Watching Doctor Who

This is the Reaction Post for Doctor Who series four, episode ten - Midnight. This is the first of four straight Russell T Davies (OBE) episodes. (Did you hear that he’s got an OBE now? Well…he has.) Actually, we only have three episodes left. Can you believe it? The Doctor-Lite episode is the next one, for the record. At least, that’s what I understand. We’re coming into the final stretch, folks. (Fun Fact: Professor Hobbes is played by Patrick Troughton’s son, David.)

What did you think of this one? Come discuss it with me past the spoiler barrier. You know you want to.

Donna has chosen to spend the “Companion-Lite” episode being pampered at a spa. This only proves that Donna has good sense. Let’s see…be pampered in a pleasure palace or travel across airless terrain in a small vehicle with the original trouble magnet. Yeah. Pampering. Good choice.

It’s so rare to see the Doctor taking traditional means of transport. So good of him to shut off the cacophony. Three different forms of entertainment at once? I’d go mad. Of course the Doctor’s choice of an alternate is to chat. And that works just fine until the transport stops. And then we find ourselves in one of those films where everyone is trapped in a claustrophobic situation. *shiver* Trust the Doctor to get into the cabin, chat with the folks up there, call their bluff, and then talk them into opening their shield and looking outside for a moment. It’s a good thing they chose that moment to live a little. It was their last chance to do so. Rose appeared on the screen behind him for a moment again, and he didn’t see. The TARDIS I can see, but I’m curious to find out how she did that someplace else. I suppose that she must be targeting the Doctor himself.

Whatever or whomever that Shadow was, it’s a really good thing that it didn’t win. I feel bad for Sky. Mind you, the actress who played her did an excellent job of freaking us out. eek! They must have had to practice a bit to get the talking in sync thing down. The Shadow almost managed to kill the Doctor and steal his voice. Just as he tried to tell the others that were busy being influenced, he was special and it would be very bad if he was taken over. David Tennant did an excellent job there as the Doctor trying to fight his way free.

Names have been really playing a big part lately. Remember back a few episodes when it was revealed that The Doctor’s true name is hidden in the Medusa Cascade? (And you notice that he said “Medusa Cascade” as well as “Rose Tyler Martha Jones Donna Noble” when he was trying to figure out what was going on with the Mysterious Mimic.) And now the panicking humans won’t accept “The Doctor” or even “John Smith” from him. It’s like…something is hunting for his true name. Hmmm… In the end, he doesn’t even know the name of the Hostess who saves his life. (Please note that most of the people survived this time.)

Well, it felt a bit Gridlock-y, but there was a lot of good acting in this one. Can’t wait for next week to get here. What did you all think?

Reaction Post, Doctor Who, Midnight