Partners in Crime

Ahh! The return of Donna Noble. I love this character and the comedy she brought to the show! So, obviously I'm excited when I hear she's returned to who! Sadly, this episode wasn't a great restart for Miss Tate. The plot seemed to be just thrown in there. An idea that the writers said about: "wouldn't it be funny if..." But eventually they had to use it. So, though the plot was just plain silly, the acting was top notch. Though the villain didn't really have a huge role, her acting made her slightly villain like. At least compared to chunks of baby fat! But Tate and Tennat really showed the comedy in this episode. In their first encounter in PIC they really had me rolling! So, while this episodes plot is quite sickening, watch just for a laugh! Because Tennant and Tate are quite the duo!

There's a pill that can make you all thin, removes doubles from your chinny chin chin, one or two side effects, with a slight circumflex, as the fat walks away through your skin.

The Doctor and Donna recombine (novel idea), albeit after blindly chasing each other's tail, to investigate the effects of the Adipose Diet which consists of a pill and pendant. It's not long before punters are losing a lifetime on the hips, and several other lard and not so lard laden parts of themselves too, as the kindergarten becomes stuffed with flying Telethubbies - but where are all the bees going?

Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) who was introduced in an earlier Christmas Special The Runaway Bride becomes the Doctor's new regular companion in this story and what a fantastic companion she turned out to be. One of the best in my opinion.

We also get the great Bernard Cribbins as Donna's grandad, Wilf. He had previously appeared in a different Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned, preceding this series and in this story we learn he is Donna's grandfather.

Here, Donna is investigating Adipose Industries who claim to have invented miracle diet pills and has been hoping to meet up with the Doctor again to join him on his travels. The Doctor also arrives to investigate the same thing and the two initially keep missing each other before they finally meet up again. All of this is done to hugely enjoyable comic effect.

The witty humour, amusing dialogue and comedy interplay between the wonderful Tennant and Tate is joyous. The chemistry is there right from the start and would go on to be a magical partnership, helped by the fact Donna is so clearly not attracted to the Doctor. They are friends with edge and they would go on to not only continue to be very funny together but also to be a fabulous pairing for many dramatic, thoughtful scenes too.

This story works perfectly as comedy. The alien Adipose when they appear are only really effective as comedy or light family fun, they do not pose a menacing threat as they are simply very cute little blobs but their creation does cause deaths and so there is a bit of edge to the story.

It is all fun and nothing about it is bad. It is hard for me to rate this as a really great episode when it has such a tongue in cheek presentation of the aliens which is kind of cheesy but it is a good, solid comedic filler that works in its aims of family entertainment and establishing the new companion.

(Incidentally, I feel this episode was very influential on the 11th Doctor story The Bells of Saint John.)

Adding some real value on top of the fun and comedy this also has a great performance from the wonderful Sarah Lancashire as Foster and some beautiful emotional scenes with Donna and Wilf plus an intriguing appearance of Rose near the end that hints towards the series arc. This follows the solid Christmas secial and begins my favourite series of the modern era of Who very well.

My rating - 8/10.

This episode is a lot of fun.

This is a bit like 'New Earth' or 'Partner's in Crime' in the sense that the plot is a little thinner than usual as it's being used as a way to reintroduce David Tennant's wonderful version of The Doctor, and establishing Catherine Tate's Donna as an official companion.

I enjoy this episode whenever I see it.

Despite serious misgivings concerning the return of Catherine Tate's Donna Noble to the Tardis, I found myself eating humble pie as this episode gained momentum.

"Partners in Crime" brings a whole new dynamism to the series, demonstrating what fans have always known...that "Doctor Who" is capable of changing every few years. From the pleasingly re-energised starting sequence which harks back to the time-tunnel of earlier Doctors to the climax, every scene in this episode was a delight.

Providing welcome comic relief to the series after the doom-and-gloom of the last few tales, this opening to "Series 4" has fantastic chemistry between Tennant and Tate, another appearance from the television legend that is Bernard Cribbins, and a wonderfully comic turn from Sarah Lancashire.

Tennant reminds me a little of Bruce Campbell, with his energetic, enthusiastic and wide-eyed portrayal of the Time Lord. He's clearly extremely comfortable in the role and I dearly hope he decides to stay around for quite some time, no pun intended.

The effects in "Partners in Crime" are largely first class and the latest alien creation, the Andipose, are the cutest beings yet to appear in the long history of the series.

9 out of 10. I haven't had so much fun watching an episode of "Doctor Who" for quite some time. Marvellous family entertainment.