As fortune favored me yesterday, I checked the guide for BBCA and noticed "The Next Doctor" and "Planet of the Dead" were to be airing. Being the good dad and husband I want to be, I recorded them and waited until later in the evening when our whole family could watch. It was so cool to be able to do that again! We've so enjoyed watching the four series DVDs that DWF kindly loaned us. Yes, I did say "loaned" even though I've had them for so long it seems otherwise. 
Anyhow, on to "The Next Doctor".
As is my wont, I initially wondered if this "next Doctor" was going to be a charlatan or a victim of mistaken identity or possibly worse. There were just so many little coincidental terms which didn't quite pan out. Then the encounter with the masked creature. Not only was the mask a Cyberman image but the creature had a certain extranormal amount of strength. And the more we went on, the more the "next doctor" seemed in earnest. And I grew to like his character very much, especially as we learned some terrible tragedy had befallen him. Take a man's wife from him, and instantly my heart is on his side. It was fairly simple to reason that the missing item was a child. Why? Well, we kept hearing references to children during the course of the story.
It was a very enjoyable romp, although mostly because it was great to have new material to watch. The story itself was good, but ... a few things nagged at me. Now these may have been explained, at least to where a re-watching will reveal it all, but still I thought why not go to fellow Whovians?
- One is this Mrs. Hartigan. She was apparently human? If so then she was an exceptionally strong minded one, something the Doctor seemed to recognize.
- The apparent lead Cyberman had a new mask with a brain shown through it. Was that ever explained? Was there any kind of significance to it?
- Does this story in any way conflict with "Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel" ? Again, maybe it was alluded to in the sory, but I had a bit of trouble following where these Cybermen came from. I take it that was from a war with the Daleks?
Despite those little niggling questions, I enjoyed the show. David Morissey was brilliant as the seemingly daft but ultimately quite sympathetic faux Time lord. When he begins to doubt himself, The Doctor reassures him that he is indeed a brave, brave and honorable man. The tribute to some of the previous generations of doctors was well played. Short, quick images that don't muddle the storyline but give honor to those who came before, an idea I will myself nearly always honor and enjoy. The ending when Jackson Lake invites the Doctor to Christmas dinner is as touching a scene as we're liable to ever see. Not maudlin or overwrought... he simply conveys a simple earnest desire to extend kindness to the lonely Doctor.
It may not have been the best episode ever, but it was fun to be back in that whoniverse one more time and to share it with my family.
Anyhow, on to "The Next Doctor".
As is my wont, I initially wondered if this "next Doctor" was going to be a charlatan or a victim of mistaken identity or possibly worse. There were just so many little coincidental terms which didn't quite pan out. Then the encounter with the masked creature. Not only was the mask a Cyberman image but the creature had a certain extranormal amount of strength. And the more we went on, the more the "next doctor" seemed in earnest. And I grew to like his character very much, especially as we learned some terrible tragedy had befallen him. Take a man's wife from him, and instantly my heart is on his side. It was fairly simple to reason that the missing item was a child. Why? Well, we kept hearing references to children during the course of the story.
It was a very enjoyable romp, although mostly because it was great to have new material to watch. The story itself was good, but ... a few things nagged at me. Now these may have been explained, at least to where a re-watching will reveal it all, but still I thought why not go to fellow Whovians?
- One is this Mrs. Hartigan. She was apparently human? If so then she was an exceptionally strong minded one, something the Doctor seemed to recognize.
- The apparent lead Cyberman had a new mask with a brain shown through it. Was that ever explained? Was there any kind of significance to it?
- Does this story in any way conflict with "Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel" ? Again, maybe it was alluded to in the sory, but I had a bit of trouble following where these Cybermen came from. I take it that was from a war with the Daleks?
Despite those little niggling questions, I enjoyed the show. David Morissey was brilliant as the seemingly daft but ultimately quite sympathetic faux Time lord. When he begins to doubt himself, The Doctor reassures him that he is indeed a brave, brave and honorable man. The tribute to some of the previous generations of doctors was well played. Short, quick images that don't muddle the storyline but give honor to those who came before, an idea I will myself nearly always honor and enjoy. The ending when Jackson Lake invites the Doctor to Christmas dinner is as touching a scene as we're liable to ever see. Not maudlin or overwrought... he simply conveys a simple earnest desire to extend kindness to the lonely Doctor.
It may not have been the best episode ever, but it was fun to be back in that whoniverse one more time and to share it with my family.
That's part of what I have enjoyed this show so much - it's different and VERY often "different" is good!
