Gallifrey re-listen

[lizbee]

I decided to skip "Zagreus" all together, and went straight into "Weapon of Choice".  It was actually less awful than I remembered.  I came out with the following observations:

- On meeting Romana for the first time, Arkadian greets her as "Imperiatrix".  Which is both nifty and creepy, but raises the questions of "how?" and "why?"  Unless word of the future timeline from "Neverland" has at some point leaked out, so Romana's eeeeeeeeeeeeevil future is relatively common knowledge.
- Braxiatel and Romana are quite distant.  Even cold, in bits.  He's laying it on too thick with the flattery, and she's ... well, cranky, but that's just a sign she's awake.  Cheer up, Romana, it's all downhill from here.  Anyway, the Romana/Braxiatel relationship doesn't get really interesting (to me) until the second season, when we find out he was her tutor at university, and has been manipulating and controlling her from her youth.  Some people might say it's sociopathy laced with ambition, but to me, that's a spiffing good OTP.
- Romana is really keen to be a martyr for Gallifrey.  She actually sounds disappointed when she realises she's not going to die to save her planet.  This brings me back to Theory A: Romana Is Crazy.
- Setting the tone of the series, Braxiatel and Narvin get the best lines.  To wit:

Narvin: "And [Romana's] mood?"
Brax: "Above apoplexy, but below incandescence."

Romana's crankiness: a universally acknowledged fact, like the existence of the giant squid, or nuclear physics.

And, after she's gone off in search of martyrdom-by-stupidity:

Narvin: "I must call the High Council.  It seems there will be a presidential election, soon."
Brax: "I wouldn't be too hasty, Narvin."
Narvin: "Of course not.  We shall observe a proper period of mourning first.  You think I have no respect?"

Narvin's love for Romana: cunningly concealed beneath a thick layer of hatred.  Really.

Comments

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Narvin: "And [Romana's] mood?"
Brax: "Above apoplexy, but below incandescence."

One of my favorite exchanges of all time.

I'm trying to remember what I thought about Weapons of Choice and I'm pretty sure I agree with your assessment. I don't think I really enjoyed the Gallifrey series till later in the first season. It took a while for me to settle into the constant political machinations and general bitchiness. Leela helped with that immensely. And the more nuanced portrayals of Narvin and Brax. I also agree with you 100% on Romana's batshittery. She's got some serious PTSD going through this whole series and I love it.

I can't remember, did you follow the Brax storyline into the Bernice Summerfield series as well?

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I think the series really took off in the second season, when Pandora emerged and the general Threats To Gallifrey became personal to Romana.

And no, I haven't listened to the Benny series -- I thought about it, and read all the summaries on the Dr Who Guide, but ... if I can't get through the actual DW audios without Romana, how will I fare with the ones that don't even have the Doctor?!

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Ah, I hear ya. You should definitely keep an eye out for the next season of the Benny audios, though. At least to read the summaries. Because it looks like the whole Pandora thing is going to be playing a part, which should be very interesting.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

*PERKS UP IMMENSELY*

Pandora, you say? Well hell, I'm there.

[kerravonsen]

Yes, it does sound like Narvin and Braxiatel get all the best lines.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

They do, God bless 'em. Someone decided that Romana and Leela should be Very Serious All The Time, so the job of having personalities went to the supporting cast.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

I have no interest in the Gallifrey audios, but I am now in adoration of Narvin.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

As are all right-thinking people, believe me.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

when we find out he was her tutor at university, and has been manipulating and controlling her from her youth.

romana/brax as russell/holmes? that's quite a bit better than the rose/doctor as russell/holmes musings i occasionaly had and then immediately wished out of existence.

BUT THEN WHO IS MORIARTY EH? or donleavy, for that matter. *ponderings*

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

It is a universally established fact that the Master is Moriarty. Romana just has two Holmses in her life, although please don't jump on my belief that Brax is the Doctor's brother, and extend this theory into Mycroft-territory. Because no one wants to go there.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

ahahahahaha well but seriously it kind of works. the older, establishment brother wo works for the government and makes his way up the power structure and only sort of tolerates his younger brothers bohemian antics because they never have to interact with each other?

although if you don't want to go there we can always just say that he's donleavy. it sort of works, because of the manipulations, but sort of not, because he's not a lesbian.

hmmmmmmmmmmm.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Brax could be a lesbian. If he, you know, tried. Or regenerated. I don't think Romana would complain.

[infiniteviking]

But, but, but Zagreus has the Brigadier in it! Or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Mind, I haven't heard any of the Romana ones, so my standards may be a bit low.