I think that the last couple of days have proven that you don’t even like the tenth doctor…
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I like him, I just don’t love him! 
(Unlike some companions…)
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Just listened to damned if you do 
Twice. If it wasn’t already midnight I’d probably be on my third listen rn. I may have just stumbled straight from ‘I sort of like Narvin’ to ‘I am insane about this guy’.
First of all, Sean Carlsen is an amazing narrator and I was not appreciating his talent properly before(due to, you know, Narvin being more a major supporting character than main character in gallifrey and also being next to Leela and Romana). Next: the worldbuilding. There’s so much to in it and it is so delicious. Also, the contempt that is in his voice especially when talking about Romana and Leela like that is so arggghhhh. And that ‘ugh’ toward the beginning! Also it is so interesting to me how in spite of hating them so much he still clearly listens to and remembers so much about them so well, like he desperately wants to hate them but also doesn’t really. Actually that’s interesting with Kransa to, because he wants to appear as liking her but fails at that because he dislikes her and also has abysmal social and lying skills but also deep inside he does care about her. And actually, the way he both has terrible social skills but also is really good at manipulating people is so interesting?! Very intrigued by that foreshadowing. Also what the hell is that time shade thing that is so conceptually cool. And this is the first time I ever heard Marvin’s full name and I will be practicing pronouncing it because gallifreyan names are so fun to say. And, finally: what is it with gallifrey and killing all these nice kids? First wynter(maybe not a kid but young and full of potential so he counts) then Taylor and now Kransa 
Anyway, in total: this is really, really good!! And I think this was a really good place for me to listen to it because I liked Narvin enough to want to now more about him and this just gives so much more depth to his character and just really gives him a chance to shine.
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Yayyyyy!!! Seán is such a wonderful narrator and Damned If You Do was SO good. I’m fascinated by seeing your takes on it because a. I agree with everything and b. the fact that you don’t have the entire rest of the series of context I imagine means you’re getting something totally different out of it than I did. Congrats on becoming a Narvin lover!!
The way this guy just adopts youger agents and gets grumpy about it… it WILL happen again and it is delightful every time. “in spite of hating them so much he still clearly listens to and remembers so much about them so well, like he desperately wants to hate them but also doesn’t really.” SO TRUE this is him calling Romana competent and the best while pretending he’s insulting her all over again <3
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It will be sooooo interesting to listen to this again when I’m all caught because I bet there are a lot of little things I simply can’t pick up on yet!! Right now, it’s mainly speed-running some character insight because like, it is there already in season two but you really have to pay attention to the hints.
Also the him hating but not hating Romana especially is really helpful to me in understanding his character in opposition to Darkel because like, on a gut level I hate her but I didn’t hate him even though they’re making plans together and acting generally evil and I think all of this is already present in writing and acting (like when he doesn’t want Romana to talk to pandora) but I was mostly picking it up subconsciously. And actually also, the way he puts sanity as a main principle of his is really interesting if you put it right against insurgency because it puts him clearly in opposition to Romana’s path right now
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[have only listened up to and including s3e2 Warfare]
Summary
Maybe I need to finish s3 first but honestly I feel like they should’ve held off the Pandora storyline in Gallifrey til later?? Like, just exploring the ramifications of Romana’s new policies, her opponents doing everything to undermine her and the Free Time group would’ve been enough without throwing in a long dead dictator coming back.
Like, maybe actually have Romana’s policies do some actual good instead of constant death and destruction as they seem to have only led to so far, and have Romana proven right and become a popular leader with even her loudest critics having to concede that maybe she has a good idea or two…… and then hit her with Pandora taking over, making the destruction of everything Romana fought to make happen even more impactful, instead of constantly stumbling from one catastrophe to another
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That’s one of the major joys of Gallifrey, its relisten value - like series 1 is totally different knowing about Andred, and Narvin’s character arc is kind of subtle so one gets a delight going back to the start with him.
The thing about Narvin is, he is incredibly loyal to his ideal of Gallifrey, which is all the cogs of government working correctly. Which is why he sides with Darkel in s2, because he views her role as Inquisitor as one of the cogs doing her job. And that’s why he supports Romana even when he dislikes her, because he sees her as being good at her job. Later, he’ll be loyal to her because he sees her as the figurehead for Gallifrey, but for now, it’s all about his unshakable belief in the system.
Whereas with Darkel, she has ambitions for powers and she isn’t above getting it in the wrong way. Like, in The Inquiry, Narvin says to Brax ‘I wouldn’t hesistate to destroy you, but in the right way’ (or words to that effect) because it’s all about the process.
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Honestly, I think you’re probably right. I’m going to shamelessly promote my essay on why Gallifrey s1-3 isn’t feminist SF again when we get to Panacea in the club bc it is spoilers, but I think having Romana not be a girlboss loser for at least a little while would have actually proven she was competent
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I want to read that!
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I’ve listened to Imperiatrix just now, full thoughts tomorrow, but holy shit I love this. I literally cried when K9 got blown up. Romana being evil is so good and her interactions with Leela are so compelling. And that ending!!! Also Narvin getting blown up<3 I see why you like to make him suffer now. However: Leela my beloved why is everyone hurting her!!
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Hooray! It will happen again <3
It will also happen again 
I think it was relatively uninitentional overall, but everything that happens to Leela in Gallifrey just makes her into more of a heartbreaking character 
She just wants somewhere to belong and her tragedy is she never will
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Yaaayyyy!
Noooo!
I mean it does make for very good stories and Louise Jameson can act the hell out of it so I’m definitely enjoying it but also Leela 
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Leela is the loml I need everyone to start being nice to her now >:(
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In my brain it goes like this: Leela is perfect and I love her and nothing bad should happen to her ever, Romana is wonderful but so messed up<3 and it is so interesting to see her suffering and how she deals with it so working through suffering with the occasional comfort is perfect with her, and then of course there’s Narvin who should be suffering horribly, that terrible loveable guy<3
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You’ve just distilled the essence of being a Gallifrey fan!
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“loml” took me longer than I care to admit to decipher 
Is that a sad Nimon laying down at the end? 
Edit: why does my phone make it a smiley when I type it, but not in the original quote? 
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at all times 
it’s faster than typing I love her I adore her I need her I want her I love her forever and ever 
yes haha I just find non of the emoji grumpy faces cut it for the emotion I feel when I type >:( so I go old school
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Shouldn’t that be “ilhiahinhiwhilhfae”?
That looks lile a legit Welsh word 
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JUST FINISHED S3 AND I CANT BELIEVE THEY ENDED IT LIKE THAT WITH A FIVE YEAR WAIT FOR S4
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