Review - Boom Town

After wearing out the edge of my seat over the past two episodes, I was able to firmly plant both cheeks on it for the rather ponderous Boom Town.

Season 1, Episode 11 - Boom Town

There was pretty much no reveal in this episode, which is understandable considering the villain. We know Margret's face from Aliens of London / World War Three, so there's no real reason to keep the Slitheen hidden. Strange how the farting seemed less of an issue in this episode. We get a few early on, but not one during the date. Perhaps Margret was holding it in. I suppose we've all been there on a first date.

Jack continues to prove a valuable addition to the cast. The dynamic is great with the three of them. Sadly Mickey, who gained ground in the competency stakes in Aliens of London / World War Three is set up as the stooge of this episode. He's specifically shown in a shot for shot comparison to not match up to Captain Jack, and I think overall he is once again, unfairly treated.

Things get a bit philosophical in parts. There's lots of deep back and forth which all boils down to nature vs nurture. We get a bit of a theme of new beginnings here, both for Blaine and for Mickey. I was so happy to see Mickey give Rose a serve here. God knows she deserved it. And it was a sweet serve too:

We were nice. We were happy. And then what? You give me a kiss and run off with him and so make me feel like nothing, Rose. I was nothing.

Just what needed saying.

This episode had a lot of tie-ins to the season arc. The Doctor actively recognised the Bad Wolf connection, and although he supposedly brushed it off as a coincidence, we all know he's worried about it. We also get introduced to The Heart of the TARDIS, cutting down on the exposition needed there. Of course, the TARDIS having to refuel sort of goes against the established background of the Eye of Harmony which reappears to contradict this again in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS.

Of course, the In-Who-Endo keeps coming with Jack still around. Even The Doctor got in on it, implying he'd give Jack some sugar if Jack bought him a drink. Mickey at least pointed it out, calling Jack "Captain Innuendo". I do think Blaine's line to The Doctor, "Dinner and bondage. Works for me" was a step too far.

...aaaaand we're back to horror.

We also get another instance of shocking Deus Ex Screwdriver, with The Doctor "de-teleporting" Blaine several times. How is that even supposed to work?

Sadly, the whole episode drags horribly. There's a lot of talk, which in itself is well played out and touches some interesting themes, but unfortunately the actual threat is underdeveloped. The ending seemed a bit rushed, with anything really threatening happening in the last 10 minutes.

We've been talking for half an hour and the kids are losing interest.Quick, make something explode!

It was a bit of a cop out, really. Quite literally Deus Ex Machina, with the TARDIS acting as a Genie to grant wishes and make everything all right again. I'd have preferred to see what The Doctor would actually have done with Blaine.

This isn't one I'd go out of my way to re-watch.

5/10

Can we fix it?

This would pretty much require a total re-write. All we can really do is minimise the damage by cutting out the big-ticket problems.

The de-teleport gag was only mildly amusing, and not worth giving the Sonic Screwdriver more power for. I'd have dumped it altogether, or have The Doctor come up with some other way of interrupting the teleport signal and looping it. It could even have come out funnier if The Doctor didn't seem to actually be doing anything until he pulls out a small device, revealing it to be a "short-range teleport interference loop" or similar.

Much of the meat of this episode deals with the moral dilemma The Doctor should be facing. It really feels like the audience is being ripped off by having that dilemma neatly taken away. I just can't think how else to end the story though. I'd like to think we could have been introduced to the Hearth of the TARDIS without the egg ending, but also then have The Doctor show mercy despite Blaine's actions, warning her he'llbe keeping an eye on her.

It still wouldn't be a great episode, but I'd have less to complain about.

Review - The Doctor Dances

The Empty Child drew me in and put me on the edge of my seat, and now it's time for a good, hard, emotional kick to the guts with the story's conclusion, The Doctor Dances.

Season 1, Episode 10 - The Doctor Dances

The dialogue between Jack, Rose and The Doctor is a particular highlight. Say what you (or I) will about Steven Moffat as show runner, the man can write great dialogue. We learn a lot about Jack and get some interesting hints at the Time Agency. Jack really had a lot of potential as an ongoing companion. Again, I didn't watch Torchwood, but Jack was a lot of fun when he showed up in Doctor Who, and I think he set a nice dynamic with The Doctor and Rose.

"Well, I've got a banana and, in a pinch, you could put up some shelves."

The In-Who-Endo continues this episode with Mr Lloyd exposed as "having it off" with the butcher, Algie is confirmed as gay and we have The Doctor's revelation of humanity's future pan-sexuality. Taken in isolation, this story is almost entirely about sexual tolerance. Not only do we have the aforementioned In-Who-Endos which juxtapose each other through how the same behaviour is tolerated across time periods, but Nancy's status as a teenage single mother and the apparent social pressure to lie about it was the cause of a lot of the trouble.

Using the euphemism of Dancing was a good choice, as it keeps the show family friendly whilst at the same time subtly introducing that theme of acceptance and inclusiveness to all audiences. As great as this message is to get out there, it doesn't need to happen all the time, Steven. I'm going to look at this episode in isolation of the future occurrences and not judge it harshly because of the In-Who-Endo.

Not Safe For Work

There's a lot of interplay between Jack and The Doctor about the Sonic, and the general consensus is that it's a fairly useless tool. Of course that's from the perspective if it being a weapon, which is fine. The Screwdriver itself is a bit inconstant throughout this story. We saw it being used as a scanner and to open locks in The Empty Child, but in this episode, whilst it can seemingly be used to reattach barbed wire (apparently by growing it), The Doctor can't use it to cut through the window bars, instead having to try to create a "resonance pattern" in the concrete.

The creepiness keeps coming, as does the witty banter, but this episode is injected with a healthy dose of heart-wrenching drama too. Florence Hoath's performance as Nancy is fantastic, and she is a huge part of the reason that this is the first (of many) Doctor Who episodes to bring a tear to my eye. The penultimate scene was masterfully crafted, with the performances, music and effects all working together to hit me right in my sense of parental protectiveness.

I've just got something in my eye.

This is yet another classic. The story as a whole is second to Dalek only because it doesn't have Daleks. Everybody loves Daleks.

10/10

Can we fix it?

As I said, there's a lot of sexual innuendo in this episode, but I'll ignore the future trend and look at that as the theme of this episode. If I was going to focus on anything here it would be the use of the Sonic Screwdriver. I'd have liked to see The Doctor explain that he was trying to create that resonance pattern in the concrete because it would be quicker than trying to cut through the bars. I'd also have liked to see the Sonic reattach the barbed wire by fusing or welding it together, rather than the wire regrowing to fill the gap. One looks like science, the other looks like magic. It's best we stay away from magic.

Either way, these are just nit-picking, and I'm happy to ignore them because the episode didn't really give me time to focus on them.

Review - The Empty Child

Season one continues to dish up the gold with the first installment of its second two-parter, The Empty Child.

Season 1, Episode 9 - The Empty Child

Of course in this, the first episode to feature Captain Jack Harkness, we have to expect a certain level of In-Who-Endo. I'm not sure, however, that all of it was necessary. That bit about red being camp? Could have done without that.

Jack's interaction with Rose is pretty full-on. We get a very clear indication of Rose's romantic intentions. I'm starting to understand her on this front a bit more as we go along. She's like a backpacker with a boyfriend back home; quite happy to put it about when she can, but still wants to keep Mickey on the bench.

Sure, we can hook up. But nothing serious. I'm fruit picking in Mildura next week.

We see the Sonic Screwdriver used quite a bit. The Doctor opens a lock with it, but then uses it to scan the patients. I suppose it could be a kind of Ultrasound maybe, but it's getting a bit Deus Ex Screwdriver.

Whilst in the hospital, we had another neat little hint at The Doctor's past and The Time War when Doctor Constantine says, "Before this war began I was a father and a grandfather. Now I'm neither, but I'm still a doctor," with The Doctor replying "Yeah, I know the feeling."

I've gotta say, "Are you my mummy?" is quite possibly the scariest line of the series. The reveal of Jamie is masterfully played out. Short and distant glimpses at the start followed by lots of voice (that line) and then when we do see him up close, he looks sort of normal. Just a boy in a mask. Sure he's creepy as hell, but still just a boy. Things only get really scary in the Hospital when we see the boy is not the whole problem, but the "plague" he is spreading.

A creepy, creepy plague

The music seemed to stand out a lot to me in this episode. Could be because there was a fair bit of tense wandering about with not a lot of dialogue. The music really helped amp up the already considerable tension.

There is something inherently disturbing about a gas mask. The blank glassy stare of the eye holes. The way the rubber meets the skin. It's entirely alien but at the same time familiar. Put one on a kid, and it evokes all kinds of terror.

Abject, pants-soiling terror

I think what I'm saying is that this episode hits horror spot on. At the same time it supports the creepiness with some nice light-hearted comedy around Rose and Jack. We are introduced to Nano Genes early and naturally, meaning the ending of The Doctor Dances is not telegraphed.

This one's a definite favourite.

10/10

Can we fix it?

Not much to do here. The only small issue is that little gay joke at the start, but other than that, it's golden.

Review - Father's Day

Rose gets a big bunch of very emotional character development wrapped up with a fairly standard time travel trope story-line in Father's Day.

Season 1, Episode 8 - Father's Day

There's not a hell of a lot of action in this episode, which is fine, it just gives it a different tone to some others. As a result, it's quite talky. Again, this is fine for me, but some others may feel it drags a bit. It's definitely a vehicle for some character development of Rose, and by the end of the episode we've pretty much caught up on who she is and a lot of her motivations. Still a little unclear on the whole "dump your boyfriend at a second's notice" thing though. Maybe she got her monogamy genes from her dad.

We got a lot of good "monster vision" before the full reveal, which really only made the reveal a bit more disappointing. We had lots of poignant shots of kids shoes, bikes, prams and so on to indicate a bunch of nastiness is going down. This reminded me a bit of that long, lingering Ewok death scene in Return of the Jedi. When we do finally see them, the Reapers did look a bit naff, but ultimately were not really seen up close too frequently so it didn't hurt too much.

Just not doing it for me

The whole "Watson, come here I need you" bit was a neat little hook. People who knew the reference could have a little smile to themselves for being clever before The Doctor explains it. The old-school mobile phone gives opportunity to both play with this, and as a tool for The Doctor to use later on. I suppose it's not completely unfeasible to use sound waves to recharge a battery, but we're sneaking into Deus Ex Screwdriver territory here. There was a lot of opportunities to laugh at the 80s though, which is nice for those of us that can remember them.

The Doctor and Rose's relationship has some ups and downs here, with The Doctor pretty much dumping Rose near the start, and having a go at her a couple of times throughout. Ultimately though he does try to save her some hurt by looking for an alternate solution to the one he know's will work. That particular solution was telegraphed almost from the start though. It did remind me a little of the Red Dwarf episode Tikka to Ride, in which President Kennedy has to assassinate himself in order to stop history from changing.

Not nearly as interesting to conspiracy theorists though

All up this episode was pretty much all about Rose, but not in a The Companion Show featuring The Doctor kind of way. If you're not that into her (like me) you may find your mind wandering (like me), but I think it's important to have these kinds of episodes every now and then. It makes the companions more than just pretty faces who love The Doctor (I'm looking at you, Amy Pond).

7/10

Can we fix it?

This is a tough one. I don't think we could improve my score for this episode without changing the core of the story. There were some elements that weren't really explained very well, like the TARDIS key and how The Doctor could rematerialise the TARDIS just by hooking it up to a battery. It was either under-explained, or just not thought out. In the end it was unimportant, as it played no part in the eventual solution. Maybe it was just there to show us The Doctor was trying to save Pete. I'm not sure if I'd drop it or not. My gut is saying not.

I'd have liked a better design for the Reapers too. It's my understanding that this wasn't what the original concept called for, but I think they could have created a creature that had more of a resemblance to the Grim Reaper than just a scythe blade on it's tail. Something that shared more of the overall silhouette. That way we could have had some distant glimpses of them looking like death, with the implication being it was THE Grim Reaper come for Pete. This parallel is kind of lost with big black bats attacking a church.

It will never be a favourite, but still worth a watch.

Review - The Long Game

There's nothing much wrong with The Long Game, apart from having to follow the perfection that was Dalek.

Season 1, Episode 7 - The Long Game

Off we jaunt to the far future of Earth with young Adam Mitchell trailing behind. Its interesting to see this new dynamic develop with a second companion. With The Doctor and Rose decidedly not interested in each other, The Doctor seems to become more paternal with Rose, even  sort of helping her impress Adam.

The concept of Platform 5 and its floor-based hierarchy was an interesting one. The environments were well realised, with that oh so slightly Blade Runner-esque used future feel to them. It had a realness that many other Sci-Fi shows (even other episodes of Doctor who) often fail to achieve.

Simon Pegg was, naturally, brilliant as The Editor. He gave the perfect balance of over-confident Machiavellian genius and simpering lackey, depending on who he was talking to. Very well played.

Always a winner.

The idea of the media controlling humanity is an interesting and frankly terrifying one, but I feel this story may have had more impact in the 80s or 90s, before the Internet and social media began pushing back against (and even feeding) traditional media sources. Still scary though because we can see attempts at it now.

The Jagrafess was a bit of a disappointment. The design was okay, but It looked plastic. I think the glossy sheen all over it was supposed to be moisture, but it didn't really work. I get the feeling they could have achieved a better result with a puppet. Even the explosion (another one?) was a bit poor and could have benefited from some practical effects.

And how is it attached to the ceiling?

Overall, it was a solid episode with little to complain about from my usual list. I was a bit sad they dumped Adam so quickly. There was potential there for a good group dynamic. of course, with The Empty Child coming up, that will be remedied soon enough.

8/10

Can we fix it?

As I said up front, there's not a lot wrong with this episode. If I were to tweak something it would be the mystery around the Big Boss. There are a bunch of questions raised that should have at least been addressed. How was The Jagrafess able to appear and mess up the progression of human history? This should have been the first question The Doctor asked it. Maybe then we could have had some nice foreshadowing of the season arc, which of course relies on The Doctor failing to follow any of this up. As it is, it seems a bit odd to me that The Doctor would happily let things will get back to normal without at least exploring the origins.

Not a big deal, but it just seems a bit wrong.

The Twelfth Doctor revealed

In my previous post Who will be Who? I outlined my expectations and wishes when it came to the selection of the Twelfth Doctor. To reiterate the important bits:

Just going by previous form, I expect whomever to take up the mantle of The Doctor to be young, good looking (even if just in a quirky way), and relatively unknown.

I'd welcome an older, grumpier and more grizzled Doctor. I want to see a Doctor that isn't lusted after by all and sundry, but possibly loved in a paternal way, as befits his role of protector.

I don't want to see a female Doctor.

This morning I awoke to see this:

Everything I could have asked for

It seems what I was expecting has been gloriously ignored in favour of what I wanted. I am VERY happy with this choice. Capaldi has, of course already appeared in both Doctor Who and Torchwood. I'm most familiar with him as Danny in Local Hero, but that was a long time ago.

I'm hoping the selection of an older Doctor will help weed out some of the sexual tension and Hunka hunka burning Doc. I'm also interested in seeing how he plays it. He could easily do kooky, but I think he'd shine with crotchety. We need some more crotchety.

In summary

• Older - Check
• Not a sex object - Check (at least I hope so)
• Can play crotchety - Check
• Not a chick - Check

That'll do, Pig. That'll do.