Doctor Who SE04 EP07: The Unicorn and the Wasp (spoilers)

[horacethegrey]

The date is December the 8th, 1926, and the estate of Lady Clemency Eddison is throwing a dinner party with a very special guest, Agatha Christie. Miss Christie is more than delighted to talk about murder, until one actually happens within the estate. She soon takes it upon herself to solve this heinous crime, assisted by a Doctor John Smith from Scotland Yard, and his plucky young assistant Donna Noble of Chiswick. But can they solve the crime and find the murderer, or shall the murderer find them?

Beware of the Wasp, lest you get stung...

What a delightfully fun romp, with some sly pokes at the works of Agatha Christie, Cluedo and the murder mystery genre itself. Good acting from the cast all around, with some barmy moments. [sblock]The Doctor's poisoning being a standout! [/sblock] I especially enjoyed Fenella Woolgar guest starring turn as Agatha Christie, her aghast responses to the Doctor and the weirdness that surrounds him were hilarious to see.

Still, this episode was a bit thin. The reveal of the real murderer wasn't shocking to say the least nor particularly meaningful, as was the scifi explanation. And while I do realize this story was written to be a comedy, and I did find it funny don't get me wrong, I prefer my mystery stories to be a bit more on the serious side. Chalk it up to being spoiled by some great mystery series such as Foyle's War and Brother Cadfael. Those shows at least had the sense to know that murder is no laughing matter.

So whilst I enjoyed this episode, I'd still rank it below the other celebrity historicals the program has had. Stories like The Unquiet Dead (featuring Charles Dickens), The Shakespeare Code (The Bard of course), and the cream of the crop, The Girl in the Fireplace (Madame de Pompadour).

 

[Cthulhudrew]

This was one of my least favorite Who episodes of the new series, and my least favorite of the season. Far, far too much exposition. It was written like an Agatha Christie novel, which would be fine, except that this is television, and there is nothing more inane on TV than cutting back and forth between characters as they explain the entire plot of the show. It works fine (somewhat) in written media, but not in visual media.

I was really looking forward to this episode, too, as an opportunity for a Who-Dunit, but it just failed to impress or engage me at all.

 

[Staffan]

I liked it for funniness. I laughed out loud when the Colonel had a flashback-within-a-flashback when questioned.

Also, "1926, they still got bees."

What is up with all the bee references?

 

[Hammerhead]

You know, that "giant wasp" didn't really look like a giant wasp.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

You know, that "giant wasp" didn't really look like a giant wasp.

Technically, it wasn't. It was an alien that looked like a giant wasp (or didn't look like one, if you prefer.)

 

[Fast Learner]

I loved it, maybe because I'm a Who fan and an Agatha Christie fan, both in strong measure. Much fun!

 

[Pinotage]

Good episode. Had some laugh out loud moments. Thought the reference to Cluedo was very funny.

Pinotage

 

[Morrus]

I think Id have preferred it if thye'd left out the alien aspect and just had the Doctor caught up in a good old fashioned murder mystery.

 

[sckeener]

I started laughing the moment the Clue references started appearing.

I just continued. The cyanide bit was great too

I have to agree the mystery aspect was lacking...

 

[Felon]

It was extremely disappointing that the episode copped-out of providing a mystery that would try to stump the audience fair-and-square. Instead, solving the mystery required at least a passing familiarity with galactic xenobiology. Kind of a gyp.