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Post by eithne on Jun 21, 2008 23:11:23 GMT
Ok... I'm shocked. This episode was written by Russell T Davies, as in the man who generally ruins every episode of DW he writes. But this one was actually pretty good. In fact it was very good, hell I'll go the whole way even though it pains me and say it was almost excellent (of course nowhere Moffat is still in a league of his own though).
The plot was brilliant and so well thought out it was a joy to watch. Everyone asks "what if?" so for Donna to see what would have happened if she'd never met the Doctor was a really good idea. And I loved the simplicity of the beetle which was the villian and cause of it all. And what a good way for Rose to return - even if Billie Piper's accent was far from Rose-like.
I thought there were some really moving bits during the episode as well, which is something you don't ever have in an RTD episode. And it all made sense as well, again something you never find. So it does beg the question - if he could write like this previously, why ruin so many episodes before? Or was this RTD passing someone elses idea off as his own?
The idea of concentration camps in Britain to kill the Italians and other outsiders was very upsetting, as was the idea that Donna had to kill herself to save the Doctor and herself.
Overall a big surprise and if the next two episodes are as good as this then maybe DW historians will be a lot kinder to RTD than anticipated. Oh - and it looks like just about EVERYONE is in the final two episodes, Captain Jack and Torchwood, Sarah Jane and kids, Martha, Rose... everyone really. I'm definitely looking forward to it - but I wonder will 45 mins be enough for so many characters. I want dialogue - not cameos!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2008 4:58:50 GMT
We really enjoyed it too - one of the best in this series so far in our view.
Lots happening, and TBH a nice rest without the ever-increasingly manic David Tennant.
Thought Catherine Tate did an excellent job (loved her reaction when entering the Tardis for the first time in her alternative future), but Billie Piper (apart from sounding like she had a mouthful of gobstoppers), looked very unwell I thought. I know she's always been unusual-looking, but she looked like she's lost a lot of weight, and it doesn't suit her. Did a fair job on the acting front, but then she didn't really have much to do.
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Post by sootycat on Jun 22, 2008 11:26:13 GMT
I take back my comments on CT.
Apart from the odd shriek and ' bovvered' lapse and contrary to my expectations, she has turned out to be a good companion.
Next weeks looks good, it seems they are chucking everything at the final episodes. ;D
I read somewhere that in a poll about who the next Doctor should be.....Robert Carlyle came out top.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jun 22, 2008 12:59:58 GMT
RTD's done this before, changing the past in Father's Day. Both times he's ignored the Blinovitch Limitation Effect of having two of you in the same place at the same time. Both times they got splatted to correct the world. I did have a look as it's the lead-in to the finale but found Catherine Tate a dreadful actress. I only have the Christmas special to go by as I've never seen her in anything else and she's just as terrible. She overacted on a number of occasions. As for Billie... She wasn't Rose, if you know what I mean. Previous companions have said how easy it is to slip back into their character. Billie seems to have trouble with that. Her cocked head got on my wick. The overall story premise was good but there were too many unanswered questions because of the length.
Isn't it getting tedious having the Daleks in the finale? Okay so they're bringing back Davros but it's just too predictable now. I bet there'll be many unanswered questions about Davros being as he was originally rather than the boiled egg he became by 1988. Wonder why they didn't get Terry Molloy?
Patsy
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Post by eithne on Jun 22, 2008 18:28:53 GMT
The only thing was that the two Donna's didn't actually see one another in this episode, unlike in Father's Day when the two Rose's and two Doctor's did come across one another.
I disagree about Catherine Tate. Like sooty said there were a few lapses, but they weren't bad and didn't take away from my enjoyment of the episode at all. I thought she was actually very good and did very well without David Tennant. And I agree with what blackcatz said about us needing a break for the increasingly-manic DT. Donna can actually be a lot calmer and easier to watch than the Doctor at times. I didn't have any unanswered questions. Just out of interest, what were they because I actually thought it was rather well wrapped up.
As for the Daleks it has been a series and a half since they were last in it. Also I think that it might be much more than just the Daleks. RTD is throwing everything at the finale, so I'd imagine there will be far more than just the Daleks. As for Davros, they did explain about the Master last year so there *could* be an explanation for Davros as well.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jun 22, 2008 19:22:23 GMT
Neither did the Doctors and Rose. Only one set saw the other. It still applies. They are in the same place at the same time.
As I said, I haven't seen her in anything else so only have this to go on with her acting and it's not much cop. I wouldn't know if she slipped into her sketch characters as I've never watched them. I'm judging her perfomance on what she does in this and she's worse than Matthew Waterhouse, which is some achievement. Nice to have a more normal companion without all that lurve crap but perhaps if he's not kept getting names then there'd be a normal companion instead of Catherine Tate.
Well for starters, why Donna? What made them pick her to change history and not, say, Rose, Sarah Jane, Jo, Jamie, the Brig or anyone he's ever travelled with? If they want the Doctor dead there are many to choose from who saved his life. What did that fortune teller have to do with it? Why was so so keen for Donna to turn the other way in the car? As Donna had no idea why the Italians were being taken or what would happen to them but grandad knew, why didn't he tell her instead of just saying it's happening again?
The Master's explanation didn't really hold water and I'll be surprised if this does. Especially as that wasn't the Master. It was Sam Tyler and an insult to Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley. Even Eric Roberts managed to capture the character and he hammed it up. The Master was a gentleman. He used women with charm to get his own way. The only women he hated were the Rani and Jo Grant because they'd thwart him. I'm curious about Davros as I love him. Not in the physical sense, obviously. He can do that himself with his hidden hand. LOL! Big Finish refused to use him, saying the Daleks had become wimps since he was created. Hardly when there were two Dalek factions fighting for supremacy - Davros's lot and the others. Davros's legacy, started in Genesis of the Daleks, when he realised he'd gone too far with his genetic engineering and they turned on him.
Patsy
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