We bring out the big guns for our 100th canonical Doctor Who review to talk about an episode that needs no introduction.
It’s Volcano Day in Pompeii and Peter Capaldi appears as the pater familias of the Cambridge Latin course while Karen Gillan worships freaking lava monsters!!
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The Tenth Doctor and Donna arrive in Pompeii the day before Volcano Day.
A local chancer sells the TARDIS behind their backs to, of all people, Peter Capaldi, who’s hosting the city augur later that afternoon.
Seeking out their time machine, our intrepid protagonists stumble upon an alien plot involving lava monsters and stone people.
Somehow Donna manages to piss off the priestesses of the Sibylline oracle — one of whom is played by, of all people, Karen Gillan — and subsequently they try to sacrifice her.
One thing leads to another, and for the second week running the Doctor and Donna Noble find themselves in a cupboard trying to halt a runaway energy converter.
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Tracey here! Please have a mini:
So, the two Celts arrive in Rome, I mean Pompeii! And how exactly does Doc know it’s volcano day? The newspaper? Meh, screw it, the theme song is so good I’ve already forgotten. Much of this episode is played for laughs but it gets intense right at the end. Loved “I am Spartacus. And so am I.” From Doctor and Donna respectively, for me it was quite unexpected. Honorable mention to the fact that Doc impersonates a marble inspector. Instead of responding “You’re a what?” its “oh shit, MARBLE INSPECTOR!”
I liked the “Positions!” scenes that saw Caecilius and household catching breakables as the house shook. Mary Poppins has one in which the cry is “Posts!”.
Reference tracker:
1:35 Karen Gillan
1:50 Doc mentions Roman Fire that he as Hartnell caused
4:49 Capaldi!
15:20 Prophecies for all, “Doctor, she is returning” meaning Rose, “Daughter of London, there is something on your back.”
Fantastic acting from Tennant and Tate at the end. Like a volcano this emotion has been building since their arrival. Doc recalls his part in the Roman fire, and externally he’s blasé, but it can only be reminding him of Gallifrey. The regret of the past coupled with the ‘terrible choice’ nearly overwhelms him until Donna let’s him see someone, anyone saved. And this in turn saves him.
Final note, it should be literally impossible for Doc and Donna to outrun the pyroclastic flow post escape pod.
Rating: s’moldering s’more
Bonus recipe for readers-
For those unfamiliar with s’mores I have included a s’moldering s’more tutorial:
Get a large bonfire going. Set out two graham cracker squares, a couple rectangles of Hershey’s chocolate on one of them. Leave those near the fire so the chocolate can get melty. Flame roast a marshmallow on a stick until it is raging hot. Setting it on fire is ok, but blow it out just prior to use. As quickly as possible and while the marshmallow is still hot, smash it between the plain graham cracker square and the chocolatey graham cracker square. Consume immediately.