Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Doctor Who made me cry



Yesterday's Doctor Who episode (as shown here in Canada on the CBC) actually made me cry at the end, it was so moving. The episode was "School Reunion," and featured the return of Sarah Jane Smith and K-9.

Sarah Jane had been the final companion for the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and the first companion for the fourth (Tom Baker); K-9 was the robot dog. And Anthony Stewart Head (Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) guest starred.

Now, I've often said that the job of good science fiction is to combine the intimately human and the grandly cosmic. Honestly, on the grandly cosmic part, this episode didn't work for me; the plot about bat aliens who had arrived on UFOs and taken over a school to harvest the children's minds and souls was over-the-top to the point of silliness (and structurally too much resembled "Father's Day," a Doctor Who episode from last season -- people trapped in a place normally thought of as safe, while flying monsters swoop around, and important figures from one of the stars' pasts are found and lost again).

But the intimately human part, which explored deftly both the Doctor's psychology in having an endless string of companions that he ends up abandoning, and the companions' psychology in following him on his adventures was brilliant and heart-breaking. I sobbed when Sarah Jane talked about missing out on having a family of her own, and sobbed again when she forced the Doctor to actually say goodbye this time.

Kudos, by the way, to Elisabeth Sladen, who was excellent. She was called upon to do subtle, sophisticated, emotionally true acting -- something never demanded of her when she'd been on Doctor Who back in the 1970s -- and she rose beautifully to the challenge; it's a terrific performance. The new Doctor Who is almost as much of a re-imagining of its precursor as is the new Battlestar Galactica, but I can't imagine Dirk Benedict from the old Battlestar fitting in on the new one, but Sladen is magnificent.

(On the other hand, Anthony Stewart Head is wasted in a rather silly part; he gives it his all, shrieking like a bat as required, but he's capable of so much more when given a decent part to play.)

By the way, for those interested in more of my thoughts about Doctor Who, I am featured heavily in the six-part web documentary series produced by the CBC called The Planet of the Doctor.


9 Comments:

At October 24, 2006 4:40 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

For me, it was Galactica that elicited the biggest emotional response...but I can understand too well why this one worked...

 
At October 24, 2006 4:49 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I loved the original Battlestar Galactic. I believe if memory serves me, it was initially released on the big screen back in 1979 before it made it's television debut. When news broke that Battlestar Galactica would be making a television comeback, I was really excited. But then, when I saw the way the camera angle wouldn’t sit still on a characters face for example ruined it for me. Hard on they eyes difficult for to watch. I assume the idea was to make this simulate outer space in an artistic sort of way and I appreciate that but it totally turned me off. Not only that but the pilot for the new version of BG was on HDTV, letter box format so we got 50% of the viewing area cut out on our 28" Sony.

As for Doctor Who, I’ve never been a fan of that either. Too much time travel. Or it did in the original episodes in the 70’s. One thing SF-ish, movie wise I am looking forward to is the upcoming James Bond movie. Casino Royal. I’ll try and look for the New Doctor Who but I don’t watch a lot of TV these days. Best Canadian made SF series IMHO was Space 1999.I think Relic Hunter was also Canadian made and I liked that as well.

Oops, sorry for the rant :-)

Jim

 
At October 24, 2006 9:06 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, I was speaking strictly of this week...

 
At October 25, 2006 7:47 AM , Blogger Lou_Sytsma said...

Sounds like a great episode, sorry I missed it. Jim give BSG a second chance. It is the best thing on TV period.

 
At October 25, 2006 6:08 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

lou:

I think I will but I hear the ratings are dropping. Story of my life soon as I get into something, it goes,

 
At October 26, 2006 1:40 AM , Blogger S William said...

e.jim, I ditto those sentiments.

Firefly. Deadwood. I don't watch much TV and tend to catch thigns on their way out.

 
At October 26, 2006 7:35 PM , Blogger Lou_Sytsma said...

There is always the DVD boxsets. Buy or rent them.

 
At November 27, 2006 1:34 PM , Anonymous Compassgrl said...

I'm a lifelong Who fan, and I also got all weepy over seeing SJ again, and getting a little closure after her abrupt series departure in, um, was it '73? The episode was otherwise a bit silly (but can't get much sillier than the slimy sleeping bag creatures of "Ark in Space"?) I'm enjoying the new series more than I expected, but it'll never be the same.

 
At December 21, 2006 5:02 PM , Anonymous Jason Ahlquist said...

"(On the other hand, Anthony Stewart Head is wasted in a rather silly part; he gives it his all, shrieking like a bat as required, but he's capable of so much more when given a decent part to play.)"

- Well it is a tradition in DW to recycle actors for totally different parts. Maybe this will happen with Anthony.

 

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