SHOUTING was Catherine Tate's 'thing' at the time ... most of her comedy characters were loud and shouty, and I think the writers were just giving viewers what they thought they wanted to see. Truth is Tate is a very solid actress and didn't need THAT much comedy to be included.
Despite everything, I was sitll really touched by the parts of her performance that *didn't* involve Donna being the human equivalent of a noisy puddle. Though I do still love the running "POCKETS!!!" joke.
I've seen her in person at a con when she was on The Office. It may just be a character she puts on but at her Q&A panel, she basically said she is a loud person and she was loud.
They did kinda explain the shouting in turn left. "You're not gonna make the world better by shouting at it" "Well I can try" She genually feels it's all she's got. It's a character Donna puts on so people don't see how vunrable and insecure she is. She tones down the shouting as she grows in confidence from being with the doctor. In this eppisode and turn left she hadn't met him.
Doctor Who: But the Christmas specials ALWAYS have to be light and not have very much in the way of plot because it's Christmas. Also Doctor Who: Now let's have the Doctor drown some children.
Ben Warburton Adding onto that, he was literally committing genocide at the same time. Kinda weird that one of the darkest moments in New Who is in this otherwise quite lighthearted episode.
Yeah and yet loads of Doctor Who fans complain about the 11th Doctor ordering the human race to kill the Silence on sight. The Silence can just leave Earth- the Doctor was doing it to save the earth. Here the Doctor drowns children who can't defend themselves because of what their mother did. On Christmas.
Ben Warburton To be fair, the Silence are pretty difficult to stop, given how they can easily infiltrate and manipulate societies, so having the “kill on sight” command is probably the easiest way to keep them away from Earth in the long run. Also, I’m pretty sure the Racnoss children were still lethal and carnivorous, so although they were innocent, they would eat the whole planet if they were allowed to live. Essentially, I kinda see the logic in what the Doctor did in both cases (despite them both being quite messed up and ruthless), there aren’t many other practical ways to deal with those situations.
@@Ben-vf5gk first time I heard ppl complain about that. Dr who fans can be the worst. I did have some issue with how violent the doctor got mainly because they didn't bring attention to it. During Tennant they kind of did at least. During Smith they never really addressed it.
*Council Of Geeks but every time the word 'shout' 'shouts' or 'shouting' is said it gets faster* I'm not even brave enough to make that. props to anyone who will. XD
I feel like the Doctor's actions against the Racnoss is understandable as this episode comes off directly from Doomsday, where he has just lost Rose, so naturally he would be feeling a bit.......murderous.
Honestly my favourite Christmas Special in NewWho. While Donna becomes much better in Series 4, in fact being my favourite companion in the show, I quite like her in this story, especially that moment when her traitor husband dies. And now that Rose is gone, this is the point where I come to love Tennant as the Doctor. Him killing the Racnoss's unborn babies makes for one of the Doctor's most evil actions, and I love that, and I'm glad that gets explored more in Series 3. While not a standout, I like to watch this episode every now and again.
I completely agree on Donna. This was a good ep, and when my cousin that showed it to me asked me what I thought of Donna (she knew she was going tto be a companion cause we were watching this by the time the doctor 11 was already a thing and she was introducig Dr Who to me and we were just in that ep) and I was all I loved her, she was awesome. Particularly agreed on the traitor husband. Dang that was harsh.
yeah, and it's not like the Racnoss had good intentions for Earth with her 'children'..... they weren't just going to hide in the skirting-boards and eat flies. Donna was brilliant in this episode, and I was delighted to see her return as a full-on companion. I hated the wild over-acting from the Racnoss Mother spider, but the rest of the episode is good, and of course, bringing Donna into the series, also brings the wonderful 'Wilf' character! Gotta love Bernard Cribbins :-) Series 4 was a great series :-)
I actually really like this one. I went back to it for the first time in a long time recently, and even before she was ever going to be a full time companion, Donna was a really compelling, multifaceted character, and Tate and Tennant’s dynamic is electric. One of the better Specials.
I remember my heart sinking when I first heard Donna was coming back as a companion as I'd been so unimpressed with this episode. I'm still amazed by how they managed to turn her into one of the best companions.
Oh man I've been waiting for this one. I massively disagree on a lot, but have only been waiting to say one thing, because there's no way I'm going to try and argue other points. I will only disagree this time, with the Rachnoss (no idea how to spell it), and her voice. How, the hell, do you expect a spider to talk?? I had a large figure of her as a kid as I loved her so much. I like spiders unlike many other people and adored the idea of her. I always thought, hmm, if a spider could talk, how would it sound? THAT, is EXACTLY how I would have expected it... She sounds like a spider! Plus her design is bloody gorgeous to me. Ok done, been waiting to get that off my chest XD
When The Runaway Bride was first aired, Catherine Tate was already a household name, thanks to her hugely popular sketch show. Much like Peter Kay and, later on, Kylie Minogue, her casting was seen as something of a coup for the show. Essentially, this particular story was written around her. Also, as I've mentioned previously, UK Christmas telly is - on the whole - more camp and ridiculous than normal. It's fine if that level of frivolity doesn't appeal, but using it as stick to beat it with shows a misunderstanding of the cultural context of the piece. All the frothy, cartoonish, camp that you so railled against was deliberate, in order to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. Something which it achieved magnificently, if Donna's return is anything to go by.
Andrew Bowman well said. Was going to put something similar myself. But you beat me to it. I think council of geeks should maybe come and spend a Christmas or two here, then they might get it
Thank you for the British context that I appreciate a lot, but a piece of art is not always seen it the context it was created in. Whatever the art is, people get to put their own meaning and interpretation on it; it is a fact and I would go as far as to say a right. Even if I find that personally annoying some times.
Thank you for the British context that I appreciate a lot, but a piece of art is not always seen it the context it was created in. Whatever the art is, people get to put their own meaning and interpretation on it; it is a fact and I would go as far as to say a right. Even if I find that personally annoying some times.
I think before they decided they wanted Donna to be a proper companion, they wanted Catherine Tate to just be like a character from her comedy sketch show, hence all the whining, shouting, the horrific attitude etc... and they didn't think through how annoying that is out of context
She was the same in turn left a bit though. It's how she deals with things, untill she meets the doctor and learns there's more to herself than shouting at everyone to push them away. I absolutely love her character development and Davies did brilliant at toning her down without changing her character. I think planet of the ood was her turning point. I agree with council of geeks though about his music. All the other companions had soft piano music, but donnas seemed more a sneaky pantomime character. Always thought that.
Yup, imo, Series 3 is the strongest series of the show since it returned ... and even though the 2 part finale was ultimately disappointing ... what came before it was EPIC!
@@robo3007 yeah I actually like John Simm as the Master and I like the themes of what human beings and our belief/free will is possible of (indomitable, that's the word). Even the deus ex machina works for me. The paradox is broken so time reverses makes sense. I don't even mind the weirdly religious seeming elements of the Doctor as saviour, though it is a bit OTT and silly.
This one was pretty bad and my this being my first exposure to Donna left me dreading to see her as an actual companion. Luckily she was great when she traveled with the Doctor in earnest. One of my favorite companions, even when compared to the classics and definitely one of the best modern companions.
Donna was great, and we saw hints of why she WOULD be great in this...but they were buried pretty deep under how bad she was here. Fortunately, my very first New-Who episode was "Silence In The Library," so I KNEW we were in for a badass later on. Seeing how she started, though...YIKES.
I was the same when I first saw this episode. When The Doctor gave the offer for Donna to travel with him I thought "Oh, no." and I was so relieved when she declined. The writers and director of Partners in Crime (not to mention Tate herself) did a really good job to have me looking forward to Donna as a companion by the end of that episode.
I love how this episode threads the seeds of season 4's brilliant arc of the doctor going too far, lacking mercy, etc. and Donna teaching him to be willing to change, save people and have more mercy. Edit: I agree this works better because of season 4, and doesn't fit well within the episode.
I agree Donna in this episode was still more like a caricature. It's clear that she was just meant to be there for one episode so she was mainly meant to be funny and amusing. I do like Donna's theme because it's a nice change from the usual serious and emotional companion themes.
Oh, this with you in a wedding dresse would have been awesome. :D I liked this Christmas special. Of course I'm probably just easier to please because I don't look for the problems. The one criticism I really don't understand is why it's bad for an alien to not speak like a human?
He was taking an issue with how grating and overdone the voice is, not the style in concept. Having a spider talk with a raspy list makes perfect sense, but it's extremely annoying when they're shouting the same campy ridiculous line 50 times over.
I hated this ep so much that when I found out that Donna was going to become a full-time Companion I nearly rage-quit the show. I was so baffled when Partners in Crime aired and I found out that Catherine Tate could actually act. I could not have imagined that Donna would go on to be one of my favorite Companions in both the Classic and New eras.
I did not know who Catherine Tate was previous to watching The Runaway Bride; I did not found her shouting particularly funny, but I liked that it annoyed the Doctor! Donna felt real to me at some level, and since I thought she was to be the next companion, I enjoyed the contrast she presented with Rose. So, even with all the stuff that didn't work in this special, I could rewatch it and still appreciate it.
1) Lol, should have done it, but not said a word just worn it and been like yeah whatever 2) Stop making me want a Red Dwarf/Doctor Who crossover ever more lol
I might be more irritated by the Empress if it wasn't for my bias for Sarah Parish, I utterly adore her. This one's actually one of the better specials for me, most of them I just kind of ignore; there's now probably too many to rewatch over the holidays if you wish to do so.
You talk about music in this ep. Have you done if not idea for future review ranking the companions themes? I’m not sure if they still do them or was more if RTD era trait. Anyway would like to know thoughts.
I also hated Donna in this, but I adored the Racnoss. I think I always assumed she was super hammy because she's from so far back in time that everyone was just weird then. I mean, you have the Carionites, the Weeping Angels, the Beast, they all have a sense of being extra alien. I also loved the Racnoss' terrible sense of humour, for the same reason. "You have to say 'I do!'" (Donna and Lance) 'I do..' "I... don't! *spidery laughter*" Gotta love the campy side of Dr Who...
Excellent Empress of Racnoss impression! And oh, a wedding dress would have been lovely! This is one of my favorites, and one of my most rewatched episodes of the whole show. I love the car chase scene, and Catherine Tate's delivery of "Santa's a robot!" gets me every time. Now that said, I can't argue with a lot of the points you made. There is a LOT of shouting and the Racnoss is ridiculous. I also agree with you on the whole bit with the Doctor deciding to commit this genocide, it felt like it came out of nowhere, and I suppose some might say he was still hurting from Rose but that's still quite a drastic response. It makes sense in retrospect but I do remember on first watch I was thinking "Huh?" Donna is my favorite companion of all time as well and I just love her to death. I even like her here, but I can see why she'd get on some people's nerves. Her quiet moments were brilliant. Still love that car chase though.
That’s kind of a shame you didn’t like it… I rewatched Runaway Bride just last night and it was honestly so fun. I loved how Donna is framed as a really small, petty woman with small, petty concerns, but how that smallness is also a strength. People get hurt and Donna is the one saying “You’re a doctor; help them!” while the Doctor is too busy focusing on the Big Picture. It was…really very nice theming, honestly. Deeply humanizing even of someone who blathers all day about X-Factor. You know?? Definitely hooks you on her character, at least for me.
I also want to say, I wish you had done this in a wedding dress! I completely agree about the "my children" sections. The shots and "special effects" looked like a high school class did them (which I think played into the fact that the dark moment of the doctor didn't really work). That poor actress didn't have a chance with all the terrible costume, makeup, camera angles, and script (or lack thereof). That being said, I love all of Donna and didn't mind the shouting because it was such a MASSIVE contrast to rose. And a contrast to the quiet scenes, which I agree were beautiful. Also, have you been around a bridezilla? This isn't really that much of an exaggeration. Especially when you take all the underlying layers that play into her wedding (fiancee not being faithful etc). I loved this episode, but it takes a great deal of buy-in to overlook the terrible job the writers and technical crew did of the villains.
I loved this episode. It's my third favourite Christmas episode behind Voyage of the Damned and Christmas Invasion. The only thing that really bothered me about it was the robot santas because they felt so utterly pointless, especially considering they weren't even the same robot santas. The idea that two aliens would have that same bad idea was kind of baffling. That said while I can't refute anything you've said about the episode none of it really bothered me all that much. I loved the way Donna calling the Doctor "martian" throughout the episode game back in the finish where the Racnoss said her children would feast on martian flesh and in this like sick parody of when he'd said "I'm not from mars." earlier says it again and then names his home planet and the Racnoss realises that she should have taken his offer. One thing I will say though is that the prosthetic teeth for the Racnoss really did her a disservice. I remember her saying "They murdered the Racnoss." from that finale felt kind of off from the tone of the scene. While not perfect I did genuinely enjoy this episode and though I respect that you didn't I don't really understand it. At most I've seen this episode get indifference from the fandom. I've never seen someone that outright hated it that much.
BadWolf739 he tends to not have opinions that lie in the middle ground. He’s often absolutely loving it or it’s the worst garbage ever put to film... rarely just meh 😂😂
I had always thought that the Racnoss queen was either animatronic or CGI, not an person in a mask. Of course, if it was animatronic or CGI, there would be even less justification for the lisp or whatever that vocal style is. I checked into it a bit and as best I can tell, it was the actress in a mask.
The reason there is a massive shift between this and series four is because this was written for Catherine Tate, whereas series four was written for 'Donna' - and there is a big big difference. Anyone who knows Tate (and I do a little, but know plenty who know her better) will tell you - the runaway bride is her - all her - that is exactly what she is like as a person. So, Nathaniel, if you are a Donna fan, but didnt like her in this - I have a feeling you wouldnt get on too well with Tate the actor, she is quite a challenging person to work with and get to know. David Tennant however got on really well with her and brings out the best in her performance in s4.
I think they added too much shouting to show how different Donna was from what we'd seen in NuWho. She wasn't eye candy potential lover interest with some brains underneath, she was a WOMAN, and she was not afraid to show it. Badass good girl.
As soon as I saw this video come up, I got my shout, fighty self all ready to roll, because I was expecting another "Rose=good, Donna=horrible" mess. And I really liked this episode. Buuuuuuut..... I cannot argue with any of your points. What I love is the quiet parts, where they drop the noise and the connection begins to form. I love them so much, I forget the shouting. I also love the flash of The Oncoming Storm, and how Donna isn't totally sold by Ten's charm offensive. I guess I actually don't love the episode, I just love the glimpse of my fav doctor/companion.
@@Joe-v5o - I got into Ten/Donna fic shortly shortly after Donna left the show, and was flirting with getting into the fandom when I got absolutely roasted for saying that I liked Donna and Ten's dynamic more than Rose and Ten's. The few times that I tried again, I always got the same thing.
@@Joe-v5o Don't get me wrong, as these events happened a long time ago. It just was the second go-round for me to experience the toxicity that fandom can hold, and I'm still a bit traumatized. Things may be very much better now, at least on that argument.
I haven't rewatched this one. I only have a vague memory of it which usually means I didn't care much for it. Your review brought back some of it and it doesn't make me want to watch it again. Donna is also my favorite companion. I also really like Wilfred too. I'm looking forward to your series 4 overdue reviews.
I love the tone of the episode and I ADORE the over-the-top performance of The Empress. "Lance is funny!" Having previously seen Tate's sketch show, I went in knowing things might get shouty and hysterical but I was OK with that. I wasn't "bovvered". It was intended to be a hard left turn away from the extreme bummer that is 'Doomsday', and as such, it works.
First Donna is the best companion. A rival and partner to any form of the Doctor. As to the shift in tone could it be more foreshadowing or a peak at the Doctor that can commit genocide on a whim? Yes it's out of left field but it also showed you what he can really do if he wanted to. P.S. You should have so gone with the dress!!
Wasn't keen on this episode for some considerable time, but after seeing the fully fleshed-out Donna of series 4, I enjoy it a lot more. A little moment that I always find funny is the Doctor sonicing a cash point. Imagine if he did that in real life!
I completely agree, Donna is the best companion, but the episode is not good. I wish she had a good introduction, but if I remember correctly her reintroduction was much better.
I know what you mean about the camp ... ALL of the early Christmas Specials were basically out of control when it came to fun and crazy'ness ... I think RTD and the producers were trying too hard to deliver something that would just ENTERTAIN the whole family as they sat at home with stuffed bellies after Xmas dinner. And by 'entertain', I mean zany fun at its most basic level. I enjoyed all of them over the years back then ... but I rarely re-watch them.
Yeah, the first time I saw Donna in this episode, my friends made me aware that she was going to be a future fan favorite companion... and you detailed the exact reason why, after watching it, I wondered why the heck anyone found her interesting. Do you think even those quiet moments really showed how good her personality was? Or do you think later writers took a tiny spark of potential and magnified it so much that, upon rewatching, she looks slightly better in those moments ONLY because you know what they did with her later?... Just a thought. :)
If you want a good series that dares and experiments with concept with good characters, there is LEXX, it it rauchy, it is weird but its a great story with a great tragic undead antihero assasin , a coward who still has an inch of courage and a reprogrammed ex slave that gave the love porgramming to a robot head who is now in love. Honestly, i never saw that episode.
I actually have a soft spot for this episode. I find a lot of the stuff between the Doctor and Donna funny, and how you meet Donna's family--particularly the mom--and begin to see why Donna is the way she is works for me. That twinkle in her eye when she starts crying because that's the only thing that will shut them up. The Rachnoss was AWFUL. Omg. Have no idea why they didn't just have a disembodied voice or something, shrouded in a dark spider silhouette. Animal based monsters work so much better if we never get a good look at them. But when the Doctor and Donna laugh down a corridor on Segways you can see something special between them. And, of course, the scene at the end; the "you need someone to stop you". Donna understood exactly what a companion is and does in a couple of hours of knowing the Doctor better than Clara did in her entire run. It's why I love Donna, because she isn't naturally brave, or confident, or beautiful or any of those things Companions usually are. But she sees to the heart of what is in front of her, often better than the Doctor. Her instincts, her insights are true.
For me Donna is the most beutiful of the companions, obviously I can't speak for the actors, but the characters deffenetly. Donna should have been called Rose. All thorney, because the thorns are protecting something so beutiful, and delicate. If I was gonna fall in love with any companion it would have defently been Donna.
Yeah the Christmas specials are usually a bit different and a bit more gimmicky. They’re trying to appeal to as many people as possible who may be channel surfing for those sweet sweet Christmas Day ratings and to get new viewers for the new seasons. It’s just something safe, festive and fun you can have on in the background while you get talked to death about cousin David’s new business or Aunt Stacey and her ex husband drama.
The first time the TARDIS and the Doctor are having a adventure in the new Universe Gallifrey was sent over to. Big bang took place right before Donna was drawn to the TARDIS. ask and ill explain how we know this.
While I agree with everything you say (why couldn't the Racnaross actress have her voice re-dubbed?), there are several things I like about this episode, the quiet moments, the final scene, and the car chase. At that point I was ok with Donna being a one-off companion. When I learned she was joining the show for series 4, I was very disappointed. That lasted until the first 10 mins of "Partners in Crime" and Donna and the Doctor 's silent "dialogue" behind glass across a room. From that point on she became, and still is, my favorite companion.
Apart from the sudden shift in tone and the irritating way the racnoss empress speaks, I really enjoy this episode. Donna's a bit shouty but I think that's fair considering she got snatched away in the middle of her wedding, realised the remaining attendees had the reception without her, and lost her fiancé all in one day. I'd be upset too. I think camp episodes can be a lot of fun so the campness doesn't bother me and I really like the moment when they're on the segways and start laughing at how ridiculous they look.
As someone who is not from an English speaking country: I didn't know Catherine Tate until I saw that episode. And as far as I recall that episode, first time 2 years ago and rewatched it last year with my daughter (rewatch in German), the shouting was 'good'; as I had no idea about who Catherine Tate is and couldn't expect anything and the contrast between shouting and being calm worked quite well. All in all I liked that episode quite a bit. But I can see your point. Except for the empress' voice. It would have been more irritating if a giant space spider just sounded human, at least in my opinion. Generally I really like aliens which aren't "human". Everytime I see an alien that is human I can't help but think: "Oh that's how they save money during production." However I get that there are many reason for humanlike aliens: facial expressions, empathy, technical questions. So I don't complain, but it is refreshing to have less human aliens every now and than, even if it is just a human body on a giant spider with a strange voice.
I don’t know, when rewatching this I really liked it. Yes Donna shouts a lot but it feels like an understandable reaction to me. She was literally walking down the isle, of course that’s he only thing on her mind. She doesn’t have the time to be abducted by an alien! But then she has the quiet moments and you realise that she actually isn’t all that bad.Her boisterous character is a bit of a facade that hides a deeply feeling and insecure woman. She (blindly) did really care about Lance though. She was betrayed by him and then watched him die on they day they were supposed to get hitched, that’s a LOT. She has every right to hate him and curse him to hell but she doesn’t. Donna Noble is just so much heart at a time the doctor badly needs one. Maybe I’m out of my mind, entirely possible, but Donna felt more human to me from just one Christmas special than many other companions down the line have after multiple seasons.
" Donna " had been introduced to the more mature audience. Was a good idea, I bet there was much mocking going on that the DOCTOR draggs along always young chics-
I agree with almost everything except: 1-Donna overreactive shouting at the begining and bouncing off Tennant's Doctor... I loved it. Besides, it sets out a theme: she was always shown as a comedy character, not meant to be taken seriously... and then the finale of fourth season surprises us with the twist that she's in fact a very complex and insecure character. 2-for all its campiness, to me this works better than Army of Ghosts and Doomsday... but that's bc I really hate those two. I hate all the nonsensicall BS they try to get away with in that finale that doesn't work. To me, the worst problem with the episode is the villain, from the overthetop unbelievable performance, unneeded cuts to her monologue and the Doctor suddenly deciding to be a genocidal maniac for no reason.
Aw I liked it. It's Christmas and RTD likes to go silly for it. You're not gonna like Voyage of the Damned I fear. Donna WAS an unlikable ditz and her adventure with The Doctor changed her. I think the point of her more subdued behavior by the end was because the world wasn't all about her and having finally paid attention to the bigger picture she realized the effect she had on others. Also: I like camp. :P
His acting all dark is kinda ok if we take the fact that the events of losing Rose was just some hours ago..and he was not patient enough to give her another chance or a easier way out? but as a stand alone episode..yes it is quite unfit.
I suddenly feel disappointed you didn’t wear the dress.
I think we all are.
@numpteez I think we all wanted to see the dress just because you know there would be a pockets joke...
instagram.com/p/BtG6-rvHaN7/?igshid=1a8ch4tf3fy2s
@@CouncilofGeeks And you look lovely. Now, come on!
(not 100%the quote is correct, but *shrugs*)
@@CouncilofGeeks Thank you! :) Love it.
Agreed on the dress. But then... pockets!
if i ever got married, i want my wife to have pockets in her dress...
SHOUTING was Catherine Tate's 'thing' at the time ... most of her comedy characters were loud and shouty, and I think the writers were just giving viewers what they thought they wanted to see. Truth is Tate is a very solid actress and didn't need THAT much comedy to be included.
Despite everything, I was sitll really touched by the parts of her performance that *didn't* involve Donna being the human equivalent of a noisy puddle.
Though I do still love the running "POCKETS!!!" joke.
I've seen her in person at a con when she was on The Office. It may just be a character she puts on but at her Q&A panel, she basically said she is a loud person and she was loud.
They did kinda explain the shouting in turn left.
"You're not gonna make the world better by shouting at it"
"Well I can try"
She genually feels it's all she's got. It's a character Donna puts on so people don't see how vunrable and insecure she is.
She tones down the shouting as she grows in confidence from being with the doctor. In this eppisode and turn left she hadn't met him.
The tardis car chase scene was pretty cool though.
Doctor Who: But the Christmas specials ALWAYS have to be light and not have very much in the way of plot because it's Christmas. Also Doctor Who: Now let's have the Doctor drown some children.
Ben Warburton Adding onto that, he was literally committing genocide at the same time. Kinda weird that one of the darkest moments in New Who is in this otherwise quite lighthearted episode.
Yeah and yet loads of Doctor Who fans complain about the 11th Doctor ordering the human race to kill the Silence on sight. The Silence can just leave Earth- the Doctor was doing it to save the earth. Here the Doctor drowns children who can't defend themselves because of what their mother did. On Christmas.
Ben Warburton To be fair, the Silence are pretty difficult to stop, given how they can easily infiltrate and manipulate societies, so having the “kill on sight” command is probably the easiest way to keep them away from Earth in the long run. Also, I’m pretty sure the Racnoss children were still lethal and carnivorous, so although they were innocent, they would eat the whole planet if they were allowed to live. Essentially, I kinda see the logic in what the Doctor did in both cases (despite them both being quite messed up and ruthless), there aren’t many other practical ways to deal with those situations.
@@Ben-vf5gk first time I heard ppl complain about that. Dr who fans can be the worst.
I did have some issue with how violent the doctor got mainly because they didn't bring attention to it. During Tennant they kind of did at least. During Smith they never really addressed it.
Ben Warburton also have her shove some giant spiders in a room together so the suffocate under each other’s corpses.
Don't travel alone gets me because I know "Midnight" and "Water of Mars" show exactly why Tennant's Doctor needs to be reined in.
"Because I'm clever!" Not a great reason for a bunch of scared people to listen to you.
@@patrickt.6492 i'm the winner... the Time Lord Victorious
*Council Of Geeks but every time the word 'shout' 'shouts' or 'shouting' is said it gets faster* I'm not even brave enough to make that. props to anyone who will. XD
I feel like the Doctor's actions against the Racnoss is understandable as this episode comes off directly from Doomsday, where he has just lost Rose, so naturally he would be feeling a bit.......murderous.
Honestly my favourite Christmas Special in NewWho. While Donna becomes much better in Series 4, in fact being my favourite companion in the show, I quite like her in this story, especially that moment when her traitor husband dies. And now that Rose is gone, this is the point where I come to love Tennant as the Doctor. Him killing the Racnoss's unborn babies makes for one of the Doctor's most evil actions, and I love that, and I'm glad that gets explored more in Series 3. While not a standout, I like to watch this episode every now and again.
I completely agree on Donna. This was a good ep, and when my cousin that showed it to me asked me what I thought of Donna (she knew she was going tto be a companion cause we were watching this by the time the doctor 11 was already a thing and she was introducig Dr Who to me and we were just in that ep) and I was all I loved her, she was awesome.
Particularly agreed on the traitor husband. Dang that was harsh.
@@Kiraya I think it´s probably for the best though. They give the amount of eye to it that I would expect.
yeah, and it's not like the Racnoss had good intentions for Earth with her 'children'..... they weren't just going to hide in the skirting-boards and eat flies.
Donna was brilliant in this episode, and I was delighted to see her return as a full-on companion.
I hated the wild over-acting from the Racnoss Mother spider, but the rest of the episode is good, and of course, bringing Donna into the series, also brings the wonderful 'Wilf' character! Gotta love Bernard Cribbins :-)
Series 4 was a great series :-)
I actually really like this one. I went back to it for the first time in a long time recently, and even before she was ever going to be a full time companion, Donna was a really compelling, multifaceted character, and Tate and Tennant’s dynamic is electric.
One of the better Specials.
I cracked up whenever you did "My Children!"
I remember my heart sinking when I first heard Donna was coming back as a companion as I'd been so unimpressed with this episode. I'm still amazed by how they managed to turn her into one of the best companions.
Oh man I've been waiting for this one. I massively disagree on a lot, but have only been waiting to say one thing, because there's no way I'm going to try and argue other points. I will only disagree this time, with the Rachnoss (no idea how to spell it), and her voice. How, the hell, do you expect a spider to talk?? I had a large figure of her as a kid as I loved her so much. I like spiders unlike many other people and adored the idea of her. I always thought, hmm, if a spider could talk, how would it sound? THAT, is EXACTLY how I would have expected it... She sounds like a spider! Plus her design is bloody gorgeous to me. Ok done, been waiting to get that off my chest XD
When The Runaway Bride was first aired, Catherine Tate was already a household name, thanks to her hugely popular sketch show. Much like Peter Kay and, later on, Kylie Minogue, her casting was seen as something of a coup for the show. Essentially, this particular story was written around her. Also, as I've mentioned previously, UK Christmas telly is - on the whole - more camp and ridiculous than normal. It's fine if that level of frivolity doesn't appeal, but using it as stick to beat it with shows a misunderstanding of the cultural context of the piece. All the frothy, cartoonish, camp that you so railled against was deliberate, in order to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. Something which it achieved magnificently, if Donna's return is anything to go by.
Andrew Bowman well said. Was going to put something similar myself. But you beat me to it. I think council of geeks should maybe come and spend a Christmas or two here, then they might get it
Thank you for the British context that I appreciate a lot, but a piece of art is not always seen it the context it was created in. Whatever the art is, people get to put their own meaning and interpretation on it; it is a fact and I would go as far as to say a right. Even if I find that personally annoying some times.
Thank you for the British context that I appreciate a lot, but a piece of art is not always seen it the context it was created in. Whatever the art is, people get to put their own meaning and interpretation on it; it is a fact and I would go as far as to say a right. Even if I find that personally annoying some times.
Great review - your delivery of the rant had me giggling throughout - especially the Racnoss impression :p
Keep 'em coming!
Lol that Racnoss Empress impression was spot on XD
I think before they decided they wanted Donna to be a proper companion, they wanted Catherine Tate to just be like a character from her comedy sketch show, hence all the whining, shouting, the horrific attitude etc... and they didn't think through how annoying that is out of context
I think you're right, it was right around the hype of her sketch show and Catherine Tate was everywhere.
Am I bovvered tho?
She was the same in turn left a bit though. It's how she deals with things, untill she meets the doctor and learns there's more to herself than shouting at everyone to push them away. I absolutely love her character development and Davies did brilliant at toning her down without changing her character. I think planet of the ood was her turning point. I agree with council of geeks though about his music. All the other companions had soft piano music, but donnas seemed more a sneaky pantomime character. Always thought that.
The wedding dress for the review would have been perfect. 😀
I'm disappointed that at least the opening wasn't in the wedding dress.
Consolation prize:
instagram.com/p/BtG6-rvHaN7/?igshid=1a8ch4tf3fy2s
I did like the Tardis flying down the highway after Donna and the kids cheering him on.
Donna IS the BEST
Can't wait until you get to Martha Jones next week. Season 3 is one of my two favourite new Doctor Who series (the other is season 5)
Agreed... for me my favourite new series are 3 and 10 :)
Yup, imo, Series 3 is the strongest series of the show since it returned ... and even though the 2 part finale was ultimately disappointing ... what came before it was EPIC!
@@martynstembridge7714 Personally I LOVED the finale, I think it is unquestionably the best finale out of all 11 finales so far!
@@robo3007 yeah I actually like John Simm as the Master and I like the themes of what human beings and our belief/free will is possible of (indomitable, that's the word). Even the deus ex machina works for me. The paradox is broken so time reverses makes sense. I don't even mind the weirdly religious seeming elements of the Doctor as saviour, though it is a bit OTT and silly.
@@martynstembridge7714 yep human nature/family of blood and blink - so epic. It's awesome.
This one was pretty bad and my this being my first exposure to Donna left me dreading to see her as an actual companion. Luckily she was great when she traveled with the Doctor in earnest. One of my favorite companions, even when compared to the classics and definitely one of the best modern companions.
Donna was great, and we saw hints of why she WOULD be great in this...but they were buried pretty deep under how bad she was here.
Fortunately, my very first New-Who episode was "Silence In The Library," so I KNEW we were in for a badass later on. Seeing how she started, though...YIKES.
I was the same when I first saw this episode. When The Doctor gave the offer for Donna to travel with him I thought "Oh, no." and I was so relieved when she declined.
The writers and director of Partners in Crime (not to mention Tate herself) did a really good job to have me looking forward to Donna as a companion by the end of that episode.
Would it have been a white wedding dress? 😃. Donna is my favourite companion too! I was really upset with the way her character arc ended.
instagram.com/p/BtG6-rvHaN7/?igshid=1a8ch4tf3fy2s
@@CouncilofGeeks You look amazing! But I think I'd have been too distracted by the fabulous to listen if Vera had reviewed this.
Its still good for her that he gave her the most tragic ending as character. And moffat couldnt lay a hand on her character as bonus.
I love how this episode threads the seeds of season 4's brilliant arc of the doctor going too far, lacking mercy, etc. and Donna teaching him to be willing to change, save people and have more mercy.
Edit: I agree this works better because of season 4, and doesn't fit well within the episode.
You should have said yes to the dress
All you needed was a F*** YOU DAVIES! and it'll have been a Hell Bent rant. Beautiful.
I agree Donna in this episode was still more like a caricature. It's clear that she was just meant to be there for one episode so she was mainly meant to be funny and amusing. I do like Donna's theme because it's a nice change from the usual serious and emotional companion themes.
My favourite Christmas special Ngl
I would have loved to see you do this review in a wedding dress!
Consolation Prize:
instagram.com/p/BtG6-rvHaN7/?igshid=1a8ch4tf3fy2s
You look stunning! Your photographer has captured you so well! Strong but with a hint of softness is the only way I can describe it.
Disliked. I saw the intro and can't believe you didn't wear a wedding dress now. Wasted opportunity.
Jk I love you
Oh, this with you in a wedding dresse would have been awesome. :D
I liked this Christmas special. Of course I'm probably just easier to please because I don't look for the problems. The one criticism I really don't understand is why it's bad for an alien to not speak like a human?
He was taking an issue with how grating and overdone the voice is, not the style in concept. Having a spider talk with a raspy list makes perfect sense, but it's extremely annoying when they're shouting the same campy ridiculous line 50 times over.
I hated this ep so much that when I found out that Donna was going to become a full-time Companion I nearly rage-quit the show. I was so baffled when Partners in Crime aired and I found out that Catherine Tate could actually act. I could not have imagined that Donna would go on to be one of my favorite Companions in both the Classic and New eras.
I did not know who Catherine Tate was previous to watching The Runaway Bride; I did not found her shouting particularly funny, but I liked that it annoyed the Doctor! Donna felt real to me at some level, and since I thought she was to be the next companion, I enjoyed the contrast she presented with Rose.
So, even with all the stuff that didn't work in this special, I could rewatch it and still appreciate it.
1) Lol, should have done it, but not said a word just worn it and been like yeah whatever
2) Stop making me want a Red Dwarf/Doctor Who crossover ever more lol
I might be more irritated by the Empress if it wasn't for my bias for Sarah Parish, I utterly adore her. This one's actually one of the better specials for me, most of them I just kind of ignore; there's now probably too many to rewatch over the holidays if you wish to do so.
This review in a wedding dress would have been awesome!
Great video mate, loving the new camera.
You talk about music in this ep. Have you done if not idea for future review ranking the companions themes? I’m not sure if they still do them or was more if RTD era trait. Anyway would like to know thoughts.
Moffat still did them
Clara, and amy defently had one. Pretty sure bill did too.
Funny episode that established a great future companion.
@aidan's angels you too ;)
@@gruthakhul100 Deja vu'
I also hated Donna in this, but I adored the Racnoss. I think I always assumed she was super hammy because she's from so far back in time that everyone was just weird then. I mean, you have the Carionites, the Weeping Angels, the Beast, they all have a sense of being extra alien. I also loved the Racnoss' terrible sense of humour, for the same reason. "You have to say 'I do!'" (Donna and Lance) 'I do..' "I... don't! *spidery laughter*" Gotta love the campy side of Dr Who...
Excellent Empress of Racnoss impression! And oh, a wedding dress would have been lovely!
This is one of my favorites, and one of my most rewatched episodes of the whole show. I love the car chase scene, and Catherine Tate's delivery of "Santa's a robot!" gets me every time.
Now that said, I can't argue with a lot of the points you made. There is a LOT of shouting and the Racnoss is ridiculous. I also agree with you on the whole bit with the Doctor deciding to commit this genocide, it felt like it came out of nowhere, and I suppose some might say he was still hurting from Rose but that's still quite a drastic response. It makes sense in retrospect but I do remember on first watch I was thinking "Huh?"
Donna is my favorite companion of all time as well and I just love her to death. I even like her here, but I can see why she'd get on some people's nerves. Her quiet moments were brilliant. Still love that car chase though.
This was actually my first Doctor Who episode so it has a special place in my heart.
That’s kind of a shame you didn’t like it… I rewatched Runaway Bride just last night and it was honestly so fun. I loved how Donna is framed as a really small, petty woman with small, petty concerns, but how that smallness is also a strength. People get hurt and Donna is the one saying “You’re a doctor; help them!” while the Doctor is too busy focusing on the Big Picture. It was…really very nice theming, honestly. Deeply humanizing even of someone who blathers all day about X-Factor. You know?? Definitely hooks you on her character, at least for me.
god damn it all i could think about was "now i want to see this review with him in a wedding dress"
Visual aid: instagram.com/p/BtG6-rvHaN7/?igshid=1a8ch4tf3fy2s
I also want to say, I wish you had done this in a wedding dress!
I completely agree about the "my children" sections. The shots and "special effects" looked like a high school class did them (which I think played into the fact that the dark moment of the doctor didn't really work). That poor actress didn't have a chance with all the terrible costume, makeup, camera angles, and script (or lack thereof).
That being said, I love all of Donna and didn't mind the shouting because it was such a MASSIVE contrast to rose. And a contrast to the quiet scenes, which I agree were beautiful. Also, have you been around a bridezilla? This isn't really that much of an exaggeration. Especially when you take all the underlying layers that play into her wedding (fiancee not being faithful etc).
I loved this episode, but it takes a great deal of buy-in to overlook the terrible job the writers and technical crew did of the villains.
That's a surprisingly good impression of the Empress' laugh. Personally I love the campiness, but I respect that it's not everyone's cup of tea
I loved this episode. It's my third favourite Christmas episode behind Voyage of the Damned and Christmas Invasion. The only thing that really bothered me about it was the robot santas because they felt so utterly pointless, especially considering they weren't even the same robot santas. The idea that two aliens would have that same bad idea was kind of baffling.
That said while I can't refute anything you've said about the episode none of it really bothered me all that much. I loved the way Donna calling the Doctor "martian" throughout the episode game back in the finish where the Racnoss said her children would feast on martian flesh and in this like sick parody of when he'd said "I'm not from mars." earlier says it again and then names his home planet and the Racnoss realises that she should have taken his offer. One thing I will say though is that the prosthetic teeth for the Racnoss really did her a disservice. I remember her saying "They murdered the Racnoss." from that finale felt kind of off from the tone of the scene.
While not perfect I did genuinely enjoy this episode and though I respect that you didn't I don't really understand it. At most I've seen this episode get indifference from the fandom. I've never seen someone that outright hated it that much.
BadWolf739 he tends to not have opinions that lie in the middle ground. He’s often absolutely loving it or it’s the worst garbage ever put to film... rarely just meh 😂😂
I had always thought that the Racnoss queen was either animatronic or CGI, not an person in a mask. Of course, if it was animatronic or CGI, there would be even less justification for the lisp or whatever that vocal style is. I checked into it a bit and as best I can tell, it was the actress in a mask.
8:05 - I don't remember the Racnoss sounding like Neil Goldman from 'Family Guy'
The reason there is a massive shift between this and series four is because this was written for Catherine Tate, whereas series four was written for 'Donna' - and there is a big big difference. Anyone who knows Tate (and I do a little, but know plenty who know her better) will tell you - the runaway bride is her - all her - that is exactly what she is like as a person. So, Nathaniel, if you are a Donna fan, but didnt like her in this - I have a feeling you wouldnt get on too well with Tate the actor, she is quite a challenging person to work with and get to know. David Tennant however got on really well with her and brings out the best in her performance in s4.
I think they added too much shouting to show how different Donna was from what we'd seen in NuWho. She wasn't eye candy potential lover interest with some brains underneath, she was a WOMAN, and she was not afraid to show it. Badass good girl.
Did you get a new camera? The quality looks amazing!
It was a cool episode, mate
Aaaand... I must go watch the comedic redub/re-edit of the Daleks meeting the Cybermen at Canary Warf again. XD
Oh man, nice shoutout to Red Dwarf!
As soon as I saw this video come up, I got my shout, fighty self all ready to roll, because I was expecting another "Rose=good, Donna=horrible" mess. And I really liked this episode. Buuuuuuut..... I cannot argue with any of your points. What I love is the quiet parts, where they drop the noise and the connection begins to form. I love them so much, I forget the shouting. I also love the flash of The Oncoming Storm, and how Donna isn't totally sold by Ten's charm offensive. I guess I actually don't love the episode, I just love the glimpse of my fav doctor/companion.
Who out there says Donna is bad? She’s better than Amy in my opinion
@@Joe-v5o - I got into Ten/Donna fic shortly shortly after Donna left the show, and was flirting with getting into the fandom when I got absolutely roasted for saying that I liked Donna and Ten's dynamic more than Rose and Ten's. The few times that I tried again, I always got the same thing.
ElizIndRhythm, damn, never new about this hate. I guess the fanbase really is as bad as they say
@@Joe-v5o Don't get me wrong, as these events happened a long time ago. It just was the second go-round for me to experience the toxicity that fandom can hold, and I'm still a bit traumatized. Things may be very much better now, at least on that argument.
I really enjoy Donna's reaction to Lance's betrayal. That was moving.
I haven't rewatched this one. I only have a vague memory of it which usually means I didn't care much for it. Your review brought back some of it and it doesn't make me want to watch it again. Donna is also my favorite companion. I also really like Wilfred too. I'm looking forward to your series 4 overdue reviews.
It's not left turn it's TURN LEFT
You know which one I meant. So give me a flipping break. I don’t script these.
@@CouncilofGeeks How dare you make a microscopic error ... Put on a dress, and go sit in the corner pondering what you did!
bad kitty!
@@CouncilofGeeks I now see the error of my ways
I love the tone of the episode and I ADORE the over-the-top performance of The Empress. "Lance is funny!" Having previously seen Tate's sketch show, I went in knowing things might get shouty and hysterical but I was OK with that. I wasn't "bovvered". It was intended to be a hard left turn away from the extreme bummer that is 'Doomsday', and as such, it works.
I love this episode. Its so iconic for my childhood
First Donna is the best companion. A rival and partner to any form of the Doctor. As to the shift in tone could it be more foreshadowing or a peak at the Doctor that can commit genocide on a whim? Yes it's out of left field but it also showed you what he can really do if he wanted to.
P.S. You should have so gone with the dress!!
The impression of the Racnoss Empress sounded more like the Sycorax Leader to me.
Something looks different about the video. It seems lighter and less saturated.
Wasn't keen on this episode for some considerable time, but after seeing the fully fleshed-out Donna of series 4, I enjoy it a lot more. A little moment that I always find funny is the Doctor sonicing a cash point. Imagine if he did that in real life!
What happened to your Ten shirt and tie?
I’m going to blame this episode beating me up too much to remember.
I don't know if you meant to say 'left turn', but the episode name I think you meant to say was 'Turn Left'.
I completely agree, Donna is the best companion, but the episode is not good. I wish she had a good introduction, but if I remember correctly her reintroduction was much better.
I know what you mean about the camp ... ALL of the early Christmas Specials were basically out of control when it came to fun and crazy'ness ... I think RTD and the producers were trying too hard to deliver something that would just ENTERTAIN the whole family as they sat at home with stuffed bellies after Xmas dinner. And by 'entertain', I mean zany fun at its most basic level.
I enjoyed all of them over the years back then ... but I rarely re-watch them.
I find the shouting quite humorous actually, I can say I enjoyed it
Yeah, the first time I saw Donna in this episode, my friends made me aware that she was going to be a future fan favorite companion... and you detailed the exact reason why, after watching it, I wondered why the heck anyone found her interesting.
Do you think even those quiet moments really showed how good her personality was? Or do you think later writers took a tiny spark of potential and magnified it so much that, upon rewatching, she looks slightly better in those moments ONLY because you know what they did with her later?... Just a thought. :)
It always throws me off seeing this one pop up, as I think "why did it skip season 3"?
Don't think it was that awful, to me its just unremarkable
If you want a good series that dares and experiments with concept with good characters, there is LEXX, it it rauchy, it is weird but its a great story with a great tragic undead antihero assasin , a coward who still has an inch of courage and a reprogrammed ex slave that gave the love porgramming to a robot head who is now in love.
Honestly, i never saw that episode.
I actually have a soft spot for this episode. I find a lot of the stuff between the Doctor and Donna funny, and how you meet Donna's family--particularly the mom--and begin to see why Donna is the way she is works for me. That twinkle in her eye when she starts crying because that's the only thing that will shut them up. The Rachnoss was AWFUL. Omg. Have no idea why they didn't just have a disembodied voice or something, shrouded in a dark spider silhouette. Animal based monsters work so much better if we never get a good look at them. But when the Doctor and Donna laugh down a corridor on Segways you can see something special between them. And, of course, the scene at the end; the "you need someone to stop you". Donna understood exactly what a companion is and does in a couple of hours of knowing the Doctor better than Clara did in her entire run. It's why I love Donna, because she isn't naturally brave, or confident, or beautiful or any of those things Companions usually are. But she sees to the heart of what is in front of her, often better than the Doctor. Her instincts, her insights are true.
For me Donna is the most beutiful of the companions, obviously I can't speak for the actors, but the characters deffenetly. Donna should have been called Rose. All thorney, because the thorns are protecting something so beutiful, and delicate. If I was gonna fall in love with any companion it would have defently been Donna.
How do you make your thumbnails? ;V
I have somebody else do it.
@@CouncilofGeeks oh nvm then ; (
The villain performance made me laugh a lot, definitively not for the right reason, but at least a had a lot of fun
This is my fave special
Yeah the Christmas specials are usually a bit different and a bit more gimmicky. They’re trying to appeal to as many people as possible who may be channel surfing for those sweet sweet Christmas Day ratings and to get new viewers for the new seasons. It’s just something safe, festive and fun you can have on in the background while you get talked to death about cousin David’s new business or Aunt Stacey and her ex husband drama.
Wedding dress idea: Funny but awkward
The first time the TARDIS and the Doctor are having a adventure in the new Universe Gallifrey was sent over to. Big bang took place right before Donna was drawn to the TARDIS. ask and ill explain how we know this.
Omigosh I would have loved to see you all dressed up! 👗
While I like Catherine Tate, the shouting is a main reason why Donna isn't one of my favorite companions.
I just don't like shouting.
I actually love the runaway bride its one if my favourite Christmas specials
Donna is still the best companion and this episode shows how easily she could have been terrible instead.
While I agree with everything you say (why couldn't the Racnaross actress have her voice re-dubbed?), there are several things I like about this episode, the quiet moments, the final scene, and the car chase. At that point I was ok with Donna being a one-off companion. When I learned she was joining the show for series 4, I was very disappointed. That lasted until the first 10 mins of "Partners in Crime" and Donna and the Doctor 's silent "dialogue" behind glass across a room. From that point on she became, and still is, my favorite companion.
Dress to impress lol. Also second foreshadow of mr saxon
9/10 no wedding dress :/
Apart from the sudden shift in tone and the irritating way the racnoss empress speaks, I really enjoy this episode. Donna's a bit shouty but I think that's fair considering she got snatched away in the middle of her wedding, realised the remaining attendees had the reception without her, and lost her fiancé all in one day. I'd be upset too. I think camp episodes can be a lot of fun so the campness doesn't bother me and I really like the moment when they're on the segways and start laughing at how ridiculous they look.
As someone who is not from an English speaking country: I didn't know Catherine Tate until I saw that episode. And as far as I recall that episode, first time 2 years ago and rewatched it last year with my daughter (rewatch in German), the shouting was 'good'; as I had no idea about who Catherine Tate is and couldn't expect anything and the contrast between shouting and being calm worked quite well.
All in all I liked that episode quite a bit. But I can see your point. Except for the empress' voice. It would have been more irritating if a giant space spider just sounded human, at least in my opinion. Generally I really like aliens which aren't "human". Everytime I see an alien that is human I can't help but think: "Oh that's how they save money during production."
However I get that there are many reason for humanlike aliens: facial expressions, empathy, technical questions. So I don't complain, but it is refreshing to have less human aliens every now and than, even if it is just a human body on a giant spider with a strange voice.
I don’t know, when rewatching this I really liked it. Yes Donna shouts a lot but it feels like an understandable reaction to me. She was literally walking down the isle, of course that’s he only thing on her mind. She doesn’t have the time to be abducted by an alien!
But then she has the quiet moments and you realise that she actually isn’t all that bad.Her boisterous character is a bit of a facade that hides a deeply feeling and insecure woman. She (blindly) did really care about Lance though. She was betrayed by him and then watched him die on they day they were supposed to get hitched, that’s a LOT. She has every right to hate him and curse him to hell but she doesn’t. Donna Noble is just so much heart at a time the doctor badly needs one. Maybe I’m out of my mind, entirely possible, but Donna felt more human to me from just one Christmas special than many other companions down the line have after multiple seasons.
" Donna " had been introduced to the more mature audience. Was a good idea, I bet there was much mocking going on that the DOCTOR draggs along always young chics-
I think you would have made a lovely bride. 🙂
I agree with almost everything except:
1-Donna overreactive shouting at the begining and bouncing off Tennant's Doctor... I loved it. Besides, it sets out a theme: she was always shown as a comedy character, not meant to be taken seriously... and then the finale of fourth season surprises us with the twist that she's in fact a very complex and insecure character.
2-for all its campiness, to me this works better than Army of Ghosts and Doomsday... but that's bc I really hate those two. I hate all the nonsensicall BS they try to get away with in that finale that doesn't work.
To me, the worst problem with the episode is the villain, from the overthetop unbelievable performance, unneeded cuts to her monologue and the Doctor suddenly deciding to be a genocidal maniac for no reason.
Oh yeah vira could have done the vid. That's the right name isn't it?
“Vera”. So you were close.
@@CouncilofGeeks oh ok. But wouldn't it have been Vera if you had done the vid, which I like so much, with a wedding dress?
You really should have wore the wedding dress!
I disagree with most of what you said which is nice when it happens. I love the actress who plays the empress. The episode is great, fight me.
Aw I liked it. It's Christmas and RTD likes to go silly for it. You're not gonna like Voyage of the Damned I fear.
Donna WAS an unlikable ditz and her adventure with The Doctor changed her. I think the point of her more subdued behavior by the end was because the world wasn't all about her and having finally paid attention to the bigger picture she realized the effect she had on others.
Also: I like camp. :P
His acting all dark is kinda ok if we take the fact that the events of losing Rose was just some hours ago..and he was not patient enough to give her another chance or a easier way out? but as a stand alone episode..yes it is quite unfit.