Monday, August 8, 2011

The Pain of Life, as revealed in doctor who

For several weeks, you got to have endless posts about Mongolia.  Now there are endless posts about Doctor Who!  Mwahahaha!  No, not really, because I have finished season 4 and must now take a break to catch up continuity by watching seasons 2 and 3 of Torchwood.

However.  I have feeeelings.  These kind of feelings:


You might remember how I got overly emotional at the season 2 finale of Doctor Who.  At the time, I had never cried so hard at a TV show (movie/book/etc) before.  And maybe this wasn't as bad, but it might have been.  There was definitely blanket biting and sobbing involved.

Which got me thinking.  WHY?  Why do these stories affect me so much?  And I figured it out.  In both of these finales, we are forewarned that the Doctor's companions are going to die.  So I'm prepared for the worst, ready to watch them go out as heroes and shed a few tears.  And then the loophole kicks in and THERE ARE WORSE THINGS THAN DEATH.

In season 2, Rose is forever (kinda sorta) separated from the Doctor.  She can never travel with him, see new worlds, and experience that kind of reckless, important, and awesome life ever again.  In season 4, Donna has her mind wiped by the Doctor.  She can never travel with him, see new worlds, and experience that kind of reckless, important, and awesome life ever again.

Some reviewers I read were complaining about that, how promising a character death but not delivering lessens the impact.  I could not disagree more, because their fates are much sadder to me than mere death.  They have to endure, to live on with the pain of separation.

And that is why I love Doctor Who, because it gets deeper than merely the pain of death.  It deals with the pain of life.
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2 comments:

  1. AnessaAugust 9, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    You know...I have skipped over Dr. Who on Netflix many times. I have paused to think about watching and haven't. I do this with all of Joss Whedon things too. I don't know why because I eventually watch and it reaffirms that all things Joss are amazing. One of these days I bet I will succumb and will watch Dr. Who as well. :)

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  2. mr.biggaAugust 9, 2011 at 12:58 PM

    Though the companion's adventures eventually come to an end with the Doctor, there is the never-ending hope that rests in the fact that they may someday see him again... kind of a resurrection tale if you will. I know that it is probably not proper to compare the return of the Doctor to the companion's lives to the inevitable return of Christ, but it makes for fun speculation at the times that you have pictured above. Afterall, there have been 11 Doctors (I think) and countless companions. Perhaps you could be a companion when you grow up... I plan on being a firetruck when I grow up.

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