1)This story featured the return of the Cybermen, but the real heart of the story was the Tenth Doctor meeting a man who just might be his next incarnation. I'd never heard of David Morrissey before I saw this, but he did a good job playing a "Doctor-ish" type, and there was some nice misdirection over the issue of who he really was. Jackson Lake was an interesting character - if they'd've been of a mind to, I think a sort of Victorian "steampunk" spin-off might've been an interesting watch.

 

2)Tennant did reasonably well in this, playing a guy still getting over what had happened with Donna at the finish of "Journey's End" - "I suppose in the end they break my heart."  I liked watching him work out what was actually going on with Lake.

 

3)Miss Hartigan was a fun character - the woman with the mind strong enough to overpower the Cybermen. In some ways, it was like watching what the origin of the Borg Queen could have been like. I liked how she took the Cyberleader's arm as she walked with him, I thought that was funny. Also, I noted how the scene where she makes the four men turn right and left for her parallelled the similar scene in "Rise of the Cybermen".

 

4)The Cybermen were reasonably well-handled in this. I liked the Cyberking, I wouldn't mind having one of those to drive to work in in the mornings..  Wasn't as wild about the Cybershades, but I suppose they had to make do.  The attack in the graveyard was well-done, I thought.

 

5)Rosita was a fun character - a good pseudo-companion for a pseudo-Doctor.

 

6)The bit where we see the Doctor's previous selves was the first time in the new series where we see the Doctors from the old show. I don't think the show should be all nostalgia, but I like the occasional tie-in to the old continuity.

 

7)Some fun quotes:

  • "You there, boy, what day is this?" Ho-ho-ho.
  • "The Doctor's companion does what the Doctor says."  Since when?
  • "I can't help noticing you're wearing a fob watch."  They even had the little whispery voices when he looked at it.
  • "For the love of God, have you not pity?"  "Correct."
  • "Ever flown one of these before?"  "Nope, never."  Wait, in ten lifetimes Mr. Adventure has never flown a hot air balloon before?
  • "Yet another man come to assert himself against me in the night."  Nothing subtle there.
  • "Not ever has he ever been thanked." What nonsense, he's been thanked lots of times.

 

Overall:

A nice fun little adventure, with some good emotional scenes for Jackson, and a nice moment of friendship for the Doctor at the end.

 

[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]

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    • "Ever flown one of these beforte?"  "Nope, never."  Wait, in ten lifetimes Mr. Adventure has never flown a hot air balloon before?

    I imagine he made Passepartout do all the flying.

  • Yes, that was a nice touch.

  • And I may be wrong...but I think this was the first episode shot in HD.

  • I believe it's the last one not.

    • You're right.

      PowerBook Pete (aka Tim Cousar) said:

      I believe it's the last one not.

  • Morrissey snagged the role of the evil Governor character in the next season of The Walking Dead.
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