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by Alan
Thoughts?

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Holy ****!

That's what I want from Doctor Who. Opens with a proper mystery and builds up to a stunning climax. Comedy, drama, it had the lot. The reveal was perfection. Doctor's still digesting a global Cyberman invasion when he realises there's something worse coming close behind. As the look of realisation spreads across Tenant's face the Dalek theme begins. Brilliant.

Daleks, Cybermen and Torchwood, oh my! Next week's episode is going to kick arse. Took me from casual viewer to fanboy in 45 minutes. Go on Mr Davis!

I absolutely loved every minute of it! Jackie was funny, Mickey was cool, the Doctor and Rose were fabulous. The cybermen and the daleks were great in the brief appearances they made, giving a real sense of threat and terror. I must admit, as this series has progressed I've been getting less and less intersted about the whole Torchwood thing. And now we finally get to see it... well I'm definitely intrigued. I'm looking forward to seeing how/where they end up after this war...

But now I'm gutted that I'll have to wait 2 and a half weeks for the concluding part cos I'm going on holiday! Aaaargh! I wonder if they get BBC1 in Turkey.....

just seen this - and it rocked!!
ok, so could have done without that dozy bint from eastenders (she somehow managed to be even smugger than tennants doctor), and why did no-one notice the double-bluetooth headsets - but far better than the last few eps.
next week looks interesting - especially with the cybermens upgrade plans...

Just think of the tinhead grudge matches, so much possibility...

"Oi you! Yes you! Dustbin-for-a-head! Those plungers are so last millennium - THEY MUST BE UPGRADED!"

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by Alan
Just think of the tinhead grudge matches, so much possibility...

"Oi you! Yes you! Dustbin-for-a-head! Those plungers are so last millennium - THEY MUST BE UPGRADED!"

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Daleks would upgrade the handlebar-heads into a heap of scrap-metal for that.

Raises a vaguely serious point: the Daleks are at least a couple of million years more advanced than the Cybermen. Last time we saw 'em Cybers were exploding all over the shop: in seson 1/27's "Dalek" the combinded firepower of Van Statten's goons didn't so much as scratch the paint on a single Dalek's blinged-up bodywork. Don't see how the Cybermen are going to last long.

And the above was such a fanboy post! Come on guys, you should be getting me like this every week.

You do know my post was just seizing the opportunity for a soundbite insult, right?

As mine seized your seizure to release all the fan-ish tendances all these weeks of sub-par Doctor Who bottled up.

Now that was a nice well balanced first half of a two parter, and ticks a lot of the right boxes for me. Oh yeah, it was pretty darned exciting too!

Last year we had Badwolf, which was a largely unconnected first part which ended on a cliffhanger and a 'proper' second half. This story certainly demands the full 2 episodes. On one hand I was a bit disappointed the show so closely mimicked last year, with an early appearance in the season, and a return as the 'big bad', but on the other hand, the first Cyber-story left me cold, so this is a chance for them to redeem themselves.

Im sure I wasnt the only one cringing at the tough of Babs Windsor, Trish and Derek Acorah appearing, but thankfully, they were less than cameos. This is exactly what a Who story should be, a proper building threat, real investigation, unexpected danger, all aspects that are frequently forsaken in many of the single episode stories.

Whats more, the Doctor was on top form. Apart from the typically over the top Ghostbusters bit, Tennant was nicely restrained, playing the timelord as cool and flippant, but not exploding with energy or resorting to Doctor Shouty. Also, while Ive been no great fan of Jackie Tyler, the Jackie as Rose switch worked really well both in terms of humour and servicing the plot.

Finally we get to see inside Torchwood, although its hard to see how this clinical corporate nightmare could serve as the vehicle for a bunch of heros in a dark and creepy UK-X-Files. Many of the TW references this season have felt gratuitous, but this certainly didnt feel like a 'back door pilot' for the upcoming show.

Im a sucker for spoilers, but I really would have liked to have been one of the people who didnt know about that last shot... and that teaser for next week! Anyone want to place bets on whats in that Genesis Ark thing. Fanboys everywhere are chanting the OTHER D-word, but is that too much to hope for?

By the way, those who had a feeling that the black programmer girl was going to be the new companion, only to see half her brain pulled out, wouldnt have been on their own.

(Edited by Wobag 04/07/2006 17:20)

(Edited by Wobag 04/07/2006 17:22)

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by WobagBy the way, those who had a feeling that the black programmer girl was going to be the new companion, only to see half her brain pulled out, wouldnt have been on their own.

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im half expecting the new companion to be mickey - his charecter has certainly come on in leaps and bounds.
and ive just had a bizarre thought that might make for an interesting plot-line if done well - last seasons finale was about one classic enemy - this year has 2 - so how long until they do an equivalent of the 2/3/5 doctor storylines, and bring back the silurians, the loch ness monster, and the master??
and is anyone else worried that we're going to be badly let-down byt the last episode?

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by mad
and is anyone else worried that we're going to be badly let-down byt the last episode?

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Nah, "The Parting of the Ways" was a belter. For once even the "god from the machine" ending was forgivable.

Recent epps have been so crummy that a decent Cybermen/Dalek fight is all I'm expecting. Anything else is a bonus.

FYI

www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/07_july/05/agyeman2.shtml

The Beeb must have been biting their tongues and sniggering like crazy when people were discussing the possibility that "programmer girl was going to be the new companion" until we all saw "half her brain pulled out" - can we say sneaky?

Truth is, this wasnt by design. Unlike last year, the final two episodes were recorded in the middle of the production not the end.

The search for Rose's replacement subsequently took place, and Freema was asked back to audition. The timing of her appearance and the annoucement is pure coincidence.

At Chamb's suggestion, companion discussion can also take place here, instead of just a side note on the ep discussion.