Contemplating the Comments Section ...

This post will contain spoilers for the Doctor Who Episode Rogue

This post is inspired by a conversation I had with someone in the comments section of a post about what I consider the wonderful Doctor Who episode "Rouge" and Spoilers, the lovely kiss between The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwas) and Rogue (Jonathan Groff), as shown in the clip below.

Let's say there were lots of feelings people had around the kiss, some positive and some negative. I for one found it a super sweet kiss, and that while being aroace so in general, not someone overly into kisses or kissing (or at least mouth kissing). 

 

I was able to see that The Doctor and Rogue liked each other (both characters clearly consented to the kiss), and the episode felt organic to me, especially since it was very much a Bridgerton-inspired episode. I have not watched Bridgerton, but I know it is a show all about romance and various forms of attraction LOL.

 

There will never be a show or story that everyone enjoys. But when commenting, it is important to use precise language. The more precise language used, the less likely you are to be misinterpreted. 

 

For example, I have mentioned to some of my friends who also watch Doctor Who that while I love Nucti, I feel like this season the Doctor has not been spotlighted as much (in part because Ncuti was involved in other projects at the same time he was filming Doctor Who), and I would like to see more Nucti Doctor content. 

 

Some people who commented about the episode clearly did not like the romance or the kiss, but the language used is often very vague: "the show is too political,"  "the show is woke,"  "there is a social agenda," etc., and they are upset when that vague language is interpreted as being racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. 

Here is a poem I wrote:

Thoughts about people in the comment section

By Dreaming Ace

I’m aroace, I don’t really get the concept of kissing on the lips

Yet I know kissing is something that people do in life, in real life

So I’m so confused when you “comment section people” say that

A kiss between two wonderful characters is pushing an agenda

Do people really not kiss in the world you live in? In your universe?

Is there no Love? No sharing of emotions? No connections?

Even I know that “emotional recognition” and “deep-seated tenderness”

Sometimes develops into romance and dancing and awe and wonder

Sometimes even develops into what you would call Love all within a single night

While I will always love queer platonic storylines, and we need many more of those

I also enjoy other storylines, platonic friends storylines, romantic storylines

Even the occasional wibbly wobbly timey wimey situationship storyline

In my world, in my universe, in my timeline or whatever you call it

We know that people Love each other, we know different people love

Different people, we know that Love can look like so many things

More combinations then their are stars in the sky, or sand on the beach

We know that gender or romantic attraction or even sexual attraction

Can be very fluid, ace and aro, trans and nonbinary, pan and poly

Even I know that “emotional recognition” and “deep-seated tenderness”

Sometimes develops into romance and dancing and awe and wonder

Sometimes even develops into what you would call Love all within a single night

While I will always love queer platonic storylines, and we need many more

I also enjoy other storylines, platonic friends storylines, romantic storylines

Even the occasional wibbly wobbly timey wimey situationship storyline

I’m aroace, I don’t really get the concept of kissing on the lips

Yet I know kissing is something that people do in life, in real life

So I’m so confused when you “comment section people” say that

A kiss between two wonderful characters is pushing an agenda

Do people really not kiss in the world you live in? In your universe?

Is there no Love? No sharing of emotions? No connections?

***********

Here is the comments conversation that inspired this post. 

Note: 

My responses to the commentor were assuming the person 

Did not intend harm with their original comment, 

I addition I was coming from a place of safety. 

This does not mean anyone else should feel compelled 

To respond to people in the comments section. 

C = Comment section person, M = Me

C: People aren't angry because they're homophobic or transphobic or bigots, they're angry because the show is focusing too much on politics and pushing a social agenda rather than focusing on telling a good story. Most people watch shows like Doctor Who for escapism, not for a political lesson, but it's hard to complain about that without people misinterpreting it as bigotry.

M: I'm curious what social agenda you mean? The fact that in real life people sometimes kiss other people? The fact people find other people "hot"? Or the fact that people like to dance? I mean I'm aroace so don't kiss people, don't find people "hot" and I don't happen to like dancing with others because I want the freedom to dance however I want on the dance floor :) but I found this episode to be wonderful and sweet. I personally didn't see any "political lesson" so I am asking which one you found in this week's episode? Have a nice day.

C: There's the comment about a "hot summer with Houdini" there's the binary/non-binary thing in The Star Beast, there's the unnecessary and historically inaccurate race swap of Isaac Newton, there's the pronoun conversation in the Star Beast and there's another pronoun conversation in The Devil's Chord, there's Maestro's comment about Ruby playing songs for "heartbroken lesbians" etc etc. Granted, this is over the course of several episodes but even so, it's clear that politics play a significantly larger role in the show than it ever had before. But this goes back to what I was saying, people should be allowed to not like the political aspect of the show, people should be allowed to not like the show anymore due to the direction it's being taken but it seems many people, rather ironically, would much rather get offended than accept that.

M: I'm sorry but I'm confused how are any of what you listed is social commentary though? Maybe I'm from a different culture because none of that is different from my day to day normal. I mean for the last several years every name tag I have ever seen or had to fill out at church, at social events, at community events etc. had us list our pronouns. (Personally my pronouns are She/Any) Are talking about pronouns uncommon in the communities you spend time in? I really am curious since we seem to have very different world views.

C: Well... yeah, day-to-day life is different for everyone, and honestly, pronouns aren't common in the communities I engage with/in, my home life, work life or social life. This is also the case for many many other people and so to have it come up in the show does feel (to some but not others) as though it's preaching an aspect of gender politics rather than telling a good story

M: Interesting. Thanks for the clarification. Personally I feel it has only added to the story telling and not taken away but I guess others might disagree. Clearly there are as many ideas of what is good storytelling / what is a good story as there are stars in the sky. I think the challenge is when people don't just say this story didn't work for me but use generic and undefined language such as "it too political" or "it's woke" others tend to read into the "too political" as being based in isms and phobias because in general when people are say critiquing a stories structure or pacing or like for me feeling this season has been light on The Doctor focused stories and I want more Ncuti content they don't typically use the language "it's political." For example a comment saying that the focus on The Doctor's "humanness" or his emotions is not working for someone feels a lot different than an "it's too political now" comment even if second person intends the same thing as the first.