Is it the hair?

[author_by_night]

So out of curiosity, I've ventured around at some Doctor Who forums. Okay, one. But still, there is something I have noticed:

Everyone seems to hate River Song.

I... don't really understand why. Is it another instance of fandom not liking female characters? Is it that people think comes too close for comfort to being like The Doctor? But then, what about Jack? Is it the hair?

I'm seriously curious about that,and not involved in the fandom so I don't really know why.

(Spoilers are Free For All in the comments. Just as a warning.)

Comments

[lizer-nibbler.livejournal.com]

I do hate River (or perhaps hate is too strong of a word, but I dislike her), and I always did. Part of it is that I hate her backstory, and it just seems to be getting more screwed up as time goes on. But part of what I dislike about her is that I don't feel like she has much human connection. I suppose it makes some sort of sense, especially as we're finding out that she's been controlled by...the Silence or Kovarian or whatever is really going on...for her whole life. But I just can't connect with her as a character, particularly because it seems like she has no life outside the Doctor, like her whole life has been devoted to finding him. Maybe I'm wrong there, but that's what it seems like with the information that we know right now. Plus she is just so cocky, without ever being humbled (as often happens to the Doctor). I feel like she doesn't provide what the Doctor needs--as Donna said in Series 4, he needs "someone to stop him." Instead, River appears to approve of his desire to get vengeance and commit violence (which she has no problem with doing herself).

And I find their relationship pretty disturbing, from both ends, because neither of them has any choice in whether it happens or not. It seems like one of them from the future is always forcing the other one to believe that they're in a relationship. First River met Ten and she let him know that they would someday date (or whatever it is that one would call what they do), and then Eleven (or some future Doctor) will someday go to her as a young girl and semi-force himself on her. I just feel like there's no consent in the relationship on either side, like it's forced, first by one and then by the other. And that's disturbing. I suppose some might argue that it was simply "meant to be," but I just can't see it that way.

Anyway, that was very long and not very well-thought-out. But it's just my opinion and I respect the fact that lots of others disagree! From what I've seen (also just on one particular forum), it's not River who gets fandom-hate but Rose who does.