PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Oh, I just have to talk about episodes of Doctor Who somewhere, and why not here? If I do say so myself. Whilst I most likely won't review a heck of a lot of episodes in chronological order, why not start with the very first episode of the series? You know? Because it was the first? Plus I just re-watched it, which is a bonus...

An Unearthly Child

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__...thly_child.jpg

Before Doctor Who was a fantastical Science Fiction/Adventure series, it was more focused on delivering information and history lessons to viewers, rather than you know...fiction. An Unearthly Child is perhaps the most obvious attempt at this history stuff, as much of it focus' on the characters of cavemen and cavewomen, which I thought was weird in my younger years, as I , like almost every other human being on the planet, was much more fascinated with this 'Doctor' character.

William Hartnell is the original and (as far as we know at least) the first incarnation of the Timelord known as The Doctor here, and despite the lack of exploration into his character, he does a fine job barking at the character of Ian whilst giving a slightly gentler barking tone to Susan, his granddaughter. Although Hartnell is a fine Doctor, it's clear that he was almost too old to play a leading character at this point in time, the poor guy can barely navigate through the junkyard set, yet alone face cavemen. Although, he knows how to talk his way out of a tense situation, which is essential to almost any Doctor.

The story runs a little too long at points, with the cavemen thing as I talked about before, pushing the runtime of the serials a little too long to be tight. Although the first Doctor Who adventure is not perhaps the most ambitious one, it is a fun and entertaining one at that, delivering our very first taste to a show that is almost 50 years old now!



http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/94...b/p010zvm4.jpg

The Daleks


http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/class...ive/340/64.jpg

The Doctor's deadliest adversary of all time...well until someone 'Masterful' comes in, was introduced to Doctor Who just as it took off, and I am fairly sure that the Daleks are one of the primary causes of the shows mega-success, or whatever success one scales Doctor Who on.

The Doctor (still played by William Hartnell) and his companions land on the planet Skaro, and upon rewatches nowadays any fan will become bubbled with excitement and joy, as we all know the horrors that occur on Skaro and where it's destiny lies. However, this is the very beginning of Doctor Who, and the lore still hasn't been 100% established yet, mainly because it's clear the writers haven't figured it all out yet. Dropping the ol' history lesson structure and instead focusing entirely on fiction, The Daleks is, of course, like almost every Doctor Who ever until the 2005 update, a multi-parter. Although, much like An Unearthly Child, the long story arc fails at some points, but it is redeemed by one thing...one magnificent thing...

EXTERMINATE!!!
Daleks are awesome. Sure, upon analysis they are silly and stupid. However, see a Dalek in action and somehow, in some magical way, they become the most iconic and damn evil villains ever! Or in Doctor Who at least.

Sure the episode has story problems, like many of Hartnell's journeys, but with a large ambition, some nice set pieces and a villain to rule them all, The Daleks is arguably the most exciting and memorable William Hartnell episode.



http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/94...b/p00nmwf4.jpg

The Edge Of Destruction

http://www.kasterborous.com/wordpres...edge-wide1.jpg

Where does one draw the line when it comes to overly long episodes? Here unfortunately. The Edge Of Destruction features The Doctor and co. inside the TARDIS, however, after an explosion, the characters begin to behave strangely and turn against each other.

This entire episode occurs in the TARDIS with nobody but the main cast, a recipe for disaster? Not if the writing was good. Was the writing good? ...No.
Hartnell actually doesn't do an awful lot in this episode and even less is done story-wise. Characters shout, scream and then get over it, only for another character to do the same.

This episode does have some redemption, as we get a nice look at the TARDIS, which is rare, however, you have to sit through the painstaking long arguments and tedious talks from a amnesia plot that is in almost every television show ever.



http://www.thegeekgirlproject.com/wp.../07/edge-5.png

Remembrance Of The Daleks

Sylvester McCoy was always one of my favourite actors to portray The Doctor, and with him being the seventh incarnation, that is saying a lot. McCoy is well known for making the character slightly goofy, and then over time making him darker and constructing a sort of 'master plan' Doctor plot...thingy.

Remembrance Of The Daleks takes The Doctor and Ace (of whom is INCREDIBLY annoying) back to where the adventure began, outside Foreman's of which is a dump or something...I actually can't remember 100% at this point. Sure enough, The Daleks show up to spoil the day, but they aren't focused on The Doctor, they're focused on attacking...Daleks? Yes, Daleks are at civil war, and war has reached earth!

The plot moves along at a rapid rate, with The Doctor's explanation of The Daleks to Ace being a highlight, mainly because the seventh incarnation of The Doctor loves sarcasm and seems to be as annoyed by Ace as we are.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zlda8VsVi8...-imperials.jpg

The flaws are there of course, a plot point involving a little girl is bizarre and shifts from being focused on too much and then not enough...and she can shoot lightning? The special effects are slightly dated, however, they are rather impressive at points with the Special Weapons Dalek and Ace's awesome baseball bat fight with a Dalek being highlights. But we must not forget Sylvester McCoy's grand speech at the end of the episode, which involves 'rice pudding'.

Overall Remembrance Of The Daleks is easily Sylvester McCoy's strongest episode, with great storytelling, great action and great nods to previous adventures. Worth a watch? One might say it's essential.



http://media.avclub.com/images/410/4...9/627.jpg?5477

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Sylvester McCoy was the first Doctor I ever watched! I remember seeing either a repeat or a video as a kid :)

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Rose

'So I'm going to go upstairs and blow it up, and I might well die in the process, but don't worry about me, no. You go on home, go on and have your lovely beans on toast. Don't tell anyone about this 'cause if you do, you'll get them killed!'
- The Doctor

Russell T. Davies can rest assured that he did at least one thing grand and spectacular in his life, he revitalised Doctor Who, shifting it around just enough, adding a modern feel but still paying homage to the classic era, he somehow managed to make Doctor Who what it always could have been and only rarely achieved, outstandingly entertaining television. Gone is the flashy white TARDIS interior, gone is the cheesy music, gone is that sheen of fakeness (of which I did love, sadly) that surrounded the original show.

Now enter the new aged and gritty TARDIS, enter the orchestral soundtrack, enter the impressive production values that also have a sheen of fakeness, but not enough to fully distract you. Behold! The almighty, all powerful and all-seeing Christopher Eccelsten as the 9th Doctor, with an accent from the North (which is explained, well...it's referenced) and a leather jacket, he manages to help pull the 'rebooted' shows first season along, 'shooting it through the vortex' as one might say. Eccelsten is an incredibly underappreciated Doctor, primarily because of his short run, however, he was mainly there to help the show start off, a respected name to gather...well, respect! Eccelsten's Doctor is a man of mystery, pain and hate, but luckily, with the help of Billie Piper's character Rose Tyler, he slowly learns what being The Doctor really means, or something like that.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/...2263e33588.jpg

Rose focuses mainly on the character of Rose Tyler throughout the episode, with the character clearly representing us as the audience, viewing this new and mysterious world around us, is it the same Doctor Who? Or is it completely different? The answer is: a little of both.

Whilst Rose is, to be put simply, a character piece, meant to establish The Doctor and Rose into a modern setting, whilst giving newcomers to the show a little overview of what Doctor Who is, the villains are rather ignored. Yes, that's right my friends, The Nestine Consciousness won't ever win the MTV Award for Best Villain, I'm sorry. That aspect can easily be forgiven, as the Autons were never the most interesting characters in Doctor Who.

Overall when it comes to season starters and show rebooters, Rose takes the throne, well, sorta. Rose establishes a new world with ease, and allows the audience to see a much darker side to The Doctor and to finally see why he actually needs companions. The episode isn't perfect, Murray Gold's score sometimes gets to creative for it's own good and Mickey's character has some frustrating moments (seriously, does nobody notice that this guy is suddenly made out of plastic? He sure as hell looks like it, oh well...I can drop it I guess). Rose is a great starting point for those people of whom want to become Whovians, and it's a nice episode to start the adventure off again! Oh boy, what an adventure it was...



http://img3.laibafile.cn/p/m/118973564.jpg

The End Of The World

'I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding it's remarkable that you even exist. I just want to say... how sorry I am.'
- Jabe

After fantastically launching the series forward, T. Davies decided to showcase as many aliens as possible, whilst sustaining a unique and exciting story, enter The End Of The World.

Jumping a little bit away from Earth (but not an awful lot, which is sadly common in the first season of the updated Who), we are in the very very distant future in which Earth is about to be swallowed by the sun, onboard a luxury viewing station The Doctor and Rose meet a variety of alien ambassadors and royalty that are viewing the destruction of our beloved world. But, something is amuck in the station, with some pesky mystery spider-bots fiddling with the controls and causing death, The Doctor has to figure out who is behind this problem and how to stop the robots before it's too late and the station burns with the Earth!

http://cchronicle.com/wp-content/upl...7273354620.png

Eccelsten gets a larger opportunity to express his talent than in the previous episode and even gets to tear up towards the end, Piper pulls a fair amount of the episode along, pointing out how incensitive The Doctor is to the events around him and how that is affecting the lives of people. The writing for the episode is fairly standard, however, the dialogue is snappy, deep and even funny at points.

Overall The End Of The World is a solid episode of Doctor Who, it isn't exactly the most memorable episode, however, it is a good one nonetheless.



http://media.tumblr.com/e978725a86ce...kQx1qz4rgp.gif

The Unquiet Dead

'Oh, I loved an illusion as much as the next man, revelled in them. But that's exactly what they were. Illusions. The real world is something else. I dedicated myself to that, injustices, the great social causes. I hoped that I was a force for good. Now, you tell me that the real world is a realm of spectres and jack-o-lanterns. In which case, have I wasted my brief span here, Doctor? Has it all been for nothing?'

- Charles Dickens

The third adventure in the 'rebooted series' is a difficult one to rate. Taking a historical figure and panting him in the middle of a Doctor Who adventure is very common, but, one must ask the question, did we really need Charles Dickens in this episode?

Well, yes and no. Whilst Dickens ultimately helps save the day, making him a historical figure is just a bonus, he really could have been anyone...well, maybe.
The Unquiet Dead sees The Doctor and Rose in a Victorian-era Cardiff, but there's something wrong with the dead, they aren't staying that way.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...quiet_Dead.jpg

We get plenty of ghost special effects, mystery solving and paranormal stereotypes, but one of the more intriguing aspects of the episode is that they don't treat the ghost thing as villainish...well...until maybe towards the very end. We get some nice monologues but the dialogue isn't exactly impressive in comparison to other episodes, the special effects do hold up in this adventure though, they have the ghoul thing down-pat.

The episode ultimately feels more filler than anything, although it is a good bit of fun. Luckily we had an exciting two-parter on the horizon, or a yawn may have been produced towards the end of the episode.



http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/r...Unquiet531.jpg

Aliens Of London / World War Three

'Fascinating history, Downing Street. 2000 years ago, this was marshland. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken - he was a nice man - 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet was in session, and in danger, these were about the four safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of Lesson.'
- The Doctor

The first two-part story in the return of Doctor Who is strangely one that lacks in meat (story) but makes up for in execution. We are treated to a variety of neat special effects, ludicrous history and an alien race that has a bizarre name for a homeworld and an even more bizarre way of releasing compressed energy, because that's a very common problem in society these days.

The Doctor and Rose return to Earth, although something's wrong, the TARDIS has accidentally sent them forward 12 months instead of 12 hours since Rose began her journey with The Doctor in the episode that is also called, Rose. If that doesn't complicate things enough, an alien ship has crashed landed in the middle of London and the world is panicking, but something is fishy about this scenario.

http://f.asset.soup.io/asset/3188/0143_1300.jpeg

As previously said, the story just isn't juicy enough to be one that spans two episodes, however, the execution of this simple story makes up for that. Exposition is snappy and exciting, the chases are slightly longer than most, but still exciting, the aliens are neatly designed and manage to chew the scenery with their bizarre humour, and most of all, Eccelsten seems to be completely relaxed in the part, now seemingly playing it more for fun than anything else.

The problems are there, of course. The greenscreen in some scenarios is horrible, whilst in others it is decent. We are a little sick of Earth at this point, but oh well, we also have a situation featuring world leaders which is unbelievable, but hey, it's science FICTION!

Overall the double-episode is a lot of fun with some great moments. Sure, it has problems, but hey, it's a very memorable Eccelsten adventure, and made a new alien species that was pretty cool.



http://www.russelltdavies.com/commun...4509620865.jpg

Dalek

You would make a good Dalek.
- The Dalek

Bringing back an old enemy had already been done in Series One with The Autons, however, they are no match for the legendary icons that are The Daleks and as far as returns go...this is easily one of the best in Doctor Who history.

The Doctor and Rose find themselves in an underground museum, exhibiting all sorts of alien life found by humans, but there is something alive deep down in the museums vault...The last Dalek in existence.

Essentially the plot is a simple chase, The Dalek brakes loose because of Rose's simple kindness, it kills a bunch of people, it chases Rose and you might be able to guess that the ending is fairly happy...but it's all in the detail my lovelies, the detail is where the episode Dalek excels.

http://whatculture.com/wp-content/up...06Dalek639.jpg

Frequently throughout the episode The Doctor acts out in blind rage against anyone and anything that protests against the destruction of The Dalek, as The Doctor truly believes that it should be 'exterminated', ha ha. Because of her act of human kindness, Rose accidently frees The Dalek and it goes on a rampage, The Doctor tries to stop this of course, but ultimately fails, sitting in the control room shouting over the intercom whilst Rose runs from the slaughter. This may sound like a lazy thing to do, but it's all clearly meant to show that The Doctor has grown to a point in which there is hardly any difference between himself and The Dalek, both are full of hate and want nothing more to destroy each other, until Rose ultimately affects The Dalek and in the climax everything comes full circle, and The Doctor is more of a Dalek than The Dalek itself.

The special effects are fairly believable, whilst some of the supporting actors do a less-than-satisfactory job. We get to see some classic Who stuff in the vault and Billie Piper really shines in this one, well, I suppose she has to, as most of the episode focuses on her.

Overall Dalek is easily one of Doctor Who's more memorable episodes with some great scenes, great suspense and a great overarching theme that I just love watching, a clap for T. Davis!



http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...234/295299.jpg

Enjoyed the last few reviews, PV. :up: The Eccelsten Doctor is the only new Doctor I've liked enough to watch more than a couple of episodes of. I never have been much of a Dr. Who fan, but I thought he did really well.

The Long Game

'The thing is, Adam, time travel is like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book. You've got to throw yourself in, eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers - or is that just me? Stop asking questions. Go and do it!'
- The Doctor

"The Long Game" is the seventh episode of the first series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on 7 May 2005 on BBC One. It was written by executive producer Russell T Davies and directed by Brian Grant. It was watched by 8.01 million viewers in the UK and received generally mixed reviews from critics...WAIT! That's from Wikipedia! PeterVincent, you slimey goat!

The Doctor, Rose Tyler and Guy From The Previous Episode Of Whom's Name I Cannot Recall land on yet another Space Station, however, this one is just overlooking Earth...like the last one, but, this one is also the station/hub for all news and media in the future, but, of course, something is fishy in this society.

http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-conte...doctor-who.jpg

What The Long Game suffers from greatly is pacing and structure issues. The threat of the episode is never felt, the pace is everywhere, although it is mainly slow and the character of...umm...Adam!, that's his name! Yeah, that guy...he sucks.

Simon Pegg is cast against type, which is distracting but overall an interesting choice, but he's arguably the only big draw to the episode...other than the fact it's setting up for the finale...in another 5 episode's time.

Overall The Long Game is a solid and watchable episode, sure it's got some mega-flaws, but some aspects like Pegg and the set design help the episode to shine, despite it's familiar treading.



http://media.screened.com/uploads/0/...octor_who1.jpg

Father's Day

'I should have known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you.'
- The Doctor

Every once and a while we get an episode that is heartfelt and creative and stars a character that looks like Bruce Willis in an orange wig.

The Doctor & Rose visit a pivotal moment in Rose's family history, the day her father was hit by a car and died. Consumed by grief, Rose decides to intervene and stop the incident, creating a large paradox that endangers the lives of everyone, including The Doctor.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...athers_Day.png

What helps drive the episode is the strong themes of fate and what must be. We get a lesson about moving on from death and death and fate and death and such and so forth. Christopher Eccelsten helps drive a bit of the episode, despite him being a more of a minor character in the beginning and non-existent in the finale, up until the resolution. The writing is lovely, with some swell little speeches and a lot of clever dialogue.

The negatives, of course, are the special effects (which have become incredibly dated) and the pace of the episode. We get a slow start and a quick finish, which is not uncommon amongst some of 2005's episodes, but is still a bit of an annoying problem.

Overall, Father's Day is a solid episode with a great theme, but some pace issues along the way.



http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__.../Pete_time.jpg

The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances

'Everybody lives, Rose! Just this once, everybody lives!'
- The Doctor

One of the few two-parters that is actually worthy of it's long runtime is this one for sure. Not only is this one important to the story of the series, but we get introduced to one of the most iconic Doctor Who characters ever, Captain Jack Harkness.

The Doctor & Rose follow a hospital ship to Earth in the midst of World War Two, whilst searching around a bombarded Britain they both find more than they bargained for, and a mystery that could prove to be the end of the world as we know it.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...mpty_Child.jpg

The double-episode is fun, it's got humour, a nice little revelation for The Doctor and John Barrowman steals the show, as would become a usual thing in the near future with his own spin-off series, Torchwood. Here we are also introduced to one of the scariest villains in recent Doctor Who history, The Empty Child.

The episodes are fun, but occasionally we get problems. Some supporting actors seem out-of-place and sometimes the plot gets too simple and sometimes it gets too complicated, but the ultimate moral at the end washes away all of those complaints.

Overall the double-episode feature of The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances is still one of the scariest and most fun episodes in Doctor Who history, although sometimes it does slip from memory, which is a shame.



http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...mpty_child.jpg

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

As with all the other new Doctor Who episodes that I've seen, I've not seen this since broadcast, but it was a great episode. Possibly the best one I saw.

Boom Town


The first time in the series that an old villain from a few episodes ago returns is also the only time it which it ever kind of feels forced and unnecessary. Well, it always does in a way.

The Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack land in Cardiff to refuel, aided by Mickey, they capture a Slitheen survivor, and are forced to keep her prisoner until the TARDIS is ready to leave.

http://s3.vidimg.popscreen.com/origi...-boom-town.jpg

The episode is strong in terms of humour and themes, however, it feels strangely bloated yet hollow, with some aspects rushed and others fleshed out too long. Eccelsten's Doctor gets explored a little more and his resolution to the climax seems understandable and ultimately makes it appear as if he's becoming more of an evolved and different Doctor.

Sadly though, the little stinger at the end of the episode ended up making me forget about what happened completely at first broadcast, also because this episode is before the big two-part series finale, forgetablility is a big aspect.



http://heydontjudgeme.com/wp-content...se-375x214.jpg

Yep, I can't remember this episode at all. I've read your post twice, just to try and find something that might've clicked for me. :D

Great reviews. Eccelston is my favourite of the new doctors and second only to Tom Baker. They both bring a strangeness to the role that I didn't see in the other actors.
I hope you continue this thread.

Not a review, but I just have to have a brief moment to celebrate...

http://24.media.tumblr.com/fd4e180de...5bkco1_250.gif
http://31.media.tumblr.com/ee1c664e7...5bkco2_250.gif
http://31.media.tumblr.com/284e64312...5bkco3_250.gif

BADWOLF / The Parting Of Ways

'I'm doing it now... Time Lords have this little trick, it's sort of a way of cheating death, except, it means I'm gonna change. And I'm not gonna see you again, not like this, not with this daft old face. And before I go...Rose, before I go I just wanna tell you - you were fantastic... absolutely fantastic... and d'you know what? So was I.'
- The Doctor

It's always absolutely heartbreaking to see a Doctor go (even Colin Baker, although his parting was portrayed by Sylvester McCoy in a dodgy wig), whether it be a sad speech and a farewell from William Hartnell, a sad and slow death from Tom Baker, a heroic and incredibly tense departure from Peter Davison (which is arguably my favourite alongside David Tennant), every departure has it's emotional beats, and Eccelsten's is...FANTASTIC!.

In BADWOLF the TARDIS crew find themselves trapped in the Gamestation, also known as Satellite 5, where they must battle to survive the cruel games. However, when Rose is taken away, the Doctor realizes his deadliest enemies have returned, THE DALEKS!!!! (dun dun dun!). Then in The Parting Of Ways, the gang take up arms in their last stand on Satellite 5, whilst Rose finds a very special way to save The Doctor, if she can 'get' to it.

http://www.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/wp...e-bad-wolf.jpg

The strengths of the two-part finale are multiple and phenomenal. The humour in BADWOLF is spot on, with John Barrowman stealing the show and Eccelsten having his last bit of fun before the dramatic stuff. The ultimate revelation that the villains are the Daleks is exciting, however, it's overshadowed by Eccelsten's reaction/cliffhanger, in which he delivers the most exciting speech known to television (at the time):

The Doctor: *No*! 'Cause this is what I'm gonna do - I'm gonna rescue her! I'm gonna save Rose Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet, and then I'm gonna save the Earth, and *then* - just to finish you off - I'm gonna wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!
Dalek: But you have no weapons, no defences, no *plan*!
The Doctor: Yeah, and doesn't that scare you to death?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...f_the_Ways.jpg

The Parting Of Ways boasts the most strengths. The action and chase sequences are a non-stop thrill-ride, Barrowman proves himself an action hero whilst Eccelsten's Doctor's dark story-arc reaches it's peak, as he is faced with a horrible option that must be taken, and of course, when the finale comes, he does the right thing, The Doctorthing. Eccelsten is truly fantastic in his finale, and the resolution is great, if not an unfortunate deus ex.

Whilst it is sad to see 9 go, his end speech ends up creating a nice character resolution for him, as he seems happy to move on and go, because now he seems to truly be happy, and I like that. It's unfortunate that Eccelsten is overshadowed by his successor but c'mon, Tennant truly amps the show up, and I'll talk about him soon...



http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/media...d=s1_13_wal_16

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

This is the end of Doctor Who, for me. I didn't like Tennant before he became the Doctor and nothing changed afterwards. I tried to watch a few, and I quite enjoyed the werewolf one in Victorian England, but I can't be doing with his swivel-eyed antics, horrific gurning and stupid scrawny legs.

Awwww.

The Christmas Invasion


'Look at these people: these human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet, and blinking step into the sun. There is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than - no, hold on... Sorry, that's the Lion King. But the point still stands.'
- The Doctor

There comes a time in your life when you see someone special, when you begin a bizarre romance with them, journey with them, understand them, love them, fear them, cheer with them, cry with them...and David Tennant, as a healthy boy growing up, was the man for me.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...Swordfight.jpg

Whilst the Tenth Doctor surely isn't as serious as Christopher Eccelston's or even Peter Davison's (to start with at least), he does have his moments, and The Christmas Invasion is strategically set up to make sure you hate Tennant until the last ten minutes.

What I mean to say is, that head-writer RTD specially crafted to episode to match the general feelings around David Tennant's casting. So, The Doctor gets taken out of 72% of the episode whilst Rose & the gang struggle against an alien invasion and say lines such as:

'The Doctor wouldn't do this. The old Doctor— the proper Doctor. He'd wake up, he'd save us.'

See? RTD is very crafty. But finally, at the pinnacle of the climax, The Doctor enters and explodes expectations (well, mine at least...), zazzing his way through the remainder of the episode and having a pretty cool sword fight if you ask me.

Overall the episode does have problems, the lack of The Doctor isn't appreciated, although it's effective, and sometimes the green-screen gets a bit dodgy, but oh well, one can figure those things.



http://walkinthedust.files.wordpress...ardis-496.jpeg

New Earth

'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!'
- Cassandra

I like to imagine that head-writer and writer of this episode, RTD sat upon his throne and stroked his chin, 'ummming' and 'ahhhing' about how to send our fresh new Doctor on his first big solo outing, his first adventure, his first venture into time and space, he's been established, now lets go!

Sadly, RTD mustn't have thought a completely fresh story with fresh characters would be good for Tennant, so for some sad reason he decided to bring back a forgettable villain and a forgotten (at the time, I guess) side character, and made a so-so story with some so-so moments.

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/phot...20-768-456.jpg

I don't hate New Earth, but, with that said, I don't really like it all that much either. The villain is lame, although the body-swapping element is a nice comedic touch, and a way to save money. The plot is basic and predictable, whilst our heroes are understandable with good motivations, it's just their surroundings that suck.

I don't really want to talk about this one anymore...

But to my recollection the ending made me cry on my first viewing.



http://twilightswarden.files.wordpre..._earth_057.jpg

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Tooth & Claw

'I wanted to hear her say, "We are not amused." Bet you five quid I can get her to say it.'
- Rose

Ask an actor to do a Scottish accent and he'll be happy for a day, hire a Scottish actor to hide his accent and only use it in one episode ever, and audience's ears will be happy, although personally I find the Scottish accent very sexy.

So, here wer are at Tennant's third adventure, which is also his first adventure set in the past and his first adventure to feature an encounter with a historical figure. Other than that...there isn't a lot of 'meat' here.

http://www.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/wp...doctor-who.jpg

The werewolf aspect of the episode is fascinating. The Doctor has a great moment in which he gasps in awe of the creature, whilst Rose does a similar thing later on. The special effects for the creature range from decent to dodgy, but that is the norm for some of Series 2's adventures.

Tennant seems to be having the time of his life, showing off his accent in the beginning and then revealing a few dramatic skills towards the climax. The writing is average, whilst the episode's mystery is difficult to pick up on any viewing mainly because it's not incredibly important and layered in about 47 pounds of sub-plot

Overall, Tooth & Claw is a fairly average Doctor Who adventure that benefits from some good direction (especially in the intro, despite it clearly taking inspiration from The Matrix) and great character moments from The Doctor and Rose.



http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__.../9/97/Wolf.jpg

School Reunion


'No. The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship... Everything has its time. And everything ends.'
- Sarah Jane Smith

Up until School Reunion, the new Doctor Who had never truly acknowledged the proper existence of the classic series, other than a few nods and winks. So who better than Sarah Jane Smith, one of the most beloved companions of all time (and a hot contender for my favourite, alongside Ace), to finally make the Dalekanium bridge between new and classic Who.

But School Reunion does not just bring back Sarah Jane, oh no, the world's most beloved tin dog is back too, K9. Fun bit of trivia for you: This means that the incredibly short lived series (1 episode), K9 & Company is somewhat part of the Doctor Who canon.

Returning these characters to the show could have potentially meant the total destruction of new Who as we know it, however, the episode is lovely, nostalgic and slightly heartwarming.

http://tansyrr.com/tansywp/wp-conten...1/10/url-1.jpg

The episode follows The Doctor & Rose as they investigate a mysterious school that boasts students with impossible IQ's, and sure enough, wizz journalist Sarah Jane is on the job too!

Whilst the episode has a few problems, such as the bizarre lack of Anthony Head and some minor pacing issue, there is plenty to love. The sadly recently departed Elizabeth Sladen is phenomenal here in her return, if you were a fan of her in the Jon Pertwee & Tom Baker years, then this episode will surely warm and break your heart. The other strength is, strangely, K9, especially in the peak of the climax, in which I swear that you will never-ever get this upset over a robot ever again.

Overall the emotional impact of School Reunion is worth watching enough, especially if you are a classic Doctor Who fan.



http://ravereader.files.wordpress.co...sarah-jane.jpg

I think this was the last Tennant episode I saw. After this I think I saw one or two Matt Smith episodes and that was it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS7KpUZ37eM

I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but are you aware of The Sarah Jane Adventures?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQGLliAAqfc

It does get better once the footing is found,

& yes, I was very much into the first season, but I got about halfway into the second season and decided it wasn't my cup of tea, although I do watch the episode's that guest star The Doctor whenever they come on.

The Girl In The Fireplace

King Louis: What the hell is going on?
Reinette Poisson: Oh. This is my lover, the king of France.
The Doctor: Yeah? Well I'm the Lord of Time.


Creativity was something incredibly common in the days of Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy & the future days of Matt Smith, and it is also something that I love, so when Tennant's era boasts a unique and creative plot, along with my favourite characters, there is nothing I can do to resist.

The Doctor, Rose & Mickey find themselves onboard a ship operate by clockwork and other bizarre mechanisms, and on that ship they also find time links to the life of a French princess. When The Doctor uncovers a plot to kill the princess, he embarks on a quest throughout time to stop it, of course.

http://practicalenrichment.files.wor...ite-horse1.jpg

The episode boasts inventive robots, a great little romance story, some inventive action sequences and a scene with a horse to end all others.

If I had to complain about one thing in particular, is that some of The Doctor's decisions are strange and non-believeable, whilst the romance seems forced at times, although cute.

Overall, The Girl In The Fireplace is a creative bash, with an overwhelming amount of imagination and production design (especially in the costumes and robots), it is very difficult to not love.

http://media.screened.com/uploads/0/...0557-who4b.jpg

Rise Of The Cybermen / The Age Of Steel

'Nothing wrong with a van. I once saved the universe with a big yellow truck.'
- Mickey Smith

Returning yet another iconic villain to Doctor Who's revamped series is a risky move, especially since the return of The Daleks were such a lucky hit, when so much could have gone wrong. So when The Cybermen returned to Doctor Who, one can't help but feel a little nervous, especially since their last appearance was...troubled...to say the least in the Sylvester McCoy adventure Silver Nemesis.

The return of The Cybermen sees The Doctor, Rose & Mickey trapped in a parallel universe, a universe that is about to change forever when genius-billionare John Lumic decides to 'upgrade' the human race in the hope of saving himself from a terminal illness.

http://tansyrr.com/tansywp/wp-conten...1/11/url-2.jpg

The strengths of the two episodes vary from performances (Billie Piper, Noel Clark) to the incredibly exciting action sequences. One piece, for example, that sees The Doctor and co. trapped inside a mansion being invaded by Cybermen, is incredibly tense and incredibly exciting. The climax is also a highlight, but I won't spoil that.

The problems that the double-episode has, is primarily due to the dodgy sets, some questionable special effects and an unravelling plot that expects you to not know what's behind everything and what's coming, despite the episode's title.

Overall, the Cybermen's return is exciting and strangely cinematic, but it has some problems that one can't help but feel were due to budget restrictions.



http://cdn.static.ovimg.com/episode/308600.jpg

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

The Idiots Lantern

'Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia!'
- The Doctor

There comes a time in every season where one must sigh, rub their eyes and sit through an episode in which every twist and turn was predicted from simply reading the plot synopsis, The Idiot's Lantern is one of those episodes.

The Doctor & Rose travel back to the groovy 50's, but something is wrong, the television is going too cheap! and something wrong with the people that watch these cheap televisions! (Or something along those lines).

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/pho...15-640-368.jpg

The only notable positives about the episode is the chemistry between The Doctor & Rose and the nice little character touch of having the characters dress up to match the 50's setting that they have travelled to.

The negatives, of course, are overwhelming. The villain is generic, the dialogue is bland, the mystery is boring, and as previously said, almost every plot point and twist can be predicted.

Overall...The Idiot's Lantern sucks.



http://images2.fanpop.com/images/pho...71-640-368.jpg

The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit

Where did the series' budget go? Here, in the Cybermen episodes and in the finale. Where does the budget show the most? Here.

What superb writing, what great mythology, what interesting characters and situations and oh boy, what memorable monsters and scenes.

http://www.heroineaddict.net/images/...ibleplanet.jpg

How often do you get to see The Doctor (and I mean THE DOCTOR, because when this episode aired I had finally made my decision. David Tennant is my favourite Doctor) taunt Satan, how often does that happen? I tell you, the only one to have came close to this wasJon Pertwee squaring off against Sea Devils.

But we all know why this episode goes down in history...

Billie Piper's post-mortem one liner.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls...ihk3o1_400.gif

http://image-cdn.zap2it.com/images/d...titles-bbc.jpg
Series 8...So far


http://www.cant-talk.com/wp-content/...13-700x325.jpg

Deep Breath

It's out with the new and in with the old in Peter Capaldi's debut episode, Deep Breath. Whilst I haven't haven begun to voice my opinion on Matt Smith's Era on this crummy little thread, I can simply say I was very back-and-forth for most of his run and a 'breath' of fresh air is certainly what the show needed about now. Enter Peter Capaldi. The old Scot famous for swearing his way to television success (though if we're mentioning The Thick of It, my favourite character is actually Glen Cullen) is also proving to be one of the most memorable and unique Doctors.

The episode starts off with a lot of mystery and intrigue, we see a pretty impressive Dinosaur, Capaldi stammer out some goofy and confused dialogue and we're surrounded by the familiar faces of Vastra, Jenny, Strax and Clara to help ease us through what is arguably a huge change, specifically in tone.

The plot is reasonably basic, there's a robot that's harvesting organs and tissue to sustain itself forever and The Doctor has to stop him, if he can pull himself together. The actor who plays the robotic villain is actually rather good, though I cannot remember his name right now, and he certainly brings a lot to the feel of the episode. The show is mostly stolen by Capaldi, although much like Tennant's introduction they keep him in the background until the end.

Positives for this episode are mostly the direction (Ben Wheatley) and Capaldi's performance. There's a lot of witty dialogue and a genuine mystery beginning to form around why he has such a familiar face, and it really adds to the episode. Along with that, there's a gag with Stax and a newspaper that I laughed pretty hard at when I first saw it at 4:50 am.

Negatives for this one reside mostly in pacing, the overall conclusion and that they really try to sell him as the mean guy way too much. It's similar to Tom Baker's Robot, which was also a rocky debut but sold the different character rather than the show, and luckily further episode ease out this sudden smack of cruelty.

Overall, Deep Breath is a strong start to a potentially great series



http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/wp-cont...reath-trex.jpg


Into The Dalek

The second episode in a series is always tricky to do and personally I don't think they've made a perfect one since the revival just yet. Into The Dalek is a good episode, however, despite the fact that it feels like it should be one that's more suited for the middle of the series.

The plot is mostly about The Doctor and co. shrinking themselves down to enter a damaged Dalek that believes it is good. Naturally, The Doctor is suspicious and wants to ensure that there is no way The Dalek's can ever be good, because how can they be?

Positives for this episode are mostly around its climax and finale, as most of the themes hinted at or set up in the beginning come back near the end for a pretty decent emotional payoff. The effects are pretty most of the time, and you can spot a few references to a similar episode from the classic series The Invisible Enemy. Capaldi's also pretty great, though he's more interesting when he's alone than when he is with Clara.

Yet again pace is a negative, it's all very clunky. Along with that the similarities to 2005's Dalek are incredibly apparent. Danny Pink is also drier than dirt.

Overall, Into The Dalek is a pretty good episode, but it feels like it's in the wrong place and some of it is way too familiar for investment. Still cool, though.



http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-conte...fth-Doctor.jpg

Robot of Sherwood

This one got a weird amount of hate last week when it aired...I think that's weird.

Robot of Sherwood is fast, easy to follow and has a lot going for it. The entire cast really shine, specifically the guest stars and supports, and the whole episode has a rather beautiful look to it.

I guess some issues occur around the plot, which follows our protagonists as they meet Robin Hood, of whom our Doctor believes is not real. Soon they uncover a sinister plot the Sheriff of Nottingham has devised which could potentially destroy the world. It's all very silly, but it is largely easy to follow and it's nice to go to the past and have it not be London in the 1800's.

My personal negatives would only be a very noticeable greenscreen during the dungeon scene and the fact that Capaldi's left with not much to do about halfway through.

Other than that, I think that Robot of Sherwood is a perfectly fun episode that I've watched a few times since it aired last week. Sure, the resolution is confusing, but it's all so well-put-together, who can deny its charms?



http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/wp-cont...ara-doctor.jpg

Listen

Sigh.

It has potential, mainly in its initial premise and themes. But the inclusion of more Danny Pink focus and the overall end 25 minutes just takes a great premise and drops it on it's head.

The positives? Uh. I can't really mention the plot because that's the main mystery of the episode, but there's a scene under a bed that's pretty tense and an archive-footage cameo is nice.

The negatives? Everything else falls flat. The resolution is confusing and groan worthy, the plot goes from decent to dull incredibly fast and even Clara begins to feel stale as she repeats lines you swear you've heard her say in other episodes.

Unless you're dying to watch it, you can skip this one.



http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglopheni...ldi-listen.jpg

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Good to have you back, PV. :)

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Thanks honeykid, I'm here and then I'm there. I'll at least attempt to keep posting in this thread for the remainder of Series 8.

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

I watched the last couple of episodes kind of as my mum watches them all properly, and I was reminded why I don't watch it properly any more. It's such a frustrating show that makes up rules as it goes along, there is no structures or rules in place, the Doctor thinks of something random in his head and gets the Tardis to do whatever he wants, there is no consistency or whatever, the plot just comes up out of thin air and doesn't make much sense. It just keeps throwing twist after twist to confuse us and there is no way to work out half of the stuff, at least from what I can see.

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

Exterminate!

Re: PeterVincent's Doctor Who Reviews
 

I noticed you watched some Doctor Who Mark, or at least the episodes Wheatley directed. I saw the Dalek one, that was okay, you could certainly tell in some parts that it was him behind the camera. I thought the whole storyline about a good Dalek was a bit silly, and it just seemed like an excuse to revisit the Daleks with a new doctor, they could have done a bit more if they wanted to do so.

http://image-cdn.zap2it.com/images/d...titles-bbc.jpg


Time Heist

Now that's an odd direction.

We continue Series 8 of Doctor Who with Time Heist this week and let's just say after a fairly strong start this series is beginning to see a few duds and issues. Whilst this weeks story is probably not as strong as last weeks, its strengths lie mainly in its style and the desire to unravel a fairly intriguing mystery (much like last week's Listen). Unfortunately, this and Listen share the same disappointing and somewhat overly complex ending that crumbles the cookie into your late night tea.

The plot is difficult to explain, so to keep it simple lets just say The Doctor, Clara and a small team of hired misfits have to break into the universes most secure bank and the catch is that they are all suffering from a temporary memory wipe....but why?

This week the strengths lay mainly with Capaldi getting the chance to go a little more over-the-top and come centre-stage after a lot of Clara focus last week. Other than that element the shining star this weeks is certainly the monster of the episode, an alien of incredible detail and fascinating production design and I couldn't help but be genuinely creeped out by this thing...and scared a couple of times when I got invested in what the other characters were doing.

The episodes weaknesses outweigh this though. The direction is way too energetic in the wrong areas and some angles are awkward to look at, along with the way the introduction is paced and shot. Following that up is an iffy script, with the disappointing finale, the confusing start-up and the terrible supporting characters, who try their best but either have terrible dialogue/delivery or just aren't there enough to make a memorable impact.

Overall Time Heist falls flat into the category of those episodes I'll probably only watch if I hit 'Play All' on the DVD release and can't be bothered getting up. It has a fairly decent premise but bad delivery, some performances are good, but others I can't even recall and even though the design is brilliant, it seems a waste to not bring the other elements up to that standard.
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...2_3044865b.jpg

http://image-cdn.zap2it.com/images/d...titles-bbc.jpg


The Caretaker


FINALLY!!!

Peter Capaldi IS The Doctor. At long last the series has found its perfect balance between tone, wit and Capaldi's harsh demeanour. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

At last, an episode so enjoyable that it had me laughing and invested in every single moment, be it corny or action packed or even heartfelt (I still hate Danny Pink).
At last, an episode where I couldn't care less about the weak villain, because the focus is intended to be completely on the protagonists and the development towards the meeting of The Doctor and Danny.
At lasy, an episode that made me wanna buy the cosplay.

The plot? Well to put it simply, The Doctor goes undercover as a school janitor to stop an alien death machine from potentially killing hundreds of innocent people. What makes it any different from 2006's School Reunion? Well, for starters, Capaldi is one harsh yet funny Doctor, and a lot of the episode is him playing off the attitudes of others.

All the positives lay on Capaldi and the constant pace. Not once did I get bored or want it to be over, I only wanted it to keep going more and more because I was having a ball. Along with that the direction is handled very well and the effects are kept to a nice minimum throughout most of it.

Negatives? Uh...still Danny Pink. But other than that, nothing too extreme or noticeable other than the odd convenience and a scene or two that looks like it's been cut and is missing some beef.

Overall, The Caretaker is fast and a lot of fun and easily my favourite episode of the series so far to put it lightly.



http://www.razorfine.com/wp-content/...retaker-02.jpg

http://image-cdn.zap2it.com/images/d...titles-bbc.jpg

Kill The Moon

Urgh.

It plays off like a Tom Baker episode, and not one of the good ones. Kill The Moon starts off with some promise, but surely and slowly it begins to deteriorate into an exercise of patience and a test of ones sanity. The monsters are sometimes scary, but mostly dull. The acting is fair-enough, but never standout. The sets very much resemble a soundstage, and the plot is so farfetched that I purposely haven't revealed anything about it simply because the only real draw is watching this clustercrap unfold before your eyes.

Kill The Moon is mediocre in it's best times, and a huge letdown as a follow up to the previous, and most spectacular episode of Series 8 last time; The Caretaker.

Heck, I even liked Listen more than this.



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...l_the_moon.jpg

Mummy on the Orient Express

Are you my mummy?

If Kill The Moon felt like a modern day version of a Baker episode (the better Baker), thenMummy on the Orient Express is something of a patchwork Davison episode meets something that might've shown up mid-Tennant era. That, however, is certainly not a bad thing.

The plot is bonkers, but straight-forward enough to understand. There's a train in outer-space that's flying around as a tour or something, and there is a killer on the loose. A monster mummy, to be precise, and when it's victims witness it, they all have precisely 66 seconds to live.

What follows from that set-up is a surprisingly fun episode with lots of spectacular moments from Capaldi's Doctor and a great supporting cast, Frank Skinner as Perkins in particular is so good that he manages to make you wish he would be the next companion for our hero before the episode is even over.

The main weakness is the villain, and not the mummy, I mean the one near the end when the twist happens. It's not that it's a bad revelation or that it doesn't work for the story, it just feels relatively underwhelming and so predictable you assumed they wouldn't go for that angle.

Overall, Mummy on the Orient Express is a fun ride with a good mystery and an effectively chilling monster. It's not perfect and sometimes it's clunky, but it works very well for what it is.



http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...r_Foretold.jpg

Flatline

The Doctor and the TARDIS get shrunk and he pokes his hand out and crawls around with it. Also, the monsters look very good and there's a cool speech at the end.

I actually cannot remember much else about this episode, I may have to rewatch it again but let that statement stand as my justification for this one and why it's 'just okay'.

I think I liked Flatline, though. I think.



http://nerdalicious.com.au/wp-conten...e-Boneless.jpg

http://image-cdn.zap2it.com/images/d...titles-bbc.jpg

In the Forest of the Night

Wooden, and not just because of the trees. I'm talking about the acting here, mainly the dreaded kids.

The plot of this kinda-but-not-quite-because-there's-a-two-parter episode follows Coal Hill School lost in London after planet Earth suddenly suffers a massive increase in trees following some sort of solar event. Sure enough, The Doctor shows up to try his best to save the day, but not without the help of teacher, Clara and her begrudging boyfriend, Danny Pink.

The story might work if the direction, special-effects and acting were significantly better, buy you can tell this one's a train wreck before the first ten minutes even passes by. The primary issue is, as stated, those damn child actors who played the school kids and the subplots that follow them. Sure, it worked for that one child in 2006's School Reunion, but Doctor Who just doesn't feel like Doctor Who when it centres around the adventures of school kids.

Positives rest mainly on Capaldi's grumpiness towards a schoolgirl in his TARDIS and how he reacts to certain events that play out across the episode. Other than that though, an incredible cringey ending to this adventure leaves a bad taste in your mouth, which is unfortunate given that the series has almost wrapped up for the year. Dang.



http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...(TV_story).jpg

Dark Water

The first two-parter since Series 6, and probably the best since the concluding parts of Series 5, Dark Water serves as a fantastic start of a finale and a very intimate and intriguing episode.

The start is huge, with an unexpected death and very understandable human reactions surrounding it. The Capaldi/Coleman dynamic has never been more entertaining and rich than it is here, and I don't think it ever will be.

The plot is hard to describe without spoilers, but it focuses mainly on The Doctor and co. finding the location of where the afterlife may be. It's ridiculous, I know, but it works incredible well for the episode and feels like a breath of fresh air after the last few episodic muddles.

The mysterious Michelle Gomez finally makes a full appearance here as the Gatekeeper of the Something or Other, and of course there is a twist regarding who she really is...The BBC spoiled it before it even aired in Australia which sucks ass.

Anyhow, the pace is good and the mystery is intriguing, plus the return of not one, but TWO of Doctor Who's most famous enemies is incredibly exciting. Dark Water ends on a huge cliffhanger and is easily one of the best episodes of the season.



http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qNs-95cUrN...9664-high-.jpg