DW: Episode 4.10

Wow. Give RTD credit when it's due. That was one intense episode!


How long does it take to really kick in? Certainly the first 15 or so minutes are us getting to know the passengers, with a few plot details kicked in. It's engaging enough, but I'm not missing that when it really kicks off. (And where's the sapphire waterfall? I want to see a sapphire waterfall, dammit!)

The best part of course was the exposition scene. Or rather, the lack thereof. Nothing so scary as something that remains unexplained (which demonstrates the power of the Doctor. When he puts words to something, that diminishes the things power by making it something known, something prosaic. (I'm sure there was an Big Finish audio to that respect.) And thus when the Doctor can't explain something...). The nature of the beast does take one by surprise, especially as it came so close to actually beating the Doctor (and would have done so if not for those around him).

The basic one-set nature of the story doesn't diminish its power either. Some great acting, especially by Lesley Sharp (did she have to learn everyone's lines then?), but plaudits all around, really. Episode 10 is usually the cheap-o, but it doesn't slow anything down here.

Clearly I'm really impressed by this story, and if RTD could pull that off for the remaining stories...


Next Week: The Donna-arc comes to fruition... can't say I'm that worried about what happens to her because I've seen the trailers.

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