mrv3000 | Hmmmm.

Much Doctor Whoness today. Sorry about that. But one last thing, I swear. Was just talking to

manticoran about DW in general, and I brought up "The Satan Pit" since it just aired on SciFi last Friday. Something in it struck me as I was watching - something related to that good old "the Doctor is half human" thing.

I'm not really particular about if the Doctor *is* half human or not (although that would go a ways to explaining his freakish love of humans/Earth.) But when I was watching "The Satan Pit" the other night, I could *almost* interpret this as the Doctor referring to himself - talking about that human impulse that he also had inside him. Not very Time-Lord-dusty-old-senator-ish to me.

[looking down into the pit]

Ida: We should go down. I'd go. What about you?

Doctor: Oh! Oh, in a second, but then again... that is so human. Where angels fear to tread. Even now, standing on the edge. It's that feeling you get. Yeah? [stares into the pit] Right at the back of your head. That impulse... that strange little impulse... that mad little voice saying "go on... go on... go on... go over, go on..."

* later *

[The Doctor stands on the edge of the pit]

Doctor: Ha... there it is again. That itch. [starts bobbing] Go down, go down, go down, go down, go down.

Ida: The urge to jump. Do you know where it comes from, that sensation? Genetic heritage. Ever since we were primates in the trees. It's our body's way of testing us. Calculating whether or not we can reach the next branch.

Doctor: No, that's not it... that's too kind. It's not the urge to jump, it's deeper than that. It's the urge to fall! [he jumps]

*

Okay, yeah. You can totally read that either way. I just thought it was kinda nifty.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm just getting into Doctor Who, and saw The Satan Pit for the first time on Friday. Okay, I'm watching the first year of series 2 along with the current season in the U.S. at the same time, so I haven't picked up much of the mythology yet. But I totally thought the Doctor *was* talking about the urge within himself during that scene. I thought he felt it and was sort of amused in a "huh, how 'bout that!" sort of way. Like he shared physiology with humans if nothing else.

But okay. So he's half-human? Or is that a point of contention among fans?

Much Doctor Whoness today.

I totally read that as Much Doctor Whoreness.

Well...the Doctor flat-out said he was half human in the 1996 movie, but the movie itself is...funky. And American-made. And so it's kinda considered take-it-or-leave-it canon. It was the first time the concept was brought up and most of the existing fan base was "WTFFF?" about it.

I read a thing about why humans and Time Lords look the same. Something about how humans actually evolved to look like Time Lords for...some reason. Ah, the things we make up to wave away human actors. :D

But it's weird - I never saw that scene talking about himself before. I think because my mindset has been this nutjob of a Gallifreyan that OMGLOVES humans. And was just talking about them.

Well, that too...

That was a very telling scene and could be read as him being half human or just also possessing that human impulse to seek out the unknown. To explore. To learn. I think that is one of the Doctor's greatest loves of humanity.

Yeah, it really could go either way. Boy, so much stuff can be interpreted in different ways.

Also random shippy shout out:

Oh I'll get back...Rose is up there.

Awwww. He had so much faith in her. (Of course, she didn't end up pulling him out...)

Awwww. He had so much faith in her. (Of course, she didn't end up pulling him out...)

Nope but he knew she would get out and she stopped satan from making it back to Earth. Go Rose.

I definitely read it as his impulse, and found it mighty interesting. (Probably the most interesting thing in TSP, which to my eyes didn't quite live up to the bloody brilliant setup of TIP, although I still enjoyed it lots.)

Especially when Ida is going on about the evolutionary explanation for the impulse, and I'm going, "But his ancestors didn't brachiate. Or did they? If they didn't, why is he built like that? And how horrified would the average Time Lord be by the mere asking of such questions? And how much would I enjoy asking one of them for exactly that reason?" *eg *

"And how would HE answer the question, dammit, and why isn't someone there who knows enough about him to ask??? Because TPTB hate me, that's why...oooh, shiny!"

Take 2. :: growls at LJ

or just also possessing that human impulse to seek out the unknown.

*nodnodnodnodnod* I personally prefer this one. (Not for any Great Canon-Supported Reason, just 'cause I do.)

I'm very invested in the idea that he was born different for no predictable reason (exept maybe that he's some sort of throwback to early-early-early days, when the presumably had that drive or they wouldn't have invented all the Really Cool Stuff they did), and that his love of Earth people stems from having found kindred spirits in that sense, which he never had at home.

I don't have the animosity toward the "half human" thing that a lot of people do, but it just seems like such a trite, pedestrian reason for his uniqueness.

Even though I am new to Who, one of the traits I love so much about the Doctor is his true fondness for humanity. Not the sensational and extra ordinary types, but the regular joe shmoes of the universe. That is why I really loved Rose. She was a shopgirl with no special abilities other then her wit, kindnesss and curiosity and she fascinated him. She grew and became better by being with the Doctor and I love that. I love that he finds that spark in regular people and teaches them and expands their lives. Rose went on to work at Torchwood and her natural gifts were able to shine because the Doctor saw in her what she could not.

There are so many shows out that give us an eyeful of the absolute worst of humanity, and Lord knows the real world has plenty of that on hand. It id nice to have a character like the Doctor who is so advanced seeing the best in the human race.

I definitely read it as his impulse, and found it mighty interesting.

After I posted, I was thinking that probably *lots* of other people have already had this thought. Ah, the dangers of not ready any DW discussion communities. :D

(Probably the most interesting thing in TSP, which to my eyes didn't quite live up to the bloody brilliant setup of TIP, although I still enjoyed it lots.)

Yes! I loved TIP, but TSP was a bit of a letdown. Although I did really enjoy seeing the Doctor work through what his own beliefs were, even if he didn't verbalize all of them.

Especially when Ida is going on about the evolutionary explanation for the impulse, and I'm going, "But his ancestors didn't brachiate. Or did they? If they didn't, why is he built like that? And how horrified would the average Time Lord be by the mere asking of such questions? And how much would I enjoy asking one of them for exactly that reason?" *eg *

*snickers*

"And how would HE answer the question, dammit, and why isn't someone there who knows enough about him to ask??? Because TPTB hate me, that's why...oooh, shiny!"

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Well, the half human thing did seem very much like a...dammit. Can't think of the word I want here. Anyway, in the movie it *was* throwaway-cliche-ish...sorta. I really have no preference one way or the other.

Although, I seem to remember

nostalgia_lj having a thought about his mother being human - and that's related to why he's just so traumatized in School Reunion about people dying, when he's only had a couple of Companions die on him. Only 2, right? Not that that wouldn't have been traumatic for him, but he did look *extremely* traumatized in School Reunion. And if his mother was human, she probably died when he was (relatively) young. Anyway, I've always thought that was rather a neat fanon concept. I may just swim down that stream of thought for his backstory.

And also the "humans whither and die" thing - big trauma point for him, and he's never seen that with any of his Companions. Had to come from somewhere.

(But mainly I want to eventually write a scene where Rose finds out the half human thing with a "WTFFFFF?!!!" Mwah.)

Hmmmm.

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