World War Three

The family Slitheen, sadly not a soul band from the 1970s but psychotic naturists from Raxacoricofallapatorius, seek nuclear launch codes as they masquerade as the heads of the UK government (as most ministers of UK governments do) while emitting pungent-like sounds (another similar governmental characteristic). When the invader's plans for the annihilation of the planet are finally revealed the Doctor, entombed with Rose and Harriet Jones (MP for Flydale North) in a Downing Street bunker, must find a way to curtail the fraud by creating an almighty rupture. Meanwhile Roses mum Jackie has two predatory pests to contend with, although one of them does turn out to be a bit more useful on this occasion.

Again, this has its moments, but if you found the first part a bit silly and confused about its tone, you won't find your opinion changed here.

This episode concludes its predecessor brilliantly. It is rated almost exactly the same as the first and together these two make a satisfactory double episode.

This concluding part of the first two part story in Nu Who is, for my money, a little underwhelming but it wraps up the story in a way I'd totally forgotten in the intervening years.

With The Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), Rose (Billie Piper), Harriet Jones (Penelope Wilton) and Jackie (Camille Coduri) all seemingly at the mercy of the Slitheen, it takes the Doctors quick thinking and alien physiology to save them. From there, the Slitheen's dastardly plan becomes apparent and the future of the planet, lands in the hands of Mickey (Noel Clarke).

So what did I like about this one? Well, everyone is settling into their performances and group dynamics a little more now. Mickey is less scared of the Doctor and more resentful - Jackie is addressing the one aspect that isn't usually discussed, that being the Doctors companion is enormously dangerous and it's the truth is that there are families that simply never see their relatives again. There is, mercifully, less farting in this episode and a lot more menace from the Slitheen. The CGI versions of the characters, used in the running scenes are actually a pretty decent effect - unfortunately - they don't bare much relationship with the practical costumed version - both the scale and colour is wrong.

I didn't care much for the resolution though. Though dropping a missile on themselves (and blowing up 10 Downing Street) was spectacular, it wasn't exactly the sort of clever out I was expecting - particularly after the reveal about the effect of Vinegar on the Calcium based Slitheen, which I assumed was going to feature somehow. Launching a missile seems like something the Doctor ought to utilise more often if that's a tactic available to him. That said, it does keep up the idea that the Doctor has killed each alien he's come across so far, which if I remember rightly does play into the next episode. Time has given the "weapons of mass destruction" lines as little less context than they had 15 years ago, still with the Iraq war fresh in our minds. It did make me smile though when people complain that 2020 Doctor Who has gone political.

The first episode I'd describe as "alright" rather than "good" - but I know there's better to come.

I really don't see why this particular story was two whole episodes. They could've cut it all down to one and saved me the pain of sitting through more of the Slitheen. Harriet also isn't all that likeable to me, she's too one dimensional and idealistic in a very annoying did high school model UN way. Yet again, the only good parts are Mickey and Rose's mom teaming up to defend themselves and help Rose. They carried the entire episode's emotional appeal on their backs and made the whole storyline more interesting (even though it wasn't still). Them standing there showing how hard the Doctor's travels are on them is a really important beginning of showing the consequences of being a companion. I think there's more interesting episodes like these, that involve the entire world, in future seasons that are done really well. If I remember correctly, Matt Smith has several of those.