Series Four

[meddow]

A few months ago I was ridiculously optimistic about series four. In fact, I’ve been ridiculously optimistic about series four since July of last year. But even with my optimism levels set at maximum, somehow series four has managed to surpass even those expectations. I always thought Donna was going to be a wonderful companion, but she’s surpassed Sarah and Barbara to become my favourite, and is rivalling the great CJ Cregg to the spot of favourite fictional character. The DoctorDonna TARDIS team have become my favourite and I even ship them. Do you know how long it’s been since I had the urge to write romance fic? A long time, and they’ve brought it back.

And even the episodes are great. The Helen Raynor two parter? Great. The Ood return? Great. The Doctor gets a daughter? Great (it has its flaws but with my batshit shipper glasses on I can see at the heart of it is Doctor/Donna baby fic so it wins in my book).

So now I’m terrified. Because if there’s anything the new series of Doctor Who has taught me, is that you cannot count on it maintaining quality. And, damn it, I adore Donna, I adore the Ten and Donna team, and I adore this season. I don’t want any of them to get screwed over in the finale.

Also, a hard learned lesson from Deathly Hallows and At World’s End is that however I think something may play out in my head regarding my favourite character is always far better than how it turns out in the end, which leads to massive disappointment for me. Then again, my favourite characters in HP and PotC fandom were secondary characters rather than main characters, so there is something of a difference. But let’s face it, RTD’s track record with female characters is not brilliant and it’s hard to put one’s faith in the writer who gave us TinkerbellJesus!Doctor as the season long arc resolution. And it’s becoming harder and harder for me to ignore those dreadful spoilers that have been floating around regarding another much beloved character of mine.

I can sit there and repeat the truth that no matter what the direction writing or the plot takes on Tennant and Tate, as well as the rest of the cast, will be brilliant, because they always are. But it’s not pushing me past the pessimism barrier. And those spoilers are not exactly hard evidence, but I still feel like I’m going to get screwed with my pants on.

So basically, I’ve swung from extreme optimism to extreme pessimism, one of the main causes of this is quality. And this is a bit of a deal for me since - as sad as this may sound - I’m so swamped with work at the moment, Doctor Who actually is the highlight of my week.

I want it my optimism back.

Comments

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

My optimism was up because I've embraced most of the series more than a lot of those around me, who take more issue with it's quality concerns (which a lot of times escape or don't bother me), but even by my standard s4 has been more than awesome. As to its conclusion, I just want emotionally potent. Even if it's tragic, and as long as the inevitable deus ex machina is on the lower end of WTF, I just want emotionally potent. (Not to mention I don't do spoilers so I have no substantial reasons to be pre-pissed.)

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Maybe my problem is that my expectations have been raised to high. I don't mind tragic (in fact, I like a good bit of tragic) or deus ex machina, but I do want something that is both emotionally potent, but also warps up Donna and Rose (and to a certain extent Ten's) character arcs in a satisfactory and awesome way (Martha, Sarah and Jack's arcs are continuing on, I think, so I don't really mind about their role). Particularly Donna. She's a great character, portrayed by a great actress, I don't want her swan song to be lame or left field or her brilliance to be undermined.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

I'm still cautiously optimistic but we'll see. I've heard some really insane batshit spoilers in the past few days which makes me not trust Russell at all (granted they were not about Donna) but I'm hoping they're wrong or at least not as they seem. But we'll see.

I know Catherine Tate is only doing one series so I am worried as Donna's final fate. I'm hoping that whatever it is, it's something work aroundable. Considering my fave characters in Deathly Hallows were pretty much crapped upon and then killed, anything short of a rushed marriage, and a rushed pregnancy just to shove in a stupid plot point and then pathetic death for Donna will (probably) be okay with me.

But we'll see. *hugs* I am more dreading what Russell is going to do with some other characters and a certain ship than anything else.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to avoid batshit spoilers at the moment. Every time I read something my heart sinks just a little more.

Russel really has a long way to go if he wants to outdo DH when it comes to screwing a character over. I think he actually may achieve it with Harriet Jones though, if the spoilers I've read are in fact true.

Strangely enough, I'm not worried about ships. Rose's return has reminded me that I don't actually dislike Rose as a character, but rather dislike the emphasis some areas of fandom place on Rose. So long as I avoid those areas, I may be able to cope. Plus, she seems to have matured a. lot. since we left her crying on a beach.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

I read DWF way too often and way too religiously. The funniest thing is now of my friends who is a mod there (and has access to super sekrit boards) has been telling me super sekrit spoilers which I'd already read days before on the spoiler/set report boards. LOL

I've heard some serious refutation of the things about Harriet. I don't know if they're true -- I think she is returning because there was a trailer shown to the press that we've not gotten to see and there was a clip of her in there. But that doesn't mean that other thing is going to happen.

I like Rose. I don't like 10/Rose 4 eva. The latest spoilers I've heard may be something pertaining to that. The premise sounds really cheesey but I sort of won't be shocked if Russell finds a way to sort out his OTP to suit HIMSELF which is happily ever after. (Don't ask!)

[meddow.livejournal.com]

This isn't the Ten splits in two and one of them wanders off to the Pete's World to live happily ever after with Rose but without the TARDIS rumour, you are talking of, is it? I don't believe that's ever going to happen. Even if the Doctor was human, he still couldn't do domestic (John Smith could, but that's different).

Actually, that ending works for me on a cracky level. I'd give it two months of him driving everyone in Pete's World nuts before Jackie kills him.

[grenadine.livejournal.com]

*waves hello* Nice to meet you!

Oh, am I ever right there with you. I've loved this series dearly, but whenever I'm not engaged in actually watching the episodes, I'm spending a lot of time absolutely terrified for Donna. She's my second-favorite television character ever (like you, right behind one Claudia Jean Cregg, and gaining fast) and if something bad happens to her that can't be easily worked around, I'm going to be wrecked. It's a lot like the summer between the first and second seasons of The West Wing all over again for me, in terms of stress.

I do worry more about the narrative failing Donna in some way at the end, though, because not only will she be gone, I'll probably end up angry at the show, which will suck because I like it so very much.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that would be it. I am still kind of not believing it -- and I'm starting to think that people who post on the super sekrit mod area of DWF are not actually privvy to special info - they're just cribbing from the main area. ;) I don't see it either -- even if 10 was split in two, I can't see the Doctor -- any Doctor -- doing domestic either. That's why I'm kind of WTF about it.

I have heard people say the Harriet stuff has been debunked but not SEEN the actual debunking. But here's hoping. That sounds utterly stupid to me too.

Ha ha ha -- I can see that. Actually, he would kill Jackie and Jackie will kill him. Double homicide! :)

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I'm going to latch onto that debunking rumour. The original one never made any sense anyway. I know Harriet was the target of Thatcher-issues for a few fateful minutes, but in the same episode she was also treated as a decent human being who was genuinely doing what she felt was best - to go from that to that spoiler made no sense.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Hi

I'm not so worried about something bad happening to her. I think it's something to do with the show being the way it is and the inevitably of it. Change has to occur, Donna has to leave at some point and will probably never be seen again (only Sarah Jane has so far defied this trend in the long term) and so I'm not as bothered about character deaths as I am with other shows. Plus, I'd love to see Catherine Tate do tragedy.

Really for me it is just the narrative failing her that is the big worry, because that really could taint series four for me, and that would be awful, because, like you, I do love it very much and I want to be able to re-watch it until I can practically quote it.

[alexiscartwheel.livejournal.com]

The thing that worries me the most is Donna's fate. I'm pretty certain things will end badly for her, and I will be upset. In general, I'm trying to stay optimistic though. I'm really eager to see Rose and Donna together, which should be awesome. And since the first half of the season has been so strong, I'm counting on RTD to come through for us.

Of course, I haven't read any of the recent spoilers that seem to have everyone so worried. Time will tell, I guess.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I'm nearly certain things will end badly for poor Donna. And that I will be devastated.

Hopefully RTD will come trough, I would be such a shame for such a strong series to go off the rails in the last four episodes.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

I am too -- I didn't like it when I heard it since I like Harriet a lot and agree with you -- she was a decent human being who did what she thought was right for her people, even if the Doctor doesn't agree with it. Unless it's the alt-Universe President Harriet who has different motivations etc.

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

I admit, I'm scared for the second half of the season. Not scared terrified, but scared worried about what and how things are going to be dealt with. It is so up in the air with all the returning companions, and "the darkness", and I am scrambling desperately to try and persuade myself that Donna will be fine. Because I want her to be fine. And from the general gander at fandom that I get via my flist, most of DW fandom wants her to be fine, but few of us are that willing to kid ourselves.

I think it is going to come down to RTD wanting to go out with a big bang, and the interview he said where it will make you cry, means I'm going to be hopelessly and utterly heartbroken. Either by Rose, or by Donna, or maybe even both. And if anything heartbreaking happens to them, Ten is going to go emo again and then we are right back where we started with Season 3. Oh dear.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I don't think RTD will kill Rose. No way. He's had the opportunity before and didn't take it, so I don't think he'll do so now. And something very tragic happening to Rose would completely undermine Donna's final episode, something I may have considered him doing a few months ago, but seeing how much care has gone into Donna's story to this point, I don't think they will let that happen.

I think there is a ways of killing characters and making the audience cry without making the Doctor more emo. Kind of like what happened with Nine. It was really sad, but it wasn't a bitter death. Instead you felt like he had reached the end of his story.

What I'm scared of is the death being lame. I don't want another death by pointy stick, or something just put in there as an afterthought because the author felt the series needed another death. If they're going to do something tragic with Donna, it has to mean something. And I'm scared it won't mean a thing.

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm not so worried about Rose. And this is coming from me, who loves Rose, but I've realised that RTD, as you said, didn't take the chance the first time, so I doubt he will the second either. And besides, although Rose is returning, I think S4 has been crafted so that it is more Donna's story than hers. And I'm sure Rose's return is going to have a lot to do with Donna, rather than her returning purely for the Doctor.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

"Instead you felt like he had reached the end of his story."

I didn't! I'm fine with the way things went, but I think about Nine and it feels like there was so much more, whereas other Doctor deaths I've seen really have felt like time.

"death by pointy stick"

You mean like Wash? 'Cause Whedon owes me for Wash.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I meant James Norrington. Feared by piracy, he can fend off immortal pirates sober, take on a pub full of mortal ones drunk, and outfight and outwit every character to steal the heart of Davy Jones. And how does he die? Run through with a stick by a disoriented, senile Bootstrap Bill.

*Is still bitter*

Though I didn't like Wash's death either. Why? Poor Wash. Poor Zoe.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I think her return has a lot to do with Donna, as well. I've heard that Rose's first episode back, the Doctor-lite, isn't an episode focusing on Rose with Donna showing up like many thought it would be. It's an episode focusing on Donna with Rose showing up.

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

How it should be, I think! Rose is going to be secondary, I believe. Not to say that she won't have her moment, especially in her reunion with Ten, but ultimately she is there for Donna's sake, even.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

My crack!theory about Harriet Jones is that the Daleks/Davros/Big Bad kidnapped her and are using her DNA to create their new round of super!Daleks, because they remember the original history, before Ten messed it up and denied Britain it's Golden Age (or whatever it was that Nine said), and recognize her as a Great Leader. She isn't working with them willingly.

So, basically, Ten's hissy fit over the Sycorax ship caused two of his worst enemies to gain power: first, the Master became Prime Minister during the power vacuum left by Jones; then, Dalek Sec/Davros/Big Bad used Jones to create the new race of Daleks, since no one noticed she was missing, unlike how everyone would have noticed the PM going AWOL. (Seriously, I thought Tony Blair had fallen off the face of the earth, until he randomly popped up on The Today Show, this morning.)

I think Ten is going to have to undo/to rewind everything he's done since deposing Jones, until he's basically back to the moment he was "born," which would fit in with the set reports and photos: Donna in a wedding dress, again; the return to Bad Wolf Bay; the supposed filming at the school where "School Reunion" was shot.
It might explain the "split in two" Doctor, rumor, as well. If the Doctor is crossing his own timeline, one of the Doctors was from the first time around; the other is from the redo.
Maybe his companions are going to have to solve their own problems this time, remembering what the Doctor did the first time?
Ultimately, the only people who remember the Doctor are the half-a-dozen companions he's had, who had to cross their own timelines to redo everything. So, the Doctor only becomes a memory/story/song, hinted at by him becoming a figure of myth (household god) in TFoP and being remembered in song by the Ood. Also, his companions have to remember him, otherwise we couldn't have two spin-offs.

This even fits within my even-more-cracked-out theory that Donna is fob-watched!Susan, because part of the price she'll (and the Lonely Angst) are going to have to pay in redoing history and stopping the Daleks/Davros/Master-behind-the-curtain, is that Donna is going to have to become human again and live for only a human life-span.


Alternatively, I could be completely wrong, and the Doctor will be split in two, leading to Internet Porn about Ten shagging himself.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Ten shagging himself? I'm not sure what would win out, the ego or the self-loathing. He'd end up shagging himself regardless so it's probably wouldn't matter.

I think you're right about the Daleks being able to kidnap Harriet since nobody would notice she was missing. I'd be very upset if that happened - it's just so sad to think that she wouldn't have people around her. I don't know why they would make new Daleks out of her genetics though. Yes, she's a good leader, but why would the Daleks want humans? Aren't we a last resort? Seems an even weirder plot than DiM/EotD.

Unless my pet fobwatch crack theory is right, and Harriet Jones is a fob-watched (I loved how that has become a verb) Romana, and they're using Time Lord genes.

Having Ten rewind everything he's done since he deposed Jones would give Moffatt a blank slate on which to work. But trying to think how that would work with with time, pardoxes and all that seems headache inducing.