I know I have a self-imposed ban on Whedonverse/Whoverse comparisons but Russell T. Davies is making it mighty difficult for me to adhere to it. Not only does he create a noir-ish, adult spin-off featuring an immortal hero in billowy coat but now we get a new shiny companion whose first task is to slay a vampire masquerading as an OAP armed with a straw pilfered from a carton of Ribena. Snarkery aside, I thought Smith and Jones was a solid start to the new series and was equally thrilling and absurd (vigilante space-rhinos anyone?) As ever, I present to you my dissection of tonight's episode in gushy note form:
- I like Martha, even though so far it seems as though she isn't too much of a departure from the Rose formula of spunky-cockerney-companion. I imagine much will be made of the fact that unlike Rose, Martha has a burgeoning career which will divide her loyalties between her life with the Doctor and her life as Reggie Yate's sister.
- I suppose it was inevitable but I must confess, I was a little disappointed to see that Martha is being positioned as a love interest for the Doctor. Note to RTD: emotional histronics due to unrequited love does not a character arc make.
- That said, the tight suit/halfway across the universe banter did endear Martha to me quite a bit. That brief look of disappointment which flashes across Martha's face when she bluffs the Doctor about her feelings for him was heartbreaking.
- Hurrah for continuity, it does make my little fangirl heart skip a beat. The not-quite funny hospital shop joke was recycled from the series two opener, New Earth and there was a neat bit of TV-logic with the Adeola/Martha connection.
- Stupid TV-logic ahoy!: When faced with a complicated bit of machinery, a hefty operator's manual and a Time Lord shouting "Now!!" at you, it suddenly becomes clear that the Giant Yellow Button is the one to go for.
- Don't even get me started on the resuscitation techniques that miraculously revive a man drained of blood.
- RTD gives good dialogue, there were some choice lines in this episode. RTD seems to have learnt from the chav debacle last year and the pop culture references are a little less throwaway. (I was particularly tickled by the "Planet Zovirax" quip.)
- Line of the Week is a toss-up between: "Judoon platoon on the moon" and "Barefoot on the moon!"
- The Doctor got a new pair of Chucks! Not so keen on the new suit though, it's a bit too polyester 70s medallion man for my liking.
- Perhaps all the costume budget got spent on CGI because there were some pretty impressive effects in this episode alone. I particularly liked the crispy-on-the-outside-creamy-lava-on-the-inside effect of the Judoon's exterminator guns.
- Let's take a moment to ponder this rather alarming picture:
(Please insert your own purile and childish caption.)
In other news, I have spent the week feeling sorry for myself and wallowing in self-pity because I have the flu and lost my voice a few days ago. The situation has improved somewhat and I now can articulate myself (albeit sounding like Madge Bishop) rather than the strange hybrid honking/barking noises that passed for speech a few days ago. However, I have a rather shameful confession to make gentle readers. Earlier on today, I was feeling particularly sorrowful and weary and finding no food in the house and no-one at home to look after me, I ended up taking out my anger on the cutlery drawer. Overwhelmed by shame, I precariously balanced the drawer front between the two other drawers and hoped that the next person to open the drawer will assume that they're at fault. However, my dark mood has lifted somewhat as I have secured tickets for the Mighty Buena's gig at The Borderline on Wednesday, yay. Back to bed for me as the Benylin 4flu has kicked in and everything is currently moving in slow motion now. Ah the sweet kiss of pharmaceutically enhanced sleep...
I'll be sure to take notes on what Stefy says; it's not for 3 weeks, so I'll have time to maybe get familiar with more than 1 or 2 of her songs. Does she ask anyone to barf her with a spoon? I must admit I've not been impressed by the Bird and the Bee song I've heard, despite Uncut magazine claiming they sound like Emma Bunton.
That grammar shit ain't not sexy like in them boys, innit? At least I have a good reason for my singledom. And I can be grateful that while there are some flowers shaped like female beetles there are as yet none shaped like human females, except perhaps in distant episodes of Dr who.
Hopefully the Doctor will continue to moon over Rose and we won't get any love. Although it's not promising. Bring back elderly grey-haired men! Will he ever have a boy assistant? My main criticism was the absence of any Die Hard references after the Doctor lost his shoes. Also Martha should have continued to refuse to call him the Doctor. I trust that the nation's playgrounds on monday (or whenever schools go back) will be full of kids using black markers to draw crosses on each other's hands.
Witty caption: "Mmm, your hair looks like Mr Whippy's fine ice cream, but I am unable to lick it without revealing I am secretly John Barrowman!" I apologise, but I decided against anything involving rectal examinations. Hopefully a future subplot will reveal the secret behind the Doctor's love of small shops in incongruous places.
Get well soon. I'm sure the magic of Benylin will fill you with frisky goodness ere long.
Martha is already a hundred times better than Rose. I like Martha a lot. Planet Zovirax made me laugh as well, but people watching it for the first time in ten years time may be baffled!
Hmm, I'm not sure that I like Martha as much as Rose yet but I definately like her. I like that she's smart (I would appreciate this much more however if the Doctor would stop exclaiming that every 5 minutes) Perhaps RTD is being privately funded by the makers of Zovirax - product placement alert - HRNK!!
Yeah the Bird and the Bee didn't have either of the defining Emma Bunton characteristics, of singing very fast to a bossanova beat. I guess that's what I get for listening to Uncut's opinions on pop music. Or indeed any kind of music. Tennant's hair was definitely being rather odd last Saturday, curled into some kind of peak. Please make jokes about lady beetle flowers. Though when you were talking about wanting a boy assistant, I had to think for a bit before I realised you meant in the tardis, not in your home. It might be nice to have 2 assistants and have some bantering and squabbling and maybe even unrequitedly loving assistants of different genders in the tardis. I guess we're not going to see any more Mickey, though *sniff* A friend posted this geekiness on her journal as the staff of St Thomas's hospital try to reassure patients they've not been relocated to the moon. I'm sure RTD will be paying homage to Canestan Combi in next week's Dr Who. Also, I want my photo beside my comments!