Why the Tenth Doctor is Totally My Type

[rusty_halo]

I mentioned the other day that the Tenth Doctor is Totally My Type, and kita0610 thought I was insane.

So how do you go from "punk rock vampire who kills/loves Slayers" to "universe-saving geeky alien on a children's show"?

It makes perfect sense in my head, but apparently is not obvious to everyone else? ;)

Now, first, don't throw things at me. I'm not saying the Tenth Doctor and Spike are the same. I'm not even saying they're mostly similar. I'm saying that they have certain similar qualities that ping my fannish radar and make me squee.

There's a difference between characters I like and characters I'm fannish about. Plenty of characters out there are perfectly fine, written well and enjoyable to watch. But I don't think about them once I turn off the TV. There's something specific about characters that get inside my head, that take up so much of my mental space that I'm compelled to go online and babble about them with other people who love them.

An incomplete list of characters I've adored in this way:
Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Methos (Highlander: the Series)
Jaime Lannister (George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire)
Brian Kinney (Queer as Folk)
Logan Echolls (Veronica Mars)

And to a lesser extent:
Francis Crawford of Lymond (Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles)
Fox Mulder (The X-Files)
Richard Sharpe (Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series and the TV movies)

And why does the Tenth Doctor fit right in?

Well, the first thing to clarify is it isn't about morality. Because I know people are going "But OMG some of those characters are EVIL!" Which... I have a hard time even responding to, because to me it's a complete non sequitur. Of course the characters I like do bad things; it's part of what makes them interesting. White hat hero types are boring; I want characters where I can delve endlessly into their motivations and psychological complexities and dark sides. If I always know they'll Do The Right Thing in any given situation, what's the point?

These characters vary on the morality scale. Jaime Lannister managed in his second scene to commit incest, treason, and attempted murder. Methos must've raped, murdered, and enslaved tens of thousands of people. So when someone tries to tell me that Logan Echolls is the antichrist because he's spoiled, or that the Tenth Doctor is evil because he's rude... er, so?

It doesn't mean I think they're always right or that I'd justify their actions in real life, because, um, duh? But I don't want them fixed, or changed, or redeemed. I want them to revel in their fucked up glory, because that's why I like them.

I know the difference between fantasy and reality. And I've got my own ethics pretty much sorted out, thanks. Even if I didn't, I wouldn't look to television as a moral guide. (Besides, I'm never going to find a character that accurately reflects my own ethical views; how many atheist feminist vegan characters even exist? In sci-fi/fantasy? That also ping my fannish kinks? Yeah, didn't think so.)

Here's what I love about these characters. These traits don't apply exactly to everyone, but in general they're pretty close. I'm going to explain how these apply to the Tenth Doctor; if you want me to explain how something applies to one of the other characters, let me know.

* They're rogues. These characters don't have much investment in traditional authority or "traditional moral values."

The Doctor's a rebel from Time Lord society who totally breaks their whole non-interference rule. He pretty much does what he wants; he comes across a variety of other societies and breaks tons of social rules along the way.

* But each character has his own personal moral code. He tries to live by it and doesn't always succeed, which is where the interesting ethical struggles happen.

When it comes down to it, when the Doctor sees people being hurt, he tries to help them. That's his moral code. And he prefers to use his brain instead of reverting to violence, which I particularly love.

* These characters are often what I think of as the "disillusioned idealist"; they used to really believe in something, but they've had their beliefs shattered by the harshness of reality. The interesting part, the struggle, is that deep down inside they still believe or want to believe in that original idealism, even though they might be bitter about it.

The Doctor's a bit less disillusioned than most; he still pretty much explicitly sticks up for his ideals. He tries to give everyone a chance and solve problems without violence. But there's "I used to have so much mercy" and "No second chances" and the Racnoss and the Family of Blood and so yeah, it kinda fits.

* They've got to have a dark side. They can't always do the right thing, otherwise they'd be predictable and I'd be bored. And when they do do the right thing, it feels more earned, because it's not a 100% guarantee that they always will.

Which is why I love the Doctor killing the Racnoss and tormenting the Family of Blood. Why must fandom bitch incessantly about the character traits I love most?

* They've got some kind of angsty backstory that explains why they're so screwed up. Bonus points if they cry a lot and hurt really pretty.

Time War, obviously. And then the loss of Rose. And don't tell me David Tennant doesn't hurt pretty.

* They're emotionally intense. A lot of times they're kind of withdrawn and keep their feelings buried, but this just makes it even more powerful when the emotions finally come out.

OMG how much do I love the tears at the end of "Last of the Time Lords"? And the look on his face the end of "Doomsday"? And I love it particularly because so often you see him repress and not deal with his issues, so when he finally can't take it anymore he's a total mess.

* They can be very charming, but they're quite socially clueless when it comes to other people's feelings. Usually because they're too caught up in their Deep Inner Pain to notice.

Yeah, I get a vicarious thrill out of watching my favorite characters be rude. Because generally they do care, they just suck at expressing it or they use rudeness as a protective mechanism to avoid acknowledging their own feelings or having other people notice. Or they're just plain that clueless. Whatever. It is quite possible that I enjoy this because I am a rude bitch myself. ;)

* Despite the Deep Inner Pain, they've got to be fun. (I can't get into characters who just brood all the time, sorry!) This manifests as a sense of joie de vivre and/or a witty sense of humor, depending on the character. People often criticize it as hedonistic, but I like it because I like the idea of acknowledging that life usually sucks, and it's up to you to find joy where you can.

The Doctor's got the joie de vivre in spades. I completely adore the concept of a character whose reason for being is to see the universe and have adventures. So much better than Righteous Chosen Hero who's only in it to Serve the Greater Good. (I was talking about this here with scarlettgirl; basically I think traditional heroes are either 100% unrealistic or they've got some kind of hypocritical superiority/martyr complex driving them.)

* They're smart. Not always book smart, but they've at least got to be competent/witty/good at figuring stuff out. Intelligence is hot.

I love how the Doctor's a genius and yet so socially clueless. Yay for the geek hero who solves problems with his brain. :)

I think every character on my list is obviously smart except Sharpe (but he's brilliant with military tactics, just not educated), Logan Echolls (but I don't think he was dumb; he just didn't care about school) and latter-day Spike. (And probably a big reason I lost interest in Spike was that they started writing him as a buffoon. From "Once he starts something he doesn't stop until everything in his path is dead" to Spike the incompetent comic relief in AtS S5?!)

* They're lonely. They long for connection, but they're afraid of being hurt or hurting those they care about, so they push people away.

Yeah, I keep seeing people saying "But if the Doctor's so lonely, why does he push people away? He's got all these awesome people surrounding him!" But... it doesn't work like that. You can't just magically open up again after you've been hurt; it takes a lot of time to build up trust and regain the ability to let other people in. And it's particularly difficult for the Doctor because he's an alien, so there's an extra distance between him and everyone around him. (Which is part of why he gets so fixated on the Master--finally someone who can understand that "alien" side of him that the humans will just never get.)

* But they tend to really connect with one person, who they'd do just about anything for. Which still doesn't prevent them from being clueless and screwed-up in how they relate to that person.

Rose, obviously. It's not a perfect relationship, but it's a really interesting one. She helps him re-experience the wonder of the universe and shows him that the human side matters as much as the "big picture." She obviously means the world to him and yet he can't open up and admit he loves her until it's too late. (*sob*)

And then once she's gone, he's fixated on the Master, in a totally different and even more screwed-up way.

So, there you go: the list of character traits that I get fannish about. It would be a whole other discussion to figure out why these particular traits ping my interest. (It'd also probably be really personal and boring to anyone who isn't me, so I'll skip that part. But um, I promise that it relates more to traits I recognize in myself, and less to being "one of those women who writes to serial killers in prison" or "a self-hating misogynist deep down inside" or whatever the trendy criticism is these days.)

[Cross-posted to InsaneJournal]

Comments

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I keep seeing people saying "But if the Doctor's so lonely, why does he push people away? He's got all these awesome people surrounding him!" But... it doesn't work like that. You can't just magically open up again after you've been hurt; it takes a lot of time to build up trust and regain the ability to let other people in. And it's particularly difficult for the Doctor because he's an alien, so there's an extra distance between him and everyone around him. (Which is part of why he gets so fixated on the Master--finally someone who can understand that "alien" side of him that the humans will just never get.)
Yes.

Okay yeah, the Doctor longing to connect with people and then taking forever to acknowledge Martha seems stupid when you word it like that. But he's lost his people and opened up to Rose about that and then he lost her. So, no, he's not going to connect easily with someone else again. People don't work like that. And people of all sorts in Whoverse - aliens or not - tend to work the same in that matter.

And him losing the Master and all those people in VotD? No wonder they're bringing back the Doctor. He's in a place where he needs to connect again with someone he's known in the past. Like he did with the Master and Jack.

And bringing up like he was before? When he refused to say a proper goodbye to many of his companions and never goes to look for them again even though he still clearly loves them dearly? This is not something a healthy person with a time machine does. School Reunion explains it all.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

This is not something a healthy person with a time machine does.

That's a good point. He doesn't deal well with with losing people, to the extent that he represses his feelings and actually ends up hurting them more by avoiding them. (Like abandoning Jack and Sarah Jane, basically because he didn't want to have to deal with it.)

I love that about him. It makes perfect sense that he would be like that, given how long he's lived and that he knows he's going to lose everyone eventually. The only way he can function is to keep moving forward and focusing on the next shiny thing, because the weight of the past would probably destroy him if he let it all hit him at once.

And, yeah, his not connecting with Martha is definitely because he opened up to Rose and got his heart broken. Of course he's cautious after a big emotional trauma like that.

And then he starts to connect with Astrid and she dies because of him, so of course he's back to pushing people away again, for their own good because he can't stand the thought that someone he cares about would suffer because of him. (That's why I can forgive the two times he sends Rose away, in "The Parting of the Ways" and "Doomsday," because he's not doing it because he wants her to have a Normal Life; he's doing it because he can't deal with causing her pain/death.)

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

I also adore it so much because the show deals with it. He said goodbye to Rose and Sarah Jane. He accepted Jack. And it's not all forward. See: the Master.

In some ways Martha was in a sucky position because the Doctor was just not in a place where he could connect easily. But I just found myself not being able to really see Martha's point of view when she snarked about Rose. If I had a compelling character reason for Martha to act jealous of a girl she doesn't even know then maybe it'd be different. SHOW I EXPECT YOU TO GIVE ME BETTER CHARACTERIZATION. :(

(That's why I can forgive the two times he sends Rose away, in "The Parting of the Ways" and "Doomsday," because he's not doing it because he wants her to have a Normal Life; he's doing it because he can't deal with causing her pain/death.)
Exactly. He values Rose being alive over her being dead. It's always been that way. Even if he knows she's not happy and be in pain, he's got faith that she'll have a fantastic life.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

reat post. And word to so much of it.

Team Rogue love:)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, it's all about the scoundrels and rogues. ;)

[writteninstars.livejournal.com]

Okay, first of all, you articulated so many reasons why I also love the doctor (and lots of other characters as well).

Secondly, because we agree about Spike, Fox Mulder, Brian Kinney and Logan Echolls as well as the doctor, I'm thinking I need to read the George R.R. Martin series. :-)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad this made sense, because I was worried people would think I'm insane for comparing these characters.

Oh, man, you should so read the George R.R. Martin books. Jaime Lannister is the epitome of the character archetype I love.

Back in the day, a bunch of fellow Spike fans told me I'd love him, so I read the first book and I seriously despised Jaime and thought the people who recommended it were crazy. And by the time I got through the third book I was completely in love with Jaime Lannister. It's insane how well the author pulls off the transformation; he keeps Jaime in character, doesn't retcon anything that happened before, and still gets you on his side.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I read the first book and I seriously despised Jaime and thought the people who recommended it were crazy. And by the time I got through the third book I was completely in love with Jaime Lannister. It's insane how well the author pulls off the transformation; he keeps Jaime in character, doesn't retcon anything that happened before, and still gets you on his side.

Hee! I always love reading about how you came to the Jaime Lannister love - because I think I followed the same trajectory. Hey, in all your Who watching with Jaydk, surely you can slip in some subliminal Martin messages, right? :P

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Hee, I think you probably were one of those people who was encouraging me to read the book back then.

Dude, I drop ASOIAF hints all the time. And I think every time I do, her rebellious instincts kick in and she delays it by another year. *sigh* One of these days....

[raskazzptitsa.livejournal.com]

Dude, I can absolutely see why a Spike fan could be a Ten fan. They're both cheeky and fun loving in the face of things that are not. They are both flawed but have mostly good intentions. Doesn't seem strange to me at all.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad it doesn't make sense only in my head.

The argument goes "But Spike was EVIL! If you like Spike you hate strong women and think rape is okay!"

Which... I guess also applies to Ten, if you're one of those crazy people, since he didn't fall in love with Martha and therefore is also evil and emotionally abusive and despises strong women. Or something. *eyeroll*

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

It's always dumb when you call people sexist or racist or whatever for liking a fictional character.

[raskazzptitsa.livejournal.com]

Oy.

Well also, there's the odd logistical leap that one isn't allowed to like two people who are not exactly the same. I mean, how many love triangles are formed when one person likes two very, very different people? (I mean, in TV alone! Buffy-Spike-Angel, Veronica-Logan-Duncan, Joey-Pacey-Dawson, Kate-Sawyer-Jack, etc etc.) Even if Spike was a woman-hating rapist and Ten the beacon of all that is good and right and kitteny in the galaxy, it wouldn't be illegal for one person to like them both.
But yeah, like I said, I feel like Ten definitely fits your established pattern. And not just 'cause he's pocketsized, although that helps ;)

[buffyx.livejournal.com]

I love, love, LOVE this list. Every single one of those is a kink of mine as well. Of course, that doesn't stop some people from claiming that you are a RAPIST LOVING VAGINA HATING WOMAN OMG.

By the way, you're making me want to give Dr. Who another shot. I've only seen two episodes (the first episode of the new series that introduces Rose, and the Christmas special with Rose and Ten). I've liked them well enough but haven't had the time/inclination to really watch all the episodes.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Man, it really used to bother me when people would try to claim that I'm not a good feminist or whatever because of the fictional characters I like. But at this point I'm just laughing at them, because, dude, I know I'm a feminist, and I'm not so insecure that some ranting stranger on the internet could make me doubt myself.

Oh, you should really watch Doctor Who. Given that you were into Spike/Buffy and Logan/Veronica, I think you'd enjoy Doctor/Rose (which is sweeter/less angsty, but similar in the way the characters connect with and complement each other). And if you like this list of character traits you will love the Tenth Doctor. Especially in the third season when he loses Rose and gets all dark and angsty. >:)

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

It makes perfect sense to me!

But I think you may have forgotten someone. ;-) ::points to icon::

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Dude, I know! I was thinking about him. I just... I think ultimately I got fed up with how unimportant he turned out to be, and how he was basically just a lesson for Harry and not much of a character in his own right. (I mean, he was, but mostly it was little hints Rowling dropped that fandom embellished.)

But, yeah, you're right. He definitely fits most of these criteria, and I do still love him.

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

Throw on Sayid and that's mostly my list (except for the ones from books I haven't read.)

Doctor Who isn't a kid's show. It's a show that's suitable for kids.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Oooh, nifty. I never got into Lost but it seems like either Sawyer or Sayid would be the ones I'd like.

I was exaggerating for effect, but I guess I do kind of think of DW as a kids show, just not in a demeaning way. A kids story done really well is my favorite kind of story, because there seems to be something more pure and honest, less of the dreary Trying So Hard to Be Mature that you get in "adult" stories.

[dtissagirl.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I just love seeing all of the traits in my favorite characters listed so eloquently like that [Mulder, Spike, Mal, John Crichton, Jack O'Neill, Pacey Witter, etc]. Every single male character I've ever loved has been exactly like you're describing... and I kind of am always in search for the new one that fits the bill. :)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Yep, same here. It's a good thing I have a FL full of similarly-minded people, so I can find out about the nifty characters when they come along. :)

[x-bluerose-x.livejournal.com]

Icon says it all :D

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Hee!

Even better: Doctor/Master/me. ;)

[x-bluerose-x.livejournal.com]

Ooh. YES. Gods, yes. I need an icon for that. Omgs.

Yes, that's my sandwich. :D

[chloris67.livejournal.com]

Excellent list! Any time someone asks what I love in a character, all I need to do is point them here.

It doesn't mean I think they're always right or that I'd justify their actions in real life, because, um, duh? But I don't want them fixed, or changed, or redeemed. I want them to revel in their fucked up glory, because that's why I like them.

Yes. Fucked up = interesting. The Doctor screws up, he gets angry and he does things that are truly horrible sometimes. I like that he's not perfect but he keeps trying and he still finds joy even after everything.

Which is why I love the Doctor killing the Racnoss and tormenting the Family of Blood. Why must fandom bitch incessantly about the character traits I love most?

Those are two of my favorite bits of series 3. I think it's important to see how far he will go when he's in pain. Both of those moments are right after he loses someone close to him - right after he's had the possibility of true companionship torn away from him. I'm not surprised that these are the times that he's at his darkest.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad the list makes sense to people other than me. ;)

You're right that the Doctor's darkest moments are right after he's suffered himself. It's true in season one, too, with "Dalek," where the wounds of the Time War are still really fresh and he lashes out in a way that's kind of scary.

I like that he's not arbitrarily dark; it's something that's sympathetic and understandable, because it's a reaction to what he's experienced.

[chloris67.livejournal.com]

True. That aspect of himself frightened Nine though. In Dalek it's very much an emotional freak out whereas in Family of Blood, the Doctor coldly punishes the Family. He's quite remote and methodical in dealing with them. The mercurial nature of Ten is one thing I love about him. One minute he's happily running on about something or another and then you piss he off and he's 'no mercy.'

[http://users.livejournal.com/peasant_/]

Yep, I think I agree with pretty much everyone on the list that I've heard of. Except possibly Richard Sharpe, who is too conventionally a hero with attitude for my tastes. He is a bit too powerful as well, I like someone a bit more vulnerable. So I like the books for their action but I'm not obsessed with the character.

How do you feel about Sherlock Holmes? He has a lot of the traits you list but perhaps lacks the emotional angst underneath. As far as I know Holmes hasn't any secrets of his won in his past. So I guess my question is how far from your ideal can a character deviate before you lose interest?


Also, hi! Nice to see you around. I woke up to the fact a few days ago that I keep seeing your name in the same parts as me so I think we have gone around by different routes and ended up in the same fandom again :o)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear from you again! I've been reading your recent Torchwood meta and found it interesting. Although you'll probably want to avoid mine as I'm not so fond of that show. ;)

Sharpe is an interesting case. He's definitely gotten to be a bit too much of a traditional hero in the later books, which are really formulaic. I prefer the earlier ones, which I think are darker and more raw.

I think Cornwell does an interesting job of keeping Sharpe as a rogue figure even as he rises through the military ranks. He's always getting ridiculed and excluded as an outsider because of his social background. And he's always ending up in these situations where he's either on his own with his team or he's under some corrupt superior officer that he has to defy; either way he ends up breaking rules and making his own decisions. And I like that he's doing all this not for the Greater Good or Patriotic Duty but because he's ambitious and it's literally the only way he can rise in the world.

I do think he's vulnerable, although maybe that's more in the movies with Sean Bean doing the big teary eyes. But he's definitely very insecure and clueless, especially when it comes to women or dealing with anyone of a higher class, which I think gives him an appealing vulnerability that counters his tough action hero role in battle. The big thing he's missing for me is the joy or sense of humor, although you get it sometimes with his interactions with Harper or his occasional snarky comments.

You know, I've never read a Sherlock Holmes book. (*feels woefully uneducated*) He's never been that appealing to me, I guess because I'm not a huge mystery fan and, yeah, I never got the sense that they were books that delved much into emotions or the hero's dark side.

So I guess my question is how far from your ideal can a character deviate before you lose interest?

Hmm. Well, I am fannish about some characters that don't fit into this criteria much (like Luke Skywalker, although that could've been because I was seven at the time, or "Stephen Colbert," which is a whole other thing related to politics and humor). When I already like a character like this, I tend to lose interest when their story becomes about something that counters one of the things I originally liked about them.

Like, I'd had it with Spike when he became Angel's comic relief in AtS S5. (In fact, I'd pretty much had it when he became Buffy's puppy in BtVS S7.) I lost interest in Brian Kinney when his story became all about whether or not he'd settle down and have babies with Justin. I lost interest in Logan Echolls when I began to feel that the show was exaggerating his flaws just to teach a lesson to Veronica. And so on... and I guess it particularly annoys me when I feel like the narrative is making moral judgments about my character and using him to teach a lesson to other characters.

[wisemack.livejournal.com]

Lovely post, Laura. And I know how you feel - remember, I fell flat in love with Francis Crawford when I was fourteen!

Looking back, I think I was always fond of the "grey" characters, with wit and intelligence and moral ambiguity to spare! You're too young to remember some of these, but back during the heyday of tv westerns, my faves were Yancy Derringer (a gambler and con man), and Paladin (a bounty hunter) and later, the charming "bad boys" of "The Rogues."

And btw, you missed out one of the most ambiguous of 'em all - Kerr Avon, of Blake's 7!

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Yep, Francis Crawford totally fits. Looking back I guess I'm a little annoyed at the happy ending and the whole marriage and family thing, but it probably was the best thing for him. (Poor screwed up darling.)

I never saw Blake's 7, but I do hear good things about it quite frequently. Maybe one of these days....

[chenanceou.livejournal.com]

This made me think of you

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

That's so nifty! Where is it from?

I love how no one else gets the Harry Potter jokes! :)

Lovely Russell

[chenanceou.livejournal.com]

It's a Brit show called Mock the Week - it's all over YouTube and if you find where it can be DL-ed let me know... The guy talking about Potter is Russell Howard and he's a really funny and geeky comedian. He's a regular on the show (it airs on BBC 2).