TV Review: Doctor Who Series 2 Episode 4 "The Girl In The Fireplace" [Emz]

So the next episode is The Girl in The Fireplace.

This episode originally aired on BBC One on the 6th May 2006.

This episode also starred Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith and Guest starred Sophia Myles as Reinette/ Madame de Pompadour.

This was the first appearence of the Clockwork Droids. They next appear in Deep Breath (Series 8, Episode 1)

Here is the Synopsis:

Madame de Pompadour finds the court at Versailles under attack by sinister clockwork killers and her only hope of salvation lies with the Doctor.

Review:

I enjoyed this episode. It was written by Steven Moffat who as we know later took over from Russel T Davies as the 'Showrunner.'

So the TARDIS lands on a Space Ship that seems to be empty. After exploring the ship they find a fireplace from the 18th Century. The doctor finds a young girl on the other side called Reinette who lives in Paris in 1727.

The Doctor works out that the Fireplace is a time window.

As the story progresses, it is worked out that the Clockwork droids that are discovered in the Spaceship are after Madame Du Pompadour. They want to use her to fix the ship, but they have to find her at the right age.

The doctor has to trap himself in 18th Century France to stop the droids from killing her. As he breaks the time windows the droids give up and shut down. 

The doctor invites Reinette to travel with him in the TARDIS after he finds the time window in the Fireplace still works. When he goes back to collect her however, he discovers 7 years have passed and she has died. She left him a letter as a final goodbye.

The last part of the story was quite sad, but it was enjoyable not many young people would know who Madame Dy Pompadour is so it was an interesting link to history... with some obvious changes.

I have a few favorite quotes from this episode.

Rose: Oh, here’s trouble. What you been up to?

The Doctor: Oh, this and that. Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat, picked a fight with a clockwork man… [A horse whinnies off screen] Oh, and I met a horse.

Mickey: What’s a horse doing on a spaceship?

The Doctor: Mickey, what’s pre-revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective!

Rose: Oh, look at what the cat dragged in. The Oncoming Storm.

The Doctor: Mm. You sound just like your mother.

Rose: What have you been doing? Where have you been?

The Doctor: Well… among other things I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a couple of centuries early. Do you know they’d never even seen a banana before. Always take a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are good.

Rose: You’re NOT keeping the horse!

The Doctor: I let you keep Mickey, now lets go!

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 2 Episode 3 "School Reunion" [Emz]

So finally I am posting again for my Doctor Who reviews!

This episode originally aired on the 26th April 2006, on BBC One.

"School Reunion" is one of my favourite episodes of  Series 2 as we have familiar faces that we know from previous episodes of Series 2 and 1, but also from the some of the past seasons before Doctor Who was cancelled in 1989.

Along side Rose (Billie Piper) and the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) we have Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke) and the return on Sarah-Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) as well as K-9.

Here is the Synopsis:

The Doctor investigates a haunted London school and runs into an old friend.

Review:

I loved this episode as we start with The Doctor and Rose undercover. Mickey had been in touch and informed them of some strange goings on at a school.  The Children are suddenly becoming extremely intelligent and it has attracted Media attention.

So we have The Doctor undercover as a Science Teacher called 'John Smith' and Rose having to pose as a Dinner Lady - much to her annoyance.

Investigative Journalist Sarah-Jane Smith arrives at the school and The Doctor immediately knows who she is but has to act as if she doesn't.

Of course, that night after the school is closed both Sarah-Jane and Rose, The Doctor and Mickey are looking around the building and Sarah-Jane comes across the TARDIS and the Doctor reveals who he is. Of course we all know that Sarah-Jane is no stranger to The Doctor or the TARDIS. 

So she joins up with The Doctor and Rose, who is a little jealous and has no idea who she is as The Doctor has never mentioned her.

They search the school and find 13 bat-like creatures asleep in the Headmaster, Mr Finch's (Anthony Head) Office. The Doctor informs them that they are Krillitanes. They return to Sarah-Janes car to find K-9 Mark III in the boot, unfortunately he isn't working.  After The Doctor fixes him he identifies the oil at Krillitane Oil.  

The next day The doctor confronts Mr Finch who confirms they are Krillitanes. Rose and Sarah-Jane bond over how the The Doctor treats the TARDIS. 

Later it is discovered that the Krillitanes are using the children to solve the "Skasis Paradigm" a theory of everything. Mr Finch tries to persuade The Doctor into joining him in solving it, trying to tempt him to save the Timelords and stop human's dying.

Sarah-Jane manages to set him straight and they rescue the Schoolchildren before K-9 blows up the school with the Krillitanes and K-9 still inside.

The episode ends with Sarah-Jane rejecting the offer to travel in the TARDIS again and Mickey joining Rose and The Doctor. 

After the farewells and TARDIS disappears Sarah-Jane is left with K-9 Mark IV. 

I througherly enjoyed this episode, as I had never really watched anything for the 'Classic' Series I wasn't really that familiar with Sarah-Jane Smith but I had heard of her and seen the advertisements for her Audio Series. 

The most enjoyable thing following this episode is that she gets her own TV Series The Sarah-Jane Adventures, then reappears at the end of Series 4 and again before the end of the 10th Doctor's final episode before 11th Doctor takes over, "The End Of Time". Of course both Doctors (10th and 11th) appear in The Sarah-Jane adventures also.

The saddest thing is that Elisabeth Sladen passed away in 2011.

I will be starting reviews for The Sarah-Jane Adventures soon. 

Till next time

Emz x.

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 2 Episode 2: Tooth and Claw [Emz]

Hey guys! So i'm back reviewing episode 2 of Series 2. This one is called Tooth and Claw. In this episode we meet Queen Victoria.

The recurring Theme from this series begins here. The house that Rose and the Doctor arrive at is "Torchwood House."

This episode first aired on BBC One on the 22nd April 2006.

Here is the synopsis:

The Doctor and Rose travel back to 1879, but an encounter in the Scottish Highlands with Queen Victoria and a band of warrior monks reveals a deadly trap.

Review:

This episode was really enjoyable. We had the continuing theme going of messing up where they are supposed to be going. On this occasion they end up on 1879, Scotland instead of 1979, Sheffield.

After stepping out of the TARDIS it doesn't take long for them to realize that they are not where they are supposed to be. Then of course they bump into Queen Victoria.

The villains in this episode are Monks, which seems very strange to say and a Werewolf. 

David Tennant gets to use his natural Scottish accent a bit in this episode after posing as Dr. James McCrimmon. There are alot of references to the classic series also. 

Of course a big part of this episode has everyone running from the werewolf and a little chunk of the Doctor licking walls.

They finally traps the werewolf in the library after it breaks through the ceiling and they use the telescope and the Koor-I Noor diamond to revert the Werewolf back to human form and destroy the alien life-form.

The Doctor and Rose are then knighted and then banished. 

This episode was really funny, I enjoyed the references to Jamie McCrimmon the Second Doctor's companion. I laughed at Rose's attempt at a Scottish accent and the £10 bet that Rose could get Queen Victoria to say she was not amused. Finally the first sign of the link to Torchwood.

I will be reviewing School Reunion soon.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 2 Episode 1 "New Earth" [Emz]

So I have now reached Series 2. We have a new Doctor (David Tennant) and new adventures.

So we start with the first episode "New Earth."

This episode only has Rose (Billie Piper) and The Doctor (David Tennant) as main cast members. This episode Originally aired on BBC One on the 15th April 2006.

We do have a returning foe though. It isn't a Dalek but it is Cassandra. She was last seen in the Series 1 episode "The End Of The World."

Here is the Synopsis:

In the distant future, an order of cat-nuns cure all illnesses, but the Tenth Doctor is suspicious of their methods. He must uncover the truth and save Rose from the vengeance of his old enemy, the Lady Cassandra.

Review:

So this episode is set after The Christmas Invasion. It was definitely an interesting episode. From Rose being possessed by Lady Cassandra who we previously met in The End Of The World (Series 1 episode 2), The doctor rambling on about the hospital doesn't have a shop. 

We had a Cassandra-Possessed Rose snogging the doctor, I have to admit I found the Doctor's reaction was quite funny - "Still got it."

We find out that the Cat Nuns who run the place are using people as lab rats to test if the cures work before using them on the patients.

The Doctor finds out that Cassandra has possessed Rose and then we have the constant body switch between Rose and The Doctor - "Oh Baby I'm beating out a Samba!" 

The doctor meets and old friend with happens to be The Face Of Boe.

The episode ends with The Doctor curing all the sick people and Cassandra transfers herself into her assistant Chips body, they take her to a time when she was fully human and she dies in front of herself.

I enjoyed this episode and I have watched it many time over. With this being David Tennant's Series debut (1 episode of the series but 2nd episodes overall) i always enjoy it.

It's a full episode debut for his suit though as he spent the majority of The Christmas Special in Pajamas.

Next up is the episode Tooth and Claw. Another favorite of mine.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 9 "The Empty Child" [Emz]

So this is the 1st half of the second of the two-part episodes (there are three two-part episodes in this series)

This episode and the next one... When I first watched them... boy did they creep me out, I don't think I slept well that night. They are still not my favourite episodes and if I keep watching them too much they would still give me the creeps. But  anyway on with the review.

There are a couple of guest stars to mention in this episode: John Barrowman - this was the first episode of Doctor Who he appeared in. Florence Hoath (Fairytale: A True Story), Cheryl Fergison (Eastenders) and Richard Wilson (One Foot In The Grave).

This Episode aired originally on the 21st May 2015 on BBC One.

Here is the Synopsis:

Chasing a metallic object through the Time Vortex, the Ninth Doctor and his companion, Rose Tyler, arrive in London during the Blitz. While Rose meets "Captain Jack Harkness", the dashing Time Agent responsible for bringing the object, the Doctor finds a group of homeless children terrorised by Jamie, an "empty" child wearing a gas mask.

Review:

What an episode this was. I was always used to the weird and the downright bonkers but this episode creeped me out.

So We learn that most of the universe use Code Mauve for Emergencies. The Doctor and Rose follow a Cylinder heading for the centre of London.

They materialise in London 1941, right in the middle of The Blitz. The doctor goes to find out where they are and what year they are in. In the meantime Rose follows a Boy who she thinks is lost. She ends up floating in the air attached to a Barrage balloon and is saved by Captain Jack Harkness.

The Doctor in the mean time is searching for Rose and heads back to the TARDIS and the outside phone rings despite someone telling him not to answer it he does so anyway. This is where the main part of the story begins, He hears are you my mummy? down the telephone. 

So we have a child with a Gas Mask on his face and he constantly chants are you my mummy? The Doctors been warned not to touch the boy else he will turn into a Gas Mask Zombie also.

The doctor finds hospital ward full of people in seemingly Catatonic states with Gas Masks on their faces. There is one doctor looking after them (Richard Wilson) before he too turns into one of them.

To finish off the episode, Rose and Jack catch up with The Doctor (Who Jack thinks is called Doctor Spock) and he thinks he can buy the TARDIS from him as he is a Conman. They are then trapped as the Gas Mask people wake up and corner them chanting are you my mummy?

This episode was extremely creepy and it was emphasised by the location of London in the middle of the Blitz and its at night with bombs dropping and light flashing.

I will review the Second half "The Doctor Dances" next time.

Till then

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who: Series 1 Episode 6 "Dalek" [Emz]

So we come to the point in the series where we meet an old foe, in very unusual circumstances.

This episode is set in Utah in 2012. 

Here is the synopsis:

The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler arrive in 2012 to answer a distress signal and meet a collector of alien artefacts who has one living specimen. However, the Doctor is horrified to find out that the creature is a member of a race he thought was destroyed: a Dalek.

Review: 

I liked this episode as we saw the raw emotion that the Doctor has been trying to hide, when he comes face to face with a Dalek for the first time since the Time War.

The Dalek is being held a underground Museum full of parts of Aliens and alien technology. It is owned by a man called Henry Van Statten.

Of course nothing is ever simple and due to the compassion that Rise shows the Dalek and touches it, he grows in strength and chases them through the museum it is being held in.

In this time Van Statten realises that the Doctor is an Alien and tortures him, until the Dalek is on the escape and then lets him go free to help stop the Dalek.

The ending was very emotional in a way as the Dalek realised it was turning partially human as Rose had touched it. and ordered Rose to tell him to sacrifice himself.

Of course, Rose meets Adam along the way and he decides to travel with The Doctor and Rose at the end of the episode.

I really liked this episode. I remember being on the edge of my seat the first time I watched it.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 5 "World War Three" [Emz]

Here is part 2! This is episode 5 "World War Three."

So yeah World War Three, fighting of Aliens trying to destroy the Earth.

this episode originally aired on BBC One on 23rd April 2005.

Here is the premise:

The world edges toward mankind's first interplanetary war, as the Doctor and Rose try to escape from Downing Street.

Review: 

I enjoyed both parts if this 2 part episode, obviously the Doctor survives the electrocution else it would be a short series, now along with Harriet Jones' help they have to work out how to stop these Aliens and work out what they are after on earth. 

I laughed alot at the dialogue between the characters and they way they include the press to show who each MP etc. (members of the Slitheen family) that show up at Downing Street and randomness of some of them.

The ending is brilliant, first with the way Mickey and Jackie destroy one of the Slitheen family and then with Mickey's help the way they get rid of the rest of the family.

It was a brilliant episode.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 4 "Aliens Of London" [Emz]

So here we go first episode back in the present after the first episode 'Rose.'

This episode is called Aliens Of London. I mean just because they are back in the present day and on earth doesn't mean that there won't be aliens!

This episode first aired on BBC One on the 16th April 2005.

Here is the premise:

The Doctor takes Rose home, but the world goes on alert when an alien spacecraft crashes in the Thames.

Review:

This episode was a second glimpse of The Doctor Getting time wrong.. except this time he got it majorly wrong. He was a whole year late bringing Rose home. He got slapped for that by Rose's mum which was quite funny. 

It was interesting to see an Alien crash landing in the Thames and it turning out to be a cover up for the real aliens already being on earth. This is where we meet Toshiko Sato for the first time, she will later be part of the cast of Torchwood.

We also first meet Harriet Jones (MP for Flydale North) she will appear again in episode 5, the Christmas Special and Series 4.

The funniest part of this episode is the farting aliens, we find out in episode 5 what it's all about. Of course with this being a 2-part story it ends on a cliffhanger wit the Aliens revealing themselves in Downing Street calling themselves the Slitheen and all the guests including the Doctor getting electrocuted.

The next Doctor Who episode Ii will review is World War Three.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 3 "The Unquiet Dead"

So this is the third episode of Christopher Eccleston's only series as the Doctor. The episode aired on 9th April 2005. It was written by Mark Gatiss.

Here is the plot:

The Doctor takes Rose back through time to 1869. In Victorian Cardiff the dead are walking and creatures made of gas are on the loose.

Review:

This was an interesting episode. It's also quite funny as it reminds me of a quote from series 4, but that something for another day.

So in this episode we have 'The Gelth' a ghost like being, that seems to want help going back to it's homeworld. Of course there is always a catch. 

It must have been a weird one to film... a parent dead bodies suddenly up and walking. We also first meet Eve Myles as Gwenyth (she later goes on to play Gwen in Torchwood) 

It was also great as we meet famous faces in the past. In this case we meet Charles Dickens, who ends up helping out in this episode.

I really liked this episode.. with it being set in the past , plus we witness firsthand for the first time this series, the Doctor landing the TARDIS in the wrong place and wrong time. instead of Naples 1860 it's Cardiff 1869. 

So next up for me to review is the 2-part story (episodes 4 & 5) Aliens of London/ World War 3.

Till then

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 2 "The End Of The World" [Emz]

Here we go again. Episode 2 The End Of The World. The Episode was originally released  on 2nd April 2005.

I can't help myself when it comes to Doctor Who.

Here is the Plot for Episode 2:

The Doctor takes Rose on her first voyage through time, to the year five billion.

Review:

So this was Rose's first voyage in the TARDIS. I liked the way The Doctor gave Rose the chance to pick where to go and each time he tried to sound impressive she just laughed at him.

So the year five billion, witnessing the end of the Earth on Platform One. This is where we first meet the Face of Boe and Cassandra - the last human or as Rose likes to call her a Bitchy Trampoline. It was great that they put the emotion of Rose in there looking down of the earth knowing that even though no one was living there any more, that's where she came from and she thought about all the people who had lived there. Of course this is where the phrase "Jiggery Pokery" came about in Doctor Who and the first use of reversing Teleportation (we see this again in "Boom Town.")

The way the audience is led to believe for a split second that we have found the culprit behind the sabotage until we are informed that they were planted by the real culprit. I felt like I was wattching a Alien crime drama, which is quite cool.

I never get tired of watching Doctor Who.

I will review episode 3 soon.

Till next time 

Emz x

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 1 "Rose" [Emz]

Being a big Doctor Who fan i'm surprised it's taken me this long to review anything Doctor who related.

This is the episode that started it all for me, prior to this I was either too young (1998 movie) or wasn't born (classic series.)

The episode first premiered on BBC One on the 26th March 2005.

Here is the Premise to the episode: 

When Rose Tyler meets a mysterious stranger called the Doctor, her life will never be the same again. Soon she realises that the whole of planet Earth is in danger.

Review:

As I stated above this is the episode that got me hooked on Doctor Who. I was 14 years old when it was first released... 

The way we meet Rose before the Doctor feels like we are seeing things from her point of view, also as a new viewer you are going through the motions with her, like who is this man and what is he doing.

The whole living plastic/ nestine consciousness thing was quite cool. Special effects were still developing in 2004/ 2005 but it was still effective. 

Anyway thats all for now.

Till next time

Emz x

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