School Reunion

[carmen_lj]

So this is the episode where I realise just how fabulous Ten is. And, indeed, David Tennant. He was wonderful before, but in this episode he was just magic.

And this is my favourite episode of the New Series.

And, yes, it did break me a little bit. I need to watch it again. When I'm not bursting into tears every five minutes.

• The first time I cried was at the look on Ten's face when he saw Sarah Jane. Then again when she found the TARDIS. And then when she asked the Doctor why he left her behind. And then when he left K-9. And then when he and Sarah ran. And that whole bit with her in the TARDIS at the end. I cried at that.
  
  
• I love Sarah Jane Smith.
  
  
• I love Mickey Smith. He was not the tin dog. He was Harry Sullivan. That quiet, under-stated heroism. But he screamed! (loved that bit too) But he wanted to run away! (and so would I) He was also the bravest person there - he's not used to that sort of danger, he's not got the experience of Rose and Sarah or the intelligence of the Doctor and yet he still goes in and he saves all the kids. With a little help from K-9 admittedly, exactly the same sort of help Nine got from Rose in Rose. So, really, he's the Doctor.
  
  
• That look on Ten's face when Rose confronts him. "As opposed to what?" That was beautiful. That was him saying You're Not Special, You Silly Human (finally!). And then back-tracking a bit. Though I think that he does believe that whoever is with him at the time will stay forever. But that look is just one of my favourite moments in the series ever. He looks so old there. So alien.
  
  
• This was exactly what I needed to stop hating on the Rose/Ten cliqueiness. Not only did Rose discover she ain't special (so she didn't know about other companions), but they got Mickey coming with them (SARAH WHY DID YOU NOT SAY YES DAMMIT) and the contrast between Rose's reaction to him coming on board here and when she asked him to come in WWIII is remarkable. And gosh, it really is just what's needed. Mickey is just wonderful here. Every time he appears I love him more. And I adore the relationship between him and Ten, yes.
  
  
• He gave her back K-9! YAYNESS!! :D
  
  
• I love Sarah Jane. I love her so much.
  
  
• There was so, so much fantastic Ten characterisation in this. And it's solved the problem I was having with Ten - he didn't have those big character scenes Nine did at the beginning of his run. And I think I understand him a lot more now. Think I'll feel a lot more comfortable writing him too. I adored the confrontation with Rose, and every single second he had with Sarah and that temptation at the end. Oh, it was beautiful. And the shoot-out with Mr. Finch. Just, yes, Ten makes more sense now. And that line about having so much mercy when he was younger was scary, yes.
  
  
• DID ANYONE NOTICE ANY GOD THEMES THIS WEEK?
  
  
• There were so, so many gorgeous lines in this one.
  
  
• He was so happy to see her again. And he so hates goodbyes and he keeps running and running and fighting things and fighting harder now they're all dead and is so scared of looking at himself, looking at what he is and what he's left and what he's lost. HE BREAKS ME ALMOST AS MUCH AS SARAH.
  
  
• ABERDEEN?!! I have been Russelled, dammit. I have to go correct Everything I Learned About Being A Woman now. Though I am delighted that after thirty years we found out where he dumped her.
  
  
• What a fantastic opening, by the way. Jumping straight into the story like that, with the Doctor and Rose already undercover. Loved the Doctor's face as he commented on that teacher winning the lottery, heh.
  
  
• I LOVE SARAH JANE SMITH SO MUCH.
  
  
• He held her hand and ran with her. And that hug he gave her when she found out what he did to K-9, omg, THE LOVE. And at the end HE LIFTED HER UP AND I BROKE INTO WEE PIECES.
  
  
• "You've redecorated!" Luckily she was not Two and did not tell Ten she did not like it.
  
  
• Oh, I am feeling so much better after this one that last week. For I could not stomach much more of that cloying stuff between the pair of them. And Sarah Jane has fixed it all. And they talked about him stroking the TARDIS and being in love with her BECAUSE HE IS. OMG! Why did they not realise that he is in love with the TARDIS and that she is his constant companion. I bet Rose realised and hates on the TARDIS now and wishes she was one.
  
  
• And this episode CATEGORICALLY PROVES the love between the Doctor and Romana.
  
  
  
  Did I mention how much I love Sarah Jane? Did I?

Comments

[ms-engineer.livejournal.com]

He was also the bravest person there - he's not used to that sort of danger, he's not got the experience of Rose and Sarah or the intelligence of the Doctor and yet he still goes in and he saves all the kids.

Oh, bloody hell yes!!!!

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

*clings to you* I need to see this again now. Loved Sarah. Loved Mickey. Loved the Master because HE IS OMG Mr Finch offering the Doctor the chance to bring back Gallifrey. My jaw dropped (in the good way) at how Doctor/Sarah shippy it was. Just love. Yes.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes. All of that. Up there. Yes. Everything. Yes.

Plus... scary opener when actual little kid gets actually eaten! the fear...

Fat kid helps saves the world! (and steals all the credit!)

That giant roar you heard about halfway through? That was the city of Aberdeen shouting "second week in a row!". Aberdeen is the new Cromer darnit.

Anthony Head is pure greasy evil on a stick.

K9 gets blown up and the haters cheer only to have their dreams crushed when... K9 Mark IV! Look at their faces now! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

T'was marvellousness. Am so happy.

[gordon-r-d.livejournal.com]

It was just beautiful wasn't it? I too had slight fears about Rose's speshuless being forced upon s, but it wasn't and she was finally made to realise herself that she's not special. Just...yay. K9!!!!! K9!!!!!! With a laser that actually points in the direction he's shooting! And ASH being evil . But mostest of all, SJS!!!!! Why didn't she go with them? Awwww. But yay.

Another thing that impresed me, parentals hugely enjoyed it and didn't need anything explained to them. They're my "general audience" thermometer. :)

Mickey is definitely the 21st century Harry, yes. If he wears a duffle coat at any point, it will only confirm it.

"Does he still stroke bits of the TARDIS?" (^_^)

SJS Luv! K9 Luv!

*squeees*

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

I cried at the end. You're right, this totally redeems all that giggly nonsense from last week. This was by far the best ep, and I am now hopelessly in love.

*squees quietly and intently*

[nefthoron.livejournal.com]

... I'm so glad I wasn't the only person who wept like a small child through the best part of the episode.

And yes. A resounding YES to your entire review. I now (finally) understand the Tennant love, and SARAH-JANE and K9 and ... just... overwhelmed a bit. ;~;

[and-i.livejournal.com]

So many tears! It was a beautiful episode (sadly, I am starting to not like Rose so much anymore, even though I still like Billie, so I am muchly pleased that Mickey will be there). Oh it was wonderful! I was very worried they'd make a point of Rose being More Special than Sarah Jane and...not so much.

Plus, the shallow person in me about died at that first shot of Tennant-as-teacher. But don't tell.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I WANT A TORRENT DAMNIT.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I feel a bit bad for Rose. I mean, how was she meant to know that she wasn't special? If he'd never mentioned anyone else to her, it seems a reasonable assumption on her part that she's the first person he's taken. And he responds well to her behaving like she is, so...leading her on completely. And she is special, just not unique. Although I suppose I'm comparing her to all the millions of people that the Doctor doesn't take with him, and not the very few that he does.

[zauberer-sirin.livejournal.com]

damn, i need the ep to download SOON. damn, why did i have to be spanish?

[meebles.livejournal.com]

(came here via doctorwho)

*agrees agrees agrees with everything*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEE. I agree, I agree with all of it. WAAAAH.

God themes: when the Headmaster offers the Doctor the powers of a god, and he does use the words "lonely" and "god", but not together.

*is broke*

[in-purple-skies.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about the character scenes for Ten. I'd been missing them something fierce because I just didn't get Ten until tonight. Now I have a better sense of his character and it is indeed very awesome.

[padawanpooh.livejournal.com]

Yay! I share the love with everyone on this.

It was totally utterly fab, and I think that yes, after the cloying love-in of last week this was *grown up* emotions.

I a-spy a *lot* of OT3 and angst and missing scene fic on the horizon)

And who'll bet me a few galactic credits on a LOT of Finch/Ten slash? (My goodness could they have BEEN slashier?!?!!)

[secretive-bus.livejournal.com]

Say more nice things about K9!!!

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

Sarah Jane! ABERDEEN!

Mickey! In the TARDIS! Your comparison between Mickey and Harry is very wise.

The way they opened the episode with the Doctor and Rose already undercover was indeed excellent writing.

[tiniago.livejournal.com]

He said "l-"! I just remembered this! And he loved Sarah Jane so MUCH. Possibly even more than the audience. When he saw her for the first time! Omg.

And he so hates goodbyes and he keeps running and running and fighting things and fighting harder now they're all dead and is so scared of looking at himself, looking at what he is and what he's left and what he's lost.

THIS PARAGRAPH BREAKS ME. Also, he's run out of mercy. Dude!

[tabimendou.livejournal.com]

Tch, I want to say something here but there's nothing I can say that you haven't said already, so I'll just say "I agree with everything you say :D" and "THIS EPISODE WAS SO MUCH LOVE T_T" and go watch it again and sniffle many many times~~

*sniffles just thinking about it*

[ladyjillian.livejournal.com]

Am here via spiralsheep--i was impressed that such a young man could pull off playing someone that infinitely old. And btw did you happen to notice that one of the Casanova women will be in the next episode?

[steverogerson.livejournal.com]

Don't like Mickey. He should have kidnapped Sarah Jane and left Mickey behind.

[rach74.livejournal.com]

Totally agree,and ya boo to Rose, she's annoying me now, I have to admit. Special, yes, unique, pfft! And yay, Mickey.

*ecstatic grin and squee*

[iristigerlily.livejournal.com]

I am crying just reading this, and I haven't even seen it yet.

*wails*

[gwynnega]

I cried too! And Ten was so wonderful, and so was Sarah Jane, and the shippiness was wonderful, and waaaaah!

And this episode CATEGORICALLY PROVES the love between the Doctor and Romana.

::nods::