N is for New Neville

A to Z Challenge - N

(10 April) This is another post which I am writing on the iPad ahead of time to schedule it before I head overseas so I apologise for spelling/formatting, and for not replying to comments or commenting on people's blogs.  I get back on Friday (tomorrow as you read this) and drive back home on Saturday (11 hour trip!).  Lots of catching up on everyone's blogs and comments planned for Sunday.

N is for "New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York"

In David Tennant's second episode, the Doctor and Rose visit New New York on the planet New Earth.  The Doctor remarks that this is actually the 15th New York, and so it should technically be titled "New new new...." (you get the picture!).  This was the episode where I fell in love with Tennant.  I'd grown to like him in his first episode The Christmas Invasion (which I talked about for my J post), but here I fell head-over-heels.  Christopher who?  In fact, I can pin-point the moment to when Cassandra, the skin trampoline, takes over his body:

Cassandra (in the Doctor's body): "Goodness me, I'm a man.  Yum.  So many parts.  And hardly used.  Ah, ah!  Two hearts! Oh baby, I'm beating out a Samba.  Ooo, he's slim, and a little bit foxy.  You thought so too; I've been inside your head.  You've been looking.  You like it."

The way Tennant delivers the line, the physical movements that accompany it... I knew then that this was going to be the Doctor for me, the Doctor I was going to love.

I didn't put 15 New's in the cross stitch.  I didn't have the room!

N is for Neville Longbottom

(**Spoilers ahead, sort of.**)

The quiet, shy, dorky Gryffindor student who develops into one of the most important characters in the books.  In my opinion he rates on par with Hermione, Ron, and Snape in terms of story development.  He is the character who changes the most throughout the novels: he goes from the forgetfull student who falls off the broom in his first flying lesson, to the sword-wielding, battle-fighting, Hogwarts-defending man.  I was disapointed that one of Neville's most character-changing moments (in my opinion) from the book wasn't in the film: the scene in St Mungo's where Harry learns about Neville's parents and what happened to them.  Neville's parents - defending their honor, avenging them - are his motivation for everything he does: the battle at the Ministry, the final battle at Hogwarts.  And it wasn't delt with properly in the films.  There is a brief moment in a Dumbledore's Army scene when Neville mentions them, but we never learn that Neville could have been Harry - that Voldermort sent Bellatrix to attack and torture Neville's parents because he (Neville) might be the one the prophecy referred to.  I  know that there is a limit to what can be included in the film, I've said that before.  However this is one of those moments that the movie is poorer for for not including.  Matthew Lewis played Neville to perfection.  I saw him on stage in 2012 in Our Boys alongside Arthur Darvill (Rory from Doctor Who) and Laurence Fox (from Lewis, and married to Billie Piper from Doctor Who) - a real geek fest.  I was blown away by his stage presence, by all of their stage presences actually.  If you get the chance to see Matt on stage, do so - not just because he's from Harry Potter, but because he really is a talented actor.

Hapy Stitching!