In the first episode of the second series of Doctor Who, the Doctor and Rose travel to New Earth, billions of years in the future, to find out who summoned the Doctor to Ward 26. There, they discover an old friend is dying, simultaneous to an old enemy gaining strength. Oh, and the nurses are cats. That, too. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Doctor Who.
One of the things I didn’t comment on when watching the first Christmas special is the immediate difference in quality in terms of cinematography. I’ll have to look back and see which review I said it on, but I thought Netflix was giving me terrible streams of series one; in reality, I’m just used to a different cinematography technique than what is used in British television and film a lot of time. However, it seems as if the show had a lot more money after Eccleston’s run, and I’m curious if any of you can shed light on this. Did it get popular enough for them to have a higher budget?
For example, when the Doctor and Rose first step out of the TARDIS and look upon New Earth, it’s sort of shocking how much the CGI has improved in just one season. Not that there aren’t a few odd moments in “New Earth”; the scenes of people “growing” diseases are kind of stiff, but by-and-large, things are much better than before.
On top of that, as the Doctor and Rose head inside the hospital where the psychic paper has directed them, we get to see the stupendous make-up work done on the Sisters of Plenitude, a group of nuns who have the heads of cats. And look, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love that there’s no real sense of HOLY SHIT, THEY HAVE CAT FACES from anyone in this episode. This show is so quintessentially NOT American in that respect, and I love it to pieces because of that. You don’t need to explain why there are female cat faces all up in this place. It just is the way it is.
I think that I really, truly enjoyed this story for once, as it seemed to contribute equally to the pace of the show as the character interaction. The Sisters of Plenitude are strangely able to cure a whole host of illnesses that are supposed to be fatal, which interests the Doctor to no end. But he discovers the source of the message that brought him to New Earth: the Face of Boe is dying. (And for the record, this episode greatly helped to eliminate my irrational fear of the Face of Boe. He is so nice and wise!) The Face of Boe reached out across space and time to the “Lonely God,” otherwise known as our fine Doctor, to give him a message before death. I’m predicting that this message, which was never given to us in “New Earth,” is going to be a prime plot point later in this season, especially since the Face of Boe gets better and leaves, but not before saying that the third time they meet, he will share the message with the Doctor and then die. Yikes.
But I’m jumping way ahead of myself here. We find out that the infamous Lady Cassandra, who isn’t actually dead, has been hiding in the basement of the hospital. Using her assistant Chip, she manipulates it so that Rose ends up in the basement alone with her, which sets up one of the more genius things I’ve seen on television before: using a psychograft to transfer one mind to another body.
The plot itself isn’t new or wildly exciting; it’s the chance to the actors and actresses to do something so strange that I loved so much. After tricking Rose and activating the psychograft, Cassandra’s mind jumps into Rose’s body, and we get the chance to see Billie Piper show off her acting skills. From the way she conducts herself, to the way she wears her clothes, and even down to her accent, Billie Piper becomes Cassandra. It’s rather eerie how believable it is, so it makes Russell T Davies’s humorous writing all the more appreciated. The main plot of the Sisters of Plenitude’s secret is honestly creepy enough for me (PLEASE STOP CALLING THEM “FLESH” BECAUSE IT DISTURBS ME FOREVER), so I don’t know if I could have also handled psychograft goodness on top of it if it was done in a disarming way.
Also, every mention of the word “chav” made me giggle forever.
It’s strange that technically, Cassandra, through Rose, actually helps the Doctor figure out the disturbing secret behind the Sisters’ method of curing patients who should already be dead. Obviously, she is doing it for purely selfish reasons and it’s certainly quite fucked up that she steals Rose’s body to do any of this. It’s subtle, but I think that as Cassandra watches the way the Doctor moves about the hospital, the zest he has as he works to save people he’s never met and may never see again, and it affects her in a way she never could have realized without jumping bodies. Of course, it’s important to acknowledge that once she discovers the bizarre flesh-growing factory that the Sisters are using to develop cures, she immediately tries to blackmail Matron Casp to secure more money to keep herself alive. Selfish, incredibly so, sure. I can’t ignore that.
I also can’t ignore that her actions inadvertently causes her epiphany about the true nature of who she has become. When “New Earth” becomes a zombie episode of sorts, there’s a point where Cassandra is forced to inhabit the body of one of the infected humans. That’s when she experiences something she’d not felt before: the most extreme loneliness imaginable. Maybe, in a way, it reminds her of how truly alone she has become for existing in the form she does so far into the future. I think that’s why flashbacks to her life as a full-bodied human strike her so strongly. Was she always alone, even back then? Was her pursuit of a superficial life what lead her to this point?
There’s no real answer spelled out for us in “New Earth” and I like it that way. The subtext written into this episode by Davies allows us to interpret Cassandra’s eventual transformation in any number of ways, and this is how I read it. The idea of an eternal, everlasting loneliness, caused by the pursuit of perfection, seemed to be the message coded in between the lines of this script. But that’s just me. You can see it any way you like it.
THOUGHTS
- That is enigmatic! That–that is–that is textbook enigmatic!”
- There is no doubt in my mind that the greatest part of this episode is the moment that David Tennant has to pretend that Cassandra is inside of him. I can already tell that he is going to be so much fun as the Tenth Doctor, not the least because his acting is out of this world. “Oh baby, I’m beating out a samba!”
- Please tell me there is a GIF of Tennant as Cassandra. Please.
- “It’s like living inside a bouncy castle!”
- “Strictly speaking, it’s the fifteenth New York, which makes it New New New New New New….New New New New New New…New New New York.”
I swear I'm not crazy, but the voice of the police announcer at the end of this episode sounds just like the one and only Captain Jack Harkness to me. Anyone else think so? I don't see anyone credited for it on IMDB
The actress who played Sister Jatt will be used again in the series.
It took until my fourth viewing to catch that Cassandra says she modeled Chip after her favorite pattern, which would be her memory of the last person that told her she was beautiful and then died in her arms.
I'm sure there's a name for this type of thing, but I love how they cut off the swearing by going to another character saying things like "bit rich" and "ask not." It reminds me of the old "Miss Susie had a Steamboat" clapping game.
The Doctor should really say, "new new new new new new new new new Doctor." Just saying.
Now I'm off to find that DT Cassandra gif
Edit: I found some New Earth gifs but they aren't the right ones
<img src="http://www.gifsoup.com/view/128018/doctor-who-new-earth-4-o.gif">
<img src="http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/benweldon/blowdry_doctor.gif">
Also, I really like the Duke of Manhattan. He just seems really jolly. He is probably really a creep, but until I have evidence otherwise, I like him.
Oh, I do too. And Clovis, especially when she's threatening the Doctor and Cassandra!Rose with a chair.
I'm sure there's a name for this type of thing, but I love how they cut off the swearing by going to another character saying things like "bit rich" and "ask not." It reminds me of the old "Miss Susie had a Steamboat" clapping game.
There's this: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Gettin…
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LastSe…
I do really like this episode, it's fun, creepy when it needs to be and treads that fine line of 'family' viewing pretty well for the most part. The Face of Boe bit was well done and it's obvious Tennant is having a blast here. It's also obvious that the jitters of the first season and the tremendous learning curve the production team faced (remember we don't DO shows like this in the UK, not really, so they had to learn everything from scratch) are well and truly put to bed although it's the cat people makeup that really makes me go 'wow' rather than the (still very very good) CGI.
Oh, and Cassandra actually became a three dimenstional character here (sorry, couldn't resist) rather than the baddie of the week, which is something I wish we got a bit more of to be honest.
Oh man, I LOVE the cat nuns. And the Face of Boe. And Cassandra in the Doctor. It was a cornucopia of aceness.
One of my favorite episodes! I wish I had GIFs to share but I don't.
I don't have the time to write a proper response about the episode because my self imposed essay break is about to end but since you asked for it:
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/hvqa1h.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
YAY! All of the +1s for you.
Now if only I could find a way to convert each one into 100 esssay relevant and worthy words I'd be flying along.
lol. You and me both. I'm staring at a Word doc right now, willing words to appear.
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/b7ewzs.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
for shared essay woes.
UPVOTE UPVOTE UPVOTE
Ha, I see that you beat me to it! This GIF is the best, ever.
"So many parts!… And hardly used."
Jesus, +96 over night for a gif. Um, thanks everyone.
125 now!
love love love this 😀 *upvote*
<img src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac296/iluvmusicals/Random/cassandraten.gif">
I love how Billie's obviously trying so hard not to laugh.
YOU LIKE IT!
Oh god, the most best moment of all things wonderful.
LOL I LOVE IT she's trying so hard. I wonder how many takes that took.
They probably just figured that was the best they were going to get and moved on. I don't know how Billie Piper managed as well as she did, frankly. The first time I saw that scene I was almost crying I was laughing so hard.
*giggles* This is just so an excuse for Tennant to go all out. Love it!
It's okay, Billie. We like it too ^_^
The idea of an eternal, everlasting loneliness, caused by the pursuit of perfection, seemed to be the message coded in between the lines of this script.
YES. I agree so much. I mean, the way that the clones are healed is through the power of touch. Through reaching out and connecting with others. It's pretty awesomely poetic, if a bit cheesey.
This episode is pretty much just completely silly, but IDEC. I love it. It’s nice to have a less serious and dramatic episode every once in a while. David Tennant and Billie Piper are completely hilarious as Cassandra!Doctor and Cassandra!Rose. Like the whole “beating out a samba” line and the “living inside a bouncy castle” bit? Brilliant.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/GuyCrazy1017/Doctor%20Who%20screencaps/2x01ilovethis.jpg">
Also, this episode features the Doctor and Rose being COMPLETELY ADORABLE. And if you don’t like it, sorry about your life. How can you not love how much THEY love traveling together and just being with each other? They’re so full of happy and joy and squee in the beginning, being in a new place and discovering new things. I also adore that moment towards the end after Cassandra leaves Rose’s body and the Doctor catches Rose. The way that they just grin at each other is too precious. David and Billie have fantastic chemistry. Not that Christopher and Billie didn't, but it was different.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/GuyCrazy1017/Doctor%20Who%20screencaps/2x01catch2.jpg">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/GuyCrazy1017/Doctor%20Who%20screencaps/2x01catch3.jpg">
I like how the Doctor figures out that Rose isn’t quite right. It’s not the weird accent. It’s not that she kisses him. (Speaking of which, the Doctor doesn’t freak out the way one might if a purely platonic friend who he had no feelings for kissed him. As far as he knows, she’s still Rose, and yet his response is to look dazed and say “Yep. Still got it.” Just saying, just saying.) It’s that she would care about the humans that are being experimented on. ILU, Rose Tyler.
ALSO? CAT NUNS. NUNS WHO AR CATS. CATS WHO ARE NUNS. HOW CAN PEOPLE NOT LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Oh, and the gif you requested:
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/gQ5B1.gif">
I honestly believe that he knows from nearly the first word out of her mouth, but that he just lets her think he doesn't just to see where she's heading. I think he knew way before she kissed him.
I'm so glad you're over your irrational fear of the Face of Boe, I have a weird fondness for that big old face! His nose! His weird dreadlock-y things! And he is textbook enigmatic. 🙂
Generally I am mixed on this episode. LOVE the acting, LOVE the return of Cassandra and the entire hospital with the cat nuns, love the concept of making humans to test solutions on them. Less keen on the terrible way CGI for making people ill (that slow pause as the boils grow is just really bad. It looked bad at the time and looks worse now. Is there no better way they could have done it? Obviously not but still.) and the healing of everyone, which is a cute scene but rubbish as an actual solution, because no way do they have the cures for every disease ever in about ten bags. Nor do I believe that bags that are designed to be hooked up to go into the blood can cure you by touching your skin. BUT I AM NIT PICKING BECAUSE GENERALLY THIS EPISODE IS LOVE.
There *are* gifs of the possession scene! Sadly I don't have them because I started collecting gifs shortly after Matt Smith came in so my gifs are mostly Eleventh Doctor based, but I have seen them and I KNOW THEY ARE REAL.
"and the healing of everyone, which is a cute scene but rubbish as an actual solution, because no way do they have the cures for every disease ever in about ten bags. Nor do I believe that bags that are designed to be hooked up to go into the blood can cure you by touching your skin."
THIS. I mean, some of them just got a drop of solution on them, even if it did work through the skin, which, no it totally wouldn't. But yeah, I still love it too.
Ha, I don't think there will be a season of this show without at least ONE gigantic plot hole.
LOL Yes it is best to accept that going in.
Plot holes are the energy that makes Dr Who run.
Does that mean the Rift is a literal in-universe plot hole?
<img src=http://i51.tinypic.com/294hzbs.gif>
Upvoted for Gwen's amazingly expressive face.
Make that every three episodes. Dodgy science is this show's bread and butter to use an English saying
I believe the technical term I've seen used is SKIENCE
Here's the thing… I'm kinda willing to overlook the solution here largely because it's the first episode of the year, it's a fun romp, they're already packing a LOT into 45 minutes and it kinda sorta isn't important in the grand scheme of things. There's no moral question over doing it, it's not a major arc point, it was a cheap-to-shoot solution and it's probably a case of 'we are at the point in the script where we're in need of a solution and are short on pages.
That said, if the situation was different and we got a magical potion in, say, Parting of the Ways, I'd be the first frothing at the mouth!
RTD does love his magical potions. *lol*
Hah, I watched this with a biochem major once. The whole vaccine part consisted of a lot of shouting at the TV that the whole concept was terrible, terrible science.
The cat people are so great, even if they are doing terrible terrible things here. Not terribly fond of body-swap plots, personally, but to each their own. Tennant was pretty hilarious here.
I want apple-flavored grass. Do we really have to wait 5 billion years for it? ):
Anyone who watches Doctor Who for science will be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love DW but lets face it, the science is laughable. I'm not even a science person and I can tell they get stuff wrong.
I too, am sad about the apple-flavored grass not being here yet.
Hah, I watched this with a biochem major once. The whole vaccine part consisted of a lot of shouting at the TV that the whole concept was terrible, terrible science.
Well to be fair, the fact that you instantly contract all the diseases, complete with sores sprouting over your whole body in under a minute, isn't exactly great medical science either. I'd say that the episode was at least internally consistent, it just didn't follow Earth science…It followed New Earth Science, which apparently looks a lot like magic. 😛
That sounds good enough to me. In the far future, diseases may defy the known laws of nature.
It's not directly connected to this episode but I'm going to post this here as it expands a bit on the background of the Time War. It was written by Russell T Davies and would have appeared in a Doctor Who Annual around the time of The Christmas Invasion (so now seems a good time to add it to the mix). It's also in two parts because it's two long.
I'm also posting it because I think we should vote for "Genesis of the Daleks" as next old Who for Mark to watch and this helps to explain why. It effectively paraphrases the opening scene of "Genesis…" when it explains how it was that the Time Lords fired the first shot in the Time War (I suppose that technically makes it a spoiler but it really is the first thing you find out when you watch "Genesis…" so I really don't think it spoils).
Anyway, here it is:
"Meet The Doctor"
When the Doctor came to Earth – to track down the Nestene Consciousness and its plastic servants, the Autons – he had no intention of finding a human companion. He'd had fellow travellers alongside him before, of course, and most of them human. His favourite species! But that was in the old days, when the universe seemed young and fresh and more inclined to friendly gestures.
The universe, since then, had changed. At least for the Doctor.
There had been a War, the Great Time War between the Daleks and the Time Lords. There had been two Time Wars before this – the skirmish between the Halldons and the Eternals, and then the brutal slaughter of the Omnicraven Uprising – and on both occasions, the Doctor's people had stepped in to settle the matter. The Time Lords had a policy of nin-interference in the affairs of the universe, but on a higher level, in affairs of the Time Vortex, they assumed discreetly the role of protectors. They were the self-appointed keepers of the peace. Until forced to fight.
Now, the story of the Great (and final) Time War is hard to piece together, because so little survived. Certainly, both had been testing each others strength for many, many years. The Daleks had threatened the Time Lord High Council before, by trying to replace its members with Dalek duplicates. And one of the Dalek Puppet Emperors had openly declared his hostility. Though perhaps the Daleks' wrath was justifiable – they had been provoked! At one point in their history, the Time Lords had actually sent the Doctor back in time, to prevent the creation of the Daleks. An act of genocide! The Time Lords fired the first shot – though in their defence, they took this course of action because they had foreseen a time when the Daleks would overrun all civilized life and become the dominant life-form in the universe.
Ctd…
…ctd:
Some tried to find a peaceful solution. While it's hard to find precise records of these events, it's said that under the Act of Master Restitution, President Romana opened a peace treaty with the Daleks. Others claim that the Etra Prime Incident began the escalation of events. But whatever the cause – and its almost certain that the full story has yet to be uncovered – the terrible War began. The Time Lords reached back into their own history, to assemble a fleet of Bowships, Black Hole Carriers and N-Forms; the Daleks unleashed the full might of the Deathsmiths of Goth, and launched an awesome fleet into the Vortex, led by the Emperor himself.
The War raged, but for most species in the universe, life continued as normal. The War was fought in the Vortex, and beyond that, in the Ultimate Void, beyond the eyes and ears of ordinary creatures. The Lesser Species lived in ignorance. If a planet found its history subtle changing – perhaps distorting and rewriting itself under the pressures of the rupturing Vortex – then its people were part of that change, and perceived nothing to be wrong. Only the Higher Species – those further up the evolutionary ladder – saw what was happening. The Forest of Cheem gazed upon the bloodshed, and wept. The Nestene Consciousness lost all of its planets, and found itself mutating under temporal stress. The Greater Animus perished and its Carsenome Walls fell into dust. And it is said that the Eternals themselves watched, and despaired of this reality, and fled their hallowed halls, never to be seen again…
Years passed, as the mighty armies clashed. And then, silence. No one knows exactly what happened in the final battle. And no one knows how it came to end. All that is known is that one man strode from the wreckage, one man walked free from the ruins of Gallifrey and Skaro. The Time Lord called the Doctor. And his hearts were heavy as he boarded his ship once more, and took to the skies, to escape everything he had just seen; everything he had just done…
He is alone and thinks, somehow, that he deserves this. And as he wanders on, he decides that no one should stand beside him. He's got no room, on board his TARDIS. He is a traveler, and needs no other.
But then he finds himself in the cellar of a London shop at closing time, and he grabs the hand of an Earthling called Rose Tyler, and looks into her eyes, and all those resolutions go out of the window! The journey goes on, with a human at his side, and who knows where it will end…
———
I've omitted the final paragraph as it contains something that was supposed to be repeated (as a hint to future stuff) in this episode but which they decided to put back to a later date, after it was published. It's better to experience it for the first time when it comes along in the show.
I'm sorry but RTD really can write the worst fan wank fiction…. "the Daleks unleashed the full might of the Deathsmiths of Goth"?!?! The Deathsmiths. Of. GOTH??? What, a horde of black Daleks refusing to come out of their ship claiming to be depressed? Cutting their own plungers?
Honestly, I think this actually diminishes the Time War, I can't read it without laughing at just how horribly horribly bad it is, not to mention the bit of continuity porn to the classic series which I shall not point out for fear of a minor spoiler. But come one, "the Act of Master Restitution", "And his hearts were heavy as he boarded his ship once more", "And it is said that the Eternals themselves watched, and despaired of this reality, and fled their hallowed halls, never to be seen again…", "the brutal slaughter of the Omnicraven Uprising" – are we SURE a certain S Meyer didn't write this?
I love Genesis of the Daleks (It is probably one of my favorite Old Who serials) but Mark did already watch a Fourth Doctor story so maybe he'd like to meet a different Doctor. Personally, I am pulling for the Seventh Doctor story, "The Happiness Patrol". lol. I love Seven and that story is so fantastically 80s.
I thought the Genesis of the Daleks was a first Doctor?
Also, I NEED MORE TOM BAKER IN MY LIFE.
FYI, this reminds me. I need to put up my suggestion post.
Genesis of the Daleks is a Fourth Doctor story. lol. Because of ~magic~ of time travel and stuff, this is a Dalek origin story even though it aired years and years after the first story with the Daleks on the show. ALSO, the companions for that story are Sarah Jane (WHO IS THE BEST EVER. She is my 2nd or 3rd favorite of the old school companions) as well as Harry who is deeply amusing too. So yeah, it's definitely one of my favorite Classic Who stories and if you want MOAR TOM BAKER, I recommend it highly.
Is Genesis of the Daleks on Netflix? Or available for watching somewhere?
It should be, it's been out on region 1 DVD since 2006. It should be in iTunes as well.
Doing a video search on Google will usually turn up pretty low quality streaming versions, as well. For example:
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/iNN53OZyR-Q/
Probably best as a last resort (and doesn't support the BBC for its product).
The Daleks is the First Doctor, which is the first time he meets them.
But, because it's a time travel show, Genesis of the Daleks happens before it, from the Daleks' perspective.
Tom played the role for seven years, so I think you should watch a late Tom and an early Tom at least as the production teams and styles were different. Genesis of the Daleks is from his first season and City of Death from his penultimate season, so that balances out quite well.
Normally, I'd suggest a different Doctor first, but as this one links so well with the background mythology of the new series I think it's better to watch it sooner rather than later.
Anyway, I'll go on about it at greater length in the suggestion post comments.
New New York!
<img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2euk6m9.jpg">
Why don't I have a gif of the city being destroyed and rebuilt while Fry is frozen?
As long as I overlook all of the science in this episode, I really like it. Great return of Lady Cassandra. She truly does love herself. Personally, I would never entrust my health to cats (because they are assholes…and even cat lovers must admit it). Was this also a commentary on animal testing? I like the Tenth Doctor, he's my favorite, but it bothers me when he's petting the little humans. I get that it's his character, but it's still weird and patronizing.
I like that the show seems to have a better filming budget but is still incredibly cheesy.
I always wondered if they borrowed the New New York thing from Futurama.
I just started watching the Eccleston season last night. I am going to be sad when he's gone but hopefully I'll like Tennant too.
I’m glad you’re less afraid of the Face of Boe!
And both actors did such an amazing job when they “were” Cassandra.
What, no mention that Cassandra remade herself using the only piece of flesh left, from the back? "That's right, so you're talking out your as.."
I didn't know what to think about the new Doctor, especially given his somewhat limited role in most of the Christmas Invasion, but he warmed up to me quite a bit in this episode. I was worried I'd take me a lot longer to really see him as the Doctor and not just some doppelganger.
ASK NOT!
Ahh I havent watched this ep in too long, reading this makes me remember how much I love it and miss David's Doctor. Zombies of any kind normally scare the bejeebus out of me, but somehow when the Doctor is around they're much less frightening. He is the Doctor and he cures them :')
The cat-people make up is so good, even in retrospect. Amazing work, whoever came up with it.
Re: Tennant as Cassandra. This is one of the many reasons why I am so conflicted about Tennant's seasons. He is AMAZING at both the dramatic and the funny stuff and him as Cassandra is one of the BEST THINGS EVER and yet, every time I look directly at his face, all I can see is that awful Tongue Thing from Goblet of Fire. WHY DID YOU RUIN TEN FOR ME, MIKE NEWELL?
When I first started watching Doctor Who, it took me forever to realize where I recognized Ten from, so I didn't have the whole Barty Crouch thing hanging over my head. Which makes me a bad Harry Potter fan, but probably made me love the Doctor a lot more than I might have. Also, I recall that when I first saw DT in GoF, he looked really familiar to me then too, and at that point I don't think I had seen anything else he was in. Weird.
It took me forever to realize Cassandra is Madame Hooch
no no no Cassandra and Madam Hooch are both Susan from My Family!
And one of the twins from Gormenghast.
Me too! I did a re-watch a little while back and *ding* I finally made the connection.
I didn't realise either. Its only once I got my parents in on my show that my mom (who can remember every actor ever) was like "hey, wasn't that Barty Crouch Jr from Harry Potter? He did the tongue thing." And I was like "I am a horrible Harry Potter fan for not noticing."
And now that movie is very, very strange for me to watch.
I need to find out about the tongue thing, being a complete Potter void somehow.
<img src=http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l74mahWphk1qzcnom.gif>
Omg this gif…lirl
Wow. Thank you. I hardly see Tennant in that creature there. His hair is not ten feet tall, for one. 😉
Anyway, that is a bit disturbing.
Trust me, the "creature" he's playing IS a bit disturbing.
Ahahaha omg. He's like the Doctor, but with rabies and can only ENHANCE my viewing. :D:D:D
Because Mike Newell ruins ALL THINGS EVER. lol. GoF is my favorite of the HP books, but the movie… what a disastuh.
The way is see GOF. It's actually a good movie, it's just not a good Harry Potter movie.
The only good part of GoF is the graveyard scene. Everything before it is just filler.
I watched GoF years before I ever saw DW, forgot about the tongue thing and then went back and watched the Rifftrax (which is quite good, and of course they made a DW joke when you first see him) of it afterwards, and NOW I CAN'T UNSEE. D:
Pretty sure they got a bigger budget and it only improves, the latest series is HD
I'm not sure if they did, but they got better at allocating it somewhat (look out for the episodes where they are clearly saving money) and they had just had more experience going into things this time around.
Nobody had really made a show like Doctor Who in the UK since it had gone off air in 1989. In the US you have all that experise from the movies industry and the various Star Treks, Babylon 5, the X Files, loads of other sci-fi, Buffy and Angel all happening in the 90s and through to the early 2000s.
In the UK in 2004 they were pretty much starting from scratch on Doctor Who.
Exactly right. This accounts for some of the issues with the Slitheen 2-parter, which was in the first recording block. Basically, they didn't really know how to make a show like this. No-one did. So the whole of Series 1 was a massive learning curve for all concerned. They got so behind with filming so soon into the schedule that Russell T Davies was on the point of rewriting completely to scale back his ambition for Doctor Who, but they held the line and got it made somehow.
I think it gradually improves as it goes, right through to the end of Series 4, then it takes another step up with HD.
Possibly the most famous quote about series one was that they were three weeks behind after the first week. They really didn't have a clue what they were doing.
Absolutely. I just wish I could produce something as awesome as Doctor Who Series 1 when I don't know what I'm doing!
The other thing is that the CGI technology just advances every year.
*claps for the mention of Babylon 5* Sometimes, I feel like that show gets overlooked way more often than it should.
I <3 the Face of Boe.
That is all.
Hey guys! Welcome back to Fusion’s Random Trivia!
First The Christmas Invasion
A. 10 is supposed to be copying Rose’s accent. 10 said this about that “Like a chick hatching from an egg imprinting on it’s mother” That was cut though.
B. The opening shot was stolen from the episode Rose.
C. David Walliams and Bill Nighy were considered for the role of the Tenth Doctor
D. You can see Tom Baker’s scarf in the wardrobe.
So about the budget thing. I did not find if they gave them a bigger budget. I can say though that RTD blew most of his Series 1 budget on The End of The World. He learned to manage a budger
Now New Earth
A. This is the first episode to be on an alien planet.
B. The working title was The Sunshine Camp.
C. There was a commentary starring David Tennant, Russell T Davies and Phil Collinson that was downloadable on the BBC website to be listened to while you watch a repeat. I don’t know if it’s still there though.
So did I miss anything?
Well they had to blow the budget and go all out on The End of The World. Being the first trip in the TARDIS they had to go the extra mile to show it's back and it's big. Of course after that you start figuring out how to make the rest of the series stand up to it for half the money.
They might have blown the bulk of the budget on Series One on the finale, but even so, various writers mentioned that when they started writing, they were automatically writing their scripts to match the sort of effects Classic Who could produce and RTD kept telling them "no, write more! We have a budget!" Leading of course to Stephen Moffatt rising to that challenge and writing what he claims is the most expensive two sentences in the series ever to that date, describing Rose hanging off a barrage balloon drifting above the London Blitz whilst the massed planes of the German Luftwaffe flew towards her.
By Series two, they were having to reign in the writers as nature intended!
I can't imagine Bill Nighy as the Doctor.
I can't imagine him as Ten, but he'd be a perfect Doctor. Twelve, maybe.
I read this as Bill Nye. And went 'YEEEEEEEES."
BILL BILL BILL BILL
Don't make me dream of that alternate universe,
*sings* Bill Nye the Doctor Guy!
>A This is the first episode to be on an alien planet.
And it's amazing how many fans insist that it doesn't count as an alien planet.
Not me. Other people.
Anyway…
D. This episode, along with the rest of Series 2, had a related short 60 second scene on the website called a `Tardisode` which gave views a little tidbit of something that happened before the TARDIS landed. These Tardisodes did not prove especially popular and the idea was dropped after this season.
Tardisode 1: We are introduced to New Earth, and the cat nuns who run the hospital. A patient with terminal Autrey syndrome instantly regains her full health. Suddenly the lights go out and a patient screams for help…
I wonder what their reasoning is about it not being a real alien planet, is it because it's called earth and there are humans there?
Oh yeah the Tardisodes. I decided it's not important.
You weren't wrong. :p
A. 10 is supposed to be copying Rose's accent. 10 said this about that "Like a chick hatching from an egg imprinting on it's mother" That was cut though.
That's so interesting! I've always been interested in how the personality of a regenerated Doctor is shaped by his last experiences (Especially with Ten. Nine is so bitter cause he suffered as Eight, and Ten is so much happier here cause he's just had series 1 with Rose :3) but it never even occurred to me that that might explain his change in accent! Aw, I wish they hadn't cut that detail.
It’s a nice detail. The cutting peeves me just because that makes it sound more real.
I've heard of this, but I can't find it anywhere as a deleted scene (I have both Series 1 and 2 on DVD). Was it just mentioned in an interview or something because that would be so cool to listen to!
They were originally going to have a running gag in TCI where Ten tried to say "Fantastic" but couldn't get it right with his new teeth. The bit with him at the end was supposed to be him finally getting it right.
LOL I love this episode, it is so ridiculous and I don't even care because David Tennant and Billie Piper are fantastic. I love Rose, but it's nice to see Billie Piper get a chance at some comedy in this episode, and I think she does it great. And David Tennant is, well, hysterical. I have seen this episode more times than I can count and "slim and a little bit foxy" scene is funny every time.
One of my favourite lines, which I didn't pick up on until several rewatches, is when Ten and Cassandra!Rose approach Face of Boe at the end, and in the background Cassandra groans "oh, great, telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face." I don't know why I find that so hilarious, but I really do. ilu Cassandra.
Lastly, because I (stupidly) decided to skip TCI when I first watched, the bit where Rose giggles "you're so different!" and then they never discuss the regeneration again had me blinking and going "well… she sure got over that fast." But somehow I just accepted this as part of the show and kept going, lol.
Eh, not a fan of this one. I felt that having a new Earth really cheapened the emotional resonance of "End of the World", and the solution here was a bit too deus ex machina for my tastes. Don't care for the Ten/Rose shippery stuff either, it's just usually so… obnoxious, I find the two to be too smug and cliquey most of the time. Yeah, I can already see this getting downvoted like mad for expressing the unpopular opinion. 😉
Well. The Doctor does mention that the Earth is dying because everyone moved off it. So the fact that there is a New Earth is expected.
I hate the Ten/Rose ship. HATE IT SO MUCH
"The lonely god" – I really want to talk about this quote lots and lots, but it would all be super spoilery.
Even if you don't like Cassandra, you have to admit we got some brilliant comedy out of her.
Oh wow just thinking about the "science" behind the vaccines makes my head hurt – it's instantaneous and spread by touch and produces some gaseous thing – aye it is so, so bad.
<img src="http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/7779/btvsbuffygag.gif">
My initial reaction to the Super Magic Medicine was to scream loud noes at the screen, on account of it being not only nonsence but non-science.
But then I got to thinking…. It's the year 5 billion and 23. Who knows what sort of highly intelligent, self-replicating nonogene-type wonder might be in those solutions? I think we just have to assume it's more than simple drugs. That and RTD refused to let a detail like, er, medical science, get in the way of a story.
Oh, and hello people! Not posted here before. Have been enjoying reading Mark's reactions to discovering Doctor Who though. It's nice to see it through new eyes as it were. My earliest Doctor was Three.
Hello and welcome!
Okay, I suppose nanogenes are a plausible enough explanation even if the writers didn't care enough to include it, and even though nanogenes themselves are kind of a "magic" fix.
But there's a two-parter from the upcoming third season that makes rage, and I honestly cannot foresee any explanation to fix it – biology simply doesn't work that way.
I believe I know to what you are referring and I agree, there is not enough rage in the universe for that!
Upvote for the use of a Buffy gif!
You're looking for science in an RTD episode? Good luck, Indiana. 😉
Thanks for reminding me of a really great Buffy episode. I know everyone hates Life Serial, but I think it explains my life. And SMG was really funny in it, as evidenced above.
Oh man, that's like one of my all-time favorite episodes! Why don't people like it?
Probably because it is from the dreaded Season Six. Personally, I love it, especially the mummy hand part. Maybe that was a Time Lord's hand? Oooh maybe it was Ten's hand, haha!
lol, totally!
Okay, maybe I am just not in enough Buffy circles, but what's so bad about season six? I liked it as much as any other season.
Okay, so I like six as well, but I think a large part of the dislike is that it's a pretty depressing season, what with where Buffy was at the start of the season, and then her interactions with Spike, and so forth. The larger part, probably, is just that the "big bad" of that season was kind of pathetic, and then people didn't like what happened to Willow at the end, and then didn't like the resolution to that storyline (with Xander).
But I came to Buffy late, so was never in the fandom properly – take what you will from that.
Thanks. I came late too, so maybe that's part of it.
I love season six. And I COULD NOT stop laughing during the mummy hand scene. Then I had to go mack and watch it three times or so.
Yeah, the "mix all these random treatments into a single soup and dump it on people" is Science Fail on a massive level, but… it's Doctor Who and the show is about a guy who time travels in a police box. Also, everything else is awesome, so I forgive them their terrible terrible science.
You know Lady Cassandra is Madam Hooch from the first couple HP films?
WHAT.
This means that Cassandra totally could have taught the Doctor to ride a broomstick. O.O
Badass-cat-Nurse-Nun people, every Sci-fi show has a few of those, surely? 😉
This might turn out to be quite a long comment so here goes:
Love this episode, it's so silly and daft and great fun, but turns into something quite beautiful at the end.
I love how much energy and enthusiasm David has, you can really tell this is his dream job! I always really enjoy watching series two because of that, even though it's personally my least favourite series.
DT's love for Doctor Who is infectious, i think he really helped me to go from someone who loved the show, to someone that has an all consuming (and probably life long) obsession!
"At last i can be revenged on that little….."
"Bit rich" Hehehe
I adore the bit in the lift with the showers, it's like RTD climbed through my TV, reached into my brain, plucked out my fantasy then wrote an episode around it! A soggy David Tennant…………………… *drools*
Billie (and Rose) get a chance to really have some fun with the body swap bit. Rose/Casandra is hillarious!
The kiss, so hot! I love Billie's hands in David's hair. How is it possible to be attracted to a man's hair?
The zombie people are creepy. But i love the Doctor's attitude towards them, it's another episode where you see the Doctor's love for all living things and his belief that no matter what, or who, you are, you deserve a chance at life.
Doctor/Casandra=genius.
"Oooh, he's slim. And a little bit foxy. You thought so too. I've been inside your head. You've been looking. You like it!" I like it too, dear god do i like it?! 😀
"God it was it was tedious inside your head. Hormone city."
"Go and play with a ball of string!"
"Oh chavtastic again"
"No matter how difficult the situation there is no need to shout!"
I love the Face of Boe's theme tune, it sounds so ancient, lonely and sad. But it also sounds childlike, innocent, and fairytale-esque. It's beautiful.
My laptops being a pain and it won't load the rest of my comment BARROWMAN!! *shakes fist*, so i'll put it here instead:
"Oh sweet lord i'm a walking doodle"
My absolute favourite moment of this episode is the end, when the Doctor takes Chip/Casandra back in time to meet herself. If you think about that moment logically, it's a scene where a person, who has spent the last few thousand years as a piece of skin stretched over a metal frame, meets the person who will one day become the peice of skin stretched over a metal frame. It's ridiculous and could easily turn into a farce, but Zoe Wanamaker's and Sean Gallagher's performances are so real and so genuine, that it becomes a meeting of two people that have an instant, unexplainable connection. And to see Casandra really care about (what she thinks is) a random stranger, just shows she did have a heart, and it wasn't all about perfection and money (even if her moment of humanity only lasts for a few minutes). It's a lovely moment and the best way to say goodbye to Lady Casandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen.
"Oh sweet lord i'm a walking doodle"
My favorite line. Also my mom laughed out loud when he said this, which isn't something she does much.
"How is it possible to be attracted to a man's hair?
"
And on that note I am posting this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnYBuO8OqFg
Yeah, embedding is disabled, but seriously go watch it and pretend that you are that lucky, lucky girl.
oh god its so sad that I know exactly what your talking about without having to click that link.
*you're
Oh I love the Face of Boe's theme tune too! I love all of the music.
Yeah, Tennant's enthusiasm for the job is delightfully infectious. It really comes through in the Confidential episodes, too. He just seemed really jazzed to be there, and it's adorable.
How is it possible to be attracted to a man's hair?
I would like to direct you to this blog: http://mattsmithshair.tumblr.com/
It is so, so possible.
Lots of Season 5 caps so possible spoilers!
I have mixed feelings about this episode. Good things:
I love the cat-nurse-nun-people. I don't know why. I just really like them.
The scenes of Cassandra in Rose's and the Doctor's bodies are completely priceless. That's some seriously impressive acting from both Billie Piper and David Tennant. "So many parts…and hardly used!" Walking just on the edge of children's programming, are we, Doctor Who screenwriters?
The Doctor's preoccupation with the lack of a little shop. Such a very Doctor thing to do, particularly this incarnation.
Not-so-good things:
However, the resolution is pretty ridiculous, even by Doctor Who standards. I can usually suspend my disbelief and just not care, but I can't do it with this one for some reason. Too silly. I also don't buy that Cassandra goes from "do absolutely anything to survive" to "time for me to die now" in about 2 minutes. It seemed totally out of character for her.
Family programming, not childrens. Which means all those comments are in there for the parents to laugh at knowingly and the kids to be confused by.
Dr Who has ALWAYS been good at that sort of thing (one of the episodes in the key to time arc had the wonderful line, 'she thinks otherwise because I did her a certain service' which in context was clearly meant to mean some filthy, filthy sex.
New Earth was rated as 4 for scariness. This is the episode that reassured me that it was okay that I loved ten. In the first scene, there was something there, that was so Doctor-y that it made it fine to like him too. Also, Boe says he'll be back again?
BUMBUMBUM.
Yes, we must Face facts on that. But lets not get a head of ourselves.
(I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.)
He'll do an about-face and Feature again at some point. He's got a good head on his shoulders. I should stop, I don't want to get it in the neck.
New Earth was my very first Doctor Who episode, and I do remember that I loved it right from then. I thought the whole body swap thing was hilarious. I really should watch it again soon.
I really like New Earth. It has it's problems but expecting perfection is a little much, really. I love the obsession with having a little shop, and Billie is being an excellent actress in this.
I thought it was pretty smart of them to do a body swap thing in the first episode where we get to see a lot of Tennant, since it showcased his acting so well. I mean, how can you NOT love him after this?
And Billie Piper calling the Doctor "gov'nor" kills me every time.
Also, for the Christmas Invasion, whenever he complains about not being ginger… well my friends and I were randomly discussing Who, and we hit upon the idea of him being a ginger finally: When Matt Smith leaves (whenever that might be) the replacement should to be Rupert Grint. Just think about that.
Or…
<img src="http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/DanaanMI/c0c1143b23doctorjpg.jpg">
…no, you're right, let's go with Rupert.
In every movie since 3 (he was little in 1&2), Rupert has been flawless. Not saying Dan can't act, but Rupert would be amazing.
Though that pic is fabulous.
Yeah, he could be an amazing Doctor, but he's too young now IMO. Not that I think he couldn't handle the role, but Matt Smith is so young that even after a series of him it still throws me, and Rupert's even younger. I think when the time comes for the Twelfth Doctor, they should go with someone a bit older. Not First Doctor-old, mind, but not a kid in his early twenties.
So maybe Rupert could be…the Fourteenth Doctor.
Oh Rupert is entirely too young. But it's still fun to think about, cause I think in a few years (okay maybe more like 10) he could pull it off.
Absolutely. I'm really liking this idea now. Let's do some timey-wimey stuff to age him up ten or so years so he can be the next Doctor.
This is a good plan.
They probably won't but he could definitely do it. Then again practically anyone can be the Doctor. It's just a matter of what they're looking for or who happens to stand out above the crowd during the auditions.
I thought about Rupert as soon as I heard that line.
I still contend that the best ginger for the role would be Damian Lewis. Watch him in Life and tell me he wasn't playing the drama version of the Doctor already. 😛
Why was Life cancelled! Why!!
And agreed, he'd be good.
OH MY GOD.
That would make me so unbelievably happy.
Hell yeah. Or Toby Stephens? Is he ginger enough? I always think of him as ginge but now I'm starting to doubt myself. Hmm
Can you imagine how excited the Doctor would be to finally be GINGER!
Except he wouldn't because with his new personality he dislikes being ginger.
OMG. Could you imagine the outrage the BBC would have to suffer through if Moffat took that route.
Link to explain context- http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/response/2010/01/…
Since Mark already knows what the next Doctor looks like I cannot imagine this could be considered a spoiler, but if you do not want to know who does or doesn't have red hair, I would suggest not clicking on the link. </br<>
*grins* Yeah, that would so be so true. I can imagine him being like "its impossible to blend in with ginger hair!" and the companion just staring in disbelief at whatever crazy out-fit the Doc's picked out this time.
Rupert Grint isn't awkwardly British enough.
Also, I dunno, I was not really impressed by any of the child actors in Harry Potter. The adults were all perfect, but none of the kids really stood out to me, except maybe the actors for Fred and George? I dunno, I can't see them ending up on Doctor Who.
This was the first David Tennant episode I saw and I didn't like him back then (I still have issues with him back we'll get to that one day). It might have had something to do with going the serious and intense Parting of the Ways into the utterly silly New Earth.
Also this episode annoys me with it's terrible science. Every disease ever cured by mixing tons of different vaccines? Yeah makes perfect sense. NOT. Also the whole bodyswapping thing is just far too silly especially considering the fact that this the first episode in which David Tennant's Doctor really has to carry the show. (saving the day is easy)
The science is terrible, but this is Doctor Who. If you start picking apart the science of it, pretty much every episode – hell, the entire basic premise – just falls apart. The 'science' is just a means to an end, with the end being: scary monsters; life or death situations; heroism; character development; lols; warm fuzzies.
The whole vaccine thing was utter bollocks, but what it led to (a whole new subspecies of humans starting a new life and finally being able to touch, actually SAVING each other through touch!) was lovely stuff.
Every time I watch an episode of Who, I'm reminded of that line in Friends, 'well, we do enjoy the silliness.'
There's a difference between bad science-fiction (which can be forgiven) and just terrible science in general (which musn't). This was definitely the latter.
Why so many down votes for this? I love this episode, but I agree that it was an odd choice to do a body swapping episode to introduce the new Doctor, especially when you combine it with him sleeping away half of The Christmas Invasion. It seems like it would be a smarter choice to establish him first, and then do the funny body-swapping episode.
Yes, I agree that was an interesting choice. In the Christmas Invasion Tennant wasn't on screen most of the time, and its odd that his first full episode involves him getting possessed. Those scenes were still great fun, sure, but you'd think they'd want it a bit later in.
(And for the record, this episode greatly helped to eliminate my irrational fear of the Face of Boe. He is so nice and wise!)
Cool story Boe.
<img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/67t6w5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
Isn't that picture a little bit spoilery?
OMG withouth his glass to proctect us, he's so scary.
I actually really like this episode. Even though the "body swap" routine is so old (I blame the original Freaky Friday but it's probably even older than that), I do love Cassandra in Rose's body, jumping up and down and her quote about it being "like living inside a bouncy castle" is bitchy genius. And yes, David Tennant as Cassandra is fantastic. I'm so glad you grew to like the Face of Boe, he's a great character though we don't see much of him.
Two things I dislike about this episode: one is Rose's gushing declaration at the beginning: "I love this, I love travelling with you!" Eurgh, WE KNOW she enjoys travelling with him, you don't have to shove it in our faces, we can work it out for ourselves! Two, the medical science… or lack of. But they're pretty minor and don't stop me enjoying the performances.
Two things I dislike about this episode: one is Rose's gushing declaration at the beginning: "I love this, I love travelling with you!" Eurgh, WE KNOW she enjoys travelling with him, you don't have to shove it in our faces, we can work it out for ourselves!
IA, and would also like to point out, that this is a tendency of RTD that seems to pop up more often and in more obvious ways as things progress. Yes, we understand that it is super special awesome to be traveling with the Doctor THAT IS WHY WE LOVE THIS SHOW SHUT UP COMPANIONS. You're already showing us, you really don't have to tell us.
This is a very "meh" episode for me. The plot resolution is made of stupid even by RTD standards, but normally I can overlook RTD's tendency to write stupid endings because he does such good character and thematic work. This time…I didn't really feel like I learned anything about the Doctor or Rose, and I just wasn't terribly affected by Cassandra.
The "bouncy castle" line remains a classic, though. 🙂 And I do love how all the actors had such fun with the body switching. The rest of it just wasn't working for me.
As to the effects/cinematography: Yes, the show was a smash in its first season, so I wouldn't be surprised if it got a bit more money in its second season. Also, to be frank, Tennant was an up-and-comer when he was hired and was therefore significantly cheaper than Eccleston, who was a veteran and one of the top TV drama stars in Britain. Finally, as the commentaries in S1 pointed out, when Who began there just weren't many British TV directors who had any experience working with serious CGI effects. This time around everyone involved in the production knew more about what they doing and so the action and effects are better and were probably shot more efficiently.
This is a good episode- it has some nice stuff in it. I love the Face of Boe and the other denizens of New Earth, and the morals about 'perfection' are interesting.
Not to mention Cassandra!Rose and Cassandra!Doctor. Besides those two performances, I think one of my favourite bits are when the Doctor confronts the Nuns, asking what they did to Rose. Usually in story lines like this, the other character(s) bumble along thinking "Why is X acting so odd? Oh, well, bet its nothing". But the Doctor knew right away. (Not that Cassandra's that great an actress XD)
The one thing that really stops me liking this epispode- the biology. I know, this is DW, I shouldn't let it annoy me, but its painful to watch.
1) There are so few diseases in existence? Find that hard to swallow, although I guess medical care in the future could be that great…
2) The treatment of clones. Clones are just like twins, you idiotic cat nurses! They do not affect intelligence/sentience/etc. I know that's the whole point, that prejudice is unfounded, etc, but I feel like shredding those cats' medical licenses to shreds.
3) But the biggest is the resolution. Mixing all the medicine together than sprinkling it onto the zombies by touch?!? Besides the fact it borders on a Dues Ex Machina, it just doesn't make sense. Those things were seen on IV drips, so clearly they needed to enter the bloodstream, and all that medicine at once could cause horrible effects- the same way as when you mix your drinks. And it cures them all in literally seconds. Painful.
"You're talking out of your-"
"Ask not."
My favorite part of this episode is the way they use puns to get around swearing. What can I say "Hello Operator" was my favorite thing when I was a kid.
The end of this episode actually made me cry. I'm not sure what it is, I don't usually tear up at Doctor Who, but something about that scene where Cassandra goes back and tells her past self that she's beautiful…
Somehow you can just tell how much it means to her, and that maybe it was the only time she really believed it when someone told her. It's such a beautiful and tragic moment – her life has come full circle.
On a totally different note, I am SO EXCITE for the next episode!!! It's my absolute favourite Doctor Who episode ever because *SPOILERS*. :D:D:D
Oh, and the use of 'Rose's Theme' in the scene with Cassandra dying at the end…*sobbing forever*
"From the way she conducts herself, to the way she wears her clothes, and even down to her accent, Billie Piper becomes Cassandra."
And one extra little change: Billie changed into a Wonderbra for all the Cassandra scenes. 😉
Obligatory you are not prepared post because you're not.
I love David Tennant.
That is all.
It's Tennant! Not MY doctor, but the Doctor that all my friends for years tried to convince me to watch, until last year. Now I love all the new doctors, and my life is a better geekier place.
This is a good, fun episode, not one of my faves by any means, BUT Apple Grass 🙂
Every time I comment I swear it gets harder and harder not to be spoilerish, some serious editing just went on! Must be patient.
Random fact: Later in the year that Series 2 first aired (2006), I visited an official, fully licenced and brand authorised, all singing, all dancing Doctor Who Exhibition. And what do I see on the New Earth exhibit?
`LEMON GRASS`
Well done with the fact checking, whoever did that!
Also, how about this for the win? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc2u7_Mu9L4
🙂
That has been swiftly added to my favourites….
Haha loved the Cassandra!Doctor scene, I really burst out laughing at that point.
I guess I can still take the whole "miracle medicine" thing and just suspend my disbelief for that. But the resolution… I mean, if it was possible for the vaccine to cure them with the sanitized bath, then wouldn't it be equally dangerous if any one of those "new humans" get a common cold or something? They could just transmit it to each other by touching each other, and that'll be a really short-lived life for all of the "new human" race, ha. Just a thought.
Yeah, he seems pretty suspicious from the start ("what's with the voice?") but he definitely keeps sort of… testing her early on, like with the technology.
I agree very much. He is suspicious from the phone call on.
"this episode greatly helped to eliminate my irrational fear of the Face of Boe. He is so nice and wise!"
And there was much rejoicing in the land!
I've always wanted to know what Rose thought while Cassandra was possessing her. I don't think we have to ask about the kiss, but everything else I would be really interested in knowing.
I basically just enjoyed hearing David Tennant say my name a lot. (I am such a fangirl, it's shameful. Luckily I have no shame, so it's actually just fine! :))
I love the cat-people. *purrs* I totally played a deaf, white Cat-person teenage girl on a Doctor Who RPG. :/ None of the timelords wanted me as a companion, the lot of them.
Face of Boe <3!
Tennant's face is awesome!! I love that giant, goofy grin!
Oddly, while I enjoyed this episode, I only cared to remember the bit with the Face of Boe and Ten-Cassandra.
I like this episode. Not the best by a long stretch, but mostly it's a fun romp with a little cry at the end. It does have some of RTD's signature tendencies that irk me, most of which other people have touched on (bad bad bad science/ weak plot rap up, Let me talk about how I love to travel with the Doctor), and one or two that they haven't (There is a legend…), but these are things that certainly did not annoy me the first time I watched the episode, but I still like it. Lots of funny lines and good acting, the wonderful David Tennant, and some pretty awesome prosthetics on those cat nuns!
Not surprisingly, Cassandra's plot is a lot stronger than the primary plot built up around it. While her sudden resignation to death is, well, sudden, her closure is pretty beautiful. As much of a front as she puts up, it's pretty obvious that anyone who has altered themselves as much as she has problems with their self-image at least, and probably some self-hatred. In her last moments, she comes to peace with herself, finally realizing she was beautiful. I side with those that think this is a stable time loop, so she was fulfilling her own history by coming back to meet her past self. That Cassandra is going to go down the same destructive path, but the journey back isn't for her. If that wasn't the last time someone had told her she was beautiful, she would have remembered the time before that. The trip back is for her present self, and it gives her the peace and closure she needs to let go.
Seems your comment's been deleted so I'm replying here! 🙂 I'm so glad I'm not alone in disliking the "I am going to state out loud how much I love travelling with the Doctor" trope. I realised today that it's just like the moment in the GoF film when Harry gazes around and says "I love magic!" NO, really? We hadn't noticed that at all! *headdesk* What was Kloves thinking?
I was all bummed about the transition from Nine to Ten, but oh man, this helped. And YES to the amazing acting that Tennant and Piper showed off in this episode, it was one of those moments where I totally forgot I was watching a tv show and had to remind myself that they were not, in fact, being possessed by the actress playing Cassandra. That who thing was amazing 😀 I loved it! Great review~ Oh man Mark, this season…
Oh man, this episode. I'm not wild about the plot….I can't really explain why. I think it's the resolution, which a lot of people have brought up. Also, after being seperated for most of the Christmas special, Ten and Rose don't actually get to spend a whole lot of time together – while they're both in-character. BUT. But. Shippy goodness, and Bille and David are having so much freakin' FUN as their Cassandra! selves.
Is it really worng that I am actually giddy with excitement over many, many future reviws? Picturing them in my head, right now…
I'e already marathoned through all five series, now I think it's time to watch episodes before mark as my knoweldge of where spoilers may be is becoming a little fuzzy.
One of the things I really notice about New Who is the music, in contrast to BinaTone Guy in OldWho, it's much, much better, but I actually forget which musical suites belong to which doctor in order to comment on their use.
"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need. A head full of big face." I mostly love this series, because it's so damn funny
Tangent: For those interested in reading older science fiction, the cat nuns remind me very much of stories by Cordwainer Smith. His universe contains animals modified to act as humans, but who were not given human rights. They were collectively referred to as "underpeople," and the cat-person C'Mell appears in various stories as a leader and activist for underpeople rights. There's not a huge volume of work here: one novel, Norstrilia, and a collection of short stories. They're very well-written, with highly entertaining use of language. The cat-person C'Mell appears in "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell", "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard", and Norstrilia.
I don't know if anyone's mentioned it, but the nuns look EXACTLY like Hermione in cat form.
Ohmygod I love, *love*, this episode, mostly because of the possession scenes. Especially adore how you can totally see Billie Piper corpsing when Doctor/Cassandra is going 'you've been LOOKING… you LIKE IT…'
Mark, no mention of the kiss? Every time I watch it, I'm a little more alarmed by Rose/Cassandra's very suggestive… hip… movements. LOL FAMILY PROGRAMME.
What's funny about the word 'chav'? I may be missing something, because it's pretty widely used in the UK. Do you not have chavs in the US? Living in the East End of London, I'm more or less surrounded by them
*hopes we get Tooth and Claw today is impatient and sad*
I think the budget thing, just throwing this out there before I even read, it's just because series 1 was kind of…a pilot series, to see if people were actually bothered. When they realised they WERE, and that Tennant was popular after one episode, I think they increased the budget quite a lot or just started putting a hell of a lot more effort into graphics/sfx.
Cassandra in the Doctor’s body pushing Rose out of the way when they go to climb up the ladder makes me feel so uncomfortable. Because it’s something the Doctor would never ever do, seeing Cassandra make the Doctor do it…. ARGH I HATE IT SO MUCH.
And look, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love that there’s no real sense of HOLY SHIT, THEY HAVE CAT FACES from anyone in this episode. This show is so quintessentially NOT American in that respect, and I love it to pieces because of that. You don’t need to explain why there are female cat faces all up in this place. It just is the way it is.
I think they have this moment, but they're British so they hold it in.
I love the Doctor/Rose shippiness and how they love being together and have fun being together. *Haters to the left, please*
Ten's not my favorite Doctor, but it's episodes like these that make up for it. I'll never stop missing Nine, but I'll always enjoy the light-hearted stuff with Ten.
As for the "Lonely God" comment… I hate it sfm.
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