Doctor Who: Tooth and Claw

[kerravonsen]

Well, this one was better! The particular torrent I got cut short before the credits, so I hope I didn't miss out on anything much.

The action started from the word go -- ninja-monks! Were they confused about what country they were in?
Again, lots of handwaving which doesn't bear a lot of examination, but this time it was Sufficiently Advanced.

Queen Victoria was nicely played, I think.
Yay, the women in the kitchen actually were able to do something helpful! While the men just stood their ground bravely and got killed heroicly (which does tend to happen in Who).

Heh, shades of Buffy with the intense research session.

Bit of a shock when Queen Victoria knights them and then banishes them. Makes you wonder... but on the other hand, she was right in a way too. I mean, Rose and the Doctor were treating it all like a lark half the time (especially with the stupid "not amused" bet). Then again, they have to treat it like a lark, that's what they're travelling for.

And we have the Torchwood mention at the end -- presumably that estate is where the "Torchwood" project becomes situated. Which I suspected from the first mention of the name of the estate.

Comments

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

It was probably because the football overran slightly. If you got as far as the knighting, all I can remember after that is the Doctor and Rose skipping back to the Tardis having a big giggle about how the Royal family were all werewolves.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

It was probably because the football overran slightly.

What was? I don't think that the episode as broadcast last night on BBC1 was cut at all. There wouldn;t have been time for them to do that.

If you got as far as the knighting, all I can remember after that is the Doctor and Rose skipping back to the Tardis having a big giggle about how the Royal family were all werewolves.

As well as that, there was the bit about Victoria setting up Torchwood as well. (She seemed to be under the impression that she was an absolute monarch, what with that and the banishing of the Doctor and Rose.)

Incidentally, was it just coincidence that this particular episode should be broadcast just a dat after our current monarch's 80th birthday?

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Well, this one was better! The particular torrent I got cut short before the credits, so I hope I didn't miss out on anything much.

It doesn't sound as though you did. It was very much a "traditional" episode, wasn't it, perhaps the most reminiscent of Classic Who that we've had since the show returned.

The action started from the word go -- ninja-monks! Were they confused about what country they were in? Again, lots of handwaving which doesn't bear a lot of examination, but this time it was Sufficiently Advanced.

I think it may partly have been intended as a parody of one of the BBC's current "station identification" clips that gets played between programmes. The clip involves a lot of ninjas dressed in red performing synchronised exercises.

Queen Victoria was nicely played, I think.

Pauline Collins is a fine actress.

[snip]

Bit of a shock when Queen Victoria knights them and then banishes them. Makes you wonder... but on the other hand, she was right in a way too. I mean, Rose and the Doctor were treating it all like a lark half the time (especially with the stupid "not amused" bet). Then again, they have to treat it like a lark, that's what they're travelling for.

I thought that the larking about was slightly overdone, but I suppose that's RTD for you.

[snip]

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

It certainly started a couple of minutes late, and I presume it overran at the end too - I was annoyed, because if I'd left the recorder on timed it would have switched to BBC3 for the documentary at 20.01 so I'd probably have missed the end too, which is what I presume happened to kerravonsen's torrent.

As well as the absolute monarch bit (I kept saying "hang on, I'm not sure you've got the authority for that") she appeared to have no idea about naming procedures when knighting people. Sir Doctor of Tardis? When he'd introduced himself as a James, and knights aren't normally of anything in particular?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

This was not a favourite episode for me. It all felt too fast-paced and silly. I rarely like Dr Who when it tries to go down the 'horror' route.

And the bit about the diamond amplfying the moonlight! The light collected by the aperture is finite and that's a pretty small value of finite. (I have a writer friend who made exactly the same mistake, but at least he's fixed it!)

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Also I don't think that the word/acronym "TARDIS" had ever been mentioned in Victoria's presence.

[kerravonsen]

What is more, I can't actually see any logic in why, even if it was doing what the Doctor said it was doing, why that would have any detrimental effect on a werewolf.

[kerravonsen]

I thought that the larking about was slightly overdone

Yeah, thinking about it more... I mean, they were behaving as if everything that was happening had been put there for their personal entertainment -- including Queen Victoria. Not good.

[kerravonsen]

Well, one would presume that she asked him.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

I think Beeb1 was running late all evening, MotD started late. 5mins injury time at the end of the semi-final.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

big giggle about how the Royal family were all werewolves.

They also seemed to be implying that my brother-in-law is a werewolf. That'll come as a surprise to his family.