Review of The Fires of Pompei (Doctor Who 4.2)

[unfeathered]

Wow. Oh wow.

I remembered it being good, but I didn't remember how good. So much there. Fabulous characters, loads of fantastic lines, lots of tension and suspense - especially the continuing question of how were the seers seeing the future so clearly, and I loved the explanation that they weren't seeing the volcano erupting because in that timeline it wasn't going to - and an absolutely brilliant expansion on the Doctor/Donna relationship. I adore the dynamic between them here: Donna continuously questioning everything the Doctor usually just does automatically, and being exactly what he needs. That's brilliant.

And the moment where he has to make the choice to kill 20,000 people to save the Earth, and all the echoes that must have of having to destroy Gallifrey to save the universe... And the fact that this time he has Donna there to make the choice with him, put her hand over his on the lever, that this time he's not alone... That's just. Wow. Made me shiver.

Comments

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

I wish I could re-watch these episodes without the pain of knowing what's to come, which kind of ruins them for me and I'm always looking for the foreshadowing.

[unfeathered]

Hmm. I have to admit, I'm not really thinking much about that, though I did of course notice the stuff about Pyrovillia (sp?) having been stolen and Donna having 'something on your back'.

I think for me the joy of the perfection of the Doctor/Donna relationship outweighs any foreshadowing. So far, anyway. :-)

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

I can't even watch the "good" episodes of Series 1 Torchwood anymore because I get tied up in knots over my hatred of what is to come.