Written by Piggy Fizz
In which RTD does what he does best - take a strikingly off-beat idea, riff on it, and run the whole thing through with plenty of action and enough self-depreciating lines to show that we'd be daft to treat this too seriously. Yes, the resolution is necessarily a bit simple, but by then the story’s done what it’s supposed to do; namely be imaginative and exciting. I’ll save my ranting defense of RTD’s scripts for another time, but basically this once again shows that our man understands the appeal in the series' format and knows how to transfer that enthusiasm to a wider public who don’t squander their time listening to audio recordings of lost Troughton stories.
This week’s zany notion is a downward-spiral future where the population has become happy enough to spend huge chunks of their lives stuck in endless traffic jams in the vague hope of reaching some eventual reward for all their waiting. Regardless of whether you interpret this as a satire on lousy town-planning, blind trust in authority or a wider swipe at religion, the script extrapolates a whole world and philosophy from its set-up, leaving space enough for viewers to either find their own meaning in it or just enjoy the sight of Tennant breathlessly racing the rescue.
While this story finally sees Martha in peril, she’s no damsel in distress, swiftly getting a handle on her situation and persuading her captors to start questioning what they’re doing. With no disrespect to Billie Piper, I’m really enjoying Freema’s less showy approach and more subtle character.
The usually gurning Tennant is restrained and we get a Doctor doubtful of his approach and attitude. Of course he wins through, but this leads to a smashing and surprisingly well-acted coda which works beautifully in itself though one imagines it’s also paving the way for events later in the series.
So then, fun, funny and thrilling. What else do you want?
Sorry? Final message? Possible returning monsters? No idea what you’re talking about.
In which RTD does what he does best - take a strikingly off-beat idea, riff on it, and run the whole thing through with plenty of action and enough self-depreciating lines to show that we'd be daft to treat this too seriously. Yes, the resolution is necessarily a bit simple, but by then the story’s done what it’s supposed to do; namely be imaginative and exciting. I’ll save my ranting defense of RTD’s scripts for another time, but basically this once again shows that our man understands the appeal in the series' format and knows how to transfer that enthusiasm to a wider public who don’t squander their time listening to audio recordings of lost Troughton stories.
This week’s zany notion is a downward-spiral future where the population has become happy enough to spend huge chunks of their lives stuck in endless traffic jams in the vague hope of reaching some eventual reward for all their waiting. Regardless of whether you interpret this as a satire on lousy town-planning, blind trust in authority or a wider swipe at religion, the script extrapolates a whole world and philosophy from its set-up, leaving space enough for viewers to either find their own meaning in it or just enjoy the sight of Tennant breathlessly racing the rescue.
While this story finally sees Martha in peril, she’s no damsel in distress, swiftly getting a handle on her situation and persuading her captors to start questioning what they’re doing. With no disrespect to Billie Piper, I’m really enjoying Freema’s less showy approach and more subtle character.
The usually gurning Tennant is restrained and we get a Doctor doubtful of his approach and attitude. Of course he wins through, but this leads to a smashing and surprisingly well-acted coda which works beautifully in itself though one imagines it’s also paving the way for events later in the series.
So then, fun, funny and thrilling. What else do you want?
Sorry? Final message? Possible returning monsters? No idea what you’re talking about.
1 comment:
A fine review piggy my dear. One would almost suspect that you got hold of a prior copy ahead of this Saturdays broadcast (football permitting) but of course that couldn't be possible... could it?
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