So?
Planet of the Dead Discuss and Grade SPOILERS!!!
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I'd have gone for Good if there was one, but went for Above Average on your poll.
I thought it was an enjoyable episode, Michelle Ryan, and Lee Evans both did a good job, and it was nice to see an alien race that weren't "The monster" for once. It was also nice to have a slow build up, we don't often get that either.
I can't think of much that was wrong with it, but it just didn't push itself in to Excellent territory.
I thought it was an enjoyable episode, Michelle Ryan, and Lee Evans both did a good job, and it was nice to see an alien race that weren't "The monster" for once. It was also nice to have a slow build up, we don't often get that either.
I can't think of much that was wrong with it, but it just didn't push itself in to Excellent territory.
Too campy, too much homage for me. The combination of Stargate, Lara Croft, summer holiday and probably half a dozen other references were too distracting for me. On those grounds alone I'm glad Lara... err Christina won't reappear. Aside from the fact that (apart from Robin Hood) the beeb wouldn't want a criminal as a hero-figure.
I was aggrieved at yet more insect people - we seem to have an insect obsession. Then when they turned out to be fairly decent types, they got needlessly chomped. Would have been better if they'd lived, and the Doctor had delivered them somewhere else at the end (like their fly-nest).
Somehow I don't want panto at Easter: would have liked something darker.
I was aggrieved at yet more insect people - we seem to have an insect obsession. Then when they turned out to be fairly decent types, they got needlessly chomped. Would have been better if they'd lived, and the Doctor had delivered them somewhere else at the end (like their fly-nest).
Somehow I don't want panto at Easter: would have liked something darker.
I started off liking it and liked Christina (Michelle Ryan) but as soon as the bus started flying I thought it went downhill (also the other characters on the bus were not strong characters).
Would like to Christina back next year (doubt that would happen)
Would like to Christina back next year (doubt that would happen)
liked the ep for the most part
was glad the bug aliens were good guys
loved how Christina wanted to go with him in the tardis. This ep was somewhat like the first ep of the season (it's the time of the year for it), that introduces the new oompanion, and ends with her being asked to join him. But this is not a new season, so no new companion and just guest stars.
was funny how she did get away at the end with the red bus.
was glad the bug aliens were good guys
loved how Christina wanted to go with him in the tardis. This ep was somewhat like the first ep of the season (it's the time of the year for it), that introduces the new oompanion, and ends with her being asked to join him. But this is not a new season, so no new companion and just guest stars.
was funny how she did get away at the end with the red bus.
I thought this was the weakest special i have seen so far.
I would have have liked something a bit darker it also felt a bit cheep in places.
I would have have liked something a bit darker it also felt a bit cheep in places.
Hm. Mostly fun, but I have more niggles about it than about most recent DW episodes.
It was more Flight Of The Phoenix than Pitch Black, and had some good fun moments in it. Nice direction, nice music albeit a bit heavy on the use of tracks from previous episodes. Cool monsters, but the Tritovores were pretty crappy.
DT was fab as always, and Michelle Ryan was good, as were the rest of the passengers. As for Captain Mogambo, she was good when interacting with DT, but the character was a bit rubbish before that. I hope we can keep her as UNIT's regular face though.
I couldn't help thinking the Swarm creatures can't have evolved naturally, but have to have been created as a weapon...
Niggle-wise, I think UNIT are bigger assholes now than they were in the original series. Yes, they've got decent-looking gear now, but in the old days you could accept them being a bit rubbish because they were basically Dad's Army. Now you can't accept it because they're offered as some sort of actual spec ops team. Maybe I've been spoiled by playing Rainbow Six Vegas this week, but seeing UNIT just stand in a line without taking any cover...
And then there's Lee Evans, who I've never liked. Still don't.
Dunno why they went to Dubai for it - a sandpit with a digital matte painting would have done the job.
I did enjoy it, but it might have benefited from being a regular-length episode.
Of course the most interesting bits were at the end - some spoiler cuts
The "it is returning" - I'd guess the sound of drums - and "he will knock four times" which some fans are taking literally as knocking on doors, but it's as likely to mean, duh-duh-de-dum, duh-duh-de-dum... Y'know, the tapping that Simm did in season 3.
As for the next episode- unfortunately it looks with 42 with the fire element swapped out for water. But here's hoping...
score...? 3.5/5
It was more Flight Of The Phoenix than Pitch Black, and had some good fun moments in it. Nice direction, nice music albeit a bit heavy on the use of tracks from previous episodes. Cool monsters, but the Tritovores were pretty crappy.
DT was fab as always, and Michelle Ryan was good, as were the rest of the passengers. As for Captain Mogambo, she was good when interacting with DT, but the character was a bit rubbish before that. I hope we can keep her as UNIT's regular face though.
I couldn't help thinking the Swarm creatures can't have evolved naturally, but have to have been created as a weapon...
Niggle-wise, I think UNIT are bigger assholes now than they were in the original series. Yes, they've got decent-looking gear now, but in the old days you could accept them being a bit rubbish because they were basically Dad's Army. Now you can't accept it because they're offered as some sort of actual spec ops team. Maybe I've been spoiled by playing Rainbow Six Vegas this week, but seeing UNIT just stand in a line without taking any cover...
And then there's Lee Evans, who I've never liked. Still don't.
Dunno why they went to Dubai for it - a sandpit with a digital matte painting would have done the job.
I did enjoy it, but it might have benefited from being a regular-length episode.
Of course the most interesting bits were at the end - some spoiler cuts
The "it is returning" - I'd guess the sound of drums - and "he will knock four times" which some fans are taking literally as knocking on doors, but it's as likely to mean, duh-duh-de-dum, duh-duh-de-dum... Y'know, the tapping that Simm did in season 3.
As for the next episode- unfortunately it looks with 42 with the fire element swapped out for water. But here's hoping...
score...? 3.5/5
i thoroughly enjoyed it and thought MR was fab. Lee Evans was good. Liked him naming a unit of measurement 'Bernard' after Quatermass. 
I too liked that the Tritovores weren't hostile. Thought the stingrays were quite good monsters.
Nice to see some UNIT troopers were using M-4 Carbines not just the ubiquitous G-36s...
I too liked that the Tritovores weren't hostile. Thought the stingrays were quite good monsters.Nice to see some UNIT troopers were using M-4 Carbines not just the ubiquitous G-36s...
A solid monster romp, with standout moments from Lee Evans - UNIT chooses it's scientific advisors well... 
The dire predictions about 10's fate at the end felt shoehorned, and I foresaw him using the sonic to free Christina a mile away... though her using the bus to escape I admit I didn't see coming... a definite nod to Iris Wildthyme I think...
UNIT seems to be getting some stick from RTD these days... despite the gung-ho defence against the aliens and the Captain's praise of the Doc at the end, the "we close the wormhole NOW!" leaving the Doc and the 200s to die... we need one UNIT officer willing to take a chance on the Doc, but the series is definitely going for the whole "UNIT are there to sacrifice themselves bravely while the Doc saves the day.... and they all KNOW it!" angle that Shalka first came up with. Colonel Mace needs to come back ASAP, with his hot blonde second-in-command - unless we can get the Brig, of course.
The dire predictions about 10's fate at the end felt shoehorned, and I foresaw him using the sonic to free Christina a mile away... though her using the bus to escape I admit I didn't see coming... a definite nod to Iris Wildthyme I think...
UNIT seems to be getting some stick from RTD these days... despite the gung-ho defence against the aliens and the Captain's praise of the Doc at the end, the "we close the wormhole NOW!" leaving the Doc and the 200s to die... we need one UNIT officer willing to take a chance on the Doc, but the series is definitely going for the whole "UNIT are there to sacrifice themselves bravely while the Doc saves the day.... and they all KNOW it!" angle that Shalka first came up with. Colonel Mace needs to come back ASAP, with his hot blonde second-in-command - unless we can get the Brig, of course.
I actually really enjoyed this Special. Although I liked the Christmas Special, this episode, for me, was a better mix of humour and action and formed a more coherant package than the Xmas episode and the Series 4 finale episodes.
There was good chemistry between the Doctor and Christina's characters and some great minor characters were intoduced (Lee Evans gave a great turn). I thought the Special Effects were excellent and not over-used (the glimpse of the pre-desert planet was a great touch) and the story fitted in nicely to the hour-long slot, with good pacing.
Two minor quibbles: The Christina charcter's quick acceptance of alien worlds/ fly-aliens etc seemed slightly unrealistic-even for a stiff-upper lip aristocrat and the other bus charcters were somewhat underused.
But overall:excellent.
There was good chemistry between the Doctor and Christina's characters and some great minor characters were intoduced (Lee Evans gave a great turn). I thought the Special Effects were excellent and not over-used (the glimpse of the pre-desert planet was a great touch) and the story fitted in nicely to the hour-long slot, with good pacing.
Two minor quibbles: The Christina charcter's quick acceptance of alien worlds/ fly-aliens etc seemed slightly unrealistic-even for a stiff-upper lip aristocrat and the other bus charcters were somewhat underused.
But overall:excellent.
They went to Dubai because they wanted a more authentic look, and I think it payed off.
It was a good episode, I definately felt satisfied at the end of the episode, and I particularly liked the "your time is coming to an end" speech at the end of the episode, it's like the whole tone changed in the episode.
How about the trailer for The Water of Mars then huh? Now that episode looks amazing. Didn't RTD say that the last three episodes were going to be tied in to each other?
And one last thing, I wonder who this person that comes with "four knocks". Good old Doc mystery.
It was a good episode, I definately felt satisfied at the end of the episode, and I particularly liked the "your time is coming to an end" speech at the end of the episode, it's like the whole tone changed in the episode.
How about the trailer for The Water of Mars then huh? Now that episode looks amazing. Didn't RTD say that the last three episodes were going to be tied in to each other?
And one last thing, I wonder who this person that comes with "four knocks". Good old Doc mystery.
I wasn't to impressed with the cheap knock off Lara Croft that we got in Michelle Ryan's character.
A smug pompous aristocrat, no thanks
.
It grated on me, the whole 'wonderful and glamorous upper crust crimnal whom we're supposed to admire' thing and the air of over the top smarmy arrogance ruined the whole episode IMO. The acting was wooden and the whole characterisation was simply unlikable.
And the line that really got my goat?
"this is why the aristocracy survives...we always come prepared."
Em, no the reason why there are still brain death inbred morons still running around is because we removed all their political power and turned them into pathetic cultural jokes!( the British royal family).
Basically the best they can do for us is to make money from tourists and that's it. Bloody Bluebloods.
There were some good things about this episode, DT was entertaining as per usual, the insect crew I found to be more interesting as characters than all of the 200's (with the exception of the psychic lady) and Lee Evans was amusing although his man love of the Doctor got a bit too much at the end.
The cryptic hints at the end certainly interested me, I wonder what they mean...
A smug pompous aristocrat, no thanks
.It grated on me, the whole 'wonderful and glamorous upper crust crimnal whom we're supposed to admire' thing and the air of over the top smarmy arrogance ruined the whole episode IMO. The acting was wooden and the whole characterisation was simply unlikable.
And the line that really got my goat?
"this is why the aristocracy survives...we always come prepared."
Em, no the reason why there are still brain death inbred morons still running around is because we removed all their political power and turned them into pathetic cultural jokes!( the British royal family).
Basically the best they can do for us is to make money from tourists and that's it. Bloody Bluebloods.
There were some good things about this episode, DT was entertaining as per usual, the insect crew I found to be more interesting as characters than all of the 200's (with the exception of the psychic lady) and Lee Evans was amusing although his man love of the Doctor got a bit too much at the end.
The cryptic hints at the end certainly interested me, I wonder what they mean...
That only worked because they made Malcolm Welsh though, he reminded me a lot of Jeff from Coupling... only a genius.
Well, we've seen somebody knock four times before - he starts doing it at 1:50 in this clip- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDn1PLzQvGo
An entertaining enough episode, though not outstanding. Michelle Ryan did pretty well given the clichéd nature of her character. Lee Evans was amusing, though I'm glad he wasn't overused as he could easily begin to grate.
It's always nice to see UNIT, though it'd be useful if the production team got in a military advisor. As Lonemagpie points out, they really should have taken cover. And isn't it convenient that the only heavy weaponry they brought, to investigate a bus disappearing in a tunnel, should be an anti aircraft system?
Also, a group of police cars chase the bus a long way into the tunnel. It disappears out of view of the roadblock at the other end of the tunnel. The pursuing cars reach the roadblock (they don't go through the wormhole, but perhaps it is still fluctuating). Later on though the wormhole is just a few metres from the roadblock. Hmmm.
Apart from that, fun.
It's always nice to see UNIT, though it'd be useful if the production team got in a military advisor. As Lonemagpie points out, they really should have taken cover. And isn't it convenient that the only heavy weaponry they brought, to investigate a bus disappearing in a tunnel, should be an anti aircraft system?
Also, a group of police cars chase the bus a long way into the tunnel. It disappears out of view of the roadblock at the other end of the tunnel. The pursuing cars reach the roadblock (they don't go through the wormhole, but perhaps it is still fluctuating). Later on though the wormhole is just a few metres from the roadblock. Hmmm.
Apart from that, fun.
He was grating on me by about his third line...
Yeah, I was interested to see that as well - it's been getting annoying that everybody in the universe, on every planet, uses G36s, and usually G36Ks at that.
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