On quality of writing, genuine emotional depth, directing (except for Keith Boak), and acting, Season 1, hands down.
I've liked Tennant in other things. He's a decent actor, never blown me away, but I think he's lost as the Doctor, buffeted about by different directors and inconsistent writing. I'm not sure he has a sense of who the character is (at least, he's not giving me one) and he's always ACTING! I never feel anything genuine coming from him. I actually used to find DT more attractive than I do now - but I agree, more cute than sexy. Sexy requires command, and he doesn't have that.
CE on the other hand is scarily commanding, always surprises me, and can do so much with so little. I felt like he was playing the emotional scale from 1 to 10; Tennant is more 4,6, and 11. And I think CE is better at the lightning-swift changes of mood. People keep talking about Tennant doing it and I just don't see it. DT is better at the light, silly (but he also gabbles too fast); CE may not be exactly light, but he has a wicked sense of timing, and rhythm is seductive.
I'm not sure he has a sense of who the character is (at least, he's not giving me one) and he's always ACTING! I never feel anything genuine coming from him.
I've said this before, but part of my problem with his performance in The Idiot's Lantern was the sense I got that he was deliberately trying to appeal to the kids in the audience, instead of settling down and being the character. I don't want to watch a panto, I want to follow the journey of a complex character whom I love. I have sensed he's finding his place more in AoG/Doomsday though
There have been moments - literally moments, fleeting line readings - that I've liked with Ten, including the "footprint doesn't look like a boot" moment in AoG and the "you must miss him" in T&C (see, I remember them!). Always the quieter ones. When he goes to either extreme, whether giddy or dark, I've wanted either to slap him or laugh (I'm sorry, I do not find him the least bit threatening, and his eyes seem to go dead when he tries for emotional depth, so all the glycerine in the world is wasted on me).
I think the depth of my frustration is a mark of how much I wanted Ten to be better. He was never going to be CE (who may well be the actor of his generation, until David Thewlis does something to prove otherwise), but there was the potential for something different and substantial. But even my best friend, who was swearing passionately, "David Tennant is going to be fabulous," stopped watching after the Cyberman 2-parter. (BTW, her 5-year-old also likes S1 better, so go figure.)
I hope Tennant will settle down and the writers stop believing their own hype. I didn't find him a good match with Rose (and I hated the way they undermined everything she learned in S1), but I think I'm at the "give it one or two episodes of S3" stage.
Yes! I always find myself liking Ten more during the subtle moments. During TDL I was sat smiling at his response to Rose in the tv, and thinking he's not that bad after all. Then we got the ham, "Nothing in this world can stop me now". And my response changes to, oh pipe down
And I think Rose/Nine worked more, wasn't Rose sort of written for his character? I often found myself thinking that I would prefer Ten more if they gave him an original companion to interact with, that suited him.
And I think Rose/Nine worked more, wasn't Rose sort of written for his character?
She was, and Billie Piper was cast on the strength of her chemistry with CE - which, yeah, duh! Short of Bogart and Bacall, I've never seen anything like it (and in fact, they have a greater range of chemistry, from silly and bantery to deep emotional connection to "I want to slam you against the nearest surface"). I think that BP and DT had the typical kind of tv chemistry, which is much more familiar and may be more recognizable to some people; BP and CE were something totally other, and quite thrilling.
I don't know about Ten and Jack; I'm not one who can be satisfied with the "two cute guys in a room" scenario. Jack/John Barrowman really seemed to be grooving on Nine's alpha maleness (again, cast for him), and Ten is such a beta. That would flip that relationship right over - could work if they play to it, but I doubt they will. Then there's the fact that JB's ears always got pink when he talked about CE...
Allow me a slight moment to grouse that the banner for better_with_3 shows Ten, when that's highly unlikely ever to be canon
I swear I was just thinking that a few days ago, when I came across that comm again! Ten never interacted with them as an OT3, so I don't know why it wouldn't be Nine/Rose/Jack in the banner at the moment. But oh well :P
And I don't ship Jack with either Doctor, so much as just enjoy his character and what he brings to the Tardis. Honestly, towards the end, I found myself why they don't just accept that Rose worked better with Nine, and write her out. And I badly want Jack's return at the moment, so it will be a real let-down if he doesn't click with Ten for me
I never thought I'd say anything like this, but I can see them as a stable threesome (with the Doctor firmly in the middle and on top!). I see Jack and Rose more as BFF. I can see Jack and Nine, but only if Rose is somehow removed from the equation.
But wrapped up in this is, yes, what Jack brought to the TARDIS was some perspective. I think he ended up helping Nine start to heal as much as Rose did. I love their blokey best-mates bonding over machinery - when they're both geeking out over the "surfboard" in Boom Town, I often zip back to watch their faces because they're having such fun. And the way Nine/CE grabs the model and flips it over.
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frelling_tralk) wrote2006-07-18 05:09 pm
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I've liked Tennant in other things. He's a decent actor, never blown me away, but I think he's lost as the Doctor, buffeted about by different directors and inconsistent writing. I'm not sure he has a sense of who the character is (at least, he's not giving me one) and he's always ACTING! I never feel anything genuine coming from him. I actually used to find DT more attractive than I do now - but I agree, more cute than sexy. Sexy requires command, and he doesn't have that.
CE on the other hand is scarily commanding, always surprises me, and can do so much with so little. I felt like he was playing the emotional scale from 1 to 10; Tennant is more 4,6, and 11. And I think CE is better at the lightning-swift changes of mood. People keep talking about Tennant doing it and I just don't see it. DT is better at the light, silly (but he also gabbles too fast); CE may not be exactly light, but he has a wicked sense of timing, and rhythm is seductive.
no subject
I'm not sure he has a sense of who the character is (at least, he's not giving me one) and he's always ACTING! I never feel anything genuine coming from him.
I've said this before, but part of my problem with his performance in The Idiot's Lantern was the sense I got that he was deliberately trying to appeal to the kids in the audience, instead of settling down and being the character. I don't want to watch a panto, I want to follow the journey of a complex character whom I love. I have sensed he's finding his place more in AoG/Doomsday though
no subject
I think the depth of my frustration is a mark of how much I wanted Ten to be better. He was never going to be CE (who may well be the actor of his generation, until David Thewlis does something to prove otherwise), but there was the potential for something different and substantial. But even my best friend, who was swearing passionately, "David Tennant is going to be fabulous," stopped watching after the Cyberman 2-parter. (BTW, her 5-year-old also likes S1 better, so go figure.)
I hope Tennant will settle down and the writers stop believing their own hype. I didn't find him a good match with Rose (and I hated the way they undermined everything she learned in S1), but I think I'm at the "give it one or two episodes of S3" stage.
Wow. I seem to have needed to vent.
Feel better now!
no subject
And I think Rose/Nine worked more, wasn't Rose sort of written for his character? I often found myself thinking that I would prefer Ten more if they gave him an original companion to interact with, that suited him.
I'm hoping Ten will work for me with Jack though!
no subject
She was, and Billie Piper was cast on the strength of her chemistry with CE - which, yeah, duh! Short of Bogart and Bacall, I've never seen anything like it (and in fact, they have a greater range of chemistry, from silly and bantery to deep emotional connection to "I want to slam you against the nearest surface"). I think that BP and DT had the typical kind of tv chemistry, which is much more familiar and may be more recognizable to some people; BP and CE were something totally other, and quite thrilling.
I don't know about Ten and Jack; I'm not one who can be satisfied with the "two cute guys in a room" scenario. Jack/John Barrowman really seemed to be grooving on Nine's alpha maleness (again, cast for him), and Ten is such a beta. That would flip that relationship right over - could work if they play to it, but I doubt they will. Then there's the fact that JB's ears always got pink when he talked about CE...
Allow me a slight moment to grouse that the banner for
no subject
And I don't ship Jack with either Doctor, so much as just enjoy his character and what he brings to the Tardis. Honestly, towards the end, I found myself why they don't just accept that Rose worked better with Nine, and write her out. And I badly want Jack's return at the moment, so it will be a real let-down if he doesn't click with Ten for me
no subject
But wrapped up in this is, yes, what Jack brought to the TARDIS was some perspective. I think he ended up helping Nine start to heal as much as Rose did. I love their blokey best-mates bonding over machinery - when they're both geeking out over the "surfboard" in Boom Town, I often zip back to watch their faces because they're having such fun. And the way Nine/CE grabs the model and flips it over.