Fan Video Friday – Twelve and Clara

Posted by Sage

In the barren TV landscape of summer, we brought you several Fan Vid Fridays – curated collections of the best (and most devastating) fan videos on YouTube. Now, don’t get too attached. The on-season means that Kim and I are drowning in recaps on a weekly basis. There’s no way we can bring you these posts with any kind of regularity between late September and mid-May. (At least not until someone pays us to do this all day.) BUT. But. We are dropping an extra special November edition of Fan Video Friday for you today, in the name of our new favorite May-December (LATE December) romance. Welcome aboard the S.S. Twelve and Clara.

Doctor/Rose has ruled Head Over Feels since the day this little blog was born. Series 1 and 2 planted this pairing right next to Mulder and Scully on the top of my ship list, and I’ve been stunting for them ever since. How could I ship Eleven and River when the Doctor was clearly still thinking of Rose? I didn’t need another love interest for that regeneration and I’ve been happy to take some of his more wistful comments as proof that one of his hearts was in another dimension. (“This isn’t a ghost story. It’s a love story.”) That was the truth of that character for me.

But then Steven Moffat cast Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. This all started because the pre-show buzz was so aggressive about insisting that there would be no flirting in this relationship and that this regeneration was no heartthrob and YOU CAN’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, BBC.

Kim was making fun of me the other night because my dream man is at least 30% emotionally unavailable. (Feelings – when not about TV couples or fried chicken – are gross.) I think I see why in Capaldi’s Doctor and in the other fictional men I idealize. (Josh Lyman, Fox Mulder, Danny Castellano.) Twelve is not effusive. He barely tolerates company. But he needs Clara with him. He desires her company alone. He’d go to hell for her, and he wouldn’t even go to the mailbox for anyone else. There’s something romantic about that, if not particularly healthy. Clara, for her part, is a mess with this guy, which makes her vastly more interesting than Eleven’s Little Miss Perfect. Other features of this ship include alluring age and height differences, and intense eyes on both sides of the equation. No convinced yet? These videos should do the trick.

“Maps”

I clicked on this video, assuming the wait-they-don’t-love-you-like-I-love-you “Maps.” Instead, it’s an acoustic version of the Maroon 5 track by a mystery female vocalist. (Anyone recognize her? Comment, please!) It’s the perfect song to showcase the tumultuousness of this Doctor/companion relationship.

“Cross My Mind”

Lighthearted Twelve/Clara videos exist! I dare you not to smile at this one from beginning to end. It’s set to a jaunty Twin Forks song (“Why don’t you stay for a while/it’s been too long since I smiled/There’s too few people I trust.”) and highlight’s the Doctor’s adorable uncertainty about where he stands with his friend.

“Stay With Me”

Inevitable and yet, so necessary.

“Demons”

In which Clara is way more attracted to the darkness in this Doctor than she’d ever admit. Also, I never before realized how much sexual tension is in the look they share over Danny’s head at the TARDIS door in “The Caretaker.”

“Love Like This”

Let’s all live in denial, where Clara Oswald will never leave us.

“Wonderwall”

You just can’t go wrong with setting a heartbreaking montage to Ryan Adams’s moody cover of “Wonderwall.” Prepare for lingering looks and lots of slow motion.

“Up the Wolves”

Aw. Beth and Daryl lent Twelve and Clara their song. I feel like lighting things on fire and burning my shitty past to the ground.

“Let Her Go”

The series 8 finale pretty much guaranteed that this song would be in the mix. It’s the cafe scene set to music, basically.

“Here I Am”

Old-fashioned heroes do exist and Clara Oswald is one of them.

“Slow It Down”

As I said in the intro, I actively did not ship Eleven with any of his companions. But this video has me retroactively considering it. Same hardware, different case. (Also, bonus Ten!)

“A Sky Full of Stars

Danny didn’t realize that he was voicing the theme of this season when he told Clara, “One person is more amazing – harder to understand – but more amazing than universes.” Clara and the Doctor could travel together forever and never fully figure each other out. They’re as vast and unknowable as skies full of stars.

“King and Lionheart”

I’ve saved this one for last because it’s just that good. If we gave out fan vidding awards (and maybe we should), this one would win “Best Use of Capaldi Eyes” and “Lifetime Achievement in Fuck You Now I’m Crying.” Worth watching for the placement of the “I love you” call alone.

Well, have we convinced you yet? Leave your favorite Twelve and Clara fan videos in the comments. (And fic! We also accept fic.) To those of you new to the ship, welcome. Dinner is served on the lido deck at 6. Charades to follow. Caring Too Much is 24-7.

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