Good Bill Hunting meets The Nutty Professor in a softish reboot
Space woodlice should really get their Poirorities straight
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Unnoticed in the leafy suburbs of Bristol, a common family tragedy is unfolding as an ill mother has taken to her bed, seemingly beyond all medical help. Her doting young son stoically puts on a brave face, while looking in the garden for objects that might amuse his beloved parent.
The boy happens upon some peculiar insects, coiled up and looking for all the world like boiled sweets. Taking them to his suffering patient, she smiles and a small ray of light soothes his tortured mind, perhaps granting him a memory that will act as some small consolation later.
But a miracle occurs! Oh blessed day! The next morning her energy is restored, although her skin is a mite woodier than hitherto. Skip on 70 years and the boy is now a prosperous landlord who only needs to avoid The Doctor spoiling his scheme. But just look who his new tenant is…
You’ll find the BBC clip we discuss in this review here.
Hi folks
A creepy man offers you somewhere to stay and you accept? Seriously dumb moves from these rookie students. Always meet the previous tenants if you can. Lol.
After 3 introductory episodes (present, future, past), we get a more regular one with a creepy old house with a creepy old man, aka the landlord. David Suchet in Doctor Who, yas. Yeah, he’s a creepy bugger isn’t he in a very different role to what normally expect from Poirot. This one definitely comes across as a joke on the UK student housing market (especially thinking of the pre-titles sequence). Fortunately I think it doesn’t become too overblown with its references. I do like the sleep ones from Doctor not needed it unless it’s after a regeneration (all of them really) or a big lunch (you haven’t got to that one yet).
Wood person! Bit more convincing than that Narnia one, thank god. Also nice that it’s Bill that thinks of the ’70 years’ issue when the landlord is claiming to be the father. I like when companions are shown to thinking and aware of things like this. I assume it’s only the recent most tenants that are released as the others have been digested over the years, a bit more clarification in the script would have been nice there. Also fairly decent effects for the wood lice and the stuck-in-the-wood body.
I like this. It works fairly well as a haunted house plot, but isn’t anything really special 3.3/5
Kieren
What-ho Gang
Knock knock…. who’s there? Doctor…. Doctor Who? Correct.
That joke stands up better than the plot in this story! And it’s such a shame because it features some cracking performances from Capaldi, Mackie and the supporting cast, not least David Suchet, who playing the creepy landlord is possibly the best guest star to ever appear in new Who! His performance is brilliant.
Likes
Beefs
Overall, despite a great setup to the story, it fails to deliver. I wonder if Hinchcliffe/Holmes had the opportunity to do this story it might have ended up much better. It is saved somewhat by the performances by the leads and Suchet, but nonetheless even they can’t make it good enough.
I award this 2.6 tuning forks out of 5 what was that, that just crawled up your leg?
Andy Parkinson
@caffreys71