Tooth and Claw

[coalescent]

• Far from great, but at least the pacing and plotting were basically competent, unlike last week.


• Thumbs up for Pauline Collins.


• Thumbs up for (what I'm assuming is deliberate) characterisation of the Doctor and Rose as getting complacent. The way this Doctor is fascinated with the strange and incredible, to the point of very nearly being oblivious that he's staring at a werewolf which will kill dozens of people if not stopped, was nicely handled.


• In fact, it's particularly good because the Doctor is our avatar. RTD's much-vaunted gift for dialogue was a bit absent (the 'not amused' gag was deeply tedious), but he was still good at the sensawunda stuff--Queen Victoria's monologue about the need for consolation, the initial scene with the 'telescope'--and then started to subvert it.


• On a purely propaganda level, I can't object too strongly to an episode which argues that books are the best weapons.


• RTD really wants to do a full-on steampunk episode, doesn't he?

Comments

[del-c.livejournal.com]

Dr Who always a lot better when set in the past, at least for RTD - he just doesn't really do the future properly.

Like he does the past properly? I thought the whole attempt at Victorian speech and mores was toe-curling.

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

You know, he's not all that hot at the present, either...