Planet of the Dead Discuss and Grade SPOILERS!!!

[Welshie]

I'd say it was average, but enjoyable. Interesting plot, bad acting. If the doctor hadn't been in his "oh, you run of the mill humans are so amazing and brilliant" retarded cheerleader mode, I think I would've liked it quite a bit more. Thank God Moffat's always taken a more serious approach to the character, so we won't be having much of that.

 

[tomalak301]

I'd say it was average, but enjoyable. Interesting plot, bad acting. If the doctor hadn't been in his "oh, you run of the mill humans are so amazing and brilliant" retarded cheerleader mode, I think I would've liked it quite a bit more. Thank God Moffat's always taken a more serious approach to the character, so we won't be having much of that.

I don't want the Doctor to be serious all the time. Even Eccleston, who was harboring a dark secret as being the last timelord had some fun every once in a while. Being too serious for a show like this one might make it a bit boring, at least to me.

 

[Starkers]

Moffat's always taken a more serious approach to the character?

This is the man who gave us The Curse of Fatal Death after all.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Moffat's always taken a more serious approach to the character?

This is the man who gave us The Curse of Fatal Death after all.

He also gave us "Wibbly wobbly timey wimey" and "it's my timey wimey detector, goes ding when there's stuff."

 

[Starkers]

The thing I'll give Moffat is that oft times his silliness/humour is more polished than RTD, and he manages to merge humour and darkness a lot better (which is no mean feat) but I don't think the two of them are that different in their approach to the Doctor.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Loved it.

 

[DWF]

I really liked this one actually especially the ending and I liked Lady Christina.

 

[Worf2DS9]

Just had the Canadian premiere Saturday night here, and I really enjoyed it (gave it Above Average in the poll). Tennant was great, as per usual, and I liked how he admitted to Christina that he stole the TARDIS from his own people. Been a while since that's come up, I think.

I also liked Michelle Ryan as Lady Christina and didn't mind the Lara Croft vibe at all. Her cheeky banter with the Doctor was fun. I actually felt sorry for her when the Doctor turned her down at the end and left her to the wolves, so to speak, to answer for her thievery.

The location filming in Dubai really added some scope to the planet and I'm guessing their distance from the TARDIS back on Earth was the reason the translation whatsit didn't work with the fly people. The people on the bus weren't that notable; certainly not as much as the folks from "Midnight". And the Doctor recommending the two lads for U.N.I.T. jobs seemed a bit much.

Oh, and we didn't get any "Waters of Mars" trailer at the end; just the cloister bell at the end of the credits.

 

[Mr Light]

I just saw it as well on BBCAmerica. I thought it was pretty good but not amazing. I thought they spent way too much time sitting around on the alien planet trying to fix the bus without any sense of eminent danger. Should have introduced the aliens sooner. I really liked Michelle Ryan and actually wished she was the new companion! I loved seeing UNIT being in awe of the Doctor and working with him; I get sick of people turning our messiah god all the time when he's just trying to help. I find it odd they go all the way to Dubai just to film a couple sand dunes... it was a boring planet

 

[Mr Light]

I don't understand why four knocks implies the Master. I just recently re-watched those episodes and he doesn't knock four times he does it like six times in a sequence. Or is it supposed to be the same four over and over?

 

[The Badger]

Da da da dum.
Da da da dum.
Da da da dum.
Da da da dum.

 

[The Wormhole]

I don't understand why four knocks implies the Master. I just recently re-watched those episodes and he doesn't knock four times he does it like six times in a sequence. Or is it supposed to be the same four over and over?

Actually it is four times. Trust me, I frequently tap my fingers to the drum beat. So much so that I've even got people I work with doing it.

 

[Garth Rockett]

I just saw it as well on BBCAmerica. I thought it was pretty good but not amazing.

I saw it last night for the first time as well - I was wondering if I was the only Who fan in America who's held out this long.

I had about the same reaction, which is why I gave it an "average" in the poll. Average for Doctor Who is very entertaining, but in the long run I don't see this as an episode I'll go to more than usual after I get it on DVD. I liked Lady Christina, and it might be nice to see her again but I don't know if she'd be my preference for a regular companion. It was a nice touch having aliens who looked like the Tritovore but weren't the bad guys.

I'm pleased with the promotion BBC America has given the specials, and I'm especially pleased they seem to be indicating the remaining specials will air relatively close to their UK premieres. I'd love for them to get Series 5 over SyFy.

 

[Jim Steele]

Who the hell gave this a "fantastic"? Fuck sake. Y'all have some mighty low standards.

I guess if the final special is just 50mins of Russell T. Davies having a bath, you'd give that an "average", right? lololololololollololololololoyl;uiy'l;i,fghmjsrt'lknsrk;thkl;nghylsdgbloeyh vge\s,,uws bvpiyawfiw\r1`

 

[Australis]

And Jim absolutely loses all coherence!

Shame on you all, it'll take days for him to regain equilibrium!

 

[Pindar]

So who has watched the Blu-Ray of this. How does it look?

I am finally getting a hi-def tv next Wednesday and need stuff to watch on it.

 

[Jim Steele]

I've seen a 720p version, it looked rather nice, although it still hasn't lost that slight "BBC Video" look it always had.

I'd say save your money until there's an inevitable specials boxed set. There are plenty of BD titles out there worth spending 10-15 quid on right now, PotD isn't one of them. Children of Earth is

 

[Pindar]

I've seen a 720p version, it looked rather nice, although it still hasn't lost that slight "BBC Video" look it always had.

I'd say save your money until there's an inevitable specials boxed set. There are plenty of BD titles out there worth spending 10-15 quid on right now, PotD isn't one of them. Children of Earth is

Thanks, I have Children of the Earth in readiness.

 

[The Lensman]

Just finished watching the DVD and I voted "average".....it had it's moments, was somewhat enjoyable, but mainly it was some new Who. I didn't have the problem with the aliens generating the wormhole as have others...and didn't notice the "magic negro" thing as much as the monumental coincidence of having someone psyhic there to provide yet another ominous warning to the Doctor.

In regards to the aliens abilities, I'd have to go back and rewatch it. I recall the bit about speed, but was anything else mentioned? Some here have likened it to Superman's ability to turn back the world, but I look it more as "when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious shit". Clearly there's something in their biology, coupled with their numbering in the billions and a certain speed (or momentum) that makes the wormhole generation happen. Like Doc Brown's time machine only needing to go a paltry 88 miles an hour before being able to travel in time.

Clearly these creatures have an internal mechanism like the flux capacitor.

Plus, after years of dull, plodding technobabble in Trek, wherein imaginary terms are used to explain in great imaginary detail, imaginary things....I like not having everything explained or made "realistic". I like the "fantastical, wonderful things" element of such creatures and Dr. Who in general.

The over the top hero worship by U.N.I.T. could be annoying at times. Didn't care for the Lara Croft, aristocratic thief. Especially in these times of recession. There are people truly hurting that may be stealing bread to survive so I have no sympathy for some rich, adrenaline junkie. Let her go to jail and learn some humility.

This could have been an awesome spooky episode and really deserved to be two hours so they could've developed it more. It felt rushed and smaller than it should've been. I really hope that the next few "specials" are truly something special.

I really wish the Doc had regenerated at the end of S4, because that was a hell of high note to go out on. I'm a little wary of how it's going to play out now thanks to the lacklustre ND and PoTD.

Can't wait for the next era of Who tho! C'mon Moffat and Smith!!

 

[Cutter John]

I'm not too bothered by the ep. Every Doctor and nearly every season has had its clunkers. Just ignore it and move onto the next one. (which however is proving to be awfully difficult right now). Ugh, will summer never end?