What did you think of this episode?
Sonic!
Good!
Bumpy-wumpy!
Exterminate!
On rewatch I am not quite as sure about this episode as I was before!! Eeeek!! Maybe I had got myself overhyped!! This is sometimes my main bug bear of RTD, boy can that man hype!! I came into this expecting devastating things to happen, to be emotionally broken come the end of The Giggle, and I am not sure that really transpired!! I know, I know, it is part of his job, but sometimes I feel he hypes a little too much!!
Let us start from the beginning - once upon a time, once upon a Time Lord - yeah not sure on this, looked weird, sounded weird!! I get they needed to recap a bit, but to be honest, just replaying bits of Journey's End would of sufficed for me!! I suppose this was a tricky episode to start, as on the one hand you had the new era on Disney+ and then on the other hand you had people coming back to the show potentially who last watched it when David Tennant and Catherine Tate were in it last, and on the third hand (yes I have three hands) you have the people who have watched the show all the way through time and space who were excited for anniversary episodes.
The new intro, yes please, loved this!! Was already excited after the 60th anniversary concert, but to hear that music again was bliss and the visuals are great!!
Jesus this episode didn't mess about did it? Straight into it, the Doctor meets Donna within about 30 seconds of the opening credits. When I watched this episode I was thinking I wish Ncuti was here, perhaps even having the same adventure with Donna. Now don't get me wrong, I love David, and I will forever remember his Doctor fondly, but it was a minor nagging doubt in my mind when watching this episode. However, that did change over the course of these three episodes.
The story of Fourteen is now more clearer in my head on a rewatch, and despite the obvious bonus to ratings that Mr. Tennant brings I do see the benefit of the story and clearing the decks before Ncuti comes in. I wouldn't be a Doctor Who fan without my doubts though would I?!
"Meep Meep!"
A few things just didn't sit right with me from the start, I like a good human reaction to things, I know this is a show about an alien with two hearts, but I like my humans to act like humans, and I truly don't think if a spaceship crash landed over London that everyone would just be merrily filming it on their phones and then just bugger off as normal after they saw it crash. I want some panic, some screaming, and I want people losing their shit!
As an autistic person I think I would of reacted like Rose with her total lack of any emotion when explaining the crash, and I think Yasmin Finney has been criticised for this scene especially, but it is true when looking at the whole episode she hasn't fully found herself as yet and is still very much in her shell, so I am giving benefit of the doubt here.
"Tuna Madras."
Now I am no RTD, and I am certainly not a skilled script writer like him, who am I to disagree with the great man, but I am going to a bit here as I thought there were some clunky old lines in this!! I had a bad feeling the second Rose corrected the Doctors use of pronouns as I knew a shit storm was coming. I am in no position to comment really, however I do wonder if the line would of been better if a) another character said it or b) they used the correct pronouns in the first place. Maybe I am completely wrong but in my opinion it did more harm than good Rose saying it. Maybe that is the point though, that one line irritated all the right people and was spoken about a lot, which I guess is a good thing - OK, I take it back, RTD knows best!!
When the Doctor is called jammy he says 'jam on toast' in reply - I have no idea why!!! I just thought it was a fucking odd thing to say!!!
Then there is the whole male presenting Time Lord. Which would of been fine but for the fact the whole thing revolved around the Doctor being male, female and neither. This has been covered by a lot of people in a lot of places, but just to add my two pennies worth, it felt a bit out of place. Especially coming from Donna!!
That being said this was a fun episode, even if it wasn't quite as special as I thought it would be. A big part of that may of been that I knew what was coming. There were no real shocks as if you had any idea of the show beforehand you knew the Meep was going to be a little shit. I watched this with my wife and stepson and they were generally shocked when the Meep turned. I must remember this sometimes when I watch Doctor Who, it isn't just made for me - it would be crap if it was!!
I feel like this is just one long moan by me - so what did I like? The Meep looked amazing, as did the whole episode, Disney money, yes please!! Jacqueline King as Sylvia was a bloody delight and stole the show. I quite enjoyed the new supersonic sonic. I also thought that the resolution was very good, it almost looked as if RTD had it planned all along and was just waiting for the right moment in time to unleash it.
Obviously the male presenting bit ruined it slightly, but meh, it was only a line, no harm done.
“I really do remember, though. Every second with you. I'm so glad you're back, cos it killed me, Donna. It killed me, it killed me, it killed me.”
I did think that Donna being saved may of only been a temporary fix, and that the tragedy would of been Rose carrying the burden after her Mum had exploded, but alas that wasn't to be. Maybe I just have a sick mind!!
Overall this was fun, but I think the wait for it to come and the hype surrounding it, and the fact this was an anniversary episode left me a little underwhelmed. Wild Blue Yonder next, the big secret - lots of Doctors returning no doubt. Right? Oh!
RATING: Bumpy-wumpy!
BEST LINE: "My father would be impressed. I have no higher compliment.”
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