Another stonking episode. Nasty villains! Proper peril! Big moral questions! Decent surprises (notably when all the soothsayers turned out to be bang on)! Plenty of running! A bit that was definitely filmed inside a quarry - old school Who in the house! Fire-breathing monsters! Peter Capaldi! A bit with a water pistol! David Tennant saying intense things against a fiery backdrop! Donna being thoroughly brilliant! If she lives beyond the end of this series I will be completely astonished - she has noble (ahem) self-sacrifice written all over her.
I was slightly distracted by the fact that the lead Romans were named after the family from The Cambridge Latin Course, my Pompeii-set Latin textbook from GCSE sixteen years ago, so I spent large amounts of the episode missing dialogue because I was too busy thinking "Caecilius est in horto", "Metella est in atrio" and wondering what happened to poor old Canis (aka dog, star of the textbook, found preserved perfectly in ash - and you'll note no dog made it onto the Tardis at the end. Dog killers!) It didn't really matter, because actually the dialogue was the weakest link in this episode - if I'm going to be picky (and I always am) I'd have to admit that none of the funny bits were particularly funny, but I don't care because I was properly scared plus the Doctor and Donna got to escape inside a giant stone egg.
Keep up the good work, Russ. Very excited about next week.
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13 comments:
oh yes he did! When he licked the dust i shouted very loudly "HE LICKED SOMETHING!" people sitting around me weren't very impressed with my outburst. It was a good episode and im more impressed with Catherine now.
So did I, and then I had to stop the tape and rewind. Fortunately, I was watching alone.
Yup it was a good un. I thought Capaldi (or whatever he was called in Latin) got some good lines but his wife got none. And the less said about the son the better...
It bodes well for the rest of the series.
I found the funny bits quite funny, but it took me a while to get some of them. When the penny finally dropped on the "Spartacus" gag, I roared --- several hours after viewing the episode. I'm so swift.
The Cambridge Latin text is still in use. My daughter, who took Latin in high school last year, thought the reference was a hoot.
But so many questions! Why are planets disappearing or at least being taken over? The monsters this week were harnessing Vesuvius because their planet is "lost". The Adipos last week had lost their nursery planet. Why does the Shadow Proclamation keep coming up? And is the "she" who is returning Rose? Finally, why does Donna change from her smock top into a Roman gown? Just so the Doctor can comment on it while he's sonic-ing her loose from the sacrificial table?
Also, I'm still pondering the significance of the Doctor's throwing Über-Nanny Foster's sonic pen into the bin last week. It was obviously very important that we see that. And I obviously need to get a life...
I had Caecilius est pater, Metella est mater in my head for the whole episode and it really made me laugh. But I don't think they had a daughter called Evalina...
And was the Doc quoting Latin epigrams at one point? I gave it up when I was fourteen, so I don't know, it just sounded like it.
Loved the choice. And I think you're right about Donna. And she is coming has to be Rose...
Fab.... All round fab. Loved it!
My hysterical chuckling as I could just FEEL our collective anticipatory glee at the prospect of the Doctor licking something, and then him ACTUALLY licking the dust fair had me falling off the sofa. Cloud gave me a funny look as if to say "why are you laughing?" but clearly gave up thinking about it too hard as I sat with a stupid happy grin on my face. The Who Confidential afterwards confirmed the deliberate use of the latin textbook btw even if they did miss out the dog.
I'm with Persephone on the funny. I laughed until I thought my nose might explode. And the Mary Poppins references... "postions!" at the earthquake. More TV shows should reference Mary Poppins, I think that would be a good thing.
And what does Donna have on her back?
"HE TOTALLY LICKED THAT DUST" - doesn't that sound some brilliant Americanism for "He did really well there, what what" :D
But I still want theories for what Donna has on her back.... bizarre thing to say. And I agree with Persephone on the the second sonic-thing thing; though it might have just been included so we don't keep writing "why doesn't he just use the second sonic-thing?" :)
I'm going with some kind of very nasty, deadly, and *contagious* alien parasite on Donna's back. Could it be related to the disappearing bees?
Wait...a galactic nanny in Episode One, a family racing to steady breakables in Episode Two...
It's a Mary Poppins story arc!!!
Deadly loose carousel ponies in Episode Three? What do you reckon?
And a votes for women episode, hopefully :)
Where's a chimney sweep when you want one? Persephone, I think you're onto something... Chim chiminee, chim chiminee, chim chim cherooo....
Don't forget the Fawlty Towers reference!
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