Monday 5 September 2011

Blink and you'll miss your chance to get a man

Someone I respect a lot has recently said that Moffat's Who stories don't really display much in the way of viewpoints.  With all due respect to Gallibase forum poster Affirmation (and that's one heck of a lot of respect), I actually think Moffat's stories do tell us a lot about what he thinks. I think they tell us quite a bit about what he thinks about women, for instance.

'Blink', for example, tells us that following a woman you've just met is an acceptable (even whimsically amusing) way of wooing her. It tells us that geeky internety guys are amusingly tragic pratts... but that women exist to redeem them by accepting them. Ultimately, the gorgeous young girl misses her opportunity to 'get' the hot cool copper (she automatically imagines marrying him once she's automatically attracted to him) and has to settle for the nerd. Settling for the nerd (i.e. finally getting herself a man of some description) is the sign that she's grown up, settled her issues, is ready to move on with life, etc. Living with her mate and having a laugh were the preludes to Real Life, the start of which (for both female characters) is naturally signfied by becoming a wife or permanent girlfriend to the nearest man ready to accept her.

And 'Blink', I should add, is one of Moffat's better stories (in my 'umble). Compared to other of his episodes, 'Blink' actually does seem (to me) to have some things to say. It rather amusingly takes bad sitcom characters and subjects then to a very non-sitcom plot (which is more than Gareth Roberts could manage). Of course, they're still just bad sitcom characters... but the episode does say something about the passing of time and the achievement of emotional maturity.

Of course, the sentiments expressed are somewhat sexist (see above) and are not particularly original or shattering. Life passes quicker than you think it will, you don't always get what you want or expect in life... well, unless you're the steadfastly and creepily loyal nerd who eventually 'wins' his 'out-of-his-league' girlfriend once she realises what a loyal puppydog he is.

One doesn't have to be Freud, does one?