Well, the little Viewing Society I’m in is going to watch the 2nd half of the story on Saturday night (magic pixie delivery elves allowing) instead of waiting for the following Monday as usual. That is how powerful the episode (and its cliffhanger) was.
Let’s go for all the details, shall we?
So, yeah, considering how big the cast for this story is (especially considering how Francine and Gwen and Ianto and Luke were also a pleasantly surprising part of the sitch), it’s amazing the story didn’t degenerate into a lame “Five Doctors” series of lame set pieces and Obvious References to Other Eras (er, SHOWS, in this case). We needed no introduction to either spin-off universe– it was just assumed that the viewer would have at least a modicum of a clue, so let’s just dive into the story. How refreshing!
And how delightful to see the Daleks back in action, and back to their ruthless selves. “The Stolen Earth” certainly cleansed the palate from the unfortunate “Daleks In Manhattan” 2-parter of the previous season. I like the new series Daleks best when a plethora of them fill the screen and they are all about making conquests and exterminating those who get in the way.
The big news, of course, is that Davros is back– and he’s back not just physically, but spiritually, too. In the 80’s (and, hell, even in “Destiny of the Daleks”), he had become rubbish, much like the Master. Naturally, RTD had to revive him– save his legacy, you know. (Davros’, not RTD’s.) Today’s Davros is every bit the genius he was in “Genesis of the Daleks,” every bit the advocate for his babies– and the purity thereof. I am looking very much forward to seeing what Davros has up his sleeve in the second part of the story.
Speaking of “up his sleeve,” what’s with the 27 planets being an engine? And why does being a second out of time sound vaguely familiar? And why was Calufrax (Minor) one of the planets especially mentioned? I’m betting it all has to do with the Key to Time! In so much that, perhaps Donna (like Astra before her) is the living embodiment of a Segment of the Key. (Calufrax was also a segment; the Pirate Planet was using planets to fuel its engines.) (And I think the second out of time thing is actually from a Next Generation episode, which is why the DW Geeks online haven’t been upping it more.) So if Donna is part of the Key to Time, she can harness time powers to hit the reset button, thus preventing the regeneration, the Daleks invading, and perhaps even Yahoo and Google banding together to sell ad space on the Internest. (Well, ok, she’s only one segment (if she’s any), so I suppose she can’t do everything….)
It wouldn’t be an RTD finale (or Christmas) episode, without some reference to the Doctor as being part of the Christian holy trinity– probably why Dalek Kahn Caan refers to him as “the threefold man.” Is he going to ressurect instead of regenerate, a la Jesus? Gads, I hope not. This whole regenerating-as-cliff-hanger thing has me both fished in and fairly put out. As nice as it would be to have the regeneration be an actual regeneration into another actor, I don’t see that happening. The Beeb wouldn’t have authorised the expenditures to have all those Christmas Special scenes with Tennant merely staged to throw off the press and the fans. And, realistically, I don’t see a new Doctor being introduced now, with the show about to go into semi-hiatus-hut for two years. So, yeah, cheap ploy on RTD’s part.
(Just like all the humans being dragged out of their homes and being taken prisoner. Ho hum we’ve seen this how many times in the new series? And the good people of Great Britain aren’t at all emotionally scarred by this? Yeah, right. There’s such a thing as the danger being too far upped, yanno, and between Doctor Who and its spin-offs, the point of credibility has not only been passed, but also has been abused.)
Speaking of things being abused past the point of credibility, how about the whole Noble (uh-oh) Sacrifice bit, hmm?? Yes, we had yet another hint that the Noble Sacrifice this time around is Miss Noble herself. Methinks it’s because Donna is so awesome, and no one according to RTD can be as awesome as Rose (except perhaps Sarah, the only classic series companion worthy of appearing in the new show. (But at least Nyssa, Tegan, and the Brigadier have all been named-checked, unlike Romana, so too bad all you Doctor/Romana shippers!). Therefore, Donna must DIE!
This episode’s noble sacrifice, though– Harriet Jones! I loved that she reappeared, loved that she still believed that what she did in “The Christmas Invasion” was right, and loved that she did her best to do something to help save Earth. Didn’t love her willingly going to the Altar of Extermination, ’cause, yanno, too many women have done that for the Doctor lately. Gads, that’s so tiring.
(I am also tired of Everybody on Earth Contacting The Doctor At Once, the whole Peter Pan clap-your-hands thing that was already stretching credibility in “The Last of the Time Lords” last season. Besides, this time, everyone on the planet Is going to have one whopping huge charge on their phone bill– and that’s in addition to the pain and suffering being the Daleks playthings. The United Nations really needs to tell the Doctor to piss off from Earth for awhile. Srsly.)
(Oh, and it was a real let-down to have the Shadow Proclamation just be the cops, and not an actual universal government of some sort.)
Despite these rather annoying trends, the performances all around made everything tolerable. Well, except for one glaringly awful performance. Billie Piper. Still has the lisp, can’t remember how to be Rose (even if Rose is Hardened By Her Years In the Alt!Universe Away From Her One True Love), and certainly can’t emote her way out of a soggy paper bag. Considering how stellar everyone else was, it was obnoxious! Still, I was very happy indeed that Rose got to watch but not participate in the 4-way conversation, especially once the Doctor popped into it. Neener neener neener!
The best performance, though, belonged to Elisabeth Sladen. OMG. Her reactions– first to the Dalek voices, and then to hearing that Davros was back, too– amazing.
Many little bits amused me throughout the episode– Ianto laughing at the inane chat show guy, Sarah annoyed at Mr Smith’s fanfare, “Harriet Jones– former Prime Minister” and the Daleks’ “Yes, we know.” The best part of the story, though– absolute best part– was the Doctor getting shot by the Dalek as he did that mushy full-tilt run to Rose. Served him right for being so stupid! My daughter wants to give that Dalek a medal for doing the Right Thing. (Too bad Jack destroyed it almost immediately!)
Right. So. We’re left with a cracking cliffhanger, and the following thoughts:
1. Noble Sacrifice? As I’ve been saying, it’s going to be Donna in some form. If she becomes one with the TARDIS, spew. If she’s a part of the Key to Time, cool but still spew. If she’s got a fob watch hiding somewhere, spew and a half! Personally, I’d rather see Rose get it, but that’s not going to happen. If Donna doesn’t snuff it, then it will totally be Martha, since RTD doesn’t like her character really, despite creating her.
2. Speaking of Martha, where was she during the cliffhanger? Everyone else is accounted for, either in the TARDIS or facing down a Dalek or 10. Is she already doing something with that Osterhagen Key? And five will get you ten that, if Donna isn’t the Big Reset Button, the Osterhagen Key is.
3. Who’s the Doctor, baby? Rumor has it that it will be Multiple Tennants, instead of an Actual New New Doctor. *sigh*
4. How will Mickey and Jackie factor in, because they will, they were in the big photo op and all!
5. How pissed off will I be by the way the Big Reset Button will be hit?
*sigh* Well, I’ll know soon enough. Must. Avoid. Internest. Saturday Afternoon!
Posted by JennAK in Ongoing Storm