Review of Aliens of London (Doctor Who 1.4)

[unfeathered]

Yes, I've actually managed to tear myself away from my computer long enough to watch some telly :-)

The first of the two-parters. Pretty good stuff.

I loved the great bit 'Oops' of the Doctor bringing Rose back 12 months later instead of 12 hours – very much how I remember Doctor Who, with the TARDIS never taking him quite where he intended. (And it definitely seems like the TARDIS is being lured off course to nearby important events.)

I would, however, have liked Rose to ask why they couldn't just try again, go back 12 months so this visit would never happen, and for the Doctor to explain why. I felt very sorry for Jackie, and for Mickey – branded a murderer, poor thing. I like him a lot more this time round.

Loved the 'Bad Wolf' graffiti on the TARDIS – poor old TARDIS.

Loved Jackie asking the Doctor how old he is, and him later telling Rose he's 900. Definitely an age-gap. Nice also to have the missing posters confirm her age – 19.

Loved the way the world has changed – now you watch the trouble on tv. (And I was interested to note that the American news reporter was the same one as in The Sound of Drums. Nice continuity.) Plus the Doctor channel-hopping and coming across Blue Peter - making an alien cake!

Yay – Tosh!!!

Yay – TARDIS key!

Fun on second viewing to notice all the fat people gradually coming together. I really love the character of Margaret Blaine. She's just so menacing. And the idea of flatulent aliens is just genius. They're so funny!

I adore Harriet Jones. I've always had a soft spot for Penelope Wilton because she kept cropping up in things when I was a teenager and thereafter (I think the first thing I saw her in was the BBC Othello with Anthony Hopkins and Bob Hoskins, which we watched at school when we were studying the play – she was Desdemona!) and I love her character here. You think she's going to be all silly and weak, but she turns out to be the strongest of the lot – and gets to be Prime Minister!

Loved Mickey spotting the Doctor, and running after the TARDIS yelling "Doctor!" – sound familiar? *g* Except poor old Mickey dived straight through it and crashed into a wall :-( He's not Jack.

I did think Tosh was silly opening the morgue cupboard. Would you open a cupboard with a potentially threatening live alien inside? I did love the fact it turned out to be an Earth pig with a 'rewired' brain. And the Doctor and the soldiers, and them shooting it and him going "You didn't have to do that!"

Interesting that Tosh has actually met the Doctor – and heard the sound of the TARDIS. I didn't remember that.

Awkward threesome on the TARDIS – poor Mickey (or Rickey *g*). Loved the idea of the Doctor and the other alien experts being rounded up (and that Jackie was the one who turned him in) and him thinking it was working in their favour because it got them into 10 Downing Street, and then discovering "It's not a diversion – it's a trap!"

Absolutely adored the Doctor's "Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?" Beautifully delivered.

My one major complaint about this episode is the weak ending. Yeah, it's a cliffhanger, blah blah. But the CGI aliens are just so unconvincing. To me, the aliens were far more scary when inhabiting the bodies of humans. (Partly, of course, because real actors can – well - act!) In fact, I think it might have been more effective if we hadn't seen what the Slitheen really looked like at all.

7.5/10

Comments

[smithy161.livejournal.com]

I was about to say I agree that the Slitheen staying zipped in their human suits would have been better, but thinking about it, we didn't see many fantastical aliens in series one. We get Daleks galore, but we've seen them before. Other than Daleks and Slitheen, all we see are Gelth, Reapers, and the Giant Pimple in the Roof with Simon Pegg (no, I can't think what that alien was called for the life of me).

So yeah, it might have been good for the telling of those particular stories, but might have left the series a little CGI-alienless.

Anyway, great summary, and it's definitely interesting that Tosh has heard the TARDIS before. I'd forgotten that too. I wonder if the Torchwood writers have remembered...

And I love Harriet Jones a lot. It's such a shame the Doctor feels the need to bring her down. She was only doing what she felt was necessary to protect the Earth... and her downfall let Mr Saxon rise to power, which I'm sure he could have done by himself anyway, but I think Harriet Jones would have slowed him down a bit, if she was left in charge. She's a smart one, she might have been able to stand in his way.

[unfeathered]

I just don't like CGI aliens (or any CGI characters). I like to watch actors, acting.

I wonder if the Torchwood writers have remembered...

Yeah, right! With their record for continuity? *g*

I haven't seen the Christmas Invasion since it first aired so I can't really comment on the Doctor bringing Harriet Jones down, but you definitely have a point that she might have slowed Saxon down a bit.

[smithy161.livejournal.com]

I see your point but... Giant green aliens! And they are usually human-shaped. Still, they definitely weren't the best designed aliens ever.

Someone needs to write fic with Harriet Jones facing off against Mr Saxon. That would be awesome.

[unfeathered]

Someone needs to write fic with Harriet Jones facing off against Mr Saxon.

Not me *g*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I liked the episode too. Margaret was great, I was glad she returned for "Boom Town."

I also liked the vague mention of UNIT, and that they wouldn't recognize him then. Nice nod to classic Who there.

[unfeathered]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the UNIT thing. Not that I remember that at all from classic Who (I had to look up who the hell UNIT were when people kept mentioning them here) but any reference to the past is good by me.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

I felt very sorry for Jackie, and for Mickey – branded a murderer, poor thing. I like him a lot more this time round.

Yes! I felt horrible for Jackie in this one, and Micky really is much more likeable on re-watching.

I did think Tosh was silly opening the morgue cupboard. Would you open a cupboard with a potentially threatening live alien inside?

Uhm, no. Definitely not. I'd be way too busy running. *g*

[unfeathered]

I'd be way too busy running.

Exactly!

Though I suppose she's probably braver than us. In that sort of job.