Watching Doctor Who

I’m sorry that this is a bit late, but here it is at last. This episode is a bit stressful to watch, but what do you expect from the first half of a two-parter? The music adds to this effect I think. *shiver* Right, then. On to the spoilery stuff!

Episode: Bad Wolf by Russell T. Davies
Rating (1 to 5): 4
Baddie: Daleks! (and that bloody corporation that endorses wholesale slaughter.)
Rose is Trapped: In a game of The Weakest Link and then on the Dalek ship.
The Doctor is Trapped: In a game of Big Brother.
The Doctor Enjoys: Lynda. ’cause she’s sweet.
The Doctor Dislikes: Daleks. Rose dying.
Doctor-y Strangeness: Dark Doctor. Once he realizes that Rose is in danger, then especially after he thinks she’s dead…and even when he knows she’s alive, but he has to deal with Daleks.
Scary Stuff: Disintegrator beams. All of those freaky games. Daleks. The Controller all full of wires.
Does someone local help out? Lynda, and then some of the staff.
Bad Wolf? Well, it’s the name of the episode, and the name of the corporation that runs the Game Station.
What we learn: The Game Station is Satellite 5, only 100 years later. They went to Kyoto, Japan in 1336 after stopping by Raxacoricofallapatorius to drop off Blon. The Great Cobalt Pyramid is built on the remains of Torchwood. Even if Jack looks naked, he’s still armed. The Sonic Screwdriver can’t open a dead lock seal. All The Doctor is after is a quiet life. The Doctor caused the current Earth last time he was there: 100 years of hell. The Controller was installed when she was 5. The station is running a secondary transmat system…and the Daleks are in charge.
The Doctor’s Death Wish: The Doctor has decided to take on the Daleks, with no plan.
The Doctor Apologizes To:No One, but I’d bet that he wanted to apologize to Rose for “getting her killed.”
My Favorite Bits: “-You are live on channel forty-four-thousand. Please do not swear. -You have got to be kidding.” “Ladies…your viewing figures just went up.” Jack ended up on What Not To Wear. “-Where were you hiding that? -You really don’t wanna know.” “I moisturize.” The image of The Doctor kneeling stunned where Rose was when she died (great camera work). The Doctor telling the Daleks what he was going to do.

Observations and musings:

I would like to point out that Rose survived that bloody game until the end. Yeah, some of it may have been Mr. Tactical Voting, but perhaps it also tells you that The Doctor really does only travel with the best. She even tries to warn The Doctor before the Anne Droid gets her. When she wakes up on the Dalek ship, she may be afraid, but she doesn’t completely freak out. She just has to wait for The Doctor to do the seemingly impossible, and she can live with that.

The Doctor goes through hell in this episode. And it turns out that he caused 100 years of hell. (He picks up another admirer, though. I’m thinking that he’s been around Captain Jack too long. Poor Lynda.) I’m interested in the fact that he told Lynda all he is after is a quiet life. Really?!? I just don’t believe you Doctor. When Rose is disintegrated right in front of him, the Doctor just…dies a bit. Then, he gets angry. He even slams a guard into the wall. He and Jack are *so* happy when they discover that Rose is still alive, and so angry when they discover where she’s been transported. Poor man, he’s been set down in his worst nightmare.

So, this is what has become of the human race in 100 years? That’s really quite depressing, and distressingly believable. I am *so* amused that Jack ended up on What Not To Wear. Hmmm…If The Doctor is Big Brother and Rose is The Weakest Link…does that make Jack some sort of fashion victim? Also, here we have proof that Jack will flirt with anything, including robots. It’s a good thing that The Doctor has him along, isn’t it? Jack, Rose, and The Doctor seem to have formed a sort of family unit. More on that next time. Great choice on the actress who played The Controller. She did a great job. See you next week for part 2, The Parting of the Ways!

Bad Wolf, Russell T. Davies, Doctor Who, 9th Doctor

Image Source: http://www.time-and-space.co.uk/