Doctor Who: "The Lazarus Experiment"...

[fajrdrako]

I'm not sure I can talk about this one. There's too much interior squeeing going on. I can itemize some of the things I loved about it. And there was, I think, only one thing I didn't love - the scorpion-monster that Richard Lazarus became. Nothing wrong with him, inherently, except that I'll never be able to do anything but chuckle or groan at monstrous insectoid mutant nasties.

That aside... Well. Loved the continuity: the Doctor conscientiously bringing Martha back right into her flat in London (instead of dumping her in Aberdeen or somewhere, like he did Sarah Jane). The Doctor actually and really bring Martha back twelve hours after they left, as promised! The Doctor once again unable to resist something intriguing, rather than just making a clean break with Martha. The Doctor once again being slapped by someone's mother. Oh, yes, delicious, all of it.

I really, really, really loved Martha's line about the Doctor being a 'bitter old man'. Just enough truth in that to resonate.

And the ending: Martha points out how the Doctor is treating her, he captitulates - "You were never really just a passenger, were you?" Love it.

Loved the scenes in Southward Cathedral, and the talk about the Blitz, and the Eliot quotes - have they quoted poetry in every episode this series? if so, yes, excellent, hooray for that. Also loved the James Bond reference, and the Beethoven line (not to mention the deaf joke). Loved the "nibbles" and the "good shoes" lines. As always, I love the way Martha is a match for the Doctor in quickness of reference and level of humour. I loved the 'reversing the polarity' line. Loved the varying reactions of the members of the Jones' family, to Martha's new relationship with the Doctor - I suspect that, since Martha's mother thinks the Doctor is terrible, that her father will like him. I loved the Doctor setting another explosion, and the following scene in which Martha returns his screwdriver to him - in fact, I love the way the sonic screwdriver has been used this season.

Damn. I'd really like to be able to say something intelligent here, and instead I'm just starry-eyed over the Doctor, and Martha too, and inarticulate.

Comments

[raissad.livejournal.com]

I'm glad he finally faced up to it. She was a keeper the moment he let her use the sonic screwdriver. :-D I like Tish, and the rest of the family will probably grow on me, provided they get minimum screen time. The family stuff just isn't my bag.

I adored the entire church sequence -- the character interactions, the Scorparus is the bell-tower, everything. That was grade A Who, right there. :) :) :)

Oh, the reason Mr. Saxon needs rejuvinating tech is because he's probably The Educated Guess/Spoiler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_(Doctor_Who)).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

She was a keeper the moment he let her use the sonic screwdriver. :-D

And maybe even before that. It was a very satisfying moment.

I like her family - it remains to be seen what they'll do with them.

I'm avoiding the spoiler-guess! I will learn everything in time.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Oh, the reason Mr. Saxon needs rejuvinating tech is because he's probably The Educated Guess/Spoiler.

I have been thinking so, for some time. After all, what were the Face of Boe's last words about the Doctor "not being alone"…?

[slartibartfast.livejournal.com]

Inarticulate? I'm right there with you. It was a good ep. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It was - it's still hard to pin it down to analysis, but the tone of it all was such fun - and the dialogue!

[atheneunknown.livejournal.com]

This was such a lovely episode.

And for some reason, I really thought that they'd be working the little boy from Doctor Dances in there by making him the Lazurus guy.

And I second the thought that the scorpion thing is lame.

And god did i ever love Martha.

Marthas family is brilliant as well.

And my god the preview. Oh god the preivew, it made me squee endlessly.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I really thought that they'd be working the little boy from Doctor Dances in there by making him the Lazurus guy.

Interesting thought! And his colouring was right. But the little boy was a lot cuter.

god did i ever love Martha.

She's wonderful, isn't she?

Oh god the preivew, it made me squee endlessly.

It really was a wonderful preview, and it served its purpose - making us want to see more. And more!

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

bloody Eurovisie Songfestival!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes - so unfair, to interrupt our fun!

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Re: "Nibblies" -- In one of the Classic eps. I recommended, The Invasion of Time, it's revealed that Gallifreyans don't normally eat food. They take nutritional tablets. It hasn't been stated outright, but you can infer that the Doctor didn't start eating food with actual food in it until after he left Gallifrey. Therefore, he would love nibblies. Because even after centuries of eating various foods on various worlds, he would always find some new alien experience, like edible ball bearings. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like that background - implying that Gallifreyans had lost some of the more sensual pleasures like eating, and explaining the Doctor's enthusiasm for them. No wonder he likes humans, then!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

My Dad fancies Martha's Mum!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Hee! I think she's a wonderful contrast to Jackie Tyler, as well as being a delightful parallel. maaboroshi called her a 'harridan' but I think her character has been more carefully set up - she has reason not to trust men, she's ambitious for the sake of her (probably) favourite daughter, and feels protective. All of which I like as story points.

My prediction is that at some point the Doctor will save Francine and/or Martha in such a way that she will see his true value and come to like him.

But this show is not necessarily predictable.

[vervassal.livejournal.com]

Did you see the confidential? It was about monsters, and they asked various cast members/crew what they thought a monster was. DT spent the entire Confidential rambling about how un-PC the term "monster" was. The whole thing. He killed me.

♥

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't seen the Confidential yet. Haven't had time. I look forward to it!

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Check out the Fact File for this ep. It's pretty interesting:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2007/306.shtml

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Very interesting! I love it that they used Wells Cathedral, which is one I know better than some. (Certainly better than Southwark!) Mark Gatiss wrote my two least favourite episodes of Doctor Who to date - at least of the new series.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

I loved The Unquiet Dead and enjoyed The Idiot's Latern very much, but then I've always enjoyed DW historicals. The Shakespeare Code is my favorite ep. of S3, so far.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I loved The Unquiet Dead

It had its moments and I did love the Doctor in it (I always do), but I didn't much like the portrayal of Dickens (who is as much my hero as he is the Doctor's) or the plot about Gwyneth and the Gelth.

Usually I enjoy the historicals, on principle.

I loved The Shakespeare Code.