29.01: Smith and Jones

[Lenny]

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Sorry if this is the job of only one person (most probably Dave), but I've just seen the episode (taped it), and saw no thread for it yet. And I assume that this will have been 29.01, and I know the title is Smith and Jones.

Anywho... short summary copied from the BBC Listings:

When Martha Jones finds herself on the moon, she meets a mysterious stranger called the Doctor, and her life will never be the same again.

Anyway, my view on it.

I loved it! I found it somewhat better than the first episodes of the past two series (Eccleston and the living plastic, Tenant and the crazy cats), and quite liked Martha from the moment she met the Dr. The two already seem to make a great pair, with both being on the same wavelength. I can see an episode or two, or twelve, where they both get to the point of solving the mystery at the same time and shout little things at each other, they way Tenant does on his own.

The humour in the episode was great, too! I'll put it in spoilers for those who haven't seen it:

Spoiler

One bit that shined for me was the Dr. and Martha in the radiology room. First of all the Dr. getting rid of the radiation by puting it into his left shoe and binning it. Martha comments, "You're crazy!". The Dr. replies, "You're right. I look daft with only one shoe on," proceeds to bin his right shoe and adds, "Haha! Barefoot on the moon".

Also, the Dr. sobbing over his damaged screwdriver tickled me.

Oooh! Anyone notice him talking about his laser wrench? Or him locking the door with the actual lock in the [insert characters name] office?

One other thing I noticed was the lack of "The Doctor? But Doctor Who?!" It's bound to be intentional, and makes you think why.

Overall, I thought it was a good episode. Quick, mind - 45 minutes seems to fly by - but good none-the-less. I look forward to next weeks episode.

 

[Talysia]

It's funny, but I really enjoyed this one. It seems like David Tennant has completely settled into the role, and he makes this incarnation his own. Good action moments, a smattering of light-heartedness, and the usual Who-ish aliens (space Rhinos?) made this a very good episode for me.

 

[Dave]

Sorry if this is the job of only one person (most probably Dave), but I've just seen the episode (taped it), and saw no thread for it yet.

I taped it too, so have only just watched it myself. Feel free to start new threads, I just start them when they aren't already there, and try to create some order among the chaos.

I thought it was a good introductory episode for Martha. Much better than the first episode of last season, and I thought very similar to 'Rose'. We saw Martha's family - one thing I hope is that we don't see much more of them - we saw too much of Rose's family.

I didn't understand the alien Plasmavore with the straw - was she blood-sucking just to change identity, why was she on Earth, and why the Judoon were after her? I don't think anything was explained.

In earlier clips I thought the Judoon were Sontarons, but they were quite different. The Doctor described them as a mercenary police force. Press releases say they are intergalactic stormtroopers. They are certainly rhino-like, but I saw the most similarity to the 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' Vorgon's who come to demolish Earth to make way for an intergalactic space highway. I expect that they will appear again.

 

[Lenny]

I didn't understand the alien Plasmavore with the straw - was she blood-sucking just to change identity, why was she on Earth, and why the Judoon were after her? I don't think anything was explained.

She was blood-sucking to assimilate the blood. The Judoon scanner thing checks the blood when it's a quick scan, I think.

As for why she was on Earth, and why the Judoon were after her, she'd murdered a Princess in some other solar system, and was on the run.

I know what you mean about the similarities. The Judoon could definitely give the Vorgon's a run for their money in an Intergalactic Beautyless Contest.

EDIT: On the subject of her family... it's a lot different to Jackie was. I can definitely see some tension between them and the Dr being worked in, well, a lot of tension. But do you think that, apart from her sister, any of them are going to notice Martha's gone? Ooooh! Anyone get the quick link to the first episode of the last series' finale?

"I had a sister called Adieola who worked at Canary Wharf. She never came back." I thought that was a nice touch - she did play that character, after all, and was turned into a Cyberman.

 

[Talysia]

Anyone get the quick link to the first episode of the last series' finale?

"I had a sister called Adieola who worked at Canary Wharf. She never came back." I thought that was a nice touch - she did play that character, after all, and was turned into a Cyberman.

I noticed that. I thought it was a very good way of getting around the fact that she'd appeared in a previous series. I hope the other episodes are going to be as good.

 

[Lenny]

We know that there'll be a handful of awful ones - there always is.

RTD seems to like his quick references to past episodes or, as he did in Torchwood, links to completely different series. I'm interested to see what the underlying theme will be for this series

 

[HoopyFrood]

I loved this episode!

I laughed out loud at this line, for some reason: "It's not night...we're on the moon! We're on the bloody moon!"

And I also snickered when Freema's role in the last series is explained as being her cousin. Ooh, a cousin who looks exactly like her (yes, it was cousin, not sister )

The bit with the radiation was brilliant...kicking it out into his left show. Excellent. The Doctor is truly awesome. And I felt very sorry for him when he damaged his sonic screwdriver! But it seems he has spare ones in the TARDIS And yeah, I noticed the reference to the laser wrench...and that cheeky Emily Pankhurst had stolen it

And despite the fact that I'm still waiting for that moment when I'll be picked as the Doctor's assistant, and thus feel the need to hiss at his current assistant's, Martha's not too bad.

 

[Dr.Jackson]

I really liked this episode. What a great start to the third NuWho series! Big honkin' space-rhinos that could probably give the Vogons a run for their money!

I thought that the loss of the sonic screwdriver would last longer than it did though, but it was nice to see The Doctor locking a door by means of ... shock horror... turning the lock!! I had a chuckle then!

 

[Pyan]

If they can keep up this standard, it's going to be a cracking series!
How can practically the same team do this sort of great episode, and fail so miserably with Torchwood?

 

[Lenny]

Yes, cousin... I got it slightly wrong. Watched it today again, though.

And I've a feeling what the underlying theme of this series might be.

In the last Christmas special, a reference was made to Torchwood. The series following it had an underlying theme of Torchwood.

In the newest Christmas special there was a reference made to a politician called "Saxon". In last nights episode, the student doctor who spoke on the radio said "This just proves Saxon right" and at the end you could see a poster on the wall saying "Vote Saxon" when Martha was staring at the TARDIS.

Though thinking about it... how on earth are they going to work Saxon into the next episode?

Oooooh! There was also a reference made to the darkness by Mrs. Finnigan before she pulled out her straw again.

 

[Patrick Mahon]

Yes, I loved it too! An impressive debut for Martha; looks really promising for the rest of the series.

Like Dr. Jackson, I was also a bit disappointed that the bust sonic screwdriver didn't lead anywhere, except to a new shiny spare one, which came from - where, exactly? Still, you can't have everything...

 

[HoopyFrood]

Ah, but the Doctor can't be without his Sonic Screwdriver for too long...it's just not right!

But it was amusing to see him actually lock the door manually for once

 

[Pyan]

Oooooh! There was also a reference made to the darkness by Mrs. Finnigan before she pulled out her straw again.

Yes, I picked up the Saxon reference - but good spot on the Darkness one, Lenny - I missed that.

 

[Lenny]

I spent too long listening out for it during Torchwood, methinks.

 

[Coolhand]

Ah, but the Doctor can't be without his Sonic Screwdriver for too long...it's just not right!

But it was amusing to see him actually lock the door manually for once

I was actually hoping they'd keep the sonic screwdriver written out. The trouble with it is that the Doctor just tends to solve every problem he encounters by pointing the sonic screwdriver at it, rather than using his brains. They had the same problem in the original series and ended up deliberatly destroying the screwdriver to make the writers think a bit harder.

It was a nice, enjoyable 45 mins of Doctor Who on the whole. I llike Martha, but I do hope that her dull and uninteresting family make no more apperences. I am so sick of the personal lives of the companions swamping a series that should be about wierd monsters and kicking Dalek ass.

 

[Patrick Mahon]

It was a nice, enjoyable 45 mins of Doctor Who on the whole. I llike Martha, but I do hope that her dull and uninteresting family make no more apperences. I am so sick of the personal lives of the companions swamping a series that should be about wierd monsters and kicking Dalek ass.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, Coolhand, but I watched the Dr Who Confidential programme on BBC3 after the main event, and they explicitly said there that we would be returning to Martha's family at various points during the series...

 

[Coolhand]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, Coolhand, but I watched the Dr Who Confidential programme on BBC3 after the main event, and they explicitly said there that we would be returning to Martha's family at various points during the series...

Oh no....
WHY?? WHY?? The WORST thing about the "New Who" was Rose's usless family. I could have cheerfully strangled Mickey, Jackie et all with thier own birth cords...

(Stomps off into a corner and sulks)

 

[Ice fyre]

I, liked this episode.

Looks like a good start to the season. I like the family connections of the assistants it shows they are a bit more than just just plot devices like assistants of the past to some degree!

Good plotting, good pacing, good effects strong story line Doctor who as it should be.

http://www.votesaxon.org.uk. Vote Saxon he is the future!

Warning may contain spoilers

 

[Pyan]

Great link. IF!

 

[Ice fyre]

Its a part of the viral marketing for the new season.

Any more I find I will post up!