Bad Wolf

I think I said this for a previous episode of this season of Doctor Who, but I find myself hard pressed to come up with a better word to describe this episode.

WOW!

I mean, super wow. This isnВ’t how a good writer or reviewer describes things heВ’s reviewing, but I donВ’t care. Wow wow wow.

ItВ’s all been leading up to this boys and girls! I read some reviews for В“BoomtownВ” last week, and a lot of people said that they thought the episode was destined to be crap but then surprised them all, even though it involved a retread creature that wasnВ’t extremely popular to begin with. I didnВ’t quite feel the same way about Boomtown but I sure do about В“Bad WolfВ”!

I literally sighed when the Doctor escaped the Big Brother house to find he was on Satellite 5 again. I mean, I just said in my review last week that part of the magic this show was starting to miss a little was the sense of wonder, of where each show would take place. It was only a matter of when: The В“whereВ” would always be Earth it just depends on past, present or far future. I love the show but please letВ’s see what the TARDIS is actually capable of some time!

Well first off, each situation was hilarious. The DoctorВ’s irritation at the В“MTV generationВ” and subsequent acceptance of their own death at the conclusion of the game was done very well. We also have a possibility of another companion, though highly doubtful. Besides the fact that the Ninth Doctor is almost dead (am I the only one regretting the fact that we know this more and more with each episode?), I sense a touching and possiblt noble death scene for the sweet В“Lynda with a yВ”. RoseВ’s encounter with the android was a little more scary but still very entertaining. It helps that we Americans have these two shows as well and so for one of the first times in the series we can completely relate to the humor of how these shows evolved over the centuries.

The best however is Captain Jack Harkness. This guy is excellent. Not only is he extremely entertaining (and handsome for the ladies!) but he is pretty much the perfect soldier. I thought that Rose was a great fit for this Doctor at the beginning of the series. He had just recently regenerated, presumably from dying in the Timelord/Dalek Time War which destroyed his entire race and forced him to kill many (but now we find out not all!) Daleks, something he clearly did not want to do but had no choice. This left him a little rattled and needing that sense of wonder that a young, new companion like Rose could give him. Since that first episode though, weВ’ve seen the Ninth Doctor hardened. A complaint several people have had about this Doctor is that he seems to be bumbling around a lot and letting humans do most of the heavy thinking or work. Having faith in Doctor Who, however, I saw this as planned. Whether is was the age old В“Humans have to do things for themselvesВ” argument, or the much more likely rattling the Time War did to our fair Doctor is not sure. I do believe the writers meant this Doctor to be a little less pro-active than his predecessors. Until now that is. Just as in the episode В“DalekВ”, we see the anger and pure hatred the Doctor has for these creatures. This is the perfect time for Jack Harkness. Besides his confidence and great personality (which help out the show as a whole I believe), he has really taken his part as the DoctorВ’s crew seriously. He takes orders from the Doctor with no question, but still has the military mind to think ahead and come up with plans (plans the Doctor graciously accepts when he feels they are correct). Besides all that, his scene with the two robot dressing units was excellent! В“Your viewing ratings just went up ladiesВ” В“ThatВ’s a Compact Laser Deluxe! Where were you hiding that?В” В“You really donВ’t want to knowВ”. Classic stuff and just adds to his characterВ’s humor and yet seriousness when itВ’s needed. Jack was never once scared, he went with the two androids until the situation got sour and then calmly implemented an escape that obviously could have come at any time he wanted it to. Jack is the perfect warrior to go after Rose and attack the Daleks.

Which brings us toВ….who writes the previews for the next episodes anyways?! It was completely, COMPLETELY unnecessary to destroy the surprise of there being Daleks alive at the end of last weekВ’s episode. There was plenty of footage they could use without you ever knowing what was to come. Then, at the end of this episode, itВ’s pretty well done right. Shots of the Daleks attacking the TARDIS, Daleks attacking Satellite 5, a scene with Chris saying he is either dead or close to (is he supposed to die here or at some future Xmas episode, IВ’m not sure) and last scene, the voice but not actually seeing the Supreme Dalek. Oooooo so cool. I think the appearance and knowledge that Daleks escaped the Time War could have had 1000% more impact if we didnВ’t know about it for a whole week.

Wrapping up, excellent acting as always, excellent effects and fantastic story that has been building this entire series. It is a terrific twist that somehow the Daleks have been manipulating this incarnation of the Doctor almost from his regeneration. On one hand I am very sad that this series and ChrisВ’ Doctor is almost gone but it has been an excellent run and В“Bad WolfВ” was by far the best episode to date.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is it! We are at war!