an unearthly chlid
Jul. 23rd, 2017 08:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unearthlymarmotFinished An Unearthly Child today, my thoughts under the cut.
I'd seen this one before, but such a long time ago that I'd forgotten most of it. Overall I was surprised by how ... Doctor Who it was! I mean I shouldn't have been surprised, but sometimes when you watch an older iteration of something it seems really different, because they've taken the property in such a different direction. New Who is different in some ways, of course, but I found a lot of similarities too. Stuff that made me smile in recognition, you know? "Ah yes, that's where they got that."
I really enjoyed the chemistry between Barbara and Ian, right from the start! Something about the way they talked to each other during this scene was really nice. It's not unprofessional, but there's just a sort of affectionate rapport there that's enjoyable to watch. Looking forward to seeing this develop. There's some typical old fashioned stereotypes here in the way Susan and Barbara are portrayed as very emotional and also the compassionate ones, but I did like seeing Ian comforting Barbara. I guess I already ship it!
I also really liked how they first introduce Susan visually. She's doing that mesmerizing movement with her hands along with the music, and it makes her seem both human and a little unearthly. I just thought it was a good bit of television film-making.
I love the first Doctor! He's cranky and pretty patronizing, but there's also humor about him, and I like that. It's such a perfectly, Doctor-y balance, there right from the beginning! I love this old young man and how he squabbles with Ian.
But there is a bit in here that I could have done without. I expect racist lines when watching old shows, but talking about the "savage mind" of the "red Indian" is pretty bad! It doesn't ruin the episode for me, but I did want to acknowledge that this is here and that as a Native American, it was a sort of slap in the face while watching.
I had forgotten both that Susan says she came up with the abbreviation TARDIS, and that this is where the Doctor realizes the TARDIS is stuck! I got really nerdy and excited about it, pfft.
I wasn't too into the Caveman plot, because that kind of thing isn't my jam in general. The way they portray them is usually pretty close to how Native people get stereotyped, you know? So it's not usually my thing, but I will say that I did enjoy seeiing compassion being showed for the cave people. They are still people after all! But I think this serial was mostly saved for me by the charm the main cast brought to their roles and interactions with each other.
Next up, Daleks!
I'd seen this one before, but such a long time ago that I'd forgotten most of it. Overall I was surprised by how ... Doctor Who it was! I mean I shouldn't have been surprised, but sometimes when you watch an older iteration of something it seems really different, because they've taken the property in such a different direction. New Who is different in some ways, of course, but I found a lot of similarities too. Stuff that made me smile in recognition, you know? "Ah yes, that's where they got that."
I really enjoyed the chemistry between Barbara and Ian, right from the start! Something about the way they talked to each other during this scene was really nice. It's not unprofessional, but there's just a sort of affectionate rapport there that's enjoyable to watch. Looking forward to seeing this develop. There's some typical old fashioned stereotypes here in the way Susan and Barbara are portrayed as very emotional and also the compassionate ones, but I did like seeing Ian comforting Barbara. I guess I already ship it!
I also really liked how they first introduce Susan visually. She's doing that mesmerizing movement with her hands along with the music, and it makes her seem both human and a little unearthly. I just thought it was a good bit of television film-making.
I love the first Doctor! He's cranky and pretty patronizing, but there's also humor about him, and I like that. It's such a perfectly, Doctor-y balance, there right from the beginning! I love this old young man and how he squabbles with Ian.
But there is a bit in here that I could have done without. I expect racist lines when watching old shows, but talking about the "savage mind" of the "red Indian" is pretty bad! It doesn't ruin the episode for me, but I did want to acknowledge that this is here and that as a Native American, it was a sort of slap in the face while watching.
I had forgotten both that Susan says she came up with the abbreviation TARDIS, and that this is where the Doctor realizes the TARDIS is stuck! I got really nerdy and excited about it, pfft.
I wasn't too into the Caveman plot, because that kind of thing isn't my jam in general. The way they portray them is usually pretty close to how Native people get stereotyped, you know? So it's not usually my thing, but I will say that I did enjoy seeiing compassion being showed for the cave people. They are still people after all! But I think this serial was mostly saved for me by the charm the main cast brought to their roles and interactions with each other.
Next up, Daleks!
