neadods | Oy to the world - My reaction to the latest in Doctor Who

Go offline for a night and morning, and come back to find the fandom reeling, writing, and fainting in coils. And for good reason too. Because so many people are posting their reactions, thoughts, and what they're going to do now, I will too.

1) Rusty, if you're going to be shocked - SHOCKED I SAY! - that people complain that your treatment of the ~~second~~ first official black companion has some hefty racist undertones, please do not be quoted that you always meant for her to be "second best."

My changes in feelings/plans about Who in general upon hearing this: next to nothing.

My intense attraction to the Whoniverse has never been rational in the first place. I loved it through the bubblewrap and styrofoam years; I love it now. This never had anything to do with logic. I enjoy a solid, suspenseful story about gas mask zombies, but I also enjoy the sheer fromage factor in a cyberpole dancer slugging it out with a CGI dinosaur. I acknowledge that both sound pretty profoundly stupid when typed out.

I have no problems investing my interest and admiration in any companion (or any Doctor) because if I could recover from the blasphemy of Peter Davison unraveling the scarf and Leela falling in love, of all OOC things, then I'm going to be fine now. My default setting towards all new companions is "like until otherwise convinced" and that hasn't changed. I still like Rose. I still like and admire Martha. I expect to like and admire Donna as she comes back. I still miss Nyssa and Leela.

I still think that Rusty's dodgy racial and sexual issues are partially balanced by the way he writes women and minorities. Far from wiped out, but at least a little balanced. Mickey went from Uncle Tom to worldsaver. Martha was strong enough to care for the Doctor in a time not her own and walk an apocalyptic world. Sarah Jane stopped pining over the Doctor and became him. This does count. No matter how stupid he is offscreen, no matter how badly he fumbles onscreen, he is at least trying to present intelligent, sexy action roles for people who aren't getting enough of those kinds of opportunities. I acknowledge and appreciate that... and will continue to write essays bitching about how he's not getting it right.

I still feel, as I've posted previously, that the storylines we've seen onscreen don't portray Rose as more special than any other companion. Not with Girl in the Fireplace and School Reunion in the canon, among others, including Father's Day. (Yes, it's a story about Rose's issues. It's also a story where Rose almost destroyed the world.)

I'm still at peace with the whole return thing, because it remains a fact that every person we know travels on the TARDIS next season is someone who originally left it, and thus do not feel that the "return" storyline is reserved to show off any character. *stares at that, decides that it is vague enough to not need spoiler warnings.*

I'm still fine with fandom. The fandom creates wank and angst (and I must take a moment to say that I appreciate the mods of T&C, which I've returned to, blocking what I'm sure has been at least one "neener, neener" post) but it also creates things of great delight, from thought-provoking essays to the silliest of crackfic. I'm not giving up any of that and the pleasure it gives me because the producer shoved his foot in his mouth.

And speaking of fanfic: Martha drabbles, each for a letter of the alphabet Gotta love anything with a title like J is for Jabberwocky in it. Not to mention N is for Not On Your Life You Horny Little Arrogant Prick.