TARDISWATCH 2008: DOCTOR WHO FEATURE REVIEWS- PLANET OF THE OOD

The third episode of each series of Doctor Who generally is the point where we start to see how the whole thing will pan out. Just to be awkward, this series is set out rather differently to what has gone before, which is marvellous to see as otherwise the format would start to become a bit predictable. Comparing this third episode to previous third entries since the show came back (The Unquiet Dead, School Reunion, Gridlock), you can see that the third part of the series always carries elements that will become important later on. So far this series has stuck to the regular format, but as of next week that goes out of the window somewhat and we are going to be taken on rather a different journey, with earlier companions popping up, not to mention another historical episode on the way, in which we meet Agatha Christie. Playing with an established format will be very good for keeping hold of new viewers and stopping the diehards complaining too much, and with Doctor Who, that’s how things should always be.

I still haven’t seen much about series 4 Doctor Who memorabilia, but as soon as I do, I’ll let you know…

The Ood were last seen in the fantastic series 2 double parter consisting of ‘The Impossible Planet’ and ’The Satan Pit’, a story which was deemed to be one of the best since Doctor Who returned to our screens. The subservient and very alien creatures are back with this single episode story, in which we discover their origins, the nature of their translator spheres, and that Donna actually has more than one tone of voice.

While nowhere near as good as their first appearance, this is still a powerful episode in many respects. While the 45 minutes zip by in a flurry of running and shouting, I thought that the reasons behind their obedience were both chilling and heartbreaking. He sight of the unconverted Ood cowering in fear was difficult to watch, and ,made their plight seem very real indeed. Catherine Tate brought some real pathos to Donna’s character this week, which is both a surprise and a relief.

The Doctor seemed to be something of a weak link this week, with David Tennant’s performance coming across as a little on autopilot, but this is probably down to some shoddy lines of dialogue here and there as opposed to any fault of our hero. The planet of the Ood was magnificently realised, with some gorgeous CG vistas that boasted a rather ‘oil painting’ type effect, which, as opposed to making them look cheap, actually worked in their favour. Once again The Mill outdid themselves.

Aside from all the running, shouting and gunfire, this episode comes across as a tad empty, and a little light on plot, but it is a fun ride for all the family, aside from the incredibly graphic climax involving a character ripping off his own scalp and vomiting Ood tentacles during a transformation sequence.

Once again, events later in the series are foreshadowed, with a possible end to the Doctor’s life (regeneration rumours ahoy!) and another mention of ‘All the Bees keep disappearing’. All in all a fun romp, but a little light on substance. Great to see the Ood get a little redemption, though.

Episode rating: 6 out of 10