Five times...?

[mollyringle]

In browsing Doctor Who fanfiction, I've noticed a recurring trend in the titles--the "five times" (and often "the one" in parentheses) title. True examples:

Five Times the Doctor Reduced Things to Science (and One Time He Didn’t)
Five Times Rose Tyler Didn’t Master the Art of Mascara Application
Five Times The Master Tried To Get The Doctor Drunk (And One Time He Didn't Have To)

What is the deal? Where is this from?

Incidentally, we're five or six episodes into Season 3 now. I like Martha quite well, and kind of want to shove Ten to make him notice how lucky he is to have such a smart, reliable, pretty companion instead of still moping over Rose. (Who I also still like, but really, poor Martha deserves a bit more attention.)

The Shakespeare episode was one of my favorites so far. The Harry Potter references! Hee. Not many shows could combine Shakespeare and HP and actually pull it off.

Another great moment was the basket of kittens (a.k.a. "the kids") in "Gridlock." Simple comedy cracks me up sometimes.

Comments

[bluesound.livejournal.com]

I won't say too much about the Christmas special with Kylie CancerMidget other than part of it reminds me of a film I can't stand, I won't say which one either but you'll know when you see it (and it's not the one you would think once you get from the teaser at the end of the last episode.)

I like the one around the time of the Olympics which features an incarnation of Barry Whitehouse.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

So presumably it doesn't remind you of Titanic. Hm, will see then! So far the Xmas specials have been a bit more spectacle than substance (the TARDIS bouncing down the highway in the pre-s3 one seemed a bit more Bruce-Willis-movie than Doctor Who), so I hold out hope for s4 nonetheless.

[celli]

The Five Things...trope actually started in Smallville, with a story called "Five Things That Aren't True" by Basingstoke. It's spread like wildfire across multiple fandoms now, but DW/TW seem especially fond of it. It can be five AUs, or five smaller stories loosely connected by theme, or anything along those lines.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you. That's an odd enough origin that I don't feel too stupid for not knowing about it!

[dirae.livejournal.com]

Voyage of the Damned is on its way tomorrow.

I totally *heart* Martha. You are getting close to the Master. *Giddy*

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Cool! I foresee lots of awesome drama in the appearance of another Time Lord, especially a not-so-nice one.

[jigglykat.livejournal.com]

Weeeee!

I like Martha quite well, and kind of want to shove Ten to make him notice how lucky he is to have such a smart, reliable, pretty companion instead of still moping over Rose. (Who I also still like, but really, poor Martha deserves a bit more attention.)

Agreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed. Hello there, "e" key! I loved Rose, and although it took me a while, I really liked Martha by the end of S3. But let me tell you, your desire to kick Ten in the pants is only going to get worse.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Well, I still love Ten, I just want him to get happier. He seems to have lost his way, and there's only so long someone can maintain that attitude before it stops being interesting. So, all right, maybe I *will* want to kick him in the pants soon. :)

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

I think the five things thing started as a meme that went around quite a while back. You'd post the meme and offer to write a five-things for anyone who would give you a prompt. You'd get prompts like "Five times Xander and Oz save the day" or "Five ways Ron proposes to Hermione" or whatever the heck anyone can come up with, and then you write five little drabble things based on the prompt. The meme kind of grew into a phenomenon. It's become a huge thing in Stargate fandom, there's actually a whole community for it that's very popular.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Huh, odd. Must have spread in the fandoms I didn't keep as close an eye on, since I never noticed till lately. At least it wasn't an obvious reference I merely missed, as was my suspicion. I was thinking it must have been a twist on an episode title or something. Guess not!