But obviously that frustrating romantic element is also present.
I don't see why the romantic element is frustrating. Tony is the one who makes his romantic feelings openly known first, not Nasreen, so the assertion that he may or may not have romantic interests in Nasreen is completely false. Their dialogue indicates that they have both had unstated romantic feelings for a while, but never acted on them until that moment in THE. But Tony isn't the only reason Nasreen stays. Getting to the center of the Earth is, as she tells The Doctor, her "life's work," as I stated in my previous reply. She stays for multiple reasons and Tony is just one of them, which actually shows agency on her part, even with The Doctor and Tony urging her to get back to the surface. (She also shows agency when she demands that The Doctor take her underground in the first place, when he planned to go by himself.) In reality, she's a very strong character and I'm so proud that they put that character into the show. I hope to see more like her!
It was also nice to see casting of someone not in their 20's. I kind of wish you had also done a section on ageism in your original post, as that's another huge problem in the show.
no subject
I don't see why the romantic element is frustrating. Tony is the one who makes his romantic feelings openly known first, not Nasreen, so the assertion that he may or may not have romantic interests in Nasreen is completely false. Their dialogue indicates that they have both had unstated romantic feelings for a while, but never acted on them until that moment in THE. But Tony isn't the only reason Nasreen stays. Getting to the center of the Earth is, as she tells The Doctor, her "life's work," as I stated in my previous reply. She stays for multiple reasons and Tony is just one of them, which actually shows agency on her part, even with The Doctor and Tony urging her to get back to the surface. (She also shows agency when she demands that The Doctor take her underground in the first place, when he planned to go by himself.) In reality, she's a very strong character and I'm so proud that they put that character into the show. I hope to see more like her!
It was also nice to see casting of someone not in their 20's. I kind of wish you had also done a section on ageism in your original post, as that's another huge problem in the show.