NuWho Rewatch: New Earth
Dec. 21st, 2014 09:18 pmHmm... it's actually a while since we rewatched this (still so behind) and not a great deal lingers in my mind. Billie Piper and David Tennant both do nice bits of acting as Cassandra. You can see from the way both hold their bodies when they are possessed. Piper is better, I think, but Tennant is still settling into the role and his performance is veering around a bit. Mimicking someone else doesn't help this. Already we start getting the first hints of the `lonely god' characterisation. I wasn't really aware, until I started this rewatch, how often the words lonely and god/devil/angel/etc., were attached to the tenth Doctor.
It's a competent enough story and does its job as a season opener, but its mostly unremarkable.
It's a competent enough story and does its job as a season opener, but its mostly unremarkable.
Vague compare and contrast
Date: 2014-12-23 06:55 am (UTC)I haven't re-watched this one in some years, but your characterization of it sounds about right. For some reason, though, reading your take suddenly reminded me of the third series story, "Gridlock". That wasn't a series opener, but it had (I think — it's been even longer since I've watched that one) a similar claustrophobic feel to it, along with a premise that required a block of salt for (this) viewer to buy into the story.
That said, I think the humour in "New Earth" was more organically character-driven, and the plot (once salt was swallowed) made sense, where "Gridlock" felt forced and the handful of salt needed to accept the premise became a pillar.
Sorry about the ramble. I thought Piper was a delight in this one, chewing the scenery like one of those middle-aged (usually male) British war-horses slumming in an American action-film or something similar.
Re: Vague compare and contrast
Date: 2014-12-23 10:25 am (UTC)It is interesting that in The End of the World the Doctor shows no remorse for Cassandra's death where here the Tenth Doctor is ultimately very compassionate towards her. Interesting because the Tenth Doctor is very much the one coded as "no second chances".
Of course Piper is, if not mimicking, at least referencing Zoe Wanamaker who, while not male, is certainly a middle-aged British warhorse not averse to a little slumming...