While I won’t yet write-up my overall view of ‘Turn Left’ (because I still have a lot of catching up to do), I enjoyed the nod at continuity when the Doctor referred to the beetle as one of the Trickster’s lot. The Trickster was the excellent villain from the ‘Sarah Jane Adventures’ episode ‘Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?’ – and given the return of the Sonic Lipstick wielding journalist in the next two episodes, this made for a great touch.
In respect of the next two episodes, I can only imagine a hoard of fans will probably be truly spent for the Summer – exhausted with the exertion of almost two hours of copious fan-w**king. The Doctor, Donna, Martha, Rose, Captain Jack, Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Sarah Jane, Luke, the Daleks and Dave… it beggars belief. On top of that, I could have sworn one of the Daleks in the trailer (the red one) looked like the style faced by the alternate first Doctor in the cinematic movies in which Bernard Cribbins played a part… another superlative fan pleaser if it’s true.
I’m caught between loving and loathing this latest episode. Love & Loathing hardly features the Doctor and Rose at all… but, at the same time this didn’t really detract from the story. I have the general feeling for the season – how The Doctor impacts on those around him… whether they come into contact with him for a moment or years. He changes everything around him… he changes lives; he changes events; he changes people’s perceptions. From old compansion like Sarah Jane; to Mikey and his sense of loss for his grandmother; to Elton and his half-forgotten meeting with the Timelord. The Doctor makes a difference… but, as noted in this episode, it might be good or bad. Or somewhere inbetween.
I think my biggest problem lay with the Abzorbaloff. I appreciate it was created from a winning competition entry on Blue Peter… I like the involvement of the viewing public. Just… well, somehow… it didn’t quite work. Too much like the Slitheen, perhaps (yes… I know he was supposed to be… being from the twin planet of Raxacoricofallapatorian… caled… um… Klom). Big, green, obnoxious. And I hate Peter Kay. I just don’t find him funny.
Nope… still not working for me. Sorry. I can thoroughly recommend that you get a hold of a copy of Big Finish‘s excellent Spare Parts. The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa find themselves on a world living in fear of a police state, where people scrape a meagre living and a dark traders making worryingly good business in second-hand body parts. Its make for far more harrowing and entertaining viewing that Age of Steel, which somehow seemed robbed of any real substance. The Doctor’s discovery of the Cybermen’s weakness makes me long for the return of a little gold dust and a poorly protected chest vent.
I’ve noticed a range of comments across the electronic ether (called the Internet) about ‘disliking the sudden telepathy’ The Doctor exhibited in The Girl in the Fireplace. Maybe I’m wrong, but the Time Lords have been telepathic, in a limited fashion, for a long while. I’m sure of it. Heck, they can build telepathy into a machine (i.e. the TARDIS). So – no sudden telepathy here people… move along. Nothing to see here. I’m sure I’ll post again later when I find solid evidence of The Doctor’s telepathy in past incarnations.
I don’t recall reading anyone moaning about him having a wallet with a piece of psychic paper in it…
