Gridlock

So. "Gridlock" then.

First off, much better than last week's, although really IMO they didn't have to try TOO hard in order to accomplish that. A wider array of characters, from Ma and Pa out of the "American Gothic" painting (the Hell?!), to Brannigan, to a Max-Normal-looking businessman type. Oh, and Novice Hame, now a worshipper of the Face of Boe. Looks like we won't be seeing any more of him tho. Shame, really.

New Earth, meanwhile, has devolved somewhat to a society of Moods and Pharmacists, and everyone else is stuck on the Motorway. And have done for quite some time now. A very...VERY long time indeed. Er. You know, just between you and me, I get shitty if I'm stuck in traffic on I-465 for more than a few minutes, how has this entire society been able to tolerate being stuck indefinitely for decades? Enough to start families and such? Everyone singing "The Old Rugged Cross" in unison? Huh?? No warning, no nothing. Who would stand for it??

Within this, I'm really starting to see some disturbing trends with RTD. First, the need to create something in order to utterly destroy it the next time we see it. Cases for this study would include: Harriet Jones, Satellite 5, and yeah, even Rose Tyler. Now we have a New Earth that, yes, was harboring a nasty secret in the hospital, but the rest of the society seemed to be OK. When next we see it, the Mood Bliss contained a virus that went airborne and wiped out much of it, and the rest devolved to what we see in this episode. Why the need to show everything or everyone in decay?

Second, I'm starting to have some issues accepting that in the far-future, humanity just humbly and meekly accepts its fate, no matter how far back the species is in retrograde. We already saw this not once, but twice, with the denizens of Satellite 5, but now with New New York as well? I'm really not feeling this. Sure, one could make some pointed commentary about our own societies, but this bad? And repeatedly?

The Doctor, will he finally get over it regarding Rose? Taking Martha, who I thought was maybe a little more muted in this episode than the previous two, but still kept it together rather well, over to New Earth mainly just because he'd already taken Rose there was a bit much. IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON NOW, methinks. At least the Doctor realized that getting Martha into this mess was all his fault.

The Macra ... well, didn't see THAT one coming.

The Face of Boe's final message...er, why was that such a big hush hush secret that he couldn't have said that in "New Earth," exactly? Oh, wait, less opportunity for Doctor-Emo, right.

And as far as that final message.... good Lordy, PLEASE let it not be him. PLEASE GOD ANYTHING.

And you KNOW I am so all over next week's.