Well that was a gay old romp, wasn't it?
Very much NuWho in microcosm – a lot of fun, silly, camp, full of strong performances from well known actors and falls apart the second you start thinking about all the plot holes (but you don't care about that as it was so much fun at the time).
Very much NuWho in microcosm – a lot of fun, silly, camp, full of strong performances from well known actors and falls apart the second you start thinking about all the plot holes (but you don't care about that as it was so much fun at the time).
I was worried at first as the last time they attempted such an episode (The Curse of the Black Spot) it didn't really work. However, my fears were allayed as soon as Rory's dad turned up. Mark Williams was fantastic in the role – I'd love to see him again, although as the Ponds are leaving shortly we may not have another chance. At the very least I'll be carrying a trowel from now on. He instantly reminded me of Bernard Cribben's Wilf and again shows that the Doctor could easily work with companions who aren't attractive young women.
Speaking of women, we got not one but two fantastically strong women in this episode. Amy goes from strength to strength in her final run. Karen's acting has improved so much this series, it is a shame she's finally starting to be as likeable as Amy as she's always been in (the sadly axed) Doctor Who Confidential. Amy (and Rory) got to save the day while the Doctor got in distress – a nice reversal of the usual roles. She also got the best line of the episode when she complained about not wanting flirting companions!
Alongside her we have Queen Nefertiti. I hope someday we get to see the adventure the Doctor had just finished in the cold-open. The episode also explained why she vanished from the history books around 1336BC.
We also had the first 'crossover' with Sherlock. Lots of people have been calling for Benedict Cumberbatch to play The Master, but Rupert Graves plays DI Lestrade in it. His character was a bit one-note, and I'm not sure I really believe the Doctor would be friends with a Big Game hunter, but he was well played even if his Carry On-style double entendres didn't always work.
Mitchell & Webb as the campest robots since C3PO hung up his golden boots were the best cameo Doctor Who has had in years.
My one sore point was the way The Doctor dispatched Soloman. As far as I'm aware this is the first time the Doctor has killed someone, rather than allowing them to destroy themselves. I'm hoping this is addressed at some point as it crosses a line The Doctor has never crossesdbefore (remember he refused to wipe out the Daleks in Genesis Of The Daleks as he doesn't kill, and they are far worse than Solomon).
Geek point time – obviously the Silurian Ark was launched due to the events of The Beast Below, but did you realise that episode itself was a call back to classic Who's The Ark in Space and The Sontaran Experiment?
Gareth
Speaking of women, we got not one but two fantastically strong women in this episode. Amy goes from strength to strength in her final run. Karen's acting has improved so much this series, it is a shame she's finally starting to be as likeable as Amy as she's always been in (the sadly axed) Doctor Who Confidential. Amy (and Rory) got to save the day while the Doctor got in distress – a nice reversal of the usual roles. She also got the best line of the episode when she complained about not wanting flirting companions!
Alongside her we have Queen Nefertiti. I hope someday we get to see the adventure the Doctor had just finished in the cold-open. The episode also explained why she vanished from the history books around 1336BC.
We also had the first 'crossover' with Sherlock. Lots of people have been calling for Benedict Cumberbatch to play The Master, but Rupert Graves plays DI Lestrade in it. His character was a bit one-note, and I'm not sure I really believe the Doctor would be friends with a Big Game hunter, but he was well played even if his Carry On-style double entendres didn't always work.
Mitchell & Webb as the campest robots since C3PO hung up his golden boots were the best cameo Doctor Who has had in years.
My one sore point was the way The Doctor dispatched Soloman. As far as I'm aware this is the first time the Doctor has killed someone, rather than allowing them to destroy themselves. I'm hoping this is addressed at some point as it crosses a line The Doctor has never crossesdbefore (remember he refused to wipe out the Daleks in Genesis Of The Daleks as he doesn't kill, and they are far worse than Solomon).
Geek point time – obviously the Silurian Ark was launched due to the events of The Beast Below, but did you realise that episode itself was a call back to classic Who's The Ark in Space and The Sontaran Experiment?
Gareth
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