Tooth And Claw (2802/202)

[mentalmichael]

Great ep as usual, with reservations.
1. Not only were the orange monk guys rather out of place in scotland, but the attack scene at the start was just badly done.
2. The Torchwood thing was a bit OTT, but I still want to see the show!
3. I thought the actress who played the Queen was good, but she was so clearly imitating Judy Dench....just wish they could've got her to do it because that would've been fantastic!

[Matt G]

Had a big dinner last night and didn't get this taped - just caught it on Beeb 3 this evening.

Hmmm...

1. Don't do the werewolf scene that much but this was decent on that front.

2. "Ah...1879 not 1979".

3. Tennant-Doctor is coming accross as a 'very' smart Doctor.

4. The biggest question about Torchwood becomes 'how much are they heros and how much anti-heros? RTD has also created a plothole - how could previous incanations of the Doctor have avoided Torchwood if it was set up by Queen Victoria - he's visted 20th century Earth enough times?

Overall v.cool. Whacks the last time the Doctor did horror in Victoriana(The Unquiet Dead) and also toasts New Earth.

[Easter Lily]

Wow... that was intense... riveting stuff. Much better than New Earth... hung together a lot better.
I'm a great sucker for Victoriana and Dr Who has a great tradition of Victorian stories... Talons of Weng Chi'ang, Ghostlight, The Unquiet Dead... and this one was no different. There must something about Victorian Britian that lends itself to this kind of atmospheric, almost eerie stories.

Someone in the production team must be in love with The Matrix... otherwise why the anachronistic, bullet time, pole wielding monks. I love my martial arts but this seems rather odd even for Dr Who. A couple of possible explanations for this odd inclusion:
a) Is there an underlying suggestion that the wolf motif is of an eastern origin or has ties with eastern myths?
b) Have the monks been superpowered by the wolf entity... and we'll see some follow up of this later?

The Torchwood references have been fun... just the thing for the mystery monger. I really didn't mind being given the full treatment... it belongs to the story and I'm sure that there's a lot more that can be done with it on a future occasion.
Hmmm... I thought we were done with Bad Wolf but it doesn't seem to be the case. Why not? Keep the mystery going... I'm all for it.

Can't wait for next week's episode... Woot... Sarah Jane... K9...

[ShadowMaat]

I still hope we get to see some place OTHER than (New) Earth and the Satellite of Love.

I also hope the echoes from last season will wear off soon (from the far future to the Victorian times to "present" day).

And wooo! K9!! I can't wait!

[Easter Lily]

I still hope we get to see some place OTHER than (New) Earth and the Satellite of Love.

I also hope the echoes from last season will wear off soon (from the far future to the Victorian times to "present" day).

And wooo! K9!! I can't wait!

I've always thought that Dr Who earth episodes are much better done than non-earth ones.

But who knows... Beebs seem to have more money to throw around these days... we may get alien planets that actually look interesting.

[Darkseid]

Just caught the episode. I must say I didn't mind the whole Matrix kung-fu guys. I thought it set the mood quite nicely. Tennent is proceeding just perfectly (how old is this guy? He looks to be 25!!) I must admit, those glasses are growing on me.

Also nice to see he changed his shirt from last week. One of my pet peeves have always been Doctors who never change their clothes (Davison, C. Baker). WOuldn't you think that they would start to smell after a while?)

The Wolf was fun. The Torchwood stuff made me feel like I was getting beaten over the head with it. I think it should be a little subtle, like the 10:13 in X-Files. Maybe I am just sensitive sbout it. Hoping it's a good show (oh, like I won't watch it! I'd watch K-9 and company if it was made into a series!)

All and all a good episode. Whoever brought up the paradoz of Torchwood/previous Doctors is right. I don't see how the Pertwee Doc, who spent years standad on Earth, didn't run into Torchwood while working for UNIT.

[Happy_Gate]

All and all a good episode. Whoever brought up the paradoz of Torchwood/previous Doctors is right. I don't see how the Pertwee Doc, who spent years standad on Earth, didn't run into Torchwood while working for UNIT.

Well, maybe leaving Cpt. Jack on the GameStation somehow affected the timeline. Maybe that's what the spinoff will show.
Or perhaps the after-effects from the timewar shifted history somewhat.

Anyways, I quite enjoyed this episode. The chemistry between Rose and the Doctor is reall good. Especially liked the whole "I am not amused" bet bit.
Also agreed with everyone who didn't appreciate having torchwood so obviously pointed out. But I guess it was the only way RTD could get in the "If this doctor should return, he should beware because Torchwood will be waiting" warning into the story.

[Darkseid]

Well, maybe leaving Cpt. Jack on the GameStation somehow affected the timeline. Maybe that's what the spinoff will show.
Or perhaps the after-effects from the timewar shifted history somewhat.

Good call, I didn't think about that......

guess we'll have to wait and see.....

[Jonzey]

All and all a good episode. Whoever brought up the paradoz of Torchwood/previous Doctors is right. I don't see how the Pertwee Doc, who spent years standad on Earth, didn't run into Torchwood while working for UNIT.

Well I don't see how they would have been able to get to him before now- they don't know he can change his appearance. I'd say it's just Tennant's doctor who will have problems with them (unless they find out what he can do).

[Reefgirl]

I've finally got to watch it after 2 abortive attempts (Dodgy VCR and a TV with no sound)

WHY!!! is the biggest question I have about the Monks, and why didn't Rose and the Doctor say anything about Grasshopper (Showing my age now)

Apart from that, brilliant, the best one yet, really creepy, never mind the daughter getting behind the sofa, I almost beat her too it, the CGI was used really well and not over done. Well Torchwood isn't going to be this years Bad Wolf is it, not the way it marched through the ep with hobnailed boots on. And since when were Werewolves allergic, afraid of whatever of Mistletoe.

The only things I thought was weird was, why did Victoria hold a crucifix, it's a Werewolf not a Vampire, and why was there no silver in a Noble's house?

[TheWarrior]

Last week's werewolf wonder, Tooth and Claw, peaked at an amazing 9.3 million viewers.

[yaaayoubetcha]

I'll echo the sentiment....kung fu monks?

I had Ian Drury and Carl Douglas clashing in my head the whole ep!

I liked the Queen's Torchwood speech. As a big ol exposatory monologue, I thought it was great and a great nailing down of the origin/hint at agenda of the Institute.

Not quite sinister, but certainly a great way to show the roots of the opposition to the Doctor. Wonder if the new show is going make an attempt to explain away how they did nothing in the previous 30 yrs of the Doctor's involvement with Earth.

I know...i know...Torchwood didn't exist in the 60s/70/80s because DT didn't get to see the Queen until the 06s.

[Jonzey]

And since when were Werewolves allergic, afraid of whatever of Mistletoe.

Didn't he say the monks trained it to believe it was allergic, so they could control it better?

The only things I thought was weird was, why did Victoria hold a crucifix, it's a Werewolf not a Vampire, and why was there no silver in a Noble's house?

I doubt queen Vic knew of the best way to stop a werewolf, but was rather holding the crucifix for spiritual support.

[Reefgirl]

Didn't he say the monks trained it to believe it was allergic, so they could control it better?

I doubt queen Vic knew of the best way to stop a werewolf, but was rather holding the crucifix for spiritual support.

True I suppose

[Nuallain]

I think all the Torchwood speach was missing was Queen Vic saying "Catch it in the autumn on BBC3"

But it's not really about the spin off, but this series of DW. After all,

Spoiler:

Torchwood are this season's big bads

.