Mad Paddington interrupts a tuna madras and Doc is rubbish at keeping a secret
DnD return for Midnight 2.0 in perhaps the most corridory episode of Doctor Who
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Fresh from some leisurely bants asking Isaac Newton how does he like them apples, Doc and Donna hurtle to a fiery stop aboard a mysterious spaceship, where the first thing the TARDIS regenerates is its Hostile Action Displacement System so it can finally put itself back together in peace.
It turns out their landing pad was off a corridor so long that it punctures the very bounds of the universe and penetrates the inter-cosmic space/not-space nothing no-thing voidy kind of realmy-wealm. But clangs on the hull and a puzzling airlock action put them on edge at the edge of creation.
With only a succession of untranslatable words periodically refurbishing the scenery as clues, Doc and Donna must end the hostile action, and in the process come face to face to face to face with their own worst nightmares: slowing down, being called stupid, and, maybe, even a countdown.
One word: Wilf! 5 stars!
But seriously, I LOVED this episode. Everything from the corny ‘mavity’ joke to the weird body horror to the slow burn mystery at the heart of this story was right up my alley. The doppelgangers are such a clever analogy for our social media personalities. RTD manages to take away all the Doctor’s tools (his sonic, his TARDIS, and most important of all, his cleverness), to make for a truly tense and intriguing story. There wasn’t a single moment of this episode that I didn’t enjoy. And the ending? That was just the cherry on top!
Chris
Hey everyone.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year whenever you get this
Here is my mini:
Well I really loved this bottle episode.
I am absolutely loving this top quality production and here we have a mysterious spaceship, a strange robot and …well just all ’round weirdness and its great!
Enough said already about the special effects, but it’s blended perfectly with creepy performances by the Doc and Donna.
I totally loved this, and who cares that we haven’t seen the Toymaker yet? Not me!
This is brilliant!
More please…..more!
Rating: 4.95 huge arms
Cheers Big limbs!
GP Haynes
Australia
Likes:
– The Thing paranoia and creepy body horror. I hadn’t the foggiest who was real throughout. Bravo!
– The dead captain’s sloooooooow masterplan – very pulp sci-fi.
– A non-smarmy, non-sonic, finale. Loved it that the Doctor didn’t appear to know which was the real Donna until he got one onto the Tardis for a sneaky scan.
– A pre-credit scene solely for the purpose of a single (albeit running) joke.
– *That* cameo. God bless him.
Beefs
– The Hostile Action Displacement System was total bollocks. Even with the reset ‘explanation’, this makes no sense. – – Why would the Tardis be pre-set to abandon it’s pilot?! There must be dead Timelords all over the place because of this uber design flaw.
– Despite being super creepy, the creatures were a bit unthreatening when they made physical contact. Donna seemed to clobber her doppelgänger pretty easily. Maybe we needed some expendable crew members to be horribly dispatched.
– The Timeless Child shenanigans not being quietly junked.
Rating: 4.5/5 big hugs for Bernie! What a legend. And Midnight-with-a-budget was the best episode in yonks! A level of enjoyment only surpassed by the continuation of your fabulous podcast. Happy New Year Team WhoBackWhen, you wonderful people!
Hey guys let’s jump right in.
Once again there’s a lot of great stuff here and only a couple of things that bummed me out.
Skipping to the end, I was not a fan of the Doctor picking the wrong Donna. He says he eventually noticed a fractionally different arm length, but I’d like to imagine it was more along the lines of him having no idea which Donna to choose, but assuming the fake Donna would reveal itself almost immediately.
Next, I don’t like when it feels like Fourteen is doing an impression of Ten. You know, trying to hit the mannerisms and saying the catchphrases? To me it makes so much more sense that the character will have grown and changed. What I *am* really loving is this affectionate side he’s showing. It’s sweet when he kisses Donna’s hand. They really are best friends who love each other deeply.
I’m still enjoying how the new episodes look. There’s a great behind-the-scenes video showing the fantastic giant hand prosthetics they used. Just incredible.
I liked the little story Fourteen tells about a parked TARDIS creating a society-wide mythology in a city that eventually crumbles to nothing.
Yeah I knew Fourteen was pulling her leg about the gooey frames being poisonous.
This episode is such a wonderful showcase for the actors’ range. Maybe the best performance for both was the scene where the real Doctor opens up to the fake Donna. Fake Donna goes from so sweet to so so horrible, and the Doctor reacts with this perfect look of half expected, but still gut-wrenching betrayal.
Husband from America’s only comment was that he “really felt the mavity of that episode”
Rating: Wait, are we seriously just gonna leave “mavity”??
Hi folks
Ah the mavity of the situation. While the first ep was the greatest hits of the first RTD era, this is something more interesting. And for me, better! While it’s a bottle episode, it has a nice creepy atmosphere and great dialogue. It looks and sounds great. While it might not be ‘anniversary’ material, it actually reminds me more of some classic who with a simple cast but done well.
I award it 4/5 but tempted with a 4.25
Cheers
Kieren
Hello Chaps!
Well, what happens when you make a story inspired by Underworld (at least according to RTD anyway) throw in a load of super creepy shape shifting not things and a boatload of fan service?
Pure unadulterated joy that’s what! I’m not even going to do a list of likes and beefs this time because for me Wild Blue Yonder is my favourite episode of Doctor Who since the revival in 2005.
It’s so weird and creepy and fun! Right from that opening scene with Sir Isaac Newton (ooops not yet) through “my arms are too long” and HADS return, it’s a blast from beginning to end. My last review for The Star Beast may have been a little too generous, but this story simply has me captivated from beginning to end.
I love the “thank you Parker” line from Donna when the Doctor produces the hover cart, the faking death scene when he licks the circuit board things, the visuals, the robot – I just love it all.
Sure, I’d love for Isaac to tell him to “clear off out of my tree” as the 4th Doctor said he did in Pirate Planet, but that aside this story is perfect.
The only thing that will top it off is if they bring out a range of Jimbo the Robot figures.
I award this story 5 Equine type lifeform skeletons crashing against the hull out of 5
Andy Parkinson
@caffreys71
Hello beautiful podcast hosts! So glad you’re back! Here’s some thoughts on Wild Blue Yonder!
Best parts:
– The special effects! They manage to land more on the “creepy” side than the “goofy” side for me, and I just love how ambitious and weird it gets. Their messed up faces when they’re giant are truly haunting.
– “My arms are too long” – such a memorable, weird, and creepy line that will probably always stick with me, especially with the way it was delivered.
– The whole opening before they realize what’s happening gives such a uniquely tense atmosphere that I haven’t felt in Doctor Who before, really well done.
– After the Doctor talks to fake Donna about the Flux, when he goes in for a hug and realizes she isn’t Donna – super super powerful moment, and great acting.
– Wilf!
Worst parts:
– The Doctor choosing the wrong Donna at the end, then the right one… dumb, unnecessary drama
Overall, one of my favorite episodes in many years, with many similarities to Midnight (which I also loved) but even better and creepier in my opinion! 4.6 screaming Donna puddles out of 5!
Mikey Jay