The Idiot's Lantern

Am new to this but I thought I would add my 4 penneth worth about last nights New Who episode.

I have been so disappointed with this season so far that I was worried I would lose interest in the show altogether.

I thought 'New Earth' was weak camp drivel and underused a potential 'monster' considerably, Tooth and Claw fared better but ended up being something disappointingly different from what was promised/marketed. I enjoyed 'School Reunion' but that I feel was more due to the nostalgia and dark humour than anything much more, the 'jealous' bit was o.k in some parts but grated on my nerves a bit after a while.

Girl in the Fireplace brightened things up a bit and added spice where much needed; this was a brilliant idea and tip-toed into the 'very good' category but paved way for the atrocious Cyberman story which was a big let down in my opinion.

The gushing sentimentality seemed to overrule any menace and although the direction created dark 'industrialised' threat it was marred by more in depth focus on the characters personal wranglements than the Cybermen.

Cybermen should be ruthless automatons, calculated, cold and downright frightening ; these guys could have been but unfortunately just weren't. Where was all the 'bursting out of bondage' imagery so iconic to a good cyber tale. Shiver up the spine stuff.

I remembered Mark Gatiss' Gelth yarn for Christopher Ecclestons incarnation of the Doctor and recall thinking how under rated it was and how pleasing I found the story to be.

To my delight I awaited this story with a mixture of feeling as I didn't want to be really let down by the show again, to my delight I have to say that this was one of the best episodes ever, so far. At last back from Soap Opera land and back into brilliant sci-fi drama.

The Wire (amazingly chilling performance by Ms.Lipman) was genuinely menacing and the demonisation of an everyday object as a thing of malevolent power was truly nightmare stuff. The acting ability of the cast made the whole thing so believable and despite the 'retro' element would've no doubt pleased many generations of age.

I also found the featureless creatures a marvellous nightmare creation, although this has been used on other productions to great effect this brought the whole concept chillingly up to date in a 1950's sort of way.

The 'humanistic' element wasn't so 'in your face' as the other stories which, in my opinion had began to suffocate and therefore weaken stories. This ran parallel with the 'grittiness' of the much darker doings at work and thankfully didn't dominate too heavily in the story.

The direction and set design were also perfect replications of a bygone era, you could also imagine the aroma of must,tea and the biscuits or the bits of fluff that smelled smouldering on the electric heated bars,

The cast seemed to be enjoying themselves despite the mayhem in suburbia which added such a charm to the story. The Doctors emergence from the TARDIS via a Vesper was a classic moment and I found I didn't wince as I did in the similar sequence in the 'Fireplace' story.

Finally it seemed to me, Mr.Tennant seemed like a Doctor Who not a weakened version of his Casanova in a brown suit.

Its not as though I object to Mr.Tennants clowning about but I just wish there was less of it and a pinch more seriousness, a deepness, something more 'alien'.

Thank you Mr.Gatiss for creating one of the best highlights in this series so far.

9/10.