Television Without Pity - an open letter/review of Season 4 of Doctor Who and the wonderful Donna Noble

Just spent a late lunch reading Jacob's 'review' of the Donna Noble season of Doctor Who written for Television Without Pity. (It's written TO Donna.)

These are just stories. I'm sitting here in my army man pajama pants wondering if you're even going to read this, or if you'll even care, or understand what I'm trying to tell you with these stories. Because I love you, and I know that wherever you are, you could be doing better. You could leave the Library. You could be living.

I just wanted you to imagine that you met a man, the most wonderful man in the world, and that he showed you the stars, wonders and terrible things, all the majesty our world can muster. All the kindness and the brilliance and the bravery that lies in you. That he, among all of us, was capable of teaching you how wonderful you are, every second of the day. That you have a better choice than to turn right, or left. Look up at the stars, or laugh. Or jump.

I want you to imagine that you were chosen, of all the women and men in the world, to go on a wonderful adventure. Because of who you are, and what you can become.

And then I want you to forget that he never existed. In story school they teach you a very simple thing. First there are facts: "The King Died." Then, there are plots: "The King Died, The Queen Died." And then there are stories: "The King Died, The Queen Died Of Grief." But this isn't a story, it's your life. That's not how it works in the real world.

Dear Donna, the real world sucks. The world is wrong. So fix it. The Queen Lived.

So live.

Worth reading in full --- it's somewhat elliptical in tone at times and I don't always agree with the opinions about episodes, but it has to qualify as one of the best paeans to a series and character I've read in a while. There is also a lot said about Rose and Martha, which also give an interesting take on the changing dynamics of the Companion role.

Worth investing some time on reading.