Doctor Who 4xIshouldreallylookthisupbeforeIpost

[jadesfire]

Includes spoilers for next week's trailer, but I've put in a spoiler space above and below.



I think I need a keyboard shortcut for "Donna Noble, how are you so awesome?" She just keeps getting better and better. Catherine Tate's range is fantastic, Donna rocks in every possible way and please can we keep her? Please?

This really felt like old-style Who, with the house of unlikely suspects, some silliness, the Doctor briefly in mortal peril and a cunning solution that neatly ties into historical events. I liked the way they kept the mood reasonably light, and that Agatha Christie was allowed to be a 'whole' person, not just a one-note character. Her mixture of bravado ("Can't a woman make her own way in the world?") and heart-break, her lack of confidence in herself or her books, was just perfect. The actress (who I recognised but can't name off the top of my head) did a wonderful job and this is the first time this series that I've really thought Damn, I want to watch that again. And not only to catch all the book titles (more on that later).

I'm also a huge fan of Felicity Kendall, because after all, if you need a fragile looking, British, female character who was brought up in India, who else are you going to choose? I was less impressed with 'The Unicorn' who really did a better upper-class accent than 'mockney'. Not so convincing, I'm afraid. But it was a nice subplot, and very Agatha Christie.

And that was what impressed me this week, where I'd felt let down last week. The writing for this was so strong, playing with our ideas and expectations and working on every level you can think of. There was the straight-forward, much mentioned, conveniently-explained main plot, where characters are killed off one by one for an apparently unconnected reason, but really because they know more than they should (the professor and housekeeper), or out of jealousy (the son). Then there was the 'unknown child' motif, which as well as fulfilling this season's theme, felt very Christie-ish. Then there was the handy and distracting subplot that really has nothing to do with the main story, but is a useful red herring. Then there were all the book titles, and Donna's excitement at the whole situation. Her eating grapes through the denoument was priceless.

The acting was pretty much what you get from Agatha Christie adaptations, in the supporting cast at least, making Donna and Agatha really stand out. I'd guessed most the secrets by about 10 minutes in, but that really didn't matter. As in the best Agatha Christies, the joy was in the how not the who. I also really liked that the mother knew she was having an alien baby. Her acceptance, her love and her grief were a nice touch, a counterpoint to the usual sci-fi tropes on these things. We'll forget about the biology, shall we? That's what *hand waving* is for.

The Doctor's poisoning scene was fun (er...you know what I mean...) if only for Donna's sheer uselessness at charades. Although I really have to hope that they weren't real anchovies. And if they were, that DT only had to do one take. Ugh. The shock was fun, and we've now got 'Kisses Companion' for our Season 4 bingo cards. But we didn't get 'war is wrong' this week, so I guess that compensates for it.

Otherwise, this was a wonderful romp of an episode, that will definitely be on my rewatching list. And so, on to the really important stuff. In terms of titles, it was said that she'd published six, which would be The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Secret Adversary, Murder on the Links, The Man in the Brown Suit, The Secret of Chimneys The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Obviously 'Death in the Clouds' doesn't count, so apart from that, I got:
-Murder on the Orient Express
-Sparkling Cyanide
-Cards on the Table
-They do it with Mirrors
-The body in the library
-Taken at the flood
-The Moving Finger
-Cat among the Pigeons
-Nemesis
?Death comes as the End (which is pretty much my favourite after 'The ABC Murders' so I might have imagined that...)

Any advance on that list?

So, I had fun. What about you guys?

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Okay, I'll admit, I'm the complete geek, and squeaked happily when I saw the library. I'll watch it just for the effects, never mind the plot, although that looks intriguing too.

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for leaving comments without getting spoiled, I hope :)

Comments

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

The actress (who I recognised but can't name off the top of my head)

Fenella something. She was in Bright Young Things with D-10. I swear the British media industry is SO incestuous.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

Woolgar (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0941211/). But she really reminded me of some other actress... i can't think now... did She-devil... Patricia Hodge! (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0388092/) In the trailer last week, I actually thought it was her for a bit.

(apiphile! yay!!)

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

(apiphile! yay!!)

You are only the third person in the history of ever to work that out!

Possibly because the word is actually melissophile, but still. ;) ♥

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

I like words. I also like Bees :-)

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

AND Dr Who! Clearly you have taste.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

That's it! Yes, she definitely reminded me of Patricia Hodge - a combination of that and having seen her photograph a few times left me with that annoying sense of familiarity where you feel you should know someone but just don't.

Thanks :)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks. I haven't seen the film, but the copy of 'Vile Bodies' that I was reading had picture from the film on the front (assuming I'm thinking of the right thing) so that's probably it...

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

That'll be the one (BYT is based on Vile Bodies)! I'd recommend it to watch, actually, it contains most of the, well, Bright Young Things of British acting, mostly on their first film outing.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

Oooh, you got ones I didn't! dammit. I thought I'd done pretty well. Does Murder at the Vicarage count, btw?

I am hugely surprised by the lack of squee over the gay subplot (my gaydar is b0rked, but even I picked up on the lingering glances. OH didn't, bless). But then it's only been an hor and a bit since the showing ;-)
That's the first one this series that I've really wanted to see again. Those sort are my favourites, but that may be because I ♥ intertextuality.
We can has Doctor/library icons in a fortnight??

[miss-zedem.livejournal.com]

Nope, not just you - I was squeeing over the gay subplot as well. The dig from Donna about the footman not being able to mourn? Made of win.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Hee. I'm pretty sure I missed some too - such a great idea :)

I thought the subplot was nicely done, yes, and it was nice to have it highlighted, rather than either raised and ignored or made a HUGE deal of. It fitted into the story and worked - much like the rest of the episode. Brilliant.

[xwingace]

The Man in the Brown Suit

That being one she already published is a bit of a pity, given that the Doctor took the trouble to dress in the brown one this time and all.

The plot was good and even Christie-ish (at least from what I remember of my Christie -- it's been a while since I read any), but possibly a bit over the top with the (false) revelations and fingerpointing.

What really bugged me about this episode were the transformation sequences, though. Those were painful to watch, and that's a shame in an otherwise entirely amusing episode.

XWA

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Hee, I hadn't though of the suit, but yes, what a shame!

The plot was over the top, but I think that's part of what made it work for me - Christie's plots are often like that anyway, so I just kind of rolled with it :)

The actual wasps weren't too bad, I thought, so I can forgive them the purple smoke...

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

This episode had me squeaking "The joy, the utter JOY!" through all of this. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't figure out very much of it, except for the Colonel being able to walk and the way to kill the wasp. But that didn't matter, because it was an excellently entertaining episode. I want to watch it again.

And Donna. Oh, Donna. I find it hilarious that although she and the Doctor are very definite about not being together, they're actually the most comfortable Doctor and Companion since new Who started. Of all of them, they're the ones that act like an old married couple - right down to "Dear, have you finished getting dressed? We'll be late."

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I was here on my own doing the ironing, but I had to keep stopping to avoid burning holes in things. So. Much. Fun. :D

I hadn't thought of that about the Doctor and Donna, but yes absolutely. They just work together, in a grown-up way, like an old-school companion. This makes me happy :D

[hllangel]

I haven't read much Christie, but I loved this episode. Gotta rewatch it sooner rather than later.

Donna is brilliant. I am in love with her character, and Catherine Tate plays it brilliantly.

We get a break from the heavy-handed war plots, and message plots, which is always nice. I definitely loved how it shadowed many of her stories. And the bit about Donna giving her names/places was a bit remniscient of the Shakespeare episode from last year.

All in all, a lot of fun.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I love that most people are saying they need to rewatch - that's got to be a good thing!

It's great to have fun!Who for a week, after the heaviness of last week. This was clever writing, assuming the audience is clever - it's always nice not to be patronised :)

[miss-zedem.livejournal.com]

I loved it. I loved Donna, I loved Fenella Woolgar aka Patricia Hodge (which was who my other half said it was!), I loved Felicity. Just so much squee. And yes, a nice break from the planet being wiped out thing.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I think I thought it was Patricia Hodge in the trailer - they do look very similar :)

This was a much more subtle exploration of the whole 'children' theme - it felt natural and it furthered the plot, and it wasn't rammed down our throats. It's always nice to be treated as an intelligent human being ;)