The Gatiss Experiment

Yes! Another Doctor Who review! This could well become a weekly habit… were it not for the Beebs and the Eurovision: no Doctor Who next week! I don’t know yet how I am going to cope… Careful for spoilers now!
Back to this week’s episode, The Lazarus Experiment – well after last week’s huge disappointment (see previous entry), I must say I was very pleased with tonight’s. We’re back to Good Who, for the following reasons:

• A consistent plot in its mainframe, despite some minor issues (which I wouldn’t be able to name. The only thing I thought was – why does the Doctor have to lock the door, the monster doesn’t have hands to open it and will have to cut his way through anyway!)
• Hints at the old series. I loved the reverse polarisation bit. Sooo Pertwee!
• Nice pacing. I didn’t think they’d manage that, since the starting point of the story (the experiment itself) was quite big; so I thought the end would just be overstretched. Which it was not – intelligent script editing allowed to plant the seeds for the final scene.
• It fits nicely within the entire new series, with Martha becoming a regular companion in a clever way (I loved the opening scene)
• Talking about human nature. I loved that scene where the Doctor said it was within the human nature to die; and Lazarus answering it was within it to seek to avoid death. Can anyone see an ongoing theme in the series there?
• The Doctor did not die in this episode! (yay! He’s not becoming Kenny)
• Murray Gold at his best. Great music tonight!

However, it’s not all nice and clean. There is a couple of points that could have been bettered:

• Stop bloody using the sonic screwdriver for anything. In this episode, it has fulfilled its original function (tampering with doors & locks), been used as a tracking device, and as a hacking system. Nice “function 54” line though :-)
• Martha’s mother. Now we all had fears that the family would become a Tyler bis – which fortunately it is not. The characters that were kept that day were interesting; but the acting was not great on Martha’s mother’s side…
• Gatiss’s (or Lazarus’) assistant was a tad too clichéd. Money-freak! Which made her role a bit hollow – and I don’t blame that on the actress.
• Whatever happened to subtlety in Doctor Who??? What happened to the Bad Wolf ark? Stop hammering Mr. Saxon into our heads. Talking of whom, there’s a nice fanmade (I think) website here

Still. Overall an excellent story, brilliantly realised :-) Can’t wait till next week – oh bugger that’s true, the Beebs schedule is just wrong, erm, can’t wait till next bloody fortnight! I can say, I’m excited about the new trailer. Nice treat from the production team, available on the show’s website.

Pierre Schramm : 05 May 2007 22:52 |  Tags: Doctor Review TV Who |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem