Doctor Who Project - "The Christmas Invasion"

Ooooh the first Christmas special of the new era (probably one of the better ones too) and David Tennant's first episode as The Doctor (the last minute of "The Parting of the Ways" doesn't count) although he's not around for large chunks of it. That's right it's more of the extended Tyler family drama. Woo.

"The Christmas Invasion" isn't too bad too be honest, it's camp and it ticks off all the required Christmas elements: turkey, brass band, Father Christmas, the Queen's speech (or at least a nod to it with Harriet Jones, Prime Minister advising it's been cancelled) and even snow albeit ash from the destroyed spaceship.

For me this episode has more in common with Castrovolva than any of the Christopher Eccleston episodes. Saying that I always found The 10th Doctor to be more like the 5th Doctor than any other. No surprise they teamed them up for the "Time Crash" special. Getting ahead of myself though.

All in all not a bad episode, not the worst but certainly not the best. It was a bit Torchwood though with all this blood control and threatening to kill a third of the world's population. Maybe Russell T Davies is subtly introducing us to it? After all Harriet Jones mentions knowing of Torchwood, the destruction of the Sycorax ship is done in a very Torchwood-esque fashion and in 2 episodes time we get to see the Torchwood Estate. Anyway more of that to come.

One thing I noticed on re-watching this episode is that David Tennant is credited as'The Doctor' in the closing titles whereas Christopher Eccleston was always 'Doctor Who', that's something that's bugged me upon re-watching these episodes.

Oh well onward and upward, so many classic 10th Doctor stories (and quite a few duds too!).

ALONS-Y!

Doctor Who Project "Father's Day"

Episode 8 'Father's Day' sees Rose asking The Doctor if they can travel back to 1987 to see her Dad in his final moments. With a nod back to the 1st episode 'Rose' The Doctor suggests it's funny that she turned him down when he advised they can travel anywhere in the universe but the second he says he can travel in time she's onboard and to be careful what you wish for.

We arrive in 1987, witness Pete Tyler's death then Rose asks The Doctor if they can try again. Stupidly The Doctor agrees and this time Rose runs out to save her Dad's life changing time and creating a paradox.

Being a massive Back to the Future fan I couldn't help but draw parallels between this episode and the greatest film franchise known to man. Firstly a man who should have been run down by a car is saved, secondly time is changed OK in BTTF an alternative reality is created with Biff running Hill Valley as opposed to time eating bats.

This episode is all about families which is a bit of familiar theme with Russell T Davies' Doctor Who output. Once again it isn't The Doctor that saves the day but a regular person (OK someone who shouldn't be alive anyway) although The Doctor does sacrifice himself before Pete does. Following Pete's sacrifice order is restored including the return of The Doctor. Rose gets to say her goodbyes to the father she never knew (well not until a few hours earlier) and in doing so does subtly changes the past as Jackie tells a young Rose that Pete was run down by a young man who waited with them until the Police arrived (not a hit and run driver) along with an unknown girl who waited by Pete's side until he died.

This episode was OK, better than the last but not the best in the series. Next up the Stephen Moffat written 2 parter 'The Empty Child'/'The Doctor Dances'. Possibly the best 2 episodes of the series (and one of the few 2 parters in the RTD era that doesn't start off promising then fails to deliver in the 2nd half).