(no subject)

[neadods]

Right now I'm listening to a Dr. Who adventure in which the government is cracking down on supposed terrorist attacks by "temporary reversal of civil rights in order to suppress the terrorists." And every time there is a question about the system, there's another bombing.

Suffice it to say, I'm finding this way too close to the bone...

ETA: Damn, now there's a rigged election with "rumors of voter intimidation" and the newly returned leader talking about his mandate and "repelling forces which work against our liberty." And how negative reports on the news channels are "masking terrorist underminings disguised as news."

Comments

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

Live 34? *guesses*

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Yeah. They've made commentary on American politics before (aside from the awful accents), but this is really cutting close to the bone, and it's kind of freaking me out a bit. Terrorists as an excuse to lose rights, compliant media, energy crisis... yeah.

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

Yeah. *nods* It was rather disturbing. Wonderful audio, and a biting social commentary. *shivers*

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Aside from the creep factor, it's quite unique, in that (like Love & Monsters) it focuses more on the common people than the Doctor and Ace. And the beginning/end themes are reminding me strongly of the Sarah Jane subseries.

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

Haven't listened to the Sarah Jane eps, myself. But, yes, it is rather unique. I enjoyed it, though. Have you got to the 'Rebel Queen' section? That section, and the one right after, gave chills

[neadods.livejournal.com]

"The apparent suicide of journalist..." yeah.

Right now I'm utterly wigging out at the election.

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. It's rather frightening.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

PS - anyone who dislikes how Sarah Jane was presented in School Reunion should check out the audios. Now *that's* a rough post-Doctor life!

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

Now you've got me curious. What did they do to SJS?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Without huge story-by-story spoilers:

Season 1: Sarah Jane Smith's reputation as a reporter has been utterly ruined by allegations of faking a story. Every time she sets herself back up, she is taken down again by the corporation that she tried to expose. She is now living on the run under fake identities trying to clear her own name.

Season 2: What had been a passing adventure with the Doctor has ballooned into competing End Times cults speaking of an alien and his herald... Sarah Jane Smith. Both sets of cultists think they can control the fate of the Earth by controlling her. Sarah thinks they're all bonkers, but since they only allude to the Doctor in this spinoff and never mention him directly, she can't just turn around and give them an earful about this supposed alien avenger/savior.

Frustratingly, Season 2 ends on a cliffhanger and I haven't seen anything on Big Finish about a Season 3.

I know that people are upset about all the emo of School Reunion, but to me, Sarah Jane is first and foremost not a lover or a mother, she is a reporter! It is how she introduces herself when we first see her; it is her self-chosen identity throughout all the time we know her. It may have been just because she was a Lois Lane knockoff character, but to me, it is also the most important thing about her. It is what she considers herself to be, first and foremost.

Which is why I'm fine with School Reunion, because when she is reintroduced, we see that identity in fine form. She is hot on the trail of a story, doing not what "we always did" as the Doctor put it, but doing what SHE always did. The heart of Sarah Jane might be bruised, but the core of Sarah Jane is untouched.

The BF audios introduce great characters and give Lis some nice work... but they also took that identity away from her. So, while I listen to them, they also kinda bug.