#it's not rocket science

[seahorsepencils]

Thinking about the poorly executed political and social commentary of this most recent episode of Doctor Who, and this is the question I keep asking: how much harder would it have been to tell this story right?

If I had a student write that episode for a class, I would have said, "Hey, I see what you're trying to get at. And I think there are some moments where you're on the right path, but in order to make this message land and tell this story in a more nuanced and ethical way, some big things need to change. So let's brainstorm how you can fix it."

Because there are absolutely moments where it has the right idea. I thought it was a smart choice to have the Doctor essentially verbalize the fact that he feels authorized in an act of violence because his planet was subjected to a form of genocide. That's one of Netanyahu's main propaganda tactics and it's similar to the logic that's being used in the US right now to smear anti-genocide protesters with accusations of antisemitism. I think it's smart and helpful to show a representation of that logic as a reminder that it's a huge red flag and we need to question it whenever we see it. But the episode didn't take time to explain why that logic doesn't make sense. It didn't show someone calling the Doctor out on it. If the writer doesn't thread in that message meaningfully, you risk the viewer missing it altogether, or getting the opposite message.

I also appreciated the episode raising the question "what is the moral liability of the characters who are watching this broadcast?" while airing the episode on the same day as Eurovision. That was kind of a badass move. But, again, they didn't clearly ask that question or deal with it in the narrative in a meaningful way, so by the end of the episode we're just thinking "yay, the viewers didn't die!" There were other good ideas in there, but they were completely lost in the piss-poor and ultimately problematic execution of the story.

Writing TV for social justice and threading in political commentary is hard to do right. Doing it right usually requires collaboration. It requires extensive workshopping, research, sometimes conversations with experts. But DW has the time and money to do that. If TV shows can hire intimacy coordinators and stunt coordinators to ensure the safety of their actors, there's no reason they can't hire sensitivity readers, dramaturgs, and topic experts or consultants to help workshop scripts and make sure the intended social or political commentary is being done right.

It sucks that they didn't do that, because they had a really good opportunity to pull this off and to say something important, and they blew it.

[musette22]

Which part of "the only thing I want to do ever is read Stucky fic in peace with no interruptions whatsoever" is so hard for you to understand huh? *glares at my life*

[tifa-simp]

I don't take anyone who says Tifa only likes Cloud when he does hero badass thing seriously, as if she isn't the first one to rush to him everytime he acts unhinged or has an episode. Like y'all, c'mon now, I don't care who you ship Cloud with, but open your eyes and play the damn game! Ever since Remake, she's always noticed when he has headache and in Rebirth she basically spends the whole game looking after him, especially in the Temple when he's on a killing spree. This girl cares about him so much, she always encourages him to do things he enjoys and steps in when he goes overboard. Saying Tifa only cares about Cloud doing badass shit is just laughable in everyway. Why do they make it sound like Tifa is some cheerleader on the side while in fact most of the time, she's right next to him doing bad ass hero thing too.

If Tifa really just sees Cloud that way, she wouldn't have to the first to stop him from killing the Turks mercilessly, or the only one carries him out in Shinra mansion, or later stays with him when he's in comatose while the world is ending. Why risking her life and attention and time for a Soldier who can't stand straight? Think!

You don't even have to read Trace of two pasts in which blatantly states that Tifa likes Cloud for being a normal boy, you just have to play the game with open eyes. Maybe don't act like you have no idea about the lore and ppl won't call you so.

Does this look like a girl who only cares when her crush does "bad ass SOLDIER things"???

[rose-morose]

I do appreciate the show taking the time to mock all the vaggie-angel theorists while they're all patting themselves on the back

it just made me laugh 10x harder

no hate though, you called it that's fair enough, I just thought it was funny

[cosmicsproutcake]

i thought you said you looked younger than you are not older :/

I see the passage of time perplexes you greatly.

Yes, when I was 13 with tits the size of my head, I could pass as an adult in the right lighting or if I wore makeup, on account of the tits the size of my head.

Now that I'm 26, those tits the size of my head look way less out of place, and people assume I'm like 16 based on how youthful my face is and the fact I'm 4'10.

This is not complex.

[tommyssupercoolblog]

Headmates fuck sometimes in case you didn't know that

[stillunusual]

Meanwhile in the USA

A typical American idiot demonstrating typical American ignorance….

[xolaanii]

why the ever living fuck is a waiter position at a coffee shop asking me for previous certified experience deadass

[askshivanulegacy]

That screenshot Twitter poster has clearly never measured wind speed in real life.

This is especially frustrating because the only reason we know the wind speed is because NOAA's Hurricane Hunters literally fly into the hurricane and collect vital data. They fly in and out of the storm over and over in 8 hour shifts.

This brave team flies two identical Lockheed P3s called Kermit and Miss Piggy.

You can see the dangling ornaments in the videos to determine which plane they are in.

And when I say they fly into the hurricane, I mean they fly *into* the hurricane.

Here they are in the eye of Milton.

And here they are in the eye of Irma.

As you may notice, this flight was in Kermit.

So the next time you see live data about a hurricane's wind speed and pressure, just remember how that was collected and don't be a giant turd about it.

And please vote because conservatives want to kill NOAA.

[morgan-the-lonely-brick]

I don't think... using a scythe is as much of a science as people make it up to be

[trainwreckrenegade]

[dkettchen]

trial and error mf, this is why more afab ppl need to get into engineering, trying stuff and analysing what isn't working about it is literally how you can solve any problem, I am dead serious

happy men's day everyoneeeee

[sillyparad0x]

Waiter! More helmet party please

[dsabian]

Hey kids you want to be a grown up put birthday reminders in your phone for family / important ppl / colleagues you don't hate.

[ashersbunker]

A collar for the dog >:)

[cavorta]

In German, there is this phrase, "Das ist doch kein Hexenwerk." ("That's not witchcraft") meaning: "It's not that hard/difficult" or "It's not impossible." I always laugh when I hear it, because for obvious reasons, witchcraft isn't difficult for me, and not impossible either. I rather prefer the English phrase, "It's no rocket science." Because I am not a rocket scientist.😅