filler. I don't know how rigid or lax tvN is about having a drama set at 16 eps, but I get the idea this is their preference. Seeing as so many of their programs on average last that long, I feel this must be what they want. Such has the potential to affect the writing, either positively or negatively.

A continuation of the previous bullet: I think Goblin's creators oversimplified the plot at times. I'm unsure if this is due to possible pressures to meet a specific requirement(s), or what. I'd rather forgo ALL restrictions and let creativity flow, let the story be told without pressure to fill a specific amount of time, etc. but TV production is weird. And contracts are weird. tvN might not to blame for these issues, could simply be that storytelling isn't always easy, man. I'm a writer myself, it's hard! I'M being redundant now lmfao! Anyway, yeah ~

Absolutely LOVED all the scenes that were filmed on location in beautiful Québec City, Canada 🍁 Tall, romantic trees, the fall foliage, historic buildings... sigh. Now all I need is Gong Yoo chasing me and we're all set! ;D

In addition to Shin being revived, my crush on Gong Yoo has been revived as well LOL. He fine 🔥 A classic K drama crush, can't go wrong with GY👌

Gong Yoo is always stellar at doing kiseu (kiss) scenes, and in Goblin, he does not disappoint. He really goes at it 🙈 which is preferred vs. the typical person kissing a stone statue that you see so often. He even did a lift kiss with Kim Go Eun that was reminiscent of THEE Coffee Prince kiss he did with actress Yoon Eun Hye! 😍

I never saw it coming, how the sword would wind up being removed from Shin's chest. I worried what the writers were going to do, how would they approach this, and just wow. The way things turned out is such a relief. It also told me that Shin's love for Eun Tak is true. I mean, I didn't need that scene to occur for me to know that, rather it just adds extra oomph that yes, Shin really does love Eun Tak. He didn't want her to suffer knowing she was responsible for his "death," so he thought quick and used her hands WITH his hands asdfghjkl. How dumb (bc noooo now you're gonna die) and amazing he is at the same time 💜

I love how Shin made his way back to Eun Tak after passing away, it was such a powerful scene. I could really feel his struggle, and kept yelling at my TV for him to stand up lol!

Devastated that Eun Tak died 😭 I really thought as many times as she'd cheated death before, she would somehow continue cheating death again and again for the rest of her days. But no... What a selfless person, Ji Eun Tak. Her being reincarnated as Park So Min gave me some closure. Not the closure I wanted, but closure.

The relationship between Shin and Reaper is ADORABLE. Whenever they interact with each other, they just have this great dialogue. Shin pings, Reaper pongs, Reaper pings, Shin pongs. It's great 😄 I still laugh about the slow-mo scene of them returning from the market with green onions HAHAHA 😂

I love Sunny & Reaper ~ However, their history as Kim Sun & Wang Yeo in their past lives is so very sad. I don't even know where to start RE: my feelings on this 💔 imo, their ending kinda sucked. I just wasn't satisfied with them having had this complicated, tragic story, only to be reincarnated in this fashion that I ultimately found to be just... idk, disappointing 😩 Again, closure, but not the closure I wanted.

I thought Reaper, the other grim reapers, the name cards, the depiction of what happens immediately following death with the brewing of the tea, the afterlife, etc. was all very creative. We really don't know what awaits us when our time comes—it's interesting to wonder if it's anything like it is in Goblin 🍵

Can't stop thinking about Goblin, even though I'm now watching Thirty but Seventeen & Mr. Sunshine! I'm emotionally cheating lol halp.

Photo credits: tvN & AsianWiki

Yo yo! I'm sorry I took so long to watch + write up this review! It's been a long couple of weeks for me, I wasn't always able to watch when I wanted. It was maddening 😆 But I have finally watched, and feel like the most accomplished person on the planet hahaha. xoxo 💜

[pickingstars-blog1]

hi! i have become a huge fan of you in the past like day or so (i'm sure your activity page at this point looks like i'm stalking you) as all of your commentary is perfectly on point - i love moffat and i think he's done so much good for this show that it just drives me insane to see baseless commentary otherwise (especially when it's clear it's coming from people who don't even watch anymore). anyway you're doing the lord's work here and i thoroughly enjoy and appreciate it :)

Hi there!

Thank you so much! For the record, your blog is incredibly amazing also; I’m sure in the not-to-distant future your activity page will look just as obsessive as mine!

I love Steven Moffat so, so much too. The hilarious thing is that this wasn’t always the case. C.2013, I was definitively part of the Moffat Hate crowd! I was the first in line to reblog every “The Day of the Doctor hates New Who canon!”, and “Clara’s life revolves around The Doctor!”, and “River Song is a terrible, regressive female character!” post I could find. (Luckily my old old blog has long since been deleted!)

I think the thing to understand about Moffat Hate, (and i use that term accordingly. Legitimate critique of Moffat’s work is something I have no problem with, and something I partake in myself), is that it’s effectively a phenomenon. And one that can only ever have occured to a show like Doctor Who:

For people like myself, who sat down with their family as an eight year old kid to watch Rose as it first aired in 2005, Moffat’s takeover of the show coincided with adolescence, and therefore with our own blossoming social awareness and critical skills. By this point, Doctor Who had well and truly carved its place as a staple of British pop culture, and therefore as a staple of childhood influence. (I mean, I don’t know about in the US, but in the UK, you’d be hard pressed to find a primary school pupil across the country who wasn’t avidly discussing the cliffhanger at the end of The Stolen Earth the Monday after the episode aired! I can’t emphasise enough how utterly huge Doctor Who was as a child. It was literally all anyone talked about!) 

The RTD era of show therefore has a real place in the hearts of many, and so, as is the way with nostalgia, we link it directly to our childhoods and romanticise it. Add to that a burgeoning social media platform built on synergetic hyperbole and herd mentality, (I mean gosh look at the “your fave is problematic” discourse, and how hard everyone here collectively turned from Superwholock Stans to agressively hating all three shows in the space of a few months), an unfortunately normal dose of self-critical cringe culture, (what we engage with and enjoy as tweens is automatically horribly uncool and terrible the older we get), and Moffat’s era never really stood a chance!

It was only upon doing a complete rewatch of the show after Matt Smith’s final episode, that I finally allowed myself to view these episodes out of personal context. With retrospect. And with Russell’s era, I discovered a goofy, passionate, indulgent melodrama that’s as clumsy and nonsensical as it is engaging and moving, while with Moffat’s era, I discovered a thematically rich, witty, macabre modern fairytale that’s as sumptuous and stylish as it is full of glorious glorious soul. They were both completely different to how I’d remembered them, both a bundle of triumphs with a few falters, and yet both standing on their own feet. It was only upon rewatch that I truly discovered, and appreciated, Moffat’s high-concept, darker, more visceral, and therefore more controversial, version of the show. It had guts! it holds a punch! Without negating the beauty of triumphant storytelling to do so! And it doesn’t half carry conceptual and thematic weight! River’s diary. Amy’s glasses. Clara’s leaf. Bill’s photos. Simple objects and items that Moffat pours entire universes into. There’s something so sweeping, so rich and so compelling about the imagery filled, picture-book way Moffat writes. He’s less a screenwriter, and more a storyteller. That’s the distinction I’d make, and the distinction that, in my mind, puts him head and shoulders above Russell T. (who is a tremendously brilliant writer himself, I might add).

This totally goes without mentioning Moffat’s ever-increasing embrace of social issues. There’s no way to view River’s story as anything other than a celebration of female freedom and female agency. There’s no way to view Clara’s story as anything other than a celebration of female defiance. And there’s no way to view Amy’s story as anything other than a celebration of female courage, of female kindness. Steven Moffat champions his characters, he champions his female characters, and there’s no getting away from that. He makes them suffer, because good drama depends on that, but they have always, always stood triumphant and proud at the end of it all. That’s a track record worth cherishing, I think.

All of this stands amongst an unbowed, unbent, unbroken, pro-female doctor agenda, and a current series which has given us shameless, open, positive, political commentary on the disgraces of historical whitewashing, on racism, on slavery, on capitalism, on colonialism, on indoctrination, on militarisation, on media bias, on fake news, on heteronormativity, on sexism and on the gender binary system. Oh, and the show’s first Black Lesbian Companion to boot. When it comes down to it, Steven Moffat really is pretty great!

Gosh, this turned into something really extensive and a little bit histrionic! But I’m so beyond passionate about this wonderful era of my favourite show, and, like you, I am so beyond frustrated by the constant mischaracterisations and misreadings, (in many instances, categorically and intentionally false ones, delivered by people who haven’t even watched the show since 2013), of the work and words of the man behind it all, that I think I deserve to be a tad extravegant! 

Thanks so much again! xx