Just some tinky-thoughts on the DW Christmas Special

[keep_counting]

So, I liked Madge I really did. I thought she was a suitably badass, the plot was okay, Eleven made me laugh and the children weren't annoying: in fact I really liked Lily and I wanted to squeeze the life out of Cyril.

But my main problem with this is the whole motherhood > womanhood thing. Madge was strong because she was a mother - you can take this either in the way that her love for her kids made her strong, which I'm all for. Her response to the guys from Androzani (Classic Who reference! does anything good comes from that hell-hole?) was brilliant and bamf.

On the other hand, does that mean she was only strong as a mother, and not just because she was a woman? (note that for me, 'motherhood' is a concept, or call it a role, not an issue of gender. A man can be a 'mother-figure' as much as a woman can be a 'father-figure' for me). Because if that's the case - mothers = strong, woman = needy, which Moffat tends to give us an expression of - then, because I currently don't want children, does that mean I'm weak?

Sorry, no, but this bugs me a lot. I do believe that a parents love for their children can make them stronger than anything you could possibly imagine (and btw, where was this plotline when Melody was taken Moffat?????? In this view Amy is a crap mother, sorry), but Madge could have been just as strong and determined and amazing on her own, and the fact that she was 'only' strong enough to carry the forest because she was a mother left me annoyed - and the whole 'mothership' explanation was a little weak. As I said above, it's something that can be intepreted differently, I just think Moffat makes it a very bad habit of woman = only wants husband and babies (River's ending anyone?)

As stated above, I don't want children. Not because I don't like them - I have an eight year old sister, and I adore her. But I don't want children, because as of the moment, I want other things from my life. That might change, but as now my point stands. None of this makes me un-womanly. None of this makes me one of those non-existing stereotypes of over-independent feminist that everyone loves to play up so much. It also does not make me a bad person or a weak person. At all. The women = wants babies mentality is way too close to the women = needs to be housewife one, and seeing as this is 2011 (almost goddamn '12) it has to stop.

Back to the episode: I didn't find the tree-people very impressive either, but maybe that was just because I had to watch it on a (high definition though) computer screen. Their features were too... dark? I liked that the daddy didn't die though, even if it was a bit predictable: the fact that it was Madge all along, and the Doctor basically didn't do anything was even more amazing :) and also, Amy fights carolers off with a water pistol. I WILL START DOING THIS!!!

Comments

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

"where was this plotline when Melody was taken Moffat??????"

Seriously!!

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

I know, right? :P don't get me wrong, I like Amy (and adore Karen Gillan), but it always makes me laugh when people call Amy 'strong' as opposed to for example Rose and Martha who were apparantly 'clingy and needy' for fighting for the people they loved. Yes, Amy basically did nothing to get her daughter back - what kind of person is that to look up to? One thing is waiting for your mad man in a box, but this is your goddamn daughter we are talking about. I think it would be a horrible mother that would ever stop looking, and the fact that she knows it's River - who has been raised by evil aliens to be a psychopath that kills their best friend - only makes it worse - do something lady ;)

[novindalf]

I found most of this episode disappointing and downright cringy.

Only real good moments for me were: the 'improvements' on the house; Madge's badass gun-producing crying cover story; the prettiness of the trees with the baubles; and Amy with a water pistol.

Everything else felt predictable/boring/contrived/dull/uninspiring/rushed/all of the above.

=(

(But so I don't sound like a complete Scrooge, I spent the rest of Christmas evening jumping up and down in my seat and squeeing and annoying the heck out of my relatives while we watched the Downton Abbey special. So it's not me (not really - just me and my rocky relationship with DW for this episode...)

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

Hehe, one good thing about not liking Moffat: no big expectations ;) though I'm sorry you disliked it so much - I found it very boring as well, though. I just really liked Madge ;) though I didn't get the start: how is it possible to 1: breathe in space (even for the Doctor) and 2: fall from space?? Shouldn't he just have been floating?

I really have to start watching Downtown Abbey as well!

[novindalf]

Yes, you absolutely MUST watch Downton Abbey. After Spooks, of course ;D

Yeah, I was thinking that too, but tbh I gave up after so long on that episode. DW Christmas specials have never been my favourites - after The Runaway Bride I basically gave up on them.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

Of course :D

I actually liked The Runaway Bride, but that is because I am a Catherine Tate-worshipper I suspect.

[novindalf]

No no, I loved TRB! I meant that I haven't liked any of the Christmas specials following that =P

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

Aaaah ;D

[fueschgast]

And this is why I'm worried about A Scandal in Belgravia!

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* I am a little bit as well, but even if the writing's bad, as least we have magnificent actors: Martin and Benedict and Mark, and I promise you Lara Pulver is great as well, even if she will portray Moffat's twisted view of a strong woman (no, I'm not bitter. Why would you think that??). Let's lower our expectations and be pleasantly surprised if it's actually good :)

[fueschgast]

Sounds like a plan. And reeeeaaally, even if I disagree with his women, I like Moffat's stuff. It can't be that bad. ...I need a "keep calm and ___" icon.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

Or just a Jimmy icon ;)