I've learned some interesting things today

[neadods]

I've learned some interesting things today. I've learned that the Horsechicks have a term "Spanish Princess Day," in honor of the Spanish princess from Ever After. (If you haven't seen the movie, she gets one scene, where she is being unwillingly married in a political alliance to the hero. She's sobbing so hard she can barely walk up the aisle.)

Yeah. I'm stealing that.

There is more heartburn in the Whoniverse over the full text of the RTD interview. Me, I'm busy wondering how dizzy the author is after putting on all that spin, because it's really odd to me how the writer can insist that the audience as a whole didn't like Martha when the ratings for this last season of Who were excellent. Perhaps someone needs to whisper in that writer's ear that in Who, as in every other show in the universe, 98% of the audience is not fannish and thus doesn't give a rat's ass about fannish issues.

Unfortunately, that is taking away attention from what I think is the most charming and exciting thing I've heard today - Paul Cornell is writing another Whovian Christmas story for the newspapers.

Last year, Cornell wrote the bittersweet story "Deep and Dreamless Sleep" for the Times, where the Doctor found the TARDIS invaded by a little boy who wants to see Christmas. The Doctor takes him to the WWI Christmas truce, among other places. (The Times still has this story online. I dare anyone to read the third and fourth paragraphs of the last page without choking up.)

This year, he and the BBC have just announced, he will be writing "The Hopes and Fears of All the Years" for The Telegraph. It will appear in the printed issue of December 22 with illustrations by the guy who does the DWM comic art, then on the website on Christmas Eve (no idea if the illustrations will be there or not). Mr. Cornell has not given any plot hints.

Since we don't know about the art, would anyone within the Telegraph's print area be willing to grab me a copy and mail me the page with the story? I'm willing to paypal price & postage costs.

Also in Whovian news, prompted by the cover art of the upcoming March Torchwood tie-in novels, crabby_lioness has written an interesting essay comparing the Torchwood characters to stock Commedia dell Arte characters.

The Captain -- the oldest of the archtypes, he is a swaggering fellow in a spendid uniform who is always chasing the ladies. He is always a foreigner who speaks with an accent. His true history is always obscured and never as noble as he would like you to think.

Yes. Yes, that fits...

Comments

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

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<i.. Me, I'm busy wondering how dizzy the author is after putting on all that spin, because it's really odd to me how the writer can insist that the audience as a whole didn't like Martha when the ratings for this last season of Who were excellent.</i>

You answered your own question. The audience is absolutely menat to love Martha. She's pretty and smart and devoted. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her. In fact, she's perfect.

At the end of TLotTL, when Martha says goodbye to the Doctor, she looks strong, and he's the one being abandoned. There's a sense of regret for that which wasn't sufficiently appreciated. martha is not meant to be second-best to the audience, but she cannot take the place of Rose in the eyes of the Doctor. I suspect that season 4 will see a renewal of the Doctor's sense of adventure and life's possibilities in spite of his losses, and then, he wil be ready to see the treasure he has in Martha (and Donna).

[steviesun.livejournal.com]

I'm a Doctor/Rose shipper, but you'd be blind not to realise that the Doctor did feel abandoned by Martha at the end because far from not feeling or caring about her she did mean something to him, and he knew that her loss would be a blow to him.

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

Bugger it... it was the sudden silence, and then the bells- that got me... Paul Cornell just LOVES playing on heart strings like a harp, Doesn't he?!?

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

We generally say Spanish Princess Moment. Anyone having a full Spanish Princess Day deserves... I'm not sure, but we should really come up with something. :: pats ::

[neadods.livejournal.com]

They've been Spanish Princess evenings, mostly. "The most wonderful time of the year" my ass.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

{{{{{{ hugs }}}}}}

I should totally make a SPM icon, and spread the therapy...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Yes!

I've got a new icon I want to finish and launch tonight - just before work, I saw a Rose/Nine/Ten/Martha picture in bana05's LJ and I want to add the caption "I love them all."

[longtimegone]

Me, I'm busy wondering how dizzy the author is after putting on all that spin, because it's really odd to me how the writer can insist that the audience as a whole didn't like Martha when the ratings for this last season of Who were excellent. Perhaps someone needs to whisper in that writer's ear that in Who, as in every other show in the universe, 98% of the audience is not fannish and thus doesn't give a rat's ass about fannish issues.

WORD. No doubt RTD can stuff his foot in his mouth (and has many times, and probably should have thought about what he actually DID say here), but that "reporter" framed that to be as inflammatory as possible. MARTHA RULES!

Oh man, I hadn't read that Cornell story from the Times last year. *sniffles*

Thanks for the Torchwood link! *goes to read*

[neadods.livejournal.com]

hat "reporter" framed that to be as inflammatory as possible.

Yes. Very unprofessional.

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

Not if you're a professional British tabloid hack working for a racist, right-wing, gossip rag aimed at middle-aged, middle-class white women. I'm sure that interview was exactly what the editor wanted.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

a racist, right-wing, gossip rag aimed at middle-aged, middle-class white women

Oh! Well, that does explain a LOT!

[havocthecat]

The Spanish Princess Moment is a time-honored Horsechick tradition. *nods* You should totally steal it.

[butterflykiki.livejournal.com]

*sniffles muchly at the Cornell story, because you weren't wrong about that last page, darnitall*

*takes breath*

And yes, that poor Infanta. Heh. For the days when you are so overwhelmed and at the end of your rope that *not* bursting into tears isn't even a choice.

Mine are usually moving days, oy.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'm finding the disparities between situation and season to be... a bit much sometimes.

Isn't that last page a gutter? Wow. I'm really looking forward to this year's story.

[bentleywg.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the Christmas story. Somehow, I missed knowing about this. Was there a story the year before?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Not that I know of. I'm reasonably confident in my network-ed-ness that if there had been one, I'd know.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Since we don't know about the art, would anyone within the Telegraph's print area be willing to grab me a copy and mail me the page with the story? I'm willing to paypal price & postage costs.

Yes I can do that - no problem...

Edited to add - have you seen this wherein one may enter to win a copy of the original artwork and it says (in passing) that the art will be posted on the Telegraph site?

I can still get you a print copy if you want one though...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

You have to log in to see the page, and I don't have a Facebook account. So I guess I'm out of the contest, but that's all right.

I would like a print copy, yes, please. It would have much more gravitas than the printout of last year's story. Ping my email for address and to give your paypal details.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

OK then...

ooh

[wolfdancer.livejournal.com]

funny, I had to be before a judge, (not for doing anything wrong, just for a hearing for ssd, and after, I thought too my self, that was a SPM. or dayl]Thanks for the cool links I love the xmass story.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

You do know Paul's on LJ, right? paulcornell2 (Hope I've got the address correctly - let me know if not). I know Paul from the general UK writing scene and as well as being a very good writer, he's also a very nice bloke. So go him.

I can probably collar a copy of the Torygraph for you if no one else volunteers - Saturday, yes?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't! I'm on the feed for his blog, but I didn't know about LJ. *heads off to take a look.*

Yes, it's Saturday, and thank you. It looks like Persiflage has it covered but I'd rather say "yes" twice than trust the mail sometimes... there are plenty of Who fans in this area who'd like a copy!

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

OK, I'll pick one up!

[--kali--.livejournal.com]

I remember reading that last year and having a blub. After my day today I don't think KI'll pop back for a re-read.

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

it's really odd to me how the writer can insist that the audience as a whole didn't like Martha when the ratings for this last season of Who were excellent

The sales figures for Martha merchandise have also reputedly been very good.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the audience that actually *watches* and buys the merchandise has got a really odd notion of "not warming" to a character, what with all the attention and money rolling in.

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

And the audience liked her despite her position as companion and pov character being deliberately undermined (for the first time in Who history) by the writers.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

There had Damned Well better be an apology, and I don't care if the Doctor doesn't think he needs to give one.

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

I don't care any more. My fannishness survived the writers making the tenth Doctor the first Doctor I've ever disliked but it stopped being My Programme as soon as I knew a companion had been deliberately undermined (although I was already unhappy about Mickey, and second season Rose, and even Adam). I have achieved a state of fannish zen about all forthcoming new Who. I honestly don't care about it any more. ::radiates indifference::