The Power of Three

"Because you were the first. The first face this face saw. And you're seared onto my hearts, Amelia Pond. You always will be. I'm running to you and Rory before you fade from me"

First I really like Brian, Rory's dad. He's probably the first normal person to appear in Doctor Who since Jackie Tyler.

I really enjoyed this episode. It was nice seeing what Amy and Rory's life is like when the Doctor's not around. And having Kate Stewart as the Brig's daughter was a great touch too. But I get the feeling it's all being set-up for something very sad next week.

Ace Adventures

Dragonfire:

 "Do you feel like arguing with a can of deodorant that registers nine on the Richter scale?"

Dragonfire is the best story from season 24. It's round about here that Sylvester McCoy and Andrew Cartmell get to grips with the programme. It's Sophie Aldred's first story. Yes Ace is a bit rough around the edges and probably dated especially in light of series like Skins (but put Doctor Who on in Skin's time slot and Ace could do and say what she bloody well liked!), but she was probably the best companion since Lalla Wall left the show. It's also Bonnie Langford's last story, something we should all be grateful for.


The Happiness Patrol:

 "I can hear the sound of empires toppling."

I may be in the minority but I've always like The Happiness Patrol. It's the Doctor bringing down an empire in one night. And in this case that's a good thing as it's an empire I know I wouldn't survive in, having to be happy all the time (I love the working title this story had: The Crooked Smile). The cast are excellent with Shelia Hancock's Helen A. sending up then British PM Margaret Thatcher something rotten. I don't even mind The Kandyman. It's funny, biting and brilliant.

A Town Called Mercy

"Frightened people. Give me a Dalek any day."

Doctor Who's first western since the Hartnell era's The Gunfighters. It was okay, but I think it's been the weakest of the three episodes to date.

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

" I thought we might need a gang. Not really had a gang before. It's new."

Okay, first point. I'm getting used to "Matt Smith," etc forming out of mist. But I still prefer having them rush towards you.

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship; it is what it is. It's an ejoyable romp. What more do you want on a Saturday night?

Paradise Towers

 "Hail Pex. Hail the unalive who gave his life for the Tower. In life he was not a Kang, but in death he was brave and bold as a Kang should be."

Is it wrong that, when the pool cleaner's trying to kill Bonnie Langford, I'm rooting for it?

Paradise Towers is really where the Sylvester McCoy era begins. It's not the best story from the era, but has it's moments. But you can't help but wonder what it would have been like if they'd made is twelve months later when Ace was the companion. She would have been a more appropriate companion for this story than the wooden Mel (Bonnie Langford couldn't act to save her life).

Asylum of the Daleks

"Save us... save the Daleks!"

I'll try and keep the spoilers out of this, but be warned...

First impression: wow! Daleks! Daleks everywhere! Even original series machines. And the Special Weapons Dalek from Remembrance! And they have a parliament? And a prime minister no less!

Cracker of an opening episode.The regulars are great as ever. It's sad it's going to be Amy and Rory's last series but the future looks assured as Jenna-Louise Coleman makes a great first impression (in what was an amazingly well kept secret). Nicholas Briggs pulls out all the stops with the Dalek voices (and who'd have thought we'd ever hear a Dalek cry). A great script as you'd expect from Steven Moffat and  Nick Hurran's direction was amazing with the scenes with Rory wandering through the asylum very well stage and really scary too.

My only complaint - where was the dedication to Caroline John and Mary Tamm?

Pond Life

Series seven starts tomorrow in Australia (or last week on ABC iView). So here's the prequel. Think the last bit's really sad.

Nightmare of Eden

 

"Interfere! Of course we should interfere. Always do what you're best at, that's what I say."

I think I might be in a minority. I actually like Nightmare of Eden (I also like Horns of the Nimon - so exterminate me!). I know it's not the greatest from the Tom Baker era (or any era for that matter), but it's enjoyable and strangely adult for seventies Doctor Who (what with the drug theme). Even the Mandrel's aren't that bad, just very badly lit. And I can tolerate Lewis Fiander's strange decision to give Tryst a German accent. And when you consider the story's trouble production, with director Alan Bromly walking out midway through filming (not that he had a choice after loosing total control of the studio. Does any footage exist of Tom Baker screaming "Is there a director or a commentator up their???!!!" to the gallery?) it's a wonder that the production has any cohesion at all.

So, to sum up Nightmare of Eden: not a bad story, just misunderstood.