Bad Wolf

Now.. has there ever been a premise that seemed so loaded for self destruction? Putting Dr Who in futuristic versions of Big Brother and Weakest Link? Not just future versions.. but exactly the same show, complete with Voice of Ann. And written by Russell Davies, whose stories have been amongst the weakest of this season (is this season 1 or season 27? Ah, well..), often with workable ideas but poorer execution and annoying flatulent humour. Yes, it looked like disaster loomed.

Well, up until the last second of the preview following В‘Boom TownВ’ В– В‘We have been detectedВ’.. cue shivers! Still.. Big Brother?

Well, jolly god show, Russell, В– can I call you Russ? В– me old mate! Bad Wolf was an excellent show, one of the episodes from the season to show to the unconverted. Excellently written, acted and directed. So, lets break things down in a slightly confused order.

Gotta say, there were several aspects of the episode that reminded one strongly of Doctors past В– of Sylvester McCoy, in particular. There was much in the Weakest Link and Makeover pastiches that brought to mind the old biddies of Paradise Towers, the Kandyman of Happiness Patrol and The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. And the preview from next week with the Daleks advancing on the barrier was strongly reminiscent of В‘Resurrection of the DaleksВ’ (I suspect, though, without the pantomime deaths of station personnel).

Captain Jack В– I like this character. We already have the В‘everyman perspectiveВ’ provided by Rose. Jack provides more of an equal foil to the Doctor - with his own highly advanced technical skills, self sufficiency and combat prowess, heВ’s an excellent complement. And his easy charm and omnisexuality makes him a totally unique, 21st century companion. And he manages it without being sleazy. IВ’m sure there are people who object to this characteristic of his, but I find it most entertaining. IВ’ll draw the line at him, the Doctor and Rose having a mГ©nage-e-TARDIS, but until then В– go, Jack! I wonВ’t comment on his laser up the ass trick. Well, beyond mentioning it. And how В– HOW В– did they get away with him fondling those robot boobies? I guess tis ok if theyВ’re robots В– not that that stopped him from flirting with them! How would he and C3PO get along, I do wonder..

Rose actually didnВ’t have too much at all to do in this episode. Obviously out of her depth at trivia from the year 200,100, all she is in, is danger. And, as she often is, she is responsible for the (this time presumed) deaths of many. I mean, crikey! Who activated van Stattens Dalek? Who brought the Reapers to Earth? Rose, Rose and Rose! Accidents, sure, but she seems to be an even bigger death magnet than the Doctor!

And the Doctor.. well, a bravura performance by Eccleston and some great writing, again! IВ’m a little uncertain about the truly outrageous flirting he was carrying on with Lynda В– itВ’ll be all right if she gets in the way, indeed! But, in all truth, this is probably the first time that DaviesВ’ own writing has captured the essence of the Doctor. Because we all have certain baseline expectations of the Doctor, within the individual variations provided by each actor.

The first 30 minutes of Bad Wolf are pretty good Who. Not just good Who, pretty good television. But the last 10 minutes are sheer brilliance, some of the best Who В– best TV В– IВ’ve seen in absolutely ages. Starting with the Doctor kneeling over RoseВ’s В‘ashesВ’ (say, why does the transmit beam leave ashes behind?), while Jack plunges forward, with the sneaky Roderick hiding behind the game show assistantВ… the Doctors near catatonia as the guards interrogate them.. and then, springing into action with a simple В‘LetВ’s do itВ’. What was especially great was that Jack also reacts instantly В– the two make a good team. Moving on, the very funny exchange between the Doctor and Davitch (?.. Programmer 1!) when he tosses him his gun.. The revelation of what the gameshows have been doing.. В‘Rose is still alive!В’ and the two men embraceВ… the Controllers rebellion and self sacrifice.. the revelation of the Dalek fleet.. the Daleks back in classis threatening mode, the Doctor cheesing them off, and ending with a rousing chorus of В‘ExterminateВ’, only this time from a whole shitload of Daleks and not 3 or 4!!! I know, everyone will have been stunned by the same things, but I just have to recite it.. I must have seen the last 10 minutes of В‘Bad WolfВ’ a half-dozen times already and am STILL not sick of it!

Weaknesses? Well, nitpicks, really. Now, I should point out that I still donВ’t know the significance of Bad Wolf В– who or what is it, and how did the reference follow the Doctor and Rose through time? Although a recap of the references was quite unnecessary В– itВ’s not been that long since we saw them, especially the one from last weeks Boom Town! I do wonder how Rose knew van StattenВ’s helicopters call sign, though В– that was.. a weak link. And why was Lynda so happy to see the Doctor appear in the Transmat? ItВ’s not another contestant В– itВ’s another victim! And why, oh why, does everyone in the year 200,100 look like theyВ’ve stepped off the street in 2005? Granted, one wouldnВ’t necessarily want them in one piece spandex outfits, but at least SOME effort could have been made to make them look.. well, different.

But those are minor nitpicks which didnВ’t detract from the enjoyment at all. I could rhapsodize on about the preview but the forums are full of enough of that.. especially the maddening, frustrating question of.. who the hell is that with the last word? Agh!! Russell T Davies will make lifelong friends or lifelong enemies with В‘The Parting of WaysВ’В… donВ’t mess it up, Russ!!!!!!

Oh, and just for the record.. I think Lynda would make a much hotter assistant than Rose. There, IВ’ve said it.