Review: Human Nature (10th Doctor)
This episode and its sequel are adapted by Paul Cornell from a Doctor Who tie-in novel called Human Nature. If you would like to read the novel online, you may do so here. The novel features the Seventh Doctor and a different companion named Bernice Summerfield, so things are a bit different. If you choose to read ahead, though, be sure to expect spoilers. If you can’t wait the extra week for the second part (yes, in case you haven’t noticed, part 2 will be delayed a week and will appear on 9/7) you might think about reading the book. Right-o, let’s get to the good stuff, shall we?
Episode: Human Nature by Paul Cornell
Rating (1 to 5): 4.0
Time: 1913 (Begins on Monday, November 10…and they’ve been there 2 months.)
Place: England, Earth
Baddie: The Family
The Doctor’s Death Wish: Nothing really. He’s too busy being human. He does fall down the stairs, though.
The Doctor enjoys: Joan…or rather, John Smith does.
The Doctor dislikes: John Smith dislikes being interrupted and having guns pointed at his friends.
The Doctor apologizes to: No one this time around.
Saxon? Not a word on the subject.
Rose? Pictured in the Journal of Impossible Things
Who fancies Martha? No one this time ’round.
Doctor-y Strangeness: Even though he thinks he’s John Smith, he still managed to save a lady and a baby in a pram from being squashed by a falling piano, and he dreams of his real life.
Scary Stuff: The Doctor…is not The Doctor, so he can’t jump in and save the day (much). The walking scarecrows.
Does someone local help out? Tim Latimer, Nurse Joan Redfern
What we learn: The Doctor can make himself human. Martha still doesn’t really think of the TARDIS as sentient. There is a Chameleon Arch on the TARDIS. It has the ability to re-write The Doctor’s biology. The process hurts. John Smith writes of 1914 in his journal. John Smith can dance.
My Favorite Bits: John Smith becoming flustered and falling down the stairs. The Journal of Impossible Things (complete with 3 ripped out pages. You have to wonder what was on those pages.) Joan beginning to realize that there is something different about John Smith. Tim recognizing something off about Baines. The Doctor’s list of things for when he’s human. The cricket ball Rube Goldberg maneuver. “A girl in every fireplace.” “-Where did you learn to draw? -Gallifrey. -Is that in Ireland? -Yes, it must be.” I want Joan’s party dress. The Doctor…er John Smith can dance.
Observations and musings:
Martha is stuck in 1913 working as a maid in a school where The Doctor is working as a teacher. And he goes and falls in love with a human…that isn’t her. Luckily, she’s really smart. So, she realizes that Jenny isn’t who she seems to be, and comes up with a quick way to find out. Even though she’s on her own, and the watch is with Tim (unbeknownst to her) she still tries to get The Doctor to snap out of it. Then the baddies show up at the local dance and Martha has a gun put to her head. Who will save the day now?
The Doctor has become human, his consciousness hidden in a watch. As John Smith he is working as a History teacher, completely unaware of who he really is…except at night. When he dreams, he dreams of his old life. When he wakes up, he takes note of his dreams in his Journal of Impossible Things. He has taken on human form as he and Martha are hiding from “The Family.” John Smith has no idea who he really is. Only small flashes of The Doctor show through into John. (Joan notices that there is something…different about him.) He falls for the school nurse (literally…he even falls down the stairs) and he asks her to the dance. Unfortunately, The Family has arrived and tracks him down to the dance. They take Martha and Joan and put guns to their heads, and he has no idea what they are talking about. Can he save the day?
The chap who plays Baines (Harry Lloyd) is subject of one of the current “Next Doctor” rumors. I just don’t see it. Tim spots the changed Baines right off. I really enjoyed his character. It’s interesting that John Smith manages to tell that Tim is the smartest fellow in the class. Good to know that his instincts are still working. How long does that little girl manage to keep that one balloon? Sidney and Verity are John Smith’s parents. According to the “Fact File” for this episode - “Doctor Who was created by Sydney Newman and the show’s first producer was Verity Lambert.” I wish Jenny hadn’t been taken by The Family. I liked her.
Well…the next episode it two weeks away. Whatever shall I do next Friday?
Image Source: http://www.time-and-space.co.uk/
August 28th, 2007 at 7:23 am
Only a 3.5 rating?!?
Are you sure we watched the same episode?!?
This is BY FAR the best thing the new series has done outside of Dalek.
Great, great story….
August 28th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Huh.
I could have sworn that I gave this one a 4.0. Well, in my defense, I *had* just fallen down the stairs before posting, so I didn’t really proof it as well as normal.
Thanks for pointing that out, Michael.