Who Is The Fairest Of Them All?

            

       There will be spoilers for ALL EIGHT SERIES' of the New Doctor Who in this one. So if you are not caught up and you wish to view without my opinion clogging your perception and enjoyment, this is your warning to back out now while you still can. If you are caught up and/or don't care about spoilers, then feel free to go on and scroll down while I review the eight aired series' of NuWho from least-stellar to best. Please note that this list is subject to my personal preferences and opinions. I do not claim to be the ultimate authority. I merely give my observations.

9: Series 7b

       This series suffered from two things: bland, boring characters and dull, delusional writing. Poor Matt Smith. He did not have a good final series. The loss of the Ponds was the final nail in the coffin for this struggling series and poor Clara was never given any character development outside of 'cute' or 'feisty' or 'The Impossible Girl', so she remained very flat and one-dimensional and unable to carry a weaker plot due to emotional connection alone. I honestly cannot think of a single episode from this series that I did not either loath or look on with utter apathy. It was that bad. The supporting characters ranged from utterly boring to actively annoying and the stories only became more convoluted and pointless with every step taken towards the entirely stakeless finale. What a disappointment!

8: Series 2

         There actually are quite a few good episodes in this series, so I debated to myself for a long time as to whether or not I could put it this low on the list. But then I remembered Rose sniggering about her 'first date' with The Doctor and I said yes. Yes I could. Because that was annoying as all get out and sucked a lot of the enjoyment right out of the episodes for me. 

7: Series 7a

            I have decided to divide Series 7 up into two parts, part 7b obviously being everything post Christmas Special with Clara and part 7a being everything pre-Farewell to Ponds. Series 7a was MARGINALLY better than its successor, most likely because the emotional connection of Amy, Rory, and family could carry us through some of the weaker writing, and because all of the side characters were memorable and well-fleshed-out. But that's not to say that it didn't have its share of stinkers too. Asylum of the Daleks was a HORRIBLE piece of contradictions and stupid choices and The Sign of Three, while starting out strongly, had one of the weakest and most out-of-left-field-and-not-connected resolution/climax I have ever seen in my entire life. Dreadful!

6: Series 6

        This was the year of River Song and, depending on your opinion of her, you either loved it or hated it. Personally I really enjoy the character of Professor Song (most of the time) and so I didn't take quite as much issue with it as some others may have, but I do agree that the writing was definitely weaker than its predecessor and only became worse as the series went on, making even Dr. Song herself INTOLERABLE in a couple of places and forcibly blasting plot holes into its own hull.

5: Series 3

        Poor Martha always gets such a bad rap and, to this day, I don't understand why. She should be an absolute dream. A competent Doctor who didn't take any nonsense from anyone, but also was willing to blend in when needed, Martha did indeed suffer from her ill-fated crush on The Doctor...but in the end she did the smart thing and got out, so I think we can blame RTD instead of the natural progression of her character. What is it with females and falling in love with The Doctor anyway?! But I digress. If it weren't for the painfully melodramatic and stupid three-parter finale, this series would probably be higher on my list.

4: Series 8

         I have such mixed feelings on this. On the one hand I am very happy with Capaldi's less friendly and more prickly take on The Doctor. We've had the zany heartthrob from space for long enough. It was time for a change. I am also DELIGHTED with the character growth that was given to Clara this series. It was long overdue. Unfortunately, though, the entire series built up to an ultimately unsatisfying cop-out of a finale that did great disservice to the characters in question and literally spit on the graves of YEARS of Who lore and history. Honestly the only good thing to come out of that was Michelle Gomez as The Master.

3: Series 4

         Whenever people say that it is about time to have a companion who isn't twenty-something, willowy, and looking for The Doctor to save her, I ask if they have met Donna. Because Donna was awesome and had a great character arc. Catherine Tate and David Tennant were THE DEFINITIVE TARDIS DUO of Ten's entire run. They just clicked perfectly and, together, created some of the best comedy and chemistry ever seen on this show. Donna's entire run is chock-full of excellent episodes as well, the only real clunker being the Sontaran two-parter. True things were a bit overshadowed with the return of Rose and the series finale ultimately turned out to be painful (on SO many levels) but the rest of the episodes pretty much make up for that. Donna was awesome. Never forget that.

2: Series 1

          I have no time for those who skip Nine... (Ha! See what I did there?) Seriously. WHY would you skip Eccleston's run? It had some of the best episodes, Nine was a master of sass, and Rose was actually tolerable half of the time. It built up to an excellent series finale too that put all of the characters to the test and remains, to date, one of the best television finales I have ever seen. Really my only problem with this series is Rose's persistent abuse of Mickey and the fact that sometimes the 'Bad Wolf' arc word could feel a bit...forced. Not as bad as 'The Medusa Cascade', but pretty close.

1: Series 5

         I have noticed that, since the revival of the show, most showrunners seem to run through a pattern with their series finales. The first series that they do is just about perfect. It will be epic and funny and heartbreaking and everything that you should wish for...and then the next ones will become worse and worse as they go along. That is what happened with Russell T. Davies and that is what I see happening with Steven Moffat. Because Moffat and Smith's first series was...well...I know the word is overused, but there's no better word to use. It was epic. The characters were well-developed, the stories were intertwined perfectly, and it all culminated into a finale that managed to be both cosmic and personal on multiple levels of intrigue and emotion. I honestly don't think that it can ever be re-created or topped. It was just that good.

Brother vs. Brother

       When I get into a fandom (as opposed to casually watching something) it is because I hold a deep affection and connection to the characters in whatever piece of media the fandom is based around. To quote Charlie Bradbury: "I'm a bit obsessive...if by 'a bit' you mean completely."

       So, yes, I can rather obsessive compulsive about these sorts of thing and so, because I know myself, I know better than to leap head-first into a fandom whenever I have not yet surrendered myself heart and soul to the characters involved in the show. Because (before the actors or props or lighting or anything else) characters are the life-blood of the shows. Characters and the writing of said characters have also always been a huge interest of mine. It's fascinating! And because I spend probably more time thinking about it than I should, I've noticed something interesting.

       A lot of the big, popular fandoms thrive on bromance - a relationship between two guys that is a little bit more than friends, but presented more as a brotherly bond than a romantic interest. (Yes, yes, be quiet about shipping...I don't get into that.) In these fandoms the two characters in the relationships tend to fall into one of two categories: The Big Brother Figure and The Little Brother Figure.

Disclaimer: This is a post about personality types, trends, and tropes in the duos and BroTP's of the fandoms. This has nothing to do with shipping and everything to do with what is presented on screen. Nothing but pure, untainted CANON discussion here...which means that shipping is out of the question. This is not meant to trod on anyone's toes, but if you're here looking for an article on how John and Sherlock are MEANT to be together it would probably be best for both our sakes if you just move along. I also apologize if I have neglected to mention any duos. I am trying to stick to fandoms I actually know well, as it is hard to analyze someone if you don't know them.


The Big Brother Figure (Arthur, John, Dean, Donna, Samwise, Peter)

         This is the person who takes the visible front in the relationship. They tend to be larger than life and always have (what they think is) a witty comeback to everything. They consider themselves the more mature member of the duo, even if they really aren't, and more often than not mock the Little Brother for being too 'uptight' or 'girly'. Often they have an aversion to talking about 'feelings'  Is very stand-offish, dismissive, sarcastic, and takes the leadership role of the duo. They tend to eschew emotional display ('chick-flick moments') and generally make fun of the other for being a 'girl'. That being said...usually whenever it comes time to confess fears or worries and to 'hug and make up', they're the one to go for it. It may take a bit of coaxing from their partner, as they will always put up a show of protesting, but ultimately they will give in and utterly spill their guts. Though often categorized as the less-emotional member of the duo, they're really the most open. It just may not be in a normal way.


The Little Brother Figure (Merlin, Sherlock, Sam, The Doctor, Frodo, Edmund)

     This individual tends to be less visibly flashy than the other and, in fanon, is always interpreted as younger or seen as younger. Often they are accomplished liars and/or hold deep secrets that they hide from the other. They also normally take the 'follower' position in the relationship and usually tend to be the butt of many jokes. Usually these jokes include the dominant personality (as those dratted cop dramas put it) taking pot-shots at their emotional side, calling them 'girly' and 'emo' and everything in-between. Their senses of humor tend to be less obvious than the Big Brother and they often rely on sarcasm and being the straight, reactionary man in a comedy equation. They may empathize with others better and are always shown to be the 'little brother' in the equation. Sometimes literally. Despite the fact that they are known for being 'sensitive', they are also the culprits of the 'bottle it up, swallow it down' principle where they are always hounding their partners for never sharing feelings but always internalize things themselves.

          Now of course not all of these characteristics show up all the time and sometimes a few of the traits are a bit flip-flopped...but for the most part that is the pattern for the way these popular relationships work.

Merlin & Arthur - Merlin

      This unlikely duo of friends are practically the embodiment of the archetypes listed above. Arthur is the older brother in that he is usually the leader to tries to take charge of a situation while Merlin works quietly in the background (or trips over his own two feet). Arthur is very dismissive of emotions, having been brought up as a prince and a knight, and often makes fun of Merlin for the younger boy's sensitivity and dislike of hunting/killing. Merlin, on the other hand, is often exasperated with Arthur being 'prattish', has magic that makes him feel like a monster, and keeps his cards emotionally very close to his chest, never really talking about what is bothering him and always badgering Arthur to offload whatever emotional angst the Prince is carrying (preferably in a more healthy manner than throwing goblets, too).

Sherlock & John - Sherlock

       At first glance this duo almost seems to be flip-flopped as far as the archetypes go. John is definitely the older 'brother' in the relationship in that he is always looking after Sherlock and is often portrayed as almost parent-like in his care and worry for his friend, yet he also carries the trope of not being the more emotionally open one. As much as we like to call Sherlock 'cold' and 'emotionless', it's really John that we don't know very much about. At this point in the show we have met Sherlock's parents, brother, seen him as a child, met his childhood pet, seen him possibly fall in love (with whom is debatable), 'die', fight to come back home, and then discover that everything has changed. Sherlock is FAR from emotionless...if anything he is more emotional than ordinary people, he just has a tendency to exhibit the wrong ones at the wrong times. John is the one we don't know very much about yet. It's been mentioned that he has a sister (we have yet to meet her) and while his past in Afghanistan has been hinted at, really we don't know anything about it. Yet the fandom seems to be very confident of the dynamic: Sherlock is the Little Brother and John is the Big Brother...and I have to agree that I perceive it in that way also. Some of it, I think, comes down to the chemistry between the two actors and the way they play their characters.


Sam & Dean - Supernatural

      In this partnership the two of them really are brothers and, true to form, they fall into their roles just about perfectly. Dean is the cocky, smart-mouthed bad boy of the family who has a hidden soft, protective streak and who may not hate those 'chick-flick moments' as much as he claims to. Though he is just as smart as Sam is, he's content to play the grunt more often and regularly makes fun of his younger brother for being a 'girly geek'. Despite this fact, Dean is the one who usually ends up discussing those dreaded things called 'feelings' and offloading his worries and concerns on Sam whenever pressured about them. By contrast Sam, despite being a hunter in his own right, is perpetually seen as the more innocent younger brother of the duo. He's not the ladies' man his brother is and seems to prefer a night at the library over booze and barmaids. Sam also struggles a lot with feeling like a monster and regularly keep secrets from Dean in an effort to protect him, rarely ever giving Dean or the audience a clue into what he is thinking or feeling.


The Doctor & Donna - Doctor Who

        Okay, okay...so they're technically Big Sister, Little Brother...but as I was watching back through Donna's run (and, as luck would have it, thinking about this post) it suddenly struck me that Donna and The Doctor slot into the roles of the two archetypes just about perfectly. Donna is loud and brash and extremely vocal about what she thinks is right or just what she thinks in general. She is also always there for The Doctor either to slap him to his senses or to just offer a comforting hug after he's had a bad day. She takes up the job of being somewhere who is there for his just as a concerned friend and, in the process, becomes basically like a big sister to him. The Doctor, on the other hand, actually for once takes the part of the follower in the relationship. Donna keeps him in line and he's perfectly content to not always appear perfect in front of her. He confides in her about how much he misses Rose and Donna is there to provide support for him whenever he has his 'feeling like a monster' days.

Frodo & Sam - The Lord of the Rings

       Hmmm. To be honest, I'm not sure these two even warrant analysis. There's not a whole lot I can say that hasn't already been said, but let's give it a try anyway. Sam is Frodo's servant, as his father was before him, and he is actually a good twenty years younger than his employer. At least. Yet he seems to take the role of the Big Brother because he considers it his job to take care of Mr. Frodo and make sure that the Ringbearer makes it to Mordor and back in one piece. This means that he is definitely the caretaker of the two and is also the one more open with his emotions as he tries to understand and encourage Frodo. Frodo, on the other hand, becomes more and more dependent on Sam as their journey goes on and the power of the Rings weighs him down more and more, clouding his judgement. He rarely speaks about what he feels (except when pressed by Sam) and he sees himself in the pathetic creature of Gollum, fearing that he will one day look at his reflection and see the same thing looking back.

Edmund & Peter - The Chronicles of Narnia

         I have enjoyed these two brothers ever since I first started going through the books with my mother around age six, a love that was only re-kindled with the arrival of the first reboot film and the absolute perfect casting of William Moseley and Skandar Keynes. Peter is the oldest brother of the Pevensie family (as well as the High King of Narnia) and has a very strong protective instinct over his family. He leads them, he supports them, he keeps them in line, and he is the one that their mother gives special instructions to 'look after his brother and sisters'. Edmund, on the other hand, starts the series out as a discontented little brat with a witty but malicious streak. He regularly torments his younger sister and makes trouble for his older siblings, culminating in the moment when he somewhat-unwittingly betrays them to the White Witch. Because of this Edmund's character arc is kind of reversed from what we typically see in the Little Brother figure. He doesn't fear that he is a freak or worry about becoming a monster...because he has already been there and come back. He does, however, fit the tropes of being slightly more emotionally broody and prone to sarcastic humor.

Other duos this principle may apply to:
Sean & Gus (Psyche)
Kirk & Spock (Star Trek)
J.D. & Turk (Scrubs)
House & Wilson (House, M.D.)
Jack & Will (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Etc.