Tag: David Tennant

Doctor Who by Series | Series 4 Specials – 2008-2010

Anna Bratchford2 Comments

I don’t wanna go.

Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who,
The Series 4 Specials E05
‘The End of Time – Part 2’

As a send off for a well loved portrayal of the Doctor, this one was rather epic! Too much? Maybe…but really, there is no such thing when it comes to Doctor Who. I remember watching most of these for the first time, some of which were probably watched on ABC2 catch up, but still, so good! I specifically remember watching the tail end of ‘The End of Time: Part 2’ after running from the car after a drive back from a family holiday, just in time to see David Tennant’s Doctor saying the iconic line of “I don’t wanna go.” and then him regenerating. I really just left my family to bring in the bags for the last ten minutes of Doctor Who, and I am ver appreciative of my parents graciousness that they allowed me that. I know that once it was over I did help, I may have just been a little emotional.

Episode 01: ‘The Next Doctor’

While this isn’t a favourite of mine in the collection of the 10th Doctor’s Christmas specials, it is still a fun episode none the less. A little bit crazy, a little bit Christmas-y. Plus the Cybermen, I find, are always a great choice in ememy for an episode. I really liked the story of this one, with a man who accidentally aquires the Doctor’s memories and thinks he is the Doctor, only for the real Doctor to stumble upon him and question why he thinks he’s the Doctor. My favourite thing about this episode I think was the hotair balloon TARDIS – such a cool idea! A very timely episode for the start of David Tennant’s exit series.

Episode 02: ‘Planet of the Dead’

This episode was a lot of fun! Clever idea, with a threat induced urgency, and some very strange aliens. A London bus that goes through a portal and ends up in an alien desert. Classic Doctor Who! I really like Christina de Souza as a one episode companion for the Doctor – she is smart, sassy, and she challenges the Doctor which is great! I loved the scene where the Doctor calms everyone down, and so motivates the stranded group, by asking where they were going. It’s the most Doctorish speech, I love it. Also we have the return of Unit in this episode, which I really love (especially that theme tune Murray Gold wrote for them – epic!). Also Malcolm – the Doctor’s biggest fan! Overall a great episode, very enjoyable!

Episode 03: ‘The Waters of Mars’

This episode freaked me out so much. The idea of infected alien water (even on a different planet) got to my head. The infected were so freaky! I think though, that this along with the ‘fixed moment in time’ plotline, where the Doctor knows how things go, made this episode so impactful. There is so much panic in this episode, and with a countdown of impending death, it is very well positioned in this series of five specials. This one made me so emotional too. The last few scenes on Mars just before the Doctor decides to go back and change time are the reason I find this episode so hard to rewatch. As usual though, the Doctor is in his element with the challenge of the countdown, but we see him take it to the next level, and quite honestly, it is a really intense scene. So while this episode is one I find difficult to rewatch, it is still a favourite of mine.

Episode 04/05: ‘The End of Time’

These episodes were completely mad, and I absolutely love them for it! Seriously, the Master splicing himself into every human on earth is the most chaotic, Master-y thing he could have done, and that’s just the first episode. Part two, brings Gallifrey to earth along with the Timelords and oh my is the whole series of events stressful. So much happens in the two episode, and I loved all of it (even the regeneration, no matter how many tears it brings on).

Even on a rewatch I find myself tearing up multiple times as through the main plot points of the episodes there are the most beautiful, heartfelt moments that I almost find difficult to watch. Every time I see Donna again, and the Doctor’s reaction to that I find myself in tears. I still miss Donna and her dynamic with the Doctor after all this time. However seeing Wild and the Doctor working together is so wonderful! Anything with them really are my favourite parts of the episode. That and the Doctor visiting all his old companions before he regenerates, always makes me so emotional.

Thank you for reading! I should have the Series 5 review up very soon! I lost it a bit with these as I have trouble rewatching these specials sometimes as they make me emotional, but I got there!

With the announcement of the release date for the Doctor Who special ‘The Power of the Doctor’, I now have a deadline for these. Which is wonderful for my motivation, as I would love to have finished my rewatch by the time that episode airs!

What were your picks for the above? I’d love to know your thoughts!

Doctor Who by Series | Series 4 – 2008

Anna Bratchford2 Comments

I’m the Doctor. I’m a Time Lord. I’m from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I am 903 years old and I’m the man who’s gonna save your lives, and all six billion people on the planet below.
You got a problem with that?

Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who, S04E00
‘Voyage of the Damned’

If Series 3 solidified my love of Doctor Who, Series 4 threw me into pure obsession. At this point, there was no turning back, no reverse Uno card, no getting myself out of the wonderful madness which is Doctor Who. There are no complaints in the slightest (not from me anyway – my immediate family had [have] to deal with the most of my unfiltered ‘Who Chatter’). I am so thankful to have discovered this show, I love it!

Christmas Special S04E00 ‘Voyage of the Damned’

I remember I was in an ABC shop with my family (back when ABC shops were still a thing), some time after the Christmas of 2007 when I hadn’t yet seen the Christmas Special. I remember thinking I had seen an episode of Doctor Who on this tiny TV they had in the corner and I pointed it out to Dad in excitement and I remember he instantly said that it couldn’t be Doctor Who because he’d seen Kylie Minogue on the screen. I was right (of course).

While I love all the Christmas Specials equally, this I think would have to be one of my favourites. It is wonderfully mad, and the robotic ‘Heavenly Host’ staff are almost comically creepy. Plus Kylie Minogue, enough said. It is exciting, funny, and emotional – everything you want from Doctor Who on Christmas Day.

Also, space Titanic!? Amazing. Space Titanic crashing to earth on Christmas Day? Even better. I just really love this episode!

First Episode: S04E01 ‘Partners in Crime’

Oh my, this episode brought back one of my favourite Doctor Who duos and I absolutely love the episode for it. Donna (Catherine Tate) and the Doctor (10th – David Tennant) are the perfect TARDIS team and no one can convince me otherwise. I nearly all the Doctor’s companions, and of my favourites, when asked the question, my answer will always be Donna. She was funny, snarky, and she brought so much to the show. Especially, her heart, and her humanity. Her story as well, while one of the most heartbreaking for me, is one of my favourites too.

The episode itself though? It is strange. As a concept for an episode – a pill that helps you to loose weight, though loosing weight means it quite literally walks away in the form of a walking white marshmallow. The Adipose, are adorable, if you forget what they are purely made of (also how they are made). But if the concept is how you introduce one of the best NewWho duos then it works for me!

Favourite Episode: S04E08/09 ‘Silence in the Library’/’Forest of the Dead’

Series 4 brought me another of my favourite dual episode stories, as well as a new favourite character ( though at this point, I didn’t quite know it yet). River Song’s story arc that crosses multiple series and multiple Doctor’s is, simply put, plain awesome (I am considering doing a whole post series simply on her character arc so stay tuned). She knows the Doctor, but he doesn’t know her yet – so clever!

Along with this, I found the concept of the Vashta Nerada so cool, also very creepy, deadly shadows? Nuh uh, I will be staying out of the shadows now thank you very much. Just, nope. I also really liked the biggest library in the universe as the setting, just so cool! Especially with the home of the Vashta Nerada being trees, so they didn’t really take over the library, as they were brought with the books. This whole episode is so atmospheric and creepy and I just love it!

Scariest Episode: S04E10 ‘Midnight’

Oof! This one spooked me so bad, so much so that I could only just rewatch it for this. I really love the episode but on the whole it just is so creepy. Like many of Doctor Who’s creepiest or scariest episodes, it makes sure to turn something very mundane into something that will forever put me on edge.

The act of repeating what someone says was always an action I understood to be mocking or with the aim to annoy. But now? Repeating, continually is now associated with an alien life form possessing someone. It really creeped me out – especially with the paralysis. This was all intensified with the small space the characters were trapped in. Just, nope, no thank you. Great episode though!

Most Emotional Episode: S04E02 ‘The Fires of Pompeii’

The Fires of Pompeii easily took the cake for most emotional episode for me (beside the series final of course, series 4’s final was heartbreaking, and I still can’t watch it without sobbing). It was Donna’s first trip into history – and I know that the TARDIS has a mind of her own, and the Doctor has a habit of letting her land wherever (more fun for him of course) – but, this could be one of the worst places for them to have landed. Okay, maybe not the worst place to have gone, but the worst time to go at that specific place. Pompeii – and as the Doctor says, it’s volcano day.

I thought the episode was cleverly plotted though, with the stone creatures living in the Volcano, and allowing for certain humans to have access to a form of clairvoyance. This is where the problem lies though – the clairvoyants can’t see the volcano exploding. So the Doctor has a heartbreaking choice to make: save Pompeii or make sure history keeps on track.

My gosh, I sob every time. The acting from Tennant and Tate nearing the end of this episode, especially Tate, is so raw and emotional. Especially with her pleading with the Doctor to save at least one family from all that tragedy.

Series Final: S04E12/13 ‘The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End’

Okay. So. I don’t even know where to start with this series finale. I have watched it so often now that I can quote with the characters, and even answer before them in some cases. Some may see this as sad, I see it as a skill. I really do love this dual story episode. It’s story is on an epic scale, and it brings back so many favourite characters from the past three series and beyond. And rightly so – this was Russell T Davis’ last full series as show runner and he pulled out all the stops. Daleks en’ mass, the literally displacing of planets in time, and past companions, even those form parallel worlds. Somehow, in all the chaos, it all works!

This two episode story though is also the heartbreaking ending to Donna’s story and while the lead up during the episode concludes her character’s arc in the most amazing way. It is also as emotionally scarring as an episode of a TV show can get. Donna is allowed the moment to shine and then it is all taken away. I am still not okay after this. Still not okay.

Thank you for reading! I think Series 4 has to be my favourite series of the RTD era with Series 3 in a close second. Especially as this series really got me obsessed! Is Series 4 a favourite of yours? If not, which is your favourite?

What were your picks for the above? I’d love to know your thoughts! Thank you for reading!

Doctor Who by Series | Series 3 – 2007

Anna Bratchford3 Comments

Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It’s not the time that matters, it’s the person.

Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who, S03E06
‘The Lazarus Experiment’

Series 3 was the series that really hooked me into Doctor Who! This was when I started waiting impatiently for Sunday nights (as from memory that was when it aired then). This was when I started ordering Doctor Who posters and buying merchandise when I could get my hands on it. The first Doctor Who DVD I owned was from Series 3 – the three episode DVD including the Human Nature/Family of Blood dual episode story and the episode Blink with the now infamous weeping angels (these became my most watched episodes for a while there – as this was the time before streaming).

I really love Martha as a companion, she is a favourite of mine from Ten’s era along with Donna [S04] – but they are my favourites for different reasons. Some of my favourite go-to rewatch episodes. Come from Series 3 and that is mostly because I love Martha and how she interacted both with the Doctor and the new worlds he showed her. Simply put, Martha is awesome!

Christmas Special: S03E00 ‘The Runaway Bride’

Originally I wasn’t going to write about all the Christmas (or New Years) Specials, but my love for these rather farfetched holiday themed episodes bring me a huge amount of joy (mostly – I am looking at you Voyage of the Damned [S04], The Snowmen [S07], and The Husbands of Riversong [S09] amongst others). While those few did bring some joy, these also had me crying on Christmas Day, so, there’s that.

The Runaway Bride was such a fun episode, and introduces a character who soon became one of my all time favourite companions of the Doctor. With a disaster wedding that sucks the bride into the TARDIS and a giant alien spider hell bent on using said bride as a key to open the centre of the planet, this episode set my expectations for the wonderful madness the Doctor Who holiday special would bring.

First Episode: S03E01 ‘Smith and Jones’

This episode was so much fun, also completely mad, but some of my favourite episodes are the crazy ones. Plus it introduces Martha as the Doctor’s new companion, and my gosh does she get a wild introduction to the world of the Doctor when the Hospital she is working on is transported to the moon. Yes, the moon!

This episode shows Martha to be a quick thinker and resourceful, as well as completely open to the madness the Doctor brings with him. The episode also gives an insight into her chaotic family and the world she wants to escape from – an out the Doctor happily offers up as thanks for her saving his life.

Favourite Episode: S03E07 ’42’

This episode was easily a favourite from Series 3 – I am a sucker for a story with a countdown, and this one was an absolute stress fest. I loved it. The TARDIS lands the Doctor and Martha on a spaceship which has forty-two minutes before it will crash into the sun. The Doctor and Martha only have to help find a way to turn the ship around before it’s too late. Simple, but stressful. Plus it doesn’t help that the closer to the sun the spaceship gets the internal temperature of the ship rises.

This was an intense episode, made even more so through the wonderful original score by Murray Gold. I remember spending the entire episode on the edge of my seat, and it’s like that every time I watch it even though I know the episode’s outcome. I also really liked how Martha could go off on her own working with the rest of the crew to try and fix things on the ship. All the while being followed by a member of the crew possessed by the sentient sun. This episode is a boiling pot (or oven really) of pure, intense panic.

Scariest Episode: S03E10 ‘Blink’

Interestingly the episode I found scariest had very little of the Doctor and Martha in it. The Weeping Angels are one of my favourite creations from Stephen Moffat – who at the time was just contributing the odd episode to the show – and doing an awesome job of it. They are wonderfully eerie and boarder on the creepy with the way that they kill. So simple too – one touch and you are sent into the past so the Angels can feed off your time energy.

Beyond the crazy ‘time travel as a weapon’ thing, the way the Angels move is plain scary, and purely fear inducing. The Angels can only move when you aren’t looking at them, and are otherwise creepy stone angels hiding out in plain sight. For this reason, throughout the episode the characters couldn’t blink.Which, I imagine, is harder than you would think with the impending Angels.

I found the whole episode so clever. Especially with the Doctor and Martha stuck in the past – sending messages to Sally in the future through DVD extras. It’s all very ‘timey-wimey’ and highly stressful. I am now always a little wary of stone statues now – thanks Doctor Who

Most Emotional Episode: S03E08/09 ‘Human Nature’/’The Family of Blood’

To put it simply, this episode broke my heart multiple times, put it back together, then broke it again. Now, I may be being overly dramatic – but when am I not? (Also when is Doctor Who ever not the same? To wonderful results.)

I really loved the idea of the Doctor locking away his Timelord self and becoming human to hide from aliens. Especially with how many things happened that the Doctor didn’t expect, both with romance and in who he becomes. The romance is beautiful but sad, as Martha knows it is doomed but is helpless to stop it before it goes too far. Especially with who she becomes in the world they land in, and her feelings for the Doctor.

I think, while the romance between Joan and John Smith (the Doctor) is definitely the emotional focus, Martha’s journey throughout this episode is what makes me most emotional. At this point we are past the half way mark in the series, she is well and truely in love with the Doctor and then he becomes a completely different person who doesn’t know who she is to him, and who for the most part disregards her. These two episodes really show how strong Martha is without the Doctor (and, I think, really sets her up for her journey in the series 3 final).

Series Final: S03E12/13 ‘The Sound of the Drums’/’Last of the Timelords’

This series final was a wild ride from start to finish, and as a bonus, was my first introduction to the Master (there was some major research into that character’s history after this I can tell you). The Master is wonderfully unhinged and I love him for it!

Note: Before I get into this series final, I want to say I understand these two episodes come as a package deal with S03E11 ‘Utopia’, and rightly so. It sets up these two episodes in the most messed up way possible, and I do enjoy it. I just wanted to focus on the last two episodes, because my gosh do they hit like a sucker punch to the stomach.

These two episodes were a high contender for most emotional this series before I decided to always include the series finals. Also, if I had a category for most cleverly messed up episode it would be this one too with the most horrifying paradox. The Master becomes the Prime Minister of England, so to bring mutated and engineered ‘humans’ from the end of the world back in time to kill their ancestors. That had me in a mess for a while, not having guessed what the ‘Toclafane’ were, I remember the reveal really shocked me.

Martha though, really is the star of these two episodes. She sees her family captured, her planet devastated, and travels the world to try and save it. She is a wonderful example of a companion doing incredible things without being anything other than human. Martha Jones saved the world. My gosh, she is amazing! Something else though, she knew when it was the time to let go of the Doctor, and I think those last few minutes of the episode show her strength in character. Knowing that for her, after everything, stepping away was the best thing to do, but making sure she wouldn’t lose him completely.

Thank you for reading! I could honestly rave about Series 3 all day – especially as it is the series that really solidified my love of Doctor Who!

What were your picks for the above? I’d love to know your thoughts!

Doctor Who by Series | Series 2 – 2006

Anna Bratchford2 Comments

You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can’t spend the rest of mine with you.
I have to live on. Alone. That’s the curse of the Time Lords.

Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who, S02E03 ‘School Reunion’

Like with Series 1, I think I only watched bits and pieces of Series 2 – either that or my memory is acting up. From what I remember, and from watching Series 2 back, I did really enjoy it but I wasn’t quite hooked yet. (I can assure you, this changed pretty quickly after this).

As David Tennant’s first series as the Doctor, this was a lot of fun! It continues with Rose (Billie Piper) as the Doctor’s companion, and keeps a similar tone. It also features more of Rose’s boyfriend Micky (Noel Clarke) and Jackie (Camille Coduri) Rose’s mum which I loved.

New Doctor’s First Episode: S02E00 ‘The Christmas Invasion’

As a new Doctor Who fan this was the first regeneration I’d watched and so for the most part (as I remember) I was just as confused watching it as both Rose and the Doctor this episode. Once I caught on though, I remember loving it! With my recent rewatch, I really enjoyed this Christmas Special. It was a little mad, a little far-fetched (in the best way possible), and had some great funny parts too. Sword fights on the surface of a space ship in PJs!? Iconic! Ten’s whole speech after he woke up with the steam from the tea was great, and I think the moment he really felt like the Doctor for me.

I think this episode wonderfully introduced David Tennant as the Doctor with just enough humour amongst the high stakes on Christmas Day. It also set a wonderful precedent for Doctor Who’s whacky Christmas Specials (some of my favourite episodes each series).

Favourite Episode: S02E4 ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’

I really loved the concept for this episode – different parts of a woman’s life all accessible through time portals on a spaceship. Plus there’s a horse on said spaceship! I think one of my favourite parts of this episode aside from the plot line is the gorgeous costuming and the music composed for this episode. It is all beautiful, especially when the episode jumps back and forth between the 51st century space-ship and 18th century France.

The clockwork droids were such fun as the ‘alien’ for the episode – they managed to be beautiful and creepy at the same time. I remember not being able to quite get the ticking noise out of my head for days after that first watch. Also the mad logic they were following interesting to figure out.

Scariest Episode: S02E05/06 ‘Rise of the Cyberman’/’The Age of Steel’

Oh man. The Cybermen, as a concept, I think, are amongst the most scary of the Doctor Who adversaries. They are also one of the most heartbreaking. Their twisted ambition to ‘upgrade’ humanity in this episode I remember finding so disturbing, but it made for a really scary and exciting episode.

Additionally with this episode, it introduced the concept of parallel worlds. Which I think is another reason that this two part episode is one of the ones I found scariest this series. I love the concept of parallel worlds, but the slight changes portrayed sent my brain spiralling. It also added to the tension of the two parter. As did the music! I can’t hear the Cybermen theme without getting chills.

Most Emotional Episode: S02E03 ‘School Reunion’

There are a lot of episodes in series 2 that made me emotional, but there was something in this one that really got to me. (My second choice for this category would have been the Series 2 final two episodes, but I write about those separately, so here I am). Looking back, I do find it strange that this episode made me so emotional – and it is a really testament to the actors and how they delivered the episode that I teared up so much. I say this as my first introduction to Doctor Who was in 2005, so I only knew about Sarah-Jane through the odd Classic Who episodes I borrowed from the the Library or DVD rental places.

This episode though, had me crying over a past companion I hadn’t really got to know, and K-9, a tin dog I didn’t realise the significance of until later. There was something so beautiful about seeing a character come back to the show (even though I wasn’t overly familiar). Rewatching it now, I think it is possible I was getting emotional over the history this show holds as much as any of the more emotional lines in the episode.

Series Final: S02E12/13 ‘Army of Ghosts’/’Doomsday’

Well, where do I even start with this series final? It is a stressful and emotional roller coaster of a two part series which never fails to make me cry. At the same time though it is funny, exciting, and has a good mystery/twist to it. I love how tense the episodes are, and how that tensions builds to breaking point near the end of the episode. Especially with such a heart crushing conclusion.

I think my favourite thing about it would have to be the Dalek vs Cyberman stand off at the beginning of the second episode, a humorous break before the emotional roller coaster which is the rest of it. Though in general, having these two big-bads in the the episode really made for an epic final two episodes for this series.

Thank you for reading! I have now finally worked out a schedule for these, and they will be posted fortnightly on the Sunday.

What were your picks for the above? I’d love to know your thoughts!