Midnight

[altariel]

Some of you might remember a charming little news story from 2006 when two passengers were removed from a plane because some of the other passengers thought they talked a bit funny. Some of which seemed to make its way into 'Midnight' last night. Well done, Rusty, and I'm glad one of your more pointed pieces of social commentary went out the day you got your OBE.

Opinion is divided in the Altariel household over this episode, although not over its quality. mraltariel was concerned that it contained too much adult reality for a seven-year-old audience: too many adults behaving so frighteningly that even the teenage character, Jethro, struggled to make emotional sense of what was going on.

mraltariel also doesn't like watching people bicker, but I watch Blake's 7 so no complaints from me. But (great big fangirl that I am) the really interesting bits of the story were happening in the gaps: what does Jethro think of his parents now that he's had confirmation of their narrow-minded bigotry (and, indeed, what happens to his rebellious streak, which notably failed when the crunch came); what does Dee Dee make of her idolized professor after he has fallen back on aggression and bullying to silence her (a story close to my heart); and, of course, what exactly did they all say to the Doctor during that twenty minute wait for rescue? And what do they say to themselves, in the midnight hour?

I know many wouldn't agree, but I love Rusty's storytelling. I think he's endlessly inventive, and always sharp but forgiving about people. Even though (as communicator pointed out) 'Midnight' was just the Elevator Episode, it was clever and it bit hard. I'll miss Rusty when he's gone. Hope he knocks out the occasional 'Gridlock' to keep me happy.

Comments

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I thought it was very good episode too, although, for me, I found I really needed the scene at the end where the Doctor and Donna re-unite and she hugs him and listens to him.

I was very much wanting Dee Dee to punch out the professor, whether literally or metaphorically. I hope she goes on to be a great academic success, and equally well known for her mechanical hobbies as well.

We also watched this episode after watching the Survivors S1 episode 'Law and Order' for the first time, and the combination of those two was a bit too much for one evening.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I really needed that scene with Donna too: he's safely home.

Oh lord, imagine watching it after 'Law and Order'! You need to put on a romcom today. Legally Blonde can save you!

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

(Edited for wrong icon again!)

Today is mostly filing and cleaning (I'm hosting my reading group tomorrow). And we have one episode of Survivors to finish. However, Tuesday might well see me settled down with a whole bunch of romcoms.

I was tickled by Phil Collinson (sp?) saying in the Confidential that he hoped people were surprised by the end - the nameless hostess sacrificing herself. (I really liked the point about no-one knowing her name - they can't even give thanks to her memory by name.) Er no, we've seen enough of New Who to know that that's exactly what people do do, even if, as in this episode, it's prefaced by a lot of people giving in to their fears and being unable to act against the mob rule. I did sympathise with Dee Dee and Jethro being unable to take the initiative, especially Dee Dee who was working out what was going on.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm back to working my way through The Wire again: just started season 3.

No, not a surprise to have a sacrifice. I suppose he meant that it was something different from either a. the Doctor talking them all down, b. them murdering the Sky-alien... but, yes, there's sacrifice practically every week!