Doctor Who: The Planet of the Ood (4x03)

[fajrdrako]

A terrific episode!

Again, a serious theme, and handled with less anomalies in tone, I thought. The nature and situation of the Ood has been a loose end since "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" (episodes I liked) and it really is good to see a follow-up. Moreover, there seems to be a theme here - that some of us have been talking about for some time - the Doctor's awareness of his failures and their consequences. Not just choices of life and death, but of the death or survival of planets, races, and futures on a grand scale.

The best line of all - which deserves some sort of award for philosophical excellence:

Donna: Being with you, I don't know what's right and what's wrong any more.
Doctor: Better that way. People who think they're right tend to be like Mr. Halpen.

This episode was good on so many levels, though it's the fakest-looking snow I've seen on television for years. Not a problem: I did like the Ood planet.

1. I loved the anti-salvery teme - yes, I know, that's an easy one, but it was nicely tied to the corporate-misdoing culture. I liked the way Dr. Ryder turned out to be working for the Friends of the Ood, and I never suspected a thing.
   
   
2. Though I was horrified at the moment, I liked it that Solana opted to stick with the coroporation rather than help the Doctor or the Ood. She was terminally shallow and paid the price.
   
   
3. Would anything have been different for the Ood if the Doctor hadn't been there? Perhaps his moral support made a lot of difference, as a catalyst to action. It looked to me as if they had things well in hand. The Doctor shut down the Circle - but Sigma could just have well have done it.
   
   
4. Donna was better than ever.
   
   
5. Interesting use of possible alien physiology. Not just the tripartate brain, but the telepathic singing. (I pause to consider the application of this sort of telepathy to Weevils.) So what do the tentacles have to do with anything?
   
   
6. In terms of time, how far/close is this episode to "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit"?
   
   
7. The conversion of Halpen to being an Ood was unfortunately reminiscent of the conversion of Diagoras to being a Dalek - one of the worst moments in Doctor Who that I've seen. Luckily this was infinitely better written and it seemed a fitting fate. I liked the 'hair tonic' theme though it squicked me far more than it should have. Not the conversion, the hair tonic thing.
   
   
8. Good Donna line: "If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up."
   
   
9. Interesting interiors.
   
   
10. Why did Donna think the Doctor's criticism of her time was a 'cheap shot'? She was doing so well before she said that! I liked his little smile as he apologized.
    
    
    

Comments

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Though I was horrified at the moment, I liked it that Solana opted to stick with the coroporation rather than help the Doctor or the Ood. She was terminally shallow and paid the price.

All I could think about when she called for the guards was Rolf in The Sound of Music blowing his little baby!Nazi whistle on the von Trapps down in the cloister graveyard. "Sir! They're down here!" I half-expected The Doctor to say "You'll *never* be one of them."

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

All I could think about when she called for the guards was Rolf in The Sound of Music blowing his little baby!Nazi whistle

Yes - perfect analogy!

I half-expected The Doctor to say "You'll *never* be one of them."

Too bad he didn't. It would - from that point on, since she was about to die - have been true.

[catslash.livejournal.com]

Another way to look at Solana's actions, as a friend of mine pointed out: people were dying, and she could either side with some random unarmed nutter, or with the people who had the guns. I can't help but see the logic in that. Her choice may have been morally unsound, but it was pretty practical. We know he's the Doctor and he can fix (almost) anything, but she doesn't.

Why did Donna think the Doctor's criticism of her time was a 'cheap shot'?

That was when she was all, "I'm glad my time doesn't have slavery," and Doctor's response was, "Hello, sweatshops," right? I think that was because he totally won that round but she couldn't let him have the last word. *g*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

nother way to look at Solana's actions, as a friend of mine pointed out: people were dying, and she could either side with some random unarmed nutter, or with the people who had the guns. I can't help but see the logic in that.

Well, that's true. And she had no way to really know what was happening - all she knew about the Doctor and Donna was that they were fakes, and the Ood seemed to be rabid and insane.

So one can't fault her logic, though the fact is she made the morally wrong choice - something that we, knowing the facts, can't help being over-aware of. Pragmatic, yes. Sensible, even.

But - and I'm not sure whether I'd talking aesthetics or chemistry here - how could anyone with a heart resist the appeal of the Doctor's sincerest gaze as he asks her for help?

I think that was because he totally won that round but she couldn't let him have the last word. *g*

Ah, yes - that is so in character for Donna!

[raissad.livejournal.com]

This was an excellent ep! The music for the Ood Song was also beautiful. Kudos, again, to Murray Gold. Have you watched the behind-the-scenes stuff, yet? I especially liked all the bits with Paul Casey, their go to creature guy.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I loved the Ood song. The more I think about this episode the more I like it.

I watched the behind the scenes stuff. Though I've seen Paul Casey in costume/make-up before, I don't recall having seen him talking as himself - and I was surprised how attractive he was. They should let him have a role without all the prosthetics some day.

Tennant always comes across as having a lot of charm - or maybe it's his accent that has that effect on me.

[gillo]

Why did Donna think the Doctor's criticism of her time was a 'cheap shot'? She was doing so well before she said that! I liked his little smile as he apologized

Because she isn't ready to face up to the implications of cheap clothes? She has a learning journey too, I think.

I was depressed by how elderly Tim McInnerney is looking.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Because she isn't ready to face up to the implications of cheap clothes?

Or perhaps just isn't quite ready to realize that the people she was judging felt themselves as innocent of the wrongdoings of their time as she does of the wrongdoings of ours. Or maybe she just didn't like the Doctor making it personal.

I was depressed by how elderly Tim McInnerney is looking.

I think that was partly make-up and the role, but... yes.

Capt. Jack's Monster Files -- The Ood

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5m8LDMaAJY

Re: Capt. Jack's Monster Files -- The Ood

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

How wonderful!