The Long Game (2707/107)

[GateWorld]

<DIV ALIGN=CENTER><TABLE WIDTH=450 BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=7><TR><TD STYLE="border:0;"><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"><A HREF="http://www.scifistream.com/doctor-who/s1/"><IMG SRC="http://www.scifistream.com/wp-content/uploads/107.jpg" WIDTH=160 HEIGHT=120 ALIGN=RIGHT HSPACE=10 VSPACE=2 BORDER=0 STYLE="border:1px solid #000;" ALT="Visit the Episode Guide"></A><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#888888">DOCTOR WHO SERIES 27</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=4><A HREF="http://www.scifistream.com/doctor-who/s1/" STYLE="text-decoration: none">THE LONG GAME</A></FONT>
<FONT SIZE=1>EPISODE NUMBER - 2707</FONT>
<IMG SRC="/images/clear.gif" WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=10 ALT="">
The Doctor and Rose show Adam the distant future -- Satellite 5, an orbital space station responsible for broadcasting all the world's news, and which is being controlled by a powerful alien creature.

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[Dallista]

Just something that caught my attention... Until a few days ago I'd only watched this episode once, maybe twice, back in July, as in my memory it was the least interesting of all 13 episodes. It aired last weekend on a Belgian network, and it was a lot more fun than I remembered. What really surprised me was Suki. I watched Bleak House on the BBC, but never realized that Anna Maxwell Martin, who played Esther, also played Suki in this episode. She looks unbelievably different!

[Metarock Sam]

hmm The Long Game. Good points ... Simon Pegg man thats a great Actor he rules and played the part of the Editor Perfectly. The Doctor Being ruthless in his protection of Time and Space through destroying Adams phone message and of course that weird bran thing was kinda cool. Jagrafess was great too.

Bad Points... Adam, Adam ,Adam man he was soooo annoying im glad they got rid of him straight away and still with the chip in his head which some people speculated that he could be Davros in some way through this.

Therefore I give this ep a rating of 7 out of 10 but if Adam wasnt in it id probably give it 9 or 10 out of 10.

[Ascended Times.2]

Aaah, I think you're bein' to harsh on the kid, I actually quite liked him :)

I'd give this a 9/10, very plot turning, good 'ol satellite 5, I just know we're gonna go back there again. ;)

[Metarock Sam]

I guess he reminded me too much of bad Turlough when he was under the influence of the Black Guardian. Man wasnt he soo whiny ???

[IMForeman]

Sadly, the Long Game is a bit of a downturn. Probably the weakest episode in many ways, but it does have it's good points. Simon Pegg is slick and menacing as the Editor. The episode's Teaser is awesome with the "He's your boyfriend" bit. Eccleston does some great stuff in this story as well. Watch when he sends Rose and Adam off to explore... his face goes from manic happy to dark and mysterious in a double-heartbeat. The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe is my favorite monster name ever.

But there's very little actual story to it. Little plot stretched over too much time, with a weak, facile ending. Makes this ep on the weak side.

7/10

[Flyboy]

This is the ONE episode that I will skip over when going on a full series marathon... a bit like Sg-1 Series one's "Emancipation". I really do not like it. For me the editor is great, but that's it. I didnt like the acting, setting or just anything about this ep to be honest. it's harsh, i know. But it's how i feel. I always find one ep in every show that I just cant stand...

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

Once Adam realized he had access to all that future tech, you could see the wheels turning.
Got the phone, got the implant, and started transmitting data as soon as he could.
And he was quite the manipulative one.

[ShadowMaat]

I liked Adam well enough in Dalek and was happy Rose invited him along, but Long Game made me hate, hate, HATE him. What a stupid, manipulative little weasel. I hope they DO cut open his head and perform hideous experiments on him.

I'll agree on it being kind of a "meh" ep. And now that I've seen it twice, I don't think I need to see it again. :P

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

I liked Adam well enough in Dalek and was happy Rose invited him along, but Long Game made me hate, hate, HATE him. What a stupid, manipulative little weasel. I hope they DO cut open his head and perform hideous experiments on him.I thought that made him more interesting. Then again, I liked Turlough (character from the old series...very devious).


I'll agree on it being kind of a "meh" ep. And now that I've seen it twice, I don't think I need to see it again. :PWell, most fans felt the same.

Never mind. The next three stories are excellent. :D

[Fatewarns]

I found it shocking, what Adam say, but I like the fact the Doctor did something so unexpected.

[Fatewarns]

Once Adam realized he had access to all that future tech, you could see the wheels turning.
Got the phone, got the implant, and started transmitting data as soon as he could.
And he was quite the manipulative one.

I think Adam saw an Opportunity and he took it. I'm not saying what he did was right, but come on don't say it wouldn't be attempting for us if we were in his shoes. Also I think Adam wants to change the world make it better and be famous for doing it.

[ShadowMaat]

I dunno. I guess what bugged me about that whole thing was the small-mindedness of it. Adam assumed his trip through time was only a temporary thing and that he'd eventually get home to collect that message- and get home within a time frame that it wouldn't be a nuisance to keep holding that message on the machine. Must be a case of different mentalities, 'cause if I got invited onto the TARDIS, I sure as hell wouldn't be planning my life for when I got home, I'd be more interested in what the next great adventure would be. There'd be time enough for reality later- AFTER all the fun. :P

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

I think Adam saw an Opportunity and he took it. I'm not saying what he did was right, but come on don't say it wouldn't be attempting for us if we were in his shoes. Also I think Adam wants to change the world make it better and be famous for doing it.Well, let's review what I said.


Once Adam realized he had access to all that future tech, you could see the wheels turning.
Got the phone, got the implant, and started transmitting data as soon as he could.
And he was quite the manipulative one.I'm looking for the part where I supposedly judged him and I don't see it
And I certainly don't see the part where I said "It wouldn't be tempting to do what he did."
Obviously, it was or he wouldn't have done it.

[creed462]

i don't ever remember a companion doing something, that endangered the Doctor more.

[ShadowMaat]

Just because it's never been done doesn't make it bad, and I dunno if I'd call Adam a Companion, he was more of a... guest. Rose invited him, not the Doctor. But me being me, I just wish Adam had a bit more development so that we could put what he did into better context. ;) And yeah, I know it's a bit silly, but I tend to be obnoxious about stuff like that. I just found it very... random. I suppose it wasn't, given the desperate, groveling nature of his character in Dalek, but the abject greed and selfishness kinda caught me offguard. I could buy a "kid in a candy store" mentality, but this was more like a kid who stuffs his pockets full of samples so he can take them back to his home lab and make his OWN candy. If that makes any sense. :P

Whatever. The ep is over, Adam is history in more ways than one, and there's a lot of fun coming up. :)

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

I dunno. I guess what bugged me about that whole thing was the small-mindedness of it. Adam assumed his trip through time was only a temporary thing and that he'd eventually get home to collect that message- and get home within a time frame that it wouldn't be a nuisance to keep holding that message on the machine. Must be a case of different mentalities, 'cause if I got invited onto the TARDIS, I sure as hell wouldn't be planning my life for when I got home, I'd be more interested in what the next great adventure would be. There'd be time enough for reality later- AFTER all the fun. I can see where you're coming from.

Personally, I'm the type of person who loves learning new things.
I would have just gotten the regular chip, sat down, and learned as much as I could.
No one with any level of intellectual curiousity would do any different.
No one remembered anything when using the more powerful chip, so that would have been useless for my purposes.

However, he was doing more than satisfying personal curiousity, he was planning to alter history for his personal benefit.

Some people just have an opportunistic streak.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

Just because it's never been done doesn't make it bad, and I dunno if I'd call Adam a Companion, he was more of a... guest. Rose invited him, not the Doctor. But me being me, I just wish Adam had a bit more development so that we could put what he did into better context. ;) And yeah, I know it's a bit silly, but I tend to be obnoxious about stuff like that. I just found it very... random. I suppose it wasn't, given the desperate, groveling nature of his character in Dalek, but the abject greed and selfishness kinda caught me offguard. I could buy a "kid in a candy store" mentality, but this was more like a kid who stuffs his pockets full of samples so he can take them back to his home lab and make his OWN candy. If that makes any sense. :PThe whole point of Adam was to show not everyone has what it takes to travel with the Doctor.

Adam was an intelligent and interesting character, but he was too opportunistic, too easily frightened, and ruined his chance to travel the universe.


Whatever. The ep is over, Adam is history in more ways than one, and there's a lot of fun coming up. :)IMO, the next three episodes are some of the best stories of the season.

[Thermonuclearboy]

The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe is my favorite monster name ever.

It's such a British Sci-Fi name, isn't it? Ranks right up there with the Jatravartids of Viltvoodle Six...

I found this episode...puzzling. So wait, human history wasn't progressing the way it was supposed to? Humanity was supposed to be in a different place, but the presence of this monster disrupted the course of development? How did...what...I don't...oh my head just exploded.

And are there two Billie Pipers? She just seems to look dramatically different from episode to episode. This episode she looked quite pretty. The Dalek episode...not so much. Maybe it was the lighting or something...

[creed462]

I think the time war has had many consequinces that have others to mess with the time line

[Fatewarns]

Well, let's review what I said.

I'm looking for the part where I supposedly judged him and I don't see it
And I certainly don't see the part where I said "It wouldn't be tempting to do what he did."
Obviously, it was or he wouldn't have done it.

sorry :( :( :(

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

I found this episode...puzzling. So wait, human history wasn't progressing the way it was supposed to? Humanity was supposed to be in a different place, but the presence of this monster disrupted the course of development? How did...what...I don't...oh my head just exploded.This is one of the mysteries that will be addressed later.


And are there two Billie Pipers? She just seems to look dramatically different from episode to episode. This episode she looked quite pretty. The Dalek episode...not so much. Maybe it was the lighting or something...Cosmetics, lighting, camera angles, camera lenses, etc.

All part of the illusion.

Remember, when we watch television, we're seeing the views through camera lense that are usually larger than our the lense of our eyes, each with different levels of distortion than our eye.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

sorry :( :( :(It was just a misunderstanding. No big deal.

I was just trying to head off a debate on something I didn't say.

[Seshat]

I can see where you're coming from.

Personally, I'm the type of person who loves learning new things.
I would have just gotten the regular chip, sat down, and learned as much as I could.
No one with any level of intellectual curiousity would do any different.
No one remembered anything when using the more powerful chip, so that would have been useless for my purposes.

However, he was doing more than satisfying personal curiousity, he was planning to alter history for his personal benefit.

Some people just have an opportunistic streak. I enjoyed watching Adam's little light go on and his attempted machinations. :D (Plus I really liked the scenes with The Nurse.) Didn't bother me that he was opportunistic, I liked that streak in him! Without that I think the ep would have been less interesting overall with just the "big monster in charge needs to be killed" storyline.


I thought that made him more interesting. Then again, I liked Turlough (character from the old series...very devious). Me, too. :o;)

[Easter Lily]

I thought that made him more interesting. Then again, I liked Turlough (character from the old series...very devious).
I think it highlights of the complexities of the human mind... that you could like a person one minute and detest him the next.

I liked Turlough too... it was interesting to have a companion whose motives one could never be entirely sure of.
But I think the Doctor knew pretty much early on what was going on.

I didn't mind The Long Game... it was very amusing to see the whole forehead popping thing even if it was creepy on some level.

[northstar_08030]

I couldn't fully watch the episode, because my niece was acting up again, drawing my attention away from the episode to do something with the Web. While, this is acceptable with an American show, it another story all together with an UK show.

Okay, the one thing that I notice was the Editor look a little like Ted Tunner.

[GhostPoet]

Loved this episode. :)

[ShadowMaat]

One thing that twigged for me when watching this ep again. The Editor talks about how he can topple governments and start revolutions and whatever with a few simple sentences. Which reminded me of Christmas Invasion...

The Doctor set up the downfall of "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister" with a few simple words.

It's probably just a coincidence, but it was still kinda interesting, IMO.

[creed462]

Words can be very powerful

[Metarock Sam]

The Editor is such a fantastic character plus he is played by one of my favourite british comedy actors Simon Pegg otherwise known as Shaun in the great comedy film Shaun of the Dead. He just plays the villian very well !!!

[creed462]

The Editor is such a fantastic character plus he is played by one of my favourite british comedy actors Simon Pegg otherwise known as Shaun in the great comedy film Shaun of the Dead. He just plays the villian very well !!!
He did look famillar.

[northstar_08030]

Okay, I rewatched the episode again, all by myself. I did noticed something, the writer of this episode used allegory in this episode, which was the effects that mass media has all over the world, and how powerful it is. Now, I don't mind allegory, personally I love it, but this time I have to make a expection. It felt like that his message was forced down my throat, something that I don't like. It seems to me that Davis, dosen't like mass media one bit.

This is another thing that I like about being an American and watching this show, that a good majority of the actors are uknowns to us, and so we are forced to judge them on their merit and not their name.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

Okay, I rewatched the episode again, all by myself. I did noticed something, the writer of this episode used allegory in this episode, which was the effects that mass media has all over the world, and how powerful it is. Now, I don't mind allegory, personally I love it, but this time I have to make a expection. It felt like that his message was forced down my throat, something that I don't like. It seems to me that Davis, dosen't like mass media one bit.Considering that 50% of "news" coverage in America are advertisements presented as news....

Considering that corporate news only reports news from the viewpoint, and within the interest, of big business....

Considering that mass media is actively used to manipulate people and convince them to accept their version of reality without question....

Considering that the current Administration was caught releasing fake news packets to the press in order to sway public opinion....

I think it was an important and timely message...a wake up call to viewers.

Most people have no idea how much our democracy has been hurt by the echo chamber of mass media, telling us how hopeless it is to fight for positive change.

Was it subtle? No, but then again the problem with American media is so dire and, like Kathica, many people have been conditioned to ignore the problem, so they wouldn't be able to comprehend the message otherwise.

[GhostPoet]

Okay, I rewatched the episode again, all by myself. I did noticed something, the writer of this episode used allegory in this episode, which was the effects that mass media has all over the world, and how powerful it is. Now, I don't mind allegory, personally I love it, but this time I have to make a expection. It felt like that his message was forced down my throat, something that I don't like. It seems to me that Davis, dosen't like mass media one bit.

This is another thing that I like about being an American and watching this show, that a good majority of the actors are uknowns to us, and so we are forced to judge them on their merit and not their name.


That could be why I loved the episode. I despise mass media and it's attempts to cram their way of thinking down peoples throats...manipulating the truth for a story.

Goes right along with corporate america.

[ShadowMaat]

Y'know, for all that a lot of people seemed to dislike Adam he's not as bad as the ep makes him seem. I'm listening to the ep commentary and originally he wasn't downloading info for his own greedy purposes, he was doing it because his father had some disease and he was looking for a cure. Maybe they were afraid that giving both Rose and Adam "daddy issues" was too much, but I kinda wish they'd kept it anyway because it makes him more sympathetic. Or I think so, anyway.

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

After seeing Dalek I didn't think any other episode of the series could beat it. I was right, and I still am.:)
This is a good episode and seeing that Simon Pegg is one of my favorite actors I had to give it a thumbs up, however I do think that he should have been put in a different episode and had a different role - just my opinion anyways.

I liked the humour - massive evil alien monster 'I call him max' :)

[Willow'sCat]

I am not sure if I ever commented on this ep first time around, as honestly I didn't really watch it... well it was on last night here in repeat and yeah, well I didn't really watch it *again* :S

I started to but really the guy... what's his name, held no interest. Even Rose seemed off in this one and well I think there was just too many characters in it.

I agree Simon Pegg is great, I loved him in Space and I can't really fault him here but by the 30 minute mark I was chatting with my bf and basically ignoring the episode.

Roll credits. Don't think I will ever see the end of this one. :S:P

Actually I did the same thing with Father's Day... weird, maybe I was just having a bad fortnight, 'cause as soon as Jack appeared in Empty Child I was right there watching and have not missed one ep since. :D

[rosey_angel]

I am not sure if I ever commented on this ep first time around, as honestly I didn't really watch it... well it was on last night here in repeat and yeah, well I didn't really watch it *again* :S

I started to but really the guy... what's his name, held no interest. Even Rose seemed off in this one and well I think there was just too many characters in it.


i agree, he wasn't a very interesting character. we was pretty bland and that scene in the food court made me wince.

i did like the angry doctor tho, and the scene at the end with all the finger clicking made me laugh.

[Coco Pops]

I just watched this episode again recently and I like the Adam character. I felt bad for him at the end, and that he got treated badly. Now to quote the Doctor from this episode.



Time travel is like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you
gotta throw yourself in.
Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double, and end up kissing complete strangers, or is that just me?


He never warned Rose or Adam not to buy the wrong things or do anything that might be wrong. Did he easdrop on the mobile phone because how did he know Adam had sent that message?

I don't blame Adam for doing what he did. He saw an open opportunity and took it.

And yet when Adam did that he didn't get any forgiveness or a second chance, or even an attempt to fix things. He just got shoved out the TARDIS and forgotten.....

The cynical part of me wonders had he been female blond and had boobs, would all have been forgiven.

[gateship15]

i agree the doctor is not as forgiving but i understand his point of view. he wants companions who are useful like rose Donna and Marther and won't cause trouble. i do how ever understand that the doctor did not give him a chance and the doctor never wanted him to be in the tardis he only allowed it because rose insisted on it. as for the ears dropping he just didn't want information about the future getting out and changing the future since it was now set in stone.

[Coco Pops]

i agree the doctor is not as forgiving but i understand his point of view. he wants companions who are useful like rose Donna and Marther and won't cause trouble. i do how ever understand that the doctor did not give him a chance and the doctor never wanted him to be in the tardis he only allowed it because rose insisted on it. as for the ears dropping he just didn't want information about the future getting out and changing the future since it was now set in stone.


But we never got an idea of how the Doctor knew what Adam had done with the phone. There's just no way he can be everywhere and know what he has done, unless he had some way of tapping into the mobile phone.

[gateship15]

it was the doctor who enhanced it so who knows he may have put a way to tap the phone. but that just says he doesn't trust rose since it was her phone

[mi_guard]

I had to go and check the credits to know who was playing the Editor. I knew he was familiar to me but I just did not recognize Simon Pegg :o

[Coco Pops]

it was the doctor who enhanced it so who knows he may have put a way to tap the phone. but that just says he doesn't trust rose since it was her phone

Tha's a point.... Not very trusting hehe.

[iJOKE]

Bad Points... Adam, Adam ,Adam man he was soooo annoying im glad they got rid of him straight away and still with the chip in his head which some people speculated that he could be Davros in some way through this.

Therefore I give this ep a rating of 7 out of 10 but if Adam wasnt in it id probably give it 9 or 10 out of 10.

I agree. At first i thought Adam would ruin things... but it was even worse. He was so selfish. So childish.. so human.. I was relieved they got rid of him at the end.

[Coco Pops]

I agree. At first i thought Adam would ruin things... but it was even worse. He was so selfish. So childish.. so human.. I was relieved they got rid of him at the end.

OMG that's a freaking cool idea......Adam became Davros ......But how did hte travel backwards in time to create the first Daleks?

[maneth]

:lol: I enjoyed Adam in this one. He frustrated me, for sure, but he was the most human character of them all.