Voyage of the Damned

[neadods]

With the proposal to work on, Christmas is something that happened to other people at a distance, but I've finally gotten to see Voyage of the Damned.

Fromage Factor: Deliciously high. The whole pre-landing lecture about "humans worshipping a god named Santa who had huge claws (and his wife Mary) through "London isn't safe at Christmas" had me laughing like a loon. And you just can't beat the glorious camp of the line "Information: You are all going to die."

(Look, it's a show about an alien with a magic wand who lives in a magic box. I don't go in expecting King Lear, and it's always a bonus to get an actual plot. If angst and introspection aren't provided, I'll happily partake of the cheese tray.)

Stereotypes: also pretty high. We start off with everyone laughing at the fat people. The fat, interracial charity people. *sigh*

Shipping: Right where I expected it to be, personally. It would have been nice for the Doctor to have at least mentioned Martha or Jack by name, but I'm not at all shocked that Dr. "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" was promptly plus-one-ing the next person who talked to him about the love of exploration. And evilly, after all the angst and predictions of the deeper meaning of The Stowaway, I thought it was hilarious that there are all of two measures of it as background, period. Ditto on the general uselessness of all the predictions of the real meaning of Astrid's name.

Wuh? Moments: Only three meteors? All that money and your "storm" is three rocks? Riiiiiiight.

General reaction: Some great moments, "eh, it was okay" overall, looking forward to the next season of both Twood and Dr. Who.

Comments

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

"And evilly, after all the angst and predictions of the deeper meaning of The Stowaway, I thought it was hilarious that there are all of two measures of it as background, period."

Hilarious as hell. As was the reaction from some quarters to both that and the two kisses (which, frankly, I thought could easily have been handwaved if you were hardcore-shipping inclined, but apparently not according to some).

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I snickered over the kissing angst. I thought the actual kissing was quite sweet, and really loved the two moments where you really saw the powerlessness of the Doctor - when Foon was saying "You promised!" I really thought David/the Doctor was going to cry. And then kicking the podium shouting "I CAN DO ANYTHING" right when he can't.

But yeah, the song? Hilarious.

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

I loved it, actually - see reaction on my LJ. :) Much better than last year's, I thought, and I was struck by the lessons the Doctor learns here: he can't save everyone; 'good' people don't always survive; he's not always the one who actually saves the day; he can talk about who he is and where he's from and the sky won't fall.

He's still alternately clingy and arms'-length, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops next year.

As a Doctor/Rose(/Jack) shipper, I had no problem at all with the Astrid kisses - also discussed on my LJ - and really don't see what the problem is for people there, those either anti-romantic-Doctor or those who can't bear the thought of him getting close to anyone but Rose.

And, like you, I adored the humour, in particular the way the episode sent up the series itself - London deserted, the Doctor flying with the angels. Wonderful work there :)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Runaway Bride is remaining my favorite of the Christmas episodes because I think it encapsulates so much of what makes Doctor Who Doctor Who; the time and space travel and technobabble as well as the adventure. Although Astrid's sheer joy "Alien shops! It STINKS!" was quite infectious.

I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops next year.

I'm really looking forward to that. Because this is the first time he has really faced his own inadequacies with Foon wailing "You promised!" and him kicking the podium impotently even while he shouts "I can do anything!" No, he can't. He can't fix everything.

The kissing with Astrid was sweet. I loved that she got a box to stand on, and honestly - how else could he say "I'm sorry and goodbye," really?

And the Corgie evacuation! Oh, behold the power of cheese!

[mechturtle.livejournal.com]

I loved that she got a box to stand on,

That was definitely cute and plucky.

and honestly - how else could he say "I'm sorry and goodbye," really?

Although as he sets her atoms free, I couldn't help:

Doctor: "You're not falling. You're flying."
MechTurtle: "--with style!"

[neadods.livejournal.com]

MechTurtle: "--with style!"

BWAhahahahahahaa!

[mechturtle.livejournal.com]

As the Doctor was being carried up by Host, I was thinking of your phrase, "Dear Sweet Tinkerbell Time Lord -- again!"

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That was a particularly cheesy moment. Poor David - he's made it quite clear he hates wire work, and they keep doing it to him!

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

I saw that as a send-up rather than cheesy, just as the desertion of London was a send-up. I seem to be saying this all over the place at the moment, but I do love a programme that can laugh at itself :)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I do love a programme that can laugh at itself

So do I - and it certainly beats the getting-tired gag of nobody *noticing* when all these things happen!

[inamac.livejournal.com]

Not the best telly over Christmas - but anything that prompts something as fun as Cavalorn's transcript can't be all bad.

The BBC is doing 'minimalist' ads for Torchwood which makes me suspect that it is either so awful that they can't find any exciting clips, or so adult that any clips would be unsuitable for a DW audience (I am not holdingout hope of the latter).

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is a funny transcript!

I can't figure out WTF is up with Torchwood in Britain. If they can't find any family-suitable clips, how are they going to do a family-suited edit? And how come we've been getting lots of ads and have a clearly-stated air date in the States but nothing settled in the home territory?

(Oh, sweet tinkerbell timelord - what if it premieres in *America*?!!)

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

I have that Daily Telegraph story, BTW - where should I send it?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

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