New Who Review for New Earth
Oct. 1st, 2006 08:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puppetmakerSince Sci-Fi decided to show two episodes back to back, I will review them back to back. Anything I think is a spoiler is behind the cut and all comments may have spoilers in them.
New Earth is not among my favorites this season. That does not mean I thought it was a bad episode. I can't think of one I would call really bad in the series just some shine more than others. The plot to this one was a simple basic plot. Doctor arrives on planet, Doctor visits old friend, old enemy also appears and causes things to go wrong. Doctor saves the world. But within this is a moral tale about right and wrong and what is the greater good and what should that great good cost? The cat nurses are pretty neat too. I really could see a race of cat people in the medical profession. I am trying to puzzle out if they were native to the planet when the humans arrived but it is not that big a point. Both Billy Piper and David Tennant looked like they were having real fun with the whole thing. (Total side note but if you are a fan of David Tennant or Peter O'Toole then the premiere of Masterpiece Theater is going to be right in your wheelhouse. They are playing "Casanova" which was written and directed by Russell T. Davies)
There are a lot of moral questions asked within this episode and I think there were more than they could deal with in an hour. Cassandra body jumping aside. Considering what the Sisters of Plenitude were doing with cloning for body parts which has been theorized for a long time and comes closer into being. To the SoP the "creatures" they have created have no souls, they are just flesh to be used for the greater good but the Doctor proves that they have created a new species of human. To jump to the end of the story I really like how Cassandra's hopping into one of the plague victims gives her a whole new perspective on life and what could be and what wasn't.
It was great to have Zoe Wannamaker back as Cassandra but even more fun was Billy Piper and David Tennant being Cassandra when she jumped into them. I think Tennant won the Cassandra off between the two of them. That is where, for me, he cemented his abilities as an actor and won my faith in his Doctor. Also the goofy look on his face as his plan came together.
The Face of Boe is to meet the lonely traveler 3 times before he imparts a great secret to the traveler. So I am betting that the 3rd time is going to be this season (RTD Season 3). I like that we had some continuity from the previous season with characters showing up that we had met before. The Duke of New New York and his aid were a stitch especially with a disclaimer after each time he spoke. I really could see that happening in the future.
I was a little unsure as to what they were trying to do at the end by taking Chip/Cassandra back to that party. Does that change something in the time stream or is that what sets Cassandra on her path? Sometimes time travel makes my head hurt.
Next week Queen Victoria, a cult of ninja priests, and Werewolves. No really. I'm serious. It works believe me.
I am grateful for the fact that they are releasing a soundtrack CD for last season sometime.
New Earth is not among my favorites this season. That does not mean I thought it was a bad episode. I can't think of one I would call really bad in the series just some shine more than others. The plot to this one was a simple basic plot. Doctor arrives on planet, Doctor visits old friend, old enemy also appears and causes things to go wrong. Doctor saves the world. But within this is a moral tale about right and wrong and what is the greater good and what should that great good cost? The cat nurses are pretty neat too. I really could see a race of cat people in the medical profession. I am trying to puzzle out if they were native to the planet when the humans arrived but it is not that big a point. Both Billy Piper and David Tennant looked like they were having real fun with the whole thing. (Total side note but if you are a fan of David Tennant or Peter O'Toole then the premiere of Masterpiece Theater is going to be right in your wheelhouse. They are playing "Casanova" which was written and directed by Russell T. Davies)
There are a lot of moral questions asked within this episode and I think there were more than they could deal with in an hour. Cassandra body jumping aside. Considering what the Sisters of Plenitude were doing with cloning for body parts which has been theorized for a long time and comes closer into being. To the SoP the "creatures" they have created have no souls, they are just flesh to be used for the greater good but the Doctor proves that they have created a new species of human. To jump to the end of the story I really like how Cassandra's hopping into one of the plague victims gives her a whole new perspective on life and what could be and what wasn't.
It was great to have Zoe Wannamaker back as Cassandra but even more fun was Billy Piper and David Tennant being Cassandra when she jumped into them. I think Tennant won the Cassandra off between the two of them. That is where, for me, he cemented his abilities as an actor and won my faith in his Doctor. Also the goofy look on his face as his plan came together.
The Face of Boe is to meet the lonely traveler 3 times before he imparts a great secret to the traveler. So I am betting that the 3rd time is going to be this season (RTD Season 3). I like that we had some continuity from the previous season with characters showing up that we had met before. The Duke of New New York and his aid were a stitch especially with a disclaimer after each time he spoke. I really could see that happening in the future.
I was a little unsure as to what they were trying to do at the end by taking Chip/Cassandra back to that party. Does that change something in the time stream or is that what sets Cassandra on her path? Sometimes time travel makes my head hurt.
Next week Queen Victoria, a cult of ninja priests, and Werewolves. No really. I'm serious. It works believe me.
I am grateful for the fact that they are releasing a soundtrack CD for last season sometime.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-01 03:27 pm (UTC)Cool! I know what I'll be watching tonight.
Also, after seeing these two episodes back to back, Tennant in his zanier moments keeps reminding me of a young Michael Palin. Which isn't a bad thing at all.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-02 04:16 pm (UTC)(Which is about all I can say about NE, thinking the episode on the whole was rather "meh." For me, the season got good at School Reunion, which kicked all sorts of booty!)