Xmas viewing

[kangeiko]

I'm going to second selenak's squee over the Doctor Who Xmas special. What better way to squeal over the holidays than to indulge in the Doctor?

Like many, I was a little dubious about Catherine Tate in the 'companion' role - for however short a time - because I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to stand her, to be honest. All I could think of when I first saw her was 'am I bovvered?' and was squirming inside. But, you know what? I needn't have worried. She made Donna into a rounded character - one I could sympathise with - and I adored her first meeting with the Doctor. "What? What? What?!" Bless him!

I was also impressed with how gently the subject of Rose was raised and dropped, raised and dropped - it was obviously something that weighed on the Doctor's mind, but it was also something he was trying to put behind him. I was also impressed with the Doctor's treatment of the Rachna (Arachae?) and Donna's horror at his actions.



My word, but I was impressed with this! Daniel Craig makes for a very sexy, very cold-hearted James Bond, wich I obviously adored. Who doesn't find a cold-hearted, blood-spattered man sexy? (What do you mean, I've got issues?) Anyway. My brother and I were trying to decide if Vesper would die or turn out evil... by the time he declared his love for her, it was obvious that she'd die and turn out evil. 'Tis the way of Bond.

I also loved M and Villiers - awww, Tobias Menzies! I'll bet you anything there's Villiers/Bond slash out there 'cause Toby's so cute BUT I'm more of a Bond/M kinda gal. Obviously slightly scary in anything other than PG-13 form, but M is a scary, sexy lady.

Much love for the Aston Martin. Even more love for the brutal, undignified, horrifying torture scene. It didn't make torture look sexy or appealing, and I salute them for that.

Bring on the next movie!


Also, I got many, many presents.

- Cash - always needed.
- The West Wing Season 7
- Elizabeth Arden beauty care lovelies
- Lovely, lovely books, including The Skeptical Environmentalist and The Guide to Elegance, and from queenspanky, The Art of Teese - mmmmm..... *purrs*
- Electric toothbrush-thingie which shall doubtless take me years to master (electrical appliances and me are unmixy things)
- seamed stockings & various other clothing lovelies

I also discovered various other bits and pieces that I'd thought I'd lost, including a porcelain lacquered jewellery box, inlaid with 24 carat gold and with beautiful gold-upon-copper etchings of a pavilion amidst falling cherry blossoms. The sales also yielded a beautiful Mucha calendar, and 40 degrees below, which is one of Kim Stanley Robinson's environmental books.

I am very pleased indeed. *glows*

Back home tomorrow, for to sleep some more. Yes.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

There is a great Bond/M story by astolat which I linked a couple of weeks ago and you must read it, if you haven't already.

Also, I did see a Villiers/Bond story somewhere, which is fair, since clearly Villiers is the new Moneypenny.*g*

And in conclusion: GALLIFREY!

[kangeiko]

I read the Bond/M one, yes, it was amazing. Why are there not more fics like that around?? Selena, I command you to write some immediately!! *dangles cake*

Also, I did see a Villiers/Bond story somewhere, which is fair, since clearly Villiers is the new Moneypenny.*g*

I am doing a big fat *palmface* as I only clocked on to that after I posted my review. *rolls eyes* But, yes. Where is this Villiers fic? *pets the lovely Tobias*

And in conclusion: GALLIFREY!

Forgive my lack of Who-knowledge, I am but a mere newbie, but is it significant that he said it on-screen? I thought that it was canon...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Does that cake include more Angel/1602 fic, hmmmmm?

Where is this Villiers fic?

Occupational Hazard (http://sandrine.livejournal.com/605803.html), at your service.

Forgive my lack of Who-knowledge, I am but a mere newbie, but is it significant that he said it on-screen? I thought that it was canon...

Oh, it is, but the name hasn't been spoken on screen in the new series. Since Rusty killed off all the other timelords off screen (which on the one hand was an understandable move to solve the 40 years of continuity problem by making it easier for newbies to start the show without having to know who these chaps are and what the Doctor's relationships to individual members was, as well as giving the Doctor a trauma he did not have in the old show, but on the other was like, say, restarting Buffy and telling fans in the first new episode that all the Scoobies died off screen), such nods to Old School background have been rare and thus get appreciated all the more. Personally, I think he's doing his homages in just the right way - for example, the Doctor taking the pseudonym "Jamie McCrimmon" in the episode "Tooth and Claw" isn't something you have think about as a new fan, but as an old fan you're tickled because that's the name of Two's Highlander companion, and no time is wasted on exposition - but still, Gallifrey is a major thing, so I was very happy indeed to hear it spoken out loud.

Not least because, like many an old fan, I hold out hope at least one other timelord may have survived (I mean, if the Daleks pop up now and again?), and the Doctor mentioning Gallifrey on screen could be a hint of that...

[kangeiko]

Does that cake include more Angel/1602 fic, hmmmmm?

You know, it's funny you should ask, 'cause that is one of the things I'm working on over this break. I want to have the first draft of part 2 done by the first week of january, so. But I don't want to promise anything 'cause I'll jinx it.

Occupational Hazard, at your service.

Thank you!

Oh, it is, but the name hasn't been spoken on screen in the new series. Since Rusty killed off all the other timelords off screen

Wait - off screen? That part I did NOT know! I can only imagine the outcry... I thought that things were changed with - Paul McGann? Do I have that right?

Gallifrey is a major thing, so I was very happy indeed to hear it spoken out loud.

Ah, it all makes sense now!

Not least because, like many an old fan, I hold out hope at least one other timelord may have survived (I mean, if the Daleks pop up now and again?), and the Doctor mentioning Gallifrey on screen could be a hint of that...

You know that's going to mess with my head, now...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Nope. The American tv movie with Paul McGann did many dreadful things (among others, it made the Doctor half-human, because you know, a fully Alien hero is unthinkable apparantly - something which first fandom and then the BBC, bless it, decided was not canon when they revived the show, and methinks the Daleks yelling "half human - blasphemy!" in "Parting of the Ways" is a tongue-in-cheek-reference to that one), and is, aside from Sylvester McCoy being great in his final appearance as Seven and Paul McGann being great as Eight, a horrible mess... but: the timelords made it out of that one alive. No, that was solely RTD in the new series. He's the one who killed them off and made the Doctor the last one.

Surviving timelord: the Sun reported more than once that the Rani will show up in s3, though RTD has denied it. (The Rani was a minor villain, which actually would be an advantage because she doesn't have as much baggage as the Doctor's arch-nemesis the Master, but she WAS a villain, and having another member of his species - and THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES - show up and let it be someone who never could stand him and vice versa could be promising.) And of course Four/Romana 'shippers want her back with a vengeance. It's a double-edged thing - on the one hand, the Doctor being the last is a quintessential characterisation thing of the new series, on the other, like I said, there are story possibilities, and it's a very recent addition to the Who myth...

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Eee! These sound utterly lovely, as presents go. I, too, cannot complain (though I often do; you know me & ;-). Will post more about that later.

Miss you. Wish I could've come. WHY DO I HAVE EXAMS? Why am I such a sucker in public law? *hate*

...that reminds me, did I tell y'all I passed the first test? I DID! 6 points only, but hey. 3 points above the fail grade of 3. PASSED IS PASSED.

Love you. AND I THINK I GOT YOUR PRESENT, here! & :-P Gah, must send yours....

[kangeiko]

Congrats!!! *twirls you* hey, a pass is a pass is a pass - I need 50% on my exams, and I would be thrilled with 51% across the board. :)

Am massively behind on lj - will catch up soon and send you many kisses. I miss you lots!! I wish you could be here too. *is sad* But! I may be going to Paris for a weekend at the end of feb - wanna come meet queenspanky and myself there? We were gonna hang out at the Louvre and eat baguettes. :)