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fueschgast) wrote2009-06-07 02:25 am
fueschgast) wrote2009-06-07 02:25 am
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The Writer's Tale, post 1
Okay, first: Whoa, the book is big! Well, only between A5 and A4, but thick. And the font is small.
Second, oh yeah, if you don't know about the book: it's Russell T. Davies writing about writing during the writing of Doctor Who season 4. Actually it a correspondence between RTD and journalist Benjamin Cook (Radio Times, Doctor Who Magazine).
There are 15 chapters, this post is about the first 5, so there will be 3 posts. Here are my thoughts so far:
1. As a creative person, I know how you feel, RTD! Sounds also very much like someone on my flists (who sadly isn't a DW fan - still, you should read the book!).
2. OMFG, I'm so glad they brought Donna back for S4! The original S4 companion was supposed to be another love interest! Dude! I really want to know what he was thinking there. Why another love interest?
3. And there's the idea for the Doctor's Daughter. RTD is really thinking about a lot of stuff. But Jenny was supposed to die. And then she didn't and now that means she just has to come back. I'd be really disappointed if we would never see her again. You don't just write kids into this world. If they're not dead, they have to be seen again! Think about that!
4. Argh, I really want to know who Miss X is. If we've seen her by now. If she'll be cast in The Moff Era. And if we'll get to know that she's Miss X, if she gets a role.
5. Ahaha, you procratinator! Seems like pretty much everyone is like this.
6. RTD writing about how much he liked the ending of Life on Mars, hee! Dude, total spoiler in there. Those poor people who read the book but haven't seen LoM yet!
7. Dude, this not-S5/extended S4 has been pretty much planned since Doomsday :O! It's like they ask you "How long are you gonna stay with me?", you say "Forever." and then shit happens, which was actually planned by them... long ago. Evil secret keepers.
8. Usually skincolor doesn't matter and, really, that's how it should be. But sometimes it does matter and that's very good. Because RTD wanted to kill someone off in the season 4 finale and Mickey's character seemed killable. But oh, he's black, and the black guy always dies, and you can't do that. Hee. Mickey was saved by his skincolor.
9. So RTD wanted the 4x13 tagline to be "ONE OF THEM WILL DIE!", but with no one to kill he wondered "But how do I keep that tagline without delivering?" AHA! So that's what it's like behind the scenes with this ONE OF THEM WILL DIE. Not that I understand it better now. Well, okay, a bit - but just in this case. Because Caan had to make this scary prophecy. "4.13 has to have the happiest ending ever." and RTD almost succeeded. Yeah, he didn't kill Donna, but what happened to her wasn't very happy ending. But OMG, RTD, ILY for how you managed to give the Doctor a normal life with Rose AND keep the Doctor traveling and more or less alone! That ending made me very happy.
10. Aha, there in a script for 4x00 we have a President Elect again. Do the research, RTD!
11. I read 'stowaway' in the 4x00 script and LOL'd. A bit earlier RTD wrote about the idea of having the Doctor be blind for just a little bit. The funny thing is that 'stowaway' in German is 'blind passenger'.
12. RTD writes "D'oh!" ^^
13. Did you know that RTD can draw? He's good. Anyway, he fancies Midshipman Frame and drew a picture of him in his underpants. :O You perv! You know, it's weird, there are certain things that I just can't think about. Like naughty thoughts about this show... it's like blasphemy. And there he goes an blasphemes, the god of the show.
14. "It's like fancying a cartoon character - which is entirely possible." Oh, I know. I know.
15. And a case of writers are people too: RTD tells of coworkers who went online, looking for opinions on their stuff. Which of course a lot of times is a bad idea. I could almost feel guilty. But I have a right to an opinion (not that I'm on any of those big sites where someone big could read my opinions) and if I want to say stuff I'll say it. Actually I'm very glad that no one important reads my stuff or else I couldn't be as honest. Also, to be fair to the writer, you'd have to talk a lot more about all that stuff and don't just pick the couple of things you feel like mentioning for whatever reason.
16. I know, it's the artist's creation, but I believe that other people's opinion should at least be heard, because their perspective can be different and help save the creation if the artist is going the wrong way. What I'm saying is: RTD, stop it with the Narm!
17. I don't think it will ever cease to amaze me how far RTD thinks ahead. Dude, he had an idea for the 2008 Christmas special before he even finished the 2007 Christmas special's script! Sure, at that point it wasn't more than "period drama, Cyberman in the snow", but still, wow. Sometimes I think I should have more confidence in the shows I watch, but then one of them lets you down. So yeah, expect the worst. Makes for a nicer surprise when it isn't bad. :o)
Anyway, RTD's early ideas mean that there could totally be spoilers for this year's Christmas special in this book, if they hadn't been edited out.
18. Script 4x00: The Doctor asks Midshipman Frame what his name is, but Frame just talks on instead of answering that question. Aw. So when we finally get to his first name my jaw dropped. Not Alonso. I know this isn't the final version, it's not like I'm stuck in an alternative reality where his name wasn't Alonso, but I was still kinda shocked. Yes, so much does it mean to me that the Doctor finally got to say "Allons-y, Alonso" to someone. So much will the brick joke mean to me, if they do it. Oh and a bit later in the script there's already the Doctor saying allons-y. Frame's not there, though.
19. And there he writes again about that artist problem. How other people's stuff is so great and you kinda hate them for it, because you don't create awesome stuff like that. Even if your own stuff is good, you're never really happy with it (well, you are ...but then you see how awesome stuff is that other people make), you wish you could be better, could do more.
20. Ben writes about Deathly Hallows when asking RTD about changing his mind, giving the Face of Boe a reprieve for 2x01. Hee.
21. RTD writes about how to make people care about characters, which he finds hard to say. "Peth is shining with sheer 'I love the Doctor', so we like her." And there you have it. Because that 'I love the Doctor' got really old, really fast. People aren't all the same and that's what I think is the problem with letting artists just do their thing. Because I think RTD his just showing his perspective here by having every companion fangirl the Doctor. Of course, I myself fangirl the Doctor, but obviously that doesn't mean every else does. I think that's where RTD needs to listen to others. Although then he managed on his own to make it better, because thanks to Catherine Tate's return Penny didn't happen.
22. "Put a man and a woman of roughly the same age on screen and you're telling a story. That's a love story." Oh, come on! That's the problem with a lot of shows, they just have to go make a ship out of that platonic couple, because on TV it seems to be impossible for a man and a woman to not have a relationship that's a crush at the very least. *sigh*
23. And then this quote leads to talking about the Doctor and Rose. RTD writes that they didn't really have to try. And I disagree again. Because when you view it from this angle: You never ever have to try with any ship, really. Even with the ships that are so totally out there that the writers never thought of it. Someone will ship them. It's even a rule of the internet. 34 or 36, I forget. So... Doctor/Rose: I couldn't have been the only one to have been surprised at the end of Doomsday to find out that these two are in love. Because if people tell me they're not a couple, I'll believe them. And as far as I know before 2x13 there hadn't been anything to suggest their friendship was more. But wow, did I go fast from "Aw, their friendship is so adorable!" to "OMG, Doctor/Rose ♥!"
24. Ahaha, the gay agenda. I like what he writes there about where homophobia comes from and what to do against it. "We have become visible, especially to the young, as part of the norm, then the picture starts to develop and widen."
25. "I don't normally get hung up on scientific detail..." but you should! I mean, it's nice that you're having your gay agenda, but there's space for more! Wasn't this show created to teach kids a bit about history? Wouldn't science fit in nicely with that? Yeah, I know, these days it's about entertainment. But education and entertainment aren't mutally exclusive!
26. "How incredible would it have been to keep the Ninth Doctor's regeneration a surprise?" Well, personally I like to be warned in advance. Although, Nine's death never made me sad ('cause there's Ten to look forward to)... there was only this one time. I had only seen half of S1 (missed the eps, because Pro 7 felt the need to move the show around all the time), most of S2 and I loved Ten. Then I went back and watched all my newly dled S1 eps and when the regeneration came, I was seriously worried that I wouldn't like Ten anymore! Sure, I'd seen his eps and thought he was awesome - but that had been in German. What if for some reason I wouldn't like him in English? I know, the crap I worry about! My brain is weird like that.
27. "I don't give a damn, I'll lie all I like if it safeguards the stories that we're telling." Oh, I know ^^ and I like that. It means that we can't believe certain things RTD says and that can give us hope. Like when he says it's the last we've seen of a character (heh, this point is number 27, on the Soundtrack that's the track number of Doomsday, which was about Rose, who is of course the character I'm talking about here). Or that he left that sequel hook for other writers.
28. 2009 specials and then the team leaves: Dude, they planned this for ages, talked about it a few days before the filming of 3x00 started!
29. You know, I never liked the anvils dropped with cyborg Bannakaffalatta and how he wasn't allowed to get married before. It's too obvious, because it doesn't fit in. I mean, why would a cyborg not be allowed to get married? ... Or maybe that's exactly his point. Oh, RTD, you're good!
30. "'Astrid' sounds more spacey." Uh, no, not an unusual name here. That's why her name always bothered me. "Astra was too obvious I thought" Oh, okay, when it's derived more or less from that, I like it better. Although with their Earth names those people could have had some influence from future humans who traveled back in time. Makes more sense, I like it. Or maybe they (What are people from Sto called? Stoans?) have been studying Earth and liked & used some of the exotic names we have here.
31. After finishing last mail's script part with the Doctor saying "I always wanted to say that.", RTD starts the next mail with writing about the changes he made. One of them is that Frame's first name is now Alonso. Nice to finally have confirmation of the spelling. This mail also includes more script, in which the Doctor learns Frame's first name and says "That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso!".
32. Oh, in an earlier version of the script Buckingham Palace is destroyed. The Doctor would have had another Queen for an enemy.
33. Aw, the first ending didn't have Astrid's stardust return and the narmtastic kiss - why did he have to change that? Oh and I just noticed that the first kiss wasn't in that script version either.
Second, oh yeah, if you don't know about the book: it's Russell T. Davies writing about writing during the writing of Doctor Who season 4. Actually it a correspondence between RTD and journalist Benjamin Cook (Radio Times, Doctor Who Magazine).
There are 15 chapters, this post is about the first 5, so there will be 3 posts. Here are my thoughts so far:
In which being black saves your life, a god blasphemes and RTD is a lying liar who lies.
1. As a creative person, I know how you feel, RTD! Sounds also very much like someone on my flists (who sadly isn't a DW fan - still, you should read the book!).
2. OMFG, I'm so glad they brought Donna back for S4! The original S4 companion was supposed to be another love interest! Dude! I really want to know what he was thinking there. Why another love interest?
3. And there's the idea for the Doctor's Daughter. RTD is really thinking about a lot of stuff. But Jenny was supposed to die. And then she didn't and now that means she just has to come back. I'd be really disappointed if we would never see her again. You don't just write kids into this world. If they're not dead, they have to be seen again! Think about that!
4. Argh, I really want to know who Miss X is. If we've seen her by now. If she'll be cast in The Moff Era. And if we'll get to know that she's Miss X, if she gets a role.
5. Ahaha, you procratinator! Seems like pretty much everyone is like this.
6. RTD writing about how much he liked the ending of Life on Mars, hee! Dude, total spoiler in there. Those poor people who read the book but haven't seen LoM yet!
7. Dude, this not-S5/extended S4 has been pretty much planned since Doomsday :O! It's like they ask you "How long are you gonna stay with me?", you say "Forever." and then shit happens, which was actually planned by them... long ago. Evil secret keepers.
8. Usually skincolor doesn't matter and, really, that's how it should be. But sometimes it does matter and that's very good. Because RTD wanted to kill someone off in the season 4 finale and Mickey's character seemed killable. But oh, he's black, and the black guy always dies, and you can't do that. Hee. Mickey was saved by his skincolor.
9. So RTD wanted the 4x13 tagline to be "ONE OF THEM WILL DIE!", but with no one to kill he wondered "But how do I keep that tagline without delivering?" AHA! So that's what it's like behind the scenes with this ONE OF THEM WILL DIE. Not that I understand it better now. Well, okay, a bit - but just in this case. Because Caan had to make this scary prophecy. "4.13 has to have the happiest ending ever." and RTD almost succeeded. Yeah, he didn't kill Donna, but what happened to her wasn't very happy ending. But OMG, RTD, ILY for how you managed to give the Doctor a normal life with Rose AND keep the Doctor traveling and more or less alone! That ending made me very happy.
10. Aha, there in a script for 4x00 we have a President Elect again. Do the research, RTD!
11. I read 'stowaway' in the 4x00 script and LOL'd. A bit earlier RTD wrote about the idea of having the Doctor be blind for just a little bit. The funny thing is that 'stowaway' in German is 'blind passenger'.
12. RTD writes "D'oh!" ^^
13. Did you know that RTD can draw? He's good. Anyway, he fancies Midshipman Frame and drew a picture of him in his underpants. :O You perv! You know, it's weird, there are certain things that I just can't think about. Like naughty thoughts about this show... it's like blasphemy. And there he goes an blasphemes, the god of the show.
14. "It's like fancying a cartoon character - which is entirely possible." Oh, I know. I know.
15. And a case of writers are people too: RTD tells of coworkers who went online, looking for opinions on their stuff. Which of course a lot of times is a bad idea. I could almost feel guilty. But I have a right to an opinion (not that I'm on any of those big sites where someone big could read my opinions) and if I want to say stuff I'll say it. Actually I'm very glad that no one important reads my stuff or else I couldn't be as honest. Also, to be fair to the writer, you'd have to talk a lot more about all that stuff and don't just pick the couple of things you feel like mentioning for whatever reason.
16. I know, it's the artist's creation, but I believe that other people's opinion should at least be heard, because their perspective can be different and help save the creation if the artist is going the wrong way. What I'm saying is: RTD, stop it with the Narm!
17. I don't think it will ever cease to amaze me how far RTD thinks ahead. Dude, he had an idea for the 2008 Christmas special before he even finished the 2007 Christmas special's script! Sure, at that point it wasn't more than "period drama, Cyberman in the snow", but still, wow. Sometimes I think I should have more confidence in the shows I watch, but then one of them lets you down. So yeah, expect the worst. Makes for a nicer surprise when it isn't bad. :o)
Anyway, RTD's early ideas mean that there could totally be spoilers for this year's Christmas special in this book, if they hadn't been edited out.
18. Script 4x00: The Doctor asks Midshipman Frame what his name is, but Frame just talks on instead of answering that question. Aw. So when we finally get to his first name my jaw dropped. Not Alonso. I know this isn't the final version, it's not like I'm stuck in an alternative reality where his name wasn't Alonso, but I was still kinda shocked. Yes, so much does it mean to me that the Doctor finally got to say "Allons-y, Alonso" to someone. So much will the brick joke mean to me, if they do it. Oh and a bit later in the script there's already the Doctor saying allons-y. Frame's not there, though.
19. And there he writes again about that artist problem. How other people's stuff is so great and you kinda hate them for it, because you don't create awesome stuff like that. Even if your own stuff is good, you're never really happy with it (well, you are ...but then you see how awesome stuff is that other people make), you wish you could be better, could do more.
20. Ben writes about Deathly Hallows when asking RTD about changing his mind, giving the Face of Boe a reprieve for 2x01. Hee.
21. RTD writes about how to make people care about characters, which he finds hard to say. "Peth is shining with sheer 'I love the Doctor', so we like her." And there you have it. Because that 'I love the Doctor' got really old, really fast. People aren't all the same and that's what I think is the problem with letting artists just do their thing. Because I think RTD his just showing his perspective here by having every companion fangirl the Doctor. Of course, I myself fangirl the Doctor, but obviously that doesn't mean every else does. I think that's where RTD needs to listen to others. Although then he managed on his own to make it better, because thanks to Catherine Tate's return Penny didn't happen.
22. "Put a man and a woman of roughly the same age on screen and you're telling a story. That's a love story." Oh, come on! That's the problem with a lot of shows, they just have to go make a ship out of that platonic couple, because on TV it seems to be impossible for a man and a woman to not have a relationship that's a crush at the very least. *sigh*
23. And then this quote leads to talking about the Doctor and Rose. RTD writes that they didn't really have to try. And I disagree again. Because when you view it from this angle: You never ever have to try with any ship, really. Even with the ships that are so totally out there that the writers never thought of it. Someone will ship them. It's even a rule of the internet. 34 or 36, I forget. So... Doctor/Rose: I couldn't have been the only one to have been surprised at the end of Doomsday to find out that these two are in love. Because if people tell me they're not a couple, I'll believe them. And as far as I know before 2x13 there hadn't been anything to suggest their friendship was more. But wow, did I go fast from "Aw, their friendship is so adorable!" to "OMG, Doctor/Rose ♥!"
24. Ahaha, the gay agenda. I like what he writes there about where homophobia comes from and what to do against it. "We have become visible, especially to the young, as part of the norm, then the picture starts to develop and widen."
25. "I don't normally get hung up on scientific detail..." but you should! I mean, it's nice that you're having your gay agenda, but there's space for more! Wasn't this show created to teach kids a bit about history? Wouldn't science fit in nicely with that? Yeah, I know, these days it's about entertainment. But education and entertainment aren't mutally exclusive!
26. "How incredible would it have been to keep the Ninth Doctor's regeneration a surprise?" Well, personally I like to be warned in advance. Although, Nine's death never made me sad ('cause there's Ten to look forward to)... there was only this one time. I had only seen half of S1 (missed the eps, because Pro 7 felt the need to move the show around all the time), most of S2 and I loved Ten. Then I went back and watched all my newly dled S1 eps and when the regeneration came, I was seriously worried that I wouldn't like Ten anymore! Sure, I'd seen his eps and thought he was awesome - but that had been in German. What if for some reason I wouldn't like him in English? I know, the crap I worry about! My brain is weird like that.
27. "I don't give a damn, I'll lie all I like if it safeguards the stories that we're telling." Oh, I know ^^ and I like that. It means that we can't believe certain things RTD says and that can give us hope. Like when he says it's the last we've seen of a character (heh, this point is number 27, on the Soundtrack that's the track number of Doomsday, which was about Rose, who is of course the character I'm talking about here). Or that he left that sequel hook for other writers.
28. 2009 specials and then the team leaves: Dude, they planned this for ages, talked about it a few days before the filming of 3x00 started!
29. You know, I never liked the anvils dropped with cyborg Bannakaffalatta and how he wasn't allowed to get married before. It's too obvious, because it doesn't fit in. I mean, why would a cyborg not be allowed to get married? ... Or maybe that's exactly his point. Oh, RTD, you're good!
30. "'Astrid' sounds more spacey." Uh, no, not an unusual name here. That's why her name always bothered me. "Astra was too obvious I thought" Oh, okay, when it's derived more or less from that, I like it better. Although with their Earth names those people could have had some influence from future humans who traveled back in time. Makes more sense, I like it. Or maybe they (What are people from Sto called? Stoans?) have been studying Earth and liked & used some of the exotic names we have here.
31. After finishing last mail's script part with the Doctor saying "I always wanted to say that.", RTD starts the next mail with writing about the changes he made. One of them is that Frame's first name is now Alonso. Nice to finally have confirmation of the spelling. This mail also includes more script, in which the Doctor learns Frame's first name and says "That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso!".
32. Oh, in an earlier version of the script Buckingham Palace is destroyed. The Doctor would have had another Queen for an enemy.
33. Aw, the first ending didn't have Astrid's stardust return and the narmtastic kiss - why did he have to change that? Oh and I just noticed that the first kiss wasn't in that script version either.