The Empty Child

Well.. I really looked forward to this one, and wasn’t disappointed at all. For a change we saw the TARDIS in flight at the beginning which made a nice change and was interesting to see it materialize whilst the camera was still moving, very good. This seasons stories have been such a mish mash of the very good to average, with we're led to believe the better, more interesting ones at the end of the season, leading up to the revelations we're all dying to see.

This story was so good from the start, the sets, the costumes, all filmed at night... and launched immediately into the story. I’m not entirely sure what the point of the Doctor entering the night club was for, it didn’t really need to be there but then they had to engineer their drifting apart somehow.

Billie’s scene from the balloon was exceedingly well made, the London scenes were imaginative and brought a real sense of what it must have been like for the people of that time, occasionally it was obvious that this was a special effect, especially to old cynical die hards like me, but it was so incredibly well done you could forgive these technicians anything and I could imagine children being totally enthralled as I was all those years ago.

Captain Jack's entry was interesting; he is obviously a rogue who uses not only his mental abilities to survive but his charm and good looks too. The officers face when Jack told him he had a nice bottom too, spoke volumes. This is a fella that bats for both sides and knows exactly the effect he has on people.

I was a tiny bit disappointed in Billie’s reaction to him, she suddenly became a giggly soppy girl for a few moments and it was almost like seeing a different character, but then after what had happened, if a dashing handsome man caught you in his arms, I’m sure more than a few of us would think Christmas had come early that year.

The children were exceedingly well used, the scene in the dining room, around the table worked well, children can be sometimes the best actors and sometimes ,as Coronation Street viewers will know, the absolutely worst. Their surprise at the Doctor’s arrival was a joy, and the lad with half his dinner hanging out of his open mouth looked so normal and amusing.

There is something very chilling about these gas masks, its the old clichй of not being able to see the eyes, therefore losing all the humanity. They used this to the max, and the moment when the Doctor slowly changed took my breath away, that was so well done and very chilling, I don’t doubt there were a few wet beds that night. I'm waiting for the Great and the Good to all complain in the Guardian tomorrow, not that anyone takes any notice.

I kind of hoped that the Captain was going to keep his secrets a little longer than he did, or maybe he has, we know there’s major surprises to come... but most con men don’t own up that quickly, they don’t give a damn about anything or anyone providing there’s a profit and so to see him admit to it, didn’t feel right and was a bit of a let down. Methinks there’s more to come here.

Immediately you can see the Doctor isn’t overly keen on this young handsome man,, as he was with the lad from The Long Game and Dalek, they are a threat. I can't quite fathom out what is going on there...the Doctor has never shown any interest in the old rumpy pumpy side of things and yet here he is, happy to have this pretty bangle dangling from his arm, and acting like a normal jealous human man. I have my own theories on this and I expect I’m miles off the mark, but the last episode will be the clincher on this one hopefully and explain all.,

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable piece of British TV again, it just gets better and better, (maybe apart from Long Game) and long may she reign.

And thank god, the preview has been moved, no doubt Russell’s been reading these reviews...I would if I was him.