Doctor Who 29/3.13 - Last of the Timelords

[weewarrior]

Spoilers for same abound behind the cut, so proceed with caution.

So... correct me if I'm wrong, but the Master basically did all of this - becoming PM, releasing the Toclafane, taking over the world, preparing for universal war - just to see what the Doctor would do? Because that is as fucked up as it is inspired, and strangely befitting a string of episodes that was all about the two of them trying to out-trick each other, only that the Doctor at least somewhat cares about those who are his chess pieces, while the Master doesn't - not even when it comes down to his own body, apparently. Getting himself killed instead of regenerating not out of spite, but as a means to escape was quite clever- and given that he tried to convince Francine to kill him, that it then was Lucy who actually did it, and evidently Lucy who picked up the One Ring his signet ring in the end, I suppose that it actually was his backup plan, however perfunctory.
Of course, it also makes him look ever more like the psychotic boyfriend who simply doesn't want a steady relationship, while the Doctor would even give up travelling for him. Their love, it is so epically bizarre. (In that vein I was greatly amused that their interactions in the second half of the episode largely consisted of David Tennant hugging the stuffing out of John Simm. Aww.)Too bad that we very likely won't get John Simm back to continue their fucked up dynamic - he was truly a delight, and made the character great fun to watch.

Speaking of great fun to watch, I can hardly say that about the rest of the episode, which I largely spend admiring John Simm's and Freema Agyeman's respective prettiness, groaning at the "love reverses bad magic" way of returning the Doctor to his old self, and otherwise being very deadly bored. I was pretty sure that there would be some kind of reset button involved, given just how thoroughly the Master had uprooted Earth, and so the plight of the characters didn't faze me that much.

I liked the reveal of the Toclafane as the Humans who had reached Utopia (and kudos to everyone who guessed that correctly last week), and most of all I liked that this wasn't something done to them by the Master, but that they de facto turned themselves into Daleks and that he basically just collected them to show the Doctor how horrible his preferred species was. (And, presumably, to have them wreak havoc on themselves, as this kind of paradox is never not fun.)

The Joneses held themselves all very well, especially of course Martha. I am glad that her parents and Tish remember what happened - although I would have loved to see how they explain it to Leo and his girlfriend.

Lucy Saxon I don't really get - is she really some kind of Drusilla-like figure, who was with the Master all the way, or did he simply hypnotize the hell out of her, to the point where she still helps him even though she apparently despises him? I would prefer the former for several reasons, not least because the implication that even their strained interaction and the bruises she had might have been faked to let her "defection to the good side" look convincing fits the idea that she is essentially a dark mirror to the Doctor's companions. (Not to mention that it would make the ending smack much less of "woman hopelessly devoted to her abusive husband" ickiness)

Jack is the Face of Boe? Huh. Can't say I care much one way or the other, but I can see why people would feel bothered, given that it means he will spend billions of years as a head in a jar (even though either The Long Game or Bad Wolf implied that the Boe Face still had a somewhat active sex life, seeing that he had just given birth.). It's certainly amusing, considering that he dragged the Doctor's hand in a jar around for so long.

Something I really could have lived without was Martha leaving - I mean, granted, her reasoning makes sense, and given that he still has her phone, she likely won't be off the show for good, but still, meh.
Even for the short while she travelled with the Doc, I liked her quite a lot, and I enjoyed the chemistry she had with Ten. I was glad that she was ready to move on romantically, since I heartily approve of the idea that pining after someone who doesn't like you that way isn't the healthiest place to be in.

I wonder if her quick departure at least from being a steady passenger in the TARDIS signifies that the show is going back to Old School dynamics, where the companions changed more frequently. Would it be too much to hope at least for one tiny adventure with Sarah Jane before the new companion, even though she now has her own series? Especially seeing that Ten's next travelling partner likely won't be a psychotically evil Timelord looking like John Simm. (I might be hung up here. Slightly. It'll pass eventually, I'm sure.)

I don't have much to say about the ending teaser, but what I'd really like to know is: how are Jack's colleagues faring in Tibet?

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

So... correct me if I'm wrong, but the Master basically did all of this - becoming PM, releasing the Toclafane, taking over the world, preparing for universal war - just to see what the Doctor would do? Because that is as fucked up as it is inspired

So I gathered by him saying "no, my turn now!" in the early scene with the Doctor re: said doings and plans. Which ties with the similarly childish phrase of "unfair!" later on - it's really just a game between him and the Doctor for him, and everyone else just signifies in how much or little they can be used, or stand in the way. I think it was in the Confidential for Sound of Drums that RTD said it's not really about ruling the cosmos for the Master, it's about wanting to see the look in the Doctor's eyes when he does that?

...

liked the reveal of the Toclafane as the Humans who had reached Utopia (and kudos to everyone who guessed that correctly last week), and most of all I liked that this wasn't something done to them by the Master, but that they de facto turned themselves into Daleks and that he basically just collected them to show the Doctor how horrible his preferred species was. (And, presumably, to have them wreak havoc on themselves, as this kind of paradox is never not fun.)

Yes, I'm glad that it was made clear the Master didn't do this to them, and we got lines like "we made ourselves so pretty". Very grim, but it made the whole thing emotionally real to me whereas if the Master had done it to them it wouldn't have been.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I think it was in the Confidential for Sound of Drums that RTD said it's not really about ruling the cosmos for the Master, it's about wanting to see the look in the Doctor's eyes when he does that?

Very likely; I remember him saying that, and I watched only the last three Confidentials.

Very grim, but it made the whole thing emotionally real to me whereas if the Master had done it to them it wouldn't have been.

It also fits the apparent pattern of Old School Master appearances, in that he usually works with an independent group which has similar goals, rather than only with minions. (of course they usually turn on him sooner or later, which the Toclafane didn't do, but he didn't doublecross them, either, so I guess they were a specific case. [I liked astrogirl's take on the possible reasons for that in heartbeat,drumbeat, echo (http://astrogirl2.livejournal.com/425480.html#cutid1).])

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I read that story, and very much like this take as well. And true about the mutual lack of double-crossing being unusual!

[never-evil.livejournal.com]

I liked this episode quite a lot despite that whole tinkerbell-esque stage. Especially the second half of the ep ;D

I wish I had something coherent to add but you pretty much summed up my thoughts.

I can't make much of Lucy's motivations and I can't decide why I like the Lucy-Master pairing either. Really I am vaguely indecisive over everything.

I mean I wouldn't have minded the doctor settling down and having to care for someone!

Also when the Master does come back I wish it would be John Simm though it is unlikely. He just was so brilliantly fitting for the role.

Also Martha leaving...I read it somewhere and thought it quite an inspired thought that she saw the Doctor so wrought about Master's death and this is a man who practically destroyed the earth. He cares so much about Rose & the Master but it seems she is never going to be able to get that close to him. SO it was just better to get out of that situation. I hope she meets up with Tom (that resistance member & doctor) again though...

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I can't make much of Lucy's motivations and I can't decide why I like the Lucy-Master pairing either. Really I am vaguely indecisive over everything.

Hee. Doctor Who eats our brains.

Seriously, I think her motivations are confusing because they played this for the finale surprise, rather than consistency. We were supposed to think that Lucy was fed up with the Master and had killed him out of frustration and fear, thus the bruises, the weird walking, and her general dazed unhappiness, and of course her joining in in the tinkerbell awakens sequence (interesting btw that he doesn't react to that even once, so he either doesn't care about it or he anticipated it).
Unfortunately, they did all of that so well that all other solutions that I can come up with (i.e. either he broke her and she just does what he says, or he simply controlled her, which seems unlikely, since he seemed rather out of it himself during that sequence - and I don't really believe that he can hypnotize people while being essence in a ring) seem either unlikely or a little too creepy for a children's programme, thus I would like her to be fully complicit.

I have no idea if she is, and thus I am reluctant to ship them, because abusive relationships aren't exactly something I feel comfortable squeeing about, y'know?

As for Martha, I do think that her reasons are in character, but I nonetheless dislike this decision because I like her a lot as a character and find her very relatable, which after all is the main characteristic of a good companion.

I was never very fond of the unrequited love characterization - really, a competent and good-looking medical student doesn't need pining after some unavailable guy, what's up with that nonsense - and I think it does her a disservice to make it such a prominent factor in her decision to leave, especially after she had a full year of growing out of it.

As for hitting it off again with Tom: yes, please! :)

[never-evil.livejournal.com]

Hee. Doctor Who eats our brains.
uhh was that image of Sylar as the Doctor's new companion intentional cause my half-eaten brain went straight there. Or you know Sylar as the next Master whatever.

I have no idea if she is, and thus I am reluctant to ship them, because abusive relationships aren't exactly something I feel comfortable squeeing about, y'know?
Yea that part makes me queasy too. I think I liked the Lucy/Saxon from ep 12. There she was like a dark!Companion. If what she said about the Master is true then she is greatful for and likes him because he was good to her father. He has many plans and she would get to by like the Queen of the World so to speak. Besides he's fun and she's slightly shallow and it's all in all a good, happy pair I am okay with shipping

And then we come to ep 13 and she is possibly not being treated well by the Master, like you explained above, which would explain why she would join in the "tinkerbell awakens sequence". I also wondered if the Master had noticed that she joined in. I could take it as him not caring much about it as she is human and fickle and well he would have known he didn't treat her well.

But then there is the shooting which initially I took as her doing it because she was sick and tired of him but after the last scene I changed my mind to it being because this was the Master's plan all along. That if there was ever a situation where the Doctor triumphs and holds him in his power Lucy should shoot him and take the ring.

Which leaves the question of why she would follow through with the plan if she had started to hate Master.

I can assume because as long as he is alive there is a chnace he will come for revenge on her for not following the plan so she does as she is told. And then I guess we can suppose that she takes the ring to "keep the enemy closer" so to speak and make sure the Master does not get a chance to come back. Of course something will go wrong and he will come back whenever the plot calls for it but till then I think I can go with that scenario.

...hmm I just rambled too much I think :S

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Lovely review! (Jotted down a few comments m'self in my LJ.)

Of course, it also makes him look ever more like the psychotic boyfriend who simply doesn't want a steady relationship, while the Doctor would even give up travelling for him. Their love, it is so epically bizarre.

*snicker* Oh-so apt.

(Not to mention that it would make the ending smack much less of "woman hopelessly devoted to her abusive husband" ickiness)

Seriously.

I do hope that's the way they'll go.

how are Jack's colleagues faring in Tibet?

aka WHERE IS THAT FANFIC? & ;-)

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Seriously.

I do hope that's the way they'll go.

I wish they had left this less open, that they had either made clear that he was controlling her, or that she was in on it from the start. From what I understood they did that last scene where Lucy picks up the ring (presuming that's her) so that future writers have a jumping point if they want the Master to come back, but I'm not completely sure they really thought about the implications.

aka WHERE IS THAT FANFIC? & ;-)

*g* I would write it, but my knowledge of TW is minimal, and it usually takes me ages to finish something.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

I wish they had left this less open, that they had either made clear that he was controlling her, or that she was in on it from the start. From what I understood they did that last scene where Lucy picks up the ring (presuming that's her) so that future writers have a jumping point if they want the Master to come back, but I'm not completely sure they really thought about the implications.

Yes. Ambiguous endings are fine; it's not that -- it's just that this is completely open. Like, there's a wood, and somewhere in there is the gingerbread house, but we lack the trail of breadcrumbs.

There should be more GOOD Doctor Who fanfic. *sorrowful*

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

There should be more GOOD Doctor Who fanfic. *sorrowful*

I agree! Which kind do you usually read?

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Well, I never really found gripping shipper stuff -- seen great gen fic occasionally, as per selenak, but I don't read much genfic -- so I gave up (although I would have liked to read plotty, bantering, high-rated Doctor/Rose or Ten/Martha fic).

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I read mostly gen (it is possible that there has been a lot of Doctor/Master and Lucy/Harry lately, but that's mostly because of SoD for the latter, and all three finale episodes for the former), so I can't give you any recommendations, either... there is lifeonmartha, they probably have some nice Ten/Martha.

[reposted for tag, sorry!]

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

there is [info]lifeonmartha, they probably have some nice Ten/Martha.

I wish. Terribly spoiled by BtVS, Farscape, and SGA fandom, all of which tend to have lots of good fiction featuring my pairings readily available, but the shipper comms in Dr. Who have a far too-high miss:hit ratio -- I checked back with Rose, and I checked again when I fell for Martha...but alas, I don't have the energy to trudge through ten dubious stories to find one decent one. (It's not Dr. Who; I found the same was true for House/Cameron, Peter/Claire, and lots of other pairings I would otherwise read).

Again, I like good genfic, but I am, at heart, a shipper and want long stories to be romantic. *g* Drabbles or short fiction, though -- oh yes, if you got gen recs in DW, bring them on! Only if you want to, of course.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

if you got gen recs in DW, bring them on! Only if you want to, of course.

Believe me, I would, but I fear we largely have the same source... If I find something, I'll definitely give you a heads up, though!

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

'tis hard being a gen fan. Or so I hear from my friends inlined thataway. *sage nod*

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Seriously. I mean, have you *ever* tried finding Heroes gen? Or something involving Nathan that doesn't have him in relationships with, erm, relatives?

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Or something involving Nathan that doesn't have him in relationships with, erm, relatives?

LOL!

Actually, yes: selenak's fiction, and thank the heavens for writers like her. But oh, I know what you mean. & ;-)

I mean, have you *ever* tried finding Heroes gen?

Um, there is some in the newsletter, I think? But see my earlier comments regarding quality off newsletters: So far, I've only read off the f-list, really.

P.S., because I'm a little slow and apparently slightly rude today...

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Lovely review! (Jotted down a few comments m'self in my LJ.)

Thank you! I enjoyed your post very much, as well! (including the music.)

Re: P.S., because I'm a little slow and apparently slightly rude today...

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

No, no, you're wonderful, all comment-answery and such. & ;-)

Re: P.S., because I'm a little slow and apparently slightly rude today...

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

*icon love*

You happen to watch Heroes as well?

Re: P.S., because I'm a little slow and apparently slightly rude today...

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Absolutely -- new fan!

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

So... correct me if I'm wrong, but the Master basically did all of this - becoming PM, releasing the Toclafane, taking over the world, preparing for universal war - just to see what the Doctor would do?
Where'd you get that? I missed that.

I liked it even though there was some rather silly and ridiculous stuff.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Where'd you get that? I missed that.

It is never said explicitly, it simply would make the most sense to me.

The Master has always been obsessed with the Doctor, and that should have magnified when the Doctor became the only other Timelord in existence. He is the only one who is even remotely equal to him, and thus the only one he can take halfway seriously, or even regards as someone worth considering.

He conquers the planet the Doctor cares most about, enslaving the people the Doctor cares most about. For these means he uses the future degenerated form of the people the Doctor cares most about. He does all of this in plain sight, he takes care that the Doctor notices him. He goads him. He targets the Joneses, specifically because Martha is the Doctor's companion. He calls his wife his companion and takes her to see the universe (although in a bad way) because that is what the Doctor does. He is playing a game because he wants to get a rise out of the Doctor, because he wants to beat him.
(In addition it is also a form of reaching out, because he needs him and they've both experienced the same loss, but he is too psychotic to really get that, and he is too malicious to do it in a more positive way.)

I liked it even though there was some rather silly and ridiculous stuff.

I wouldn't have taken the silliness as badly if I hadn't liked the string of episodes before this so much. As it is, I mostly have a problem with the episode because it bored me, and because it somewhat wasted all the potential and actors that were stuck on the Valiant.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. The setup was so much better than the payoff, sadly. Tinkerbell Doctor? Really?

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

"clap your hands if you believe in Timelords!"

(to be honest, I didn't even get the Peter Pan reference until I read it on lj, but I was not that enthusiastic about glowy-floaty Ten either way.)

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

I was onboard enough for glowy-restoration Ten, but then he stayed all glowy-floaty and had magic powers and it was just dumb.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Of course it then led to the Master trying to run away from Ten's hugs of forgiveness, which was involuntarily amusing again. But yeah.

[hyper-r-us.livejournal.com]

Umm...we REALLY MISS YOU IN THE HALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Hey! *hugs*

I miss you guys, too, but I have very little time at the moment, what with uni and all. I might drop in at the end of the month, when the semester is over.