When a man who defeats the cybermen offers to make you queen of the universe, you really should say yes

This last Saturday on BBC America, "A Nightmare in Silver" aired making it the 12th episode of the current season of Dr. Who. I suppose I had unrealistic expectations of the episode as it was written by Neil Gaiman. I did like the return of the Cybermen who, if you don't know, are kind of the original borg (using the term "upgraded" as opposed to "assimilated"). I suppose the thing that surprised me the most about the episode were what I call "The Abercrombie & Fitch" implications. And I guess I don't quite like that.

A&F wants you to know that if you are the child of a white
American, this is how you should look if you want to have
friends, if you want to be popular, if you want to get sex.

Allow me to explain. If you don't know, recently CEO Michael Jeffries of Abercrombie & Fitch (when asked why he refuses to make clothes for larger women) responded:

"In every school there are the cool and popular kids and then there are the not-so-cool kids. We go after the cool kids...That's why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't want to market to anyone other than that."

So basically, if you're fat you're ugly. If you're the wrong size, you're ugly. And no one wants to be friends with an ugly person. Make no mistake, I think Michael Jeffries is an asshole. But then I watched "A Nightmare in Silver" and Porridge who turned out to be the Emperor of the Universe proposed to Clara (the latest in a string of Dr. Who companions). And she said "no."

Porridge played by Warwick Davis of Lucasfilm fame. He was a great guy
in this show. But not only that, Porridge was the Emperor of the Universe.
That's kind of cool, if you ask me. But he'd never be able to wear A&F clothes.

I can't help but think if he wasn't a dwarf (played by Warwick Davis) and looked like Rory or the guy that plays Prince Charming, she would have said yes. What kind of message does this send? Well I got the picture loud and clear. The rules are the same in Britain as they are in America. If you're short and fat, it doesn't matter if you can offer the girl the universe. Because the negative, i.e., being short and fat is the straw that breaks the camels back.

I can't help but think if Porridge had come in the above package instead of being a "dwarf" that
Clara Oswold might have said yes to his marriage proposal. And knowing that makes the whole
episode kind of stink in my opinion. I don't like the message.

Dr. Who is looking less and less an escape, and more and more a reality check for me. Because even when a man offers to make Clara queen of the universe, if he doesn't "fit the bill" it's an automatic no. And let's keep in mind that Clara is a rather insane character. She's died multiple times in history and one time even ended up a Dalek. So why in all that misery could she not have said yes to Porridge and bid the doctor goodbye and seen where that other path led?

I suppose the most important aspect of this show is the return and reinvention
of the cybermen. Maybe I should have focused on that. Maybe if I had
I'd be happier with how Mr. Gaiman brought this bad guy back.

Yes, I enjoyed the episode and the reinvention of the Cybermen as an army of creatures so dangerous it warrants blowing up a planet if you spot just one.  They are terrifying in a way that the Weeping Angels aren't.  But I didn't enjoy "A Nightmare in Silver" as much as "The Dr.'s Wife," which Mr. Gaiman wrote last year. Also, just mentioning this fact makes me think of yet another point that I'd make to Clara Oswold if I could: the doctor can never love you Clara because he's already married to the Tardis. And that's just how it must be forever and for always.

Clara, you should have accepted the role as queen of the universe. It could have been much worse.  *Shakes fist at Neil Gaiman.  I'd say to Mr. Gaiman if I could, "I suppose you and Mr. Jeffries of A&F have a lot more in common than I thought."

moreless