Doctor Who S7 trailer

[Revy]

Amy Pond says "Geronimo!" and no, it still doesn't work as a catchphrase.

You don't say. I hate Doctor Who catchphrases.

Something has happened to the Ponds, and you won't like it.

Undoubtedly. I haven't liked the Ponds since their second season began. I'm honestly fed up with them by this point, and I'll be glad to see them go.

And, as it seems there always must be in Moffat Doctor Who scripts these days, there is a woman who is not all she seems.

You know, I actually consider myself a bit of a feminist. When I write stories I love to have strong leading ladies. I once wrote a book in which all of the main characters were women. So it really astonishes me that I find myself hating the female characters Moffat creates and prefer the men instead. I never thought I'd end up liking Rory more than Amy (especially being a Scottish girl myself) but I did. I like Matt Smith as the Doctor and want him to stay even though I'd love to see a female Doctor. My favourite villains from the last two seasons were House and the Dream Lord. I'd rather have Craig (from The Lodger) join the TARDIS crew than River. I thought Canton Everett was cool, and Madame Kovarian was lame.

I could go on, but you get the idea. I don't really understand it myself. I get the impression that Moffat likes strong female characters (as I do) but whenever he makes one I can't stand them. Actually, there have been virtually no female characters from nuWho that I have liked, but I've seen old series episodes on DVD and I really liked some of the female Companions and characters from those. I mean what the hell? I can't stand modern female characters in Doctor Who, but I like the ones from a more sexist time? That just doesn't seem right.

Anyway, as far as Asylum of the Daleks goes, I already started dreading it when I saw the trailer, showing that Spoiler

someone manages to kill all of the Daleks. Again.

Really? I mean really? They don't think that's been overdone just a tiny little bit? Ehhh, whatever. Maybe the episode will surprise me. Not holding my breath though.

[Broomstick]

I could go on, but you get the idea. I don't really understand it myself. I get the impression that Moffat likes strong female characters (as I do) but whenever he makes one I can't stand them. Actually, there have been virtually no female characters from nuWho that I have liked, but I've seen old series episodes on DVD and I really liked some of the female Companions and characters from those. I mean what the hell? I can't stand modern female characters in Doctor Who, but I like the ones from a more sexist time? That just doesn't seem right.

Liking and admiring strong women does not instantly equate into the ability to write convincing strong and capable women characters - that is directed at the Who writers, not you.

Amy Pond does have some characteristics that are quite unflattering - such as running off with a strange man the night before her wedding. WTF? Continually calling her "love" Rory stupid, idiot, etc. Taking him for granted and treating him more as a sidekick than a boyfriend/financee/husband. She also undergoes very little character development. Let's not touch River Song here other than to state she's clearly a Mary Sue.

Meanwhile, we have Rory who went from neglected nebbish to a champion bad-ass and man of unquestioned devotion to a woman who, frankly, does not deserve him. Very nice character development. Craig-from-The-Lodger (and "Closing Time") also undergoes character development, in his first episode going from hesitant man to one able to proclaim his true feelings for the woman he loves, and in the second coming to terms with fatherhood.

The men are more interesting because they get character development. In Who (Old or Nu) the amount of character development the Doctor can undergo in a season or two is limited (although over the past half century it's been considerable). It's the companions that can really undergo changes in the short term, and when they do so it makes the show more interesting (usually).

Idris/Sexy Thing/The TARDIS in "The Doctor's Wife" was more interesting than Amy Pond because, again, something happened to the character and she underwent some changes.

I, too, would rather have Craig or CED3 as the next companion. I would like to see Craig in another one off (and CED3 again, too).