The Beast Below (3102/502)

[Alan]

I don't really believe that Doctor Who presents any type of future. It's hard to get a real idea of what the future is when 9th talks about the "fourth great and bountiful human empire" in episode two, but 10 episodes later he returns and it's a nightmare of deadly game shows and a Dalek fleet in orbit of the planet.

10th visits New Earth and it's shown to be a great place even if the Nurses are evil, yet a season later the entire planet is dead except for those the Face of Boe saved. Deadly virus and giant crabs.

Doctor Who tells us about how great humanity can be, but we never see it. It's hard to see the good future he talks about because when we get the chance to see it, it's different and there is something there that would end up killing everyone. If anything, the future shown in Doctor Who to me is the fact that no matter how much humanity tries to be better, no matter what greats things we do, someone will screw it up and it takes the Doctor to stop it.

This is what I mean...mankind has it's ups and downs and even more so once it starts to go out into space. In Doctor Who there's different classes' of people seen. The Earth being hit by solar flares really pushes that forward by having a certain group of humans take refuge on Space Station Nerva, another group head out into space in ships like Starship UK, and other people taking their chances in shelters, whilst other humans living on colonies on other worlds pulled together and formed the Earth Empire.

As for the "fourth great and bountiful human empire" of the year 200,000 mentioned in The Long Game...well thanks to Dalek interference it doesn't really develop. Mankind is held back by 90-years at that point and even after defeating the Dalek agent, the Jagrafess, it still stays that way for 100-years until the Doctor discovers the real heart of the interference is the Daleks and Bad Wolf wipes them out. Presumably from that point onwards mankind's history did get back on track but it's still 190-years worth of catching up it needs to do...but at least the Doctor has shown them the way forwards. Afterwards it's what humans do with that "forwards" which is in their hands...for better or worse.

[P-90_177]

I don't really believe that Doctor Who presents any type of future. It's hard to get a real idea of what the future is when 9th talks about the "fourth great and bountiful human empire" in episode two, but 10 episodes later he returns and it's a nightmare of deadly game shows and a Dalek fleet in orbit of the planet.

10th visits New Earth and it's shown to be a great place even if the Nurses are evil, yet a season later the entire planet is dead except for those the Face of Boe saved. Deadly virus and giant crabs.

Doctor Who tells us about how great humanity can be, but we never see it. It's hard to see the good future he talks about because when we get the chance to see it, it's different and there is something there that would end up killing everyone. If anything, the future shown in Doctor Who to me is the fact that no matter how much humanity tries to be better, no matter what greats things we do, someone will screw it up and it takes the Doctor to stop it.

Of course we see it. The point is that just like in the real world, even though bad things happen and sometimes everything is screwed up people still strive for more. They carry on and live their lives. Sometimes these lives are simple, sometimes they can be selfish and backwards and mean, but most of the time they can also be made to better themselves and adapt to survive whatever problems come along. That at the end of the day is what The Doctor does too. Only he has the benefit of regeneration whereas humans don't which makes them even more amazing. At least to him.

[Reefgirl]

Did anyone else spot the Star Wars references, forgive me if this has been pointed out before but I've only just got back online.

Liz 10's "Help us Doctor, you're our only hope" a la Princess Leia, complete with hooded robe

Doctor and Amy falling into the Whale's mouth a la Luke, Leia, Chewie and Han and the crushing garbage can

The teeth of the Whale a la Millenium Falcon in TESB

Other than that, it was interesting but forgetable. Obviously that tear is going to be this year's Bad Wolf

[Blencathra]

Obviously that tear is going to be this year's Bad Wolf

And what about Zero. So far we've had Prisoner Zero and in this one Timmy got Zero for his school work.

[Sealurk]

I know we're only three eps in right now, but TBB is my favourite so far, largely because of the acting and dialogue.

Two things occurred to me upon rewatching it (for the third or fourth time, I forget which):

1. What's the one thing you probably don't want to be doing when a tidal wave of vomit is surging your way? Facing it with your mouth open (shouting Geronimo or screaming at the thought of the lifelong therapy and dry cleaning bill) would probably be pretty high on my list...(yes, I know they probably closed their mouths very quickly as it got nearer, but would you really want to risk it?!)
2. Was it just me, or did the little girl reading the poem in the lift at the very start have an incredibly grating voice?

[badwolfSG]

Like some other guys pointed out, the episode had too many goofs. The one that I disliked most was the one were both Amelia and the doctor were suddenly clean and had clean clothes after they had been on the tongue of the whale. When and where did they clean up and got their clothes cleaned?

Yeah, I noticed that too.

[gateship15]

this is a great episode i liked how once again the companion saves the doctor from doing something stupid. it will take awhile but the second episode this episode has started me on the way to liking matt as the doctor and amy pond as a companion

[Col.Foley]

It was a pretty good episode, I enjoyed it. Not quite as good as last weeks.....close....but The Eleventh Hour was so far more actiony.

I am really enjoying both the Doctor and Amy, and their interactions, but especially Amy. though I thought it was a little careless of him that he sent her on her own their first time out. Amy has some great expressions facial and otherwise.

Great bit of morality here and very good of Steven to do that like that. But that part of it boils dcown to when Donna said "Sometimes I think you need someone to stop you". The Doctor just gets so sold on his own little world, his little plans and his solution that he cannot see others. And besides she was looking at him and was seperated and saw things about himself that perhaps he can't see for himself. That let her come up with the proper solution to the problem, and it was nice that a companion was able to do that, I liked the monster. And I definatly think the crack will be the key .

Best Lines: I am the bloody Queen Mate, in other words, I rule.

"You know what I said about getting back for tommorow morning? Havee you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just because you could?"

"Once...a long time ago."

"What happened"

"Hello".

Just the way he said that

I liked the little references to End of Time in this ep

[gateship15]

i agree. those are my fave lines to.

[TonyMiller]

First Doctor Who episode I've seen since the 4th Doctor went off the air in the US. I used this episode to introduce my wife to the joy that is Doctor Who. She's now hooked. We had to "find a way" to see the 11th Doctor's first episode and spent Friday night along with a good bit of Saturday streaming 9th Doctor episodes via NetFlix.

[gateship15]

very very very good episode

[Spimman]

I love these kind of future episodes that still deal with Earth based stuff. The episode was in London, but in the future in space. Still loving the new doctor and Amy Pond!

[gateship15]

they work well together both as actors and as characters

[Gemstone456]

hey, did anyone notice an important maybe-comeback in this episode? Remember in the first series of David tennant, in the Idionts Lantern? Well, when amy found the tentacle things of the starwhale that came up throgh the ship, there was a sign above that striped tent that said MAGPIE ELECTRRICALS. What do people say about that huh,huh! Master of perception. Thankyou, thankyou!

[gateship15]

well said