Doctor Who SE04 EP02: The Fires of Pompeii (spoilers)

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horacethegrey

First Post

• Apr 13, 2008

• #1

This week, we're in Pompeii, and it's just before volcano day! Donna gets to flex her Latin and try the local wardrobe, while soothsayers run around mouthing prophecy and whatnot. Evil things are afoot and under...

And the Doctor must make a terrible choice...

Terrific episode. With a focus on one of the series oldest themes dating back to the First Doctor serial The Aztecs in 1964, that history cannot be changed, for better or for worse. What follows then is a story that mines said theme with powerful dramatic force. And it's all acted phenomenally by both Tennant and Tate, who wonderfully bring to life the Doctor and Donna's conflict over the fate of Pompeii and it's people. The supporting cast is fine as well, but word must be given to the BBC production department for the fantastic sets left over from HBO's Rome. The story wouldn't have been as memorable without them.

It's already two episodes past, and Season 4 of Doctor Who is off to a great start. Here's hoping Planet of the Ood will be another homerun.

 

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Mark Hope

Adventurer

• Apr 13, 2008

• #2

I'm not always a huge fan of the highly-historical episodes, but this one was excellent. Completely gripping and rather moving in places. The acting was superb and Catherine Tate eliminated any worries I might have had about her ability to be a genuine Dr Who character (as opposed to a long-term guest celebrity.) She absolutely nailed it. The effects were very cool, the latin/celtic running gags were funny, the Spartacus moment was priceless, and the pacing was perfect. I did briefly wonder why the Doctor and Donna didn't seem bothered by all those fumes inside the volcano, but that was a minor niggle in an otherwise exemplary episode. It even scored highly on the "makes my young daughter hide behind the cushions scale" - always a sign of quality (she was deeply concerned about the fate of the Tardis when the eruption started and could barely stand to watch.)

Roll on Ood!

 

GandhitheBFG

First Post

• Apr 13, 2008

• #3

Episode 2, and there already seems to be more chemistry between the Doctor and Donna than there was with Martha. And I *liked* Martha; Tate is just more impressive than I thought she would be; for comedy and drama. Although the 'we're not married' shtick could wear thin; they showed it happening in the Ood episode trailer, and if it's a weekly thing it'll take the kick out of it.

Spartacus was awesome.

The monsters were great, and the idea of the Doctor's choice was horrible, but very interesting. The series seems much darker this year!

 

Plane Sailing

Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!

• Apr 14, 2008

• #4

Two bits I really liked:

1) where the cut-price 'prophets' suddenly started showing their real mettle to the Doctor and Donna. A nicely startling scene

2) A bit more insight into being a Time Lord - he can see what things can change and what things mustn't as he looks at them, and the burden that is to him. That sense of 'sensitivity' to time is a really nice touch for the Time Lords.

Cheers

 

F

Felon

First Post

• Apr 15, 2008

• #5

It was good seeing the Doctor breaking away from dealing in absolutes. Donna got Mr. Know-It-All to change his methods, if slightly. Good for her!

So, both episodes dealt with planets that have gone stolen or missing. Wonder where that's heading?

 

Mouseferatu

Hero

• Apr 15, 2008

• #6

Felon said:

So, both episodes dealt with planets that have gone stolen or missing. Wonder where that's heading?

Click to expand...

If I had to guess (spoilers for the previous episode contained herein):

[sblock]I'm guessing it has something to do with planets moving between dimensions, or being destroyed by people who are moving between dimensions, and will thus tie into the brief reappearance of Rose at the end of the last ep.[/sblock]

 

Mustrum_Ridcully

Hero

• Apr 15, 2008

• #7

The aliens looked really great! Where can I get the doll action figure mini?

Plane Sailing said:

Two bits I really liked:

1) where the cut-price 'prophets' suddenly started showing their real mettle to the Doctor and Donna. A nicely startling scene

Click to expand...

Indeed. That was well done.

2) A bit more insight into being a Time Lord - he can see what things can change and what things mustn't as he looks at them, and the burden that is to him. That sense of 'sensitivity' to time is a really nice touch for the Time Lords.

Cheers

Click to expand...

This ties in in the first episode of the new series, in a way - there the Doctor (Eccleston) describes how he can feel the Earth moving around the Sun, the Sun moving throw the Galaxy, and so on. Time Lords have a certain "absolute" sense...
In some ways, the Doctor really is more alien then any human with rubber masks or CGI creature...

 

Silver Moon

Adventurer

• May 3, 2008

• #8

When we first met the Roman family and discovered the daughter's powers my own daughter exclaimed "She can see through time." I commented, "Makes sense, after all, her father does own a Tardis."

Great episode. Enjoying this season alot, even though I found the Christmas episode rather uneven. I really wanted a good Titanic story, not The Posideon Aventure.

 

Ed_Laprade

Adventurer

• May 3, 2008

• #9

Basically a good episode, I also liked the prophets cutting loose on the Doctor and Donna. But I found the accents rather thick in this outing. Couldn't understand half of what was being said in a couple of scenes. And I found it unbelievable that they survived being blasted several miles through the air. (Well, surviving the landing, rather. Yes, I caught the line about it being an escape pod, but they were tossed about even before they went flying...)

 

Prince Atom

Explorer

• May 5, 2008

• #10

I thought it was a fairly solid episode, myself. There was a bit of culture shock when the marble merchant's son came in with a hangover. I said, He can't be 21, but then I remembered: 1) This was made in England, and I've no idea what the legal limit may be; but even more so than that, 2) the show was supposed to be in ancient Pompeii, in which there were no laws about underage drinking. And then I was slightly amused by the list of people the pater was niggling his son about drinking with, a full recitation of which would violate a certain board policy.

I thought the bit about the soulful looking into each other's eyes in the escape pod before causing the eruption was a bit barf-inducing. The music didn't help. Oh, for the old no-hugging no-kissing Doctor Who! Not that I think Donna is gonna go for that.

Oh, and !!Spoilers!!:

Spoiler

PYROCLASTIC FLOWS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY!!!