Love & Monsters

"Mister blue sky please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long
Where did we go wrong?" (ELO "Mr Blue Sky")

This episode is not "The Doctor Show". It is however "Doctor Who" a series based around a question. A mystery. In many ways, "Love & Monsters" has been done before. Its old hat. Specifically the first 25 min episode of the entire series "An Unearthly Child" where two school teachers become enamored about the mystery surounding an unusual girl in their class, leading to a mysterious old man in a junkyard. "Doctor Who?"

Its also been done before with "Rose" where a young shop girl meets a stange man in the middle of the night, who blows up her workplace. Both of these stories begin with outsiders confronting the central question that is the basis of the show. Both the school teachers, and Rose are us. The viewer that has been invited into discovering and unraveling the mystery. In the case of "Love & Monsters" The journey is Elton's and his group of friends that come together to work towards this end. Even the 'monster' is us to some degree.. the viewer that knows more about the show than the rest, and ruins the fun for those that are finding simple enjoyment in the fun of the mystery. For Elton, much as all of us, we met the Doctor when we were a child.. in our living room. And like Elton, we have all become enamored with the Doctor and the mystery and questions that surround him and his world.

The episode itself, is told in a broken narrative style, fraimed by Elton's video diaries, and flashbacks. Elton himself is a squeaky, endearing character.. but one whose identifiable traits are not his hights, but rather his faults. His frailty as a human. He dances in his apt when no one is looking, he is confused by love when it is staring him right in the face, he hides from secret pain.. and in the end, he just wants to make sense of it all. This mystery that has been in his life. "Doctor Who?"

Elton's life has intersected events in Doctor Who in many ways.. the Auton invasion from "Rose", the Slitheen ship crashing, the Sycorax threat from Christmas day, and most importantly when he was a small child on one fateful day. We then branch out into the other core characters that make up this drama. Ursula.. the mousey yet forthright geeky girl. Mr Skinner, Bridget and Bliss. Bless Bliss, they used to say. They form a collective group of friends, that eventualy brings much needed joy into their lives. These disparate characters have all come together for the mystery, and end up having fun and enriching each other. Then enters Victor Kennedy.. and from there it is all downhill for them. Hes the typical archetype of the bully who spoils the fun. Obsessive, dominearing, and joyless. A funny but telling line of his is the exclaimation "I dont like to be touched physicaly, OR metaphoricaly."

Jackie Tyler gets a chance to shine in this story as a character. Her interaction with Elton runs the gamut of her character in such a way, that it adds layers and depth on a already much interesting and humorous character. The other remaining regulars Rose and the Doctor, do get some choice moments, but most of these are played for comedy. Which between last story and the end of the season coming up will shine as a welcome bit of our heros just really enjoying themselves in their oddball life of traveling and defeating great evils. And the way the Doctor delivers "ELTON!!! Fetch A SPAAADE!!!" is absoultly hysterical in its urgancy.

In "Love & Monsters" the physical presence of the Doctor isn't around for much of the story. However, the impact of his character is. He is completly central to this story, and in many ways more than stories that he has ample screen time. And as far as the past goes, we have "Mission to the Unknown" a one episode story that doesnt even have the slightest hint or impact of the character of the Doctor, as well as various episodes in stories in the first three seasons where the actor playing the Doctor, has taken some time off and isn't seen much. Locked in a cell and unseen, made invisible by a god-like entity, ect. Or even in the case of "The Massacre" Where the Doctor is only in the beginning and the end of the 4 part story, and the actor who plays him does another seperate role as the villian of the piece. Or "Kinda" where Nyssa sleeps right though an entire story, or "The Invasion" where Zoe is off screen for some of the first half, and Jamie is off screen for much of the end. So historically moving the Doctor (and companions) on and off screen has little impact on the show overall, as it not "The Doctor Show", Or 'The Marc Cory Show" or even "The Rose Show". It is forever "Doctor Who".. a show that asks a question. Sometimes the Doctor is the one facing the question (such as last week's "Satan Pit") or in the case of this old formula, using an outsider to peer into this world and try and make sense of it.

Other sci-fi shows that have used a similar forumla of the outsider looking in (some with even the same broken narrative structure) are X-Files "Jose Chung's From Outer Space", Buffy The Vampire Slayer's "The Zeppo" and "the Storyteller", Babylon 5's "A View From The Gallery", DS9's "In The Cards" and Star Trek: TNG's "Lower Decks".

Production-wise, this episode starts a new trend as far as the New Series, in the fact that due to having a 14th "Christmas Episode" in the shooting schedual, less time has been afforded to the principal actors. The trade off to having an additional 60 mins of New Who each year, is that one of the remaining 13 will have to be 'regular actor'lite. So for those who cry foul at this concept, just consider it an additional 45 mins each year in the Doctor Who Universe, rather than loosing one of the 13 primary series episodes. The fictional universe of WHO, is so much richer because of this new production decision. And will be next year as well.

So, in the end "Love & Monsters" is a cute, harmless episode with squeeky characters. It may not seem that central to the overall fictional universe that is this show, however it is quite simply what is at the heart of all of it. Us, the common person, the viewer, the one who confronts the mystery of "Doctor who?" and of the great mysteries of the universe. Elton and Ursula join the ranks with Ian and Barbara, Chang Lee, Rose, and everyone else that has blundered into the fascinating yet dangerous world of the Doctor and has the bravery to confront the mystery of it all. And like them will be forever changed by it.

The story has a lot of heart, humor and warmth. And characters that are almost impossible not to fall in love with. All of them, the most adorable three-legged puppies you have ever seen. After 45 minutes you have found you have really come to know them, and feel for them.

Is "Love & Monsters" to be considered "The Doctor Show"? Never. It is however, "Doctor Who". The exploration of mystery both external and internal. And above all.. what to make of the answers that are found. And in a smaller way, its about "Love"... and "Monsters". Which as a fandom, as viewers, and as people.. are us. The episode may be a harmless one, but its wealth of meaning and warmth are priceless.

As the Doctor said of the common man, "Two in the morning. Street corner. Taxi ride home. Ive never had a life like that." Its the common man thats most important. Be it school teachers in a junkyard, a shop girl in a basement, or Elton dancing around to ELO. In his underwear.. Awkwardly.

"Mister blue, you did it right
But soon comes mister night creepin' over
Now his hand is on your shoulder
Never mind I'll remember you this
I'll remember you this way" (ELO "Mr Blue Sky")