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The Brits Like Poison Sky!! WHO 30.5 Airs On The BBC!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
Generally strong notices for the second part of the latest Sontaran story, which aired a short while ago.
As usual, we begin with “Doctor Dan”:
DOCTOR WHO 4.5 – "The Poison Sky" (Part 2 of 2)
Writer: Helen Raynor
Director: Douglas Mackinnon
Cast: David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), Christopher Ryan (General Staal), Rupert Holliday Evans ( Col on el Mace), Dan Starkey (Commander Skorr), Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott), Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble), Ryan Sampson (Luke Rattigan), Clive Standen (Prvt. Harris), Wesley Theobald (Prvt. Gray), Christian Cooke (Ross Jenkins), Meryl Fernandes (Female Student), Leeshon Alexander (Male Student), Bridget Hodson (Captain Price), Kirsty Wark (Herself) & Lachele Carl (US Newsreader)
With Earth's skies poisoned, The Doctor tries to defeat the Sontarans, as Martha's clone manipulates UNIT and Donna is transported to the Sontaran spaceship...
"This isn't war! This is sport!"
-- Commander Skorr (Dan Starkey)
As second parts go, The Poison Sky made for an effective climax of last week's events, although it failed to make the subplot with Luke Rattigan (Ryan Sampson) develop into anything interesting or believable. As an egotistical American child prodigy, his role in helping the Sontarans implement ATMOS in the world's cars was fine, but this episode's attempt to give him a megalomaniacal agenda of his own (to repopulate Earth with his Academy's child genius' after "planetfall") just didn’t work.
Fortunately, everything else about Helen Raynor's script worked well, with some crowd-pleasing moments and a good sense of mounting jeopardy. The skies above Earth have been poisoned, although death only occurs in people when the atmosphere reaches 80% toxicity (quite a flaw for genius Rattigan to have made, but necessary to give The Doctor a fighting chance to revert the damage, of course!) Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) has been cloned, and "Martha Clones" now works undercover as the Sontaran "operative", curiously deactivating the world's nuclear defences – despite the fact even The Doctor (David Tennant) knows the planet's nukes wouldn't dent the Sontaran ship! So quite why she bothers throwing this spanner in the works is unclear, rendering Martha Clones' role somewhat unnecessary.
Donna (Catherine Tate) returns to help The Doctor after her Gramps (Bernard Cribbins) is saved from inside his poisoned car by her mother Sylvia (Jacqueline King) smashing the windscreen with a lump hammer. Unfortunately, The Doctor doesn't seem to be treating Donna with kid gloves (unlike Rose and Martha), and orders her to hideout in the TARDIS where the gas can't reach. Soon after, Sontaran-controlled UNIT soldiers attach beacons to the TARDIS and General Staal (Christopher Ryan) teleports the TARDIS aboard his ship – relishing the capture of a Time Lord's vessel.
The Doctor tries to prevent UNIT engaging the Sontarans in battle, even after they arrive at the ATMOS factory with Commander Skorr ( Dan St arkey), as they can neutralize conventional weapons. Using a phone, he also has to direct a frightened Donna out of the TARDIS to disengage the locked-down teleportation so he can rescue her and retrieve the TARDIS, while working out a way to clear the skies of the ATMOS poison. Phew!
Despite a few niggling problems, The Poison Sky generally provides the expected thrills and spills, and it's always a pleasure whenever a story has The Doctor at the centre of the action. He's been quite passive this season (particularly in Partners In Crime and Planet Of The Ood), so seeing him in the thick of things, plausibly thwarting the Sontaran plan is great fun. It was also nice to see his moral side come out, as he amusingly grumbles about the presence of guns, and eventually decides on a suicide mission purely because it would give the Sontarans a choice in their fate.
In fact, the emphasis on The Doctor pushes both companions even further into the background. The real Martha is absent until her inevitable rescue, the evil "Martha Clones" sadly doesn't have much bearing on events, and Donna's role is once again fairly minor. Catherine Tate gets more agreeable as the weeks pass by, although having her cry in nearly every episode is getting a bit tiresome. Still, her reactions to events are being written more realistically (nervous and scared in the TARDIS) and she's certainly offering audiences something different with The Doctor/companion dynamic.
Overall, The Poison Sky marked the end of a two-part episode that was very enjoyable and contained enough incident and amusements to keep you glued. It didn't fit together as snugly as it could have (with Rattigan being quite pointless, Martha wasted, and Donna underused), but it was still far from boring and the sweep of the episode pushed things along nicely. It was a strong revival for the Sontarans, blessed with great writing for Tennant's Doctor, several exciting moments, and a few welcome in-jokes for old fans to grin at.
The Good
-- David Tennant on top form, and it always helps when The Doctor's role is kept central, humorously written and his actions/solutions credible.
-- Catherine Tate. She didn't do much, but she did it well. Donna's growing on me every week. And a special mention to Bernard Cribbins as her Gramps – who is already my favourite companion family-member. I hope he gets in the TARDIS soon, though...
-- Christopher Ryan as General Staal – once again, it was his pitch-perfect bad-guy voice that really sold his character to me.
-- The special effects for the flaming atmosphere and Sontaran ship were great, and the make-up for the Sontarans was superb. The Valiant was also pretty good in some shots.
The Bad
-- I was hoping Luke Rattigan's role would develop after a lacklustre introduction last week, but Rattigan and his Academy of teenage prodigies were this adventure's weak element. And Ryan Sampson's performance was too broad and silly for my taste.
-- It was a shame General Staal wasn't more instrumental in the story, as he was once again confined to his spaceship and only shared one small scene with The Doctor. A great character, brilliantly performed by Christopher Ryan, but not given much to do!
-- Martha Jones was badly used throughout this episode. You could have written Martha out of the two-parter entirely and it wouldn't have affected the story too much. The clone thing was especially pointless, for the most part.
The Geeky
-- The Doctor mentions that this poison gas doesn’t affect him as badly as humans, giving us another bit of information about Time Lord physiology.
-- Did you catch the subliminal flash of Rose Tyler on the TARDIS view-screen, shouting something in silence?
-- In the scene where he's given weapons training in a gas mask, The Doctor jokes to Colonel Mace "are you my mummy?", which was the phrase the gas-mask-faced little boy in season 1's "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" continually said to chilling effect.
-- UNIT airborne aircraft carrier Valiant makes a return from season 3's "The Sound Of Drums"/"Last Of The Time Lords."
-- Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is mentioned as being "stranded in Peru ". This is the first time the popular Who accomplice has been mentioned in the revived series. Mace refers to him as "Sir Alistair", meaning he's been knighted in the interim.
-- The Sontarans' ongoing war with the Rutans in mentioned. The Rutans are blobby green jellyfish from Ruta 3 who can shape-shift and impersonate creatures they have killed. The only story to feature a Rutan was 1977's Horror Of Fang Rock.
-- Catherine Tate claims she thought all the Sontarans were animatronic, rather than played by actors, until one took their helmet off!
Rating: 3.5 / 5
NEXT WEEK: We meet The Doctor's daughter, played by Georgia Moffett (the real life daughter of Peter Davison, who played The Fifth Doctor)...
“The Manic” says:
In the words of Bill S. Preston: WOAH!
Geekgasm after geekgasm rocked the living room of The Manic! The Sontarans invading and kicking ass! The drama of the Earth choking in the fumes of ATMOS! The SHIELD Helicarrier--er, I mean the Valiant descending from the skies! And, continuing on the Marvel comics theme of this series, the skies catching fire just like in the classic Fantastic Four Galactus story! Colonel Mace actually turning out to be a worthy sucessor to the Brigadier! Nice rousing speech before UNIT literally lowers the boom on the sons of Sontar. Then he shows his true badass nature by popping a cap in gappy Sontaran's gappy features. Coolness! I was punching the air and resisting the urge to yell 'action by HAVOC!' When the UNIT soldiers starting turning it round on the Sontarans.
Then there's the Doctor-- David Tennant has really grown into the role this season and he is comparable now to Tom Baker at the height of his powers. I like the cut of his jib. I like the way he handles business-- I particularly love that he's found his own voice for the role while still very subtly including mannerisms from the earlier Doctors. He's great! You don't need me to tell you that! But right now I'm crossing my fingers and hoping he will do season five. Really, really hoping.
Catherine Tate as Donna is fast becoming one of my favourite companions in Nu Who. Back of the neck-- HA! I just really believe in her performances as Donna. I absolutely feel her joy and wonder and horror at everything, I really do.
Luke Rattigan, like Colonel Mace, seemed a one dimensional character in the first episode but he surprised me too in this one. That scene where his acolytes desert him and his pathological arrogance disolves like a soluable asprin into gibbering abandonment--priceless acting.
Honourable mention to for Christopher Ryan as General Staal for playing one of the best alien villains the series has so far created and the best Sontaran character since Kevin Lindsay's Commander Lynx.
And the Rose cameo! Without looking at any spoilers I kind of had a feeling that Rose would be popping up somewhere in tonight's episode. Next week's episode..oohhh, I don't even want to go into how awesome that looks. Series 4-- best season ever?
“Seresecros” says:
Episode 5: "The Poison Sky"
Doctor Who has never been good at following up on a good opening. Too often in the past, we’ve been set up and then let down by lacklustre resolutions and lazy deus ex-machinas. This episode was slightly different, in that the super-handy world saving device came into play but didn’t feel forced in the least. After the Sontarans released their strangely ineffective gas into the atmosphere (seriously, couldn’t they have made it a little bit more potent? Would’ve saved on a lot of effort in the long-run) they follow up by taking over the factory where the Doctor, UNIT, and the Marclone are all in residence. This episode may have had a little bit of padding at the sides, but all in all managed to deliver a satisfying conclusion to a two-parter which already is one of the more successful story arcs of the entire series so far.
The main theme here is that trickery. More than once, Helen Raynor’s witty and intelligent script (never thought I’d say that) leads the audience into something which seems to make no sense, only to turn on us and reveal that this was the point all along. Case in point? The Rattigan Academy . When it was introduced last episode it seemed as if it were being shoehorned into the episode for little reason apart from using up extra running time. How wrong we were – it turns out that this is what we were meant to believe all along, so when the inhabitants of the academy (dressed, distractingly, in Star Trek red-shirts – I honestly expected a massacre to happen) turned against Rattigan and moved on, it gave the skittish imp a reason to sacrifice himself at the end. Which he did, in another moment that tricked the viewers, as we expected the Doctor to find an escape from nowhere when, in fact, there was none. Rattigan’s kiss-off “Sontaran – HA!” didn’t seem cheesy either, something Dr Who has been terribly guilty of in the past.
And speaking of, this episode was reasonably Martha-free. Freema Agyeman has had a short thrift with Torchwood and Dr Who since her return, never getting much to do – possibly for the best, but still. Her impression of an emotionless clone was unsurprisingly accurate, as that’s what she played for most of the third season, but she still did a reasonable job of acting when she was called to, at the end. Her whole clone subplot seemed like a bit of a waste of time though, really, and far more interesting was Donna, who went from useless idiot who can’t work out how to break a car window to mallet-wielding Sontaran beater. The scene where she thwacks out a Sontaran guard with a rubber mallet alone gets this episode an A-rating. It helps that she’s surrounded by a family that you can actually care about. Rose’s family was annoying, Martha’s family hysterical, but Donna has Bernard Cribbins for a grand-dad, who puts in another tremendously affecting performance this episode, waving Donna off at the end in a realistic and emotional manner that tugs at the ol’ heart-strings no end.
There were a lot of little moments here amongst the madness which made the episode damn entertaining, from the casual sexism of the Sontarans to the return of the big skyjet thing from the end of Series 3. Whilst this episode brought in a lot of continuity from episodes past, it also managed to put in a few touches that hint towards the future. I don’t know if anyone else saw this – but was that Rose who appeared on Donna’s computer screen moments before the Doctor spoke to the Sontarans? If so, then the ending of the episode suddenly makes much more sense. Going back to this episode though, there were a fair few moments that seemed out of place. Ross, who was so well introduced last week, snuffs it pretty casually this episode, with only Tennant seeming to care about his death. Likewise, the whole point of the Sontarans infiltrating the military base was to protect their Martha clone, but we never got told why they needed to clone her in the first place. The infiltration scenes thus came off as an excuse for the BBC to execute another (admittedly impressive) battle sequence. The Sontaran weapons, though – awful special effects. Much better was watching the Doctor ‘fix’ the Earth’s atmosphere, and the Sontaran spaceship, equipped with a… well I’ll say it – a pretty damn phallic laser cannon.
“The Poison Sky”, against all odds, was a witty, intelligent, and entertaining episode, packed with fun moments and great character development for everyone involved apart from Martha (naturally). We had some superb acting from Tennant and Tate, as well as several members of the supporting cast, and to top it off the episode ends with a small cliffhanger which may or may not have been caused by Rose. Sadly, Martha IS back in the Tardis, but you can’t have everything, can you?
Episode Rating: A.
Other Points of Interest:
The brigadier is still alive...?
Did anyone else nothing that in the scene where the parts of the world with nuclear capability launched nuclear missiles at the Sontarans, North Korea was amongst them? Topical!
I was worried we wouldn’t get to see the Sontarans get their comeuppance – no such worries! They got hella killed! Those lovable baked potatoes got shot here, there, and everywhere!
Next week: A father-daughter reunion.
“Palimpsest” says:
Hi again Herc - another brief overview of tonight's DOCTOR WHO, which has just aired in the UK.
After last week's slightly awkward opening half of a two-parter featuring classic series villains the Sontarans, this time New Who really lets rip. The Doc is battling against a planet-shrouding fog that the Sontarans are deploying on earth via alien-tech satnav systems. except this is all too subtle for the usually gung-ho Sontarans. So what are they really up to?
World-troubling cheekiness, that's what.
Without giving a point-by-point plot rerun or over-spoiling things, The Poison Sky delivers: some nifty action, full-on laser battles on Earth, some awesome effects (by UK TV standards - the faintest of praise, I know), a couple of well-worked-in moral dilemmas, nods to MOONRAKER and THE FOG amongst others, some well-realised minor characters, and a nicely surprising climax.
In short, another strong episode in what's been a mostly very satisfactory series so far. Next week, The Doctor meets...his daughter?!
Thanks Herc
$49.95: Every Issue 1963-2006!! 
DC SUPERHEROES!! ON DVD!!
Writer: Helen Raynor
Director: Douglas Mackinnon
Cast: David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), Christopher Ryan (General Staal), Rupert Holliday Evans ( Col on el Mace), Dan Starkey (Commander Skorr), Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott), Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble), Ryan Sampson (Luke Rattigan), Clive Standen (Prvt. Harris), Wesley Theobald (Prvt. Gray), Christian Cooke (Ross Jenkins), Meryl Fernandes (Female Student), Leeshon Alexander (Male Student), Bridget Hodson (Captain Price), Kirsty Wark (Herself) & Lachele Carl (US Newsreader)
With Earth's skies poisoned, The Doctor tries to defeat the Sontarans, as Martha's clone manipulates UNIT and Donna is transported to the Sontaran spaceship...
"This isn't war! This is sport!"
-- Commander Skorr (Dan Starkey)
As second parts go, The Poison Sky made for an effective climax of last week's events, although it failed to make the subplot with Luke Rattigan (Ryan Sampson) develop into anything interesting or believable. As an egotistical American child prodigy, his role in helping the Sontarans implement ATMOS in the world's cars was fine, but this episode's attempt to give him a megalomaniacal agenda of his own (to repopulate Earth with his Academy's child genius' after "planetfall") just didn’t work.
Fortunately, everything else about Helen Raynor's script worked well, with some crowd-pleasing moments and a good sense of mounting jeopardy. The skies above Earth have been poisoned, although death only occurs in people when the atmosphere reaches 80% toxicity (quite a flaw for genius Rattigan to have made, but necessary to give The Doctor a fighting chance to revert the damage, of course!) Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) has been cloned, and "Martha Clones" now works undercover as the Sontaran "operative", curiously deactivating the world's nuclear defences – despite the fact even The Doctor (David Tennant) knows the planet's nukes wouldn't dent the Sontaran ship! So quite why she bothers throwing this spanner in the works is unclear, rendering Martha Clones' role somewhat unnecessary.
Donna (Catherine Tate) returns to help The Doctor after her Gramps (Bernard Cribbins) is saved from inside his poisoned car by her mother Sylvia (Jacqueline King) smashing the windscreen with a lump hammer. Unfortunately, The Doctor doesn't seem to be treating Donna with kid gloves (unlike Rose and Martha), and orders her to hideout in the TARDIS where the gas can't reach. Soon after, Sontaran-controlled UNIT soldiers attach beacons to the TARDIS and General Staal (Christopher Ryan) teleports the TARDIS aboard his ship – relishing the capture of a Time Lord's vessel.
The Doctor tries to prevent UNIT engaging the Sontarans in battle, even after they arrive at the ATMOS factory with Commander Skorr ( Dan St arkey), as they can neutralize conventional weapons. Using a phone, he also has to direct a frightened Donna out of the TARDIS to disengage the locked-down teleportation so he can rescue her and retrieve the TARDIS, while working out a way to clear the skies of the ATMOS poison. Phew!
Despite a few niggling problems, The Poison Sky generally provides the expected thrills and spills, and it's always a pleasure whenever a story has The Doctor at the centre of the action. He's been quite passive this season (particularly in Partners In Crime and Planet Of The Ood), so seeing him in the thick of things, plausibly thwarting the Sontaran plan is great fun. It was also nice to see his moral side come out, as he amusingly grumbles about the presence of guns, and eventually decides on a suicide mission purely because it would give the Sontarans a choice in their fate.
In fact, the emphasis on The Doctor pushes both companions even further into the background. The real Martha is absent until her inevitable rescue, the evil "Martha Clones" sadly doesn't have much bearing on events, and Donna's role is once again fairly minor. Catherine Tate gets more agreeable as the weeks pass by, although having her cry in nearly every episode is getting a bit tiresome. Still, her reactions to events are being written more realistically (nervous and scared in the TARDIS) and she's certainly offering audiences something different with The Doctor/companion dynamic.
Overall, The Poison Sky marked the end of a two-part episode that was very enjoyable and contained enough incident and amusements to keep you glued. It didn't fit together as snugly as it could have (with Rattigan being quite pointless, Martha wasted, and Donna underused), but it was still far from boring and the sweep of the episode pushed things along nicely. It was a strong revival for the Sontarans, blessed with great writing for Tennant's Doctor, several exciting moments, and a few welcome in-jokes for old fans to grin at.
The Good
-- David Tennant on top form, and it always helps when The Doctor's role is kept central, humorously written and his actions/solutions credible.
-- Catherine Tate. She didn't do much, but she did it well. Donna's growing on me every week. And a special mention to Bernard Cribbins as her Gramps – who is already my favourite companion family-member. I hope he gets in the TARDIS soon, though...
-- Christopher Ryan as General Staal – once again, it was his pitch-perfect bad-guy voice that really sold his character to me.
-- The special effects for the flaming atmosphere and Sontaran ship were great, and the make-up for the Sontarans was superb. The Valiant was also pretty good in some shots.
The Bad
-- I was hoping Luke Rattigan's role would develop after a lacklustre introduction last week, but Rattigan and his Academy of teenage prodigies were this adventure's weak element. And Ryan Sampson's performance was too broad and silly for my taste.
-- It was a shame General Staal wasn't more instrumental in the story, as he was once again confined to his spaceship and only shared one small scene with The Doctor. A great character, brilliantly performed by Christopher Ryan, but not given much to do!
-- Martha Jones was badly used throughout this episode. You could have written Martha out of the two-parter entirely and it wouldn't have affected the story too much. The clone thing was especially pointless, for the most part.
The Geeky
-- The Doctor mentions that this poison gas doesn’t affect him as badly as humans, giving us another bit of information about Time Lord physiology.
-- Did you catch the subliminal flash of Rose Tyler on the TARDIS view-screen, shouting something in silence?
-- In the scene where he's given weapons training in a gas mask, The Doctor jokes to Colonel Mace "are you my mummy?", which was the phrase the gas-mask-faced little boy in season 1's "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" continually said to chilling effect.
-- UNIT airborne aircraft carrier Valiant makes a return from season 3's "The Sound Of Drums"/"Last Of The Time Lords."
-- Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is mentioned as being "stranded in Peru ". This is the first time the popular Who accomplice has been mentioned in the revived series. Mace refers to him as "Sir Alistair", meaning he's been knighted in the interim.
-- The Sontarans' ongoing war with the Rutans in mentioned. The Rutans are blobby green jellyfish from Ruta 3 who can shape-shift and impersonate creatures they have killed. The only story to feature a Rutan was 1977's Horror Of Fang Rock.
-- Catherine Tate claims she thought all the Sontarans were animatronic, rather than played by actors, until one took their helmet off!
Rating: 3.5 / 5
NEXT WEEK: We meet The Doctor's daughter, played by Georgia Moffett (the real life daughter of Peter Davison, who played The Fifth Doctor)...
Geekgasm after geekgasm rocked the living room of The Manic! The Sontarans invading and kicking ass! The drama of the Earth choking in the fumes of ATMOS! The SHIELD Helicarrier--er, I mean the Valiant descending from the skies! And, continuing on the Marvel comics theme of this series, the skies catching fire just like in the classic Fantastic Four Galactus story! Colonel Mace actually turning out to be a worthy sucessor to the Brigadier! Nice rousing speech before UNIT literally lowers the boom on the sons of Sontar. Then he shows his true badass nature by popping a cap in gappy Sontaran's gappy features. Coolness! I was punching the air and resisting the urge to yell 'action by HAVOC!' When the UNIT soldiers starting turning it round on the Sontarans.
Then there's the Doctor-- David Tennant has really grown into the role this season and he is comparable now to Tom Baker at the height of his powers. I like the cut of his jib. I like the way he handles business-- I particularly love that he's found his own voice for the role while still very subtly including mannerisms from the earlier Doctors. He's great! You don't need me to tell you that! But right now I'm crossing my fingers and hoping he will do season five. Really, really hoping.
Catherine Tate as Donna is fast becoming one of my favourite companions in Nu Who. Back of the neck-- HA! I just really believe in her performances as Donna. I absolutely feel her joy and wonder and horror at everything, I really do.
Luke Rattigan, like Colonel Mace, seemed a one dimensional character in the first episode but he surprised me too in this one. That scene where his acolytes desert him and his pathological arrogance disolves like a soluable asprin into gibbering abandonment--priceless acting.
Honourable mention to for Christopher Ryan as General Staal for playing one of the best alien villains the series has so far created and the best Sontaran character since Kevin Lindsay's Commander Lynx.
And the Rose cameo! Without looking at any spoilers I kind of had a feeling that Rose would be popping up somewhere in tonight's episode. Next week's episode..oohhh, I don't even want to go into how awesome that looks. Series 4-- best season ever?
Doctor Who has never been good at following up on a good opening. Too often in the past, we’ve been set up and then let down by lacklustre resolutions and lazy deus ex-machinas. This episode was slightly different, in that the super-handy world saving device came into play but didn’t feel forced in the least. After the Sontarans released their strangely ineffective gas into the atmosphere (seriously, couldn’t they have made it a little bit more potent? Would’ve saved on a lot of effort in the long-run) they follow up by taking over the factory where the Doctor, UNIT, and the Marclone are all in residence. This episode may have had a little bit of padding at the sides, but all in all managed to deliver a satisfying conclusion to a two-parter which already is one of the more successful story arcs of the entire series so far.
The main theme here is that trickery. More than once, Helen Raynor’s witty and intelligent script (never thought I’d say that) leads the audience into something which seems to make no sense, only to turn on us and reveal that this was the point all along. Case in point? The Rattigan Academy . When it was introduced last episode it seemed as if it were being shoehorned into the episode for little reason apart from using up extra running time. How wrong we were – it turns out that this is what we were meant to believe all along, so when the inhabitants of the academy (dressed, distractingly, in Star Trek red-shirts – I honestly expected a massacre to happen) turned against Rattigan and moved on, it gave the skittish imp a reason to sacrifice himself at the end. Which he did, in another moment that tricked the viewers, as we expected the Doctor to find an escape from nowhere when, in fact, there was none. Rattigan’s kiss-off “Sontaran – HA!” didn’t seem cheesy either, something Dr Who has been terribly guilty of in the past.
And speaking of, this episode was reasonably Martha-free. Freema Agyeman has had a short thrift with Torchwood and Dr Who since her return, never getting much to do – possibly for the best, but still. Her impression of an emotionless clone was unsurprisingly accurate, as that’s what she played for most of the third season, but she still did a reasonable job of acting when she was called to, at the end. Her whole clone subplot seemed like a bit of a waste of time though, really, and far more interesting was Donna, who went from useless idiot who can’t work out how to break a car window to mallet-wielding Sontaran beater. The scene where she thwacks out a Sontaran guard with a rubber mallet alone gets this episode an A-rating. It helps that she’s surrounded by a family that you can actually care about. Rose’s family was annoying, Martha’s family hysterical, but Donna has Bernard Cribbins for a grand-dad, who puts in another tremendously affecting performance this episode, waving Donna off at the end in a realistic and emotional manner that tugs at the ol’ heart-strings no end.
There were a lot of little moments here amongst the madness which made the episode damn entertaining, from the casual sexism of the Sontarans to the return of the big skyjet thing from the end of Series 3. Whilst this episode brought in a lot of continuity from episodes past, it also managed to put in a few touches that hint towards the future. I don’t know if anyone else saw this – but was that Rose who appeared on Donna’s computer screen moments before the Doctor spoke to the Sontarans? If so, then the ending of the episode suddenly makes much more sense. Going back to this episode though, there were a fair few moments that seemed out of place. Ross, who was so well introduced last week, snuffs it pretty casually this episode, with only Tennant seeming to care about his death. Likewise, the whole point of the Sontarans infiltrating the military base was to protect their Martha clone, but we never got told why they needed to clone her in the first place. The infiltration scenes thus came off as an excuse for the BBC to execute another (admittedly impressive) battle sequence. The Sontaran weapons, though – awful special effects. Much better was watching the Doctor ‘fix’ the Earth’s atmosphere, and the Sontaran spaceship, equipped with a… well I’ll say it – a pretty damn phallic laser cannon.
“The Poison Sky”, against all odds, was a witty, intelligent, and entertaining episode, packed with fun moments and great character development for everyone involved apart from Martha (naturally). We had some superb acting from Tennant and Tate, as well as several members of the supporting cast, and to top it off the episode ends with a small cliffhanger which may or may not have been caused by Rose. Sadly, Martha IS back in the Tardis, but you can’t have everything, can you?
Episode Rating: A.
Other Points of Interest:
The brigadier is still alive...?
Did anyone else nothing that in the scene where the parts of the world with nuclear capability launched nuclear missiles at the Sontarans, North Korea was amongst them? Topical!
I was worried we wouldn’t get to see the Sontarans get their comeuppance – no such worries! They got hella killed! Those lovable baked potatoes got shot here, there, and everywhere!
Next week: A father-daughter reunion.
After last week's slightly awkward opening half of a two-parter featuring classic series villains the Sontarans, this time New Who really lets rip. The Doc is battling against a planet-shrouding fog that the Sontarans are deploying on earth via alien-tech satnav systems. except this is all too subtle for the usually gung-ho Sontarans. So what are they really up to?
World-troubling cheekiness, that's what.
Without giving a point-by-point plot rerun or over-spoiling things, The Poison Sky delivers: some nifty action, full-on laser battles on Earth, some awesome effects (by UK TV standards - the faintest of praise, I know), a couple of well-worked-in moral dilemmas, nods to MOONRAKER and THE FOG amongst others, some well-realised minor characters, and a nicely surprising climax.
In short, another strong episode in what's been a mostly very satisfactory series so far. Next week, The Doctor meets...his daughter?!
Thanks Herc
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+ Expand All
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Only an hour since the ep finishes, and Herc's got four reviews up! Top banana...
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The shot of Billie on the scanner almost ruined it and there should have been more Christopher Ryan. His performance as Staal was excellent, but he was badly underused this week. Plus the pace was a bit slow, it almost felt padded in places.
As for next week, will Peter Davison's daughter make for a good Doctor's daughter? And I'm glad Martha is back in the TARDIS. -
Oh yes indeed
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Like one of the reviewers, I think Bernard Cribbins is a great addition to the cast. He does exactly what he needs to, and he's the first 'extended family' character that hasn't been aggravating cameos (though admittedly the Tyler clan grew on me over time). Wouldn't it be nice if the Doctor could give him a jaunt in the Tardis? Just a quick joyflight, not taking him along for half a dozen episodes. I didn't like, for example, how they conveniently trapped Martha in the Tardis at the end of this episode. I was expecting the Doctor and Donna to leave, Martha wistfully watch the Tardis dematerialise, and then get approached by this pouting blond girl with big eyes, who already knows the Doctor.
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I could have been first, but, i have not seen "The Poison Sky" yet. So, it would not have been fair.
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Doctor Who - The Poison Sky
This episode picks up right where the last one left off, with the recap being the pre-title sequence. I will say I'm a little peeved seeing the phrase "and Freema Agyeman" and not just her name, they didn't do that to John Barrowman last year. What about when the Rose, Mickey, and Sara Jane episode comes later this year are they going to say, "and Billie Piper", "and Elisabeth Sladen" and and and?? I doubt it. But that's a tiny nit to pick here.
As many people speculated the resolution to the grand dying in the car was pretty obvious, except it was not Donna, but her Mum who threw the rock threw the window, or axe as it were. The whole ATMOS thing plays out very nicely and it seems to employ every single fog machine in the UK, as it belches out tons of poisonous gas all over the world. I will say using Evil Martha to steal secrets and codes didn't seem very Sontaran like, a little too much cloak and dagger for a race that prides it self on facing it's enemies. That aside, the episode starts with some excellent chaos and continues for the length of the show.
While the true plan of the Sontarans takes time to expose it self, we do get to see something odd, (besides the flash on the vid screen) we get to see Donna, actually flummoxed, and not knowing exactly what to do. When the Doctor sends her a message, she actually didn't know what to do with it at first, when simply hitting dial last number would have worked. I will say the whole sub-plot involving the geniuses is completely unnecessary. They should have just killed Rattigan off at the end of the last episode. And I'm getting a little tired of the clichéd use of news broadcasts to give exposition about the rest of the world. There's no reason why it should be done like this over, and over in every modern day episode. This could have been handled by people inside UNIT relaying the info, which for the most part is obvious and not really needed. The fancy TV style graphics is wearing thin on me. In particular the close-up shots of pixelatied mouths and the like.
At about the half way point we get to see the Sontaran force do battle with the UNIT troops, and since bullets cost real production money the UNIT boys don't really stand a chance against the Sontarans at first. But I will say I was pleased with the Sontaran weapons they looked very old school. Plus the single best line EVER is uttered by the Doctor himself when both he and the UNIT forces go on the offensive, complete with protective gear. It's such a brilliant call back, that it caught me completely off guard.
Overall the episode was an excellent conclusion to the Sontaran story line, even though the whole Sontaran plan was a tad weak, the pacing of the episode was very good. Again could have done without the Rattigan story line, and the Doctor's fear of a gun, which he certainly knew wouldn't work did bother me a bit. But all in all, quite satisfying.
Just my 2¢,
Kelvington -
Another cracking episode, and a strong series so far.
I've always liked Bernard Cribbins, so its good to see him back on the telly. I hope that somehow they reference the fact that he has already been one of the Doctor's companions in one of the movies, Dalek Invasion Earth 2150AD, with Peter Cushing as the Doctor. -
this was good and bad episode. Still better than this week's Lost and BSG though."Are you my mummy?" was priceless. Donna's mom breaking the window was good.Doctor knowing that Martha was a clone was goodDonna's granddad continues to be good. Keep him and ditch Donna!The Brigadier General reference was good.Donna not knowing what to do with the pone was bad. Don't cell phones in the UK record numbers. Shouldn't she still have Martha's number in it?The Doctor being stranded even when he knew that the smart kid had a transmat was lame. Sure the Sontarans disabled theirs but the Doctor didn't know that.Why was the smart kid in this in the first place? Sure he served a purpose in the end but there could have been other ways to deal with the problem.the UNIT leader kissing the other soldier was just cheesy. Was she even in the episdoe before that?
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These fleeting moments of Rose are really wetting my appetite. I firmly believe that a HUGE part of the New Who appeal was Billie Piper; who in some cases acted her co-stars off the screen. Her perfromance in The Impossible Planet two parter is astonishingly effective. That final shot as David Tennant chokes up 'stuff of legends' just look at her face. Oh that made me cry, and when on listening to the commentary I discovered it was the final shot they filmed together, before Billie departed, well it just added a whole new level of resonance. So I for one am really looking forwrad to her being back where she belongs. I just hope the rumours of her death are just that rumours. I have a feeling we may be saying 'cheerio' to Donna. I'm loving Catherine Tate and her 'Sarah Jane like - Best Mate' vibe.
And ohhhhhhhhhhh the Doctor's Daughter... What can it all mean? (Wasn't that Steven Moffat's idea?)
Love to you one and all and keep watching the good Doctor because it's the only show on TV that keeps me coming back for more. What will I do next year? Tut tut. -
Oh dear god, please ignore my dreadful spelling. I am very tired.
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And no mention of the f*cking Rani please. F*CK OFF RANI.
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"Martha Clones now works undercover, curiously deactivating the world's nuclear defences – despite the fact even The Doctor knows the planet's nukes wouldn't dent the Sontaran ship! So quite why she bothers throwing this spanner in the works is unclear"
I thought she was stopping the nukes because they would harm the gas the Sonatarans were cultivating.
Cribbins rules! -
I didn't see them use a grenade once. Yeah, they're great at stomping around and walking into bullets but, for fuck's sake, they need a tad more practice on Counter-Strike before claiming to be elite soldiers.And what's with the most vulnerable part of their body being exposed for all and sundry to abuse when their back's turned. A nice thick, woolly scarf would surely fix that problematic area right up. Tell me I'm wrong.
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Tate still bugs and getting sick of all Who baddies looking the same. Only Two Sontarans showed their faces and then it was copy paste, copy paste, copy paste - same repetitive look for the rest with helmets just like every other Who baddie (except probably daleks). They could at least have different colour uniforms or even decals to show rank or job. Lazy bastards.
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Don't criticise British mobiles. Mulder and Scully spent nine years not knowing who was calling till they picked up
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I don't feel I can add anything that wasn't covered by the reviewers there. Yes, it was fantastic to hear that the Brigadier is still around. In Peru. And yes, the "Are you my mummy?" line was a highlight.
The only thing I could maybe add is about the face on the screen. Dan wrote that she was "shouting something in silence". Now I may be mistaken but I thought it was clearly "Doctor!". Wasn't it? -
May 03, 2008 6:24:40 PM CDT
I'm pretty sure Rose was saying "Doctor" that's what it looked l
by bateman123
anyway, apart from that and the "are you my mummy?" gag this episode was very so-so.
Not overly fond of the tone of the some of the storylines this season. This episode was all about polution. The ood was about slavery. I think that they should stop trying to be topical and concentrate on the episodes. -
May 03, 2008 6:42:08 PM CDT
Damn hitting enter before being ready! Oh and more Cribbins plea
by gabba-uk
Donna still annoying me. That ain't gonna ever change. But other than that, good episode. Loved the mention of the Brigadier alive and well. Liked the sexy, uptight blonde unit soldier even more than when she was playing the S & M loving sadistic Nazi fuck buddy of Rasputin in Hellboy. Shame General Stall got cooked, Christopher Ryan played a blinder in that role. Cribbins needs a ride in the TARDIS before he signs out. Next week, King Arthur (Nigel Terry) from Excalibur and The Doctors hot daughter. Still got to deal with Donna but nothings perfect.
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is the speed at which Doctor Who TB's are being posted here. I know you guys are about a week behind us but how is Who doing in the ratings over there?
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Watching the "Previously..." bit made me think "This macguffin doesn't make any sense". So 52 people all around the world died in cars fitted with ATMOS at exactly the same time. That's mysterious... Except when you think that 800 million cars (or w'ever) are supposed to have ATMOS fitted. So thats like a gazillionth of a percent of the population of the world (or something). Even Mohammed Al Fayed wouldn't cry "Conspiracy" at those odds...
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I think one of the most heartening things about this season is how much love there's (rightfully) been for Bernard Cribbins. If the Doctor ever has to face the alien race of the Tomsk then he'd definitely need Wilf's help.
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Then again, every show is better.
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I'd love to see a fight between The Slayer and the offspring of the Last Time Lord. Looks like Jenny would drop-kick Buffy into a black hole. Although they should've named her "Samantha" to poke fun at that Kelly Bundy show on ABC.
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I hope Jenny's mother is Romana, Peri, or Grace, and not over-rated Rose. Hell, maybe The Doctor picked up Lynda-with-a-Y right before the Daleks allegedly killed her, for the sole purpose of getting a hot baby mama.
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... which is why she is yelling Doctor! or whatever during that short clip. Something is destroying the world she is in -- the Daleks, perhaps. I'm interested in where this series is going with its finale.
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The Sontaran Stratagem was to use the earth as a clone farm, so all the inhabitants had to be poisoned, but not with the atmosphere nuked (bouncing off the Sontaran Ship?), so the operative had to be protected to stop the nukes being launched. That was why there were absolutely no plot holes in this episode...
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Clone race, remember?
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This has been the most consistently good run of eisodes for new who. thus far. Have not got time to nit pick so just want to say loved the brief glimpse of billie, loved the doctor guiding donna via mobile( or cellular for any american readers) loved the fact that martha is back on board, loved the refernce the the brigadier. For all those speculating that the Rani will return......isn't that sort of obvious since the scene at the end of last season with the vamp at the Masters cremation. .Next episode looks pretty impressive too. Also have to praise Bernard Cribbins, a family member who can act is a rarity and ever since the dancing on the allotment on the first episode .it seems he is bringing a level of realism to a show that often encourages bad pantomime performances.
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The reason the martha clone was stopping the nukes was because they would have done what the doctors device did with setting fire to the new atmosphere.
So yeah, not a plot hole, although they could have pulled more humour out of the whole clone thing -
that Martha Clones would still be alive enough to volunteer to take the terraforming device up to the Sontaran ship. And that Rattigan would have some sort of redemptiony epilogue.
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especially after the clone's speech to the real Martha.
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More humour from the clone saga? Are you kidding me Setesh! There was no way ever that the clone issue of the past 2 episodes was going to be used as a story relief. I'm a bit surprised that the clone of Martha wasn't a bit meaner (think superman 3 here), I mean after all, she has previous memories of the Doctor. Aside from that what a FANTASTIC episode. Nice to see the Valiant, though I would have expected a little bit of ill-will posed towards the ship due to the doctor being imprisoned on there as an imp for over a year (but what's 365+ days to a timelord?).
Brilliant episode. Special effects were top class and Tennant was on top form - loved the bit where he switched the view screen to cartoons when General Staal wasn't co-operating. The Doc's a tough cookie to deal with...oh yes! -
Since they probably still have the most. Actually now that I think about it, I don't remember the US being mentioned either.
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writing a talkabout straight after reading one is not a good idea! Where's my own TARDIS gone?
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Is this this weekend for Marvel Comics or what?
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Didn't think so.. The Valiant, a 21st century aircraft carrier for a 21st century military organisation.
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I missed Rose as I was eating my tea, oh well. I enjoyed this episode a lot. It was tight, well plotted and really fun, some tense Donna momants and Im glad Martha is still around, she never really got to do much upon her return, it was all her evil clone. http://tinyurl.com/66dqaj
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She was shouting at the top of her lungs (though there was no audio) something along the lines of "Doooooooooooooooctttttttttttttttor!".........Puzzle-ling
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Regarding the mother of the Doctor's daughter, it doesn't have to be anyone we've ever seen since the very first episode of Doctor Who featured his granddaughter.
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I don't think the daughter in the next episode is the mother of Susan, the Doctor's granddaughter...unless at some point, the daughter gives birth to Susan and the Tenth Doctor goes back in time to give an infant Susan to The First Doctor, telling him to raise her...because the Tenth Doctor already experienced raising Susan, he'd know that he had to give her to his first incarnation...flawless Time Lord logic, if you don't think about it.
It would also have to happen after the restoration of Gallifrey since the First Doctor and Susan are essentiall on the run from the other Time Lords, and while there have been rumours, there is no solid evidence that Gallifrey and Skaro will be restored, so it's unlikely that this daughter is the mother of Susan.
This would of course mean that this new daughter is at least the second child to have been fathered by the Doctor, with the first child being fathered by the First Doctor way back before the series began.
It all brings up the question though, where is Susan? I actually think she may have fought in the Time War and was killed, given that the Ninth Doctor has a line where he says that his family was killed in the war. -
Killer episode. The relationship between Donna and her grandfather is already one of the highlights of this season. In fact, Donna is now second on my list of favorite new-Who companions after Rose, who was definitely calling out "Doctor" when she popped up. Nice to see UNIT kick some ass near the end, and I liked that Martha knew her place was on Earth and wasn't all lovesick ready to jaunt off again in the TARDIS. And the ending! Next Saturday is too far away.
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Come on-- If you could travel anywhere in time and space, you'd be getting laid, too.
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You know, you can love more than one show. You know that, right? And the Tate hate is gone as of this week. She grew on me and now I'll hate to see her go. And her Gramps is a great character, too. If he doesn't get a trip on the Tardis, it'll be a shame. Billie Piper was in the credits for her 60 frames. lol
This show is great fun and to compare it to other shows is unfair. It's like comparing your girlfriend to your goofy best buddy and forcing yourself to make a choice. Sorry, I'm not going to make out with my best friend, and I'm surely not going to watch a marathon of anime with my girlfriend. -
It's gay that the Sontarans were felled by simple 7.62mm bullets; once UNIT figured out how to compensate for the Sontaran's tricks.
Oh, and did anyone catch that the doctor has a daughter and that she is gay? Sigh. RTD continues to gay up the series. -
Again, I say SPOILER.....The web is reporting that the daughter is a clone, someone swiped some DNA from the Doctor. Specifically, the fifth doctor.
MORE SPOILER...One article which didn't bother to warn me, says that in the next episode, Martha gets kidnapped and the Doctor is distracted by "the most important woman in his life".
END OF SPOILAGE - START OF SPECULATION
After watching this episode and hearing the rumors about Donna going bad. She must be taken over by someone. The way they are writing her (crying when all alone with no one watching) she must still be who she started out as.
I liked Poison Sky. People who nitpick just don't understand. It's Doctor Who. It's never going to be perfect. But it is fun. -
and, I don't usually do that, great, no, fantastic episode!!!!! One question, why do people who don't watch Doctor Who come to this talk-back and post lame comments? Why would you waste your time?
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"show you watch when you're desperate for something to do."
Obviously Gotham Night has never heard of reading a fucking book. -
Its the same soldier guy that is shown marching along with the other soldiers in a few frames before. But I guess it would suck if a male actor was mistaken for a lesbian.
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A friend of mine had a magnet on her refrigerator, with a picture celebrating a couple's marriage.
I asked "Who's the lesbian couple?" Turns out one of them was a guy, but even after she told me that, looking at the picture, I still thought it was a woman. -
aftra may sign away all its rights...but sag is standing firm...they do not want the wga contract...wooohoooo....no fall season...no more movies...everyone in the world starts playing wow to spend their idle time...aicn closes shop...herc is forced to beg on the street....news at 11
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I was glad to see the cliffhanger resolution everyone expected. One tiny plot hole ... the invasion force didn't actually do a good job protect the operative once it got down (I suppose they got to caught up in their "sport"?). Good to see UNIT strike back in style (even if it isn't the Doctor's preferred approach, it's nice to see humans aren't completely helpless without him). I was a little sad there didn't get to be more banter between the Doctor and Staal, that was quite the matchup (perhaps some day the Doctor will cross paths again with new "undefeated" Staal clone?). I wonder if they will be able to bring back Nicholas Courtney for a Brigadier cameo some day? I can't wait to see where they go with next week's story ... that preview had me thinking "Buffy the Time Lady" :)
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...the Meddling Monk. Easy way to bring another Time Lord into the mix, although I suppose it's an obscure character.Other than that, enjoyed the return on the Sontarans.
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"I'm cleverer than you! I'm cleverer than EVERYONE!!!" (stamps foot)He was better in Undercover Brother.
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...the more he's in this show the better. And as I've said before, I'd love to see him in the Tardis for at least a couple of episodes, I mean who says all companions have to be young anyway? I'll take interesting and great actor over young bit of fluff any day. As for this ep, it was fun. As for Tate, honestly I think she's been pretty good really, and she certainly brings her own dynamic to the show, just as any good companion should. I do wish we could go one episode without her crying though...
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Brian Blessed! Nicola Bryant! Great fun!
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He's been in Doctor Who, Star Wars, Blake's 7, Space: 1999, The Avengers and Flash Gordon. Time to complete the set!
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episode about? I missed that bit at the end of very meh episode.
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I'm stilla bit confused as to why most of the reviews are saying that this season is shaping up nicely.This seasons episodes have been really turgid and dull.Last nights episode was..okay.I sort of enjoyed it,I could read where everything was going - everything was telegraphed.But again,Tennant was on form and THAT FUCKING WOMAN was mostly underused.Marth yet again proved incapable of acting with any class higher than Grange Hill but looked lovely.But.....and this REALY pissed me off....THAT FUCKING WOMAN was made to cry AGAIN!!AGAIN!!Jesus H. Tittyfucking Christ,I freely admit that IT has kept the fishwife at mostly minimal but if she cries once more this series I swear I will kick the fucking tv in(or YouTube as that's all I can get to see the damn things).Oh,and Rose was used far more effectively here.But next weeks episode????How does it look any good.It looks terrible and campy,totally unoriginal.It has to be a cloned daughter.How fucking original.At a guess I'd say....gurning,screeching,running towards camera,monster shouting,clues to be found,gurning,explosions,soft tearful moment,tardis,gurning,shouting,running towards camera,coda....next week on Dr Who...gurning,confused looks,screeching,explosion,monster shouting,running towards camera,gurning,shouting,explosion,DR Who theme......
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has any1 noticed that this season seems to just be about aliens tryin 2 breed on earth? with the exception of the ood of course
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I'm sorry, but she can't.
Last year she royally fucked the Daleks with that stupid Noo Yawk storyline & got away with it.
This year she survives a well deserved culling by throwing us fanboys some nods to past Who?
I'm not gonna presume anyone from BBC Wales/Dr Who team comes here, but this woman is a terrible writer.
Evil Sat Nav? Jesus.
And that genuis kid is possibly the most annoying who character yet.
Don't get me started on the All Blacks style war dance thingy the Sontarans did.
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The Doctor lands on the remote planet Messaline as an age-old war rages and the threat of genocide looms. When Martha is kidnapped by the Hath, the Doctor is distracted by "the most important woman in his life." His daughter...
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Loved it. Lots of fanboy pleasing references. This is definately shaping up as the best series yet, next week looks great. The Hath look scary and they communicate using bubbles. Brilliant
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I pretty much agree with you. Tennant is excellent in the role but the stories are letting him down, and in last nights ep' the story required no real depth or range from him and his mugging alone couldn't help disguise quite a bad rot that's setting in to the revamped show
I love the escapism and fun of the show, and certainly if you look at BBC or ITV saturday night scheduling before its return it's a much better place for it. Ecclestone was fantastic (better than Tennant IMO, but thats preference) but with the stories in series 1 there was a different 'feel' to the rinse and repeat formula thats worked its way in slowly over the last three series. The major trouble is out of about 12 ep's a series for all of the four seasons there are roughly four excellent-to very good efforts in each and then the fall off for the others is scary.
Since Blink last year for me there hasn't been anything remotely near it in quality, and the promise of two written ep's written by the same guy at the back end of the run just isn't enough. Don't get me wrong I still like to dip into the show and what it represents, it just doesn't warrant the easy praised or hype it seems to get in the UK.
Perhaps the most annoying issue is that Russell T. Davies in interviews tends to use the George Lucas defence - i.e. "well if adults don't like it or think its bad then they've got to remember its a KIDS show and they aren't as critical". It's the worst defence in the world, and invalid since the younger cousins I have tend to lean towards the the well written ep's too (they loved Girl in the Fireplace and the Human Nature ep' and meh'ed at the last four ep's) -
I see the ratings are on a real downward slide, I don't believe it's the show itself, more like that RIDICULOUS timeslot! Russell T knows his stuff, he said they'd lose 2 million, and by God they have.
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I totally agree with you.There are fundamental differences with this years series(and I think it probable actually started after Blink)but what it is I really can't quite put my finger on.I recently rewatched The Sontaran Experiment on YouTube and was quite delighted to find it stood up as a decent drama.The writing was pretty tight but now....Well,the Eccleston series was a blast for many reasons perhaps primarily because it was a joy to get Who back with a terrific actor.It felt fresh.Even the silly moments...the Auton hand strangling Eccleston,Annebot,Tranny and Youwouldntwanna( copyright Viz),Tree woman etc. felt as though they were at the very least the writers enjoying themselves(which is usually a very good sign indeed)but now,this series....I mean thinking about it having characters refer to the Sontaran disparagingly as potato head(whatever) is pretty fucking ludicrous from a dramatic point of view as it weakens the tension and presense of the bad guys...it makes them silly.We don't need reminding.
You are absolutely right about how the show isn't up to Tennants quality.He's wasted here.
The adipose were absolute rubbish.C'mon that was a terrible episode.The Roman/Vesuvius episode was all over the bloody place saved by a genuinely decent scene with IT and the Doctor at the end.I'm desperately trying to remember episode 3 but can't.The Sontaran episode was scuppered by unnecessary 2 dimensional characters who acted in totally unnatural ways(the boys sacrifice was totally out of character but totally obvious).
I like the show and really hope it gets better but it occurs to me that it really isn't all THAT WOMANS fault.I think the show is tired and the producers have simply gotten bored.Time for a rest indeed.
But never,ever has the show lowered itself to the level of shit that was the Christmas Special.Just unbelievable stupid.
My main belief is that there is a particularly big difference between being silly and being stupid.The show has just become stupid.Adipose?Jesus fucking Christ.It says a LOT when a kid in a gas mask is far more terrifying than an special effects monster of the week.
Heres hoping Moffat hits a home run soon.
Next week....running towards camera,explosions,wisecracks,gurning,running towards camera,shouting....you know the rest... -
Why is everyone so excited Billie Piper was yelling "Doctor" when she was, um, trying to contact the Doctor? What the hell do you expect her to be doing - shouting "Sonta-ha!" ???
Helen Raynor is shit, but the impression I get from Doctor Who confidential is that RTD basically comes up with most of the stories and fields them out. And the man has the creative capacity of a pot of grey paint on the moon.
Moffatt! Moffatt! Moffatt! -
Those of you who didn't like it can suck my cock. It was top. Christopher Ryan was brilliant. I even liked the annoying American kid when he redeemed himself at the end. Tennant superb as always - when he leaves whoever follows him will have a seriously tough gig, so here's hoping he stays for years! Helen Raynor has seriously redeemed herself after that godawful Dalek two-parter last series. EXCELLENT stuff.
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The makers just need to reign in the special effects a bit. Sure spectacle is grand but the more money they seem to throw on screen the more it looks cheap. Production values are no substitute for artistic design.
In terms of scares The Empty Child (the gasmasks), Blink (the statues who come for you when not looked at), Human Nature (the girl being banished to every corner of a mirror) and hell even Rose (being eaten by a bin!) work effectively because the idea is so simple yet innate. It plays on the mind. This is the same for concepts of sci-fi. My young cousin who loves Who (aged 9) has been going through season 1 again and the IDEA of the Time War blows his mind. Seeing it just can't live up to that promise and they should never try. As does the premise of The Girl In The Fireplace - that a ship far in the future in space can have horses running around on them and can transport you to princesses (I think Sophia Myles may have something to do with his curious fascination of that ep too heehee).
Certainly the idea of Sat-Nav systems going wrong may try to tap into the fear that technology is taking us over but it's nowhere near as well executed. Naturally you need the aliens and big monsters for a prime time entertainment sci-fi show but you need ideas to back them up. Simple ideas. I understand the need for assistant but the issue with Donna/Tate isn't necessarily with the actress (though I'm not a fan). A few episodes of Tennant solo to kick off season 4 would have been very interesting to explore the hinted on changes in his character, to which the introduction of a new assistant then would have made more impact. As it stands she doesn't really have enough character to match up to Rose or Martha. The fact that the whole of Season 4 is being built to Rose's return and is causing quite good anticipation) causes a problem in that it highlights the gap that the character left. The other problem with following the 'Bad Wolf' motif they seem to like is that now the audience know somethings coming they better ensure the payoff is worth it. Last years Mister Saxon/Master finale was well below par
Again I enjoy the innocence of the family driven nature of the show and will watch if I'm in next week. It's just the preview looked very formulaic. That said the preview for Blink looked naff and with the known absence of the Doctor I assumed it would be like that god-awful Tennant-lite Monsters ep from Season 2 with Peter Kay - so previews can be deceptive. -
The only thing I felt was needed at the end was a token trip to see something fantastic and spacey for Donna's Grandad. The Doc could have at least offered!
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are you my mommy?
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Have you all forgotten that Lethbridge-Stewart was retired and working at a boys school? That he met himself and it caused a bit of mental anguish?
That was under Davisson by the way. -
Peter breathed poison gas a couple of times. The last killing him.
And he lived through a launch into space.
Pertwee may have as well. -
I thought Rose at first with the Blonde hair.
But Romana was a blonde and married to Baker. -
Troughtons sone will be on the show also.
I think episode ten. -
May 04, 2008 7:59:28 AM CDT
I'm surprised Sean Pertwee hasn't been on nu-Who yet...
by sledge hammer
Probably still holding onto that faint hope of one day being the Doctor himself, though I think any chances of that day happening have well and truly passed by this point.
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Really, how can peopkle level so much criticism at a show like this? Does no one remember what it was like to be a kid and have a Doctor Who epidode to look forward to as saturday afternoon reached its end?
Regardlesss of every episode reaching the unassailable heights that certain people expect every week, I enjoyed the whole series so far.
Plus i guarantee I'm in a better position than most people here to comment: i'm a primary school teacher (elemenatary school for you Yanks) and teach four different classes on a Monday morning. When bar maybe one or two of them, every kid will rave about how much they've enjoyed it on saturday night, then I knowDoctor Who is doing alright. anyone thinks i'm bullshitting is welcome to come on down to the school and ask the kids themselves.
It's saturday night TV. it doesn't have tp change the world. it has to be fun and occasionally surprising with a few good twists. it does that. end of story. deal with it -
apologies, but i'm typing one handed with the dog asleep on my lap. aiming my fingers at the keys as best i can!
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A spot of internet sluething has turned up that she is in fact grown from The Doctor's stolen DNA by the episode's aliens.
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so is most of Dr Who BUT is is for kids and not meant for adults who might actually recognise that most of the production design is cribbed from other shows or films, that the logic is a nonsense (setting fire to the atmosphere would effectively extinguish life on earth. Nice move Doctor) and since when do elite soldiers guard enemy complexes sat on the floor? The whole show is aimed at the braindead and children who don't question it so it deserves its early evening slot! The only reason it gets an audience is because there's nothing else on another channel. I'm sure its possible to devise a show that is entertaining across all ages that doesnt have to insult the more thinking audience members out here. Dr Who isn't it. Its kids fodder.
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Kids love a good pantomime tho. Most complainers like good well written Sci-Fi - like the old Who used to be. Now it seems to have slotted into the mould of every other franchise : See how many different toys we can sell and fuck the intelligence of the show.
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For those who raise the argument 'It's only BBC1', 'Its a kids show' etc thats fine for making leaps of faith in terms of plot and logic but entirely another issue for excusing limp characterisation and lazy continual deus ex machina end of episode resolutions (to which if the rumours are true, next weeks 'oh dont worry shes a clone' storyline will fit right in).
English High and Late primary Teachers try to discourage kids from ending their stories in 'It was all a dream' type fashions so why should adults get appraised for it?
I like Who. It's greater than the sum of its parts thankfully. At it's best it can be thought-provoking and fun (Gridlock was a decent effort). It's just that in terms of Sci-Fi for homegrown efforts the UK are buggered and whilst imports are abundant the quirks of the these shores dont translate well (see Red Dwarf). If the Doctor is for kids as people argue then what have the post-teen audience got - Torchwood?? Cheap T&A the odd swear word and a late timeslot doesn't mean it qualifies as intelligent sci-fi.
As mentioned before my young 9-12 cousins like Who but like most kids don't underestimate them - at times they can be quite discerning. The 12year old liked Journeyman for one, to which I was most grateful since it followed a Hannah Montana marathon the next day with the youngest :( -
Of course, nobody thinks they're braindead. But really I'm not. I appreciate high art. Yet I also enjoy Doctor Who. If you don't happen to like it then that's ok. Just please accept that some of us have the capacity to like it without being thick.
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of your position on the show as a whole, Tennant has been charasmatic lead and a joy to watch. My partner wants to marry him ten times over. For those US/abroad I recommend seeking out his other work in 'Secret Smile', 'Blackpool' and 'Casanova' in particular.
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I esspecially like the ending, it reminded me of how "Frontios" ended, (The Daleks pulling the TARDIS thur a time corrider, but, we didn't know that at the time.)which lead into "Resurrection of The Daleks".
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Ok, maybe 99% of the reason I enjoy Doctor Who so much is David Tennant. (maybe 99% was too high a number.) when he said in an interview that he has wanted to play the Doctor all his life, you see he meant that every week on Who. As for the show itself, I don't have a microscope attached to my eyes and looking for anything wrong, I sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. We all have our own opinion of the the show, I enjoy it , as do others. Some do not, to those others, I'm truly sorry. I end this post as I have in others, I hope you all enjoy next week's episode, I already know I will. (No insult intented toward anyone on this Talkback.)
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don't get me started on pupils writing stories. I've taught for 13 years and I know what the fuck I'm talking about. you tell me how many 11 year olds you know would actually end their story without a happy ending without a huge amount of training. I'll also point out that 90% of fiction aimed at kids and teenagers also have happy endings. bollocks to you saying it's lazy.
i know for a fact that the pupils i teach appreciate doctor who for what it is - they don't view it as 'high art'or some other such bollocks. and if we're looking back to old doctor who episodes and stories... are you SURE you want to claim it was as intelligent as you seem to remember? some good stories mind, which have been matched the current few series, but honestly, the acting, writing, SFX and logic of at least half the episodes is highly lacking. this explains where such a feeling of mostalgia for the doctor creeps in. we don't watch old episodes because of thie rintelligent scripts of gorundbreaking acting - it's for pure nostalgia and reminding yourself of how something so tame and low budget used to shit you up when you were small! -
Jon Pertwee's Doctor did not have the use of the TARDIS for the first 3 years, not 2 and I didn't like it!!!! There, I said it, those 3 years I didn't like Who!!!!! (Ooooooo, but, I watched it anyway.) LOL
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May 04, 2008 11:00:31 AM CDT
Seriously, yes, I'm sure we can all agree on one thing..........
by axcel1
The early Doctor Who were bad (And, I'm being kind using the word, "bad".) The one memory stuck in my head of old Who is Harnell running thur bushes, trying to get away from cavemen, I think. I mean, you can tell he's running in place and being hit by the same tree branch as he's running. But, who cares, I didn't when I was watching.
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I remember RTD saying that Buffy paved the way for a Who revival because it proved you could put silly monsters on prime-time. The thing is, Buffy appealed to kids with the monsters and the kung-fu, but because it was also innovative, witty, well-written and had complex characters, it appealed to adults too. You can do both without trade-offs! But Who, on the whole, trades-off. I thought it was pretty dumb as a kid, and watch it now solely because Steven Moffatt has been my favourite TV writer for yonks (and his scripts ARE innovative, witty and well-written). But how anyone can say it is generally better than Heroes or BSG is beyond me.
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If Who is aimed at kids, who the hell are the Sarah Jane Adventures meant for?? Foeti???
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I like Who, which I've reiterated in my previous posts. At no point have I claimed it should be high art, more that it should suprise and occasionally provoke thought - as well as entertain the family all-round
This is driven by my liking for a decent story. I'm not really a dedicated Who fan. As for "are you SURE you want to claim it was as intelligent as you seem to remember", I haven't mentioned the earlier series of Who at all for the same reason. I've seen a few and if you're right in that the ratio of good stories/bad stories (but still enjoyable) is about the same then my issue still stands - in the lack of decent UK sci-fi I wish the hit ratio were better.
It'll be interesting to see if Moffat does take over the reigns as rumoured - people always say be careful what you wish for. For all the complaints Russell T. has driven it's success and Moffat merely swooped in and written a few stories.
If it's any consolation and on the topic of nostalgia generally, I remember liking Super Sammy's Incredible T-Shirt when I was young - about a boy...who became strong...when he wore a T-shirt - so my tastes probably aren't what they were.
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I don't think it's fair to say Doctor Who is for kids. I actually think it would be more fair to say it's for families to watch together.
It has elements that appeal to kids, and elements that appeal to adults. -
fair points made. it seems to be a problem with sci-fi in general that hitting the good:poor ratio is pretty difficult. i think it's because not only do you have to make a good story, you have to hit all those sci-fi expectations too.
in all honesty, writing a truly good drama must be way more easy than writing a really good sci-fi drama.
however, i've still enjoyed this series a hell of a lot.
welcome back bernard cribbins! -
http://tinyurl.com/6fw6qr
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the best episode yet, in what has been the worst series yet of New Who. But Tate is fine, and getting better each ep!
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But they seem to just miss making good moments GREAT moments. Yes, genius boy sacrificing himself was expected well ahead of time.
But instead of him going "Sontar...HA!" then pushing the button, the moment would have been so much better if he had said "Earth...HA!" and slammed the button on 'Ha', not after.
Like I said, small and nit-picky, but it seems like they don't quite nail the moment sometimes. -
I'm glad the general consensus was enjoyment. It was great fun!
Alas, I'm bemused at the constant 'Aliens attack planet Earth' scenarios. Does everything have to be so massive scale? It would add plausibility to have smaller scale threats that the Doctor has to deal with in confined circumstances I think. I would write along the lines of 'Family of Blood/Human Nature'. -
The ratings have fallen in the last two weeks because the weather has improved. This happened in previous years as well. It's still getting the same percentage of the viewing public as always, it's just that less people are watching TV. As for the Rani, what on Earth are people on about? She was a bit part baddie from the era when Doctor Who was going down the toilet, and nobody but Doctor Who nerds even remembers those episodes. They are not going to bring her back, anymore than they are going to bring back Colin Baker and give him his own 'missing years' series (as someone seriously suggested last year).
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I also don't need to see the little girl who is actually an ass kicking fighting machine character ever again. I hope next week is good, but it feels very forced already.
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So, they are obviously setting her up to be in her own series, right? Some sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer rip-off? The girl is cute, I'll give her that.
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I like how they avoided the whole cliche of two women competing against each other. I've never seen any of the Martha episodes, but I think it's great the three of them are on the Tardis, especially when it seemed like she would say good-bye.
As someone new to the show, it may not be Citizen Kane, but it's enjoyable. -
Seriously, Joss did not create female empowerment. Leela was kicking ass and cutting down fools on Doctor Who nearly two decades before Joss made a career out of it.
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I think implying Buffy ripped off Leela is an insult to Leela's intelligence and sophistication.
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Interesting point about good drama being easier than good sci-fi, and that the generally best received episodes of Who (Girl In The Fireplace, Blink, Empty Child and a few others) haven't really been sci-fi at their core supports the idea.
Ironically the mistake writers make is that just by sticking big plastic headed aliens in it doesnt make it sci-fi.
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As Leela was inspired by Mrs. Peel
"Mrs. Peel, we're needed!"
The circle of life, or at least of strong female characters who can kiss ass. -
The Great Buffy Leela Debate, that must mean that everyone agrees that "The Poison Sky" is the PERFECT Doctor Who Episode. I rest my case!!! LOL
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it largely delivered the goods. Raynor has improved a bit since Daleks in Manhattan. I totally agree with those who believe Staal was underused. What a pity. In the old days, Pertwee and Lynx were duking it out mano y mano. Ol' Jon was bitching less about who had a gun, and using his Venusian Akido kung-fu grip. That said, he also used his intellect to save the day, as well. As for the plot holes, I'd say there were a few. But, it was an enjoyable sort of old-feel episode. The references to the Brig were great. Would have been nice to see (wishful thinking) Sgt. Major Benton. But, that would have been 5 minutes of story time for the Doc to catch up with someone from his past. Still would have been cool. On the subject of Donna and her family...the grandfather is great. Rose's mother, and Mickey annoyed me at first, but grew on me. Never really gave a rat's rear end about Martha's 90's/2000's dramedy family. Watching them made the program feel more like 2nd rate modern fare instead of Doc Who. As for Donna, she continues to grow on me. On the subject of current season vs. previous seasons, I'm hard pressed to say which is the best. Whoever said the Adipose ep was complete sh*t...you're absolutely right. That one, and Love and Monsters are definately the worst. Parts of Boomtown and Gridlock are close to the bottom, as well. Best episodes list. Everybody mentions Blink. Don't get me wrong, it was pretty cool. Not enough Doc for me. Still delivered the goods. I still have to make the case for Mysterious Planet, and The Satan Pit, as well as Human Nature, Family of BLood, Unquiet Dead, the Doctor Dances, Utopia, and Girl in the Fireplace. I'm sure there are a few others that are just under that, yet well above average like the Dickens' episode, the two-part Rose finale, the cybermen two-parter, tooth and claw, and some others I've forgotten. I hope this Doctor's daughter is some sort of "jump the shark" episode. Doubtful. It has to be loads better than the Adipose. ONe last thing, I have to defend the old program. To each his own, but I felt most the acting was pretty good, and some of the stories were better than they're given credit for. Admittedly, there were plenty of low moments, and some things may have been more appealing in the younger years. That said, I still think it's a fine program. Sometimes superior to many of the new ep's, and some not so much. Either way, I love em' both.
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The "tender" Tennant episode that re-visited the plastic surgerified, Cassandra. Watching her return was complete rubbish. Right up there with the Slitheen MP's dinner with the Doctor moment. That said, the good moments outweigh the bad.
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The "tender" Tennant episode that re-visited the plastic surgerified, Cassandra. Watching her return was complete rubbish. Right up there with the Slitheen MP's dinner with the Doctor moment. That said, the good moments outweigh the bad.
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were just about as bad as that confectionary known as the "Candy Man" from the 7th Doctor years. Another low moment in the anals, erm umm annals of Who-dom.
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Yes, the visuals in the old Who were bad, the SX were bad, maybe the same is truth now,but, I DON'T CARE!!! It's a tv show, they are telling a visual story the best they can on the budget they have. I'm enjoying the show, I'm not looking for "plot-holes". I enjoyed watching "Fear Her" & "Love and Monsters" as must as I enjoyed "Blink". I look at each episode as a visual chapter of a book, the book's called, Doctor Who. (Farscape is a better example of what I just said) I want to and do enjoy the awe and mystery of......Doctor Who.
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I figure in the next five to ten years they will go back and re-do some Who like they did with Trek. That way the effects can be more up to date.Personally, I'm enjoying this season, more than the last few, I still think they need to do a few years of Paul, and CE before they do a regeneration to the next Doctor. Simply have a great big push in to the Doctor's eye as he thinks about what took place in the time war and cut to Paul in the Tardis for the events that lead up to it.To bring CE back simply show the moment in Rose where the Doctor tries to talk her into coming along and the TARDIS fades out, then have a couple of seasons with CE, then at the end go... Oh I forgot to tell her it was a TIME machine, and back he goes to the Rose episode.
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... They're already enhancing or replacing some of the effects. For starters, stuff like when an alien race launches a rocket; they can stop using NASA stock footage which clearly has "United States of America" written on the side of it.
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...and I loved every minute of it! Well done to all involved. Even Tate. I'm looking forward to Moffat's two-parter with baited breath, now.As for next week, here's hoping the daughter hasn't got tacked on lesbian issues because, frankly, I'm getting really tired of Russell's 'agenda' now.
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...to play every Sontaran from now on. All of them. I mean, they're clones, right? Just do what Burton did with Deep Roy and have the one guy play the entire race.Mike The Cool Person was cooler than a penguin's todger, but General Staal rocked!
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I had this episode on my Sky+ but watched it when I got home from a night out, steaming drunk and sleepy, then deleted it. I completely missed Rose in it. Can somebody explain where she was, what she was doing etc. ????
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Camera pans through UNIT control room, passes a tv screen, Rose's face appears, silently screams 'DOCTORRR!', screen flicks back to normal.It was 'blink and you miss it' stuff...
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Top marks, that man!
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They actually need to re-do their re-dos, because the ones I saw were horrible. Horrible CGI replacing horrible practical effects actually makes the old show worse, at least in the one or two I've seen.
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Seems like the redone Movellan ship effect in Destiny of the Daleks was no better, and actually stuck out more. At least, they're giving the option of one or the other. My old dvd of the five doctors didn't however. It only used new effects. Love the digital transfer, and the 5.1 sound, however. Most the Who's are usually mono, or later stereo. And, don't even get me started about the time they tried to update the effects on Red Dwarf. When they were released them on DVD, none of that was included. The bad effects were part of the show's charm. You could argue that seasons 7 and 8 had better effects, but the most of the stories were more like regular sci-fi, and not funny enough.
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I thought the Rose shot happened on the TARDIS monitor screen, a second before Donna turned to it to try to talk to the Doctor. I could be wrong, I'll watch it again and see. (I have no problem with watching it again!!)
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She looks a little Ood, see for yourself. http://tinyurl.com/66dqaj
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I have only started watching this on our Feliz Quatro TV station but I am fugging hooked man! I first thought: 'who is this hokey-Cokey gay man?' then I realised...'WHO is the name of this hokey-cokey gay man!' I loved it.
I have got some of the old episodes on dvd from my friend in UK of England, here is a few 'geek tips' worth pointing out in case you did not catch them.
1. The Doctor offered to sacrifice himself to save humanity. This is similar to Jesus in the Bible and Aslan in The Lion The Witch and Wardrobe.
2. There was a girl shouting on the video. Who is she (or should i say WHO is she).
3. The Doctor set fire to the sky.
4. Martha is a doctor. Doctor Who is a doctor.
I'm going to watch it again and see if I can unearth anything else. -
You are indeed correct. My bad.
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So she was on a screen in the Tardis.... so she has some way of contacting the Tardis from the other universe. She also needs help.... and aren't the end of season foes going to be reminiscent of pepper grinders ?
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but far better than Squidward Dalek. Maybe there is hope for Raynor. Except for nicking the teleporting bomb idea from Stargate. That was shit. We really need a controversial episode- these are being far too civilised this year.
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Thanks to him and his buddies, Alpha and Beta the Empire State Building got built, baby!!!!! BTW, just finished watching the perfect Doctor Who episode, "The Poison Sky" for the third time. Of course, I was not wearing my microscope glasses pressed against the tv screen, I sat back, relaxed and had on my rose-tinted glasses on. (No pun intended.) LOL
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was great. Nice bit of sympathy for her clone and the clone's fear and conflicted emotions came off well too. Those quiet, sypathetic scenes are where Freema/Martha really shine. I also liked the bit of girl talk between Donna and Martha. They could do some great scenes together in future episodes, they play well off eah other and it's fun to have to humans to comment to each other about the alien stuff.
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