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Doctor Who - New Earth

It feels like an absolute eternity since The Christmas Invasion brought Tennant's Doctor properly to our screens, and in that time the anticipation for series two has been at fever pitch.

David Tennant in 'New Earth'

Weirdly, though, somewhere along the way that anticipation seems to have passed New Earth by a bit. Maybe it's because of all the pre-broadcast mutterings of it being a decent episode, but not an amazing one, and certainly not one that feels like a season opener (indeed, if rumours are to be believed, it was only late on that the decision not to switch it around with Tooth and Claw was taken). Maybe it's because of the three-minute long trailer that aired on BBCi and quickly hit the torrent rounds this week, featuring extended clips of the first half of the series - Tony Head being brilliant, Sophia Myles being lovely and the Cybermen being ABSOLUTELY BLOODY TERRIFYING - with clips from New Earth notable by their absence. As it is, then, we've been left in the curious situation of sitting down to watch the first episode of the new series, but almost waiting for it to be over and done with so that we can get on to the series' real meat.

But what, after all that, was it actually like? Well, unsurprisingly, it was a decent episode, but not an amazing one, and certainly not one that felt like a season opener. For starters, an excellent, scene-setting pre-credits montage was immediately ruined by the gushing nature of the Doctor and Rose's conversation upon leaving the TARDIS. I'm not one of these fans who cowers at any hint of sexuality on the Doctor's part - I'm very interested, for example, to see a proper good old fashioned love story later in the series with the ever-reliable Stephen Moffat's Girl in the Fireplace. But I do feel that somewhere along the way, Russell Tee has got a bit swept up in the notion of the Doctor and Rose as a "couple". I really liked that in the first series, people were constantly assuming that they were, but that instead there was a deeply platonic love and friendship between them. Here, though, with the dashingly indiehandsome Tennant at the helm, and Piper in particularly delectable form, there's rather more sexual chemistry than seems necessary. Not because the Doctor should be some weird asexual figure - how often do people forget that the very first thing we found out about him back in 1963 was that he had a granddaughter? - but simply because it shouldn't ever really become the focus of the show. At times, it felt like that was all New Earth was about.

Second Opinion

Hype is a cruel mistress. Yes, it generates buzz, excitement and extra viewing figures, but it also raises expectations to a ridiculously high level. This new series of Who has to be perfect, otherwise it's a disappointment. So, was New Earth completely and utterly faultless from start to finish? Well, of course it wasn't. But it was great fun!

David and Billie both put in great comic performances as Cassandra, and the concept of someone constantly body-swapping between the two of them is brilliant. The concept of the sinister, futuristic hospital is also a good one, although it didn't really go anywhere in practice. This was the main problem with the episode - two great Who ideas, but not enough time to deal with either of them properly. They should have either dropped one of the ideas, or seperated them into two different episodes. I'd have loved to see the Cassandra story given the full 45-minute treatment - maybe then she wouldn't have admitted defeat so easily and anti-climacticly.

Nevertheless, it was still the best programme on telly since The Christmas Invasion - not because other shows are so rubbish, but because Who is so good. And I must say, it did a better job than Rose of whetting my appetite for the rest of the series. Not only does Tooth & Claw look amazing, but we also got an intriguing bit of foreshadowing at the end. Come on then, chaps, what do you reckon The Face of Boe's big secret is?

What it was also about, though, was some guff about cats, zombies and disinfectant in a hospital. Certainly not RTD's strongest ever plot - although, just like Rose last year, you could argue that this ep was more about being swept up in the ride than anything else. Still, though, some things just didn't hit the mark. It was a shame to see Cassandra-in-skin-form disappear almost as quickly as she reappeared - a combination of those scenes and the brief party scenes meant it was little more than a cameo for Zoe Wanamaker, with the rest of the ep consisting of Piper and Tennant's (admittedly quite funny) impersonations of her. It also didn't feel anything like as sinister as the "TARDISode" (ugh) that preceded it had made out. The explanation of the cat nurses' plottings was a little on the vague side (I somehow think that "every disease in the galaxy" would do a bit more than give you a few boils on your face), the resolution was clumsy (explain to me how an intravenous solution can cure you by being poured over you?) and the "softening" of Cassandra felt a little uneasy in the context of the killings she was responsible for in The End of the World. Her closing scene was a bit unsatisfying, too - I'm not the first to point this out, but it really is quite strange that she'd so vividly remember the last time she was told she was beautiful, but not the fact that the person who told her so died in her arms shortly afterwards. Furthermore, it's hard to feel particularly moved by the prospect of someone telling their self that they're beautiful.

That said, it's not like there wasn't plenty to commend, nor indeed that the episode wasn't enjoyable. At the head of it all is Tennant, giving the impression that the scripts could be far more lacklustre than this and he'd still make it incredibly watchable. Every Doctor takes time to settle into the role, and in retrospect that could even be said about Eccleston, even though many said at the time they felt he nailed it from the beginning. Tennant, however, is an absolute natural. While someone acutely aware that playing the Doctor first and foremost means you can bring more of yourself to the role than you can with most parts, he's also the first in a while to show an awareness of what's gone before him. While the Doctor's personality changes with his body and face, it's easy to forget (especially for a new viewer) that he is still, at heart, the same character. Tennant shows sparkles of his predecessors at the same time he makes the role his own, and effectively captures the combination of wide-eyed, whisk-you-away wonder and steely, in-control confidence that the character needs to have.

David Tennant in 'New Earth'

In terms of the look of the thing, it's easy to grumble that we didn't see enough of New Earth or New New York, and you can see the point there. On the other hand, we mustn't assume that, just because Who is now a viable success, it's going to suddenly be on a Hollywood budget. And as a more lightweight episode in terms of budget - comparable to, say, The End of the World or The Long Game - it still looked a damned sight more expensive than this time last year. Put it this way - if the "lesser" episodes can look like New Earth did, then what kind of treats are in store once we get to Rise of the Cybermen? I liked, too, an increased role for the Face of Boe - it was good to hear him "talk", finally, and I'm not grumbling so much as some folk at the fact that his "big secret" wasn't revealed and that he didn't, in fact, die. To be honest, I like the idea of him being someone that will pop up from time to time as the years go by - it's always nice to have something new added to the mythos.

At the end of the day, while this may not have been the strongest episode ever, it's hard to feel any real sense of disappointment so long as you remain in the frame of mind that this is as weak as the new series is likely to get. There's a quite insane amount of crowd- and fan-pleasing goodness to look forward to in the coming weeks; and, while a massive "we're back" first episode would have been nice, in hindsight I suppose I'd rather get the more lacklustre episode out of the way first. While New Earth will be as good as forgotten by this time next week, given the (hopeful) quality of Tooth and Claw, it was by no means an embarrassing disaster. We've begun on safe, familiar ground - now it's time to really take off.

3 Stars

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Comments

"On the other hand, we mustn't assume that, just because Who is now a viable success, it's going to suddenly be on a Hollywood budget. And as a more lightweight episode in terms of budget - comparable to, say, The End of the World or The Long Game - it still looked a damned sight more expensive than this time last year."

In fact, I heard the budget was cut this year due to BBC-wide purse-tightening - by 20 percent! So they've had to make a series that looks bigger and shinier than last years, for even less money.

By Phil_A
April 18, 2006 @ 11:12 am

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Great stuff. Nuff said.

By si
April 18, 2006 @ 1:41 pm

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It was really good, yeah. Once again, though, RTD *still* hasn't got the hang of those quick endings, has he? The line "get me the intravenous solutions to ever disease!" said by The Doctor just sums up the ridiculousness of RTD's complete disdain for sense. Ah well, all I have to do is look at the synopsis for the next 9 or 10 episodes and I *know* we're in for a mind blowing series.

Still, I thought the Face of Boe stuff was lovely, and the voice they picked for him was perfect.

By Cappsy
April 18, 2006 @ 2:01 pm

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Maybe the boils all over their bodies had holes in?

By James
April 18, 2006 @ 11:40 pm

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Yes, but the fluids were intravenous, so unless these holes went straight into the veins and arteries, it makes the possibility of a recovery slim. It didn't bother me that much, but I can see the logistical issue.

By Tanya Jones
April 19, 2006 @ 7:39 am

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I thought it was great. The pace was fantastic, it was funny. A bit camp yes but then Billie Piper became miraculously attractive for the episode, so it didn't matter.

One thing that bugged me - 'The Year Five Billion'. Five Billion Years too far to make much sense.

By Rad
April 20, 2006 @ 3:44 pm

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Billie Piper became miraculously attractive for the episode

I'm still trying to figure that one out, myself. It's not like she was ever hideously ugly during the last series, but in "New Earth"... just wow.

One thing that bugged me - 'The Year Five Billion'. Five Billion Years too far to make much sense.

That bugged me in "The End Of The World", and it bugged me here as well. Come to that, it bugged me in "The Long Game" and "Bad Wolf", too - everything just seemed TOO far in the future, particularly "Bad Wolf", with its referencing of very firmly early 21st Century stuff.

With the way things were pitched, I'd have put "Bad Wolf" somewhere around, say, 2100 or 2200 (a Red Dwarf sort of timeframe). As for five billion, it may have been just about acceptable for "The End of the World", but seemed ridiculously and unrelatably far for "New Earth". Bringing it down to just, say, five million would have made more sense.

By Seb
April 20, 2006 @ 5:13 pm

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Yeah, I agree with you on both points.

Also on Billie:
NEW EARTH
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/s2_01gallery/1024/cassandra_rose.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/s2_01gallery/1024/rose2.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/s2_01gallery/1024/doctor_rose1.jpg

Now take a good look at that lovely helping of cleavage and sexy pose and posture. Now contrast this with:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/01gallery/1024/18.jpg (no pose/not great posture)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/10gallery/1024/03.jpg (bad haircut)

It was amazing how she managed to go from Rose to a veritable sex goddess so successfully.

By Rad
April 20, 2006 @ 6:40 pm

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I get the feeling Russell set for the whole 'Earth gets destroyed / New Earth founded' storyline in the year 5 billion just to give it a good distance away our time, that way he still have tonnes of continuity space to play with in the middle. Setting the end of the world *so* far ahead gives it all a distant feel and makes it unlikely to get in the way in the future.

Also, the year 5 Billion+ is now his playground. He has fresh, untrodden snow to write in - and no past Who continuity likely to get in his way. It's almost as if he's run far away to play on his own and create his own world in far future.

By Cappsy
April 20, 2006 @ 7:05 pm

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Incidentally, here is a negative review of three episodes from the first series. Written by John Joseph Adams, someone whose opinion I respect. I'd have to agree with him on some points, particularly that stupid killer fan scene from The End of the World. Unfortunately, it's not his cup of tea (partly because he's looking at it from the wrong perspective - it's *supposed* to be a bit silly). Anyway, here it is:

http://www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com/cgi-bin/mag.cgi?do=columns&vol=adams_john2&article=001

By Austin Ross
April 20, 2006 @ 8:53 pm

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Completely the wrong perspective, yes. As you say, it's deliberately silly. Which is a good thing.

"But while it'll please those fans, I doubt it's going to make many new ones."

Except: it has. Several million of them.

By John Hoare
April 20, 2006 @ 9:17 pm

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Also, Austin: WRITE SOME DOCTOR WHO REVIEWS.

By John Hoare
April 20, 2006 @ 9:18 pm

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"In fact, I heard the budget was cut this year due to BBC-wide purse-tightening - by 20 percent! So they've had to make a series that looks bigger and shinier than last years, for even less money."

I thought I read that Who was kind of exempt from the cut. I may be totally wrong but I'm sure I read something of the sort. Anyway, New Earth should have been better than what it was. The plot was there but good lord it was as though RTD was deliberately setting out to say 'look, this is a silly sci-fi story, don't take it seriously for a second'. The best bit was when Billie got wet. Oh and when she was admiring her curves. As much of a farce the episode was (much more farcical than the most farcical of farcical episodes last year, Aliens of London) there were some HUGE plus points, and I'm not just talking about Billie's breasts. The effects were great. They will always get slagged off but people always forget it's a fucking BBC1 primetime series and since when did you ever get effects that good. Also, I liked the fact that RTD set up the city of New New York that could be used in the future. And the zombie pods show that we should be in for some greatness with the Cybermen episodes.

By performingmonkey
April 21, 2006 @ 2:47 am

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Hear Hear. Pretty much exactly what I thought.

By Peter Wilkinson
April 23, 2006 @ 7:41 pm

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I was watching the Snooker the other day, and one of their pre-filmed featurettes they run between sessions etc consisted of Peter Ebdon reporting from his home in Dubai.
So, there he was, standing on the beach, and there was a large building across the water behind him.
Why am I mentioning this here? Because that building was EXACTLY the same as the building behind the Hospital on New Earth (ie the one immediately to the right of Billie Piper at the top of this page).

Someone, please, tell me i wasn't the only person to see this...

By si
May 02, 2006 @ 2:48 pm

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Erm, yes. It's a big massive hotel called Burj al-Arab, one of the most famous in the world. Agassi and Federer else played tennis on the roof once, and I Tiger Woods once hit some golf balls off the roof.

I'm pretty sure the building in New Earth was intended as a reference (it was commented on extensively when publicity pictures etc. were first released) , although why they picked that particular building I wouldn't care to speculate.

Anyway : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_al-Arab

By Seb
May 02, 2006 @ 3:10 pm

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I don't know these things - the New Earth thing was the first time I'd seen it.

What, you think I'm intelligent, just cos I'm at university? Look at Symes, for chrissakes.

By si
May 02, 2006 @ 6:56 pm

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Symes isn't at a real university, though ;-)

By Seb
May 02, 2006 @ 7:00 pm

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Careful, you, or me and my Polytechnic buddies will beat you to death with our vocational degrees!

By Cappsy
May 02, 2006 @ 7:12 pm

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He's not even in the real London :-p

By Seb
May 02, 2006 @ 8:38 pm

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dalek
cybermen
the man with out the fas

By Anonymous
October 08, 2006 @ 5:23 pm

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dalek
cybermen
the man with out the fas

By callum erick son
October 08, 2006 @ 5:24 pm

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