Doctor Who 4x03 "Planet of the Ood"

[kerravonsen]

So, here we have the Ood episode! My reactions aren't very coherent, sorry. Liked it, though.


"Reckon I owe them one." Yes, you do, Doctor, and I'm glad you acknowledged that.

It's interesting that the thing that made Donna want to go home was because she has a big enough heart that she couldn't bear the terrible sadness of the Ood. (Yet more echoes of Tegan "This isn't fun anymore").
I liked how she was all "eeeew" as an initial reaction to the dying Ood at the start, and then was all sympathetic. If she hadn't had that initial reaction, her sympathy would have been less admirable.

"If you don't let her out, you'll be in big trouble. Not from me, from her."

Lots of mayhem, and creepy Ood-speaking-in-unison.
Sadistic guards, just deserts.

Holding their brains in their hands, that's just silly.

Turning the head of the company into an Ood, talk about poetic justice.

I loved how beautiful the planet was.

I was expecting that the Red Eye was a symptom of the Evils Of Humanity bleeding into the poor innocent Ood, what with all the "they are the reflection of us"... and maybe it was supposed to be that, but I'm not sure. I've been very frustrated both this episode and the last, of not being able to catch what David Tennant is saying, he's just speaking so fast. Even when I go back and rewind, there are some things I still don't know what he said. 8-(

I liked that the Friends of the Ood actually did help get the Ood their freedom, by that guy infiltrating the company. The Doctor and Donna may have helped a lot, but they were reaping the harvest of others.

I wonder if the Second Great And Bountiful Human Empire will collapse due to lack of slave labour. I wouldn't be surprised.

Interesting "Your song must end soon." And wasn't that the creepy-Rose-theme (or was that the creepy-Timelord-theme) that played when they said that? I'll take it as another reference to The Return Of Rose.

This is the second time they've mentioned the missing bees. That means either it's significant, or it's a red herring.

Martha and the Sontarans next week!
Does that mean I'm going to have to catch up on Torchwood? I have too much story-writing to get done before that! Aiie! I have to write:
- more Paradox
- my Multiverse assignment
- birthday fic
And decide whether or not I should sign up for dw_cross or not.

Comments

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I liked that the Friends of the Ood actually did help get the Ood their freedom, by that guy infiltrating the company. The Doctor and Donna may have helped a lot, but they were reaping the harvest of others.

At the end, I couldn't actually think of anything they'd done to help, apart from making sympathetic noises! I thought it was Dr Ryder's name that the Ood should be singing, but maybe they were just being polite - like Sigma inviting the Doctor to "break the circle" when he could have done it himself - or saw the Doctor and Donna as lucky mascots because they happened to turn up on the day the revolution succeeded.

And wasn't that the creepy-Rose-theme (or was that the creepy-Timelord-theme) that played when they said that?

I thought it was Rose, but my musical memory's not perfect. Also I couldn't see we were going to get away without a Rose reference somewhere, and I didn't notice any others.

This is the second time they've mentioned the missing bees. That means either it's significant, or it's a red herring.

Oh, I missed the first one. Um... there's something I could say, but it might be a spoiler if you haven't seen the season trailer.

But maybe bees --> pollen --> roses?

[kerravonsen]

At the end, I couldn't actually think of anything they'd done to help, apart from making sympathetic noises!

You're right...

Well, maybe making sympathetic noises was emotionally significant to the Ood. Considering that none of these Ood had met any Friends of the Ood people apart from Dr. Ryder and he was undercover. And the Doctor was the only one who heard them singing.

I hope that they were just being polite, and that Dr. Ryder would also be remembered, poor guy.

Mind you, regarding the singing... if Donna could hear the singing after the Ood were freed, that means that the CEO's grandfather, who first enslaved the Ood, was even more culpable than I'd thought, because he would have heard the singing.
Unless he was particularly mind-deaf and dismissed everyone else's doubts as hallucinations. I can see that happening. But it still doesn't excuse him.

Oh, I missed the first one.

Donna mentions it in "Partners in Crime" as one of the weird things she'd been investigating.

there's something I could say, but it might be a spoiler if you haven't seen the season trailer.

I have deliberately avoided the season trailer.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

The watchful selenak has suggested that their key contribution was using the sonic screwdriver to get into Warehouse 15 with Sigma, since it appeared only Halpen had authorised access. Once Halpen had disposed of Dr Ryder (who, despite being a hero, made the classic villain's mistake of explaining his plan too soon), he might have been able to carry out his plan to destroy the Brain before it could be freed.

But I hope Ryder got a particularly good song, and also that the Brain was able to absorb him into the collective consciousness, so that he lived on inside the people he had helped to liberate.

[kerravonsen]

Ah yes, if they hadn't gotten in, then Brain Go Boom.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I liked that episode even more than last week's. And it was nice to get to another planet for once.

Catching up on Torchwood is highly recommended, as Series 2 was an enormous improvement over Series 1.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Catching up on Torchwood is highly recommended, as Series 2 was an enormous improvement over Series 1.

It was hugely better, though kerravonsen may want to fast-forward through some of the explicitly gay bits.

[kerravonsen]

Thanks for the warning.

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

While I'll agree that Series 2 was better, I don't think there were Horribly Important Martha Character Moments that will render next week incomprehensible.

You might want to watch the first 15-20 minutes of "Reset" if you haven't all ready. Or you know, I could give you the minor spoilers you'd need to know. :) (And they'll probably go over that part...)

[kerravonsen]

No, no, no spoilers!

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

OK, so watch the first third or so of Reset. You'll know the important part when you come to it. (-8

[kerravonsen]

I've decided to have a huge Torchwood marathon on Friday (ANZAC Day). Which means I have to try to get as much of "Paradox" finished as I can before then.