Thoughts upon rewatching "The Impossible Planet"

[intrikate88]

Because my best friend left for college today and I won't see him until November, I decided I needed some cheering up in the form of Doctor/Rose fluffiness, and chose "The Impossible Planet" to assist in this. It worked decently, and naturally brought up a few thoughts and topics of discussion as well.

I. When the acting-captain-Zach tells Rose and the Doctor to hold on to something because of the earthquake coming, they immediately look at each other. Adorable! XD

II. The TARDIS will translate everything for them, except for satanic writing, and Welsh. Cute. *growls*

III.  Rose makes an interesting, almost overlooked comment in regards to the Ood:
ROSE

Seriously? You like being ordered about? 

OOD
It is all we crave. 

ROSE
Why's that, then? 

OOD
We have nothing else in life. 

ROSE
Yeah, well I used to think like that. A long time ago.

Rose doesn't really devote a lot of time, normally, to talking about her life before the Doctor. She mentions it, of course, but rarely this clearly: she has nothing in life but the Doctor. She said much the same to Mickey in "Parting of the Ways": "There's nothing to keep me here, nothing." But here she says even before she knew there was a different way of life she felt she had nothing in her life worthwhile but following orders. What might Rose have turned into if not for the Doctor's influence? What do the Ood have to say about Rose's character?

IV. "And what's your job? Chief Dramatist?" And the Doctor looks like this is the funniest thing he's heard all day. Well, second funniest. First was when Rose suggested they turn the TARDIS around and go elsewhere.

V. I feel like this episode is in some ways a tribute to Firefly. Sanctuary  and Serenity. It kind of makes me want to write some fic about the Sanctuary base, but not so badly that I will. They're really great characters, though. They deserve a more thorough exploration. Scooti is adorable, and I could definitely draw Kaylee parallels. Ida is fascinating- so thoughtful, and she'll say something, and then carefully watch what the reaction is. Toby is so nervous- he doesn't fit in, has always been the awkward studious serious one, I'm guessing. Jefferson is probably a crusty exterior sort that tells good stories when drunk, and does nice things without wanting any attention for it, and never discusses his past. And Zach struggles with the responsibility of leading a crew he never thought he'd have to. What a bunch. I wonder if they'll show up in "Planet of the Ood"... I kind of doubt it, though.

VI. I love how they play Ravel's "Bolero" for the night transition. It seems so very out of place, and I love juxtaposition. Classical music, on a space base. Lovely!

VII. FORESHADOWING!!

ROSE
I've seen films and things, yeah - they say black holes are like gateways to another universe.

DOCTOR
Not that one. It just eats.

ROSE
Long way from home...

Goodness. We probably should have known it was all over at that point. However, even with the Doomsday references here, do we see any hope in the rest of this ep towards a foreshadowing of Rose's return? (Yes,  I know I am grasping at straws. This is more for fic purposes, really. ) Are there any Bad Wolf references around anywhere, what with all the talk of the Beast and everything? This could be vital to know for my upcoming Massive Multi-Chapter Reunion Fic.

VIII. Can anyone tell me who wrote the poem that Jefferson quoted? Google is letting me down. Isn't T.S. Eliot liked around these parts, though?

IX. This episode has such fascinating little moments of intimacy and questioning in Rose and the Doctor's relationship. They're very friendshippy-intimate, giggling about adventures and hugging when things look worrisome. But you can also tell there is something more.
ROSE (teasingly, sing-song)

You'd have to get a mortgage.

DOCTOR (staring, horrified)
... No.

ROSE
Oh yes.

DOCTOR
I am dying. That's it. I am dying, it is all over.

ROSE
What about me? I'd have to get one too. I dunno, could... could be the same one, we could both...

ROSE
I dunno... share. Or not, you know. Whatever.

ROSE (quickly)
I dunno, we'll sort something out--

DOCTOR
Anyway.

ROSE (laughs it off)
We'll see!

It's all quite nervous and carefully casual. Rose is suggesting a new stage their relationship- setting up a home, rather than just hanging out together. And she wants it, but she doesn't know if their relationship allows that. At least that's what I'm reading. And then that continues when the Doctor goes down the shaft, and she kisses his helmet: it's a kiss, but it's one that can always just be claimed as merely friendship, if questioned. Afterwards she looks down at her feet, unsure, but then looks back up, smiling as ever. This has all taken place just after the Doctor lost her in "Idiot's Lantern", and also directly after Rose lost Mickey to the other universe. Her alternative love no longer exists, and it seems that the Doctor's alternative loves- Sarah Jane and Reinette- also no longer exist, not then and there in that place. This is almost a marker where they're forced to realize that really, they're just down to the two of them. And they'll have to do something about that. 

X. Rose is really pretty in this episode. That's pretty much the important bit.

Comments

[goldy-dollar.livejournal.com]

Heh! I need to leave you a proper comment on this, but OMGYAY, S2 discussion. We really do need to talk more about the awesome that is Doctor/Rose instead of how S3 made all of want to kill ourselves. :D

I'll try and return to this tomorrow when I have more time to play around on the 'Nets (GAH, the mortgage thing is one of those that I've never properly been able to get from a meta standpoint), but I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH. *huggles*

[intrikate88.livejournal.com]

MORTGAGE! Yes, it is very weird, meta-wise, and would benefit from a hopping class discussion. ...It would rock my world so hard if we had a Doctor Who class at school. *daydreams this awesomeness*

[ivydoor.livejournal.com]

II. The TARDIS will translate everything for them, except for satanic writing, and Welsh. Cute.

HA! Thanks for my first laugh of the day. I never thought of it like that. Hee!

V.

I definitely felt the Firefly influence on this episode, although the commentary mentioned Alien as the inspiration. I think the score of this episode borrowed heavily from Firefly though.

IX. Rose is suggesting a new stage their relationship- setting up a home, rather than just hanging out together. And she wants it, but she doesn't know if their relationship allows that.

I'm not sure if she really is setting up a new stage. To me, they already share a home, and it comes across to me like she starts out blurting out the obvious choice to share then realizes "Oops." She backpedals a bit when she realizes how "domestic" it sounds, despite the fact that they live together already.

X.

They were both gorgeous in this episode. The whole thing was just beautiful. The color scheme, the actors, the effects, everything was just perfect.

[intrikate88.livejournal.com]

Doood, did I not mention the Firefly score sounding like the one for Impossible Planet? Cause I was totally thinking that all through and meant to make a note of it. Ah, well. But yes, it feels very Firefly inspired, and I sort of love it for that. Makes the crossovers easier?

I'm not sure if she really is setting up a new stage.

I think it sorta is, sorta isn't. Because yes, they do share a home. They do life together. But at the same time, it doesn't seem quite at the cohabitation level- they're not washing dishes together and I'm pretty sure the fandom quandry over the laundry room indicates they don't do laundry together; however, they have adventures together and have fun together. They're going out. But the idea of settling down, getting a mortgage, all that- it is all very domestic and is a new sort of dimension to it all. Granted, I'm no expert on these sorts of relationship subtleties, and someone with more experience might be able to shed more light on it.

They were both gorgeous in this episode.

Absolutely. I made some notes of what to cap to make icons out of. If I ever am not busy and/or reading three novels a week for school.