What did you think of this episode?
Sonic!
Good!
Bumpy-wumpy!
Exterminate!
I truly think this episode is the jewel of this series. That is some doing in a bloody strong series as well. So I would like to take the time to appreciate Catherine Tate. What an absolute star!!
When she popped up in the TARDIS at the end of Doomsday a lot of people would of only known her for saying "am I bovvered?" over and over again. It took me a while to warm to Donna, especially in The Runaway Bride, although she had the tough act of being the first person to join the Doctor that wasn't Billie Piper. She was perhaps a bit shouty in the first half of the Christmas special for my liking, but we saw her mellow and help save the Doctor from himself.
Then this series Catherine proves she can act, and act well. Of course she can shine in the funny moments, and her banter with David/The Doctor is so good. It shines on the screen. Then we have her moments with Bernard Cribbins, some of these truly are my favourite moments in the entire history of the show. They are magical together.
"Oh I know why you want a job with H.C. Clements, Lady. ‘Cause you think you’ll meet a man with lots of money and your whole life will change! Well let me tell you, sweetheart. City executives don’t need temps, except for practice."
All this episode has in the way of a monster is a dodgy looking beetle. That isn't really the point of the episode though.
It's actually better when you can't see the beetle thing. Donna's friend staring at her back looking petrified as the Christmas Web Star Ship shoots down on London, and who can forget the iconic point and filthy look from the hotel maid!
Then we have Rose. Potentially my only criticism of the episode. She was probably written like this for a reason though so I'll let it pass. I do feel like she was very unlike Rose though. I guess she was taking on the vacant position of Doctor, but I guess after waiting so long for her return it might of been a slight disappointment to some?
It was good to see Billie again though I won't lie!! It really felt like something epic was building - and it very much was!!
It was really 'fun' seeing how past events in the show would pan out without the Doctor. How everything goes to complete and utter shit bit by bit. Topped off with God bless America followed by Trinity Wells telling us America is in crisis!
"Hole punch, having that. Stapler, mine. Toy cactus, you can have that, Beatrice. Catch! Cliff, I’d leave you my mouse mat, but I’m worried you’d cut yourself."
This is some bleak shit. I think Russell really enjoys writing about how fucked up the human race really is, and how quickly we would turn when put up against the ropes. I think when he writes like this he is at his very best, Children of Earth is a good example of this, and the previous episode of Midnight also. I guess it hits because we know it's true. Look at It's a Sin - tremendous writing, but this time the human race really were awful shits. He's seen it, he's loved through it, and being a gay man he will still be loving through it. Just look at X for plenty of examples of that!!
I hate to say it, but I love it bleak. Seeing the disintegration of everything the Noble's had is an amazing watch. Jacqueline King plays Sylvia perfectly, being slowly but surely beaten, it's all their in her face, and when Donna asks her if she's a disappointment and she just says yeah half heartedly - ouch!!
Then we have Wilfred - you can see the hope and enthusiasm that Bernard Cribbins has shining through, but even that is beaten out of him with the horrific scene of the Colasanto family being driven off to a 'labour camp'. The looks shared between Rocco and Wilfred speak a million words and it's powerful shit. This show may be silly, it may be camp, it may be a whole host of things, but it really can hit you with some of the things it says.
"Labour camps. That’s what they called them last time."
I never really thought about it until watching it this time, but how fucking pissed off must Donna have been? Time travelling, being mad to run half a mile in four minutes, being told she has to die, only for Rose to pop up again. She must of been thinking why didn't you just bloody do this!!
Anyway, that might be true, but I think being told two words as she dies, two words I think we all knew, was a much better way to end it. It led to the shit hitting the fan, Murray Gold playing a banger, and the end of the Universe approaching. A truly amazing episode, capped off with a cliffhanger as well.
Ten out of ten, no further notes!!
RATING: Sonic!
BEST LINE: "But I can’t die! I’ve got a future! With the Doctor! You told me!"
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