Doctor Who: The Stolen Earth
Jun. 28th, 2008 08:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
purplecatI feel much about this as I do about The Doctor's Daughter: Even cursory reflection reveals numerous flaws but while I was watching I loved every minute.
So let's deal with the flaws as quickly as possible shall we? Briefly, there was an awful lot of technobabble floating around which is, in fact, fairly unusual in Dr Who. Secondly and more seriously for the episode, it was basically 45 minutes of set up. Indeed we spent most of the episode simply waiting for the Doctor to arrive - it was like a throwback to some of the Colin Baker stories only with better pacing and more explosions. In some ways, though, that makes it easier to review since I don't have to say "this will be great if its going somewhere good" since we never really got that far. Bizarrely The Stolen Earth is strangely self-contained as a bit of scene-setting and the story of how the Doctor is brought into the situation.
What did I like? Well, you know, I loved Torchwood and Sarah Jane and Martha all working together, so sue me. It was supposed to be fan-pleasing (and to be honest, was fairly cheap fan-pleasing stuff, there were no twists in this tale) and this fan was pleased. I'm not hugely fond of Freema Agyeman's acting but I've always thought her strength is being business-like, independent and efficient and I thought this was one of her better performances. Surprisingly the weakest link in the Torchwood segments was Gareth David-Lloyd whose Ianto seemed oddly cariacatured and off-key while John Barrowman, as usual, seemed much more comfortable in the role of Captain Jack in a Who setting, than he does in a Torchwood one. Penelope Wilton was great, once again, even when saddled with the "former prime minister" line and what was that organisation she mentioned that gave her the sub-wave generator? my curiosity is all peaked.
Donna, pleasingly, was back on form having been, I've felt, less well served by the second half of the season. I loved watching her speak her mind to the Shadow Proclamation. Not to mention prompting the Doctor to acknowledge that Rose coming back was a good thing. Rose was, I thought, more in character this week than last. We still don't know how she's got here (or how come she was so prescient last week) but at least I didn't feel Billie Piper had simply been asked to play someone all-knowing and mysterious who just happened to be called Rose.
And then the ending, oh boy! There have been rumours that next year's episodes might all be flashbacks and that, despite the fact they are all slated to star David Tennant, he would be regenerating at the end of this season. If that is true then this has been an awesomely kept secret. Of course, what's more likely to happen, especially given the hints about Davros being saved from the Time War is that Gallifrey and the Time Lords will likewise be reinstated and some "timey-wimey" stuff will happen to put everything back to how it was, effectively handing over a clean slate to Stephen Moffat when he takes on the job. I hope that doesn't happen, if only because that was how they resolved last year's finale but as a surprise cliff-hanger I couldn't fault that regeneration.
WHO DAILY html: <lj user=louisedennis> thought it was <a href=http://louisedennis.livejournal.com/79181.html>strangely self-contained</a>
So let's deal with the flaws as quickly as possible shall we? Briefly, there was an awful lot of technobabble floating around which is, in fact, fairly unusual in Dr Who. Secondly and more seriously for the episode, it was basically 45 minutes of set up. Indeed we spent most of the episode simply waiting for the Doctor to arrive - it was like a throwback to some of the Colin Baker stories only with better pacing and more explosions. In some ways, though, that makes it easier to review since I don't have to say "this will be great if its going somewhere good" since we never really got that far. Bizarrely The Stolen Earth is strangely self-contained as a bit of scene-setting and the story of how the Doctor is brought into the situation.
What did I like? Well, you know, I loved Torchwood and Sarah Jane and Martha all working together, so sue me. It was supposed to be fan-pleasing (and to be honest, was fairly cheap fan-pleasing stuff, there were no twists in this tale) and this fan was pleased. I'm not hugely fond of Freema Agyeman's acting but I've always thought her strength is being business-like, independent and efficient and I thought this was one of her better performances. Surprisingly the weakest link in the Torchwood segments was Gareth David-Lloyd whose Ianto seemed oddly cariacatured and off-key while John Barrowman, as usual, seemed much more comfortable in the role of Captain Jack in a Who setting, than he does in a Torchwood one. Penelope Wilton was great, once again, even when saddled with the "former prime minister" line and what was that organisation she mentioned that gave her the sub-wave generator? my curiosity is all peaked.
Donna, pleasingly, was back on form having been, I've felt, less well served by the second half of the season. I loved watching her speak her mind to the Shadow Proclamation. Not to mention prompting the Doctor to acknowledge that Rose coming back was a good thing. Rose was, I thought, more in character this week than last. We still don't know how she's got here (or how come she was so prescient last week) but at least I didn't feel Billie Piper had simply been asked to play someone all-knowing and mysterious who just happened to be called Rose.
And then the ending, oh boy! There have been rumours that next year's episodes might all be flashbacks and that, despite the fact they are all slated to star David Tennant, he would be regenerating at the end of this season. If that is true then this has been an awesomely kept secret. Of course, what's more likely to happen, especially given the hints about Davros being saved from the Time War is that Gallifrey and the Time Lords will likewise be reinstated and some "timey-wimey" stuff will happen to put everything back to how it was, effectively handing over a clean slate to Stephen Moffat when he takes on the job. I hope that doesn't happen, if only because that was how they resolved last year's finale but as a surprise cliff-hanger I couldn't fault that regeneration.
WHO DAILY html: <lj user=louisedennis> thought it was <a href=http://louisedennis.livejournal.com/79181.html>strangely self-contained</a>
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-28 09:04 pm (UTC)* is coding WD *
Date: 2008-06-29 01:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-29 03:16 pm (UTC)I love that Who is getting more confident mixing drama and humour, Whedon-style. The "former Prime Minister" lines (do I detect an in-joke for fans?) where spot on
I thought the episode was less bizarrely self-contained, and more brilliantly self-contained while *also* doing its one-of-two job in setting up the finale.
I'm looking forward to more joint screen time from the best of the crew in Rose, Donna, Jack and Tennant.
I was stunned by the ending and couldn't believe - if he is regenerating - that hadn't been all over the rumour mill for weeks.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-29 03:44 pm (UTC)The "former prime minister" was an in-joke of sorts. When the character first appeared she constantly introduced herself as "Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North", displaying her ID card. She carried on doing that when prime minister "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister". I'm not sure extending that to former prime minister really worked though.
There are all sorts of theories flying around about the conclusion mostly because very few people believe a real regeneration could have been kept secret. But we'll see.