Doomsday

This is the first time I've cast a review of anything to anywhere, but I think 'Doomsday' just about merits that dubious honour. You see... much as I waited patiently for a movie versions of 'Starship Troopers' and 'Judge Dredd', I've been subconsciously waiting for a Daleks/Cyberman confrontation ever since I scribbled the said scenario on the back of a school book, way back in primary one. Good it was too, brilliantly cataclysmic, in a stick men versus peperpots with the space between filled with energy beams and jagged explosions, kind of a way.

Actually... it was crap! But what lay behind it shone through in the way that only a child can impart. This was the war to end all wars. An epic confrontation on a cosmic scale. And that's where that particular war has since languished, locked, seemingly for evermore in a child's drawing. It would never actually happen... would it? I mean... the show was eventually cancelled, and the budget would never have allowed for it, and no producer would ever have been so audacious anyway.

Until now. Suddenly 'Who' was back, with a budget, a quantum leap in effects technology and a fanboy at the helm. So, it was, I suppose, only a matter of time.

And did it live up to expectations.

Well... yes, and no, but ultimately... yes!

I'm not a fan of RTDs episodes for a number of reasons. Too camp, too breakneck, too many undeveloped second hand ideas, too much misplaced humour, too many references to popular culture thus instantly dating the show, too much wonky science. But, what he has brought to the show is a human dimension , more adult in nature to any of its previous incarnations. Thus, 'School' may have on the surface, seemed like a crap Aliens invade a school episode, in actuality, it's merely a hook to hang an examination of what being the Doctors companion entails, his effect on the individual on an emotional level, and how one adjusts to a now savagely mundane life when the ride is over. This for me, is the redeeming strength behind RTDs writing and the show is at it's best when this kind of approach is taken, and 'Doomsday' is a perfect example of this. Its not a so much about a cataclysmic battle for the Earth, as it is the wrenching apart of two people very much in love. That said, the cataclysmic stuff was well handled, given the time and budgetary constraints of television. RTD tied up the various plot threads well enough, and some of the Dalek/cyberman banter was almost comedic, the sequence when they confronted one another had them display all the maturity of two five year old bullies having a spat in the playground. In fact, lets be honest, the Daleks pretty much stole the Cybermans thunder. Suddenly the metal warriors and their emotionless intonations seemed a bit dull, when compared to the hysterical simple minded screeching of the Doctors, it has to be said, greatest enemies. (hearing both races intoning their respective, 'Exterminate', and 'Delete' warcrys continuously during the battle scene two thirds in smacked of an insanity I really appreciated!) The Genesis ark was a well implemented twist and when Pete Tyler turned from the window to state that the Earth was a lost cause, I actually agreed. I'm pretty certain, I could pick holes in the plot from now till tomorrow, typical of RTDs scripts. But, you know... I'm not going to. Story wise it was fast paced, ambitious, did everything it needed to do and ultimately entertained me enough to make any real nit picking seem churlish. So there!

As for the direction... Well, take my hand and as the room goes all misty around us lets travel back to the early eighties to witness Peter Davidson on the verge of cacking it! Directorially speaking 'The caves of Androzani' was a revolutionary piece of work, as far as Who was concerned. Dr who was a largely studio bound show, a show that's method of production involved wheeling in giant cameras to capture the action via a succession of mid shots. (I recently watched an episode of Earthshock and was struck by just how basic the direction was). Anyway, along came Greame Harper and his wides and mids and close-ups and tracking shots and zooms and jump cuts and hand held camera techniques and even the occasional shot that might actually have been storyboarded (phew!... I'm out of breath now). Thus the two stories he helmed passed into Dr Who legend, and to be fair, deservedly so. They were different, and they were good!

So, thus armed with that knowledge, quick... take my hand again and lets cartwheel back through time to the present day and Lo and behold, all these years later, fanboy RTD well remembers Harper, and look, he's tapped him to direct, possibly the biggest show in Who's history and the result is... sadly, unremarkable!

Time has moved on, and the techniques previously described are now de riguer in television drama. Harper is now just another competent director in a sea of competent directors. That said, it was by no means badly done. The bridge battle, albeit brief, was well handled, as was the long moment immediately after the final closing of the rift, and to be fair, choosing to shoot the doctors final farewell to Rose via intimate close-ups was a perfect directorial choice. I just wish the action had been tighter, the main battle in the base was particularly sloppy, and smacked of a succession of second unit shots of well... anything it seemed like a good idea to film any old way, flung together. Joe Ahearn's shoot em up sequences in 'Dalek' had a narrative tightness, I felt was lacking here! I don't want to be too unkind however as overall Harper did a decent (occasionaly nice) job, and considering the complexity of the episode and the constraints of television, perhaps that's the most we could have reasonably expected.

I found the performances fine, the actors involved having had enough time to grow into their respective characters so as to negate any serious slip ups. I'm still, however, unconvinced by Tennant, in the same way I was unconvinced by Eccleston (though admittedly both choices looked good on paper). Too much bug eyed overacting, too much bizarre vocal inflection, too much self important smugness, and while Eccleston angry Northern gravitas occasionally impressed, tennant seemed lightweight in comparison. Yet when reigned in, his comic timing and delivery can work well (the sequence when he passes off Jackie as Rose to Yvonne and her soldiers, outside the Tardis in 'Army') and I do like his more sober and thoughtful version of the Doctor as typified in the closing moments of 'Girl' and his conversation with Ida during the lowering sequence in 'Pit'. Thankfully he was pretty much in this mode for the duration of Doomsday, and I have started to come around to his portrayal. Hopefully He'll settle down in series three, because I do want to like him, I really do, and during the final moments of this episode, I think I did!

Piper has, to my mind, given a considerably more naturalistic performance then either of her co stars, which is quite a feat considering her lack of experience. She's no different here and as, to a certain extent, she's been the lynchpin of the entire relaunch, I don't know if the show will remain as strong without her. despite the Dalek Cyberman mayhem, the farewell sequence on the beach remains the single best moment in the episode (perhaps any of the episodes, full stop) and an entirely fitting goodbye to the character. Some will undoubtedly scorn the fact that she didn't get zapped into oblivion, but it was never going to happen and this humility to the central characters ultimately demonstrates why RTD, despite his failings remains an asset to Who in general.

Quite frankly, I loathed Murray Golds synthesised, drum machine led, 'Mickey mousing' the action, scoring for season one. Though there were glimmers of something going on every once in a while (his 'Dalek' theme, Ecclestons regeneration music) but overall, I thought his contribution more of a hindrance then an asset. So I'm pleased to say, there's been a complete turnaround in season two. With the drum machine seemingly confiscated and given the service's of an orchestra, he's come up with some genuinely exciting action cues, giving the series a welcome sense of scale. His use of thematics has been intelligent and surprisingly subtle on occasion and he's managed to intensify and enhance the shows more emotional scenes with sensitivity and skill .Listen to the score during the last ten minutes of 'Doomsday' and you'll know what I mean.

So to sum up... the producers set themselves up for a fall with this one, and I'm happy to say, despite occasionally teetering on the brink, they managed to just about pull it off, which is praise indeed. An ambitious production, that ultimately extolled the virtues of having the confidence to occasionally 'go for it'. While the action, could perhaps have been better, the part of my brain that remains six years old wasn't disappointed, and it worked for the thirty nine year old bits as well. Okay... so when I watch it again, I'll switch off before the last fifteen seconds, and imagine the Doctor standing, head bowed before the Control console as the Tardis spins off into the void, but I do realise why it ended as it did... life goes on, and so does the show.

I could go on about the effects, the cyberdising of Yvonne Hartman after a promisingly sassy and authoritative introduction in 'Army', the happy ending for the Tyler clan (which I liked), Mickey's assertiveness and the doctors goofy 3D glasses actually being relevant to the plot. But I'm in danger of boring myself, so I'll spare you!

I will however, leave you with a final twist. I have absolutely no idea If I ever really draw an aforementioned Dalek/Cyber war when six years old. Maybe I did, I certainly should have done, and if I had... I'm sure it would have looked like one of the scenes in Doomsday.

And I cant think of a better compliment to give then that!