top of page
doctorbrick
Aug 73 min read

Doctor Who Series 3, Episode X Review: The Runaway Bride

What did you think of this episode?

  • Sonic!

  • Good!

  • Bumpy-wumpy

  • Exterminate!


Every Doctor Who Christmas special is in its own right special, and this one is no different.


I didn't realise Catherine Tate was quite so shouty in it, certainly in the first half, but by the end she mellows and is a great addition to Doctor Who.


I feel like this is the first episode we get to see Ten in his true form. David Tennant is brilliant in this. We get to see all of his mannerisms, his heartbreak at losing Rose, and his fun side, everything I remember Ten being. I don't think that was quite established in series 2, perhaps because it was telling the story of the Doctor and Rose.


I do recall a time when Moffat was getting slated because Mels wasn't seen at Amy and Rory’s wedding - why no hate for Wilf not being at Donna’s then?! Was he out shooting moles?!


I do realise Bernard was drafted in after the passing of Howard Attfield, but I never really got the issue with Mel's not being about. These things don't bother me FYI, I just thought I'd raise the issue. I assume Bernard became available so RTD took that opportunity and ran with it. I mean who wouldn't of done that?! The bloke was a legend!!


Anyway, Donna’s family don't get that much time in this, I thought they had more, but I was wrong. We don't yet see the legend that Sylvia will become!! She has some of my favourite scenes in series 4, but I’ll come to that when the time comes.


"Santa’s a robot."


Now there is a moment where if you flicked over to watch BBC1 you would think fucking hell, this silly show is mad and fucking amazing. Imagine turning over to a bride being driven by a robot Santa trying to escape a taxi as the TARDIS spins down the motorway by the side of it. Oh this is so good!!! It must have been a nightmare for them to make, but it still looks bloody brilliant to this day. Honestly, this show, encapsulated in one scene - barking mad, funny, brilliant. I liked that part a lot, I am guessing that is fairly obvious though!!


Ohhh another killer Christmas tree!!!!!


I always associated a piece of music with the Atraxi from series 5, I did not realise it was heard before as the star ship for the Empress of the Racnoss flew over earth. Every day is a school day as they say.


Talking of the Empress, Sarah Parish is a delight. She is obviously having a ball, and really looks the part. She looks amazing!


I really enjoyed the scene where the Doctor and Donna watch the beginning of the earth, these are the scenes where Russell always delivers. David Tennant and Catherine Tate make his magical words even more magical.


"That place was flooded and burning and they were dying, and you stood there like… I don’t know, a stranger. And then you made it snow! I mean you scare me to death."


Don't listen to Donna by the way - Lance deserved his death for being one of those OTT mean villains. I do enjoy how Donna reacts to him though, the daggers to her heart showing on Catherine Tate's face. It is fun to rewatch and see the forming of Donna the companion over the course of this episode - a shouty, angry, rude woman at the start to the Doctors kind best mate by the end.


The Doctor goes all bad ass and drowns a lot of babies!!!! Again though, this all looks amazing, Doctor Who is so good at turning a modest budget in to beautiful TV. Also the last shot of the TARDIS shooting into the snowy sky, delightful!!


The Christmas Invasion was a tough act to follow, but The Runaway Bride proved to be a worthy continuation, and I assumed sealed the deal for all those magical Christmas evenings to come. I am so glad it is back on on Christmas day, it really was a shame to see it gone!!


RATING: Sonic

BEST LINE: "Doctor, you can stop now.”




6 views

Comments

bottom of page