Doctor Who: The Doctor's Daughter

I don’t often review a TV show I’ve been watching for years. But I thought it was worth reviewing an episode of Doctor Who, particularly one which I wasn’t too keen on the sound of.

You see Doctor Who has been pretty good at avoiding the clichés that seem to pervade the science fiction world. I usually find them a pretty honest story, things happen to the characters and you’re watching their reaction to it, they are thrown in there and there’s no time to think about how you’re going to react because it’s happening so fast.

I’m not really sure if the last-of-his-race-gains-a-daughter really counts as a cliché but it feels like a new one. Or, most cynically, an excuse to make another spin-off show.

This weeks’ episode was about a war without point and Doctor Who gaining a daughter. Martha and Donna were in this one and there was plenty of emotion, sacrifice was definitely a big theme in this episode. And I noticed that the Doctor is very good a coming to a conclusion and it being very final but him being very wrong, like the reason the tardis took them to their latest destination.

I can see his thinking for the paradox theory but if she’s still alive that doesn’t wash. i think it’s linked to Rose somehow, who keeps popping up in a few places as Jon Hicks pointed out .

Despite my concerns about the direction I think it worked pretty well and it showed another side to the Doctor and also highlighted Donna’s important position of questioning him unashamedly.

If you’re going to start watching it’s a good introduction and as always it’s available on the BBC iPlayer for week or so more.

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Being Human review

Another TV show to keep an eye out for is Being Human, another pilot on BBC3, like Phoo Action was. Fortunately this is much better. It’s a drama about a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost who share a flat. From the 1hr pilot it’s clear they have some very good writers. The humour is very witty and the special effects are quite enough so they don’t distract.

The pilot, as you would expect, served to introduce the characters and what they’re facing. As the title suggests they’re trying to be human and live a normal life in their flatshare. The music is modern and the impending Vampire war gave a lot of keep the interest. I don’t want to tell all…

It’s available on BBCi for a few more days and the decision to commission the series has yet to be made, but on this evidence it’s a must see.

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Phoo Action review

So I watched Phoo Action and I think I probably doomed it to disappointment and it didn’t meet my expectations.

It was ok, the story was interesting, the mutants costumes were a bit strange. I can’t help thinking it was aimed at kids because of the slapstick humour and the general niceness. It was a bit too light, there were funny moments but I wouldn’t be bothered if it made it passed the pilot stage. The Will and Harry was a little cringe-worthy, I’d preferred if they’d just made up some monarchs rather than using real life ones.

The car was cool though.

Edit: It’s been commissioned for a 6 part series