DOCTOR WHO: THE WATERS OF MARS
A review.
In a word: fantastic.
In a sentence: Several fantastic moments, but I was left with a feeling of slight disappointment regarding the first 45 minutes.
It was almost like, they built it up and built it up, and it became almost (as Laura said) cliche. I thought the first time we saw the waterpeople, they were pretty impressive, but as they continued to appear, and the more we saw of up close shots of the mouths and arms, it became too clear it was fuelled by water pump/garden hose stuff. Which sounds very cruel, and I suppose it's what some people enjoy about Doctor Who, but for an episode advertised as 'The beginning of the end', I felt it needed more, I don't know, 'umph'. If you know what I mean.
Oh, Mr Tennant. What are you trying to do to us fangirls? I felt that the Doctor himself only came into his own in the last 15 or so minutes, when he realises that he is 'the winner' so to speak, and it made it that much more heartbreaking at the end with his 'is it time?'
One of the most effective and prominent moments for me, was during the Doctor's walk from the base, and as Steffi played the recording of her family, which continued to play through the Doctor's helmet as we heard her change. Everything we felt as an audience was shown in his face.
The Doctor coming back to the base was an important moment, obviously, but his sudden, almost drastic, change of characteristics made it horrible to watch. Not in a bad way, I thought it was breathtaking, and I found myself asking where had my Doctor gone? Ten ended up building himself for his fall, which, when it came, was beautifully acted out.
That's what I love about Ten. His reluctance to admit his hurt, the way he hides behind this happy, hopeful facade ('isn't anyone going to thank me?!'), when of course we all know it's killing him (ahem), to know despite what he is saying about being the master of time, and having time do his bidding, that what he has done is still not right - 'The Time Lord Victorious is wrong.'
Christmas looks great, but seeing as I accidentally read the spoilers months ago, the suspense and shock for me was lost. Stupid, stupid self.
Just remembered something
ReplyDeleteWhat was with the cheesy 'TO BE CONTINUED' at the end?
In a word: fantastic.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would say so.
Ten killed me with his change of personality, I almost cried because he was not my doctor.
I actually like the monsters, they were much scary than your meanest Dalek. Especially the girl with curly hair.
I loved the Aussie guy - Patrick O'Brien or something? He was in Casualty as a consultant and he was the one who lead Guppy into drugs. BUT he was so brilliant here I forgot his old character. He does remind me the tiniest bit of RDJ, which will shock Jane to the core no doubt but that's what I thought.
I really, really wanted Ten to walk away at the end and not save them. Because that's how it has to be and because - well - it seemed right. And I didn't want him to die. I get too into these episodes; of course he wouldn't die. But there we go.
I totally agree about the Steffi thing. Yes, it should have been horiffically dull watching Ten stumble across the Martian wasteland for about five minutes, but his acting and the knowledge of what this is doing to him was the thing that kept me riveted. In the same way that my favourite episode in series 4 was the one where he went to the Sapphire falls, I felt that this was brilliant because it revealed so much about him and gave him the opportunity to take centre stage.
Well I think that's enough sappy rambling for tonight. Excellent post Genie!
Do you know what I just figured out?
ReplyDeleteHe will knock four times.
It is the Master.
Here come the drums.