Doctor Who: Why does everyone hate River Song? *spoilers abound*

[Lilani]

If there is one thing I've noticed about Whovians here on the Intertubes, it's that a good portion of them do not like River Song at all and are not afraid to share it. I don't really understand it though. I mean yes she is sort of arrogant and overconfident, but it never really annoyed me, and after A Good Man Goes to War I just kind of assumed that was the Time Lord in her. Frankly I think she's pretty awesome.

I've also heard a lot about Stephen Moffat's writing, but the only time he really ever rubbed me the wrong way was when he brought the Weeping Angels back, and completely ignored the whole thing where even one angel seeing another causes them to freeze. Then again I've only just finished series six (today, actually) and I'm not terribly well versed on anything Doctor Who that predates David Tennant. So perhaps you more experienced Whovians could shed a bit of light on the subject for me? Why all the hate for River Song?

 

[Azure-Supernova]

I can't pinpoint it, I just don't like her character at all. From the second I saw her in the Silence in the Library she just rubbed me up the wrong way.

 

[Tartarga]

I don't really hate her per say, how can I put this in a way that makes sense? I guess what I mean is I don't like the how she seems to be taunting you for knowing things you don't know. It's like you're watching a movie with her that she has already seen and she keeps looking at you to see your reaction to certain parts.

Other than that River is a pretty fun character.

 

[requisitename]

She annoys the shit out of me, basically.

Annnnnd, people who play the "I know something you don't know" game irritate me to no end, so that every time she says "Spoilers!" I really wish I could reach through the screen and choke her.

I don't like her familiarity with the Doctor. While obviously things are supposed to be happening off-camera between them, the lack of chemistry I see between Alex Kingston and Matt Smith makes it hard for me to suspend disbelief and say, "yeah, he'd totally do her if he had the chance". Maybe if they'd showed us more of the building of their relationship? She just shows up dropping sexual innuendo and stuff and she doesn't seem the Doctor's "type" at all, from what I perceive of the Doctor.

Finally, the (what I see as) stupidity of the writing of her character makes me want to facepalm my brain right into the wall behind me. It doesn't make sense to me and not in the "I don't expect this to make realistic sense because it's a TV show, duh" way.. in the, "how the hell could that even happen" way. TPTB making her Amy and Rory's daughter just kind of killed it for me because it doesn't fit. And don't get me started on the Doctor marrying her because.. because.. ?.. ugh. Nonsense.

But mostly, she annoys me.

 

[Aurgelmir]

If there is one thing I've noticed about Whovians here on the Intertubes, it's that a good portion of them do not like River Song at all and are not afraid to share it. I don't really understand it though. I mean yes she is sort of arrogant and overconfident, but it never really annoyed me, and after A Good Man Goes to War I just kind of assumed that was the Time Lord in her. Frankly I think she's pretty awesome.

I've also heard a lot about Stephen Moffat's writing, but the only time he really ever rubbed me the wrong way was when he brought the Weeping Angels back, and completely ignored the whole thing where even one angel seeing another causes them to freeze. Then again I've only just finished series six (today, actually) and I'm not terribly well versed on anything Doctor Who that predates David Tennant. So perhaps you more experienced Whovians could shed a bit of light on the subject for me? Why all the hate for River Song?

I dislike her mainly because her whole story arc got all rushed and I don't know it never really went anywhere. Plus she is overly annoying and the fact that she knows more than the doctor and isn't afraid to show it is just annoying.

 

[TimeLord]

I don't dislike her. It's nice to have an equal to the Doctor for once (like the DoctorDonna) in that she knows almost as much about time travel (and more about flying the TARDIS) than the Doctor.

I think there are three main reasons that fans dislike her;

1. She can userp the Doctor at times since for two series she knew more about him and his future than he did which annoyed him.

2. She was used like a soap opera (Amy's pregnancy etc)

3. Fans didn't know everything. Everyone knows who the Doctor is and his past, the Time Lords, Gallifrey and the Time War that caused him to destroy his race. Everyone knows the limited back story's of his various companions since they aren't made terribly complicated so as not to conflict with the Doctor and having an extra set to things to explain every episode. Nobody knew who River Sing was, why she knows about the Doctor, where she came from or what her purpose is. And I don't think fans liked that. And then when it was revealed everyone was saying "Oh god I knew that was coming" and complained.

Anyway, I like her, she provides a challenge to the Doctor's authority and proves that he doesn't know everything about time travel or even his own TARDIS.

 

[Thaluikhain]

The first time she popped up, in the library, that worked.

The very next time you see her, they've taken the Weeping Angels, the only really good monster from New Who, and retconned them ridiculously. And then she lands the TARDIS quietly because every single other person to ever fly a TARDIS is so stupid they leave the brakes on, except for her.

Things get worse from there.

It's not just the characters fault (though she's pretty bad), she tends to end up in really rubbish episodes.

 

[GrimTuesday]

I personally dislike her because she is too good. I watch Doctor Who for the Doctor, not for some smug bint to go around doing things better than him. Also, I dislike the actress they have playing her. If you want me to believe that River is the spawn of Amy and Rory (both of whom I also dislike, but that's just because they're annoying) she should be pale, and likely have red hair. I just don't buy her as being their child.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I Like her, and I have seen EVERY episode

 

[Crenelate]

She is just grating. And I don't like her hair. I always felt she kinda seemed like a self insert fanfic character rather than an actual part of the show. Meh. Though the fact that she doesn't look like Amy/Rory is a moot point because she regenerates a la Doctor.

 

[LongAndShort]

I'll be honest, I liked her in the Library episodes where she was introduced. I thought she was a decent character and it would be interesting to see the gradual arc of her story interacting with the doctor.
However, I've found her to become increasingly irritating, especially in last years season. I just find her overpowered and unappealing and she appears far to often.
Really, I want to see less of River Song.

 

[The Diabolical Biz]

I hate her smug attitude, the fact that she is too fucking good at everything, and my own personal bugbear:

'Because it's fun.'

I really, really hate that as a motive for a character. I just think it's stupid and lazy and it pisses me off to no end. It was the one gripe I had with Moriarty in Sherlock.

As I said elsewhere:

I guess I prefer the sallow-cheeked sunken-eyed behind-the-scenes sinister figure in the books to the flamboyant, in-your-face Moriarty of the show. Also I really, really dislike 'because I can/because it's fun' as a motivation for a villain. It's lazy.

 

[Head Chef Dom]

I really disliked her from when we first met her, we've gotten to know the Doctor over many episodes, his backstory, his character and his motivations. Then all of a sudden River Song enters in Silence in the Library and suddenly we've got this incredibly arrogant, smug character who despite us knowing nothing about her, acts all superior towards the Doctor with her 'I know something you don't know' attitude. It just really annoyed me and no matter what she did from that moment on I just couldn't like her

 

[Roganzar]

I kinda like River Song. She's not my favorite Companion but I like her. However, she has become one of those catalyzing characters that people love or hate. That and her story got played out in the show a little to fast. Unfortunately, I think this will get expanded upon in the books and audio adventures, which I don't think is such a good idea on whoevers part that was.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I like her character but they've really beaten any story-line that revolves around her to death.

Moffat has a habit of making really good plots and cliff-hangers and then running them into the ground.

I'd like it if she showed up every now and again for adventures but not as the main focus of the episode.

 

[LordFisheh]

Sometimes she can be good, and I think the travelling opposite directions in each others' timelines idea is fantastic.

The thing is, the rest of the time, she's a complete Mary Sue. She can tease and manipulate around the Doctor, and anyone else she feels like. She can take on a whole room of Silence with a pistol after two episodes of everyone being terrified of them. She's a wanted fugitive but suffers no disadvantage from that status. She breaks out of the galaxy's most secure prison, literally so often that the guards are used to it. No one of these things breaks her as a character, but together they make her an author's pet, able to do anything, loved by everyone, and generally a special snowflake. The funny thing is, the Doctor does all this kind of thing too... but for whatever reason, I'm fine with it when he does it.

I mean take Let's Kill Hitler. She steals the whole episode from one of the greatest villains of history, who is infamously shoved in a cupboard within the first few minutes. She kills a whole squad of SS, not because of skilful set-up (plot wise, not tactically) but because she's just THAT AWESOME. She almost kills the Doctor, but he doesn't seem to mind because she's the only woman he loved, because she's just THAT AWESOME. And worst of all is the 'I'm a psychopath' nonsense. So we have a character who's a psychopath, that's okay. Except she's effortlessly shrugged that off by the next time (in her timeline) that she shows up. One of the surest marks of a Sue - a genuine, interesting character flaw reduced to something with no development, no consequences, no meaning, just a 'cool' feature to make the character even more 'AWESOME'.

She is just grating. And I don't like her hair. I always felt she kinda seemed like a self insert fanfic character rather than an actual part of the show. Meh. Though the fact that she doesn't look like Amy/Rory is a moot point because she regenerates a la Doctor.

Or tldr, this.

 

[Duruznik]

I don't mind River Song. Sure, she's smug and has mary-sueish traits, but she's far from a BAD character. She is the weakest link of the 11th Doctor's run, though. That's because she's a mediocre character surrounded by fantastic ones- Amy, Rory and 11.

 

[Rylot]

Though rushed I thought her character arc for her first season was pretty interesting and not what I was expecting. Though lately it just seems like she takes up way too much time. This problem was exacerbated by Rory and Amy getting a ton of time as well leaving only about a quarter of the show to the title character. She does also Mary Sue a lot. Which I don't think is handled in the best way (She's been used too much for deus ex machina)