Doctor Who - Human Nature
May. 26th, 2007 09:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caz963Well, that was much better, wasn't it?
I enjoyed this episode much more than the last couple, I have to admit. I tend to keep away from spoilers, so all I had to go on was last week's trailer and what was in this week's RT, so I knew that we were back in the early 20th Century, and that the Doctor wasn't "himself" but not how or why. So the opening, showing the Doc and Martha running away from something – which he says could follow them anywhere… which ends with him waking up from a dream was great - while being frustrating!
Martha you trust me don’t you? Because it all depends on you.
He holds up a watch – and wakes up in his jammies… as Martha the maid brings his breakfast.
At that point, we don't know whether Martha knows who they really are or not, as Mr Smith proceeds to tell her about his odd dreams in which he's an adventurer, a madman, the Doctor and that Martha is his companion. But Martha is dismissive - it’s Monday November 10th, 1913 – and he's completely human.
So, Mr Smith is a master at an English public school, and Martha is one of the maids. There was a little mention of, um, "cultural differences" - and an insult from one of the boys,
With hands like those, how can you tell when something is clean? - I'm sure racism in 1913 would have been more rife - I'd have been surprised if a black girl had been employed as a maid at a school like that at all, actually. But I digress.
Martha's friend, Jenny points out - In a few years boys like that will be running the country.
But Martha isn't so sure - and we get the answer to the question as to whether Martha is really "Martha" or not - 1913… they might not.
The Doc is rather smitten with the school nurse - the scene on the stairs where he gets all tongue tied about the dance was quite funny. When she's tending to his injuries after he's fallen down the stairs, he tells her about his dreams. (No - not those sorts of dreams! heh.) How he imagines he’s someone else and he’s hiding… that he has two hearts. She checks that out. Nope. Only one. He’s written his dreams in a journal – and there are drawings in there of Rose, the Tardis, Daleks, Cybermen, previous incarnations… and a pocket watch.
Also at the school is a boy - Latimer - who seems to be a bit of a clairvoyant or something. I suspect that will be important later on! :)
Later that night, Nursey sees a suspicious green light, which the Doc says was probably a meteorite and escorts her home… but in the meantime, the older boys who have gone to the woods to collect their beer-stash see it as well… seems it’s some sort of invisible space ship.
Inside the ship… Jeremy Baines is told he can’t leave by “the family”. (Have I stumbled into an episode of The Sopranos?)
Baines reappears… clearly not himself. Latimer suspects something is wrong. (Told you he'd be important later on!)
Martha has stashed the Tardis in a hut in the woods, and now we find out what's happened, and why she and the Doctor are in 1913.
In order to hide from "the family", the Doctor has to stop being a time-lord; he'll need to re-write every cell in his body in order to become human. It'll hurt.
He tells Martha that the Tardis will create him an identity, and find him somewhere to fit in, but that it can't do the same for her. She'll have to improvise.
He gives her a set of instructions - and shows her a pocket watch.
Don’t let me hurt anyone - you know what these humans are like
Don’t worry about the Tardis
No getting involved in big historical events
You – don’t let me abandon you
If anything goes wrong – if they find us then you know what to do. Open the watch. Don’t open it unless you have to. Because once it’s opened, then the family will be able to find me.
Back at the school, little Latimer is drawn to the watch. He takes it, then opens it and sees some of the Doc's history.
Nursey has read the Doc's collection of "stories" and suggests that the character of the "Doctor" is the hero he'd like to be.
Where did you learn to draw?
Gallifrey
Is that in Ireland? heh.
Here comes the mushy bit. aka the bit at which my seven year old hides behind the sofa. Funny, isn't it? Not scared of the daleks or the cybermen - she doesn't like the snogging.
So, the Doc draws a picture of Nursey (awwww).
You like it?
You’ve made me far too beautiful
It’s how I see you
Said snogging ensues, Martha busts in – and beats a hasty retreat.
She goes back to the Tardis.
That wasn’t on the list. What about the stuff you didn’t tell me, what about women? What the hell and I supposed to do then?
You had to fall in love with a human… and it wasn’t me.
Hm. For the first time, I think I felt a little bit sorry for her. Probably won't last.
"The family" have unleashed an army of killer scarecrows(!) who capture Jenny and then do the whole body taking over thing, sending her back to look for the Doc. But she asks too many questions and Martha susses her out. Didn’t like the idea of a pot of sardines and jam, then.
So she legs it – and tells the doctor they’ve been found and that they have to open the watch. But it’s not there.
She tells the doctor they’re hiding from aliens – he thinks she’s read the stories and is confused between them and reality.
She tries to slap the doc out of it, but he dismisses her. As she runs away, Latimer calls to her, but she ignores him.
The funny thing is, says Nursey to the Doc, you did have a fobwatch.
They head off to the dance, and Martha turns up - she pulls out the good old sonic screwdriver and tells him to name it. You’re not John Smith – you’re called the doctor. The man in your journal, he’s real. He’s you.
The “family” turn up at the dance with their scarecrow army. And a ray gun.
They demand that the doctor change back – but he has no idea what they're talking about.
They're holding a gun to both women’s heads… roll credits!
As I said, much more enjoyable this week - a good story, less manic!Tennant. Being a two-parter, I guess it had more room to breathe, and it showed. I'm really looking forward to next week's episode, and I haven't been able to say that for a while!
I enjoyed this episode much more than the last couple, I have to admit. I tend to keep away from spoilers, so all I had to go on was last week's trailer and what was in this week's RT, so I knew that we were back in the early 20th Century, and that the Doctor wasn't "himself" but not how or why. So the opening, showing the Doc and Martha running away from something – which he says could follow them anywhere… which ends with him waking up from a dream was great - while being frustrating!
Martha you trust me don’t you? Because it all depends on you.
He holds up a watch – and wakes up in his jammies… as Martha the maid brings his breakfast.
At that point, we don't know whether Martha knows who they really are or not, as Mr Smith proceeds to tell her about his odd dreams in which he's an adventurer, a madman, the Doctor and that Martha is his companion. But Martha is dismissive - it’s Monday November 10th, 1913 – and he's completely human.
So, Mr Smith is a master at an English public school, and Martha is one of the maids. There was a little mention of, um, "cultural differences" - and an insult from one of the boys,
With hands like those, how can you tell when something is clean? - I'm sure racism in 1913 would have been more rife - I'd have been surprised if a black girl had been employed as a maid at a school like that at all, actually. But I digress.
Martha's friend, Jenny points out - In a few years boys like that will be running the country.
But Martha isn't so sure - and we get the answer to the question as to whether Martha is really "Martha" or not - 1913… they might not.
The Doc is rather smitten with the school nurse - the scene on the stairs where he gets all tongue tied about the dance was quite funny. When she's tending to his injuries after he's fallen down the stairs, he tells her about his dreams. (No - not those sorts of dreams! heh.) How he imagines he’s someone else and he’s hiding… that he has two hearts. She checks that out. Nope. Only one. He’s written his dreams in a journal – and there are drawings in there of Rose, the Tardis, Daleks, Cybermen, previous incarnations… and a pocket watch.
Also at the school is a boy - Latimer - who seems to be a bit of a clairvoyant or something. I suspect that will be important later on! :)
Later that night, Nursey sees a suspicious green light, which the Doc says was probably a meteorite and escorts her home… but in the meantime, the older boys who have gone to the woods to collect their beer-stash see it as well… seems it’s some sort of invisible space ship.
Inside the ship… Jeremy Baines is told he can’t leave by “the family”. (Have I stumbled into an episode of The Sopranos?)
Baines reappears… clearly not himself. Latimer suspects something is wrong. (Told you he'd be important later on!)
Martha has stashed the Tardis in a hut in the woods, and now we find out what's happened, and why she and the Doctor are in 1913.
In order to hide from "the family", the Doctor has to stop being a time-lord; he'll need to re-write every cell in his body in order to become human. It'll hurt.
He tells Martha that the Tardis will create him an identity, and find him somewhere to fit in, but that it can't do the same for her. She'll have to improvise.
He gives her a set of instructions - and shows her a pocket watch.
Don’t let me hurt anyone - you know what these humans are like
Don’t worry about the Tardis
No getting involved in big historical events
You – don’t let me abandon you
If anything goes wrong – if they find us then you know what to do. Open the watch. Don’t open it unless you have to. Because once it’s opened, then the family will be able to find me.
Back at the school, little Latimer is drawn to the watch. He takes it, then opens it and sees some of the Doc's history.
Nursey has read the Doc's collection of "stories" and suggests that the character of the "Doctor" is the hero he'd like to be.
Where did you learn to draw?
Gallifrey
Is that in Ireland? heh.
Here comes the mushy bit. aka the bit at which my seven year old hides behind the sofa. Funny, isn't it? Not scared of the daleks or the cybermen - she doesn't like the snogging.
So, the Doc draws a picture of Nursey (awwww).
You like it?
You’ve made me far too beautiful
It’s how I see you
Said snogging ensues, Martha busts in – and beats a hasty retreat.
She goes back to the Tardis.
That wasn’t on the list. What about the stuff you didn’t tell me, what about women? What the hell and I supposed to do then?
You had to fall in love with a human… and it wasn’t me.
Hm. For the first time, I think I felt a little bit sorry for her. Probably won't last.
"The family" have unleashed an army of killer scarecrows(!) who capture Jenny and then do the whole body taking over thing, sending her back to look for the Doc. But she asks too many questions and Martha susses her out. Didn’t like the idea of a pot of sardines and jam, then.
So she legs it – and tells the doctor they’ve been found and that they have to open the watch. But it’s not there.
She tells the doctor they’re hiding from aliens – he thinks she’s read the stories and is confused between them and reality.
She tries to slap the doc out of it, but he dismisses her. As she runs away, Latimer calls to her, but she ignores him.
The funny thing is, says Nursey to the Doc, you did have a fobwatch.
They head off to the dance, and Martha turns up - she pulls out the good old sonic screwdriver and tells him to name it. You’re not John Smith – you’re called the doctor. The man in your journal, he’s real. He’s you.
The “family” turn up at the dance with their scarecrow army. And a ray gun.
They demand that the doctor change back – but he has no idea what they're talking about.
They're holding a gun to both women’s heads… roll credits!
As I said, much more enjoyable this week - a good story, less manic!Tennant. Being a two-parter, I guess it had more room to breathe, and it showed. I'm really looking forward to next week's episode, and I haven't been able to say that for a while!
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-26 09:21 pm (UTC)I missed last week being out of the country and all, but I have to say I did enjoy today more than I have the last few weeks as well.
Not scared of the daleks or the cybermen - she doesn't like the snogging.
Hehe...
Personally I thought Baines was incredably creepy! Much more scary than the Dalek
no subject
Date: 2007-05-26 09:34 pm (UTC)But yeah, this week was a definite improvement on the last few. Let's hope the ramp up continues towards the end of the season.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-26 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-26 11:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-27 08:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-26 09:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-26 11:39 pm (UTC)Martha still hasn't impressed me that much, although I liked her better tonight. It's not that I was a huge fan of Rose either - I've not found Martha to be much different yet. But then maybe that's just me...
no subject
Date: 2007-08-25 02:50 am (UTC)