Random Pet Peeve #168: People Used to Have Names, You Know

[lukon_idein]

Okay, so I'm being old and crotchety here, but hey, that's what people do when they are surrounded by the next generation, right? So, I am a Dr. Who fan from way back, and I've pretty much seen every pre-hiatus episode that's available (including the unfinished Douglas Adams scripted Shada). I've watched a few of the new eps but haven't fallen in love yet - some things I like (Captain Jack - yum) and some things I don't (Dr. in luuuuv - icky). Whatever. That's not my problem. My problem is that I still remember those old discussions that inevitably involved the question 'Who's your favorite Doctor?' Lots of 'Tom Baker' and 'Jon Pertwee', some 'Peter Davison', very few 'Colin Baker'... but it was all names - of people, of actors who portrayed a character, who brought life and personality and individuality to each regeneration. Now I know all these younger folks who are completely into the new doctors and it's all numbers. 'I like ten.' 'Did you see that one with nine?' 'Which doctor was that? Three?' ARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH. Fuck that. It's so.... I dunno... reductionary and depersonalizing or something. Or maybe it just represents the fans considering the doctor as a single, whole character, divorced from the medium of television. Which I guess shouldn't be a bad thing, I do that myself with other fandoms, but somehow in this case it still annoys the fuck out of me. I don't know why, but it does, and hence I shake my cane at humanity once more.

On a lighter note, I was searching through old mix tapes (yes, tapes) looking for songs to convert to digital, and rediscovered Touch and Go's Would You...?. This song NEVER fails to bring a smile to my face. If you aren't familiar with it, do a quick Youtube search (no official video, but several amateur jobs - don't watch 'em, just listen). It is SOOOO worth it. :)

Comments

[dentelle-noir.livejournal.com]

Aaaah, the Dr. Who rant!

I personally prefer the number, and that is because I do not like, may I repeat, I personally do not like, real-people fanfic. I have no problem reading or writing about fictional characters, but I have a problem when we start talking about "Sarah Michelle Gellar walked out to the car" rather then "Buffy stalked towards the menacing minivan"

I prefer to say "Ten pulled out the super-sonic ray gun" rather then "David Tennant..."

I like to think of characters as characters, and people as people, you know? If we call the incarnations by their actors, then, YES it gives the actor more credit and more ownership of the character, but as a fanficcer *I* want to be able to write about the character and not the actor. David Tennant never went to Galifrey; He works on a BBC set. You know what I'm getting at? I like to have that immediate distinction between person and character when fan fic is involved.

[(Anonymous)]

"and hence I shake my cane at humanity once more." the best quote ever

- Edrie