Gridlock (2903/303)

[The Signal]

Definately the weakest of the three episodes in this season so far, and yet, it had the three best scenes in there as well. The Doctor lying about Gallifrey and the Time Lords, the Face of Bo's last moments, and The Doctor finally talking about what happened. The main plot didn't grab me quite so much, though the writing, acting and directing were great, can't argue with that, but the story, not so much.

I'm loving Martha more and more every week, they've done no wrong with her so far Freema is doing a great job. The Macra, I thought they'd be the long rumoured "Troughton era monster" to appear this year, but wasn't expecting them to be around until much later in the year.

As for David's performance in this episode, there's nothing to really say, all I can say is I was genuinely choked up with his performance in the opening and closing scenes in this one. Amazing.

Were it not for the story not clicking with me, this'd be a 10, but as it stands, it's a 7

[Alipeeps]

Definately the weakest of the three episodes in this season so far, and yet, it had the three best scenes in there as well. The Doctor lying about Gallifrey and the Time Lords, the Face of Bo's last moments, and The Doctor finally talking about what happened. The main plot didn't grab me quite so much, though the writing, acting and directing were great, can't argue with that, but the story, not so much.

I'm loving Martha more and more every week, they've done no wrong with her so far Freema is doing a great job. The Macra, I thought they'd be the long rumoured "Troughton era monster" to appear this year, but wasn't expecting them to be around until much later in the year.

As for David's performance in this episode, there's nothing to really say, all I can say is I was genuinely choked up with his performance in the opening and closing scenes in this one. Amazing.

Were it not for the story not clicking with me, this'd be a 10, but as it stands, it's a 7

My opinion exactly but much better expressed than I managed! Definitely the weakest ep in terms of the overall plot but with some fantastic scenes. David's face and body language were amazing in the scene where he lied about Gallifrey.. knowing the truth as we do, it was painful to watch.

Awesome.

[Reefgirl]

I loved this ep, weak on plot I agree but the acting from DT was excellent, the man can do angst so well.

I agree with whoever said give Brannigan his own show, but then I love Ardal O'Hanlon anyway.

I shed a few tears when they played the hymns, but for me it was The Old Rugged Cross, which was played at my Dad's funeral, I wonder why everyone wept as it was played?

I really enjoyed this episode and it was great to see Novice Haim again, I loved her to bits in New Earth and as for Boe's final words

Spoiler:

looks like the rumours about the Master's return may be true after all

All in all a good episode, next weeks is looking good too

[in circles]

I guess I'm the only one who thought it was a bit rubbish. Giant crab monsters for no apparent reason and the whole city dying and trapping people on the motorway seemed to be from a totally different story.
I spent most of the episode trying to process the thought of a woman giving birth to kittens and the rest imagining the Doctor explain to Branningan the difference between small sheep and ones that were far away.

[Missster.Freeman]

So that was Boe's final four words? It wasn't the big revelation I thought it was going to be. I should've kept out of that speculation thread. Oh well. I wonder if Boe's words were more of a warning for the Doctor to watch his back. I've a feeling the Master will be making an appearance this series.

Anyway. I really enjoyed this week's episode. I felt the scene where the Doctor sat down and opened up to Martha was even more poignant because Abide With Me was playing in the background. Now if it were The Lord's My shepherd playing, I really would've cracked...

Thank you, Reefgirl. I was going to ask what the name of that hymn was. I think in Martha's case it was the effect of everyone singing in unison that reduced her to tears.

[beale947]

Well I will never complain about being stuck in a traffic jam again
Its a very hard episode to grade. It had a weak plot, but some of the best scenes, and espically the doctor finally being able to get the loss of his whole race of his chest. But the face of Boe's finally words could have been more shocking. It was sort of expected.

7/10

P.S Daleks next week

[ShadowMaat]

I'm assuming that "you are not alone" was a warning. That whole "be careful what you wish for" thing. The Doctor may wish he wasn't the last of his kind... but NOT being the last could prove to be dangerous, particularly if it IS a reference to the Master.

It was sad to see the Face of Boe die. I really liked him. As much as it's possible to like an enigmatic face in a jar. He gave his life to save New New York, though. I wonder if we'll ever learn anything more about him or if his only legacy will be his final words.

The plot was kinda fun (and horrifying in terms of the traffic jams) but maybe not very well thought-out. Is NNYC the only city on the planet? And are we meant to believe that people follow the rules so strictly that no one tried to circumvent the injunctions or whatever? And how is it that the bliss patch was ONLY available in the upper city? And it NEVER got to undercity? And how does a patch get airborne anyway? I can see it being sabotage or a terrorist act or something, but accidental?

Of course, with all the insanity in the various eps, it's a bit silly to pick on this one thing, but... I guess that's human nature: confronted by a million impossible things, I'm choosing to object to this one.

Anyway, plot strangeness aside, I still liked the ep. Brannigan and his family kicked ass, but while I would LOVE to see him again, I think I've had enough of DW spinoffs for now.

I'm gonna miss Boe.

[Easter Lily]

I really, really liked this episode... more than I liked last week's. For some reason, I thought it felt more like a classic Who episode. David Tennant was marvellous... more so than usual.

What an interesting idea... the human race stuck in perptual traffic... It reminded me of the kind of crap we put up with when we don't know any better.
It also reminded me that one of the good things about being a stay-at-home-mother at this point in time is the fact that I don't have to join thousands of people on the motorway every morning.


The Doctor admitting he was showing off... and then describing Gallifrey at the end. They have got to be firsts

Those Ikea chairs at the end...

[Easter Lily]

Right then you lot - the campaign to give Brannigan and his family their own series starts here! Who's with me?

"Enough, no more... 'Tis not as sweet as it was before..."


I did like them though...

[Willow'sCat]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...20px-Macra.jpg

The Macra race first appeared in 1967 Second Doctor story The Macra Terror.

Cool.

So "you are not alone" wasn't just fanwank as I thought previously. Maybe someone had the inside edge after all.

Not a great ep but they can't all be.

And really these eps are still about Martha getting to know The Doctor, although from what she was saying you would think they had been together for years.

She only met him a few weeks ago, one trip; even time travel aside it takes longer then that to know someone enough to know they will come through for you. It just rang a little hollow having her so confident in him so soon. I understand it was probably more about her needing to have hope but still *hollow* if you ask me. If it was Rose...

The plot, well it was interesting depending on how much you want to read into these things... refugees (being held up in camps for 5 years is nothing, perpetually waiting for help from an uncaring world), global warming, reliance on drugs to treat what are normal human emotional reactions to life's events... so much lying under the surface of this episode *I think*

Or it could just be about humans being stupid and willing to accept what a voice on a TV screen tells them.

Gallifrey... I don't remember The Doctor being that in awe of his home planet in the past. I guess the extinction of ones home planet will do that to you. Was the grass always red on Gallifrey? I thought much of Gallifrey was barren though? Where did I get that idea from *ponders*

I kind of wish I would avoid spoilers, Boa's little message and who that will probably turn out to be, kind of wish I didn't know although I am hoping for a huge twist in the tail maybe a couple of twists.

Next week....

Spoiler:

I know many hate the idea but I love them, it just wouldn't be Doctor Who without them. And Martha still has to meet them.

Yay!

[Congerking]

Thought the episode was great. DT has slowly taken over the role as my favorite doctor. Thought nobody could pass CE, I thought he was incredible. I think the face of boe's last words were guessed by many, but it was interesting to finally see it come to fruition. Suppose the doctor not being alone is the theme for this season, I bet that Captain Jack (since he is in the later episodes) is going to end up being a time lord.

[Alipeeps]

She only met him a few weeks ago, one trip; even time travel aside it takes longer then that to know someone enough to know they will come through for you. It just rang a little hollow having her so confident in him so soon. I understand it was probably more about her needing to have hope but still *hollow* if you ask me. If it was Rose...

She met him mere days ago - like three days ago : the events of Smith and Jones took place on one day and it was that same evening (the evening of the family party) that she went with him in the TARDIS. They arrived in Elizabethan London and stayed for 1 night so call that day two... and, from the look of things (the play was performed at night when they banished the Carrionites but it was daylight when they left) stayed for another night after that, making it day three... and when they left they went straight to New New York (the Dr pulled the arrow from the TARDIS door as they exited).

(Makes you realise Martha's been wearing those same clothes for over two days now as well.. are there showers on the TARDIS? )

Bear in mind though, in the three days she's known him she's seen him fight scary alien bad guys twice and save firstly an entire hospital of people and secondly the entire world. She's seen him give up his life in order to expose a bad guy and save 1,000 humans. I think it's not unrealistice for her to feel confident that he is the kind of person who would not give up on someone, who would do everything he could to save people.

[Willow'sCat]

Bear in mind though, in the three days she's known him she's seen him fight scary alien bad guys twice and save firstly an entire hospital of people and secondly the entire world. She's seen him give up his life in order to expose a bad guy and save 1,000 humans. I think it's not unrealistice for her to feel confident that he is the kind of person who would not give up on someone, who would do everything he could to save people.

The T.A.R.D.I.S has a toilet (I think Tegan asked him about that) so I assume it has a bathroom it also has a swimming pool and a fountain.

I guess her being young means she is more willing to accept him at face value; for myself, aliens or not I would still be wondering what the frak I was thinking going off with some guy I didn't know and yeah we did get some of that especially around her family (please, please lets not play the family card too much this time around) but for me it was too much too soon.

I did like the bit at the end, her sitting down and making him talk to her. *bloody women, always want to talk*

[ShadowMaat]

He can travel through space and time and in the short time she's known him, he's saved her hospital from a vampire plasmavore and the Vogon army, saved the world- and Shakespeare- from a bunch of witches and saved her, personally, at least twice. He's done incredible things, has cool gadgets and knows amazing things, he looks hot, and in case I didn't mention it he travels through space and time. How can you not trust that? He's proven himself to be reliable and, really, what choice does she have? She's all alone on a strange planet in a bizarre situation, she has to trust that the Doctor will come to the rescue. If anything, her very lack of knowledge about him probably reinforces that belief: he's so... what's bigger than worldly? Universal and enigmatic, who knows what he's capable of?

[Willow'sCat]

He can travel through space and time and in the short time she's known him, he's saved her hospital from a vampire plasmavore and the Vogon army, saved the world- and Shakespeare- from a bunch of witches and saved her, personally, at least twice. He's done incredible things, has cool gadgets and knows amazing things, he looks hot, and in case I didn't mention it he travels through space and time. How can you not trust that?

Well call me old fashioned but it takes a heck of a lot more then that to impress me!

And trust is a tricky thing, I am sure many people have trusted serial killers 'cause they have cool vans and all the latest tech.

Seriously, I did say (or imply) that it seemed like she had her doubts and just from the last moments you could tell she was wanting to trust him even more, but needing to know the truth.

I guess I felt the lines were more a "Rose" thing then a Martha thing, maybe that was the point. RTD wants the audience to love Martha so making her have that kind of faith and trust (like Rose had) is his way of doing it.

And I know in the past may of the female companions have put their trust in him from the get go, but some haven't... I wanted maybe this obviously smart women to show some resistance but instead she is fawning over him, I mean she also talked about their relationship (they dont' have one FCOL) that was kind of sad IMHO.

I do like her but I think the TimeLord!Crush thing has to stop, I think it could belittle her as a strong female character. *shrugs*