Tooth and Claw

Having started in a not entirely satisfactory fashion with premiere episode New Earth, the second season of Doctor Who ups its game considerably with this second offering, another Russell T. Davies-penned adventure that ditches other planets in favor of a (sort of) historical adventure that deftly mixes the show's trademark humor with some genuine horror.

Having left New Earth, the Doctor's plan was to take Rose back to 1979, a year he likes for many reasons (one of them being the Muppet movie). However, due to a TARDIS mishap, they find themselves in 1879, more specifically in Scotland, where they run into a vacationing Queen Victoria (Pauline Collins). The Doctor poses as a Scottish physician to gain access to her entourage, and soon discovers something dangerous is in the working: a conspiracy involving deranged monks and an alien entity in the shape of a werewolf...

While there is a bit of mythology in the script (the name Torchwood is mentioned once again), Tooth and Claw works perfectly as a self-contained story with hints of John Landis, most explicitly in a wonderful scene where the Doctor and Rose, while hiding from the wolf, giddily express their excitement about the situation. The wolf itself is a credible threat, although a couple of shots are slightly let down by the visual effects. As for Collins, who continues the tradition of portraying real people in the series (following Simon Callow's class act as Dickens in The Unquiet Dead), her rendition of Victoria is suitably cold and amusing. Plus, the in-joke of the Doctor faking a Scottish accent (Tennant's own, in fact), followed Rose trying to do the same with appalling results, is one of the funniest moments in the series so far.

This was a very funny, well made episode for the new Doctor I thought it was great, there was comedy, mixed in with horror and mystery and it all made for one great episode easilly in my view 9/10 perhaps 9.5.

Overall, Tooth and Claw is very enjoyable. And now this episode sets up Season's 2's arc nicely, with Queen Elizabeth addressing and announcing to the Doctor about Torchwood. There's often not enough mention about this episode, but I find it quite interesting. There's alot of nice scenery, and some cool stunts, and terrifying Weareolf which does seem pretty cool, yes admittedly the ending and the death of the Weareolf Is a cop-out. But don't let that distract you from a very good episode that handles the cinematography and the tension between the assassins and the people distract you from a disappointing and lackluster last 5 Minutes. As facing off against a Weareolf is quite a fun premise. With the start of an arc.

Tennant is very likeable at the start, just a great Doctor. Everything worked out on this episode, bravo!

It is 1879, although the TARDIS rhythm stick is stuck and it should be 1979, either way the Doctor and Rose find themselves in deepest, darkest Scotland. They hitch a lift with Queen Victoria (as you do) and her rerouted entourage, before stopping at the Torchwood Estate not long after sabotage, where they're about to encounter a beast who is not in camouflage - no sheep's clothing here. There's a bit of cat and mouse, round the besieged highland house, but no need to give up hope with Prince Albert's telescope, it's not long before they're back to shooting grouse (not a lot else to do in that part of the world in all fairness).