Category: Essay

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Essay

The Problems of Steven Moffat

Collage of Danny Pink magically jumping over a Skovox Blitzer in "The Caretaker"

Steven Moffat has been the showrunner and head writer of Doctor Who since 2010, when Russell T Davies left the show. The first Doctor that he wrote for was Matt Smith, and he continued in the 8th season with Peter Capaldi. As a writer under Davies, Moffat wrote award-winning stories: “The Empty Child”/”The Doctor Dances,” “The Girl in the Fireplace,” “Time Crash,” and “Silence In The Library“/”Forest of the Dead.” Since running both Doctor Who and Sherlock, critics say his work suffers from being spread too thin.

Most of Moffat’s episode endings don’t make sense. For instance, in the very beginning of “Listen,” The Doctor is writing with a piece chalk. When he puts it down, the chalk disappears and the word “listen” is written on a chalkboard. This is supposedly written by the “perfect hider,” a monster The Doctor is speculating about that causes mysterious events seen later throughout the episode. Later on, The Doctor states that everyone throughout history has the same dream, at some point in their lives, that is caused by the “perfect hider” somehow. In the end the truth is revealed: there was never a monster. The dream was caused by Clara Oswald, who grabbed The Doctor’s leg as a child in the night and gave him that dream. And…I guess gave everyone else the dream too. How can this even happen? Unless Clara grabbed every single person’s leg in the universe, it’s impossible. This entire ending is just one big plot hole.

Another problem I see in Moffat’s writing is that some of the episode subplots are entirely messed up. As an example, I will be using the episode “The Caretaker” (co-written with Gareth Roberts). The Doctor was trying to capture the Skovox Blitzer by placing devices around the school to send it billions of years in the future. If The Doctor really wanted no one to notice the devices he placed to trap the monster, he probably shouldn’t have put flashing green lights on them. And if he really needed those lights, he could have at least told the school staff not to mess with them. And Danny Pink, who removed the devices from where they were placed, shouldn’t mess with things in the first place, especially if he doesn’t know what they do. And when they finally do encounter the monster, towards the end of the fight when The Doctor is preparing the analog for the Skovox Blitzer, Danny runs at the robot and jumps over it to distract it so it doesn’t shoot The Doctor. The robot (instead of turning around) could have just shot The Doctor first then dealt with the rest of them. And there was DEFINITELY a trampoline under Danny in that scene.

And on top of that are the speeches. Moffat apparently loves writing completely useless, overly sappy speeches. Poor Peter Capaldi! In the episode “Into the Dalek,” after The Doctor repairs the Dalek, he acknowledges the fact that all he did was fix it. Clara then uses this time to yell at him to try harder. However, the way she did this is in an incredibly long and drawn out cliched speech. The result would have been exactly the same had she just told him not to give up. The only reason for that speech is to waste our time and torment the actors. I think they should just remake the classic Doctor Who episodes with today’s special effects. Then, Steven Moffat can stop ruining the show.

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Essay

On the Road to New Who’s Tenth Anniversary: A Dynamic Duo

In March of 2005, Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper made their debut in “Rose,” the first episode of the Doctor Who reboot. Eccleston had a well-established television and movie career at the time of his casting. Piper was a pop music sensation with a record deal at the age of 15. She left music in 2003 to return to acting, her first love. In 2004 Piper won the role of Rose Tyler, companion to the 9th Doctor. Link to TARDIS Data Core for both Eccleston and Piper

Russell T. Davies, head writer and showrunner for New Who, has maintained that he had Eccleston in mind for the Doctor from the outset, though he was not certain Eccleston would want the part. Other actors considered for the role included Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Bill Nighy, and Allen Davies. Once Eccleston accepted, he took the script and built the Doctor’s character around aspects of Davies’ personality. “Fantastic,” was Davies’ favorite word. As further role preparation, Eccleston watched Tom Baker in “The Talons of Weng-Chiang” (1977). Yet Eccleston’s Doctor had an edge that likely did not evolve from Davies or Baker. That edge is strictly Christopher Eccleston’s. Steven Moffat, who wrote two episodes for the 2005 Series 1, called Eccleston “an amazing Doctor.”

“What an amazing Doctor. This gritty, determined northerner. And he was written like a man in a pub. A clever man in a pub, but still a man in a pub.” Steven Moffat on Christopher Eccleston, South Wales Evening Post

Moffat also weighed in on Billie Piper as Rose:

“It was Billie Piper who brought it back. I think those first two years, that was Billie Piper’s show. It was all about Billie, and Billie as Rose. Russell [T. Davies] was so clever in creating that character and casting that character so perfectly.”

pubguy

But was there chemistry between the two? Yes. Contest that if you will, but it is difficult to deny. What begins with a giddy school-girl seeking adventure continues with an unconditional connection. During “The Parting of the Ways,” Rose looks into the Time Vortex and takes on the energy to save the Doctor. The episode ends in the Doctor kissing Rose to draw the energy, which forces his regeneration.

The BBC announced the casting of Billie Piper as Rose Tyler in May of 2004.

Julie Gardner, head of drama for BBC Wales in 2003, felt that Billie was perfect for the role Gardner called her a “unique, dynamic partner for Christopher Eccleston.” Given her age and past history as a music pop star, many had a difficult time believing Piper was the final choice. Some fans felt that it may have been a publicity stunt.

Billie showed them just how real she was in “Rose” (official air date March 26, 2005), which drew in 10.81 million viewers within one week. Spurred by the success of the episode, the BBC made the decision to go ahead with Series 2. This was made public on March 30, 2005. In a stunning leaked release on the same day, the BBC announced that Christopher Eccleston would not be returning for the second series. While the BBC originally stated that Eccleston’s reasons for leaving were based on his hesitation in being typecast, this was not an official statement from Eccleston. The faux pas likely was confirmation for Eccleston that his decision to leave was a good one. Eccleston did not see eye-to-eye with senior members of Doctor Who; however, he has stated that he was proud to have been able to play the role of Doctor.

What exactly was the relationship between the 9th Doctor and Rose Tyler? Eccleston put it this way:

“He loves her, simple as that. And she loves him. They both deny it, but her mother can see it. They’re very similar, Rose and the Doctor: both carry a sense of loneliness. He allows her freedom—he’s always encouraging her to experience things—but he expects a great deal of her, too. He’s constantly telling her, ‘If you want to travel with me, then don’t become a burden.'” Christopher Eccleston, Radio Times

Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper created a Doctor/companion team that helped to solidify Who‘s journey toward world-wide cult status. Love them or not, their legacy is undeniable.

Who fact: The world lost a great fantasy author this month: Sir Terence David John “Terry” Pratchett. Pratchett fell heavy on the critique of Doctor Who, saying it is “ludicrous and breaks most of the laws of narrative.” Though he felt that Who embraced “makeitupasyougoalongeum,” Pratchett continued to watch. Who can help themselves?

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Essay

Torchwood Season One: I am Jack’s Unreliable Staff

Torchwood promo photo of Season 1

Torchwood chooses style over logic, each and every time

Torchwood is aimed more for mature audiences than its spin-off parent Doctor Who. There’s swearing, graphic sex and violence, and greater emphasis on human corruptibility. Some episodes barely have space aliens (“Random Shoes“, “Combat“), while “Countrycide” has none.

Those mature themes, however, are expressed through American style conventions (specifically the 18-34 demographic of the WB/CW networks.) The sets are huge and stylish, lead actors are a bit too young for their positions, and interoffice romantic triangles are more complex than Tex Winter’s offense (The team’s most unlikable member slept with every female coworker.) It’s like watching an episode of Smallville or Buffy the Vampire Slayer with curse words.

Torchwood wants adult vocabulary, but none of the responsibility. Consider these Season One highlights:

  • Ianto sneaks his mid-conversion Cyberman girlfriend into HQ in “Cyberwoman” (hiding the body of one of her victims)
  • Tosh sneaks an alien into HQ in “Greeks Bearing Gifts”
  • Gwen sneaks a “dead and loving it” Suzie Costello out in “They Keep Killing Suzie” She also treats Rhys, her live-in boyfriend, horribly (lies about what she’s doing for Torchwood, has an affair, then confesses to Rhys after drugging him with amnesia pills.)
  • Owen disobeys direct orders by opening the Time Rift in “Captain Jack Harkness“
  • They all stage mutiny in “End of Days“
  • Captain Jack abandons his own team without a word in “End of Days“

These actions would be criminal in our world. On Torchwood, everything’s forgiven by the next episode. Captain Jack built a group less reliable than The A-Team.

These American genre conventions bring in a young audience, but they also undermine Torchwood‘s fantastic premise: How would we handle alien invasions without the Doctor? Classic and current Who provide some examples. The Brigadier killed hibernating Silurians in “Doctor Who and the Silurians“. PM Harriet Jones ordered ordered a hit on retreating Sycorax in “The Christmas Invasion.” Simply put, Torchwood could have been the hardest sci-fi program in history. Less Charmed, more Blade Runner.

There are some terrific things about Torchwood. “Out of Time” and “Captain Jack Harkness” were written and directed by women. The show portrays homosexuality and bisexuality in a mundane, understated manner. It’s fun watching Captain Jack develop between Doctor Who episodes “The Parting of the Ways” and “Utopia.”

So I’ll keep watching, knowing Torchwood will choose style over logic each and every time. Here’s to Captain Jack and his Howling, Unstable Commandoes!

Random Thoughts

  • Why is Jack so evasive about his past, especially about his relationship with the Doctor? It wouldn’t undermine his authority one iota.
  • More importantly, why is the rest of Team Torchwood so upset about his secrecy? In real life, employees are too busy with their jobs and lives to even think about their boss’s private life.
  • Given her actions in Season 1, how the Hell is Gwen “the conscience” of Torchwood?
  • Given his demeandor, how is Owen so desirable to every woman on Torchood?

The answer to all these questions is “Attracting a young audience with Americanized sci-fi genre rules for teenagers.”

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Essay

On the Road to New Who’s Tenth Anniversary: Show Runner Extraordinaire, Russell T. Davies

photo: Russell T. Davies thinking of Peter Capaldi as the twelfth Doctor
Why didn't I think of that? Russell T. Davies thinking of Peter Capaldi as the twelfth Doctor

Stephen Russell Davies was born the same year as Doctor Who—1963. His family had no idea that their son would become one of the most influential writers/producers of British television. Under the pen name Russell T. Davies, Stephen resurrected Doctor Who after a 16-year hiatus of the BBC run series and a failed attempt at a back-door pilot telemovie. A collaboration of the BBC and FOX, the 1996 movie was a ratings success in the UK but not America. It had been intended to kick-off an American-produced Who series, which was not commissioned. Who was waiting for Davies.

As a young adult, Davies had wanted to become a comic book artist. His color-blindness forced him to study English literature, which led to screen and playwriting. In 1985 Davies began working for BBC’s Children’s department. His work on Dark Season and Century Falls was highly successful. In l994 he began writing for adults, which ultimately led to his stint as show runner for the new Doctor Who. A fan since childhood, Davies had been lobbying for Doctor Who‘s return since the late 90s. His ideas (doubling the episode length, paring back the mythology of Gallifrey and the Time Lords, increasing the production values) were accepted. During Davies’ reign, the longer episodes were welcomed. The reduced Time Lord mythology led to plot holes, which continue to cause confusion for the fandom.

Davies writes openly about sexual orientation and continues to develop sexually diverse characters. The pansexual Captain Jack Harkness is one example. Doctor Who and Torchwood have same-sex couples. (Davies created Queer as Folk before Doctor Who, and gay lifestyle shows Cucumber, Banana, and Tofu after.) John Barrowman, the actor who portrayed Captain Jack, said that Davies “changed the face of television in the U.K.” Barrowman added, “He has taken subject matter that nobody else will touch, and he has put in characters that nobody else will bother doing.”

Davies was approached about becoming involved in a tenth anniversary celebration for new Who:

“Someone from the [BBC’s] branding team sent me a very lovely email saying do you want to do something. I don’t know what they imagined…a talk or a convention, perhaps. I just said no, to be honest. A program can’t have its fiftieth and then its tenth anniversary. I think that’s just confusing. It’s marvelous and glorious; let it carry on.”

According to Davies, current show runner Steven Moffat asks him to write an episode every year. Davies response: “I love Doctor Who with all my heart but nothing is more important to me than my own stuff.”

Cucumber, Banana, and Tofu seem to have Davies full creative attention. Ironically, Davies was quick to confirm interest in writing a Doctor Who movie if approached: “If we could get the lawyers and contracts flying now. You know I would do that because I think there’s a big leap to be made.”

Davies’ imprint on the cult-status Doctor Who continues. Moffat said Davies had a theory for Peter Capaldi, who appeared in Davies’ “The Fires of Pompeii” and in an episode of Torchwood. Davies phoned Moffat to applaud the casting of Capaldi as the twelfth Doctor. Moffat asked: “Okay, what was your theory, and does it still work?” Davies’ reply was, “Yes it does. Here it is…“

Moffat (who often lies) says that he will use Davies’ original plan for Capaldi, and will “play that one out over time. It’s actually quite neat.” However, in Radio Times Davies said: “I know Peter Capaldi. He did a Doctor Who with us and he did a brilliant Torchwood and when they cast him I was just envious. I just thought: so brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that? Brilliant.” Does that contradict Moffat’s assertion that there was secret plan?

Davies continues to be touted as the savior for Doctor Who. One aspect of his legacy seems certain: “It’s now impossible for it to ever be axed,” he told Radio Times. “It’s certainly heading that way. Could you imagine if it was axed now? There would be uproar in the streets. Twitter would be set on fire.”

You can take the man out of Doctor Who, but apparently cannot take Doctor Who out of the man. If the BBC’s offer is right, we may see Russell T. Davies pen a script for the Doctor again.

Who Fact: Stephen Fry wrote a Doctor Who script. It was inspired by the story of Sir Gaiwan and the Green Knight, a traditional Celtic medieval poem. Davies thought it too complicated and requested revision. Fry never had time to do so.

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Essay

The Power of Three: Pertwee Is the Best

The twelfth Doctor might be “revisiting an old favorite.”

photo: comparison of young Jon Pertwee and Arthur Darvill
Did the Time Lords base the third Doctor’s face on Rory Williams?

Jon Pertwee is my favorite Doctor (1970–1974). His performance was fueled with 50 years of life experience. As a Naval Intelligence officer in WWII (along with Ian Fleming), Jon reported directly to Winston Churchill:

“I did all sorts of incredible things. Teaching commandos how to use escapology equipment, compasses in brass buttons, secret maps in white cotton handkerchiefs, pipes you could smoke that also fired a .22 bullet.”

The third Doctor reflected Jon’s love of gadgets. Exiled on Earth by the Time Lords, he passed the timey-wimey building new technology. This aspect has been picked up by new Doctors 10 (the machine that goes “DING!”), 11 (constant TARDIS repairs) and 12 (hacked technology in “The Caretaker“). The Doctor’s favorite working project was the canary-yellow Edwardian roadster “Bessie.” Based on a 1940s Ford Popular chassis, Bessie was the perfect replacement for his TARDIS (itself a junker when he stole it).

FYI: Jon started acting after the war, eventually appearing in Will Any Gentleman…? with William Hartnell in 1953.

In spite of the magician’s outfit he wore as a joke, Pertwee insisted on portraying the role more seriously than his immediate predecessor Patrick Troughton (who left the show with co-stars and main production team). He wanted his Doctor to be a heroic, charming and technically savvy man of action…sort of a middle-aged James Bond.

Partners in Crime

Jon Pertwee as the Doctor (Spearhead from Space)
Can’t get away: The Doctor discovers his TARDIS is broken in “Spearhead from Space”

This Doctor empowered his companions. As scientific lead of UNIT, Liz Shaw was initially skeptical of his alien origins. He charmed her with his technical abilities (and his mischievous attempt to escape with a disabled TARDIS) in “Spearhead from Space.” Comparatively, Jo Grant was a bimbo who wore a satin choker when introducing herself as his new assistant in “Terror of the Autons.” Her character grew; she was talking the Doctor out of dumb ideas by “Carnival of Monsters.” Sarah Jane Smith was even more skeptical, leading a guerrilla attack against a medieval-Sontaran alliance in “The Time Warrior.”

His relationship with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart developed as well. Stuck on Earth against his will, the Doctor childishly lashed out on the Brig. Played brilliantly by Nicholas Courtney, he endured the Doctor’s tantrums with unflappable grace. This run was the foundation of their friendship for future regenerations.

The Next Doctor

Perhaps the exile (the longest time he’s had to stay in one place until reboot episodes “The Power of Three” and “Time of the Doctor“) cemented the Doctor’s love of humanity. In “The Ark in Space”, the fourth Doctor says “It may be irrational of me, but human beings are quite my favorite species.” Why does he go through extreme measures to save Earth? I think he wants to keep us alive long enough to realize our potential.

photo: Roger Delgado and John Simm as the Master
The Master Degenerated (in my humble opinion): Roger Delgado, John Simm

Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor was my favorite since 1980 (David Tennant was a close second). Watching Jon Pertwee in “The Three Doctors” changed that. Pertwee fans would think Tom Baker was too young and goofy. Roger Delgado‘s performance as the Master in “Mind of Evil“, “Terror of the Autons” and “The Sea Devils” ruined John Simm’s Master for me (Derek Jacobi’s performance at the end of “Utopia” came close to the old Master).

This era had its silly moments. By today’s standards, a 55-year-old hero flipping stunt men half his age with Venusian Aikido is as hilarious as Captain Kirk’s fake judo on Star Trek. The Bug-eyed monsters and special effects make suspension of disbelief almost impossible. For a wholesome BBC kid’s show with no budget, Doctor Who is extraordinarily well written and conceived. Tom Baker’s madman antics won me over as an 18-year-old discovering the show from Starlog magazine. As a middle-aged man today, Jon Pertwee is the best.

Best of the Best

Presented in order of original broadcast:

Spearhead From Space
This is the debut of the third Doctor, Liz Shaw, the Autons, UNIT as a regular character, and first episode shown in color. Having no memory of his forced regeneration and exile, he stops Nestene fron conquering Earth with Autons. The plot inspired “Rose,” first episode of the 2005 reboot.
Inferno
A drilling project called Inferno digs through the Earth’s crust to get energy. Inferno’s director chooses production over safety, with catastrophic consequences. The serial drags on for 7 episodes, but the parallell universe the Doctor gets thrown into is gold. Nicholas Courtney gets to play a heroic and fascist Brigadier.
Terror of the Autons
The Nestene Consciousness makes their second attempt at invading Earth with Autons. This series debuts the Master (played brilliantly by Roger Delgado) and Jo Grant as the Doctor’s new companion.
The Mind of Evil
The Doctor encounters a prison reform technique inspired by A Clockwork Orange. He speaks Chinese in one scene, first time using an Earth language other than English (with subtitles). The cast is brilliant, but Roger Delgado steals the show as the Master.
The Three Doctors
In this first ever multi-Doctor story, the Time Lords unite the Doctors against Omega’s anti-matter plot to destroy the universe. The real pleasure is the chemistry between Troughton and Pertwee. It’s also the first use of “Oh, you redecorated. I don’t like it.” William Hartnell was too weak to stand at this point, but still managed to slam his future selves “a dandy and a clown.”
Carnival Of Monsters
The Doctor’s trapped in a miniature carnival of aliens, and characters are trapped in an endless loop of their own actions. First episode of a shrunken TARDIS (followed up by “Logopolis” and “Flatline“), first performance by Ian Marter (future Harry Sullivan), and the Time Lords end the Doctor’s exile to Earth. Everything before the Bug-eyed monsters appear is fantastic.
The Green Death
The environmentalist/anti-corporate themes are a bit rushed and underdeveloped, but Jon got to flex his comedy chops with a variety of disguises and funny voices. The serial ends with Jo Grant leaving the Doctor for Professor Jones. He looks as heartbroken at her engagement party as David Tennant explaining his lost companions at the end of “The Next Doctor.”
The Time Warrior
A lone Sontaran warrior, seeking to repair his space ship and leave Earth of the Middle Ages, gives advanced weapons to bandits. This introduces Sontarans (who are more terrifying and sadistic than in modern episodes), Sarah Jane Smith (who mistakenly thinks the Doctor is part of the Sontaran plot, organizes a guerilla attack) and the name of the Doctor’s home planet Gallifrey.
Planet Of The Spiders
The final Jon Pertwee story. There’s a lot of filler in this 6-episode story, but it wraps up a few loose ends (the blue crystal he stole from Metebelis Three in “The Green Death”). It also introduces Buddhist themes and the term “regeneration.” Sarah Jane Smith is a brilliant companion, and the Doctor shows his finest character traits…even while facing his own death.
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Essay

On the Road to New Who’s Tenth Anniversary

The first episode of Classic Doctor Who aired in 1963, then saw two plus decades of air time ending in 1989. After a failed attempt to bring the series back in 1996 with a television movie, the BBC rebooted the program with Russell T. Davies at the helm as showrunner and head writer on March 26, 2005. In millions of homes, Billie Piper (alongside Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor) burst onto the screen in “Rose” as the Doctor’s new companion. The show is ingrained in British culture and has become a world-wide phenomenon and a cult favorite. Recently, Russell T. Davies said “It’s now impossible for it to ever be axed. It’s certainly heading that way. Could you imagine if it was axed now? There would be uproar in the streets. Twitter would be set on fire.”

Indeed, the recently completed Series 8 with Peter Capaldi debuting as the 12th Doctor, was viewed by 30% more Americans than the previous series (Moffat, November, 2014). The term “Whovian” may be on its way into Webster’s and the words Time and Relative Dimension in Space are synonymous with a time-traveling vehicle. I cannot help but wonder what H.G. Wells would have to say. Or, perhaps he has been feeding Who writers. After all we saw a similar feat occur in “Blink” (Series 3, Episode 10).

As the tenth anniversary for New Who nears, there has been ongoing speculation as to whether there will be a celebration. Radio Times reported that Russell T. Davies was approached by the BBC to participate in the tenth anniversary. Davies’ answer was a resounding no. Currently, Davies keeps very busy with his new venture, Cucumber, Tofu, and Banana, a serialized drama examining gay life in Britain. While his focus and commitment to his new project is understandable, the fandom certainly loses.

Davies’ contention is that Doctor Who recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and a tenth anniversary the following year is confusing. On November 23, 2013, BBC aired “The Day of the Doctor” to mark the 50th. A New Who tenth anniversary special would air a mere 16 months later. However, with the first episode of Series 9 another 8 months away, many Whovians would welcome the oasis of a celebration amidst the desert of empty months after “Last Christmas“, which aired on December 25, 2014. When Steven Moffat, Who’s current showrunner and head writer, was asked in August of 2014 about a tenth anniversary special, he indicated that a special would not occur, “unless” he said, “I’m lying.” Ironically lying has been a theme in Moffat’s Series 8.

So what’s a Whovian to do as the March New Who tenth anniversary approaches and thirst for the Doctor increases? The Doctor Who Hub on facebook is hosting “Rose” Day. Many may choose to join this event and watch Series 1, Episode 1 “Rose” in celebration. Others may host house parties offering Who episodes for viewing, and yet others may find Who-related events at nearby pubs. How do you plan on celebrating New Who’s tenth?

Who Fact: Russell T. Davies and David Tennant chose to leave Doctor Who at the same time (2009). When Davies was asked if he would write an episode for Tennant’s successor, Matt Smith, his reply was: “Absolutely none. I wouldn’t want to write a single word for him. When he appears, every word will be written by Steven Moffat. He’s Steven’s, and Matt’s, character.” (Undated interview with Russell Davies and David Tennant on david-tennant.com)

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Essay

I’m the Doctor. I’ve made many mistakes.

Doctor & Jo

Remember This Soundbite?

“It’s about time I did something about that.” This statement from Deep Breath was a focal point at the beginning of the season. I’d be interested in knowing how many people feel that it has carried through the season and in what way? Or, do you feel that it hasn’t actually been addressed and that we’ve been left hanging.

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Essay

Flatline

illustration
Flat Stanley runs from a Moffat speech

The Gabby Gallifreyan was in full swing last week

The actual speech poor Peter Capaldi had to deliver while chasing the evil aliens away:

I tried to talk. I want you to remember that. I tried to reach out. I tried to understand you. But I think you understand us perfectly. And I think that you just don’t care. And I don’t know if you’re here to invade, infiltrate or just replace us. I don’t suppose it really matters now. You are monsters! That is the role you seem determined to play. So it seems that I must play mine! The man that stops the monsters. I’m sending you back to your own dimension. Who knows? Some of you may even survive the trip. And if you do, remember this: you are not welcome here. This plane is protected. I am the Doctor. And I name you…the boneless!

This is only the latest example of Moffat never writing a speech he didn’t like.

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Essay

Handles’ Revenge

illustration
Vlad the Impailer

Public display of beheaded enemies is more Vlad the Impaler than rebel Time Lord.

This is my reaction to Steven Moffat’s “swaggering bully” version of the Doctor. Handles is a beheaded Cyberman, reduced to a pet. Strax is an emasculated Sontaran commander. My fellow Whovians wouldn’t think these humiliations were so cute if his Vlad the Impaler tactics were reversed.

Let’s start with “Stepin Fetchit” Strax. Once a highly-respected commander of the Sontaran Empire, he serves as a nurse (“When a Good Man Goes to War“) and butler (most of Season 7, “Name of the Doctor“). Voluntarily joining the Doctor’s pet collection — result of “The Battle of Moffat’s Run” — makes his conversion even more offensive. Once a decorated war criminal, now a buffoon.

Handles is even worse, a murderous cyborg reduced to household pet in “Time of the Doctor“. As the Doctor’s powerless confidant, he serves and banters with his master like Tony Stark’s JARVIS. Considering how the he subjugated Handles for at least 1,000 years, the Doctor’s grief seems delusional at best.

These portrayals reminded me of abducted African slaves. They smiled and obeyed, but those unaffected by Stockholm Syndrome hid their rage. They drempt about — and plotted against — their oppressors every waking moment. This illustration is Field Captive’s Rage.

Polluting a kid’s sci-fi show with slave rebellion politics is probably a mistake, but Doctor Who has a pretty smart adult demographic. Does it work for you?

— Dave M!, fighting the power.

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Essay

Into the Dalek: Spaceman Don’t Play That

comic book art
Next time, try words

A lot of bloggers liked this moment of “Into the Dalek”. Who Say described Clara’s slapping the Doctor “put this new, colder Doctor in his place”. Tech Times said it “Bravo for smacking some sense back into the Doctor right when he needed it.” The AV Club said “literally slaps sense into the Doctor”.

I completely disagree. There was nothing in the Doctor’s behavior to suggest he enjoyed being right more than he wanted to live. Clara’s actions makes her the worst possible companion to have in a crisis. Because the script was written Steven Moffat (with Phil Ford), her actions implausibly work. This is a lame attempt to make an underwritten female character “strong” by making her mean. Throughout Season 8, their relationship seems more like an Eric Stanton fantasy fantasy.

My Doctor’s reaction is closer to the “rebel Time Lord” they talked about in the Doctor Who World Tour.

Longtime fans will spot my influences. “Clara Oswald never existed” came from the Season 8 finale “Death in Heaven“. During the world tour, Peter Capaldi described his portrayal as a “rebel Time Lord”. “That’s the kind of Time Lord I am” is from David Tennant’s first episode “The Christmas Invasion“.

Materials used for this story
12″ x 18″ live area on Strathmore 500 bristol paper
Blick Black Cat india ink
Speedball nib #512 (phase one inking, outlines)
Short-handle round #4 sable brush (phase two inking)
Ruling pen (borders)
Speedball B6 and B5 (lettering)
Ames Lettering Guide (4.0 even-spaced calibration)
Adobe Photoshop (production, Duo-Shade gray tones)

Inked with the pen first, brush second technique perfected by Alex Toth, Steve Ditko and Joe Maneely. Gray tones applied with an Duo-Shade emulation technique, in an attempt to make this look like a Warren publication.

— Dave M!, making a right with two wrongs.