Gzl

(Part 1, Part 2.1, Part 2.2, Part 2.3)

Music is just as important to the visual narrative as the visuals themselves; it illustrates, amplifies, emphasises and connects themes and characters. Here's an interesting occurance about Rose, the Doctor, and the TARDIS – and a particular theme song that connects them.

I Establishing the Connection

Quite a lot of times, when the Doctor's more Time Lordy-moments are referenced, the show links it to Rose, either visually or auditory – sometimes both. And the reverse is true, as well. Whenever Rose is pulled toward a certain action or the Doctor, and later, acts "Doctor-like", the same theme song plays in the background.

You can observe this right off the bat, in season 1's very first episode:

Season 1, ep. 1: Rose

This scene is the first time we hear the theme song that is officially titled as The Doctor's Song.[1] Which is really interesting since Rose is embedded into it, from the very start.

Back to the scene. Right after the Doctor drops his cryptic monologue about who he is, he's walking away (top row). Rose hesitantly does the same.

It's a nice visual parallel, them walking away from each other, backs turned towards the camera. Visually they're separating but auditory it's a different story.

Rose hears the TARDIS engines, turns around and runs back (bottom row), but the TARDIS is already gone. The theme song is playing this whole sequence, giving a mysterious and otherworldy touch to the scene. Rose is clearly affected by this interaction with the Doctor which will change the course of her entire life. And the Doctor's as well.

As we move further into the episode, the same song plays again when Rose enters the TARDIS for the first time and is awed by the timeship:

Season 1, ep. 1: Rose

Rose is literally entering a new world, and the show welcomes her with The Doctor's Song, or rather the TARDIS'es song. You could say, "Well, of course, it's the Doctor's TARDIS, and he and the ship are inextricably linked." Which is true.

It's also true, though, that Rose and the TARDIS will form their very own unique connection, in the future. Assuming the time ship exists across all of time at once, it's one of these scenes that have a much deeper meaning, retrospectively.

Therefore, I am postulating the thesis that The Doctor's Song is so much more than just his theme song:

a) It complements him and his Time Lord heritage to Rose and her humanity: "[...]It’s completing a circle – he’s male, he’s alien, he’s a traveler. Between the two of them together they complement each other and discover each other." - RTD It also illustrates Rose's evolution and growth.

b) It showcases their devotion to each other.

c) It's more the TARDIS'es song that connects both the Doctor and Rose to the timeship and to each other.

Toward the end of episode 1, the theme song (or rather the vocals from it, since they're the most recognisable part) is playing again, very shortly:

Season 1, ep. 1: Rose

This is right before Rose decides she won't sit back and do nothing – she'll save herself, and save Mickey and the Doctor. This is her first step toward a life on the TARDIS, and the subsequent growth, and evolution she'll go through.

All this is not yet apparent. The show is still laying the groundworks for this particular theme, like a red string interwoven throughout the seasons. Such as this instance in episode 2:

Season 1, ep. 2: The End of the World

Here, we see the Doctor making use of his Time Lord abilities, and the theme song starts playing. It makes sense, it's the Doctor's theme. But then, something intersting happens.

We can hear him take deep breaths while he's focusing on slowing down time. And then the scene cuts to Rose, who's about to get fried by the Earth's sun:

Season 1, ep. 2: The End of the World

During the entire scene, they cut back and forth between the Doctor and Rose, while the theme song is connecting them. You can also hear Rose taking deep breaths; it's almost like they're in sync, even though they're physically separated.

So, the show establishes a link between the Doctor as a Time Lord and Rose as...? An ordinary human, yes. But, like I hinted at, also something unknown as of yet, visually and auditory.

The first part of the answer to why exactly Rose is linked to the Doctor in this way, lies in Bad Wolf and what it represents which is revealed in season 1's finale.

II The Doctor and Rose's Devotion to Each Other

In episode 13, just as the Doctor is accepting his fate of perishing at the hands of the Daleks, the TARDIS rematerialises, and the mystery of Bad Wolf and Rose's link to the Doctor is starting to become clearer.

Rose, having looked into the time vortex, became Bad Wolf – virtually a time goddess. She erases the Daleks from existance and saves the Doctor's life; at the cost of her own. Well, if the Doctor hadn't intervened and taken out the time vortex out of her:

Season 1, ep. 13: The Parting of the Ways

You'd think the theme song would start playing as soon as Rose is revealed as Bad Wolf, but no. It starts playing the exact moment the Doctor absorbs the time vortex from Rose, after their kiss, knowingly sacraficing his life for hers.

It continues through him gently lowering Rose down and putting the vortex back into the TARDIS:

Season 1, ep. 13: The Parting of the Ways

Continues further through the Doctor stumbling back from the force of the vortex, then smiling in a resigned way:

Season 1, ep. 13: The Parting of the Ways

Why resigned? Well, he knows for one, he's not going to be around for much longer. He's resigning to his fate of regenerating, and not being with Rose as this him, any longer. This you can glean from his conversation with Rose, later in the TARDIS:

"Rose Tyler. I was gonna take you to so many places. Barcelona! Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona, you'd love it. [...]" "Then.. why can't we go there?" "Maybe you will. And maybe I will. But not like this."

This shows the only regret he has here is that he didn't take her to all the places he had planned, before regenerating, and the fact that he won't be this him if they do end up going there, in the future.

But back to the audiovisual links. The song continues playing through the Doctor crouching over Rose and tenderly caressing her cheek:

Season 1, ep. 13: The Parting of the Ways

This entire scene with the chosen theme song establishes something very important between the Doctor and Rose – their devotion to one another.

Rose looked into the heart of the TARDIS, as soon as she figured out that Bad Wolf might be a message, without hesitation. She didn't know what was going to happen, her only objective was to save the Doctor.

Now, the TARDIS is telepathic, and looking into the time vortex inside her matrix won't have the same results for everybody. This is illustrated by Margret's case in episode 11. She was already having conflicting feelings about her life as a human and her wish to escape Earth by any means nessecary. It resulted in a fresh start for her by regressing into an egg.

Since Rose wanted to save the Doctor, no matter what, the TARDIS gave her the power to do so. It came at the cost of her life, which she didn't nessecary know, at the time, but she knew it was dangerous. Her previous behaviour suggests she would have done it, anyway.

Rose's sacrafice is born from the simple desire to save the Doctor from any harm because she loves him:

"I want you safe. My Doctor. Protected from the false God."

Just as the Doctor's sacrafice of a regeneration is a no-brainer for him, because it's born out of love for her, and the desire to save her from harm:

"Come here." [...] "I think you need a Doctor."

The Doctor's feelings for Rose are linked to "his" theme song which is shown in season 2's episode 9. The Doctor is about to jump into the pit, not knowing whether or not he'll survive the fall.[2]

The moment he's about to confess his feelings out loud, the theme song starts playing, once again:

Season 2, ep. 9: The Satan Pit

The novelisation of this episodes provides us with textual evidence that he was indeed about to say "I love you." (Or in this case more accurately, "Tell Rose I love her", since he's talking to Ida.)

Now, why exactly this song choice? Because it connects to the Doctor's faith in Rose. One of the dominating themes of this entire two-episode-arc is faith.

Just before the Doctor jumps into the pit, he and Ida talk about what beliefs they hold. Immediately after that, the Doctor almost confesses his feelings with the theme song playing in the background. In fact, it's still playing while he's falling:

Season 2, ep. 9: The Satan Pit

This visual, paired with the music choice is illustrating very clearly that the Doctor's faith lies in Rose. He trusts her to take care of herself and continue to be brilliant. This probably also plays a role in his last moment decision to not confess, and only say,

"Oh, she knows."

He doesn't know whether or not he'll survive (regeneration could very well have failed him), but confessing to Rose like this would sound too much like a goodbye. We all know the Doctor's inability to cope with finalities and goodbyes. So, he trusts her to know.

This is basically a giant trust fall, as it becomes apparent, later when he confronts the Beast and is straight up telling him if there was anything close to religion in his mind, it would be his trust in Rose and her abilities:

"But I've seen a lot of the universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi-gods and would-be gods, and out of all that, out of that whole pantheon, if I believe in one thing, just one thing…" "I believe in her."

Trusting and believing somebody like this is part of devotion, as per definition, here:

devotion (noun); loyalty and love or care for someone or something; related words: allegiance, faithful, faithfulness, fealty, fidelity, reliability

Fast forward to episode 13, and the Doctor and Rose's separation:

Season 2, ep. 13: Doomsday

From the moment Rose pounds on the wall, until the Doctor numbly walks away, the theme song titled as Doomsday is playing in the background.

Interestingly, the vocals from the Doctor's Song are used[3], so it is connected to that theme song. One instantly recognises the haunting vocals that, now, function as a lament, instead of creating an air of otherwordly mystery.

Doomsday (with vocals) is played again when the Doctor calls to Rose telepathically:

Season 2, ep. 13: Doomsday

"I told mum and dad. And Mickey. [...] They believed it [...], so they listened to the dream." "He was calling me." "Followed the voice [...] cause he's calling."

These are Rose's words, describing the experience. During the entire scene we can also hear the Doctor's voice whispering,

"Rose."

Their connection - the Doctor's desire to see her one last time[4] - across literal dimensions, is illustrated with the theme song(s) playing.

But it gets even more interesting. In the following chapter, I present you evidence for my claim c) that the Doctor's Song is actually more about the TARDIS, and it has a lot to do with Rose.

III Rose as the TARDIS‘es Champion

The Doctor and Rose are separated, and when we see Rose again, in season 4, the question I've asked in the beginning of what role exactly Rose is playing in the Doctor's Song finally gets answered.

Basically, if the Doctor is the Time Lord portion, Rose is the TARDIS'es Champion. This is shown very well in episode 11, Turn Left.

The first time the theme plays is when UNIT fishes the Doctor's dead body out of the Themse. The vocals start as soon as the Doctor's arm is slipping out of the stretcher, and his sonic is clattering to the ground:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

Then we get a close up to the sonic – something that is quintessentially Doctor. So far, so established.

We move to the next scene where Donna is leaving the scene after observing it as a bystander. A shillouette is running toward her – it's Rose:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

And, you guessed it, the theme song is playing in the background, while she's talking to Donna. It's also our first time seeing Rose again[5], and she's a lot different from the last time we saw her, in season 2.

Her appearance and demeanor suggest a maturity and wisdom that come with challenges and hardship.

Since Pete's World runs ahead a bit, this Rose has been not only hopping through dimensions, for a while now. She is also a seasoned Torchwood agent, since we know from Doomsday that she started working there, almost as soon as she got stranded.

As the episode progresses, Donna continuously meets Rose, and every time, it's accompanied by the "Doctor's" theme song:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

Rose is solemn, almost stoic at times, more confident, and much more knowledgeble.

She is explaining Donna about events that happened (bottom row), but in this bubble universe didn't happen because of the Doctor's death. Which means Rose and her team must've figured out a rough timeline of events in the prime universe, really fast since she was surprised by the Doctor's death, in the beginning, yet knows quite a bit about the happenings in the original timeline, later.

She sucsessfully convinces Donna to come with her, after a few meetings – during all of them she's talking and behaving like a veteran time traveller, which she is.

The song choice during her appearances establish Rose as a changed person, somebody who's a lot closer to the Doctor because she is standing up to help. She has been shouldering the burden of risking her life and doing what's necessary to save the multiverse.

Rose is arguably the best person to sort out the Doctor's premature death since she has

a) time- and multiversal travel experience,

b) the fortitude and will necessary,[6]

c) the required knowledge[7] about and a certain connection with the TARDIS.

Now, you might think c) is a bit far fetched, but I think this is what the narrative is telling us with the chosen music, especially with this scene:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

Rose and Donna are in the almost dead TARDIS. Rose is caressing the time rotor and the TARDIS reacts immediately, even though she's mostly gone. Plus, the theme song starts playing again, and only during this moment.

It is further implied that Rose has a unique connection with the TARDIS when we take a look back at what she's said, shortly after her stint as Bad Wolf, on the Game Station:

"…what happened?" [...] "It's like… there was this singing."

So, Rose heard singing inside her head while she had the time vortex, or the TARDIS'es heart as the vortex in her matrix is an essential part of a TARDIS, coursing through her mind.

The fact that the TARDIS reacts to Rose like above implies a certain type of connection since it's not shown that the ship reacts to anyone else like that.

Since the theme song also plays whenever there's emphasis on the TARDIS herself, and Rose says she heard somebody sing it's not a stretch to assume that the vocal-part we hear is, in fact on a meta-level, the TARDIS "singing".

Because oftentimes, we'll also hear only the vocals, like bit later in the scene when Rose is talking about how the Doctor changes the lives of people he meets:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

"Were you and him..?"

The unsaid part of Donna's question is clear. Were Rose and the Doctor were romantically involved? As soon as Donna asks, the vocals from the "Doctor's" song start playing. Once again, the show is highlighting the Doctor and Rose's connection via its song choice.

When Rose is regretfully telling Donna that she's going to die, shortly before she jumps into her past, the theme song plays again:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

This is a moment where you can really see Rose's evolution, and why she's the woman for the job.

She knew Donna had to die because this Donna wasn't actually Donna. She was a Donna, created by her turning right, instead of left. Yet, she was still Donna (confusing, I know).

Rose had to send this woman to her death, knowing it was the only way to break through the bubble universe that had been created around her.

She's not happy about it but she sees it through because she has a job to do, no matter how hard the choices are she has to make. This is another point where she's acting more "Doctor-like", but in her own way.

She's firm about her objective but not without her usual kindness and compassion. Finally, the theme song plays when Donna is dying with Rose whispering two words into her ear:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

"But she told me. To warn you. She said… two words." "What two words? What were they? What did she say?" "….bad wolf."

These words are heralding Rose's return. She returned, when the Doctor sent her away from the Game Station, and she's returning, now. They're terrifying the Doctor because of the danger Rose threw herself into that caused them, in the first place. But they're also giving him hope. Because Rose is returning, against all odds.

The TARDIS, the Doctor, Rose and Bad Wolf – these are the common denominators whenever the theme song in question is playing. It's obvious that the theme's main function is to connect the Doctor, Rose and the TARDIS.

In fact, considering the vocals we hear is actually the TARDIS singing, the logical conclusion is that the TARDIS chose Rose as her Champion because of

a) her deep, mutual emotional connection with the Doctor, and

b) the timeship's own unique bond with her, courtesy of Bad Wolf which is an extention and amplification of her humanity and love.

And not only to solve the multiverse-crisis. Rose has been woven into both, the Doctor's and the TARDIS'es lives, and vice versa, from the very start. Her positive impact on the Doctor and subsequently on the TARDIS, plus the Doctor's positive effect on her are shown throughout the show's choice of music.

This also explains the music choices, early in season 1. The (audio)visual narrative is primed to connect these three characters retroactively.[8]

So much so that the melody and the vocals became iconic - for Rose, and the TARDIS, especially. Arguably, two immensly important people (maybe even most important?) to the Doctor. Naming that very theme song the Doctor's Song is illustrating that very connection.

- 🦆

Further notes:

[1] I listened to Doomsday as well, and they used the vocals from The Doctor's Theme there. The Doctor and Rose are musically so much more intertwined than I first thought, they're making me insane.

[2] I would've missed this particular instance without @brain-over-easy's brilliant post also talking about these audiovisual links.

[3] The only difference is a slight change in pitch (it's slowed down a bit) which makes sense for the lament-vibe they were going for.

[4] Let's not forget, he actively burned up a sun to say goodbye. To quote a comment I made under a post:

It’s actually so insane when you think about it. Like, usually when we talk about the lengths the Doctor is willing to go to save a companion (things like the confession dial for Clara or Five sacrificing his life for Peri in the Caves of Andrazoni) it’s always about his life. He’s either suffering a tremendous amount or straight up sacrificing one of his lives. So, basically, he never lets others suffer for it, only himself. But here we have him sacrifice potential life (who knows what kind of solar system that star would have had with idk how many life forms) just to see Rose, one last time. Like he knows he can’t go and get her, he just wants to see her again, I-

[5] Technically not true, I know. We have the brief appearance in Season 4's episode 1, when Donna gives Rose her mum's car keys. Though the vocals are not part of the themesong, that time, so I excluded it, here.

[6] Remember, she joined Torchwood as soon as she got trapped in Pete's world, and not only because she wanted to go back to the Doctor, even though she was looking for a way back. Then, she changed her prime objective as soon as it became apparent the multiverse was at stake.

[7] I don't necessarily mean technical knowledge; rather it's about knowing how a TARDIS works in general and a rough idea. Rose must have that knowledge as it is shown numerous times in the show that the Doctor actively is teaching/has taught her about the workings of the console, and she has helped flying the ship. Evidence on this can be found as early as the beginning of season 1's episode 3.

Just a cool fun fact: Turkic tribes have lots of legends and superstitions surrounding wolves. One of them says to never name the wolf by its name since it was believed they could understand humans, and the naming could possibly summon them.

Since Doctor Who (or the Doctor I suppose) is big on names and naming things, I thought it a neat connection to Rose‘s alter ego.

(Part 1, Part 2.1, Part 2.2)

A mini bonus chapter. I've planned it originally as part of the five categories for "What's in a gaze?". However, I had no room in the first two parts so, here you go; some highlights I wanted to share.

BONUS: THE DOCTOR LOCKING IN WHEN ROSE IS IN DANGER

Rose's safety is one of the most important things to the Doctor. Considering their lifestyle, safety is far from guaranteed – something both of them know and accept. However, that doesn't mean the Doctor won't try his damnest to get to Rose should she find herself in danger.

It's shown in the change of his demeanor, every time he realises Rose is in trouble. All in all, another layer of his love and protectiveness of her. Take a look at season 1's episode 12:

Season 1, ep. 12: Bad Wolf

This is the Doctor's face when he's realising that contestants who lose get disintegrated. He immediately thinks of Rose ("Rose is out there."), and, for a lack of a better term, locks in to get out of the Big Brother House.

Like, he was already keyed up to get out but as soon as he realised Rose's life is in danger, he immediately triples his efforts.

This immediate locking in is something Ten is showing even more overtly than Nine. This is also why I placed many of Nine's reactions whenever Rose is in danger into the worry category in chapter 2.1. His determination – or locking in – is expressed through worry and guilt.

Where Nine's worry is quieter (but no less palpable, mind you), Ten gets all dark and intense. But before we get into the more intense examples, here's a light starter from the Christmas Special:

Christmas Special: A Christmas Carol

The fact that he was in a regeneration coma (just as it says on the tin, it's a state of deep unconsiousness), and all it needed was Rose to whisper "Help me." into his ear. The Doctor immediately jumps into action. Do you see the look on his face?

This intense look is about to get squared by 2 when they're on New Earth. It starts with the way he looks at Cassandra!Rose when he first realises something's not quite right:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

He's like "That's not my Rose, where's my Rose, whatever you are, what have you done to my Rose?"

The episode continues, the plot thickens, and then we arrive at the scene where the Doctor's being "very, very calm"tm when he asks novice Hame what she had done to Rose:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

Can't you see how very calm he is? He's positively zen. It's truly fascinating to watch the flirty, goofy and nerdy personality slowly melt away to reveal the intense anger and authority of somebody who's centuries old and very angry about something harming their love.

Where Nine projects his anger and prickliness outward like a shield, Ten wields it like a weapon when he's like truly pissed off.

Here's a nice bonus of his look at Cassandra!Rose when she's about to reveal herself. Of course, in true Cassandra-fashion with a snarky and flirty attitude:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

It's such a contrast to how he reacted when he still thought it was Rose who grabbed and snogged him senseless, lmao.

And, finally, here's the Doctor demanding Cassandra to get the hell out of Rose's mind because she's quite literally compressing her to death:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

"Not my problem, you can float as atoms in the air. Now get out." [...] "Give her back to me."

If you've thought this was intense, allow me to show you some stills from Tooth and Claw when the Doctor (panics) demands to know where Rose is:

Season 2, ep. 2: Tooth and Claw

"Rose, where's Rose, where is she?"

Bro's about to turn to a werewolf just by sheer snarling alone. Jokes aside, this is only the second episode of season 2, and we already see how much the Doctor loses his cool when Rose's in danger. It's like he can't help himself, especially when something happened to Rose while he was oblivious to it.

Here's a bonus still of the Doctor looking like he's about to physically attack the monk dude:

Season 2, ep. 2: Tooth and Claw

This is also a second before he calls out to Sir Robert and runs off to find Rose.

Episode 7 really emphasises that there are two things that triple the Doctor's motivation to put an end to things in any given situation.

One is when he sees something that he perceives as deeply unjust and his confrontation yields no change.

The second is Rose being in danger and or hurt, like we see here:

Season 2, ep. 7: The Idiot's Lantern

The moment he sees her pink skirt peek out of the blanket, and realises just who had been taken by the mysterious entity, his complete demeanor changes - from calm and collected to determined and focused. In this scene especially, you can tell Rose losing her face is upsetting him - in fact, he's quite shaken from it.

All of the darker and more intense emotions simmer just beneath the ice cold surface which you can observe during his monologue:

"They did what?" "They left her where?" "In the street. They left her in the street. They took her face, then just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, this makes things simple. Very, very simple. D'you know why?"

The thing is, he gives himself only a moment to feel shaken and worried before locking in and fuelling his determination with anger:

Season 2, ep. 2: Tooth and Claw

"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me. Come on!"

His eyes are almost sparking with fury, and righteous anger. It's clear as day he just cares so much about Rose that even the thought of her being in pain or afraid, is hurting him.

The anger, while also because of the injustice and wrongness of the situation as such, is a defence mechanism to put a lid on his pain, so to speak. Because with anger he can function and focus instead of falling into panic, so he wields it like a amplifier to get to the task at hand - which is to get Rose back.

With this, I conclude the "What's in a gaze"-part of my visual guide for real, now. Cheers!

(Part 1, Part 2.1, Part 2.3)

Welcome to the Tenth Doctor‘s portion of chapter 2 – if you’ve read part 2.1 you know what this is all about, so let’s dive right in! (Again, these are selected scenes.)

ADMIRATION

The Doctor‘s admiration for Rose is, like in his previous incarnation, scattered throughout the season. Likewise, Rose is starting to admire this new Doctor quite quickly, illustrating once again her incredible ability to adapt. We start with the Christmas Special:

Christmas Special: A Christmas Invasion

Just look at how he gazes at Rose when she gets her own paper crown! It's like she's hung the stars from the sky – at this moment the Doctor probably feels like she did. Later, when they're outside, and they finally communicate to each other that, yes, they still want to be around one another very much:

Christmas Special: A Christmas Invasion

This would definetely also fit into the joy category, but I included it here because, to me, it also conveys the Doctor's admiration of Rose's adaptability and acceptance, and Rose's admiration of this new, yet old Doctor who still wants to travel with her.

And travel with her he wants, as you can see in these stills below:

Christmas Special: A Christmas Invasion

The way he looks at her when she's not looking needs to be studied. This is pure awe and admiration, right here! This continues in episode 1 of season 2:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

Look at him checking Rose out while saying "all pink and yellow." If you have doubts about this being a checking-you-out-cause-I've-an-excuse-because-I’m-talking-about-your-appearance-look, this is the Doctor's reaction to being snogged by (Cassandra!)Rose:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

Completely and utterly dazed, and certainly not opposed to have some more. We can fully assume that this is a genuine reaction since, at this point, the Doctor didn't clock something wrong with "Rose" yet.

Poor Time Lord got his impressive brain fried by the pink and yellow human, lmao. Not like Rose is any better, though:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

You clearly see here how she's dazed at first because of Cassandra leaving her mind, so she's still out of it, for the first few seconds of being back.

With that in mind, she's clearly just admiring the Doctor before greeting him, happy to be back.

(I'd imagine the only thoughts in her brain for these few seconds were: Oh, the Doctor's face. Up close. Nice. Pretty. Lovely.) I can't with these two, I swear!

The very next episode, the Doctor looks at Rose like this when she gets knighted by Queen Victoria:

Season 2, ep. 2: Tooth and Claw

His eyes are literally bursting with pride and admiration! The very same look can be found in episodes 8 and 9:

Season 2, ep. 8: The Impossible Planet (top); ep. 9: The Satan Pit (bottom)

Again with the admiring looks, simply because Rose is existing and doing Rose-things, such as trying to rib people. You can tell he thinks it's absolutely adorable the way she tries to tease Toby ("What's your job? Chief...dramatist?", top row).

Or just being there, by his side ("Oh, the stuff of legend", bottom row).

Then, there's this kind of admiring:

Season 2, ep. 11: Fear Her

The Doctor's clearly into Rose being smart and noticing things he doesn't – such as Chloe being weird and Trish seemingly being afraid of her own daughter.

Rose immediately clocks his flirty behaviour (not that it's hard to miss, I mean-) and responds in kind.

Fear Her is easily the flirtiest and touchiest (only second to perhaps Tooth and Claw) episode in the entire season. It actually makes me feel bittersweet how lighthearted the Doctor is, here (but more about that, later in this post).

Though, the Doctor is also just really helpless when it comes to Rose, whether she's being smart, flirty, adorable or sweet:

Season 2, ep. 5: Age of Steel

Like here, in episode 5 where it takes him all of three seconds to fold under her pleading grin. It's like he can't help himself, so sweet!

Now, we skip a bit to season 4 because I can't leave out Tentoo, obviously. I present you Rose looking at the Meta-Crisis-Doctor:

Season 4, ep. 13: Journey's End

It's almost like she finally realised there are two Doctors running around, decided to take a closer look, and, well.

JOY & CONTENTMENT

Like I pointed out, earlier, this season's Doctor and Rose were like the most joyous and content people I've seen, in New Who. Especially the Doctor is never seen this open and content again.[1]

Here are my receipts, so to speak, starting with New Earth:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

This is them shortly before their first trip, after the Doctor's regeneration. You can literally see the pure joy and excitement in their eyes. See, the brilliant thing about the Doctor and Rose was their unapologetic and genuine fun together.

The Doctor (re-)discovered the joy of travelling and exploring with Rose, and Rose, in turn, found her own joy and fulfillment in their way of life. Both of them love doing this, together with the other one at their side:

Season 2, ep. 1: New Earth

You can see it in their smiley faces, but especially the Doctor's eyes are just swimming in delight. Notice the way he looks at (Cassandra!)Rose shortly before she kissed him (right still) and, later, when she's finally being back to herself (bottom left). He's so glad and so happy.

More examples of this here:

Season 2, ep. 2: Tooth and Claw (left); ep. 5: Age of Steel (right)

Season 2, ep. 9: The Satan Pit (top); ep. 11: Fear Her (middle); Season 4, ep. 12: The Stolen Earth(bottom)

The way the Doctor's eyes light up with happiness when Donna reminds him that all that chaos also means Rose is returning. Which leads me to their reunion:

Season 4, ep. 12: The Stolen Earth (top); ep. 13: Journey's End (bottom)

Do I even need to explain their utter joy and happiness about being together again, after such a long time apart? Like look at them in the bottom stills; these are two people who are finally at peace again. (oh, god, I'm gonna sob, they make me sick with their love fr)

COMPASSION & UNDERSTANDING

I've considered skipping this category in this chapter but there is one instance I wanted to include:

Season 4, ep. 13: Journey's End

This is when Davros goads the Doctor and plays into his guilt complex by showcasing his companions as weapons of his own making. Of course, the Doctor is hurt and feels massive amounts of guilt.

Rose immediately understands what this is about; what the Doctor is feeling and how much it weighs on him, and since she can't be there for him physically because of the barrier-trap-things, all she can do is stay put and watch. Her look of understanding and compassion really strikes me here.

WORRY (DEVASTATION) & SADNESS

We've reached the angsty section. I'll show some highlights here (since the 30 pictures per post limit is seriously hounding my arse) Let's start light with this scene in episode 7:

Season 2, ep. 7: The Idiot's Lantern

The shot on the right is one I like in particular, here, since it shows Rose‘s pleading face on the screen with the Doctor’s worried expression reflected right beside her, in a very artistic way.

His eyes really show you the fear and worry, yet the steely determination to get Rose out of there.

Then, there’s this type of fear (amongst other things), in episode 3. The Doctor tells a lot with his eyes, here:

Season 2, ep. 3: School Reunion

Watching their conversation in front of the chip shop, it's abundandly clear how much the Doctor wants the oppostite to be true when he basically says Rose is mortal, and will, eventually, be lost to him (which is why I also think it would fit well in the yearning category).

You can literally see how much it saddens him in the way he's willing Rose to understand with the pleading and desperate look in his eyes. They speak volumes.

Since we're on the topic of loss, here are some stills from episode 13:

Season 2, ep. 13: Doomsday

I don't think I need to describe how much Rose's loss affected him and vice versa. Just some points I want to hightlight, though:

The way Rose is terrified because she's hurtling right towards her death (until Pete gets her), and even then, she's looking back at the Doctor.

While Rose has been crying as a way to deal with her raw devastation and grief, the Doctor is numb from it. This is how you know he's in so much pain that the only way to deal with it is to shut it out as best as he can.[2]

Later, during their goodbye, it's the same pattern. He looks like he's about to lose it and cry, but holds it together for Rose. Especially, when she tell's him what she's been up to (4th row, first two stills). Then, when Rose confesses her love to him, you can literally see the devastation and yearning behind his soft smile (4th row, last still).

The, when Rose is gone, and the numbness from the shock dissipates a bit, his flimsy composure cracks. And he cries. (And I'm tears, now, goodbye)

YEARNING (& JEALOUSY)[3]

Similar to season 1, the Doctor and Rose continue to be masters of yearning in season 2. For example in episode 8 when they're talking about what they're going to do, now that the TARDIS is lost to them:

Season 2, ep. 8: The Impossible Planet

Rose suggests (only half-jokingly) to share a mortgage after they joke about the Doctor having to live like the rest of the universe.

The intense look in the middle still is his reaction as Rose says it. While not necessarily in the form of a "proper house with a door and carpets", you can tell he actually wants this – a life with Rose. And it scares him a little.

They both realise a split second too late that they have maybe started to reveal a bit too much, hence their joke turning into a sort of flustered awkwardness. Because it got too real.

By the way, have you ever noticed the Doctor's more subtle glances? For example in episode 13 when Pete and Jackie meet, at Torchwood, there's a particularly interesting scene. I've only noticed this myself, during my rewatch:

Season 2, ep. 13: Doomsday

When Pete asks Jackie whether there had been anyone else, Jackie replies with: "There was never anyone else." The Doctor's eyes slid over to his left, precisely at that moment, where – you guessed it – Rose is standing, watching her parents.

Interestingly, the script states a look between Mickey and the Doctor, which doesn't really happen; they both sort of look down. Plus, in this shot, Mickey is leaning against the wall to the Doctor's right. His eyes are clearly sliding to his left. The shot of Rose is the one that immediately follows this, so it makes me think the editors knew what was up lol.

Keeping up with the topic of his feelings for Rose, here the scene in episode 9, when he's about to let himself fall into the Pit:

Season 2, ep. 9: The Satan Pit

The stills show the moments during his almost confession of his feelings. Thanks to the novelization that came out a few months (has it already been a few months? wow) we can say for certain that the sentence "Tell Rose..." would've ended with "I love her."

And you can see here, beautifully, how he psyches himself up to finally say it out loud, maybe even yearns to say it, until he chickens out with "Oh, she knows." Anticipation, fear, nerves, and resignation – all this is coveyed through his eyes.

Then he loses Rose. The scene in the Christmas Special where he meets Donna, and they're at her wedding reception is also noteworthy in my opinion:

Christmas Special: The Runaway Bride

The way he stares at the dancing couple and thinks back to Rose and himself is seriously tugging at my heart. Like, he looks so lost here and he just had their (first) goodbye, a few hours ago, tops. So, everything is still fresh and raw.

We skip, once again, to season 4. One of the clearest examples of the Doctor's yearning is shown in episode 11, when he realises just who Donna has met in the pocket universe:

Season 4, ep. 11: Turn Left

You can see the cautious suspicion, at first, that turns into weary hope and doubt. Then, Donna says "Bad Wolf" and his face quickly goes from shock and disbelief, to something I can only describe as a mix of agonizing hope, fear and desperate yearning.

It all ends bittersweet for the full-Time Lord Doctor, when they land in Norway, the second time:

Season 4, ep. 13: Journey's End

He can, yet cannot stay with Rose, after all. This is one of the instances where you can really feel the jealous type of yearning. At first, the Doctor explains to Rose why she has to stay with the Metacrisis-him.[4]

The pain in his eyes, the desire to stand on the other end of the beach, in a blue suit instead of a brown one, is literally etched into his face here, first when he talks to Rose (first row).

The second time when he watches Tentoo offer himself to Rose (second row). He's so torn between being happy that Rose can start over with a version of him that shares her lifespan, and in a resigned kind of pain that this is it.

Later, when Rose asks each of them to finish the sentence, the full-Time Lord Doctor deliberately refuses to say it, and watches Tentoo whisper the words in Rose's ear (third row). Here, you can really just see the pain and jealousy in his eyes.

And when Rose kisses Tentoo, he looks like he's barely holding it together. He wishes so much that it was him, that he can't bear watching them, for more than a few seconds; so, he turns his face away, and bolts.[5]

Tentoo is no better, even though he came to being, less than a few hours ago:

Season 4, ep. 13: Journey's End

Like, do you see the look on his face when he first offers to spend his life with Rose (top row)? He looks so cautiously hopeful, it's just...very sweet, yet heartbreaking.

The same look can be seen when he tells Rose he only has one heart. He's so careful not to show his hope too much, but he can't help but wish for Rose to choose him. I see the look in his eyes, and can't help but think the only thing going through in his mind, in that moment is propably something like "Please, choose me, please stay with me." (Help)

Finally, we see a bit more stoic pain and a bit of dejection when Rose is running as soon as she hears the TARDIS take off, after their kiss. I imagine he's feeling fearful too, since he's unsure whether or not Rose wants to be with him, at all.

Rose is also very torn during this whole scene (as is to be expected). Something that strikes me is the look of yearning on her face when she realises the Metacrisis-Doctor will grow old, same as her. She wants that, a life, not necessarily with "doors and carpets", but where neither has to leave the other because of old age.

At the same time, there's the full-Time Lord Doctor whom she loves very much (they're the same person, after all) and hoped to be with, finally, after all the hard years of seperation. Then, the realisation that this is it, and she'll see one of them never again. It has to be very painful and confusing to lose your love and, at the same time, gain a life with them. (I feel for my gal Rose, here!)

Of course, the only apt way to close this angsty chapter is with ten's bittersweet and painfully tragic final farewell tour, where he saves Rose to last:

Christmas Special: The End of Time (Part II)

His look, particularly when she says maybe it was time to go home, hits hard. Like, he wishes so hard he could go home but he can’t (one, because he’s about to regenerate and cease to exist as this version of himself, and two, because Rose isn’t there, anymore).

There’s this obvious bittersweet pain and longing in his eyes when he predicts "a great year" for Rose. (Again, help)

With this farewell, I conclude the second-ish chapter of my visual guide. Til next time!

-🦆

[1] There are darker, serious moments, and they are definitely needed since they balance out the joy and light moments and give them more weight by contrast. (This is why I like early New Who. For all it's faults, the light moments truly shone because of the more serious scenes and vice versa.)

[2] Kudos, once again, to Tennant's and Piper's acting, cause you can literally see all of this in their eyes.

[3] You'll note that I have put the jealousy in brackets. This is simply because I had to largely leave it out, because of the sheer amount of material I'm working with, here lol.

[4] Let's be so for real, the "He just commited genocide and is dangerous" thing is the Doctor's bs attempt at sounding reasonable. His metacrisis-self is calling bullshit, so am I. Tentoo is no more dangerous than his full-Time Lord counterpart. This is the Doctor's way of trying to give up Rose for her sake, in the cleanest way he could come up with.

[5] Really, this is one of the most self-less acts the Doctor did. One of the most self-less things anyone can do, really. To put your own desire to be with your love aside, so they can have the best chance to be happy – that's big.