u/Traditional_Move3901

I want to make a playlist of the more melancholy of Yoko's output, and would appreciate any suggestions from people in this sub!

By this I mean, I'm not looking for really good stories that Ace just happens to be a part of, but stories that use her really well, and/or develop her character, or dynamic with the Doctor fairly considerably.

Likewise I'm especially interested in any stories which feature any big changes for her narratively... For instance I'm aware that she goes to Gallifrey at some point, and falls out with the Doctor/ leaves him a few times, quite significantly. For a while I thought this was only in the VNAs but I've heard a good amount of this happens in Big Finish. Are these singular stories or entire arcs I should listen to? (my Google searches have been a bit confusing in trying to find some of this out!)

I hope this question makes sense. The example story that falls under this criteria for me right now is probably Death in the Family, which of course is praised for a variety of reasons, but I also feel like it covers Ace's character and her relationship with Seven, in really complex, interesting ways. The heights of that particular story are almost impossible to reach, but I'm really interested in reading or listening to Ace stories that delve into her character a bit more than the average adventure.

Forgive me for ranting, I'm sure this has come up quite a lot before, but I just feel really sad right now.

There are so many ways and instances that this feeling might be felt but I'm especially talking about when porn's influence appears in places where you wouldn't necessarily expect it, where and when you would hope it wouldn't come up, when you're just trying to relax and hope you won't have to think about the prevalence of it in our society and the damage it is doing.

An obvious example but for instance, there are the really explicit ways in which you can see porn's influence in films and TV. For the vast majority of sex scenes these days, you can tell how much they've been heavily influenced by pornography, especially those of the last ten years or so. Of course there's more or less always been a problem with the male gaze/ objectification in sex scenes, but now it's all so pornified, to an extreme degree often, in language and framing, it can really take me out of otherwise great shows. And this isn't even a subtle influence I'm seeing, it can be really direct and obvious in terms of the dialogue the actors are given and the kind of sexual activity the characters are shown to be partaking in.. I find it disturbing how much it's being normalised in this way, that these are 'just' meant to be 'normal' examples of two people having sex, when there's clear misogyny, violence or even abuse going on, particularly towards the female characters in these scenes. I can't help but think about the influence they're having, and the co signature they are of porn, and that whilst these film and TV scenes may be fiction, we know how much this kind of thing happens in real life, in pornography or people reenacting it.

And even when you're not seeing porn's influence so directly and visually.. I hate how much it comes up as a normal, but 'neutral', topic in media. I was watching a comedy show recently, and it's one that normally gives me great comfort and really relaxes me, but then during one episode a contestant on it had his search history revealed from his computer, and so much of it was just porn.. despite the fact he even has a wife and he said they were sharing a hotel together during the time he was doing this...but despite the fact that such a personal aspect of his life had been shared was seen as obviously embarrassing, it was also seen and framed as totally normal and acceptable behaviour, and everyone just laughed. It grossed me out so much I had to stop watching, and I haven't been able to go back to the show yet, even though I usually use it to cheer me up!

It makes me so upset, to have so much taken from me in this way ..that even when I'm just trying to chill out and watch or do something nice, I can be confronted with reminders of porn, or even see direct references to or versions of it. I'm not trying to be over dramatic, harsh or censor anyone here, I am aware that it's unfortunately very popular.. but sometimes I just get so upset at being able to run into it so easily, even when I'm just trying to switch off at the end of a long day. Does anyone else feel this sometimes? Sorry if this seems a little bit much to some people.. I think I just needed to write out my thoughts a little bit and be sad. The prevalence of it makes me want to despair sometimes. How do you guys deal with it and keep sane?

This is purely a curiosity ask, but the Seventh Doctor/Hex/Ace storyline has always been one of my favourite arcs for any companion. I love how long it stretched, how ambitious it was, how interesting and complex narratively, and how it developed each character involved incredibly well as it went on. For me, it was *the* perfect demonstration of how to do the darker side of the Doctor, and of the show at large, really really well.

Sadly I started listening to Big Finish only a few years ago, so wasn't around in real time for its early days nor any long running arcs like this one!

So I'm just rather interested in the reactions and thoughts of fans at the time, or at any time it was being told I suppose, since it was developed over so many years. What were your feelings about it? Predictions or anything you worked out early? Any favourite stories or moments? How did it compare to other longer running stories, or other Doctor's output during it? Was it generally viewed as a success/ compelling as it came out, as it is now?