The Doctor's Companion Blog

I was more than a bit disappointed by the first part of the finale of David Tenants reign.  It seemed very disjointed and hard for people who do not know Who, to follow.  In fact as we all sat around watching it on Christmas Day I felt a bit embarrassed at making my Mother (not a Who fan) watch all this stuff.  I am pretty sure that most of went straight past her, although she is a very polite person and did not complain.

It was nice to see Wilf back of course, and I liked the cafe scene.  However who were this Naismith couple?  We had no explanation of why they were millionaires, how they knew of the immortality gate, and where the daughter got the idea from that she could become immortal.  It all added to the confusion.

In fact I rather felt as if Russell, the writer, knowing that this was the end of his Dr Who writing, had cast aside all restraint and piled in everything pel mel, with no particular order or cohesion between the various parts.  Sorry Russell, but that is what it felt like watching it for the first time.

Although it was exciting to see the Time Lords at the end.  I was not expecting that.  It was a good moment.

I have watched the episode since of course and it does improve on a second viewing. I understand it a bit better.  I think it will take a few more viewings though before I get it all, plus I expect parts of it will only be clear once we have seen the final part.  Due in a few days.

I am looking forward to Part 2, but my enthusiasm has been dented a bit by the deficiencies of Part 1.   Although I should make it clear that I thought all the *actors* was great, and I have no complaints at all about the quality of the acting. It was, as always, superb.

Doctor Who – Winter Specials 2009 – Waters of Mars and The End of Time [DVD] is available from Amazon.

I bought myself the box set of the Doctor Who – The Key to Time recently as an extra Christmas present for myself.  It is one of my favourite Doctor series.

So far I have just re-watched the first two.  The Ribos Operation is, for me, made by the wonderful performance of Ian Cuthbertson as Garron.  He is just perfect as the confidence trickster who loves his work.

Then the Pirate Planet is such a wonderful explosion of inventiveness from Douglas Adams, so clever the subtle way he introduces the nurse and the whole idea of planets mining planets.

To come, the excitements of earth and the Kaliad, the Androids of Tara and the rest.  People are often a bit disparaging about the power or Kroll and the Armagedden Factor, but I have always enjoyed them.  The whole series is great, with the wonderful Tom Baker, the marvellous Mary Tamm (the perfect ice queen) and the brilliant K9.

Excuse me, I must go now.  I have a series to watch.

So.  I’ve seen the Waters of Mars twice and have had a bit of time to ponder on it.  What do I think?

Well its good. Of course its good, they all are.  And Lindsey Duncan is of course wonderful as Adelaide Brook, the commander.  The make up is amazing, and the effects brilliant.  But.

I didn’t really like the Doctor going off the rails at the end. I really didn’t like that.  I quite understand that its great for David to act, and as always he did a fabulous job.  But the Doctor doesn’t do that.  Or shouldn’t.  I don’t want him to go mental and upset time.  I prefer him as he was.

Call me old  fashioned but I prefer the Doctor to be right, the one who sorts things out, the one thing that is dependable  I don’t want him going off the rails.

We will have to see what will happen over Christmas and the New Year.  It looks pretty amazing so I am really looking forward to it.

Lets hope the Doctor has got over his delusions by then.

Doctor Who – Winter Specials 2009 – Waters of Mars and The End of Time [DVD] is available from Amazon.