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wintercompanion2012-03-10 06:15 pm
trobadora) wrote in wintercompanion2012-03-10 06:15 pm
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Meta Month of March: Ep Discussion: Boom Town
What do you mean, who the hell am I? Who the hell are you?
So it goes: Through Mickey's eyes we are re-introduced to Team TARDIS. And quite a few things have changed since last we saw them! The Doctor, Rose, and Jack are finishing each other's sentences, Jack is working on the TARDIS all on his own, and they're all relaxed with each other, the wariness from the end of last episode gone.
Into time and space!
It's the only time we get the Doctor/Rose/Jack team on a normal adventure - well, what passes for normal for them! We have their first (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances) and their last (Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways), and we know there must have been quite a few in between, but this is the only one we get to see. Jack is flirting with the Doctor, and in one scene (How come I never get any of that?) Doctor/Jack is paralleled and contrasted to Rose/Mickey. The Doctor trusts Jack to work on the TARDIS all on his own while everyone else leaves, and even when things go wrong, the Doctor doesn't just take over; Jack and he keep working on it together. Quite a change.
Also, once again (as usual when Jack is involved) there is so much joy and glee and fun around. Until ...
At last you have consequences.
For some reason, this episode doesn't get much love, perhaps because of that shift in tone. But it's one of my favourites - there's something about it that's quintessential Who to me. We get a fun romp - Jack telling tall tales, silly chase sequences, geeking out over the tribophysical waveform macrokinetic extrapolator, Rose learning how to say "Raxacoricofallapatorius" ... and then - you think you are so clever! - then, it all comes to a screeching halt: They have the death penalty. And what was a silly romp turns serious as Team TARDIS has to face the consequences of what they do. For once, there's no running away. No moving on to the next adventure. For once, they have to look the consequences in the face. And there's no easy way out.
Of course because this is Doctor Who and not Torchwood, we do get the TARDIS-ex-machina at the end, so they don't actually have to make that choice in the end: She's an egg! - But in the mean time, we get a very serious examination of what the Doctor's adventures mean for those not travelling along. This is an episode of outside perspectives, Mickey and Blon showing us the parts we don't normally see: friends and enemies, those left behind, the consequences. Brilliant.
What do you think? Here are a few questions for your consideration, in no particular order:
So it goes: Through Mickey's eyes we are re-introduced to Team TARDIS. And quite a few things have changed since last we saw them! The Doctor, Rose, and Jack are finishing each other's sentences, Jack is working on the TARDIS all on his own, and they're all relaxed with each other, the wariness from the end of last episode gone.
Into time and space!
It's the only time we get the Doctor/Rose/Jack team on a normal adventure - well, what passes for normal for them! We have their first (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances) and their last (Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways), and we know there must have been quite a few in between, but this is the only one we get to see. Jack is flirting with the Doctor, and in one scene (How come I never get any of that?) Doctor/Jack is paralleled and contrasted to Rose/Mickey. The Doctor trusts Jack to work on the TARDIS all on his own while everyone else leaves, and even when things go wrong, the Doctor doesn't just take over; Jack and he keep working on it together. Quite a change.
Also, once again (as usual when Jack is involved) there is so much joy and glee and fun around. Until ...
At last you have consequences.
For some reason, this episode doesn't get much love, perhaps because of that shift in tone. But it's one of my favourites - there's something about it that's quintessential Who to me. We get a fun romp - Jack telling tall tales, silly chase sequences, geeking out over the tribophysical waveform macrokinetic extrapolator, Rose learning how to say "Raxacoricofallapatorius" ... and then - you think you are so clever! - then, it all comes to a screeching halt: They have the death penalty. And what was a silly romp turns serious as Team TARDIS has to face the consequences of what they do. For once, there's no running away. No moving on to the next adventure. For once, they have to look the consequences in the face. And there's no easy way out.
Of course because this is Doctor Who and not Torchwood, we do get the TARDIS-ex-machina at the end, so they don't actually have to make that choice in the end: She's an egg! - But in the mean time, we get a very serious examination of what the Doctor's adventures mean for those not travelling along. This is an episode of outside perspectives, Mickey and Blon showing us the parts we don't normally see: friends and enemies, those left behind, the consequences. Brilliant.
What do you think? Here are a few questions for your consideration, in no particular order:
- How much time has passed since The Doctor Dances? The Team TARDIS dynamics have changed a lot - they're very clearly a team now. But at the same time, Jack has apparently never asked about the broken chameleon circuit before.
- How serious is the flirting? At this point the Doctor is very obviously flirting back; does he mean it? Would it have gone anywhere if they'd travelled together longer, if Bad Wolf hadn't already been looming on the horizon?
- The Doctor gives Jack that weird look when Jack rattles off his plan, but how serious do you think the Doctor really is about being in charge?
- Blon's insights into the Doctor (I bet you're always the first to leave, Doctor.) are every bit as devastating as his insights into her (That's how you slaughter millions.). This shades into the next episodes a bit, but how much of that do you think Jack is aware of?
- And here's something else that's not strictly about this episode, but still: What we didn't know back then was that the Torchwood Three Hub is right under the Plass - and that while Team TARDIS are running all over the city, Jack Harkness is there a second time. What do you think older!Jack is doing that day? Watching his own past? Deliberately not looking? How did he stop Torchwood from interfering with Blon's plans before then? They must have noticed, after all.
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'You're such hard work!'
'But so worth it!'
I especially love the questions it asks about taking someone to their death. Annette Badland s brlliant in this. She is both kind to the pregnant woman and a killer ruthless enough to take out Cardiff to escape. The dinner with the Doctor is one of my favouirite scenes as she explains what she can do. Also love that she mentions bondage in Doctor Who for a first date. Jack appears very much part of the team with the Doctor and Rose. Mickey is sidelined a bit and rather whiney in this one.
The question of what Torchwood is up to is answered in many fics. I've written one myself called One Night in Cardiff. I also wrote one called Under the Doctor set after the episode whcih brings Jack and the Doctor together. It must have been agony for Jack to see them there and not be able to do anything about it and to see his then mortal self. I must say that I'm glad he went back to the coat rather than the jacket.
So all in all this is a much unloved episode that I love and have watched many many times.
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I love that the Doctor flirts back - he's actively encouraging Jack at this point. Damn, I really wish there'd been a lot more episodes before Bad Wolf!
As for Mickey, I never liked him much, but this was the first time I really felt for him.
Do you have links to your fics, maybe? I think I read them at some point, but don't remember much. And yes, I really feel for Jack, having to watch that and not being able to do anything. *hugs him*
I must say that I'm glad he went back to the coat rather than the jacket.
Hahaha, yes, no doubt about that! :D
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http://iolo1234.livejournal.com/36554.html
K
xx
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And Blon is *excellent* - in no small part because she's strong and complex against two strong, complex men. She really does have both of their numbers - and the ruthlessness to use every identified weakness against both of them. Which, basically, equals: flirting, Rose, and the TARDIS, not necessarily in that order. :)
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:D :D :D
(I really love Blon's complexity. Such a fabulous character.)