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I find it funny that my favourite story in the entire doctor who series is the same as this video. This is my favourite story, Harry Loyd should have been the master instead of John Simm who is overrated, I have watched this many times and listened to the audiobook which is also really good.
I have a conspiracy theory on this video Tim Latimer is the master in human form, he has a eerie understanding of the fog watch and explains how the master survived so long in human form
@@Cyber_Smoke "42" was the one failed experiment of the series. A real-time countdown sounds interesting in concept, but constraining it to a spaceship neither allowed for the development o"f the few characters nor a decent amount of action (and I completely forgot the challenge was to answer trivia questions to unlock thirty doors... wow). Meanwhile, "Blink" remembered that this is a show about time travel, and instead of using it as the door to the story it was the entire framework. The best appearances for the Angels are always when the focus is on their time manipulation, not just the death that inevitably results. Moffat seemed to learn, and after "Time of the Angels / Flesh and Stone" just used them as spooky statues, "The Angels Take Manhattan" brought the Ponds, about to divorce at the beginning of the series, irrevocably back together and demonstrated their sacrifice to each other. Chibnall seemed to say, eh, I'll just make more countdowns.
Said this before on your other video, but... “He never raised his voice. That was the worst thing. The fury of the Time Lord. And then we discovered why, why this Doctor, who had fought with gods and demons, why he had run from us and hidden. He was being kind. He wrapped my father in unbreakable chains, forged in the heart of a dwarf star, and tripped my mother into the event horizon of a collapsing galaxy to be imprisoned there... forever. He still visits my sister, once a year, every year. I wonder if one day he might forgive her, but there she is, can you see? He trapped her inside a mirror. Every mirror. If ever you look at your reflection and see something move behind you, just for a second... that’s her. That’s always her. As for me, I was suspended in time, and the Doctor put me to work standing over the fields of England as their protector. We wanted to live forever; So the Doctor made sure that we did.” Absolutely chilling; this episode brought me to tears, and that ending monologue sticks in my mind vividly despite not having seen the episode in nearly six years. Excellent choice for your number 1 episode.
Zachary Webb I think this was one of the best ending bits the show has ever done. He gave them what they wanted, of course, not in the way they wanted.
This is one of those episodes that you don't realize have effected you down to the ground until it hits you that you're still thinking, and rethinking about it weeks later. It's just stunningly good.
My only question is, are you really telling me that nobody interfered with that scarecrow for the rest of human history? Surely one day someone would check on it or go to move it or re-stuff it and discover a body inside it and there'd be a huge police investigation
The final scene of The Family of Blood at the Memorial Day service is one of the single most beautiful uses of time travel in the history of Doctor Who. Such an incredible 2 parter.
Ooh I do not concur at all. The show developed a trend to crowbar social engineering into it's programmes. Whilst you may very well think that people ought to show respect on remembrance day but I don't want a lecture on this subject badly woven into my Sci Fi. An even cruder example was in "fear her" when we were told how lovely the olympics was, it completely broke the "suspension of disbelief"
nick The memorial scene had absolutely nothing to do with forcing in social engineering. The whole point of the scene is that Martha and The Doctor visit Tim one last time at the end of his life using their ability to time travel. Nowhere in that scene is there any sort of subtext pushing for people to respect veterans. It is possible to include events without them having to have some deeper agenda pushing motive. Even if you wanted to make the argument that this was trying to send a message that we should respect veterans, it’s still well written in and stays true to the themes of conflict throughout the story, as well as completing Timothy’s character arc.
Hello MoBro Maybe I am more suspicious of the programme than you are. Because the show has a great affinity for earth history there are many human characters who the doctor could "look up" in the future (the same would be true for alien worlds) but this is very unusual. Tim wasn't the most important character to the doctor Joan was but we don't see him visiting her as a ninety year old in a care home ! Instead he nips into the future to see Tim. Why does he choose November eleventh to do that ? Also (look this up) in the original story "Human nature" Tim's character does not enter the military at all. Given other overt examples (Fear Her was even worse) I still see a BBC crowbar above the writer's head. However otherwise I do agree with you that the story was well written and I hope you like the video here on the subject as much as I did.
@@mobro538 I absolutely agree with you. there was no social agenda.Just respect for Tim and his service. Althought my Dad was a WW11Vet and anything that brings up the honouring of people and how they service others, I am always pleased to see.
I miss David's era so much. Best Doctor by a landslide for me. My all time favorite episode was The Waters Of Mars, and I think it really showed one of the deepest, darkest parts of the doctor.
"Falling in love? That never occurred to him? What kind of a man is that?" Once again, David Tennant acting exceptionally well with a haunting look at a facet of the Doctor's character. We could argue he was in love (perhaps?) with Rose, but I feel with everything he has seen, heard, said and done, cutting himself away from love makes it hurt less. When in fact, the Doctor being loving is one of many reasons he is so relatable.
@@ribby9069 really? Oh, I just meant that Tennant really did nail in the scene in question the emotional resonance that the character of "John Smith" possesses; as a human, he's appalled that this Doctor person never stopped to think about the possibility of something as human as "falling in love". His acting was essentially really good haha.
@@andrewcroft5606 Yeah, I could tell from the tone of the rest of the comment that you were trying to give praise haha. Learn something new every day I guess :P
@@FullFatVideos It highlights the "soft magic" system of Doctor Who and also the absurdity of the Timeless Child. The Doctor is already essentially a god with vaguely defined abilities, why does she need to be almost literally a god?
Let's say he rembered. He might be capable of understanding the full depth of what it meant to the universe - and to Joan - for him to be John Smith, or he might not be. After all, John Smith was always meant to die, never meant to be in the first place. I can't imagine even a Timelord could change his "true" nature infinitely, or without repercussions. In the end, John might even have, in the case of his death, regenerated, who knows. (Who nose.) I'm not entirely certain the Doctor - or any Timelord/Timelady for that matter, or even any being with a significantly longer lifespan than humans (we're talking 200 and upwards; 150?) - would be entirely capable of comprehending what it means to a human to feel (guilt). The Doctor knows guilt in his own way, probably to a larger extent than anyone else alive, but it's not necessarily a human way. Or a way which translates to the human way.
@@sorrowandsufferin924 i feel like to him john smith is part of him as he remembers being him but he cant be him as he remembers much more and that is why he asked her if they could start over
I just love the scene where in that abandoned house, Smith suddenly starts speaking like a doctor and then switches back to himself in a second. Shows how great an actor Tennant is. But then, everything that he has ever done shows his amazing acting skills.
I've been rewatching Doctor Who Confidentials and reading Russell T. Davies' The Writer's Tale (while listening to Murray Gold) recently, and it's the strangest feeling, like all the heart and soul in this thing I loved has slowly and quietly disappeared until almost none is left. I don't feel any of that poignancy or zeal or earnestness in what the show is now... at best it's an attempt to be meaningful out of obligation, rather than by its nature. And I mourn what it was.
Clint Eastwood was nearing his 40s before he finally became a major star. There are people who didn't hit big, until they were even older than that. One can never know when the light of stardom might shine down on them.
I always assumed he didn't think about falling in love since he couldn't imagine love without Rose. Sappy? Maybe. But throughout that season it's repeatedly shown that he hasn't moved on and that's why he never noticed Martha had a crush on him.
9:00 Which I think is why Capaldi's Doctor was so good. In his own words, he chose that face "to hold [him] to the mark". It was a reminder that he was, in fact, _not_ above those he saved, and that their lives mattered.
First off, he didn't choose the time or place, the TARDIS did. Second, while it seems manipulative, the way he asked Joan to join him, I think it was as a mercy. He was trying to make up for what she lost and thought she'd be more willing to take him up on his offer of reparation if he told her that everything Smith was was in him. I don't think it was out of lack of respect for human life as much as it was for offering his condolences. Third, and finally, he didn't create a new life in Smith, he just altered his own. He is still the Doctor, but the Time Lord part and his non-fabricated memories are no longer there. It was a temporary biological camouflage, not an entirely separate life. For Smith it just felt different because he didn't remember being the Doctor.
I would say that thinking that it is a mercy to ask Joan to travel with him shows the lack of respect and understanding for her experience. The fact that he thought asking her to remain with who she saw as the man who had killed her only chance at lifelong love and emerged unscathed, and thinking that would offer comfort or make up for what he did shows the callousness with which The Doctor approached her situation.
@@frankiedonegan6150 Ofc, but that’s just it, The Doctor just isn’t human. He loves them sure, and will die to protect them, but he fails to _understand_ them
I disagree with the conclusions that this video makes, though I agree that the episode is fantastic. I don't believe the Doctor is more alien than John Smith. John Smith is just the Doctor with false memories, and thus, without the Doctor's trauma. The revival Doctors have all been dealing with depression in some way or another. 9 expressed it through anger. 10 pretended it wasn't there ("I'm always alright"). They are suffering, not just because of what they did and saw during the Time War (which would be more than enough to make someone hate themselves), but because they have and will outlive anyone they come to care about. The Doctor is used to putting up walls to protect themselves from harm, keeping companions at arm's length. The Doctor is a man with a past that haunts him, a future that worries him, and no present at all. Every time is "right now" to a time traveler, so living in the moment is impossible due to "the moment" being an impossible concept. John Smith has nothing to haunt him, and no inevitable loss to worry him. John Smith is free to love because he's done nothing to convince himself he doesn't deserve it, and has no reason to believe he's guaranteed to lose anyone he cares about. It's not that the Doctor is above falling in love. It's that he's so broken that he can't allow himself to do it. You know above where I said John Smith is the Doctor without trauma? Let's shorten that. John Smith is the Doctor. The Doctor has John Smith's memories. John Smith might as well have been a regeneration, because he was another iteration of the same person. After 11 regenerated into 12, Clara was mourning for 11. 12 accused Clara of not seeing him, because he wasn't dead, he was standing in front of her. The Doctor isn't disrespecting John Smith's memory. John Smith isn't dead. He lives within the Doctor. The Doctor is being no more disrespectful of John Smith than any iteration of the Doctor has been of their previous incarnation when they regenerate. "Everything John Smith is and was, I'm capable of that too." This is a true and literal statement. The Doctor isn't manipulating Joan. He loves her. But now that he has his memories, he can't allow himself to say it. Especially because she knew him when he was at his absolute most vulnerable. Easier for him to pretend that John Smith was someone else than to admit his heartbreak. The Doctor is a character that runs away from their demons. This, it could be argued, is their greatest character flaw. Putting on airs is just another way of distancing themselves from their pain. But they are not nearly so alien as they pretend. Gifted with brilliance and power, burdened by trauma and hearts breaking loss, a human could turn out in just the same way. If the Doctor regenerated and had a personality identical to John Smith, no one would complain that he wasn't acting like the Doctor. It would be a fresh take on the character, and one worth exploring. The Doctor's mental health needs seeing to, and that's only going to happen if he opens up a little.
DrLipkin exactly this. I really hate how he twisted it around to make the doctor look like the monster. Oh btw how am I your first reply when you have 81 likes lol 😂
Yes, I have to agree with you. This video does a very good job explaining what is so haunting about the episode, but there's a bit more nuance to it. The episode is actually quite ambiguous about the extent to which "John" and the Doctor are really separate entities. Sure, *John* views what is about to happen to him as a death, but he knows nothing about the subject. The Doctor very clearly still felt for Joan when he woke up. Everything that happened was still real to him, he still remembers it. That's the great tragedy. John Smith is a part of who he is. And it very clearly hurt him when Joan did not see it that way. He asked her to just look him in the eye so she could see he's still the same person (on some level, at least). Rather like the scene with Clara and 12. But when she finally looks at him, it's with contempt, and you can just see him wilt and it's heartbreaking. It's a very rude awakening that maybe he's lying to himself, that he can't be John Smith even if he convinced himself for a second that he could.
This story has always been my personal favorite. My brother loves Blink and my Dad loves Midnight. But I love Human Nature/Family of Blood because the performances and the script. It shows the character of the Doctor in a way that most stories attempt but fail to do. It’s something that I’ll turn on again and again and find something new. It’s just brilliant.
... And yet, the writer hasn't returned :( I would love to see him back writing for the TV show. His episodes were always so heartfelt :D Great video :D
Unfortunately Cornell said he's done with writing for characters he didn't create anymore so he's never gonna write any more Who. His novels and Big Finish audios at brilliant however (some of the books are tricky to find coz they never got reprinted tho, which is unfortunate.)
@@DoctorWhoAdventures the seventh doctor novel that he wrote that this two parter was a reworking of was reprinted a few years ago, and is easy enough to find btw. And it's generally regarded as his best work (there's also an excellent audiobook version of it read by Lisa Bowerman who plays the companion featured in it in audios)
Well done. I am a bit remiss you didnt spend more time on his treatment of Martha. I was waiting for it the whole time and it was so brief. She is his companion, and by nature of that he has a responsibility to her more than any other person. So what does he do? Plunks her smack dab into a time period that will give her racial trauma, where not only must she be a servant, but be treated as one, by John Smith himself. Looking past this story, her entire story arc is littered with her being of service to the Doctor. Going so far as being forced to live through the apocalypse and save him yet again. No other companion has been more hard done by than her. Excluding Bill of course, which I am still shocked the Doctor didnt go get buried by an avalanche or something for causing. Thank goodness Martha recognized the trauma the Doctor caused her and left. I think spending more time on how he treated her would have supported your argument greatly.
That's a really good point. The Doctor could've chosen any time period and instead decides to choose one where Martha has to face a lot of sexism and racism. The only worse place for her is the 1700s. Good luck working on that sugar plantation Martha. However, this episode at least did racism naturally and with subtelty 'cough' Rosa ' cough'.
The Doctor stated at the beginning of the first episode that the TARDIS would choose de time and place for his human counterpart. Maybe the TARDIS did not have an emotional understanding of the effects racism would have on Martha, or maybe it did not care that much for any of the Doctor's companions...
Martha was always one of my favourites. I think she's the only companion we see who realises just how destructive being the Doctor's companion is. Her decision to walk away was one of the smartest things a companion has ever done.
Even though the Doctor may not have thought of the possibility of his human self falling in love, (something that I think is more of a manifestation of the Doctor’s ability to fool himself) the TARDIS has quite obviously considered it. In choosing this time and place, a boys’ school in the early twentieth century, she greatly lessens the chance that her human doctor will encounter someone with whom it is socially acceptable for him to fall in love. I think the TARDIS is trying to protect both the doctor and Martha, because she knows more than anyone that her doctor desires to be loved. His hearts yearn for it and I think John Smith would have sought it out no matter what time or place he resided in. It’s one of the things he loves most about human beings after all. I think if Martha had been posing as someone with whom it were appropriate for John Smith to love, he would have chosen her...and forced her to break her own heart when he died. It’s not that the Doctor doesn’t love Martha, it’s that he can’t be In Love with Martha. He’s too traumatized, the wound of Rose’s loss is too fresh. It’s, ironically, a matter of really horrible timing. Once again, the doctor does something strange and on the surface hurtful out of a twisted desire to be kind, to prevent worse suffering later on. He, by his very nature, takes the long view. John Smith has the illusion that he is free to live in the moment, even though his time is limited. The TARDIS does her best to protect everyone involved as much as possible. Sometimes it’s not enough.
The doctor rarely has to deal with the consequences of his actions, like in series 1 he accidentally plunges earth back into the dark ages for 100 years and didn't even realise until he got forced back to the time period.
So many amazing 10th Doctor stories and Human Nature/ Family of Blood stood out. From the acting, the plot, the set. I always felt I was alone one this. I was validated today.
That last monologue from Baines always sends a shiver down my spine. Human Nature and Family Blood will always be my absolute favourite episodes of Doctor Who.
The reason why he didn't mention love was because he still felt extreme sense of loss due to Rose. That was the reason why he didn't take that into account. That, my dear, is more human than anything else. That moment doesn't paint him as alien to us, the outside onlookers, even if it does for those in the setting, it instead shows a man trying with his upmost to run away from his own pain.
When 11 starts regenerating, he says "I don't want to go". I've always wondered if the Doctor's experiences as "John Smith" affected him to the point where he started thinking of his current incarnation as the only "true" life he would experience, as the next incarnation would be a whole new person. Just like after John Smith died, and the Doctor wasn't able to be him anymore.
Having rewatched various Doctor Who episodes again recently I believe Paul Cornell hit it out the park with this one, as well as Father's Day for that matter. It's obvious this was inspired by his novel as the literature involved in this two-parter is second to none. Every step forward seems logical, the acting is brilliant and the setting of the early twentieth century is absolutely fascinating. This story gets me everytime when you see the life of John Smith and Joan's comment "would those people have died if the you hadn't chosen this place on a whim?" That one line says a thousand words about the character of the Doctor. As well as this giving the Latimer the fob watch which ultimately saves his life is beautiful; coupled with the final scene at the memorial it's heart wrenching TV. Overall this story is absolutely fantastic, as 9 would say.
"he was being kind" This is the problem, The Doctor's mercy cost the lives of the 4 people that The Family possessed (one of them a small child), a bunch of people in the town and the school when they attacked, and John Smith himself. "Would anyone here have died, if you hadn't chosen this place, on a whim?" I don't think he quite understands the terrible price that his mercy can extract when used carelessly.
The plot does not make sense - if he wanted to be kind, he could have imprisoned the Family on a nice, deserted planet somewhere in a far off galaxy and let them die in peace. He knew they would hunt him, and he knew they would die anyway. His "kindness" just caused other people's death - and then they give this crappy ending of the Doctor granting immortality to the Family. Without any explanation of how he does it. It diminishes every struggle the Doctor ever had when facing (most) other enemies. It makes him a god. "Waters of Mars" or "Time of the Doctor" or a bunch of other episodes show his "dark" side because the Doctor is NOT almighty and does therefore not see a perfect solution for a problem. Things go wrong, people die. The Doctor in this episode just pressed a button and then gave out a punishment that was incredibly cruel, as the Family fought for its own survival. The ending was sort of a cop-out, really.
I've always seen this moment just like any superhero (especially Bateman) story. Sure, Batman could kill the joker to prevent more death, but that is not what justice is about, he always hopes that he will be cured, or at least, stop killing. Same goes here. While the doctor could very easily defeat the family, he has no right to do so (especially considering that it is not mentioned if they've already hurt people before), by becoming Jhon Smith, he could not anticipate that the family would go as far as killing, and back then, it was the easiest way to stop the conflict. To me, he didn't used his mercy carelessly, he simply hoped that they would die of "old age" before finding him, or that they would change their mind about immortality. The biggest problem for me is that he needn't punishing them the way he did. It is ultimately really badass, but serve little purpose besides that. He could have simply done that without the eternal life, and it would have been less cruel
@@agraeldevildark1564 But the Family is not simply "evil". they are hunters that need to catch and kill their prey to ensure the survival of their family. Expecting that they would accept death without a fight is ridiculous. And given the fact that the people they kill are not of there own species, one can very much debate whether they are doing something that is objectively morally wrong. Unlike the Joker they are only killing to survive, completely natural and the instinct of a lot of species.
some really pity the predators more then the prey because it's in the predators instinct to harm. he always gives them a chance to take them elsewhere. they always choose wrong. there is no reason to pity them. self righteous super heroes are the worst. they are made with a savior complex that ensures innocent people will continue to die by the same threat over and over, because the 'hero' loves to swoop in and save them every time. seeing him end them is satisfying. seeing him give a fate worse them death is a real treat. seeing him ever feel guilt for it is like eating a satisfying meal then barfing it up afterwards.
I remember watching this as a kid, the ending was so good “and now we learnt why this man who hand fought with gods and demons ran from us and hid. He was being kind” then you see him imprison all of them forever
Ahhh yes, my favourite! This two parter deserves all the love. Harry Lloyd stole the show for me. So many great quotes and one I always use when invited to a party. "We've been invited to the dance."
I miss David Tennant hijacking my heart like this as 10. There are so many moments when you can relate so deeply with his performance it brings tears to the eyes or involuntary laughter. These days you just don't feel that compellingly drawn into the Doctor. David Tennant is truly bigger on the inside himself as well in this role.
This story is definitely a great one and is easily one of the best of the Davies era. The only nitpick for me is that I think it works much better in its original form as a seventh Doctor novel. Ten is just a bit too human normally for the change to feel justified, whereas with seven it works perfectly. The ending is also fantastic with the seventh Doctor as it fits his often dark, Machiavellian outlook. It’s an amazing story. Chris Chibnall should take notes from these episodes. Maybe he could ask Paul Cornell back as well, I’d love to see him write for the show again.
Brilliant analysis of a brilliant episode. Highlight of the story for me has to be the final scene between 10 and Joan and the way he just *doesn’t get it.*
This season is wildly underrated, and so is Martha as a character. She emphasises so much of the wonders of the doctor, as a human falling for him. However she emphasises the human in the doctor by CHOOSING to do what is best and stepping away from him.
This is my favorite episode for the reasons mentioned in the video, and also some smaller details. It's a perfect period piece, set right before WWI, and the use of schoolchildren as soldiers against the Family of Blood is really effective. The final scene where the Doctor visits older Tim at the Remembrance Day ceremony is a lovely touch to put a bow on the setting. Also, this is my favorite Murray Gold score for an episode because the music complements the setting so well. The scene at the dance for the Human Nature cliffhanger is a perfect example of this, and they return to it in Family of Blood where the school song is played during the battle. Little touches like that really bring this episode from a great Who episode to an all-timer.
This is hands down my favorite. I haven’t even watched the video yet, but I’m happy to see others who agree that this was an amazing storyline with fantastic acting from everyone involved.
The Family of Blood was the first Doctor Who story I ever watched, learning about who the Doctor is at the same time John Smith was. Quite the introduction to the character.
It's a sheer masterpiece. I just cannot fault it. 90 minutes of excellent story telling, production and acting. Tenant gives everything and should have won awards for this. Harry Lloyd portrays one of the most chilling villains in its history. He'd make a great Doctor. This story shows how pathetic Chibnall's clueless writing attempts are.
In reference to the part about where falling in love didn't occur to him, I always saw it as more he didn't think he (in this incarnation at least) could love someone in the way he loved Rose ever again. He had opened himself up to something he'd been closed to for centuries, and it, or rather she, was taken from him, ripped from his life. Series 3 was his healing phase, getting over losing Rose. So, no, he never thought he'd fall in love again, at least until regenerating.
I loved Martha Jones, she was so selfless, and despite loving the doctor, never tried to act upon it, respecting him, yet still helping him stop the apocalypse and more, she was by far my favourite charachter
Honestly, Martha being in love with the Doctor was the only misstep with her. Everything else was fantastic with her, and I love how they brought her back in a believable way in Series 4
I agree with everything apart from John Smith being reduced to nothing. He wasn't, he retained all of his memories and experiences, the only change was in his personality. In short he effectively regenerated. I think the fact that he broke down in fear and found himself racked with misery before eventually doing it out of courage gave us an amazing insight into what it would be like to regenerate. Humans aren't Timelords, we don't change the same way the Doctor does. And yet John Smith acted as a window into how a regular person who isn't an immortal time-travelling God would react to something like that.
Gotta add a bit. Most of the stories we see are of the Doctor going to a place, by his will or the T.A.R.D.I.S.'s, where historical events are already going to go bad and have deaths. Generally, he decreases the number. This story is one of the few where he initiated the event rather than participated. He doesn't often cause the problem.
At the risk of repeating what someone else may have already said: Watching this I felt reminded of Tuvix from Star Trek Voyager, created by accidentally merging Tuvok and Neelix. He became a character of his own, with feelings and thoughts and friends on the ship, but in the end the Captain had to make the decision to essentially kill Tuvix because the ship needed Tuvok and Neelix. Just like John Smith had to die because the universe needs a Doctor.
While , John Smith is gone , The Doctor remembers him ; remembers being a Man in Love with a Woman ; being Truly Happy - and the family of blood took that from him - and that is why he punished them as he did
As you brought up the juxtaposition of Batman with his villains, it reminds me of another similarity between them. Batman has often been criticized for his pursuit of rehabilitation over punishment of his villains. Batman's choice to leave his enemies alive can enable future harm to come to pass. The Doctor, similarly tries to treat The Family with kindness, and brings risk & pain to the innocents nearby. The doctor ultimately, makes the Utilitarian choice to permanently imprison the family, but the damage is already done.
I don't even think it was that he didn't care about John's life-I think that he didn't even recognize that John was a separate life from his own. He didn't consider that, by creating a new personality, he was creating an entirely new person and that to change back would mean killing them. From his perspective, John was just another part of himself, but he didn't realize that John might disagree.
I think the whole of series 3 was just him desperately trying to get over rose. In the video you mentioned when he asked the nurse if she wanted to travel with him not realizing she was grieving. I think he did that without realizing because he felt something again and he wanted to chase after it not realizing that he was hurting people in the process. Its the same with Martha too, he kept her around because he needed someone there to fill the void. The most devastating part about the 10th doctors story is that he never got over rose no matter how hard he tried.
4:10 It wasn't just Russel. Even our legend Murray Gold weaved this theme into the very soundtrack of the episode. The most emotional track used in this two-parter - the one just before John Smith becomes The Doctor again - is literally called THE DREAM OF A NORMAL DEATH. The very name implies that a small part of The Doctor really did wish he could just be a human. This was that scene where John Smith is faced with the decision to stay human and run or give up his life and his love, and fight as The Doctor. He gets flashes of what his life would have been like if he just stayed with the woman he fell in love with, and grew old with her, raised a family and ultimately died peacefully. This song was used several times later in different episodes and imo is one of the best of Gold's work. It really pulled at heart strings when Donna Noble left the show as well. When Wilfred said goodbye to The Doctor.
I feel the waters of Mars tried too hard. This one is way more subtle and the implications are far more complex than "the doctor can get crazy if he travels alone"
@@mega20able Tries too hard?? No the doctor is literally at the very end of his tether and this is where his death sentence becomes unstoppable and it has been built up over the whole four years of RTD's tenure. He cracks up over repeated traumas that have also involved him needing to do terrible things that scar him (See 'Fires of Pompeii'). RTD is a genius, the quality and thinking of the whole is totally lost by Moffatt and Chibnall. I can't watch any of the post RTD era. It's like the non Lucas steered Disney Star Wars era or the poorly scripted by Jackson overstuffed 'The Hobbit' vs the superb pure Tolkein script by Fran Walsh in the 'LOTR's excellence. Just as with early Who the director is the most important ingredient of all. Proven by the excellent Tom Bakers, first half (Original Dr Who's peak) vs the post censor stuff (the slow decline began as it has again post RTD).
You guys are the only channel I support on Patreon because you always churn out such great, interesting content. This was no exception. Keep up the good work.
This was the story that made me realize what a fantastic actor David Tennant is. I enjoyed his performance before, but I didn't recognize his talents until I saw him flip between John Smith and the Doctor so seamlessly.
One of my personal fave stories. I love a concept and the writing and the acting and every part of it. I agree with everything you mentioned din the video but also I always notice the contrast between the women Joan and Martha. Both fall in love for the man that they know. Joan falls for John Smith the shy unassuming if slightly distant history teacher. The extraordinary ordinary man. Martha falls for The Doctor. The impossible hero and the hyped up god like figure who dashes about and saves the world. One woman gets a taste of being loved back and what life could have been like with him. The other knows that she will never be loved back but still pines for him and wishes for the day he notices her. I think that is why they played the frosty jealousy between Martha and Joan so well. Martha knows that she will never have what Joan is getting even if it is only brief and fleeting but she still wants that. And I like the contrast in they that Martha is desperate to bring the The Doctor and tries everything to make that happen and feels very little for the plight of John just and Joan mourns the loss of John and the life he could have had and that she could have been a part of. 2 women in love with 2 men but shown in very different ways. Complex, heartbreaking and beautiful.
Personally... I think the two parter ‘The Doctor Falls’ and ‘World enough and time’ is the best story. Like it’s filled with so much emotion, so much tension and the plot twists in those episodes are amazing. Also, Michelle Gomez, Pearl Mackie, Matt Lucas’, John Simmons and Peter’s acting are phenomenal. Made me emotional. However I think Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone are strong competitors because that’s what got me into the show and it truly terrified me.
@@TheMintJarke For me what always gets me are the Cybermen. Sometimes, they're corny as hell, but when it hits, it hits hard. Despite the hate it got, I genuinely consider the end of season 10 with Bill to be one of the best horror stories in Dr. Who. The terror of being turned into something distinctly other while having full cognition. Unable to reconcile the self with reality.
This was actually my first introduction to Doctor Who, watching late at night via video on demand years before I found out about the series. What a brilliant first impression to the character of The Doctor...
This made me notice a lot of parallels between the doctor’s actions and the dark triad. Clearly he is very Machiavellian, and he also is narcissistic, but he also has some level of psychopathy in his often indifferent attitude towards what the does. Although he also shows how despite those character flaws people can still be considered good.
Remember, there is a reason the Doctor is a Time LORD, notice also that in all his arguments with the Master, in all his incarnations, his biggest argument against him was always that he shouldn't act against innocent civilians, never that he didn't have the right to do so.
0:41 The "inventive" John Smith alias is a reference to Jon Pertwee, who adopted that name when he was exiled to Earth, employed as UNIT's Scientific Adviser. The alias was briefly used by Patrick Troughton in _The War Games,_ but I'm pretty sure it's a nod to the Third Doctor we have here, as "John Smith" are the last two words Pertwee says, with emphasis and in tight close-up, in his debut story.
I did indeed know this as a huge fan of classic. The joke is that the name is inventive because it's the name he always used, rather than that the name is generic.
the name "john smith" first came about in the wheel in space. jamie tells people that the doctor (who's unconscious) is called john smith, because they wouldn't accept "the doctor" as a name
This and blink are probably my favourite modern doctor who episodes. Blink ironically barely has the doctor in it, but its well executed and the angels are actually scary in the episode.
Episodes like this makes me see the Doctor as what Humanity is. How he cares for John‘s life later changes him enough to understand that it was wrong. We learn from our mistakes but it still are not perfect, not without flaws. Just like the Last of the Time Lords.
Even though I'm rewatching every episode on Netflix to show my gf, we're halfway through Matt Smith's run and after seeing this I wanna go back and watch David Tennant's run again. His episodes just have complete nostalgia to me. The cinematography, the music, the acting, the feeling that so many episodes give off is just brilliant. Ecclestons episodes also just have a real nostalgia feeling attached to them. Matt Smith's don't really have it (maybe a bit in his first season) even though I love most of them and I never really enjoyed anything after Smith mainly because of writing getting poorer and production getting bigger, trying to become more movie-like imo. I find the best episodes are the personal ones where the story revolves around a much more personal problem involving only a small number of characters. It's hard to say everything running through my head in a TH-cam comment without going on too long. I miss those Saturday evenings and every other evening on BBC three watching reruns. Those were the days for me.
@@LeonBlade completely agree with you on every point, I always hold out for the next season to be a return to form. I think they need advice from RTD on how to get a similar tone. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
If I may, the callousness of 10’s invitation for Joan to travel with him is a bit of an unnecessarily naïve read of the medium. Every time a “new” Doctor has invited an old, pre-regeneration companion to continue travelling with the Doctor. The essence of the character remains in the new form and this scene was an obvious parallel of those invitations. The context lead it to be a perversion of those, but calling it callous requires you to forget his history of regeneration. That’s my read, anyway.
I think he was so cruel to the Family because of Joan cutting him so deeply with her question. "If the doctor had never chosen this place. On a whim. Would anybody here have died" He had to make the Family pay.
I usually do not watch this sort of video, but I have come back to this one nine times now! It is nice to see an analysis of a Doctor Who story with some actual depth, whereas as channels like Harbo Wholmes gave a critique that was surface level at best.
This has always been my favourite story, because with a character like "The Doctor", I mentally like to try and think of how a being so old and powerful might think, and what scars that might leave. This story shows it
I think one of my biggest takeaways - especially given that bits of the Doctor's personality bleeds through to John - is that the Master really has the potential for good. Obviously we see some of this with Missy, but Professor Yana really was a good man, dedicating his life to doing good. Presumably some of those qualities came from some deep-down, subconscious part of the Master.
One of my top 10 favorite episodes. David was the first Doctor I was exposed to/who got me sucked into Doctor Who (original eps and the reboot). Tennant’s run as the doctor is, by far, my favorite of the whole series.
First of all the best doctor who episodes are heaven sent, the day of the doctor, utopia and anything with the weeping angels.😁 I really love the video though
David Tennent is such a brilliant actor. He comes across as so lighthearted and goofy, but there's an air of sinisterness just under the surface. Also, re-watching the 10th Doctor's episodes after watching Season 1 of Jessica Jones makes everything seem just a little bit more off.
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Full Fat Videos nice video
Love these doctor who videos
I find it funny that my favourite story in the entire doctor who series is the same as this video. This is my favourite story, Harry Loyd should have been the master instead of John Simm who is overrated, I have watched this many times and listened to the audiobook which is also really good.
Are you going to do that Mysterio video?
I have a conspiracy theory on this video
Tim Latimer is the master in human form, he has a eerie understanding of the fog watch and explains how the master survived so long in human form
It’s funny how little recognition Series 3 gets as a whole yet contains this, Blink, AND Utopia, which are all fantastic in their own right
the second half of the season is one of the best straight runs of the show ever
I don't care what other people say, the three part finale was one of the best endings of any series
IMO this series was great with the exception of 42 even before chibnall was showrunner he couldn't write a good doctor who
@antinormalish Completely agree although I do find lazarus a little underrated it's not helped by there being a CGI monster
@@Cyber_Smoke "42" was the one failed experiment of the series. A real-time countdown sounds interesting in concept, but constraining it to a spaceship neither allowed for the development o"f the few characters nor a decent amount of action (and I completely forgot the challenge was to answer trivia questions to unlock thirty doors... wow). Meanwhile, "Blink" remembered that this is a show about time travel, and instead of using it as the door to the story it was the entire framework.
The best appearances for the Angels are always when the focus is on their time manipulation, not just the death that inevitably results.
Moffat seemed to learn, and after "Time of the Angels / Flesh and Stone" just used them as spooky statues, "The Angels Take Manhattan" brought the Ponds, about to divorce at the beginning of the series, irrevocably back together and demonstrated their sacrifice to each other.
Chibnall seemed to say, eh, I'll just make more countdowns.
Said this before on your other video, but...
“He never raised his voice. That was the worst thing. The fury of the Time Lord. And then we discovered why, why this Doctor, who had fought with gods and demons, why he had run from us and hidden. He was being kind.
He wrapped my father in unbreakable chains, forged in the heart of a dwarf star, and tripped my mother into the event horizon of a collapsing galaxy to be imprisoned there... forever. He still visits my sister, once a year, every year. I wonder if one day he might forgive her, but there she is, can you see? He trapped her inside a mirror. Every mirror. If ever you look at your reflection and see something move behind you, just for a second... that’s her. That’s always her. As for me, I was suspended in time, and the Doctor put me to work standing over the fields of England as their protector.
We wanted to live forever;
So the Doctor made sure that we did.”
Absolutely chilling; this episode brought me to tears, and that ending monologue sticks in my mind vividly despite not having seen the episode in nearly six years. Excellent choice for your number 1 episode.
Zachary Webb I think this was one of the best ending bits the show has ever done. He gave them what they wanted, of course, not in the way they wanted.
William Love you’re not wrong haha
"...he was being kind..." That's the strongest line from that episode.
This is one of those episodes that you don't realize have effected you down to the ground until it hits you that you're still thinking, and rethinking about it weeks later. It's just stunningly good.
My only question is, are you really telling me that nobody interfered with that scarecrow for the rest of human history? Surely one day someone would check on it or go to move it or re-stuff it and discover a body inside it and there'd be a huge police investigation
"arguably the best humanoid villain in any Dr Who Story"
*intense close up* intensifies
S N I F F
oh right yeah forgot the Abzorballoff
@@FullFatVideos ah yes, a true classic...
@Cryer24597 absolutely true. Each one stands out in its own way tbh
👍
@Adolf Schinkler hahahahahaha nice
The final scene of The Family of Blood at the Memorial Day service is one of the single most beautiful uses of time travel in the history of Doctor Who. Such an incredible 2 parter.
Ooh I do not concur at all. The show developed a trend to crowbar social engineering into it's programmes.
Whilst you may very well think that people ought to show respect on remembrance day but I don't want a lecture on this subject badly woven into my Sci Fi.
An even cruder example was in "fear her" when we were told how lovely the olympics was, it completely broke the "suspension of disbelief"
nick The memorial scene had absolutely nothing to do with forcing in social engineering. The whole point of the scene is that Martha and The Doctor visit Tim one last time at the end of his life using their ability to time travel. Nowhere in that scene is there any sort of subtext pushing for people to respect veterans. It is possible to include events without them having to have some deeper agenda pushing motive. Even if you wanted to make the argument that this was trying to send a message that we should respect veterans, it’s still well written in and stays true to the themes of conflict throughout the story, as well as completing Timothy’s character arc.
Hello MoBro
Maybe I am more suspicious of the programme than you are.
Because the show has a great affinity for earth history there are many human characters who the doctor could "look up" in the future (the same would be true for alien worlds) but this is very unusual. Tim wasn't the most important character to the doctor Joan was but we don't see him visiting her as a ninety year old in a care home ! Instead he nips into the future to see Tim. Why does he choose November eleventh to do that ? Also (look this up) in the original story "Human nature" Tim's character does not enter the military at all.
Given other overt examples (Fear Her was even worse) I still see a BBC crowbar above the writer's head.
However otherwise I do agree with you that the story was well written and I hope you like the video here on the subject as much as I did.
@@nick-jo3hy He had nothing to do with Joan, she disowned him after he went back to being a Time Lord, are you fucken stupid?
@@mobro538 I absolutely agree with you. there was no social agenda.Just respect for Tim and his service. Althought my Dad was a WW11Vet and anything that brings up the honouring of people and how they service others, I am always pleased to see.
I miss David's era so much. Best Doctor by a landslide for me.
My all time favorite episode was The Waters Of Mars, and I think it really showed one of the deepest, darkest parts of the doctor.
No, the best is Tom Baker. Tennant is just another human actor pretend to be the Doctor; like Jodie Whittaker.
@@mayotango1317 Keywords "for me", it's called an opinion man.
@@CaspianMidnight And your opinion sucks.
@@mayotango1317 not really
@@mayotango1317 Mate be respectful to others or just fuckoff.
"Falling in love? That never occurred to him? What kind of a man is that?"
Once again, David Tennant acting exceptionally well with a haunting look at a facet of the Doctor's character. We could argue he was in love (perhaps?) with Rose, but I feel with everything he has seen, heard, said and done, cutting himself away from love makes it hurt less. When in fact, the Doctor being loving is one of many reasons he is so relatable.
Did you mean “phoning it in”? That means putting in the least effort possible to get the job done, not worrying whether it is done well.
@@ribby9069 really? Oh, I just meant that Tennant really did nail in the scene in question the emotional resonance that the character of "John Smith" possesses; as a human, he's appalled that this Doctor person never stopped to think about the possibility of something as human as "falling in love". His acting was essentially really good haha.
Phoning it in means doing a shit job at acting.
@@andrewcroft5606 Yeah, I could tell from the tone of the rest of the comment that you were trying to give praise haha. Learn something new every day I guess :P
Ima add a voice to the pile and say I was very confused by your word choices.
Their punishments were chilling, its rare that we see the doctors wrath.
this is the doctor's wrath done right for sure
@@FullFatVideos It highlights the "soft magic" system of Doctor Who and also the absurdity of the Timeless Child. The Doctor is already essentially a god with vaguely defined abilities, why does she need to be almost literally a god?
The doctor is a stone cold take no prisoners badass in that moment, that motherfucker gives no fucks
Despite series 3s hate for Martha, it really had some of the best stories: this, blink, utopia ect. It had flaws but EVERY season does
Love martha, smart, beautiful and with a quiet strength
Utopia and the following Master storyline was in my opinion, a great way to reintroduce audiences to the doctor's greatest enemy, besides the Daleks
Season 3 is probably my favourite after 4.
Series 4 is almost flawless. Only the finale lets it down for me.
@@cameronjosephvideos5942 I liked the finale personally. The only episode of that season I didn't really like was the one with the massive wasp.
I did like how in End of Time part 2, he went to the descendant and asked if she was happy in the end. He did care, or felt guilty...
More than likely the latter.
Guilt defo guilt "the man who keeps running, because he dare not look back out of shame"
Let's say he rembered. He might be capable of understanding the full depth of what it meant to the universe - and to Joan - for him to be John Smith, or he might not be. After all, John Smith was always meant to die, never meant to be in the first place. I can't imagine even a Timelord could change his "true" nature infinitely, or without repercussions. In the end, John might even have, in the case of his death, regenerated, who knows. (Who nose.) I'm not entirely certain the Doctor - or any Timelord/Timelady for that matter, or even any being with a significantly longer lifespan than humans (we're talking 200 and upwards; 150?) - would be entirely capable of comprehending what it means to a human to feel (guilt). The Doctor knows guilt in his own way, probably to a larger extent than anyone else alive, but it's not necessarily a human way. Or a way which translates to the human way.
@@sorrowandsufferin924 i feel like to him john smith is part of him as he remembers being him but he cant be him as he remembers much more and that is why he asked her if they could start over
Yeah he offered for her join him in his travels but his not man she fell in love with
I just love the scene where in that abandoned house, Smith suddenly starts speaking like a doctor and then switches back to himself in a second. Shows how great an actor Tennant is. But then, everything that he has ever done shows his amazing acting skills.
I remember how excited I got ("he's back!") when the showed that flash of the doctor.
I miss loving Doctor Who.
I've been rewatching Doctor Who Confidentials and reading Russell T. Davies' The Writer's Tale (while listening to Murray Gold) recently, and it's the strangest feeling, like all the heart and soul in this thing I loved has slowly and quietly disappeared until almost none is left. I don't feel any of that poignancy or zeal or earnestness in what the show is now... at best it's an attempt to be meaningful out of obligation, rather than by its nature. And I mourn what it was.
Oh, so do we... this comment hit home
Not gonna argue. As they say, though, hang around, your doctor may turn up next time...
I couldn't have said it better myself!!!!!
@@lcflngn Why would I hang around something that makes me miserable?
I can't believe Harry Lloyd never hit it big. He deserves to be as big as Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch etc.
he's now professor xavier at least!
He was Viserys Targaryen in the first season of Game of Thrones
He is one of the creepiest actors I've come across whose able to pull off such roles authentically, except Anthony Hopkins perhaps.
Clint Eastwood was nearing his 40s before he finally became a major star. There are people who didn't hit big, until they were even older than that.
One can never know when the light of stardom might shine down on them.
M Brr Omg! He was!
Fitting.
The ending was easily one of the most haunting moments of the Doctors nature
I always assumed he didn't think about falling in love since he couldn't imagine love without Rose. Sappy? Maybe. But throughout that season it's repeatedly shown that he hasn't moved on and that's why he never noticed Martha had a crush on him.
It’s clear even as a human he still had a connection to Rose. Enough to not only draw her in the book but also mention her out loud.
I'm so glad to see your comment and I agree wholeheartedly
I'm so glad you commented this, it seems like from the video the guy doesn't ship Rose and the Doctor which is why this wasn't mentioned.
That’s how I read the episode
i think he just thinks is love differently then people do
9:00 Which I think is why Capaldi's Doctor was so good. In his own words, he chose that face "to hold [him] to the mark". It was a reminder that he was, in fact, _not_ above those he saved, and that their lives mattered.
This makes me rethink who the doctor is
Jacob Wood but something stay
@@goodbye7236 His memories stay, he still himself, the Doctor, with his main personality traits, with some changes
Yes! Almost 40 years have gone by since David's first Doctor Who episode! Oh the nostalgia!
weird response 40 years? More like 14 years
@@heatheraustin6620 Actually, it's 50 years now that i tHinK about it! Cheers to David, and shall he rest in peace!
First off, he didn't choose the time or place, the TARDIS did.
Second, while it seems manipulative, the way he asked Joan to join him, I think it was as a mercy. He was trying to make up for what she lost and thought she'd be more willing to take him up on his offer of reparation if he told her that everything Smith was was in him. I don't think it was out of lack of respect for human life as much as it was for offering his condolences.
Third, and finally, he didn't create a new life in Smith, he just altered his own. He is still the Doctor, but the Time Lord part and his non-fabricated memories are no longer there. It was a temporary biological camouflage, not an entirely separate life. For Smith it just felt different because he didn't remember being the Doctor.
Great comment
I would say that thinking that it is a mercy to ask Joan to travel with him shows the lack of respect and understanding for her experience. The fact that he thought asking her to remain with who she saw as the man who had killed her only chance at lifelong love and emerged unscathed, and thinking that would offer comfort or make up for what he did shows the callousness with which The Doctor approached her situation.
@@frankiedonegan6150 Ofc, but that’s just it, The Doctor just isn’t human. He loves them sure, and will die to protect them, but he fails to _understand_ them
I disagree with the conclusions that this video makes, though I agree that the episode is fantastic.
I don't believe the Doctor is more alien than John Smith. John Smith is just the Doctor with false memories, and thus, without the Doctor's trauma. The revival Doctors have all been dealing with depression in some way or another. 9 expressed it through anger. 10 pretended it wasn't there ("I'm always alright"). They are suffering, not just because of what they did and saw during the Time War (which would be more than enough to make someone hate themselves), but because they have and will outlive anyone they come to care about. The Doctor is used to putting up walls to protect themselves from harm, keeping companions at arm's length. The Doctor is a man with a past that haunts him, a future that worries him, and no present at all. Every time is "right now" to a time traveler, so living in the moment is impossible due to "the moment" being an impossible concept. John Smith has nothing to haunt him, and no inevitable loss to worry him. John Smith is free to love because he's done nothing to convince himself he doesn't deserve it, and has no reason to believe he's guaranteed to lose anyone he cares about. It's not that the Doctor is above falling in love. It's that he's so broken that he can't allow himself to do it.
You know above where I said John Smith is the Doctor without trauma? Let's shorten that. John Smith is the Doctor. The Doctor has John Smith's memories. John Smith might as well have been a regeneration, because he was another iteration of the same person. After 11 regenerated into 12, Clara was mourning for 11. 12 accused Clara of not seeing him, because he wasn't dead, he was standing in front of her. The Doctor isn't disrespecting John Smith's memory. John Smith isn't dead. He lives within the Doctor. The Doctor is being no more disrespectful of John Smith than any iteration of the Doctor has been of their previous incarnation when they regenerate. "Everything John Smith is and was, I'm capable of that too." This is a true and literal statement. The Doctor isn't manipulating Joan. He loves her. But now that he has his memories, he can't allow himself to say it. Especially because she knew him when he was at his absolute most vulnerable. Easier for him to pretend that John Smith was someone else than to admit his heartbreak.
The Doctor is a character that runs away from their demons. This, it could be argued, is their greatest character flaw. Putting on airs is just another way of distancing themselves from their pain. But they are not nearly so alien as they pretend. Gifted with brilliance and power, burdened by trauma and hearts breaking loss, a human could turn out in just the same way. If the Doctor regenerated and had a personality identical to John Smith, no one would complain that he wasn't acting like the Doctor. It would be a fresh take on the character, and one worth exploring. The Doctor's mental health needs seeing to, and that's only going to happen if he opens up a little.
DrLipkin exactly this. I really hate how he twisted it around to make the doctor look like the monster. Oh btw how am I your first reply when you have 81 likes lol 😂
@@hexogramd8430 No idea. Didn't even know the comment was doing so well until now.
@@DrLipkin Probably because we had nothing to add since the point is so aptly argued. So the thumb up says it all. :-)
@@glygriffe Heh. Fair enough!
Yes, I have to agree with you. This video does a very good job explaining what is so haunting about the episode, but there's a bit more nuance to it. The episode is actually quite ambiguous about the extent to which "John" and the Doctor are really separate entities. Sure, *John* views what is about to happen to him as a death, but he knows nothing about the subject. The Doctor very clearly still felt for Joan when he woke up. Everything that happened was still real to him, he still remembers it. That's the great tragedy. John Smith is a part of who he is. And it very clearly hurt him when Joan did not see it that way. He asked her to just look him in the eye so she could see he's still the same person (on some level, at least). Rather like the scene with Clara and 12. But when she finally looks at him, it's with contempt, and you can just see him wilt and it's heartbreaking. It's a very rude awakening that maybe he's lying to himself, that he can't be John Smith even if he convinced himself for a second that he could.
This story has always been my personal favorite. My brother loves Blink and my Dad loves Midnight. But I love Human Nature/Family of Blood because the performances and the script. It shows the character of the Doctor in a way that most stories attempt but fail to do.
It’s something that I’ll turn on again and again and find something new. It’s just brilliant.
I love Midnight too, but my favourite is Silence in the Library, no one else seems to like it lol
West End Wonder I remember watching it with my mum when it first came out, shit was scary af
@@ElinorMahoney a lot of people like it mate
... And yet, the writer hasn't returned :( I would love to see him back writing for the TV show. His episodes were always so heartfelt :D Great video :D
You could always listen to his Big Finish stories or read his Doctor Who books (if you can track them down) :)
@@chadlofts7926 For Sure! That's a good shout :O Thank you :D
Unfortunately Cornell said he's done with writing for characters he didn't create anymore so he's never gonna write any more Who. His novels and Big Finish audios at brilliant however (some of the books are tricky to find coz they never got reprinted tho, which is unfortunate.)
@@nintendonut100 Aw that's a shame :( I really liked this episode but I'll check out the Big Finish audios for sure :D
@@DoctorWhoAdventures the seventh doctor novel that he wrote that this two parter was a reworking of was reprinted a few years ago, and is easy enough to find btw. And it's generally regarded as his best work (there's also an excellent audiobook version of it read by Lisa Bowerman who plays the companion featured in it in audios)
Well done. I am a bit remiss you didnt spend more time on his treatment of Martha. I was waiting for it the whole time and it was so brief. She is his companion, and by nature of that he has a responsibility to her more than any other person. So what does he do? Plunks her smack dab into a time period that will give her racial trauma, where not only must she be a servant, but be treated as one, by John Smith himself. Looking past this story, her entire story arc is littered with her being of service to the Doctor. Going so far as being forced to live through the apocalypse and save him yet again. No other companion has been more hard done by than her. Excluding Bill of course, which I am still shocked the Doctor didnt go get buried by an avalanche or something for causing. Thank goodness Martha recognized the trauma the Doctor caused her and left. I think spending more time on how he treated her would have supported your argument greatly.
That's a really good point. The Doctor could've chosen any time period and instead decides to choose one where Martha has to face a lot of sexism and racism. The only worse place for her is the 1700s. Good luck working on that sugar plantation Martha. However, this episode at least did racism naturally and with subtelty 'cough' Rosa ' cough'.
The Doctor stated at the beginning of the first episode that the TARDIS would choose de time and place for his human counterpart. Maybe the TARDIS did not have an emotional understanding of the effects racism would have on Martha, or maybe it did not care that much for any of the Doctor's companions...
@@glygriffe Well, she does refer to them as strays, so she probably didn't care.
Martha was always one of my favourites. I think she's the only companion we see who realises just how destructive being the Doctor's companion is. Her decision to walk away was one of the smartest things a companion has ever done.
Even though the Doctor may not have thought of the possibility of his human self falling in love, (something that I think is more of a manifestation of the Doctor’s ability to fool himself) the TARDIS has quite obviously considered it. In choosing this time and place, a boys’ school in the early twentieth century, she greatly lessens the chance that her human doctor will encounter someone with whom it is socially acceptable for him to fall in love. I think the TARDIS is trying to protect both the doctor and Martha, because she knows more than anyone that her doctor desires to be loved. His hearts yearn for it and I think John Smith would have sought it out no matter what time or place he resided in. It’s one of the things he loves most about human beings after all. I think if Martha had been posing as someone with whom it were appropriate for John Smith to love, he would have chosen her...and forced her to break her own heart when he died. It’s not that the Doctor doesn’t love Martha, it’s that he can’t be In Love with Martha. He’s too traumatized, the wound of Rose’s loss is too fresh. It’s, ironically, a matter of really horrible timing. Once again, the doctor does something strange and on the surface hurtful out of a twisted desire to be kind, to prevent worse suffering later on. He, by his very nature, takes the long view. John Smith has the illusion that he is free to live in the moment, even though his time is limited. The TARDIS does her best to protect everyone involved as much as possible. Sometimes it’s not enough.
The doctor rarely has to deal with the consequences of his actions, like in series 1 he accidentally plunges earth back into the dark ages for 100 years and didn't even realise until he got forced back to the time period.
This is my favourite Doctor Who story. Glad someone agrees.
So many amazing 10th Doctor stories and Human Nature/ Family of Blood stood out. From the acting, the plot, the set. I always felt I was alone one this. I was validated today.
I prefer the og novel a bit, but this is a unique enough adaptation to stand on its own
"This act by Smith illustrates one of the core Tennants of the Doctor" after the Capaldi scene.... I see what you did there
That last monologue from Baines always sends a shiver down my spine. Human Nature and Family Blood will always be my absolute favourite episodes of Doctor Who.
The reason why he didn't mention love was because he still felt extreme sense of loss due to Rose. That was the reason why he didn't take that into account.
That, my dear, is more human than anything else.
That moment doesn't paint him as alien to us, the outside onlookers, even if it does for those in the setting, it instead shows a man trying with his upmost to run away from his own pain.
When 11 starts regenerating, he says "I don't want to go". I've always wondered if the Doctor's experiences as "John Smith" affected him to the point where he started thinking of his current incarnation as the only "true" life he would experience, as the next incarnation would be a whole new person. Just like after John Smith died, and the Doctor wasn't able to be him anymore.
Having rewatched various Doctor Who episodes again recently I believe Paul Cornell hit it out the park with this one, as well as Father's Day for that matter. It's obvious this was inspired by his novel as the literature involved in this two-parter is second to none.
Every step forward seems logical, the acting is brilliant and the setting of the early twentieth century is absolutely fascinating. This story gets me everytime when you see the life of John Smith and Joan's comment "would those people have died if the you hadn't chosen this place on a whim?" That one line says a thousand words about the character of the Doctor. As well as this giving the Latimer the fob watch which ultimately saves his life is beautiful; coupled with the final scene at the memorial it's heart wrenching TV. Overall this story is absolutely fantastic, as 9 would say.
"he was being kind"
This is the problem, The Doctor's mercy cost the lives of the 4 people that The Family possessed (one of them a small child), a bunch of people in the town and the school when they attacked, and John Smith himself.
"Would anyone here have died, if you hadn't chosen this place, on a whim?"
I don't think he quite understands the terrible price that his mercy can extract when used carelessly.
The plot does not make sense - if he wanted to be kind, he could have imprisoned the Family on a nice, deserted planet somewhere in a far off galaxy and let them die in peace. He knew they would hunt him, and he knew they would die anyway. His "kindness" just caused other people's death - and then they give this crappy ending of the Doctor granting immortality to the Family. Without any explanation of how he does it. It diminishes every struggle the Doctor ever had when facing (most) other enemies. It makes him a god. "Waters of Mars" or "Time of the Doctor" or a bunch of other episodes show his "dark" side because the Doctor is NOT almighty and does therefore not see a perfect solution for a problem. Things go wrong, people die. The Doctor in this episode just pressed a button and then gave out a punishment that was incredibly cruel, as the Family fought for its own survival. The ending was sort of a cop-out, really.
I've always seen this moment just like any superhero (especially Bateman) story. Sure, Batman could kill the joker to prevent more death, but that is not what justice is about, he always hopes that he will be cured, or at least, stop killing. Same goes here. While the doctor could very easily defeat the family, he has no right to do so (especially considering that it is not mentioned if they've already hurt people before), by becoming Jhon Smith, he could not anticipate that the family would go as far as killing, and back then, it was the easiest way to stop the conflict.
To me, he didn't used his mercy carelessly, he simply hoped that they would die of "old age" before finding him, or that they would change their mind about immortality.
The biggest problem for me is that he needn't punishing them the way he did. It is ultimately really badass, but serve little purpose besides that. He could have simply done that without the eternal life, and it would have been less cruel
@@agraeldevildark1564 But the Family is not simply "evil". they are hunters that need to catch and kill their prey to ensure the survival of their family. Expecting that they would accept death without a fight is ridiculous. And given the fact that the people they kill are not of there own species, one can very much debate whether they are doing something that is objectively morally wrong. Unlike the Joker they are only killing to survive, completely natural and the instinct of a lot of species.
some really pity the predators more then the prey because it's in the predators instinct to harm. he always gives them a chance to take them elsewhere. they always choose wrong. there is no reason to pity them. self righteous super heroes are the worst. they are made with a savior complex that ensures innocent people will continue to die by the same threat over and over, because the 'hero' loves to swoop in and save them every time. seeing him end them is satisfying. seeing him give a fate worse them death is a real treat. seeing him ever feel guilt for it is like eating a satisfying meal then barfing it up afterwards.
I think the Tardis chose the place they ended up instead of the doctor
I remember watching this as a kid, the ending was so good “and now we learnt why this man who hand fought with gods and demons ran from us and hid. He was being kind” then you see him imprison all of them forever
It was this episode that made me realise how good of an actor David Tennant was!
The 9th Doctor is still mad underrated. I like angsty Doctor
Ahhh yes, my favourite! This two parter deserves all the love.
Harry Lloyd stole the show for me. So many great quotes and one I always use when invited to a party.
"We've been invited to the dance."
I miss David Tennant hijacking my heart like this as 10. There are so many moments when you can relate so deeply with his performance it brings tears to the eyes or involuntary laughter. These days you just don't feel that compellingly drawn into the Doctor. David Tennant is truly bigger on the inside himself as well in this role.
I’ve literally called my mom “mother of mine” every since we watched it when it came out lmao THIS IS A BANGER YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT 🔥🔥🔥
It's a real testament to the story that the Doctor (as we know him at least) isn't really in it. Brilliant episodes!
I think this is at least definitely Martha's best story.
toss up between this and the finale for us
This story is definitely a great one and is easily one of the best of the Davies era. The only nitpick for me is that I think it works much better in its original form as a seventh Doctor novel. Ten is just a bit too human normally for the change to feel justified, whereas with seven it works perfectly. The ending is also fantastic with the seventh Doctor as it fits his often dark, Machiavellian outlook. It’s an amazing story. Chris Chibnall should take notes from these episodes. Maybe he could ask Paul Cornell back as well, I’d love to see him write for the show again.
Brilliant analysis of a brilliant episode. Highlight of the story for me has to be the final scene between 10 and Joan and the way he just *doesn’t get it.*
thanks Nick, and its one of the best tennant scenes ever
This season is wildly underrated, and so is Martha as a character. She emphasises so much of the wonders of the doctor, as a human falling for him. However she emphasises the human in the doctor by CHOOSING to do what is best and stepping away from him.
It's my favorite DW episode, it makes me cry every time
This is my favorite episode for the reasons mentioned in the video, and also some smaller details. It's a perfect period piece, set right before WWI, and the use of schoolchildren as soldiers against the Family of Blood is really effective. The final scene where the Doctor visits older Tim at the Remembrance Day ceremony is a lovely touch to put a bow on the setting. Also, this is my favorite Murray Gold score for an episode because the music complements the setting so well. The scene at the dance for the Human Nature cliffhanger is a perfect example of this, and they return to it in Family of Blood where the school song is played during the battle. Little touches like that really bring this episode from a great Who episode to an all-timer.
This is hands down my favorite. I haven’t even watched the video yet, but I’m happy to see others who agree that this was an amazing storyline with fantastic acting from everyone involved.
4:07 : "Does the Doctor dream of having an ordinary life?"
Well The Giggle sure as hell answered that question!
Yay! I’m not alone! I love this story to pieces! I really hope Paul Cornell returns for series 12 because they desperately need writers like him!
The Family of Blood was the first Doctor Who story I ever watched, learning about who the Doctor is at the same time John Smith was. Quite the introduction to the character.
" shut up stop talking cease and desist does the good girl!" I freaking love Jeremy Baines
This has to be one of my favorite episode, when series 3 is one of my favorite series! Martha is such an underrated companion of the Doctor
It's a sheer masterpiece. I just cannot fault it. 90 minutes of excellent story telling, production and acting. Tenant gives everything and should have won awards for this. Harry Lloyd portrays one of the most chilling villains in its history. He'd make a great Doctor. This story shows how pathetic Chibnall's clueless writing attempts are.
In reference to the part about where falling in love didn't occur to him, I always saw it as more he didn't think he (in this incarnation at least) could love someone in the way he loved Rose ever again. He had opened himself up to something he'd been closed to for centuries, and it, or rather she, was taken from him, ripped from his life. Series 3 was his healing phase, getting over losing Rose. So, no, he never thought he'd fall in love again, at least until regenerating.
As always, a great piece! You made me see that episode in a new light, despite the fact I've watched it so many times.
what more could we ask for? thanks for watching! x
Can you do a video on how badass Martha Jones is? She's my favourite companion growing up and I could relate to her ☺
I loved Martha Jones, she was so selfless, and despite loving the doctor, never tried to act upon it, respecting him, yet still helping him stop the apocalypse and more, she was by far my favourite charachter
Honestly, Martha being in love with the Doctor was the only misstep with her. Everything else was fantastic with her, and I love how they brought her back in a believable way in Series 4
I agree with everything apart from John Smith being reduced to nothing. He wasn't, he retained all of his memories and experiences, the only change was in his personality. In short he effectively regenerated. I think the fact that he broke down in fear and found himself racked with misery before eventually doing it out of courage gave us an amazing insight into what it would be like to regenerate. Humans aren't Timelords, we don't change the same way the Doctor does. And yet John Smith acted as a window into how a regular person who isn't an immortal time-travelling God would react to something like that.
I never really thought about how cruel the doctor can really be. I still love him but I'm definitely reevaluating him.
oh he can be an absolute dick
Gotta add a bit.
Most of the stories we see are of the Doctor going to a place, by his will or the T.A.R.D.I.S.'s, where historical events are already going to go bad and have deaths. Generally, he decreases the number.
This story is one of the few where he initiated the event rather than participated. He doesn't often cause the problem.
At the risk of repeating what someone else may have already said: Watching this I felt reminded of Tuvix from Star Trek Voyager, created by accidentally merging Tuvok and Neelix. He became a character of his own, with feelings and thoughts and friends on the ship, but in the end the Captain had to make the decision to essentially kill Tuvix because the ship needed Tuvok and Neelix. Just like John Smith had to die because the universe needs a Doctor.
I'm so happy to see you guys tackle my absolute favorite Who story! Fantastic dissection gents!
While , John Smith is gone , The Doctor remembers him ; remembers being a Man in Love with a Woman ; being Truly Happy - and the family of blood took that from him - and that is why he punished them as he did
This is the story that finally warmed me up to Tennant.
As you brought up the juxtaposition of Batman with his villains, it reminds me of another similarity between them. Batman has often been criticized for his pursuit of rehabilitation over punishment of his villains. Batman's choice to leave his enemies alive can enable future harm to come to pass. The Doctor, similarly tries to treat The Family with kindness, and brings risk & pain to the innocents nearby. The doctor ultimately, makes the Utilitarian choice to permanently imprison the family, but the damage is already done.
This was an instant classic on broadcast and I've watched it many times since. Can Dr Who ever be this good again?
3:21 “This act by Smith illuminates one of the core Tenants of the Doctor’s philosophy”
Very clever! ;-)
I don't even think it was that he didn't care about John's life-I think that he didn't even recognize that John was a separate life from his own. He didn't consider that, by creating a new personality, he was creating an entirely new person and that to change back would mean killing them. From his perspective, John was just another part of himself, but he didn't realize that John might disagree.
I think the whole of series 3 was just him desperately trying to get over rose. In the video you mentioned when he asked the nurse if she wanted to travel with him not realizing she was grieving. I think he did that without realizing because he felt something again and he wanted to chase after it not realizing that he was hurting people in the process. Its the same with Martha too, he kept her around because he needed someone there to fill the void. The most devastating part about the 10th doctors story is that he never got over rose no matter how hard he tried.
4:10 It wasn't just Russel. Even our legend Murray Gold weaved this theme into the very soundtrack of the episode. The most emotional track used in this two-parter - the one just before John Smith becomes The Doctor again - is literally called THE DREAM OF A NORMAL DEATH. The very name implies that a small part of The Doctor really did wish he could just be a human. This was that scene where John Smith is faced with the decision to stay human and run or give up his life and his love, and fight as The Doctor. He gets flashes of what his life would have been like if he just stayed with the woman he fell in love with, and grew old with her, raised a family and ultimately died peacefully.
This song was used several times later in different episodes and imo is one of the best of Gold's work. It really pulled at heart strings when Donna Noble left the show as well. When Wilfred said goodbye to The Doctor.
*The Waters of Mars.
“Am I a joke to you?”
I forget waters of Mars exists sometimes but I never forget the family of blood.
I tend to skip that one.
I feel the waters of Mars tried too hard. This one is way more subtle and the implications are far more complex than "the doctor can get crazy if he travels alone"
@@mega20able Tries too hard?? No the doctor is literally at the very end of his tether and this is where his death sentence becomes unstoppable and it has been built up over the whole four years of RTD's tenure. He cracks up over repeated traumas that have also involved him needing to do terrible things that scar him (See 'Fires of Pompeii'). RTD is a genius, the quality and thinking of the whole is totally lost by Moffatt and Chibnall. I can't watch any of the post RTD era. It's like the non Lucas steered Disney Star Wars era or the poorly scripted by Jackson overstuffed 'The Hobbit' vs the superb pure Tolkein script by Fran Walsh in the 'LOTR's excellence. Just as with early Who the director is the most important ingredient of all. Proven by the excellent Tom Bakers, first half (Original Dr Who's peak) vs the post censor stuff (the slow decline began as it has again post RTD).
Heaven sent:) You guys are so cute, I broke The Doctor.
You guys are the only channel I support on Patreon because you always churn out such great, interesting content. This was no exception. Keep up the good work.
Thank you very much Kate, your support is everything to us! x
The entire David Tennant era had the best stories, by far.
This was the story that made me realize what a fantastic actor David Tennant is. I enjoyed his performance before, but I didn't recognize his talents until I saw him flip between John Smith and the Doctor so seamlessly.
i saw him at a play about two years ago and I was stunned
@@FullFatVideos I hope I get that opportunity!!
One of my personal fave stories. I love a concept and the writing and the acting and every part of it. I agree with everything you mentioned din the video but also I always notice the contrast between the women Joan and Martha. Both fall in love for the man that they know. Joan falls for John Smith the shy unassuming if slightly distant history teacher. The extraordinary ordinary man. Martha falls for The Doctor. The impossible hero and the hyped up god like figure who dashes about and saves the world. One woman gets a taste of being loved back and what life could have been like with him. The other knows that she will never be loved back but still pines for him and wishes for the day he notices her. I think that is why they played the frosty jealousy between Martha and Joan so well. Martha knows that she will never have what Joan is getting even if it is only brief and fleeting but she still wants that. And I like the contrast in they that Martha is desperate to bring the The Doctor and tries everything to make that happen and feels very little for the plight of John just and Joan mourns the loss of John and the life he could have had and that she could have been a part of. 2 women in love with 2 men but shown in very different ways. Complex, heartbreaking and beautiful.
Personally... I think the two parter ‘The Doctor Falls’ and ‘World enough and time’ is the best story. Like it’s filled with so much emotion, so much tension and the plot twists in those episodes are amazing. Also, Michelle Gomez, Pearl Mackie, Matt Lucas’, John Simmons and Peter’s acting are phenomenal. Made me emotional. However I think Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone are strong competitors because that’s what got me into the show and it truly terrified me.
For me, The Empty Child will always be my favorite Who story.
the monsters in it were the only ones in doctor who that actually scared me, not the weeping angels
@@elina1421 Only 2 things in Dr Who have scared me, the empty child and peg dolls.
@@TheMintJarke For me what always gets me are the Cybermen. Sometimes, they're corny as hell, but when it hits, it hits hard. Despite the hate it got, I genuinely consider the end of season 10 with Bill to be one of the best horror stories in Dr. Who. The terror of being turned into something distinctly other while having full cognition. Unable to reconcile the self with reality.
David Tennant literally acted out his death scene on 3 different occasions. John Smith, the hand and the final scene
I wouldn't say BEST, that title goes to waters of Mars for me (which I wouldn't mind an essay on ;) but I agree with how Fantastic these episodes are
"Family of Blood" has two scenes that bring me to tears. I loved this two parter.
"the doctor has a high body count" myyy guyy
This was actually my first introduction to Doctor Who, watching late at night via video on demand years before I found out about the series. What a brilliant first impression to the character of The Doctor...
This made me notice a lot of parallels between the doctor’s actions and the dark triad. Clearly he is very Machiavellian, and he also is narcissistic, but he also has some level of psychopathy in his often indifferent attitude towards what the does. Although he also shows how despite those character flaws people can still be considered good.
his episode always touched me in a way others never were able to; I'm glad you managed to put why into word
Remember, there is a reason the Doctor is a Time LORD, notice also that in all his arguments with the Master, in all his incarnations, his biggest argument against him was always that he shouldn't act against innocent civilians, never that he didn't have the right to do so.
I just binge watched your previous Doctor Who videos today and now this comes out. My, my I've been blessed!
thank you so much for watching them all! your support is awesome
0:41 The "inventive" John Smith alias is a reference to Jon Pertwee, who adopted that name when he was exiled to Earth, employed as UNIT's Scientific Adviser. The alias was briefly used by Patrick Troughton in _The War Games,_ but I'm pretty sure it's a nod to the Third Doctor we have here, as "John Smith" are the last two words Pertwee says, with emphasis and in tight close-up, in his debut story.
I did indeed know this as a huge fan of classic. The joke is that the name is inventive because it's the name he always used, rather than that the name is generic.
@@FullFatVideos I realised that, but non-Classic fans might not have got the joke.
the name "john smith" first came about in the wheel in space. jamie tells people that the doctor (who's unconscious) is called john smith, because they wouldn't accept "the doctor" as a name
This and blink are probably my favourite modern doctor who episodes. Blink ironically barely has the doctor in it, but its well executed and the angels are actually scary in the episode.
These episodes broke me in almost every way.
Episodes like this makes me see the Doctor as what Humanity is. How he cares for John‘s life later changes him enough to understand that it was wrong. We learn from our mistakes but it still are not perfect, not without flaws. Just like the Last of the Time Lords.
Even though I'm rewatching every episode on Netflix to show my gf, we're halfway through Matt Smith's run and after seeing this I wanna go back and watch David Tennant's run again. His episodes just have complete nostalgia to me. The cinematography, the music, the acting, the feeling that so many episodes give off is just brilliant. Ecclestons episodes also just have a real nostalgia feeling attached to them. Matt Smith's don't really have it (maybe a bit in his first season) even though I love most of them and I never really enjoyed anything after Smith mainly because of writing getting poorer and production getting bigger, trying to become more movie-like imo. I find the best episodes are the personal ones where the story revolves around a much more personal problem involving only a small number of characters. It's hard to say everything running through my head in a TH-cam comment without going on too long.
I miss those Saturday evenings and every other evening on BBC three watching reruns. Those were the days for me.
100% aggree
@@LeonBlade completely agree with you on every point, I always hold out for the next season to be a return to form. I think they need advice from RTD on how to get a similar tone. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Doctor Who hasn't been on Netflix for a very long time...
@@pfzht I'm in UK it's been on for a long time and still is
@@Simbabweman Netflix screwed us! Must be some licensing b.s. for bad reasons. *Googles feverishly*
This episode made me cry. I have a soft spot for it since I first saw it, and still love it.
If I may, the callousness of 10’s invitation for Joan to travel with him is a bit of an unnecessarily naïve read of the medium. Every time a “new” Doctor has invited an old, pre-regeneration companion to continue travelling with the Doctor. The essence of the character remains in the new form and this scene was an obvious parallel of those invitations. The context lead it to be a perversion of those, but calling it callous requires you to forget his history of regeneration.
That’s my read, anyway.
I think he was so cruel to the Family because of Joan cutting him so deeply with her question. "If the doctor had never chosen this place. On a whim. Would anybody here have died" He had to make the Family pay.
Make them pay for him bringing them to Earth and putting all those lives at risk in the first place?
"for once in their life"
Thank you for that💖
I usually do not watch this sort of video, but I have come back to this one nine times now! It is nice to see an analysis of a Doctor Who story with some actual depth, whereas as channels like Harbo Wholmes gave a critique that was surface level at best.
I always thought the reason falling in love didn’t occur to him was because he was still heartbroken over the loss of rose
This has always been my favourite story, because with a character like "The Doctor", I mentally like to try and think of how a being so old and powerful might think, and what scars that might leave. This story shows it
This the the caves of androzan and the season 4 finale. Is probably my favourite doctor who episodes.
all fantastic eps!
I think one of my biggest takeaways - especially given that bits of the Doctor's personality bleeds through to John - is that the Master really has the potential for good. Obviously we see some of this with Missy, but Professor Yana really was a good man, dedicating his life to doing good. Presumably some of those qualities came from some deep-down, subconscious part of the Master.
One of my top 10 favorite episodes. David was the first Doctor I was exposed to/who got me sucked into Doctor Who (original eps and the reboot).
Tennant’s run as the doctor is, by far, my favorite of the whole series.
First of all the best doctor who episodes are heaven sent, the day of the doctor, utopia and anything with the weeping angels.😁
I really love the video though
David Tennent is such a brilliant actor. He comes across as so lighthearted and goofy, but there's an air of sinisterness just under the surface. Also, re-watching the 10th Doctor's episodes after watching Season 1 of Jessica Jones makes everything seem just a little bit more off.
This personally has to be one of my fav episodes to. I also enjoy blink, Pandoras box and so many more! Awesome vid btw