Birthdays, Bath, Proms, Merlin and meme

[usuallyhats]

1) Happy birthday to brewsternorth and black_rider!

2) In my continuing quest not to be in Bristol for long enough to do any housework, I went to Bath at the weekend! I met up with some schoolfriends and we went lion hunting (nb not real lions. Pictures here on facebook!), then played Settlers of Catan until about 2am. This it turns out is an excellent game, and I am not just saying that because Izzy and I won first time, honest.

3) My digibox seems to be working again; it let me watch all of the extended Doctor Who at the Proms on Friday night! And then it let me watch the red-button Backstage at the Proms extra, which was particularly great as I was in it a bit. They did some interviews with people in the queue, of which two were with people I'd met (I can't remember either of their names because I am rubbish, but one was a really good Amy cosplayer and the other was a girl with a fantastic Dalek t-shirt) and there I was in the background, sitting on a wall with my knitting and trying to a) sit up straight and b) look nonch'lant. Exciting stuff!

4) Meh, I think I am pretty much finished with Merlin. I am just fed up with Morgause and Morgana being portrayed as EVIL EVIL EVIL when actually they've got a reasonable grievance against Uther. I've been hoping and hoping for this to be acknowledged, but no. Sigh. And the lack of acknowledgement that a lot of this is actually Merlin's fault also grates. ALSO HOW HAS NO-ONE NOTICED MERLIN DOING MAGIC YET, ARE THEY ALL ASLEEP? I did want to keep watching it because of casting spoilers; I heard Gawain was going to be in it and I love him. But one of the things I love about him is the way he makes mistakes and then realises and apologises and tries to make amends, and... I do not think Merlin is very good at that sort of thing. I think I shall just look at the pretty pictures on tumblr instead.

5) 30 days of Who meme, also in ranty mode... Day 27 – An Episode You Wish Hadn't Been Made
Journey's End
I don't think this episode is entirely without merit - it does have the "everyone flying the TARDIS" scene, after all - but it is the episode which caused me to give up altogether on RTD!Who. I hate what happens to Rose in it: she doesn't even get to choose what universe she's going to live in! Again! And as for the whole duplicate Doctor thing... oh dear. I also hate Donna's ending, though I am less angry about it than Rose's, because after "Last of the Time Lords" I decided not to bother getting invested in Donna until I found out what was going to happen to her in the end. The memory-wiping just makes no sense, either thematically or logically. I can accept that having a brain full of Time Lord-y-ness is probably not good for a human, but why did she have to lose all her memories to get rid of it? Why couldn't the Doctor just chameleon-arch her back into being fully human, or something. It is just tragedy for the sake of tragedy and I find that very tedious, as a general rule. Also, Mickey! When we saw him in "Doomsday" he seemed to be pretty happy with life in the altverse, but now there's nothing for him there? Needs more explanation, please. Oh, and I am usually pretty good at suspending my disbelief but... the Earth was dragged out of and then back to its position with only some relatively minor consequences? No. (I actually read some pretty comprehensive spoilers for this episode on t'meme and dismissed them for being just too stupid. Shows what I know!)

Day 01 - Your Favourite Quote
Day 02 – Your Favourite Classic Series Episode
Day 03 – Your Favourite New Series Episode
Day 04 – Your Favourite Doctor
Day 05 – Your Favourite Companion
Day 06 – Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 07 – Your Favourite Piece of Music
Day 08 – A Who-Related Photo That Makes You Happy
Day 09 – A Who-Related Photo That Makes You Angry/Sad
Day 10 – A Who-Related Photo That You Took
Day 11 – Your Favourite Season (Classic or New)
Day 12 – Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 13 – Your Favourite Villain
Day 14 – The Villain Who Scared You the Most
Day 15 – Favourite Who-Related Tumblr
Day 16 – Your Favourite Who-Related Fanfic
Day 17 – A Piece of Who-Related Fanart
Day 18 – Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 19 – The Scene That Made You Cry the Most
Day 20 – The Character Who Is Most Like You
Day 21 – Your Doctor Who OTP
Day 22 – A Who-Related Fan-Site
Day 23 – A Who-Related YouTube Video
Day 24 – Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Day 25 – Favourite Who Actor
Day 26 – Favourite Who Actress
Day 27 – An Episode You Wish Hadn't Been Made
Day 28 – An Episode Idea You Created Yourself
Day 29 – Who You Think Should Be the Next Doctor
Day 30 – Whatever Tickles Your Fancy

Comments

[cxcvi]

Settlers of Catan seems to be quite popular with people who have never expereinced that type of board gaming before. Personally, though, I don't really like it. The trading aspect doesn't sit easily with me...

Are there any other board games that you've heard of that you'd like to try? I may have some of them, and will likely know of other people in Bristol who like them.

[usuallyhats]

I really liked the trading aspect! I played a lot of Bohnanza on holiday, which is all about trading and is lots of fun too.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you about Journey's End. The only good bits were the TARDIS flying scene, and Martha's and Sarah Jane's departures (at least Martha got to choose her departure - and got to walk away, head held high, again).

I don't *like* Rose, but I felt bad for her being dumped on that beach with no choice in the matter, and to be fobbed off with Handy was unfair to both her and Handy. *He* also should've had the choice of where he went if Ten wasn't going to keep him aboard the TARDIS.

And as for Donna - well yes, how many times has Rusty used the bloody Chameleon Arch and yet suddenly he's forgotten all about it? Idiot man. He backed himself into so many corners during that story and didn't have the guts to admit that and then rewrite it better.

[usuallyhats]

Yeah, Martha got off lightly this time!

I hadn't even thought about it being unfair to Handy too, but you're right, especially given that he has all the memories of having the freedom of time and space. :/

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Yes, she only had to put up with a scolding over the existence of the Osterhagen Key - which, by the way, Mr Doctor Man, was not of her design or choice! Sometimes I come over all Donnaesque and want to slap Ten!

That Handy, who is both Donna and Ten, got absolutely no choice in the matter of his departure from the TARDIS, has irked me enormously. I remain utterly convinced (despite much fic from many Rosefen) that he would've hated being shackled to Rose, and that he'd have fled to do his own thing at the first opportunity.

[usuallyhats]

*nods* And I doubt Rose would've much enjoyed having to look after him, either.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I'm quite sure she'd have hated it - she wanted to travel with Ten in the TARDIS.

[netgirl-y2k.livejournal.com]

I will always have a soft spot for JE because of my epic love for the DoctorDonna, but oh my, it was a hell of a problematic episode. It made "Rocks fall, everyone dies" seem like a sensible and well thought out ending.

By the end of RTD!Who I found myself doing what I'm now doing with Merlin: looking at the pretty and refusing to engage my higher brain functions in any way. Although, with Merlin, I really wish that I wasn't in the position of hating the main character, again. *sigh*

[usuallyhats]

I do love DoctorDonna being awesome, but the way they got there and what happens next is just so frustrating! Why isn't she allowed to remember how great she is?

Although, with Merlin, I really wish that I wasn't in the position of hating the main character, again. *sigh*
Oh, me too. I used to like Merlin! I remember liking him! But now I just can't.

[everlasting-day.livejournal.com]

Journey's End was such a mess. I agree with all the reasons you listed (Rose's second depature makes me angry - in fact her entire return is completely botched and actually damages her character even more), and I'd also add that the Doctor's hypocrisy was just utterly baffling. I genuinely don't understand why he wouldn't want the Daleks to be destroyed and gets all preachy-angry with his clone for doing what he should have done anyway (he dispatched the Family of Blood for doing much less). I can't remember if it was this or The Stolen Earth where the Doctor is described as a pacifist, but I felt it was really off the mark and a bizarre misunderstanding of the Doctor's character.

Other things: the plan to "destroy reality itself" is the worst villain plan in Doctor Who history because it's utterly meaningless. It's such a nebulous concept and as a result there's practically no threat level. Sure, we see some people get dissolved but the Daleks might as well have just exterminated them, it's the same thing.

Julian Bleach was a cracking Davros, though!

Count me in the Finished With Merlin Club. It was never the most well-written show in the world, but to see easily the most interesting character (Morgana) degenerate into an stock EVOL villainess is disappointing. That and the other characters barely seemed to have evolved at all over the last 26 episodes. Sigh.

[usuallyhats]

Yes, exactly, to all of your first paragraph! The Doctor's never going to go for violence as the first solution, but he understands that sometimes there's no other option.

That and the other characters barely seemed to have evolved at all over the last 26 episodes. Sigh.
Yes! It's so frustrating - it could be really good, but the writers never dare to go there because they'd have to have characters deal with the consequences of their actions.

[wondygal.livejournal.com]

4) :( Sadly, that is what I am also doing, as it is also how I feel.

5) Goddd, they dragged Earth around! I think I blocked that out. *facepalm*

[usuallyhats]

4) It's such a shame - I can't enjoy it because I can't stop thinking about how much better it could be.

[platoapproved.livejournal.com]

Journey's End is far from being my favourite, either. It just has too much - too many characters, too many plot threads it needs to wrap up too quickly, etc. There are definitely some moments that I loved, but they are fewer (and there is more nonsense in between them) than usual.

[usuallyhats]

*nods* I really wish RTD had curbed his urge to put everything in - I really like most of his standalone episodes.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I love those lions! They're like the dragons in Newport (a friend posted pics of them) and the cows we once had here; must be the same sort of campaign. You should go dragon-hunting!

RTD is hopeless at plotting and in love with people called Rose (see all his previous series AFAIK) with his initials, so of course his Mary Sue had to get her own Doctor. And I was bloody furious about Donna (and Harriet Jones for that matter) and still am. RTD doesn't much like woman who aren't called Rose and have his initials. Good riddance.

[usuallyhats]

I didn't know about the Newport dragons, they look great! Newport's not that far away, I'll have to see if I can manage a trip while they're still there. Bath had pigs a couple of years ago too!

Harriet Jones! I forgot to mention her, but yes, I was furious about that too. D:

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Very cool! I like the lions and dragons better though; they have more beautiful shapes. What are they made of?

If you're interested, this Welsh person posted photos of the dragons she found.
First lot (http://linda-joyce.livejournal.com/390714.html)
More (http://linda-joyce.livejournal.com/392282.html)
Last (http://linda-joyce.livejournal.com/392538.html)

[usuallyhats]

I think they're fibreglass; wikipedia says that's what the cows are made of, anyway! The lions and dragons are prettier, but I think the pigs had better puns, so I'm not sure which ones I like better... :D

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I wondered if they were fibreglass! There are some brilliant puns and designs on that page. Yay, Friedensreich has Hundertwasser designs on him (Friedensreich being H's first name). Their shape is more stylised and angular than the lions and dragons but the artwork is wonderful.

Is there a site for the other animals?

[usuallyhats]

Yep, there's this one for the lions, and I've just found this one for the dragons - I'm trying to organise a trip to see them!

[usuallyhats]

Whoops, failed to close my tags properly, sorry! This one is the lions and this one is the dragons.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Great; thanks! Pity not all the dragon photos are there but they're wonderful! No puns but Elvis made me laugh. :-D

[mems]

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The lions are wonderful, and there are too lots of puns (usually on "lion" and "roar"). I especially love "leo aquae sulis" for his beautiful Roman mosaics; very Bath. There are some stunning and gorgeous ones there. [loves]

Where's the dragon page? When I googled, I found only a team called Newport Gwent Dragons. :-P

[Edit] Ignore that; I've seen your second comment.