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thestenchofirony:

waiting-for-the-tardis:

geekquality:

In her annual rewatch of Series 1-4 of Doctor Who, Alice Marie finally sees a pattern emerging in the way Steven Moffat tends to treat his female characters. Check out her post as she breaks down a few tropes that show just how problematic Moffat’s approach can be.

I’m sorry but… 

1. The Doctor affects everyone he encounters. This is not fucking new. Captain Jack? He spent hundreds of years looking for him. Rose dedicated a whole year of her life just trying to get back to him. The paradoxes don’t “trap” anyone either. Sally could have easily ignored the papers she got and wandered away.  However no, because she is fucking brave she stayed and saved the day. She was never deprived of choice. The paradox only became pre-destined because she chose to stay and fulfil it. Same with River. Moffat’s already said that River and the Doctor have complete free will in their story-line, and things are completely subject to change. However they don’t, because they choose to continue their adventures, because believe it or not they enjoy eachother’s company. River didn’t have to die, she died because she fucking chose to. Reinette wasn’t obsessed with the Doctor either. Amy? Arguable, however also completely understandable, and the Doctor is regularly shamed and told off for it. Also, most of Amy’s story is about her getting over the Doctor, and accepting that he isn’t all that great and isn’t worth obsessing over. This doesn’t really happen with River either, she is brainwashed to think he’s an asshole, however then literally spends several years doing her own research by her own choice. It’s not so much an obsession but an intrigue, much like Captain Jack and Rose(who both spend a large amount of time after their adventures with the Doctor just looking for a way to get back to him).

• Wasn’t Rose literally trapped in a parallel world? Didn’t Donna *completely* have her memory wiped by the Doctor? How are these any different? The definition of “trapped” here is really reaching. Didn’t Reinette CHOOSE to take the slow-path? Didn’t Amy CHOOSE to go back in time? Didn’t River CHOOSE to sacrifice herself in the library? Isn’t it kind of GOOD that these characters make their own choices? The only companions I can think of who never got a say in their fates are Rory, Rose and Donna. Two of which aren’t even written by Moffat!

• “It feels almost like he’s putting them in their place”. Except Rose was denied the ability to travel with the Doctor, as was Donna. All these accusations apply to RTD’s companions as well(well, excluding Martha). And how can Amy not be strong and independent in the past? Society would be different, sure, however why would that necessarily affect her? River seemed pretty independent and strong in that period(Hell, she even owned her own company!). Also what about Rory and Jack, didn’t they also get trapped away from the Doctor?

• I can’t say much here other than I just really don’t agree with these interpretations. The only difference to Rose’s characterisation in the Girl in the Fireplace was that she wasn’t with the Doctor - she was still adventurous and brave. As for Martha? He was told to write a companion and Doctor-lite episode, how else is he supposed to do that? And as for being trapped in a dangerous time-period, wasn’t she actually trapped earlier in the season in a much worse environment, where she was in fact regularly threatened and verbally abused? Why is this episode so much worse? And I don’t even understand the next complaint, like what, are no new female characters allowed to be introduced and developed now? Also it’s worth note that Ten basically sat on his ass all throughout this episode, whereas Martha was shown to actually be productive and helpful. And Amy gets his full attention? Hence why he didn’t tell her about her pregnancy, or the truth about her daughter, or…

EXACTLY. I hate people who hate on Moffats women.

I just got finished submitting a long ass post to STFUMH saying many of the same things. Then I saw this once I was done. But pretty much, yeah. Alice Marie’s double standards are breathtaking.

(via contemplatethecastle)