April 20, 2008

Planet of the Ood (2008)

The third episode is another visually stunning story that mixes well with a very interesting plot. Keith Temple's debut script for the series battles between bringing back a familiar character and deals with a moral issue.

The Ood who first appeared in the 2006 two-parter The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit is the first creature from the new series to return (apart from The Daleks). The Ood were used in an emotional yet tense way. We had learned in The Impossible Planet that the Ood are servants and presumed that they are born this way. We learn in this episode that they are born free but are converted into being slaves. This is a real sad revelation but highlight (and this might be the writers intention) the horrors of slavery. When the Ood's eyes turn red you wondered what was causing this cause in The Satan Pit it was the Devil but he 'secondary' stage was truly shocking. The most shocking scene though in this episode if not in Doctor Who history was when Klineman Halpan ripped of his skin to reveal he had been turned into an Ood.

Catherine Tate is progressing well, she was only annoying in the TARDIS but after that she showed the same positive points that she displayed in The Fires of Pompeii. One of my favourite scenes was when she asked the Doctor to give her the chance to hear the Ood singing. It was truly a sad moment and throughout the episode she tried to convince the Ood to be free, it wasnt over bearing but was subtly done. David Tennant was very good in this story but seemed to me be in the background of things because The Ood and Tim McInnery stole the show.

Tim McInnery is perhaps best know for starring in the Blackadder series and was superb in this episode. He was like a slave master and whenever he was on the screen he just seemed to be enjoying himself and find it quite easy. The Ood were well received and well liked back in the 2006 two-parters but in this they were propelled to one of the best non-Dalek/Cybermen monsters in Who history.

Great plot, great special effects and great scenes. This story continued the good start to the season and with the Sontaran two-parter yet to come the series can only get better

No comments:

Post a Comment