Doctor Who: The Unicorn and the Wasp... (4x07)

[fajrdrako]

Many things here to love. The 1920s setting, the inclusion of an author admired by the Doctor in the fine tradition of Dickens and Shakespeare, and some charming satire of the English manor murder tradition.... With the Doctor looking especially cute. Just my cup o' tea.

1. I thought Fenella Woolgar was terrific as Agatha Christie. Very convincing.
   
   
2. Loved the old cars. I kept expecting the Doctor to come across Mrs. Bradley and George, and encounter his doppelganger as Max Valentine. Ah well.
   
   
3. Loved the references to Agatha Christie titles - managing to avoid most of the Shakespeareans ones, which they'd already covered in "The Shakespeare Code". Quite nicely done!
   
   
4. Gareth Roberts and/or Russell T. Davies and/or whoever conceived this likes Agatha Christie's writing more than I do, but that's fair.
   
   
5. No reference to freedom of choice that I could see, in terms of killing, unless at the end when the Wasp let Agatha Christie live? No reference to terraforming.
   
   
6. Loved it that they included a gay couple.
   
   
7. My favourite scene: when the Doctor was poisoned with arsenic and did his charades with Donna. A reverse of the mime-sequence when they first met again in "Partners in Crime".
   
   
8. This episode made me laugh quite a bit.
   

Comments

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

This episode made me laugh quite a bit

Laughter is good ... it may help your foot heal faster.

I'll have to see this episode with you (again) sometime. Who was the "unicorn" -- was it a ref to Christie herself? Is the "Wasp" another time-traveling alien, or something more prosaic?

Curious (and Doctor-loving) minds would like to know. :-)

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

I liked this one a lot! Very clever, and definitely lots of laughs. XD

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

It was about as substantial as a wet Kleenex, but Tennant was less irritating than usual for me, and wasn't Donna's bronze dress fab? Perfect colour for her (even if I've never been fond of "sleeveless" myself - a beaded chiffon overshirt would have been in style and more flattering).

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

the Doctor was poisoned with arsenic

A direct reference to Dorothy L. Sayers' Strong Poison? I love it!

(Agatha Christie must have used arsenic at least once, but I can't actually remember where. Cyanide yes, arsenic no.)

[raissad.livejournal.com]

It was Gosford Park on acid -- I loved it! It as also very brave of them to deal with her disappearance, considering the different POVs on it and the fact that her relatives are still alive. Personally, I think she was just so pissed at Archie she wanted to get back at him, but who knows?

Here's the commentary:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain/sunday/

Btw, no new DW next week. It's Eurovision time.

New DW Trailer

[raissad.livejournal.com]

As compensation for Eurovision, they've given us a trailer for the remainder of S4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z3CvRyKyUU

[raissad.livejournal.com]

The Doctor Who Information Network has reported that Series Four of Doctor Who will debut on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on September 19th, 2008. The information comes from sources at the CBC.

http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php

Unicorn & Wasp Confidential

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Doctor+Who+Confidential+S04E07&search_type=