The Long Game

Those in the 'anorak tendency' jumped on the luke-warm previews as proof that this new series of Doctor Who had finally tripped itself up. "The Long Game" certainly does not have the instant impact of the other episodes, but it was not exactly clear why so many vultures were up in the air ready to swoop. Maybe some fans are too eager to jump on every little glitch, for "The Long Game" was understated, but by no means bad.

The episode was a light satire on media power, focusing on an intergalatic organisation which controls the broadcasting of news and information, and where human nature is manipulated for all its negative traits. Certainly this was yet another episode where the money pumped into the new series was spent for all its worth; the effects were fairly impressive, although the "spike" didn't seem to cause its users much affect- even the earlier episodes would have made it clear what was happening without a standard "What's happening Doctor?" explanation. The idea was certainly interesting, with a mysterious upper-level controlling the space station masked by its distance from the 'slaves' in the lower decks. Humans are always going to strive for promotion, and this device was executed well.

The episode felt somewhat deflated because it did suffer from being in 'fast-forward'. Adam's character did have something to do, but it was fairly clear that RTD didn't know what to do with him, so treated him as a kind of modern day Adric. His bumbling into the Medical Floor and operation didn't really have much point to it, and although it was stitched onto the narrative it still felt as though his wanderings were separate to the plot. The Doctor's joking to the effect that Adam was Rose's boyfriend brought to mind the sniping shortness of Peter Davison and Tom Baker, and suggested that the hints of a Doctor/Rose affair are being put to one side in these later episodes.

Rose was not well used in the episode either, but Simon Pegg as the Editor certainly was. His sci-fi kudos was lifted in "Shaun of the Dead" and in this role he managed to weigh up sinister evil with a cool cunning side. He and Christopher Eccleston had a great tussle together, working off each other very well. Yet again, more hints of "Bad Wolf", which was highlighted in a very subtle line from Rose. The Editor and, erm, "Max", were a good team together, with the balance of power shifting in well executed scenes. Sadly, the two female characters seemed too neatly packaged and did not convince.

"The Long Game" may now be shown up by the neigh-sayers as the first loose thread in the fabric, but it was a clever concept which failed to be executed well throughout. It did have too easy a conclusion, although the typical Doctor Who moral tail packed a sting. This episode certainly had some good humourous lines and Christopher Eccleston maintains his high standard of emotion. Playing on the power of the media can often result in less than satisfying stories in many kinds of programme, so it can be excused that it's difficult to put together Doctor Who and such a topic. Certainly this is not the 'beginning of the end', and some fans would like it. Good, just not up to the high standard thus far.