From: as010b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (andrew david simchik)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho
Subject: Re: I like Ace, dag-nabbit!
Date: 8 Nov 92 21:26:03 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <1992Nov8.133755.8498@iscsvax.uni.edu> morgans@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:

>Okay, I have had enough of the "I hate Ace" "I hate McCoy", time for some 
>responses.

>1. "Ace isn't a real characterization of a modern teenager...."  Yes and No, 
>in some aspects she is like a 16 year old girl from a dysfunctional family. 
>How many of you can relate to that?  I can.  I can understand what the 
>writers were trying to do with her character.  Yes, at one time I was 16, 
>and at one time I hated my parent(s), and I was an outcast.  But NO, I did 
>not make homemade explosives, but that isn't what makes her "realistic".  

I don't care whether I can relate to Ace.  I care whether I like her or find
her interesting.  This is what makes a memorable character, as opposed to an
identifiable character.

>2. "Everyone likes/hates her."  Well, put me on the like side.  I appreciate 
>her lack of screaming, and I gained infinite approval for her when she 
>attacked the Daleks with her softball bat.  How many other companions, male 
>or female, young or old, would have done the same?  Certainly none of those 
>that fall into the screaming ninny catagory, and I doubt whether either of 
>the Romanas would, they just were not physical enough.  About the only one 
>to do it would be Leela, but she is another one of my favorites (gee, big 
>surprise there!)

Again...I don't care.  Romana and Leela had it all over this pouting,
sullen, thoroughly irritating little brat.  Dysfunctional family or no,
screaming or no, she was just an abrasive character.

>3. "She is worse than Adric" - Not in my book, Adric was just a poorly 
>developed character - Too Disney-like.  They tried to make him what they 
>(the writers/producers) thought that every young boy would want to aspire 
>to, a smart, sneaky, kid.  Ace could not be Disney - she wasn't orphaned, 
>she openly disliked things, amongst them, the 3rd commandment - honor thy 
>parents - she did on occasion obey/disobey her elders, but that is the 
>number one job requirement for a companion.

She's still worse than Adric.  Adric had a certain boyish charm when at his
best.  Ace, at *her* best, simply used ridiculous expressions of approval
at which I spent lots of time snickering ("ace," "wicked").

>4. There is no number 4.

Glad to hear it.

>5. "She became a major theme in the stories, rather than just a bystander"
>Well, I can applaud this.  I am one of those strange people who puts season 
>26 at the top of my list.  I like the idea of someone other than the Doctor 
>being an integral part of the stories - Ace's hangups, past, and talents 
>were the centerpoint of some of the stories, and I applaud that leap by the 
>writers/producers.  Did it kill the show?  I doubt it, the BBC wanted to 
>kill it, and the character of Ace, Cartmel (script editor), McCoy's Doctor 
>and JNT were of secondary importance in the end.

This might have been nice if (a) she were charming enough for us to care
about her hangups, and (b) these hangups were resolved.  As far as I can
tell, her major step forward was losing her fear of water.  That's character
development?

>Okay, there it is, some of my rationalizations for liking the character of 
>Ace, McCoy's Doctor and the whole damn show.  And if you are going to 
>followup, plllllleeeeeeaaaaaaasssssseeeeeee  edit down the text, I am 
>getting tired of reading too much stuff in these debates.

Too bad, deal with it.  If you don't want to read, don't bother to post.

And may I point out that a million points of logic will not help me like
Ace.  I doubt that you care...so you can drop it unless you have a stronger
purpose in mind than changing my opinion.  It seems everyone but me loves
the little strumpet so why are you arguing?  I'm a Scorpio, I'm too stubborn
for this sort of thing to work.  :)

Drewcifer