Not bad, but not great either. I am really liking Donna's character after loathing her in the Christmas special a few years back. Nice to see the Ood again, but which is less likely to evolve- a slave race or an organism with its brains on the outside of its body? Still, it felt like old school Who- interesting and fun but a bit throwaway at the same time. Next week looks interesting, however...

Word to the underwhelming part. Then again, the Ood were never very interesting in the first place.

I upchucked a bit when the evilguy-turned-Ood vomited out his brain.

If a corrupt business man could rip his own face off in every episode I'd be happy.

The Ood said that the "Doctor Donna" song would end soon. They treated the Doctor and Donna as one being, which makes sense coming from a hive mind such as themselves.

So, they might not have meant that The Doctors song was nearing an end, but the song of The Doctor and Donna.

At least that's how I took it.

Remember, too, that this was the "Second Great and Bountiful" human empire - we know it's bound to fall at some point, since we've seen the 4th (and did we see a fifth, I don't remember) Great and Bountiful etc. Perhaps this, right here, is what caused it to collapse. I'd like to think so, that the fall out from saving the Ood was the collapse of the empire.

Also, they brought up the missing bees again. Hmmm?

The Giant Space Brain? How did *that* evolve? I can almost - almost - accept a race that evolve an external secondary brain. It almost makes a bit of sense that the ones who "loose" it would go rogue, become a more aggressive strain of Ood that would protect the "weaker" ones with the intact secondary brain. But the Giant Space Brain that tie them all together?

No. Just, no.

One last thing - I've been waiting all day for your recap of this episode. Something I look forward to weekly.

And I've been waiting all day to ask...if we determined that a group of zombie strippers are a "passel", then what's a group of Ood? Oodles?

@bitgod: An Odd of Ood?

@bitgod: Hot.

I mean, have you seen those tentacles? ;)

Cant say I'm too likely to watch this one again, but it was an enjoyable hour of my life. I think my favorite part is where the Doctor tries to explain how the last time he met the Ood he was busy fighting the Devil.

@Dunny0: Wow thanks! I'm really glad you like it... I'll try and get them done earlier next time.

Oodles of Ood, shurely?

@Dunny0: Same here... I was waiting for this all day. I need to get out more...

Er, psychic paper never gets old.

And this was the first time in the new series where the humans were the bad guys, knowingly and officially. Quite a nice move.

And I like the "I want to go home" line. It at the very least differentiates Donna...

Though Martha next week! yay!

See, I noticed over the weekend, that while the doctor yelled at Rose for being an idiot from time to time, and yells at Donna a lot of the time, he never yelled at Martha for being stupid or small-minded.

If you can't tell, I like Martha, esp Martha post Year that never happened.

IIRC, the Tardis is semi-sentient so setting the controls to "random" would be similar to dropping the reins of a horse. You may not know where it is going but it is unlikely that it will walk off a cliff.

@Aethyr: agreed

I never get tired of the psychic paper either, and especially like it when they find out someone saw right through it.

I liked the 'I want to go home' line because it's the most common response for us to look the other way, run away, or deny atrocious behavior.

You forgot to mention the rehash of the "Why did you say Miss do I look single to you?" line.

I also found the explanation of the evolution of the Ood shaky as well as the conversion of the evil businessman into one of them. I liked the idea but it offers no explantion as to how they breed or what kind of society they would have had if left alone.

I wouldn't say I was underwhelmed. The story could have been a bit tighter, but that's what I expect from the show.

The whole warehouse chase and scene seemed to be crafted to fill space just so you could see there were oodles of Ood in shipping containers ready to overwhelm the employees. And did anyone else think the security force was a bit large and overarmed for a corporation?

I think it contained the right balance of darkness and fantasy that makes me watch Doctor Who each week.

There have been many one episode stories of New Who where I felt the ending was rushed, but this honestly, didn't feel like one of them. I mean, sure, the lowering of the circle was expedient to ending the episode, but it was also SET UP by the story and not JUST "The Hand of God". As single episode stories go, so far, this season, not a one has seemed rushed to conclusion in a way that didn't play fair from its setup.

[www.dunny0.net]
We all forgot to grouse about the "Random Explosion" scene. It felt rather... Gratuitous.

@nospamsam: Yeah, she is. I've always thought that was part of the reason why it's temperamental - the TARDIS goes where it thinks the Doctor can do the most good when left to it's own devices. Or even when it's not.

@Charlie Jane Anders: You darn well better... Or I'll demand a refund! ;)

@IntoAshes: Now I don't feel so bad.

@aspiringexpatriate: He never yelled at Martha because he just didn't care. :p
Actually, now that you mention it... Did Martha ever do anything particularly stupid?

@psych0fred:
Yep, that pretty much sums up my feelings on this one, too.

I like the parts of this episode better than the whole, but it was a fun hour.

I love the Doctor/Donna relationship--the actors clearly enjoy working together which works well for their "mate" relationship onscreen.

And it was good to see Lord Percy ;)

I'm pretty much in agreement with that review. I thought the concepts were fascinating but I wish they'd gone further with them. My own speculation: Without the Ood as slaves, the Great and Bountiful Human Empire collapses into anarchy and ruin.

I second that the evil guy transformation scene made me puke (just a little). But seriously, that was one of the most disturbing things I've seen in the new Who. I mean this is supposed to be a family show. RTD has said that he won't show a human shooting another human, but puking tentacles... Okay!

@Dunny0: @IntoAshes: And me too. I think I like the recaps and discussion here because it's much more manageable than the Doctor Who Forum (and I don't have to start out already ten hours behind!)

So who exactly decided that The Nth Great & Bountiful Human Empire was a proper name for humanity? Sounds like something an evil overlord would establish, you know? And... what's the *first* great and bountiful human empire? I sure hope it ain't now...

@nospamsam: Agreed. I think it has been pretty well established that the Doctor's travels are anything but 'random' and that he goes where he is needed to sort things out. Now whether the Tardis is driving that train--since it is clear that it is in some way, shape or form 'sentient'--or there is something else at work, there is nothing random about about where he ends up.

I thought the Fires of Pompeii did a really nice job of explaining that the Doctor/Timelords see things as either in flux or fixed and it is their job to keep things in line.

All in all, really enjoying this season much more than I thought I would when I found out Donna was coming back. Maybe it's that they're 'mates' and not some sort of unrequited love thing, but I am really enjoying it.

@Lizzie24601: Doctor Who Forum scares me. It's a great read, but I feel somewhat intimidated posting there.

Great and Bountiful sounds almost happy, I thought. Although that *could* be propaganda.

I'm wondering if the First G&BHE came after the first Dalek invasion of Earth... Which probably didn't happen after the Time War.

I still want to know how that Giant Brain came to being. I honestly thought that, somehow, the Devil was being kept in that warehouse. Like he'd been pulled out of the blackhole...

@aspiringexpatriate: And I agree with every point in your post. I love the psychic paper.

Also, I don't really understand why everyone complains about the sonic screwdriver. Would you really rather we had to watch the Doctor find new and interesting ways to escape from a locked room? I'm perfectly happy to let him solve all sorts of problems with a quick buzzing sound so that we can keep the focus on the actual story and not on the door-unlocking, phone-reception-getting, barbed-wire-reattaching issues.

@Dunny0: First Dalek invasion of Earth? Is that something from the original series or am I being stupid?

And no silly, the devil is buried in Cardiff now. Or something. He had a deadly shadow that was much less cool than that guy on the X-Files that one time whose shadow made people spontaneously combust. Though I'd kinda like to see Captain Jack wake up from spontaneous combustion...

I thought it was interesting that they showed an episode about release from slavery right as Passover, a holiday all about freedom from slavery, was starting.

@Lizzie24601: That was a different devil... ;)

Oh, and Sonic Screwdrivers FTW! I'm not ashamed to admit that I picked up my own, although it doesn't seem to work quite as well. I look at it as just something to keep the plot moving along. Yes, it'd be nice if he would knock something together once in a while (Timey Wimey Detector) but I'm okay with his magic wand.

And, yeah. In the original series (First Doctor) the Daleks invaded earth to enslave humanity, mine it for minerals and then install a giant engine at the core to make it a super weapon, Death Star style. The Doctor stopped them before they could install the engine, but still.

Maybe that's what's happening with the missing planets this season: Dalek Cann doing some DIY planet remodeling?

@Dunny0: Well, she did tell Professor Yana about the fogwatch.

And.. that is the only time he ever snapped at her.

Nice.

@aspiringexpatriate: You know, I think you're right. Still, if she hadn't told Yana about the fob-watch, the Doctor would still be alone.

Cause we all know The Master ain't dead.

What's ironic about this episode, is that despite being hailed as a hero by the Ood at episode's end, the Doctor and Donna actually don't do much of anything the entire episode. The Ood actually end up saving them several times. I think, in fact, the only thing the Doctor does that the Ood couldn't was open a door with the old sonic screwdriver (he then switches off some bombs and turns off a force-field, but the Ood standing next to him were also perfectly capable of doing so).
The Ood and sympathetic humans had been working towards liberation well before the Doctor blundered in- he wasn't much more than a spectator!

I liked the episode and learning more about the Ood, but the big brain and the relation to the Ood made me think it was just ripping off D&Ds illithids and (and Ravenloft's elder brain) a bit too much....of course that is just D&D ripping Lovecraft...so I guess the cycle never stops :P

I am not really liking Donna near as much as Rose or Martha...but since both seems to making appearances this season, I am content :)

So yeah, the Ood walk around with a brain in their hands, on a planet that's frickin freezing...now that's what I call Brain Freeze!

I'm trying to figure out if there's a theme going on here, other than the continuous mention of the Shadow Proclamation, this is the 2nd episode in a row that is ends with a a "Doctor saved everyone (even if the Ood did 95% of the work)" feeling and a 2nd reference to remembering the Doctor (Doctor and Donna being remembered as house gods, then the line about being remembered in this episode). May just be a coinky-dink, shrug

At the end... the next episode teaser with Martha... were those soldiers from... UNIT?!

I got goosebumps from seeing that. :D

Yeah, the whole brain in their hands part is a really silly, and poorly thought out bit. At least the translator balls had pocket clips on them, brains, not so much.

And how are the servant/slaves supposed to convince their masters/owners to pay to ship them back to the planet of the Ood???

Just another thought on the psychic paper thing. It is only getting old if you think that the Doctor's presence being constantly questioned is inherently more interesting then the ability to insinuate himself where the action is. Not that there aren't great ways to write either direction, but if that is honestly holding back your writers, you need new ones.

In the same way, the sonic screwdriver is only a poor plot device if you think that a locked door is inherently more interesting than whatever is behind it. Sure, you can write really interesting locked door situations, but at the same time it is hardly a missing ingredient for a great series.

@JennaW: Lord Percy RULES, even as a balding businessman. :)

Spot on review. Not a terrible episode, by any means, but not as good as Fires'.

@Skeptic: Well, they could begin with threatening their owners with "death by translator ball"...

@nospamsam: There is an intriguing theory among fandom that the TARDIS is actually the protagonist of this series, since it decides where to go and seems to always land the Doctor near situations that need fixing, or people who might make likely companions. What if everything we see is the product of the TARDIS's telepathic collection field (because the TARDIS was originally a research vessel, after all)?

I thought there was a lot to like about this episode, but the brains-in-hands thing was just silly. To do this story properly, they needed two episodes. Still, it was very far from bad, and too much fun to be called mediocre.

I love Donna as a companion. She stands up to the doctor - and doesn't mind when he yells at her. I think its the maturity factor. Donna was kind of an imbecile in the x-mas special, but she grew up, she's learning, and she's mature enough to not mind questioning everything the doctor says/does. That's great for him.

Martha actually summed up her biggest flaw as a companion (IMO)at the end of the last season - when she said she spent so much time thinking she was second best to the doctor. She was a brilliant capable woman and needed some damn confidence! Which she now has. I loved her in Torchwood. I hope they keep that facet of her front and center when she comes back to Doctor Who.

seriously though, average storyline aside. he does just get hotter. can't wait til he actually hits 40.

and I love Donna.

I like that in the last two episodes The Doctor and Donna have been deified to some extent. I am hoping this continues as a theme and something big comes of it.

@ElijahDProphet: Well, if something big comes out of it, then I guess that'll be good. As just generic messianic imagery, though, it's getting on my nerves.

But hopefully, Russell "aThiest" Davies has something interesting up his sleeve.

Yes to almost everything above, but will add the Easter Egg that is Donna being referred to as "Ginger" which the actress has referenced on her (comedy?) show.

+ Watch video

Just chiming in with general agreement re: the episode, and how this is a column I, too, eagerly anticipate for days every week :-)

"Anyway, I thought the Doctor's point about slaves making Donna's clothes was actually pretty valid. Who does she think made all the lovely cheap clothes she wears?"

I took that point as a comment on our obsession here in the UK with Primark d

For my money there was very little tension in the plot.

The "bad guys" were extremely bad, they were after-all enslaving an entire alien race.

No grey area or room for interpretation.

And of course it didn't help that the Ood themselves were as boring as all get out.

Did it strike anyone else had remarkably non-advanced this "Great and Bountiful Human Empire" actually is? Thrown in a few spaceships (and of course an enslaved alien race) and it differs little from the 21st century.

No evidence of AI, no "droids", no genetic modification.

Why even place the storyline in the Fifth Millennium at all.

@I'm Waitin' for Dolemite: Not really getting this show, I'm thinking...? No offense, but this IS Doctor Who, after all...

"Anyway, I thought the Doctor's point about slaves making Donna's clothes was actually pretty valid. Who does she think made all the lovely cheap clothes she wears?"

It was actually no point at all. Sweatshops (which are the only thing he could possibly be referring to) are far from slavery. Slavery is something that hinders the progress of a nation, sweatshops advance progress. Every country in the world that is worth anything these days has gone through a period where they had sweatshops, and because of it was able to earn enough money and industry as a nation to become wealthy in a relative sense.

If all sweatshops were abolished today, we would be removing the only income for millions of people in the world. It's a low amount compared to what we make, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't get it. They aren't able to replace sweatshops with anything yet, and they won't be able to unless you let them have their sweatshops now.

@Wupideedoo: actually that makes no sense at all. Slavery has been used to advance the progress of nations (roman, british, american come to mind) as a source of labour, where as sweatshops dont progress a nation at all, the majority of the profits go to the coporations which are pretty much western, the sweat shop workers make very little money which is why the western corporations use them.

yes if all sweatshops were abolished then we'd be removing income from millions, but if sweatshops were unionised or had better representation then they could be making much better income, and the only loss of money would be made by corporations.

oh and sorry to double post >.<, but this episode gave me an idea for a future episode for Dr. who. surely the ood weren't just found to be easily conquered idiots, who else could the human empire have conquered, maybe the doctor could get involved in a conflict with an agressive speicies only to find it's his beloved humans?