DW: Episode 3.11

Hey, I got my Christmas Present!

What? I call foul on Jack's entrance! From watching Torchwood, that is not the impression one gets of how the TARDIS picked up Jack (the implication was that it landed in the Torchwood base), but hanging on the outside of the TARDIS? I don't think so. [That said, many fans will immediately recall Interference by Lawrence Miles, in which someone held onto the outside of the TARDIS...using Faction Paradox technology, mind!]

Hang on a minute, I've seen this story before... yep, I'm pretty sure Blake's 7 did this. More than once, too. That said, the plot is thin on the ground. This story is really more a clearing house, getting rid of various plot points and rehashing old ground so everyone is on the same page.

The problem with that is that I'm not sure the casual audience cares. They'd have to have been watching Series 1 to remember Jack in the first place, and anyone who has been watching that long undoubtedly knows what happened to Rose, so this is old, dead ground no-one cares about, can we move on please?

But this story is also major set up for Derek Jacobi. I didn't know it was him (not all that surprising considering I've never seen him before). Great performance (I was sure it was going to turn out that he mutated into a Future-kind), although slightly over the top at the end there. (How exactly did that happen, then? RTD is really ignoring continuity now.) And shame, RTD went for the obvious choice after all that. Yeah, it had to be him, but I would have had more respect had RTD done something different.

I have to admit that part of me is bouncing at the reintroduction, but it's the fan part of me. The viewer found this episode rather light on substance, and not one that will be remembered for a great story.

Next week: Ah, John Simm, what a guy...