Canon-Strike XVI: Doctor Who

[QualityChimp]

I don't remember this one!

[Neon Ignition]

Doctor Who: Series 28 - Tooth and Claw
The Doctor and Rose accidentally visiting historical Scotland and cross paths with Queen Victoria. They are invited to share dinner with her at a rural home but find themselves trapped in the house together against a Werewolf. The night would bring death and the founding moments of the Torchwood Institute.




Did the idea of Torchwood intrigue you?

[Neon Ignition]

I'm thinking, given the volume of episodes and the switch from those that mark notable additions/plots etc and those that are monster of the week, that we'll dial up to two stories per update:



Doctor Who: Series 28 - School Reunion
Mickey, Rose and the Doctor investigate strange going ons at a local school and whilst doing so cross paths, after decades apart, with Sarah Jane Smith and K-9. Whilst attempting to stop children from being used by the monsters, the Doctor must finally face dealing with someone he left behind.





Doctor Who: Series 28 - The Girl in the Fireplace
Following on from Moffat's well regarded debut in the first series, his second effort saw the Doctor, Rose and Mickey exploring a derelict that houses a portal to 18th Century France. Clockwork robots stalk a young woman aiming to remove her brain in order to repair their ship. The episode plays as a love story for the Doctor, a chance for some awkwardness considering the closeness of relationship he has at this point with Rose.




Historical episodes in different ways - one saw the classic era directly addressed whilst the other attempted to showcase the kind of episode that the classic era never would, did either pay off for you?

[QualityChimp]

All three of those were decent, especially The Girl in the Fireplace.

[Neon Ignition]

With School Reunion, there's a lot I like and I think it's only really let down by handling the school elements too lightly. The temptation put to the Doctor, the idea of facing those he leaves behind etc is something not entirely explored enough.

Girl in the Fireplace is just great, hasn't aged at all and plays a hint and a precursor to the events that are coming later in the series.

[Neon Ignition]

Doctor Who: Series 28 - Rise of the Cybermen & The Age of Steel
The Doctor, Rose and Mickey find themselves stranded when the Tardis is pulled into a parallel universe. After an 18 year absence, this two parter sees the Cybermen return as they are created in this new universe. As Rose deals with a world where her father is still alive, Mickey begins to face how much he feels that Rose has moved on from him. This two parter is notable as it was directed by Graeme Harper, the only director who has ever directed episodes in both the classic and modern eras of the show. The episodes were reasonably well received with some disappointment coming from a lack of threat felt from the Cybermen.




Doctor Who: Series 28 - The Idiot's Lantern
On the eve of the Queens Coronation in 1953, the Doctor and Rose arrive in London and discover that locals have been taken away one by one. Investigating they discover that the taken locals are being removed because they have had their faces stolen. The episode ended up being one of the more mixed ones in terms of response.




Was the reinvention of the Cybermen an upgrade you approved of?

[QualityChimp]

Definitely liked the look of the new Cybermen, that had a mecha vibe to them.

[Neon Ignition]

I think it's interesting that just like the Daleks, the show has been back now for 18 years and during that time they've tried to further update the designs of both enemies. Yet, each time they've not done a great job of it and ended up reverting back to the ones from these early revival runs of the show. It seems like an area where whoever was coming up with these designs doesn't get enough credit for what are seemingly becoming fairly timeless updates

[Neon Ignition]

Doctor Who: Series 28 - The Impossible Planet & The Satan Pit
The Doctor and Rose arrive on a distant future base orbiting a Black Hole and quickly lose the Tardis to a cave in. Stuck with the crew of the base, a dangerous force is making its way in and taking over the servant Oods. The second part see's Rose trying to survive as the crew is picked off one by one whilst the Doctor comes face with the devil itself.




Doctor Who: Series 28 - Love and Monsters
A creature designed by the winner of a childrens competition and Peter Kay, what could go wrong? Each series led by Tennant had an episode designed to feature very little of him in it with this undoubtedly being the least well received one. A guy named Elton shares his story of searching for the Doctor and the friends he makes and loses along the way. Time has gone easier on it but at the beginning it wasn't well loved.




Did the meeting of the Doctor and Satan pay off for you and was L&M actually that bad?

[Neon Ignition]

I think these two are fairly self explaining. The two parter is one of the better done two parters the show has done with enough menacing off screen threat and exploration of how close the relationship between Rose and the Doctor has become.

Love and Monsters, I'm alright with a fair bit of the Elton stuff. Some of it is too cheesy but there's enough pathos underneath to keep it held together. Literally everything Peter Kay/Monster is bad though and it sinks the whole thing.

[QualityChimp]

The Impossible Planet & The Satan Pit was a good double-bill.
Thought the Oods were a good example of not judging a book by its cover as they're presented as the scary enemy at first and that's not the case.

Gotta say, the spacesuits, sets and setting was great in these.

[Neon Ignition]

It's the good old rule - Industrial Sci-Fi is the best sci-fi

[Neon Ignition]

Doctor Who: Series 28 - Fear Her
Intended to be a lighter episode before the finale hit, this story focuses on a little girl who draws people and they disappear in the run up to the 2012 Olympics. As the Doctor and Rose investigate they hone in on the one responsible until the Doctor becomes the next victim. Children responded well to the episode though adults weren't keen.




Doctor Who: Series 28 - Army of Ghosts and Doomsday
Returning home after several off screen adventures, the pair find mankind living amongst apparent ghosts that appear for brief windows of time. Investigating the source leads them to cross paths with the Torchwood Institute who are tearing open a rift through space. Having already retrieved a mysterious sphere, they push the boundaries only to discover that the Cybermen have crossed through from the parallel universe and instantly take over the Earth. The victory is only momentary however as the sphere opens and Daleks emerge, having hidden in the void between universes to survive the Time War. As battle between the two begins, the Doctor concocts a plan to send them all to the void - a plan that will cause him to lose Rose forever...

The episode is one of the best regarded of the new era, fans enjoying the clash of the Cybermen and Daleks as well as end to Rose Tyler's story.




How do you rank the finale of Rose's story and did you mind the push for a romantic link between the two?

[Neon Ignition]

Fear Her isn't the worst of the series but it's very here nor there. I think for me the two part finale has always straddled two sides of things. On the first hand I don't think the majority of it is as good as the finale of the previous season but on the other, by going for the emotional sledgehammer again it cemented that I was in for the long haul. That focus on giving events an emotional core is what defined and made the modern Who work so well and it's one of, if not, the biggest areas of failure that the recent series have had.

[Neon Ignition]

Torchwood: Series 01
With the closing of the second series of the modern era came the first of the first proper spin-off series. Intended to be adult focused meaning that the show could cover themes and subjects the main show could not, it picked up with Captain Jack Harkness returning as the lead having settled in with a Torchwood team based beneath the Rift in Cardiff. Gwen Cooper, a local police officer, stumbles across the team and finds herself dragged into a world that she isn't prepared for as the work to reclaim alien tech and protect the city from the threats that emerge from the Rift. The first series drew some criticism for clumsy handling of its new, more explicit content but at the same time it proved a hit and generated its own loyal fanbase.




What did you make of your first dose of a more adult Doctor Who?