DW: Planet of the Dead

For a brief moment in this Doctor Who rested year, we get a tantalising glimpse of our favourite Time Lord... but for all he's done, I can't say I'll be sad to see Rusty go...

A bus! In the desert! ... okay, I was getting Greatest Show in the Galaxy flashbacks from the trailer, but that didn't hold up for a moment. This is very much "ordinary people put into extraordinary circumstances", but fortunately they have the Doctor. And Lara Croft, but that comparison is far too obvious.

But it really is about the Doctor and Christina, as the others don't go anywhere aside from the bus, do stuff off-screen, and otherwise are there just to give the Doctor someone to "oh, you're special" over. D&C however manage to run all over the desert in moments, come across an alien spaceship and otherwise show themselves up to be a perfect Doctor/companion team. Have to say I'm glad Christina didn't stick around, as she was too easy a good companion and would have shown up the Doctor. (But at the end she becomes Iris Wildthyme!) It's all very "aren't we brilliant", but doesn't have any substance.

Speaking of the aliens, I sighed when we had those teaser shots. The concept of the episode sounded interesting, but then we get some stupid simple costume aliens behind it all. Fortunately I was wrong, and they turned out better, even though they were very conveniently dealt with.

Then there's Malcolm. I don't know Lee Evans, but was rather thinking of Colin Weatherby of The Brittas Empire. And good to see another UNIT commander.

Ultimately, this episode is filler, a place holder special before we hit the end of the year. It's decent enough, but not exactly brilliant.


Next time: Base under attack! Never had that before! Still, the water angle looks interesting.

[END]