Doctor Who SE04 EP01: Partners in Crime (spoilers)

[horacethegrey]

Well, it's been quite awhile since Christmas, after the dissapointing Voyage of the Damned. One wonders if that was a sign that Doctor Who was starting to become stale.

But this episode goes some way to show that there's still some fresh ideas left in the pot.

Unlike some fans, I never lost faith that Russell T. Davies still had a few good stories left in him. This was an engaging story with some genuinely funny moments, and a good way to start out the season. And unlike most fans, I didn't think Catherine Tate was a horrible choice for a new companion, as she more than holds her own here and makes Donna quite likable.

The real surprise here though was the sudden development of the Doctor. It seems that last season's travels with Martha have taken a toll on him emotionally, as he seems reluctant to take Donna as a companion at first. He expresses genuine regret over the way he hurt Martha and her family, and he clearly doesn't want the same for Donna. And David Tennant plays it all beautifully. Some of his best acting yet.

Oh and the other big shocker: SPOILERS

Spoiler

ROSE!

SPOILERS

The fourth season is off to good start, and I look forward to more.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Liked the episode.

Oh, and I am such a gullible person. The obese-children where so darn cute... (Though I always fully expected them to grow fanged teeth and bite someone at the beginning... But sometimes, a cute creature is just a cute creature... )

 

[Cthulhudrew]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked Tate as Donna in the Runaway Bride Christmas episode, so wasn't too worried about how she'd be as a companion, but I do miss Martha Jones. I really enjoyed her character, and didn't feel she'd been given quite enough to do last season and would have liked to see her story continue.

Water under the bridge, though. I thought the Donna/Doctor reunited scene was hysterical, even if it was allowed to go on a bit too long. Was surprised the Doctor just tossed away the sonic pen- if nothing else, he could have given it to Donna.

All in all, a good start to the new season. I'm really looking forward to the Pompeii episode, though I hope their showing it so early into the season doesn't amount to them blowing their wad too soon. It really looks pretty amazing- especially for a Doctor Who episode- and hope it doesn't raise the bar too high for subsequent eps.

 

[horacethegrey]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked Tate as Donna in the Runaway Bride Christmas episode, so wasn't too worried about how she'd be as a companion, but I do miss Martha Jones. I really enjoyed her character, and didn't feel she'd been given quite enough to do last season and would have liked to see her story continue.

Much as I liked Martha as well, I think it was fitting that she left when she did. Her family had just gone through a horrid experience with the Master, it'd be quite selfish of her to just go off w/ the Doctor when it was clear she needed to help them heal. That, and of course her realization that the Doctor would never return her deep affection for him. Her time in the TARDIS was done, she needed to move on.

Water under the bridge, though. I thought the Donna/Doctor reunited scene was hysterical, even if it was allowed to go on a bit too long. Was surprised the Doctor just tossed away the sonic pen- if nothing else, he could have given it to Donna.

Hilarious scene, and acted well by both Tennant and Tate. As for the sonic pen, I'd think she'd be quite clueless as to what to do with it. Knowing Donna, playing around with it may result in her accidentally crippling the TARDIS for all we know. So maybe the Doctor was thinking ahead on that account.

All in all, a good start to the new season. I'm really looking forward to the Pompeii episode, though I hope their showing it so early into the season doesn't amount to them blowing their wad too soon. It really looks pretty amazing- especially for a Doctor Who episode- and hope it doesn't raise the bar too high for subsequent eps.

Season one's second episode End of the World had some pretty elaborate effects as well, yet the subsequent episodes were still great to look at with nary a sign of a skimped budget. I hardly think the producers are dumb enough to blow all their money on a single episode.

As for raising the bar, while I hope the next episode is great, I don't think it'll raise the bar for the rest of the series. No offense to Fires of Pompeii writer James Moran, but a bloke by the name of Steven Moffat has a two parter waiting in the wings to wow us.

 

[Morrus]

All in all, a good start to the new season. I'm really looking forward to the Pompeii episode, though I hope their showing it so early into the season doesn't amount to them blowing their wad too soon. It really looks pretty amazing- especially for a Doctor Who episode- and hope it doesn't raise the bar too high for subsequent eps.

Fortunately for them, they were able to re-use the sets they'd already constructed for the Rome TV series. I expect they saved some money that way, and the sets in Rome were quite excellent.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Fortunately for them, they were able to re-use the sets they'd already constructed for the Rome TV series. I expect they saved some money that way, and the sets in Rome were quite excellent.

Funny. When I saw the preview, I immediately thought that it were the Rome sets. Or rather not funny, but I have cunning visual memory!

Or, wait. Which Rome series? HBO Rome? Or was there another series?

 

[Morrus]

Or, wait. Which Rome series? HBO Rome? Or was there another series?

The Rome series which HBO refers to in the US as "HBO's Rome", yes.

It was largely financed by HBO, but the BBC actually made it (thus all the British actors, directors, etc.) The BBC still has access to all the sets, costumes, and so forth, and have re-used them here; and no doubt will do again!

 

[Nyarlathotep]

The Rome series which HBO refers to in the US as "HBO's Rome", yes.

It was largely financed by HBO, but the BBC actually made it (thus all the British actors, directors, etc.) The BBC still has access to all the sets, costumes, and so forth, and have re-used them here; and no doubt will do again!

I thought I had read a story last year about a fairly large fire that occured on the sets while Doctor Who was filming there resulting in a lot of it burning to the ground...

Edit: http://i.abcnews.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3466659

 

[Morrus]

I thought I had read a story last year about a fairly large fire that occured on the sets while Doctor Who was filming there resulting in a lot of it burning to the ground...

Edit: http://i.abcnews.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3466659

Ouch - that's unlucky! Looks like not too much was lost though, fortunately.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The Rome series which HBO refers to in the US as "HBO's Rome", yes.

It was largely financed by HBO, but the BBC actually made it (thus all the British actors, directors, etc.) The BBC still has access to all the sets, costumes, and so forth, and have re-used them here; and no doubt will do again!

I really liked the actors, by the way. I'd like to see more of them. Can't BBC produce more sci-fi/fantasy/horror shows, starring all the cool British actors?

And off course, these shows must come to Bittorrent DVD seller in Germany. (Which means it just has to get a DVD ASAP. Once Amazon UK has it, Amazon Germany will have it, too, even if only as a UK Import...)