In the third episode of the fourth series of Doctor Who, the Doctor and Donna land on the home planet of the Ood, where the Doctor must face the fact that he ignored their plight the last time he saw them. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Doctor Who.
I’m fascinated by the very obvious turn to this season: Donna Noble acts as a foil to the Doctor’s previously unchecked behavior. I don’t think Doctor Who is a particularly subtle show, though there have been plenty of beautifully written, subtle moments in the past. The writers love making big, rash, and grandiose statements about the human condition. Spaceships crash into Big Ben, and entire worlds are destroyed in seconds. The stakes are high, the risks are real, the body count is immeasurably high, and the Doctor routinely saves the day. It’s an entertaining formula, for sure, and I don’t want this to seem like I’m at all criticizing what Doctor Who does. That’s half the fun, isn’t it?
So I’m not surprised that each episode we’ve seen so far, it’s been very obvious that Donna confronts the routine and morality of the Doctor. I don’t necessarily expect this to be something shoved into the background, quietly working behind the main plot. It’s not even within Donna’s character to be that non-confrontational. She’s not as intense as she was in “The Runaway Bride,” certainly, but to expect a calm, brooding Donna would be unrealistic. She is loud and brash and loves to take the piss out of your unnecessary seriousness.
In “Planet of the Ood,” Donna’s perspective on the Ood is entirely different because she doesn’t look at them in the way that the Doctor does. To the Doctor, he just accepts that they are a slave race. He does acknowledge that he was a tad distracted the last time he came across the Ood in “The Impossible Planet” / “The Satan Pit.” I mean, RIGHT. He battled GODDAMN SATAN and that may have been a bit more important at the time.
It was great to return to the Ood, who still have one of the best costumes/prosthetics/makeup out of any alien race on the entire run of the show. (I cannot get over how cute their blinky eyes are. WHY IS THIS THE CASE.) “Planet of the Ood” takes a much deeper look at the concept of slavery and how other people can turn living things into commodities. Ood Operations is the corporation exploiting the Ood this time and somehow, they’re worse than Satan. That’s saying a lot. They’ve turned the Ood into products to be scattered throughout the Second Great Human Empire, to be used as servants with no real desires or feelings of their own. We were repeatedly throughout the episode by the people in power that the Ood were designed this way. Or born this way. That they loved to serve, that they needed it to survive. (Sound familiar, Harry Potter fans?)
The episode’s big mystery involves a phenomenon called “Red Eye,” in which the Ood begin to go rabid. Through this bizarre experience, the Doctor and Donna set off to find out what’s going wrong and deal with a larger problem: how is it possible that a species evolve naturally to become servants? And it’s a fantastic question that even I failed to ask. How do beings come into existence in a purely altruistic way?
The brilliance of “Planet of the Ood” lies in the fact that, through the Doctor and Donna, the idea that a species wanting to be enslaved is entirely dismantled here. The owners in this episode have rewritten history, or at least completely lied about it, in order to justify their ownership of the Ood. But even further than that, I really, really enjoyed the idea that the Ood used music to communicate complicated and emotional messages through song. I think it could have been really, really cheesy when the Doctor and Donna found the unprocessed Ood. But through the believable acting of David Tennant and Catherine Tate, as well as the gorgeous music composed for the Ood, I completely believed it. I mean, even at a base level, music has provided the catharsis for oppressed people worldwide and I appreciated the sensitivity the writers gave that scene.
Also THE OOD WERE LOBOTOMIZED. JESUS. FUCKING. CHRIST. I will never get over how awful that is.
The end of this episode isn’t really disappointing to me, so much as…well, it’s just not quite as amazing as the rest of the episode. I loved the idea that a giant brain provided the consciousness to the Ood and that “breaking the circle” meant removing the circle of pylons that created a forcefield. But man, I was kind of sad that Dr. Ryder reveals himself to be part of Friends of the Ood and then immediately gets thrown into the giant brain. OOOPS. SORRY SIDE CHARACTER. I also was unsure what the implications were of tuning Halpen into an Ood. Did he still retain his identity and being or was he now 100% Ood?
I’m glad the Ood were freed, and I’m glad that Donna’s new perspective changed the way the Doctor dealt with this situation. But…so what was the Red Eye thing? Or the rabies? Were the unprocessed Oods causing this? I felt it was hinted that they were starting a rebellion, but it wasn’t outright confirmed. Either way, I had a great time with this episode. It was satisfying, thought-provoking, and basically Donna Noble is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
THOUGHTS
- For a brief moment, I actually believed Donna would ask the Doctor to take her home. The realization that the Universe is full of awful stuff was pretty depressing, but I am so happy she’s going to stick with the Doctor.
- I thought Solana would actually survive but OOPS I GUESS NOT.
- “Why do you say ‘Miss’? Do I look single?” Oh, Donna. Never change.
- WHY DID OOD SIGMA SAY THAT THE DOCTOR’S SONG MUST END SOON. Please don’t say that, I love David Tennant. 🙁
- “It’s weird, but…being with you, I can’t tell what’s right and what’s wrong anymore.” A fantastic and brief summary of the quandary of moral certainty that comes with the Doctor.
- I love the conversation the Doctor and Donna have about slavery on earth, especially the line about who made Donna’s clothes.
- HEY. I LIKE THE TARDIS, DONNA.
The circle must be broken. (;,;)
Ood emoticon! OMG.
OH MY GOD IT'S AN OOD!!! It took me a while to get it, haha 🙁
Me too!
That's fantastic!
"I cannot get over how cute their blinky eyes are. WHY IS THIS THE CASE."
ONE OF US. ONE OF US.
Anyway, it's the Ood! I loved the Ood the first time, so I was glad to see them back. Although I'm pissed it took 2 seasons to get any resolution to the slave thing. And how self-righteous Ten gets in this ep, considering he never did anything about it before.
And how interesting could it have been to have an Ood ep with Martha? Donna's great here, don't get me wrong, but I lot of us liked seeing explicit references to racism in Human Nature, that I think it could have been very nice to see how a black companion would have reacted to the Ood.
As with the last Ood eps, I'm also kind of annoyed by the idea that it takes possession/an infection for the Ood to "revolt," so I'm glad it was more than just an infection here, and that the fact that the Ood never revolted before makes sense in light of what we learn about the Ood in this ep. And then when we're not supposed to be that sympathetic to the Ood killing people, I'm still rooting for them in those scenes. Can't be bothered to feel much sympathy for the dying slave owners. *kanye shrug*
And the singing!
<img src="http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/4990/tomhardycrying.gif">
Seriously, Catherine Tate is rocking these episodes so far. And then the mutilation. Just, ugh, most tragic species ever. Doctor, your emopain doesn't compare.
I love "sentient" Oods (sentient as compared to the slaves). Give me more, give me more.
""I cannot get over how cute their blinky eyes are. WHY IS THIS THE CASE."
ONE OF US. ONE OF US."
Friends Of The Ood unite!
Friends of the Ood!
Seriously, Mark, don't ask why. THEY JUST ARE. THEY ARE ADORABLE.
Friends of the Ood!
Join us Mark. We have cute aliens on our side.
And how self-righteous Ten gets in this ep, considering he never did anything about it before.
I love it when Ten gets defensive because it means he knows he behaved badly. The last time he got like this was when Jack called him out on leaving him behind and Martha called him out on his favouritism at the same time! *lol* And then Ten yelled at them and called them "bloggers" because he knew they were right.
"I was busy"? Yeah, discussing your MORTGAGE with your bff. *rolls eyes* You had a whole episode to ask what the Ood were doing serving the humans before shit went down but noooooooo…
I was rooting for the Ood as well. Those slave owners…
<img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2e2ecy0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
The mutilation and music brought all of the sadness. ;_; Poor Ood.
<img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/egregious_girl/gifs/movies%20and%20telly/doctor%20who/d3si.gif" border="0" alt="ood dance Pictures, Images and Photos"/>
OOOOOOOOOOOOD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qhy2daXBzA
I’m going to have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the day, aren’t I?
For some reason, I really enjoy it when this show portrays humans as anything other than “brilliant,” as Ten would say. Humans are capable of awful things, slavery being the lowest of the low. I can’t tell you how much I cried the very first time I saw this episode. When we found out that the Ood balls were essentially lobotomies and Donna heard their song… T_T
That being said, Halpen spitting out Ood tentacles is almost as creepy as the Empty Child’s mask growing out of Doctor Constantine’s face. Almost.
haha oods=house elves…..harry potter seeps into everything.
Also: 1st to comment!!!!! <3
Also, Donna going to West Ham games every weekend? I wonder if Dean Thomas was there, too?
OMG I had the same thought when she said that. I want a Donna/Dean fanfic! We already know he's partial to gingers 🙂 And since 2008 is in Harry Potter's future, there is nothing to say they didn't meet up.
Thinking back to this episode, did Donna and the Doctor in any way contribute to the saving of the day in this episode? Seems like Ood Sigma and the Friends of the Ood has the situation well in hand, and our heroes were just there to watch this time.
Well the Doctor did disable the explosives that were going to blow up the brain, but maybe the Oods would have done that too if he hadn't got there first.
It's an interesting point though.
The Doctor not only disabled the explosives but also fiddled with the controls to disable the barrier. The latter didn't seem to be as simple as pressing the `off` switch, so we don't know that Ood Sigma would have known how to do that, given that the FOTO scientist had been killed.
I noticed that on my rewatch as well. Seems like Ood Sigma had things well under control. Maybe they lessened some of the Ood deaths from the guards?
I loved how polite the Oods were, even when killing people!
For me this episode isn’t bad so much as… aggressively MEH. Idk you guys. This plot just doesn’t do it for me. It comes off as a little too preachy/heavy handed and then ~touching~ at the end.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/mvg4ns.jpg">
Donna Noble: But look at us. We're everywhere. Is that good or bad though? Are we like explorers, or more like a virus?
The Doctor: Sometimes I wonder.
Ah yes. I see where this episode is going…
Donna Noble: A great big empire, built on slavery…
The Doctor: It's not so different from your time.
Donna Noble: Oy! I haven't got slaves!
The Doctor: Who d'you think made your clothes?
Donna Noble: Is that why you travel round with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots?
The Doctor: Sorry.
Donna Noble: Well, don't.
I GOT IT DOCTOR. THIS IS ALL A VERY HEAVY HANDED METAPHOR FOR COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM AND GLOBAL CAPITALISM. YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR ME. I mean, you know, I actually usually like the whole "humans are the real monsters" thing, but this just comes off as too obvious. It's trying too hard or something. Idk. Maybe I just read too much Jonathan Swift this weekend in preparation for a presentation I had to give today, but I am just REALLY not feeling the metaphor/satire elements of this episode.
And then on top of that, there just isn’t really much in the way of interesting character exploration either and the secondary characters aren’t anything to write home about. The closest we get to really doing anything with character exploration is that Donna gets to see what it’s like in the Doctor’s head, so I guess she understands him better now.
<img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2zs1jpv.jpg">
And idk. I just feel like last week’s episode earned the tears, whereas these tears seem… too easy. Like the whole mindmeld -> emotional reaction thing feels very similar to the short cut in “The Girl in the Fireplace” where the Doctor reads Reinette's mind and BAM emotional connection. I just really don’t like that because I feel like the characters and writers should earn the emotions, if that makes sense.
Another thing that makes this episode just not that great for me is THAT SCENE WHERE MR. HALPEN TURNS INTO AN OOD IS THE WORST THING EVER. HE LIKE RIPS OFF HIS SKIN AND COUGHS UP A BRAIN. D: Do not fucking want. EVER. Ugh. Here. ALLOW ME TO SCAR YOU ALL AGAIN.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/23vnuc3.jpg">
<img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/20tfr49.jpg">
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/20571if.jpg">
YOU'RE WELCOME.
It’s not ALL bad though. I do like the bit where Ten is running around a warehouse, trying to escape a giant claw because 1) LOL. OK. MOST POINTLESS CHASE SCENE EVER. And 2) THE CLAAAAAW. I can’t see that claw without imagining the little green aliens from Toy Story.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/23vkboy.jpg">
<img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2ed4euu.jpg">
Also, I do love me some Barty Crouch Jr, and David Tennant was just channeling that so much when he was behind those bars.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/jrxylx.jpg">
And because I’m such a Rose fangirl, I can’t help but spend most of this episode thinking “AND THAT’S WHY YOU ALWAYS LISTEN TO ROSE.”
Doctor: Last time I met the Ood, I never thought… never asked…
Donna: That’s not like you.
Doctor: I was busy
BUT ROSE THOUGHT AND ASKED, YOU IDIOT. Ok, I know the Doctor was dealing with ~Bigger Problems~, but I did like the subtle call back to Rose knowing that the way the Ood were being treated wasn’t right and the way that she tried to treat them with respect.
"Also, I do love me some Barty Crouch Jr, and David Tennant was just channeling that so much when he was behind those bars."
THANK YOU for that screencap! Yes, he is totally channeling Barty Crouch Jr. there.
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Harry%20Potter/2dw5mi9.gif>
Augh, peels off his skin and reveals he is A PENIS, is what that screencap says to me! D:
Great review, as always. 🙂
I agree that the 'subtext' in this episode is very heavy-handed, but I'd say that's a natural product of the family genre. Certainly, kids are capable of picking up some subtler commentary (Harry Potter!) but this one spells out some pretty complex issues in a pretty simple way. I like that. I like that sometimes a message is just laid out there for all to see.
I mentioned in a reply above about the Ood primarily saving themselves: I think that's a more subtle message that may have been written into this. Maybe I'm just reading into it. Either way, I like.
"And idk. I just feel like last week’s episode earned the tears, whereas these tears seem… too easy."
THIS, THOUGH. Much as I love this episode – I CAN'T NOT LOVE THE OOD – it does seem a bit close to overkill. The whole bit about them singing their pain and Donna finding it unbearable.. it was a bit thick. If anything, that heavy-handedness bothered me more. 'Look how tragic they are, weep for them' type vibe.
And Mr Halpen? Did anyone else get a huge Empty Child vibe there or was that just me? Do not want.
During that chase scene all I could think of were the aliens in Toy Story saying "the claw" in a very creepy voice.
Yeah, this ep was a little heavy handed but I still like it. Mostly due to Donna.
Eh, good fun episode but somehow a bit weaker than it should have been given the elements involved. Oh, and I hate that the ood go from telepathic to oracles, if they can see the future how the heck did they let the big brain get captured in the first place? Very important episode in firmly showing Donna what being a companion is about (along with Pompeii) but a bit… throwaway somehow.
I don't think there's much the Ood could do about it. As pointed out in the episode the fact that they carry part of their brains in their hands makes them a peaceful species and extremely vulnerable so I don't think there's much they could've done to stop humans from finding, digging up and taking the Ood brain or to defend themselves.
Fun fact! The song of the Ood is provided by countertenor Mark Chambers. Once you're free of all possibility of spoiling, you must watch him perform at last year's Doctor Who at the Proms. He's amazing.
I didn't realize it was a countertenor voice until I watched that Proms. I was just like: O.o …AMAZING!!! 😀
He's uncredited in the series 4 soundtrack, I think, so I didn't put 2 and 2 together for a while either. All of the Ood music is just instant waterworks for me, though. God I love Murray Gold.
It's things like this that make me jealous of the male singing voice. I mean, the male ranges go from bass to countertenor, which covers a huge range of pitch. Ladies, on the other hand, generally have to work without that whole lower bit. So not fair. *pouts a bit, and it's kind of pathetic*
Tim McInnerny! *Blackadder fan squee*
<img src="http://www.nndb.com/people/926/000050776/lord-percy.jpg">
Oh Percy how could you *shakes head*
Oh Percy….
First your WWII descendant is sort of a douche and then your far-in-the-future descendant gets caught up in intergalactic slavery! How the mighty bloodline has fallen….
Halpen/Percy: Can it be true that I hold in my mortal hand a nugget of purest green?!
Future Blackadder: No. That's an Ood brain. Must be a novel concept for you…having a brain.
I can totally hear that in Rowan Atkinson's voice.
You win the internets 😀 *much laughter*
Hello Darling.
I KNEW I RECOGNIZED HIM. Thank you for pointing it out!
Doctor Who is such a great show for actor-spotting. The BBC tends to use a relatively small pool of people over the course of quite a long time.
"There is room in the song for you."
This episode makes me weep like a little girl, and I'm not even 100% sure why. I sort of blame the music for manipulating my emotions. But omg it so gets to me.
The moment where the Doctor says "Oh dear" is a spot-on impression of the Second Doctor. Donna is just great at puncturing his attempts to be grandiose. From her popping into the Tardis for warmer clothing (again, she'd brought cold weather clothing along) while the Doctor is making his speech to her calling him on cheap shots when he asked who made her clothes. She's just what he needs.
It's sweet when Donna doesn't know how the translation balls work, she tries to speak into the ball of the Ood in the snow.
Great moment of squick when Halpen's new extra brain pops out of his mouth and his head peels to reveal the Ood within!
It's sweet when Donna doesn't know how the translation balls work, she tries to speak into the ball of the Ood in the snow.
YES. I love that scene, and I find it completely human and amazing. She doesn't care that she doesn't know how it works, she's going to try anyway to help comfort the dying creatures.
I love Donna's comment about why the Ood are the way they are – IE they have their brains in their hands. It's incredibly perceptive of her, and just reinforces to me why I love her character so very much. She's loud and brash, but underneath it all she just has this incredibly good heart, and she innately "gets" things that other people might easily overlook.
"IE they have their brains in their hands."
That line always makes me teary.
I like that the Doctor turns to her and says "ooh good one!" or something similar. Did he even think of that? I don't know…but I love that he can acknowledge Donna's awesome.
I love that line from Donna.
I know. For all her loudness, she's very perceptive.
YES I love that Donna understands this so intrinsically. She may not be super book smart, but she has fantastic intuition and fast learning.
This episode… brrrrrrrr. It's so full of heartbreak, and scary, and pain. It's just so chock full of hurt, it's confusing how so much emotion was put into 40something minutes.
Maybe that's why I keep mis-remembering this as a two-parter.
I know, right? I kept trying to remember the second episode title, and I couldn't, so I imdb'd it, and TADA Only one part. How does that make any sense?
Yeah. When the red-eyed Ood are closing in and they're shouting out "DoctorDonnaFriends!" it seems like the perfect cut-off for a cliffhanger episode.
Oh, I do too! I always think it's a two-parter and then am a bit surprised to realize it's not.
The original plan WAS to make this a two-parter; the Ood Brain would be, not in a warehouse, but deep inside a labyrinth of caves, giving lots of padding space for dark-cave chases and intrigue. On second thought, they decided it was better to fit it all into one, and that's what we got.
Yes, me too.
Oh god poor Donna, first Pompeii and now this, she's not having the best time of it this series. Love her annoyance at being called Miss though, and her big snuggly coat.
The Ood are stil the sweetest things ever, my previously mentioned collection of DW action figures now includes an Ood Sigma and unprocessed Ood that arrived over the weekend and they are SO CUTE. The one that died in the snow and the other that tried to hide in amongst some barrels while being chased break my heart.
"But…so what was the Red Eye thing? Or the rabies? Were the unprocessed Oods causing this? I felt it was hinted that they were starting a rebellion, but it wasn’t outright confirmed."
I'll probably have been beaten to this by the time I post but, I got the impression it was a result of them being cut off from the big brain by the pylons, and possibly the lobotomies making it worse. Like, this was the side effect of messing around with their brains so much. I may be on the wrong track with this though.
Dr Ryder said he'd been turning the forcefield down to its lowest setting, which was allowing the Ood consciousness more freedom to communicate and develop. I'm pretty sure that's what caused the red-eye; the Ood were actually capable of being enraged at their situation.
Aaah I'd forgotten about that.
I would say that this is one of my favorite episodes if the entirety of season 4 wasn't my favorite. So it's a favorite among my favorites. The Ood are miserably beautiful creatures even through their sadness and slavery through their belief of peace. I thought the ending is one of the most telling endings of all the Dr. Who episodes (of the revival, in any case) by how the Ood promise to care of Halpen despite all the terrible things he had done to them.
Also the song of the Ood=BIGGEST AMOUNT OF </3 EVER!!!
PS Mark: Just noticed the new banner. Sooooo cool! 😀
*high fives* The entirety of Series 4 is my favorite, too! (Of the RTD years, anyway; I find myself not doing a lot of comparison between RTD's run and Moffat's, thus far.)
Series 4 is perfection and I love it dearly.
James Potter got swallowed by a big brain D:
I love the Ood!!
"James Potter got swallowed by a big brain D:"
I was so shocked when I found out it was the same actor (in my defence I stopped watching the movies after Chamber of Secrets, I just can't deal with adaptations very well).
Why I never noticed that! And here I was, priding myself on spotting all of the HP actors in Who. I am ashamed. Thank you for bringing this to my attention!
Holy crap, I never realized that was him! MIND = BLOWN.
Whaaaaaaat? *runs to watch episode again!*
Omg WHAT-
In my defence, its hard to recognise an older actor who is suppose to be playing a freakin' 21 year old, not an old balding dude, uhhhh.
Exactly, it's been a while since he last looked 21.
Agreed. No offense to the actor, but they made James Potter way too old in the movie.
WHOA! NOW I WILL HAVE TO REWATCH.
I never liked how the Ood were "happy to serve" and had "nothing else in life" in The Impossible Planet and I'm very glad that this episode happened. I also liked they worked against my expectations when Solana seemed to change sides but didn't. I didn't like the Ood conversion of Klineman Halpen. It left me just as confused as Mark.
FRIEND OF THE OOD HERE, CHECKING IN. As this episode is all about the adorable wonderful Ood, naturally I am a big fan. Congratulations to us all for keeping this secret during Impossible Planet/Satan Pit and beyond!
<img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/351a0de.png" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
And you say there are Ood here too? Lots and lots of them? BRB buying my one-way ticket to paradise. SERIOUSLY, THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
Ah, Italian is such a lovely language. But then, I'm biased – got some Italian in me and I want to learn more of the language myself. Molto bene!
I don't want to think about dead Oods. 🙁 🙁 🙁 Even the possessed deadly red-eyed ones. I want one to be my friend so we can hug and play and have fun together. But NOT A SLAVE, THIS IS STILL HORRIBLE. Seeing them on display, as products marketed for sale, makes my skin crawl and my heart ache. THIS IS SO AWFUL. And then they get whipped, OMG PLEASE STOP. Oh Donna, bless you for caring about this, again, this is why I love you. Nice to see you finally care too, Doctor.
You have been chosen by the claw, Doctor.
I want to cry too, hearing their song. Donna's reaction doesn't help, either. Also, THEY'RE LOBOTIMIZED, THIS IS SO HORRIBLE. Seeing them get freed is so moving, though. Murray Gold as usual hits a home run, their song upon being freed is beautiful. I'm really glad the Ood were revisited and liberated. They're one of my favorite aliens on the show, and their enslavement never sat right with me (as well it shouldn't).
The Ood Sphere is gorgeous.
LET US ALL MOVE THERE!
Bit chilly for me, I'm afriad.
LOL, the cold is exactly what makes it appealing to me!
Same here, I love snow and cold weather!
Also, it has the Ood, so even if I didn't like the cold, I'd still want to go there! 😀
The reason for the "red eye," and it was briefly touched on near the end of the episode, was that the large brain was forcing specific emotions into the Ood. Ood Sigma was all about patience, slowly working his way through the plan to make his people free. Frustration and rage were what was coming out in the rabid Ood.
I really love Donna. She's one of my favorite companions (right after Sarah Jane). And while this wasn't one of the best episodes of the season, I agree, I still really enjoyed it.
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Doctor/339qflz.gif>
Solana is gorgeous and I want her boots AND her coat.
I love this episode, but I hated the part with the claw (I really want a gif of the aliens from Toy Story saying "THE CLAW" but I can't find one). The head guard even dismisses the other guards so he can go after the Doctor. Wouldn't it be easier to get him the old fashioned way?
Friends of the Ood? I want to get rid of the "T" in there and somehow make its acronym into F.O.O.D. (Friends of Ood DoctorDonna?) It would still be better than S.P.E.W. I thought of Hermione a lot this episode. I have to say, as much as I love Hermione, I like Donna's treatment of the Ood better than Hermione's treatment of the house-elves.
Speaking of HP, when the Doctor is looking through the bars into the Ood cage, he is so doing his Barty Crouch Jr. Impersonation.
<img src="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Harry%20Potter/2dw5mi9.gif">
And now I can finally post this using Time Lord science: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USWqCB2FG54
Also, here is the beautiful "Song of Freedom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEIYOBAZsnQ
Donna? Still awesome. I love her in this episode and I feel for her when she says it's too much.
It would be impossible to love this series any more than I already do.
<img src="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/lotrfrodogandalfhug.gif">
<img src="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Buffy/tumblr_lffmztXaVn1qc459a.gif">
<img src="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/Harry%20Potter/neville.gif">
The DoctorDonna. Friends.
I'm gland I'm not the only one who totally sees David Tennant channeling Barty Crouch Jr because seriously. Every time I watch that scene, it's all I can see.
I know! I sadly couldn't find a gif of that scene to illustrate my point, but I am glad you understood what I was talking about!
ME TOO. It's kind of unsettling.
LOL, I love how three of us made Toy Story refs. I need a gif of the three-eyed aliens too!
Great minds 🙂 I found this, but no claw 🙁
<img src=http://www.gifsoup.com/view4/1128207/toy-story-aliens-o.gif>
Best I could find (well, I looked for like 1 minute).
<img src="http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/4890/tumblrlgkxz1rjed1qc5kf8.gif">
<img src="http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/8598/tumblrlf1wqv4hno1qfn8be.gif">
You are amazing.
Tennant's face in the second gif is priceless.
This is why I need to be able to upvote more than once.
OMG that last one! YOU ARE AMAZING!
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/allowmetointroducemyselfp1.gif>
I don't get this gif but I'm replying so you can't delete it if it's a mistake *grins*
Haha! I don't want to delete it. I was trying to say that you are MAGIC.
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/anigif_cool-baby-trick-25369-123855.gif>
THAT IT THE CUTEST THING EVERRRRRRRRR
<img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2cpdifb.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
OMG I love that commercial.
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/darthvsgoatsp1.gif>
I very nearly used it as an example of good advertising on my course discussions, I went with Old Spice instead 😀
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/10qg9vm.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2qvdvrs.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
<img src=http://www.gifsoup.com/view5/1975972/darth-vader-volkswagen-o.gif>
The Old Spice ad from last year is probably the best advertising I have ever seen. And funny that you brought it up, because I think:
<img src=http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad311/Chritter710/ThreadisDiamonds.jpg>
<img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/w7m1ci.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
<img src="http://www.gifsoup.com/view/284351/old-spice-commercial-o.gif">
aahah amazing. Oh Rafa…
Your last GIF sequence made my evening. LOTR, Buffy, and HP, all in a row!!
I am glad you liked them, and we must have similar taste in awesomeness, because those three things and Doctor Who are like my favorite things ever!
Are we the same person? Add Shakespeare and Firefly in there and that's most of my favorite entertainment-related things!
It depends. Do you love Jane Austen? Because I cannot be the same person as someone that does not love Jane Austen.
BTW, I love Shakespeare and Firefly too 🙂
Oh, sad, I guess we're not the same person, I could never get into Jane Austen.
Haha, it's all good 🙂 We can be NEARLY the same person. We still have great taste, either way 🙂
Maybe you're the same person but different regenerations, which means one of you knows that but is keeping it secret to protect the Web of Time.
Haha, how did you guess?
You got us. We're Time Lords. The secret is out.
Oh, Planet of The Ood. Again- The OOD! I LOVE THE OOD! And this is what I meant when I was doing all that weird circular talking back in The Satan Pit when I was talking about how the issue of a slave race. It does get raised, it's just that this is Dr Who and it doesn't tend to tell you how wrong or stupid something is just in that way- it leads you to believe that this thing is expected and then deconstructs it later.
I think people are too prone to demand immediate resolutions of issues it raises, rather then letting the show take the slow route to resolution that it does.
Since you talked about subtle statements, I'll pop in with a brief note that you should definitely check out Torchwood at some point. I just recently started watching through the episodes, and I'm finding that because the stakes are generally higher (Torchwood does not have the crazy plot device resources the Doctor has) and the focus generally smaller (one city vs. the entire world/universe) there is a little more thoughtful feel to that show, while dealing with similar themes. Or at least, they tend to examine the consequences of their conflicts more than Doctor Who, which likes to brush things off.
Which reminds me of something I meant to point out for Last of the Time Lords– was no one else bothered that they reset time to just after the President of the US was killed on live TV? I feel like that was just skipped over, even though it would have caused so many problems in any kind of realistic sense. WTF, Doctor.
Which reminds me of something I meant to point out for Last of the Time Lords– was no one else bothered that they reset time to just after the President of the US was killed on live TV?
Well, they reset time to the moment when the Paradox Machine began to operate, ie, undoing the paradox it created, which happened to be just after the president was killed.
Or rather, time reset itself to eliminate the paradox. I don't think the Doctor actually had anything to do with it.
It was because the time reversed when they destroyed the 'paradox machine', so it obviously only went back to when the paradox started (i.e. when the 'toclafane' descended but after the assassination.) They didn't choose what time they restarted at.
Well, that's fine, but I think what frustrated me was that the show didn't acknowledge the event at all. It was all "Oh the timeline is reset, the president's just been killed but the Toclafane are gone, la la moving on~" and I'm like "Uh guys, the president has still been killed." Like, I would fully expect the US to go to war over that kind of thing, so the fact that the show completely dismisses it is really jarring to me.
I know they were concentrated more on dealing with the Master, but you know, world leaders getting disintegrated on TV, you'd think people would be a bit more upset. o__o
Ah, but that's Doctor Who for you – just like the Doctor himself. Always moving on. The show doesn't stop to pick up the pieces of shattered Anglo-American relations…
…or coffee tables. (As in the one destroyed in Rose and is never mentioned again.)
OK, you can point out a difference in scale, but relative to the size of the Universe, it's all just coffee tables, really, isn't it?
Oh my god. "it's all just coffee tables, really, isn't it?" is my new motto for reminding myself that things aren't as bad or as world ending as I think.
LOL! I genuinely came up with that line on the spot! 🙂
You are officially Made Of Awesome 🙂
(and that phrase is now my facebook status, oh yes sir)
*round of applause*
Well, I'm pretty sure the world's going to be pretty crazy no matter what happened. I mean, they just watched the English Prime Minister go insane, and shoot the English president. Then the PM's wife shoots him, and afterward, his body disappears. That, along with an investigation, will show the PM completely made up his records, and was insane and bombing people's houses and trying to arrest people without proper evidence.
Somehow, I think that they're going to be having a crazy year no matter what happened.
Indeed. And all the Prime Minister's cabinet are dead.
I suppose it struck me as odd mostly because like I said, I'm watching Torchwood, and despite being a show that's a little more serious, they don't mention any of it. Like, Jack disappears for a bit, he comes back, they pester him as to where he was, and then the show continues on. I guess they didn't want to get into it, but you'd think they'd have a throwaway line about how the government is in complete disarray or something.
Which reminds me– what is the succession set-up if the PM is killed? Do they just hold another election or what?
I…don't know. I'd assume they have a back up position to take over the roll, but like you said, the entire cabinet it dead. I'm guessing they'd have to go right into election mode.
Yeah, I thought it was weird Torchwood never mentioned it, either. But then I suppose they're just focused on stopping aliens blowing up Cardiff- its not like the government ever cares about Wales.
The Red-Eye was a manifestation of the pain and anger that the main brain was feeling. As the pain and anger grew stronger over the years, it started to break through the barrier and "act out" in individual Ood.
"You must have met Houdini"
….
"Well at least we got QUALITY!"
I think the red eye thing was caused by the third brain. There's something the doctor says that I can't quote word for word cos I haven't seen it in a while but it ends with "and then there was patience" (talking about Ood sigma). The doctor (side character not The Doctor) fiddled with the controls and brought 'the barrier to its minimum' so it was able to do it more effectively. That's what I got from it anyway.
PLEASE PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE LET THE DOCTOR MEET HOUDINI. I would LOVE to see that episode.
I love this episode for basically everything you pointed out that was great, and I agree with your points about the Friend of the Ood dying immediately and everything else. The ending is a teensy bit of a let down from a writing perspective, but I still get teary-eyed thinking about how the Ood are now free to sing their song. I also get teary-eyed when Donna tells them that the Ood are born holding their brains in their hands; they must inherently trust anyone they meet. It reminded me of how we say some people wear their heart on their sleeves.
Donna Noble, you are my favorite.
But oh, Mark. You are so unprepared. I want to send you a virtual hug on the astral plane or something.
I have been watching the series this week, having not seen most of the eps since they were first broadcast and all I keep thinking is "Mark is so not prepared… oh I can't wait to see Mark's reaction to this… oh man Mark's going to flip"… etc!
FOTO!
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/xcvgc0.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
I love the Ood so I'm probably a bit biased talking about this episode. They are one of my favourite alien species and I love Donna for pointing out to the Doctor that what's going on is wrong, even before they find out the full details, because so many of us thought the same thing too back during 'The Impossible Planet' episodes. The revelation that they actually carry part of their brain in the hands and the horror of what's been done to them sinks in for the Doctor is a well done moment. I also like the contrast between the speech Solona gives in Ood Operations and the guards hunting down the Ood with Red Eye.
I have to say as much as I love Donna's excitement at being on an alien planet, I really love when the Doctor’s trying to do the whole dramatic wonder thing and Donna ignores him and goes to get a coat because she’s cold.
I believe Red Eye is caused by the Ood brain trying to escape the effects of the circle which goes on to effect the Ood themselves. It's slowly been adapting over the years so the odd Ood with Red Eye that was starting to develop into being rabid was the beginning of it. It was Dr. Ryder's help when he first had access to the brain earlier in the episode that gave the Ood brain the final big push it needed to affect all the Ood at Ood Industries during this episode.
I love the music when the Doctor first hears something and finds the dying Ood. It's played throughout the episode when the Doctor can hear the Ood but Donna (and us) can't and I'm sad that it isn't on the soundtrack. The proper Ood song is on the soundtrack though as the wonderful 'Songs of Captivity and Freedom' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXEdzgMvzcA” target=”_blank”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXEdzgMvzcA
I loved this episode <3 Like you, I found the Ood adorable, so I was happy to revisit them in another context. Or maybe it's the same context, only now the Doctor can do something about it. The part where Donna hears the Ood's song and asks the Doctor to take it away made me cry ~all the tears.~ Anyway, overall I really enjoyed this episode 🙂
Love this episode. I mean, it's not one of my favorites, but it's genuinely amazing. My biggest complaint is how the company and Haplen were sort of… cartoonishly evil. I mean, a random worker, for no good reason, TRIES TO KILL THE DOCTOR WITH A CRANE. Like… what the hell? But so much else of this episode is fantastic. The Ood song was harrowing ='(
Love the Ood always and forever <3
That guy with the crane seriously annoys me. I'm glad I am not the only one.
YANA. I found him a little too over the top for my liking.
Why would anyone use a crane to go after someone when they have a whole squad of guards?
I don't know. The more you think about it, the less sense it makes. I suppose it's just to make him more EVIL *twirls mustache* As if watching him take joy in harming and killing the Ood throughout the episode wasn't enough.
I love the Ood so much, I started crocheting last month mostly so I could make this: http://pkeridactyl.blogspot.com/2011/02/cute-ood….
I'd post a picture directly but I have no idea how.
AUGH THAT IS SO CUTE I CAN'T EVEN. <3 <3 <3
That is adorable and I want one!!! Also, the little turtle is too cute 😀
Thanks. 🙂 I'm hoping to make a Ten and a Dalek soon… We'll see how they come out!
I wish I wasn't so awful at crocheting lol
That is SO CUTE OMG!
I WANT ONE IN MY LIFE!
Things like this make me very tempted to take up knitting again for the first time since primary school. (I have no crochet knowledge to speak of.)
Wow it's like a baby Cthulu! <3
OH MY GOD IT'S SO ADORABLE!!!
omg, that's so adorable!
Oh god I want it!
A. The Ood Sphere is located in the same system as the Sense Sphere. This is a reference to an episode called The Sensorites all the way back in Season 1.
B. The Ood who are being manipulated have glowing red eyes. This may be a reference to the robots in The Robots of Death, another subservient group who likewise displayed glowing red eyes when they come under an evil influence.
C. The snow scenes were shot in a boiling hot week in August, using fake snow. This was done using tiny pieces of paper, as pointed out in this episode's Confidential.
D. The transformation of Halpen into an Ood was originally far more graphic, but after the footage was viewed it was re-edited to be less horrific for a family audience.
Is there any trivia I missed?
D makes me wonder what it ORIGINALLY looked like, because it's pretty disturbing as-is. But then, I have an over-developed sense of morbid curiosity sometimes…
Face-on, rather than in profile. I lead you to draw your own conclusions.
AUUGH WHY.
Nightmares forever OMG *rocks back and forth*
*feels the urge to vomit*
Uuuggggh.
… oh my gods THE SENSORITES. :O I loved that serial, it was super interesting! And I never picked up on that – how awesome.
E. Initially, Planet of the Ood was envisioned as a 2 parter, but then Russell decided that the story was better the simpler it became. He told DWM, "A 2 parter would have amounted to an extra 30 minutes of running around a cave in search of a giant brain. So I whittled it down – this was was before Keith was even on board – and it's better as a result,"
(Sadly, in my opinion, it also resulted in a rather rushed ending, which I think is what Mark was alluding to.)
F. The year is quoted as 4126, making this the third 42nd Century story in New Who, following on from `The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit` and `42`.
One per companion!
Re: D ((HIDES BEHIND SOFA))
Really?!
Maybe it feeds of psychic energy? Maybe the Ood feed it? This is what fanfiction is for, right? :p
Songs of Captivity and Freedom by Murray Gold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXEdzgMvzcA
🙂
The ood always creep me out slightly but they are lovely.
I'm definitely wayyyyyy too much of a college student right now because all I could think about was the commodification of the Ood, aka the transformation of a natural product/animal/thing into a commodity, which usually involves standardization, like bananas. Seriously, I wish I could write this paper I'm writing on commodity on the Ood instead of the menhaden fishery. UGH economics. So not into using fictional worlds for academic explorations. Lame.
…if you ever do write that paper I'd totally read it.
Seconded. A paper on this would be fascinating.
Hell yeah, you should write it and submit it to Gallifrey One!
Hey, when I was in grad school, one of my classmates wrote a paper on leadership using the Doctor as one of her examples of an effective leader. The prof liked it apparently.
Okay, I hate this episode, just putting that out there at front. Which is sad because I do love the Ood.
I mostly hate it because I find the ending ridiculously offensive. I mean, when you talk about slavery you are inevitably going to be talking about race too, so…. the end has an air of "everyone must be the same in order for this to be solved" UM NO. NO NO NO NO DO NOT WANT.
and also, while the acting was done well and the music was beautiful, I can't help but be a little put off by the music thing as it feels kind of……slave receives hope through music! which is kind of a stereotype and kind of offensive because of it.
I don't know, I just feel like this episode is ridiculous unsubtle with something that deserves extreme thought and sensitivity.
I mostly hate it because I find the ending ridiculously offensive. I mean, when you talk about slavery you are inevitably going to be talking about race too, so…. the end has an air of "everyone must be the same in order for this to be solved" UM NO. NO NO NO NO DO NOT WANT.
I guess I don't understand what you mean by this. Do you mean Ood Sigma turning Halpen into one of them? Or the Ood being all kind of telepathically connected by the Ood brain?
Sorry I wasn't clear! Yes I meant Halpen turning into an Ood.
Interesting, I took that as…well, not revenge exactly, more like the Ood taking karma into their own hands. Kind of like how some people believe that if you do something bad in your life, the bad will come right back to you, either in that life or in another one. Not that being an Ood is bad, but now that Halpen is one, he'll be able to fully understand just how horrible the things he did were.
The Ood didn't try to turn anyone else into an Ood, so it's not like they were channeling the Borg or anything. And I didn't see any overtones of "the Ood are the superior race". They turned one guy for (possibly) the reasons above, and then happily went about their business.
If you're talking about Halpen changing into an Ood to solve their problems, I thought that was less about everyone needing to be the same for equality, and more like the justice in putting a person of privilege who had no desire to try and sympathize with the peoples he lobotomized and enslaved literally into their shoes. Because honestly, there was no way someone like Halpen was going to acknowledge the Ood's personhood unless he was one himself. I will freely admit that's just my interpretation though, and the whole episode was so busy that if that was their point, it got sort of garbled and shortchanged in the mess of other stuff going on.
I knew from when the Ood were first introduced that they must have been MADE to be servants. My very first thought when we were told that the Ood will do nothing and just waste away and die if they're not given orders was "How could a species possibly have evolved that way? I'm not buying it!"
I'm so glad that the Ood were freed. I didn't want their slavery to be overlooked. I kind of hated the Doctor's line about checking things out because he owed to Ood because he failed to save that one group of them. It's like, even the Doctor is ignoring their slavery! He's not going to check things out and help the Ood because they're being used and it's wrong. No, he just feels like he has to do something because he owes them. Meh.
One of the most egregious parts of this episode for me was when Solana was demonstrating the different voices they had available for Ood. The regular man voice, the sexy woman voice, and the "comedy classic".
"Ood, you dropped something."
"D'oh!"
YOU GAVE THE OOD HOMER SIMPSON'S VOICE. Jesus christ, no wonder they want to kill you. But on a more serious note, the corporation has clearly given up any pretense of caring what the Ood want and have just made them into entertainment. They're not just slaves, they're made a JOKE. The punchline to a joke. It's awful.
Did anyone else notice the terrible over-acting of the extras in the background during this bit?!
The sexy voice disturbed me so much because…yeah, I can't even finish this sentence.
I loved the moment when Halpen orders the red-eyed Ood to be killed and for a second the camera pans to Sigma, whose eyes are wide open in horror. Really, if Sigma had been anything more than a mindless convenience to him, Halpen probably would've bothered to look slightly to his left and realized that something was up right then and there.
That part with the sexy voice was so disgusting…
That's truly horrifying when it becomes clear that these Ood are first lobotomised and then have comedy "personalities" fitted in order to entertain their owners.
Man that whole turning into an Ood thing seriously freaked me out. Especially since this episode aired really early IIRC. I don't know how they got this shit past the radar. It's bound to have given some kids nightmares.
Favourite part of this episode is how Donna is continually undercutting the Tenth Doctor. Sometimes she's not even trying! Ten starts grandstanding about how amazing it is that she, a mere human (*gag*), is on an alien world; Donna marches back inside the TARDIS to find a nice warm coat. He tries to start again and Donna's far more interested in the proper rocket flying overhead. Ooooh, the look on Ten's face! You do NOT insult the TARDIS. I love her, too, but I derive a large amount of schaudenfreude from that expression. David Tennant, your facial expressions are classic (including the brief nod to Barty Crouch Jr. we see here). Can't wait to see him and Catherine in Much Ado About Nothing this summer.
Ah yes, Halpen. Or Captain Darling as some may know him. Every time he pops up, I can't help myself, I have to say "Hello, Darling!" Tim McInnerny is brilliant, so dislikeable, so smug.
I appreciate how this episode demonstrates the evils of capitalism but the remark about sweatshops was a bit… overdone. I was glad when Donna snapped at the Doctor for sneering at humans and he apologised. Similarly with the overseer – yes, we get he's a sadistic git, you do not need that ridiculous scene of him chasing the Doctor with a giant claw. *sigh*
Random thought: Ten's hair was having a major Cloud Strife moment in this episode.
"Your song will end soon." DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN!
Random thought: Ten's hair was having a major Cloud Strife moment in this episode.
Yes. Yes, it was. XD
YES. After Martha, the Doctor really needed someone to come in and remind him that he's not perfect. ENTER DONNA.
I think the "sweatshops" lin wasn't done enough, and Donna was wrong, int hat case it wasn't a "cheap" shot but a genuine point. But then, Doctor Who is probably not the place for a reall indepth discussion on that, at least not in this storyline. Still, The Doctor is right and it's veyr much the same out of sight, out of mind attitude.
I understand the Doctor was trying to say but I also think that he WAS taking a cheap shot at humanity as a whole and Donna as humanity's current representative. Because he's feeling like he's to blame: he should have asked why the Ood were serving the humans, Rose pointed it out, but he didn't listen to her. He's ashamed of that and taking it out on Donna.
Ood used music to communicate complicated and emotional messages through song. I think it could have been really, really cheesy when the Doctor and Donna found the unprocessed Ood. But through the believable acting of David Tennant and Catherine Tate, as well as the gorgeous music composed for the Ood, I completely believed it. I mean, even at a base level, music has provided the catharsis for oppressed people worldwide and I appreciated the sensitivity the writers gave that scene.
I loved the musical communication, and while I also agree that they pulled it off wonderfully, I think it's actually far from cheesy, it's rather true to life. As you say, humans use music in a spiritual and communicative way. But beyond that, music as communication is evident in many life forms I can think of. Think of birdsong…even if you don't think it's music, it's musical at the very least. Whale noises are described as song. Insect noises are often described as hums, a musical term, and also sometimes described in terms of songs, or melodies. Frog calls are often described in terms of percussion instruments. I don't know, those are simply some I can think of off the top of my head.
Basically, I loved that the Ood communication was through song. It works with my ideas of nature, and it's also beautifully in line with the peaceful, soft characters they are.
I really liked this episode.
Mostly because I am coming to LOVE Donna and her interactions with the Doctor. They're such good buddies. They work so well together.
I agree 100% with this, Mark.
“It’s weird, but…being with you, I can’t tell what’s right and what’s wrong anymore.” A fantastic and brief summary of the quandary of moral certainty that comes with the Doctor.
Love this show.
And pssst, I love David Tennant too!
YOU ARE NOT PREPARED
Ten and Donna continue to be the best Doctor/Companion pair in the new series. Have you noticed how Ten is no longer alone? Donna is always not just next to him but with him – they are Spartacus, they are household gods, they are the DoctorDonna, always together. As a paean to the wonders of deep, loving friendship, you can't do much better than this season. The Doctor and Donna bring out the best in each other and it's an utter delight to watch.
Halpen's transformation, on the other hand? PURE HORROR. OH YE GODS. WHY, PERCY PERCY? WHY?
THIS.
This entire comment. DoctorDonna <3 forever and I could happily never see Halpen's transformation ever again!
Actually, I reckon he invested all the President's money and Earth is now bankrupt. 🙂
In this scenario, is the president played by Stephen Fry or Miranda Richardson?
Neither. It's Hugh Laurie, obviously! :p
Oh, how silly of me! Of course he is! Meanwhile, I'm sure Blackadder is searching (unsuccessfully) for a way to blame the whole thing on Baldrick — with lots of side jokes about how, if he'd had a serving Ood in the first place instead, none of this might have happened. The turning point of the episode, of course, would be the moment where it is revealed that Blackadder actually wrote Dr Ryder's letter of reference that got him the job on the Ood Sphere in the first place.
Correct.
If you want something done right, get an Ood to kill Baldrick before you start!
Btw, I love how we've taken over this corner of a Doctor Who blog with Blackadder! 🙂
Well it's all one in the BBC family, isn't it? Doctor Who would be a great excuse for doing awesome crossovers….
WHY DID OOD SIGMA SAY THAT THE DOCTOR’S SONG MUST END SOON.
The Doctor's song must now soon end.
It can't go on and on, my friend.
He started trav'ling space and time not knowing what they were,
But by my God and Gallifrey, he can't last forever:
The Doctor's song must now soon end…
WHY!?! Why would you do that?
Bravo on the lyrics and all the +1 for you but
<img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/717bc0.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
Here, try this, then.
I don't know why I clicked that link but well played good sir. Well played.
OMG I love this thread. Kudos, spectralbovine. All the fake cows for you?
This is brilliantly, beautifully evil. I salute you. 😀
…
…
…
…
…
…
Why do I now simultaneously hate/love you?
I love the Ood song. My mom, upon watching this, told me the Ood could sing to her all day. AW.
After reading through comments, I have this to say: this episode is not my favorite in the world, but I am so incredibly glad we get more Ood development. The Ood were very mysterious, and in The Impossible Planet/Satan Pit, I all but assumed they were more akin to robots than to an actual living organism. Somehow created in a vat, all clones, with important bits of their brain missing so that they did not develop further. (Haha. How close was I?)
"Sir, I think you have a problem with your brain being missing." 😉
But anyways. I was likewise horrified that the Oods were an actual species of creatures with their own homeworld, and that people were again being morally bereft capitalists and selling sentient creatures after breaking/neutering them.
"Sir, I think you have a problem with your brain being missing." 😉
BAHAHAHHAHAHA THIS IS THE PERFECT QUOTE. Also, kind of wrong. But perfect.
I love Donna’s joy at the beginning of this episode. Sometimes the Doctor has this seen-it-all, done-it-all attitude (understandable give that he's been doing this for several hundred years), but with Donna's glee is infectious and he seems genuinely joyful too. It's wonderful.
Is it just me, or is the Doctor’s hair madder than usual in this episode? Looks like he went a little overboard with the hair gel that morning.
“You’ve got a box, he’s got a Ferrari!” LOL Donna, don't insult the TARDIS. Not only will it piss the Doctor off, the TARDIS might hear you and decide to take revenge. It's not her fault she's stuck looking like a police box.
I don't really have anything about the Ood that hasn't already been said, so I'll just add my adoration for them. They're just so cute. How does something that looks like it came straight out of HP Lovecraft's brain make you want to cuddle it? I don't know, but I kind of want a plush toy Ood. I don't even know if they exist, but I want one.
I kind of want a plush toy Ood. I don't even know if they exist, but I want one.
Crafts. That's how you get a plush Ood.
REALLY insane hair. And I love it<3 LOL 😀
This is my least favorite of all of Series 4 and it really isn't that bad compared to some episodes from past seasons (which tells you how amazing the whole season really is). I didn't care for the heavy-handed preachiness at all, but I do love the Ood and the Doctor and Donna's interactions.
One thing I did love about this episode is Donna's reaction to the Ood song and she says she wants to go home. I think, if I were the Doctor's companion, I would have moments like this where there are terrible, horrible things I would see and I just can't stand to see them anymore and I'd cry and ask to go home. But later, I'd get to see something amazing and decide that I'd be stupid to give it up (and good for the Doctor asking Donna if she really wanted to go home before he took her back). I love how realistic she is in how she deals with the things the Doctor shows her.
And – the Doctor's song must end soon. NOOOOOOOOO!!!! DO NOT WANT!!!!! I don't care if the Doctor regenerates and is perfectly okay – I cannot stand to see him die (as evidenced by my reaction to "The Caves of Androzani" a few days ago). D: D: D:
Yeah, I love how ordinary Donna is in many ways. She's kind of reacting in a way most people WOULD react. And she can be incredibly brave and courageous and does lots of fantastic things, but somehow she remains very much an everyman character and so relatable.
Yeah, I love Donna, so sue me 😀
This morning, I realized that if Mark continues posting reviews every weekday with a Classic Who post between each series, he'll finish the current New Who episodes on April Fool's Day.
But then, just now I realized that my earlier realization was false. 🙁
/offbyonereview
/whycouldntithavebeentrue?!
For some reason, while reading this post Donna became a strange fusion of Molly Weasley and Hermione in my head. IDEK but I want them all to be BFFs and lecture the Doctor and Harry together.
THIS WOULD GIVE ME ALL THE JOYS.
This episode isn't one of my favorites of the fourth series, but it still rates above the average episode for me. It's not perfect; sometimes it's a little heavy-handed, and killing off the scientist was a pretty superfluous moment. But the Ood getting their freedom makes me warm and tingly inside.
I love that Donna confronts the Doctor about his overlooking the Ood's horrible situation when he prides himself on righting wrongs. Catherine Tate once again knocks it out of the park, especially in the scene with the native Ood. Donna is an awesome companion, and one of the reasons she is so is because she demands the Doctor treat her as an equal. In Fires of Pompei, we have her asserting herself- "Donna, human, yes!"- and here too, she wants to be on equal footing with the Doctor. If he can hear the Ood's song, she wants to hear it too.
Also, LOL Ood Sigma, what a dick. "Your song must soon come to an end, I think." Thanks for the cryptic and foreboding statement, care to clarify? No? You're a good friend, Sigma.
1. When the Doctor is in the cage with the Ood, he is channelling some serious Barty Crouch Jnr
2. Ood= House Elves? Yes indeedy. That's what I was thinking throughout the entire episode
3. I love Donna forever and always
I love the singing in this and it works for me so much more than the singing did in Gridlock. I think the problem I had with gridlock is that I can't believe they would be singing a very specific 20th century earth hymm. Faith, yes. Song, yes. but the detail just broke the reality for me.
/tangent
Lookwhat they've done to my song, Ma.
The Ood's song of slavery and Donna's reaction to it is one of THE defining moments for New!Who as far as I'm concerned. The way she turns away and begs him to take it away because she can't take it…
All the hugs in the universe, Donna, just for you. ALL THE HUGS.
The countertenor Mark Chambers singing Songs of Captivity and Freedom… every time it brings me CHILLS I TELL YOU WHAT.
Thanks.
nice writing, very insightful. I like it in deed. I come acoss your site by Bing search engine. I will visit your site daily and share it to my classmates. Please keep it fresh. Keep on the good work. – A football fun
Pingback: Garmin 1490t GPS
Pingback: jaguar e-type for sale
Pingback: Louis Vuitton Outlet On Sale
Pingback: nissan juke accessories
Pingback: Cheap makeup
Pingback: Sites We Link To
Pingback: apartments for rent in Boston
Pingback: jailbreak iPad 2
Pingback: Disneyland Discount Tickets
Pingback: Bowtrol
Pingback: Quickest Way to Lose Weight
Pingback: Fenway apartments
Pingback: Sex Chat
Pingback: Red Bottom Shoes
Pingback: Boston Apartments
Pingback: Stop Your Snoring Naturally
Pingback: Bombs kill 25 at Nigerian drinking spot: sources | Latest News 24
Pingback: Forex Trading videos
Pingback: Immigration solicitors
Pingback: valentines day gifts for girlfriend
Pingback: arthritis clinic
Pingback: cheap thailand flights
Pingback: Fenway apartments
Pingback: Immigration Solicitor
Pingback: national geographic traveller
Pingback: Stephen Fry on Manic Depression | What to do for Depression
Pingback: debit and credit
Pingback: car insurance supermarket
I loved this episode but I kept getting distracted because the Solana (sp?) looks just like a girl I know. A bit odd at times.