The impossible planet / The Satan pit (2006)

Review
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More about this two-parter

Review

This two-parter was first broadcast on 3 - 10 June 2006. A brief and somewhat spoiler-ish summary of the plot: the Doctor and Rose are stranded on a space base, where they encounter the source of all evil.

Apart from the religious overtones, which I think the old series wouldn't have gone near, this is a traditional Doctor Who base-under-siege story. In particular there are strong links with the Tom Baker stories 'The ark in space' and 'Planet of evil', and also the Doctor's "You, humans!" enthusiasm is very Baker-ish.

I couldn't remember much about this two-parter, and watching it again I was pleasantly surprised. Some good things about this story:

• it's very well-written. The space base crew are fleshed out as real-live people, and when one of them dies, it matters
• it's well-made, well-paced and well-acted
• both episodes look fantastic
• the Ood are excellent aliens
• much of the plot is resolved in a team effort, with Rose playing a major part
• the incidental score is outstanding

The less good news:

• the writing for the Doctor's descent into the pit is great, but much of what we see here is another writer struggling with the tenth Doctor. What we get for much of the two-parter is basically Tom Baker with more angry shouting and more manic mannerisms
• the plot resolution is a bit contrived for my taste, since the need to lure the Doctor into the trap seems to be caused by some fairly arbitrary limits to the Beast's powers
• the spectacle of the Tardis towing the spaceship belongs in a different, more farcical episode

My verdict:

A solid space adventure.

More about Doctor Who

An introduction:
Doctor Who reviews: introduction

More "nice!" Doctor Who:
Doctor Who reviews: nice!

More Doctor Who with David Tennant:
Doctor Who reviews: 2005 - now

Similar stories:
Doctor Who reviews: space opera

More about this two-parter

Episode guides:
BBC Episode guide (The impossible planet, The Satan pit)

Episode reviews:
Behind the sofa (The impossible planet, The Satan pit)
Outpost Gallifrey (Outpost Gallifrey Outpost Gallifrey

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