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Date Posted: 12:36:01 05/19/07 Sat
Author: Celebaelin
Subject: Episode 3.7: 42 *Spoilers*
In reply to: Celebaelin 's message, "New Series of Doctor Who - Episode 3.1: Smith and Jones *Spoilers*" on 13:28:59 04/01/07 Sun

I expected better of this one.

24 meets the Disaster Area segment of Hitchhikers Guide meets Event Horizon meets Solaris. Tense, but with a return to the slightly cramped style of single episode storylines somehow 42 failed to extract as much horror from the situation as the enemy within plotline would allow. The dialogue too seemed lacklustre with only the "Go on my son!" from the Doctor to raise it above the mundane (although the pseudo-science made a showing at last).

I will keep saying this because I believe it to be entirely true, the extended plotlines, be they spread over 2, 4, or even 6 episodes allow the atmosphere to build and allow sympathy and understanding with the characters and the situation to grow as well as allowing tension to build. That is the way to tell stories that have plots as complex as this, they need more background be it in the form of direct exposition or information made available to the viewer in terms of what is otherwise implied. The fearsome 'Balor One Eye' effect of the monster could have been better sold to the audience as well, not enough blistering paintwork and too many instances of potential victims simply turning their backs and running. Finally there was still the instant solution to the problem after which everything is alright.

Sadly I think this was poorly thought out in terms of the main thrust of the episode which is a shame because it had the potential to be so much better. Even the romantic segment would have worked better at a less continuously driven pace. At least we got a bit more build up for the mysterious Mr Saxon. It's entirely possible I'm being a bit harsh but the one-off format simply doesn't allow sufficient time for the exploration of the concept of a sentient star or even to explain what a fuel scoop is and as such it fails the viewer from the science fiction viewpoint as well as failing the cast from an emotional one and the writer from the standpoint of giving a sufficiently broad canvass on which to express himself. The effects were however, as usual, quite good.

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  • Episode 3.8: Human Nature - No Spoilers -- Celebaelin, 14:28:09 05/26/07 Sat
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