The Girl in the Fireplace

As a big 'Doctor Who' fan from way back when, perhaps I should be one of those fans who will apparently be up in arms about this story, the one where the Doctor falls in love. At least a couple of vaguely patronising remarks made in '...Confidential' suggested as much!

Well, for these 45 minutes, I was entranced and delighted. This was a beautifully acted and directed story, with a number of stunning moments, and the programme continues to put most other television to shame. Steven Moffat, writer of my favourite story from last year, turned in another cracking script, even though there was one aspect I wasn't sure about (more later)...and no, it wasn't the snog.

So many images resonate...the Doctor becoming a young girls 'imaginary' friend via a fireplace;the monster under the bed; the snowy view of Paris at night; the clockwork android's grinning mask (brrrrr) ; a horse (aka Arthur, another nod to Mr Dent perhaps) on a spaceship;the enchanted Doctor hiding behind a wall in the palace gardens; his dramatic entry into the ballroom, a Knight in Crumpled Suit...

David Tennant was quite brilliant...again. Utterly convincing as a lovestruck Doctor, aided no end by Sophia Myles excellent performance as Reinette. And I'm sure there is no danger of the Doctor coming over all Kirk-like anytime soon!! (loved ST's 'City on the Edge of Forever', but after that things got a little crass! Kirk's in love again...she wont survive to the end credits then.)

Rose and Mickey were necessarily rather sidelined, but the actors made good use of their moments. Noel Clarke was great again; I especially liked his reaction to the infinity of space...."It's so realistic!" (well played, The Mill, then.Heh.)

There were some nice Rose/Reinette scenes and I'm a sucker for any scene where Billie sheds a tear...I'm such a softie. A few less Rose-centric episodes are necessary as it is still reasonably early days for the tenth Doctor and I'm sure someone as cool and intelligent as Billie realises this.

The dialogue was, unsurprisingly, very good. Examples I particularly liked; Young Reinette (another nice performance) asks "What do Monsters have nightmares about?" "Me!!" the Doctor replies; "Flesh plus heat....barbecue." ; the android pointing out to Reinette "We do not require your feet." (loved that line!) The Doctors fake drunk and very 'Blackadder-esque' "...thickety thick" tirade...

After all this praise (no, another bit; Euros Lyn, you are *brilliant*) I come to the part I wasn't sure about.

Late in the episode, we see a melancholy Doctor, lost in time, stuck in the 18th Century. But he can still smile. (Well, he *is* at least in a palace with an intelligent beauty he has fallen for...) He toasts Reinette and says, "Here's to the slow path."

And what about Rose and Mickey? At this point, they are stuck in the 51st century on a creepy spaceship. The Tardis is there, a machine that can take them anywhere in time and space...shame they can't fly it, then. Now, this might be a quite deliberate attempt to show how dangerous travelling with the Doctor can be, but without Reinette's depth and intelligence, the Doctor wasn't coming back. Ever. Jackie Tyler's worst nightmare realised; Rose stranded and never ever coming home. This scenario contrasts quite dramatically with the *beautiful* scene in 'Parting of the Ways' where the 9th Doctor sends Rose home, losing (he thinks) both her and the Tardis forever. It is only Roses incredible loyalty and bravery that turns things around in that episode. There doesn't appear to be such a contingency plan here.

When, thanks to Reinette, the Doctor does return, he asks how long they waited for him. *Why?* Unless I missed something here (not impossible, I happily admit!) Rose and Mickey weren't going *anywhere*!

So that part didn't really add up for me. 'School Reunion' presented us with the intriguing idea that the Doctor must always move on as he cannot bear to see those he cares about "wither and then die." I can only guess that due to a lack of options, or maybe true love, he is prepared to go through this pain for Reinette? Hmmm...unlucky, Rose and Mickey, then? Very Unlucky. (Pause. Considers their future on that ship if the Doctor could never return. Brrrrrr.) As 'Parting...' was only really a few episodes ago, I'm really not sure about all this.

Rhetorical question; Am I taking this too seriously?!

Nah, but this really stood out for me on second viewing. *However*, the bottom line here is that I thought this episode was a superb piece of television, beautifully done, and I can't give it less than another 9 out of 10. I also suspect that the main viewers that were cringing at the supposedly inflammatory 'snogging' scene were the (intelligent! Great taste!) young fans of the show. ("Yeuch. Gross. The Doctor's snogging!!") Have seen a couple of 'Totally...' episodes, and the cool kids who are so knowlegeable about and love the show make me feel quite proud. *Old*...but proud!)

Next time...some silvery monster things, apparently. Could be interesting...