Dr Who works his magic

[gategrrl]

Dr Who worked his magic on my two kids. This weekend was an exhausting round of sleepovers, friends over all day, reams and reams of children - and at least three times, both of my children reached for the DVR button and selected "Blink" to show their friends.

First, Little Guy, the 6 year old, wanted to watch it "just because", and asked his Dad to watch it with him. They watched it. Little Guy said he wanted us to get the DVDs for Dr Who. We were surprised, as he rarely asks for DVDs of shows. Ben 10 is the only other show he'd like to have in our library. To tell you the truth? I wouldn't mind having them, either! We'll see if they turn up for Xmas!

The next time it was on, Mermaid had a sleepover (this was Friday night) and decided she and her friend were going to watch it. They both screamed when That Scene appeared.  Two days later (Sunday) she had two or three friends over and turned that episode on again. Sure enough, about 35 minutes into the show, the Guy and I heard screams when That Scene came on. 

It's great when a show, and an episode on a show, just reaches through and touches your kids, you know?

There's another episode from last season that scared the bejeebers out of Little Guy (for real, not for fun) and that was the episode called The Girl in the Fireplace with those creepy androids. And would you look at that, the same guy wrote both episodes. He's great. It's amazing how he interweaves horror and pathos and emotion and humanity into this stories. They're wonderfully balanced. 

Little Guy keeps referencing back to Fireplace because the androids were so menacingly memorable. Not the Daleks, not those other metallic foes with the Metropolis faces. THESE androids.

(edited to correct the title of Girl in the Fireplace - thanks, Webbgirl!)

 

Comments

[forcryinoutloud.livejournal.com]

I don't watch Doctor Who but you have me totally curious now. *snerk* What scene??

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

The antagonists in this episode are what look like angel statues, and they *always* have their faces covered by their hands (for reasons I can't get into).

The first time you see one of their faces, the expression on its face is absolutely terrifying, and you aren't prepared for it all.

[forcryinoutloud.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh *grins*

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Even if you don't like Dr Who much, I highly recc this episode. It's not just a great Dr Who episode, it's simply Great Television.

[forcryinoutloud.livejournal.com]

*grins* I've only watched the episodes with Jack - the rest is...a little too weird for me. *snerk* Well, the episodes with Jack were still pretty weird but...Jack. ;)

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

Go here. Watch now. Trust me.

[forcryinoutloud.livejournal.com]

LOL! I'll have to bookmark it to watch when I have more time. *snerk* Thank you! :D

[sars.livejournal.com]

lol, nice to see they have good taste in tele :)

Meg has been watching Dr Who since she was born and just loves it, especially the episodes with Daleks. We've watched 'The Parting of the Ways' over and over. Yesterday when we went to the dvd shop her doggy apparently wanted to buy Dr Who dvds cause it's his 'favourite show'.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

You know, one of the reasons we like Dr Who so much (aside from the generally excellent story-telling) is how the Doctor *himself* can turn so viscously on the people who go against him. His dark side is so completely dark...it sent shivers down my spine in one of my favorite scenes in all the seasons when the last Dalek said to the Doctor, "You would make a good Dalek, Doctor."

The Dalek is right - he *would* make a good Dalek, if he didn't have his other side to balance it off. But it's not like the Doctor is always fighting his dark side, either: oh, no. He goes ahead and uses without any remorse when he has to. Brr. Makes him fascinating to watch.

[webbgirl.livejournal.com]

*hee* There's a reason that episode is in my top 5 favorite hours of television EVER!

I love that they liked and screamed at it. (I actually have the DVDs on pre-order from Barnes and Noble.)

[webbgirl.livejournal.com]

The Girl Behind the Mirror (or something like that) with those creepy androids. And would you look at that, the same guy wrote both episodes. He's great. It's amazing how he interweaves horror and pathos and emotion and humanity into this stories. They're wonderfully balanced.

Girl in the Fireplace. Another one of my favorites. The writer won an award for it that the name of escapes my brain right now. Neil Gaiman picked him to win the award again next year for Blink. He also did the two episodes in Season 1 "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" with the creepy kid in the gas mask.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks! I'll correct the title.

Empty Child was another episode he wrote (this mystery writer). They are astounding, memorable episodes, each and every one. The Empty Child is also amazing. He manages to pick images and sounds that aren't ordinarily scarey, and make then terrifying.

[webbgirl.livejournal.com]

Steven Moffat is his name. He also writes (and maybe produces) Jekyll. And he created Coupling.

I'm a fangirl of his, in case you couldn't tell.

He manages to pick images and sounds that aren't ordinarily scarey, and make then terrifying.

Exactly. It's all of these everyday things that he takes and makes them into very scary stuff. I may never go to a museum again, so I can just imagine being a kid and watching Blink. I think I actually bit my nails the first time I watched it. Then discovered is was still FREAKIN' SCARY on subsequent viewings.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Gah! Where'd you get that icon! It's awesome! (can I take it?)

[webbgirl.livejournal.com]

I made it. Grab away. :D

I actually have on my list of things to do to make more Blink icons. I want to do a few with Sally Sparrow too. I also want more of the angels.

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

ooo...those were such good episodes too!

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

Hell, I screamed at That Scene and more or less jumped in the Boy's lap. He thought that I was funny.

Doctor Who is wonderful.

[nialla]

You can be proud that you're raising your children well. ;)