Smith and Jones

Well... that was a better season opener then previous series.

But only just, and that's not saying much.

We'll cast 'New Earth' into the 'so dire, it's name can never be uttered in polite (or impolite) company again' cosmic bin, first off, as 'Smith and Jones' is starting from the same point 'Rose' did a couple of years ago... and that's where the problem lies.

Comparing the two episodes reveals that the show doesn't seem to have evolved at all. The same formula has been applied to Martha's debut as was used for Rose's. Thus we get, the new characters life encapsulated in the opening scene, the introduction of her family (a clan who seem to have been rescued from the Eastenders reject bin). A 'no time to breath' adventure in which the new companion saves the Doctors ass, and a slightly creepy, 'Come into my Tardis, nudge, nudge, wink, wink' seduction scene at the end (I got a real 'stalking' thing from this one, what with the Doctor hanging around in an alley watching Martha from afar.)

We've been here before...

Elsewhere we get exactly what we always get from RTD. Misplaced 'comedy', a wildly uneven tone, dysfunctional domesticity (!) lot's of running about (that corridor chase, went on for about six shots too many), a complete and total disregard for scientific fact (I'm surprised Davies acknowledged the lack of atmosphere on the moon, so I suppose he's done a modicum of 'research' this time) and a pantomime villain, uttering the kind of 'arch' comedy crap every Davies villain utters ad infinitum. There's a real problem here, because RTD doesn't seem to be capable of writing outside this box, or perhaps, just doesn't want to. All his scripts exhibit the same flaw's (I'm sure he'd see them as virtues, and if his attitude from what I've gathered is anything to go by, he'd no doubt tell me to to "F*** off"... but he's not here, and this is MY OPINION, so there!) and their now permeating every script he hacks out. He undeniably did a good job of re-establishing the series, but perhaps it's time to move on, for if this is an example of what to expect from series three, the show is starting to stagnate already.

And as for Tennant... well, instead of toning thing's down, he seems to be turning the 'pratt' knob to eleven. All the aspects that irritated me about his performance last season, seem to have become, not so much facet's, as 'constants'. He now wears that 'bug eyed' expression, no matter what the situation, and seems intent on behaving like a prat at every turn. There's just no gravitas, nothing to balance the idiocy, It's like he's perpetually high on his own self importance. I would have been fine if the Judoon had pronounced him guilty of insufferable smugness and vaped him on the spot. In sync with RTD's script's his portrayal of the Doctor, in my opinion, is actually de-evolving, which is a shame. When Tennant does go (and on the strength of this episode, I hope it's soon), I'm with one of the forum poster's who thought Michael Sheen would make an interesting choice, though personally, I don't see him doing it.

Anyway... there were thing's I liked! The Judoon were impressive in they're Sontaran crossed with Judge Dredd type way, though was there really the need for six or whatever platoon's to take down an old lady wielding a straw! Actually I thought the villainess was going to reveal her true form at the climax (a big, horrendous CGI creation straight out of Lovecraft) and wipe out a couple of the aforementioned platoon's before being taken out itself, but alas, she remained an old lady... wielding a straw... right till the end (Good God!) Incidentally, I reckon the Judoon should have scanned the extra's before filming, for traces of acting talent, God knows what the footage of the panicked patients they didn't use in the edit was like!

The direction was assured (some nice cinematic wides), and there was that occasional sense of scale, the show does, that we see so little of on television (including American) these day's. The music was as bombastic and over the top as usual (as it's been from the first episode onwards), but I'm just enamoured with the fact that it's both thematic and orchestral (something far too many movies seem incapable of achieving these day's, let alone a TV show), perhaps the volume could be turned down a notch, however. The FX were more then adequate and the production as a whole look's very good, which unfortunately makes the flaws I've outlined above glare even brighter.

As for the new companion, and bearing in mind how much of a lynchpin she's going to be, if the last two season's are anything to go by, she seems... nice! I can't think of anything else to say, she just seems... nice! Hopefully, she'll develop.

I will continue to watch the show... but I'm seriously considering skipping the RTD penned episodes, they just annoy me too much. I'm certainly going to avoid the return of the cat people from 'New...' ( Phew... almost 'uttered' it there ), if an idea is crap, it's worth using again, huh, RTD? The Dalek one (much as I like them) look's pretty iffy as well, I mean... 'pig men' (cos, if an idea is crap, it's worth...you get the picture). In fact, the adverts for this season ( twenty seven times a day between show's, as is the BBC's 'non advertising' status, these days) have turned me more off then on, still, I'm not everyone... which is just as well!

Judging by the forum I reckon my opinion of 'Smith and Jones' will be in the minority. Dr Who, is primarily a kid's show, and on that level, I'm sure it worked just fine. But it's not on CBBC (though 'Fear her' should have been) and if it's going to appeal to adults, it has to do better then this. Now it's established itself, the show should be branching off in new direction's. This episode merely treaded familiar ground, and it does not bode well for what's to come, though I'll be happy if proven wrong.

By the way...I really hope we've seen the back of Martha's family, but alas, I reckon I don't need a Tardis to know the outcome of that one!!!