TW #27 : Miracle Day

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. So many times. And that’s just today. It’s been about seven hundred years since my last confession."

Episode #27:         Miracle Day.
Companions:        Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Rhys Williams and Rex Matheson.
Air Date:              8th July to 9th September 2011.

When C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy, he finds himself unearthing a threat which challenges the entire human race. One day, nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next. People keep ageing. They get hurt and sick, but they never die. The populace of the planet dub this "Miracle Day" for the immortality they now seem to have. However, this leads to a negative result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people unable to die and continuing births, resources have become limited. It’s suggested that in four months’ time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone must have caused "Miracle Day". It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?", he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

I have to be very very honest here and just outright say that hated the "Miracle Day" mini-series. Had this been a one off show of it's own unconnected to the Whoniverse I might have enjoyed it more. There is a lot to like really as it features things that I rather enjoy in my science fiction and horror. The story is very dark and nihilistic, and is rather gruesome in some places. It does make you thing about things too. How would you or I react if we woke up tomorrow and these events were playing out?

The problem is that Miracle Day just does not fit into the Whoniverse very well. Other than it being too dark even for Torchwood, it is one of those major events that would have been mentioned before in passing. I know that isn't possible but it feels shoehorned in. I also find it hard to conceive that an event this massive would not have drawn to the Doctor to it. Again, different show, but it is a major event and yet it just stands alone too much. On a side note it is also far too American in style which may also go some way to explain why I have a hard time with it.

Another problem is that the series just ends with a strange swap of immortality between Jack and agent Matheson. So far this has, canonically, gone unresolved and with no new Torchwood on our screens in the foreseeable future I doubt it will ever get resolved.

So what is the big horrible thing at the centre of the Earth between China and South America? How does that fit in with subterranean Silurian cities and the Racnoss at the heart of the planet? Again, we have no revelation and it just feels like the very notion of tying it into the canon has been chucked in the bin.

I really don't have a single good thing to say about this series of Torchwood and I would avoid it if I were you. Pretend it never happened and carry on watching the rest of the Whoniverse.

Episode #226: A Good Man Goes to War

"This was exactly you. All this, all of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor: the word for healer and wise man throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word "doctor" means "mighty warrior". How far you've come. And now they've taken a child. The child of your best friends. And they're going to turn her into a weapon, just to bring you down. And all this, my love... in fear of you."

Episode #226:      A Good Man Goes To War.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, River Pond, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              4th June 2011.

On the asteroid Demon's Run, Amy Pond has given birth. But the villainous Madame Kovarian and the religious order of the silence are waiting to make a collection that tears Amy's world apart. Across the galaxy, the Eleventh Doctor and Rory Williams are assembling an army to fight the battle that lies ahead, whilst in Stormcage, River Song prepares to escape for what may be the last time. For this is the battle of Demon's Run. On this day, the Doctor will rise higher than ever and fall so much further, and finally, this is the day he discovers who River Song is.

Where do I start with this story? It is big. Each series of New Who has contained it's own plot line that builds and builds before reaching, hopefully, an awesome finale. A Good Man Goes to War is no different, other than it builds up to this mid-season break and ends on a real corker. A good few plot lines that have been building or hanging get resolved or at least opened up here. Mainly, who the mysterious eye patch lady is, who River Song is and who was the little girl from The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon? Even now I get goose bumps when the revelations come up at the end of this story.

We are introduced to three new characters in this story who become recurring allies of the Doctor. Madame Vastra (a Silurian), her lover/servant Jenny and a Sontaran nurse named Strax. Although not called such on screen, they are known as the  Paternoster Gang (Paternoster Row being the street in Victorian London where they reside). These characters have quickly become fan favourites.

I won't spoil the plot here as I think this is a great episode to watch and learn rather than be told. However, watching it did reveal to me why I think certain stories in New Who work better than most. Part of it is the plot and the excitement they generate but more specifically I think it is the perfect dialogue. Some writers seem to just coast through it sometimes getting those moments of exposition just right, but then you get some who seem to strike the right cord. The quote above is one that gets me every time. We learn so much from that short speech and it opens up our understanding of our beloved Time Lord. River's speech above mirrors, for me, Davros' speech about the Doctor from The Stolen Earth / Journey's End. We all look to the Doctor as a hero or even anti-hero and we see what he does. We give him the big thumbs up but really throughout time and space he has become the cause of so much bloodshed and destruction in order to achieve the desirable outcome. Does the final outcome outweigh the deed that brings them about? For the Doctor we say yes but is that right? These sort of questions make for me the better episodes.

So why then is this a 4 star story not a 5? Well, I'm being resistant I think. The 11th Doctor's adventures, as I have said many many times, has a certain strange fairy tale quality that doesn't always sit well with me. A Good Man Goes to War has those elements and pushes my personal enjoyment down slightly. Had it not featured strange headless monks and space worthy spitfire planes, for example, I might have given it a 5 star rating.

Episode #225: The Rebel Flesh / The Almost People

"I've got to get to that cockerel before all hell breaks loose! ... I never thought I'd have to say that again!"

Episode #225:      The Rebel Flesh / The Almost People.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              21st to 28th May 2011.

The Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams visit an acid-mining factory. A solar storm hits the factory, turning the workers' gangers into self-aware individuals. The Doctor must mediate between the original workers and their rebellious gangers.

The basic premise of the adventure is that the TARDIS lands on Earth in the 22nd century, some time before the Dalek invasion I would guess or maybe a few decades after. Humans now use a living material called the Flesh to work in hazardous conditions. When a solar storm and a few other calamities strike the Flesh come to life and decide that they will no longer be slaves. From there it takes on a nice horror feel with some unnatural flesh warping and form shifting.

When I first watched this two part story I was not all that impressed. It seemed like a very dull story that only had my interest because of a slight horror vibe. Watching them for the second time in preparation for this review I actually enjoyed the episodes a lot more. I still don't think they are that great but mainly because it feels like too much has been pushed into the story and it is padded out far too much.

Ultimately the story is simply one of differences and overcoming them. Nothing new to science fiction and I think is why the story doesn't really work for me. It is a troupe that has been done to death in almost every modern science fiction show since Star Trek first aired. I like something a little more well thought out and emotional. It is also another one that exists simply to set up the following adventure.

Episode #224: The Doctor's Wife

"I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Time Lord and I ran away. And you were the only one mad enough."

Episode #224:      The Doctor's Wife.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              14th May 2011.

The Eleventh Doctor receives a message from an old Time Lord friend. The message brings him, Rory Williams and Amy Pond to another universe where they meet an alien who eats TARDISes.

One of the better and more enjoyable stories of the 11th Doctor. Having received a message from another Time Lord, the Doctor and his companions find themselves trapped in a pocket universe with an asteroid monster that feeds on the Artron energy. The TARDIS itself is forced into a human body and her and the Doctor must rescue Amy and Rory, recover the TARDIS and escape back into the real universe.

What makes this story so good is the interaction between Idris (the TARDIS) and the Doctor. Famed author Neil Gaiman does such a magnificent job with this story. We get some great back story from Idris about who exactly stole who on Gallifrey all those years ago. The only thing that prevents me from giving this story a 5 star rating is that I just don't like the villain nor the chase sequence through the TARDIS. I dislike it enough that I can't give this one more than 4 stars.

Back in the SJA episode Lost in Time, there is a character who has been canonically named as the Corsair, and he (or she) is mentioned in this one. Now definitely deceased. In passing the Doctor mentions that the Corsair was once a female which has kicked off the silly (in my opinion) idea that Time Lords can regenerate into different genders. I don't like that idea myself.

There is a lot to like in this episode and it certainly goes on my list of episodes that everyone should watch.

Episode #223: The Curse of the Black Spot

"Okay, groovy. So you're just not pirates today — we've managed to bag us a ship with a demon popping in. Very efficient. I mean, if something's going to kill you, it's nice that it drops you a note to remind you."

Episode #223:      The Curse of the Black Spot.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              7th May 2011.

The TARDIS is marooned on board a 17th century pirate ship whose crew is being attacked by a mysterious and beautiful sea creature. Becalmed and beset by cabin fever, the pirates have numerous superstitious explanations for the Siren’s appearance. The Eleventh Doctor has other ideas, but as his theories are disproved and every plan of escape is thwarted, he must work to win the trust of the implacable Captain Henry Avery and uncover the truth behind the pirates’ supernatural fears — and he must work quickly, for some of his friends have already fallen under the Siren's spell.

This adventure returns us to the old style historical story with a science fiction twist. It is quite cool to have a story set on an old sailing vessel rather than some historical manor house or the like, and the idea of the siren fits nicely. Unfortunately it is one of those stories where the first half, set on the ship, works really well but the second half falls a bit flat. The reveal isn't great though. I think that the final twist to the plot could have had more impact.

The main real historical character is captain Henry Avery, a captain who vanished mysteriously in 1696. He is also referenced in the 1st Doctor adventure The Smugglers. The writer of this episode didn't know of that reference and only used Avery because of his historical disappearance.

We have another appearance of the mysterious eye patch lady who seems to be watching Amy Pond. There is also a mystery that Amy is and isn't pregnant at the same time.

I am giving this episode an average 3 rating because while I don't find it the most interesting adventure, it is another example of what I expect from the modern show.

Episode #222: The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon

"Safe? No! Of course you're not safe! There's about a billion other things out there just waiting to burn your whole world, but if you want to pretend you're safe just so you can sleep at night, then, OK, you're safe. But you're not really."

Episode #222:      The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, River Song, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              23rd to 30th April 2011.

Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song and the Eleventh Doctor receive a mysterious summons that takes them on an adventure to 21st century Utah and Florida in 1969. Along the way they meet Richard Nixon, president of the United States of America, and former FBI agent Canton Everett Delaware III.

With this story the newest series kicks off with an excellent adventure. It begins the adventures that deal with the mysterious "Silence". These were first referenced in the 11th Doctor's first adventure, The Eleventh Hour, with the phrase "Silence will fall". These aliens resemble tall, thing creatures reminiscent of Grey aliens from UFO lore. At this time we don't learn a lot about them other than they seem to be everywhere in 1969 Earth and that no one can remember them unless they are looking directly at them.

We are also introduced abut very briefly to the mysterious eye patch lady who plays a bigger part at the end of the series. Her appearance her opens up some intriguing questions (assuming you haven't seen the later episodes).

Another reference we have goes back to the previous season with an episode called The Lodger. the mysterious time ship on the roof either reappears or there is at least another one. A nice tie in to connect the series.

There is a lot of strange cross time line elements to this story, mainly dealing with the Doctor and his companions trying to stop his death sometime in 2011 at the hands of a mysterious astronaut who is also present in 1969. It works in this story as the writers have taken the opportunity to make sure everything fits together. As a future element we also learn that Amy is pregnant.

I really enjoy this one because other the very beginning it keeps a steady pace of action and adventure going all the way to the end. It also has a nice science fiction horror vibe that works spot on. A sort of alien psychological horror I would call it.

The final culmination to the story is really rather inspired and, at least in myself, generated a very exciting sensation. In some elements this adventure could be better but I have no real grumbles about it. Very well done.

Episode #221 : Space & Time

"Oh, so this is how it all ends, Pond flirting with herself. True love at last."

Episode #221:      Space / Time.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              18th March 2011.

The Eleventh Doctor is doing repairs on the TARDIS with Rory Williams' help, but thanks to Amy Pond they make a mistake that could leave them trapped in the TARDIS forever.

This was a special episode created for the BBC charity telethon Comic Relief back in 2011. Although created as a bit of fun for the show it has been accepted as canonical to the show. The story is simply that the Doctor and Rory are making repairs to the TARDIS in flight but something goes wrong when Rory looks up and see's up Amy's skirt through the glass floor above, and pulls the wrong cable out. There follows some comical time travel high jinks as they use the temporal situation to tell their future selves how to fix the problem. Despite the potential paradoxes they fix the situation and get under way.

I love these little filler episodes because it condenses down well and in this case is genuinely funny. It holds the fun elements that younger viewers enjoy but also contains enough disguised rude elements to have the teenagers and adults laughing along.

As the whole thing rocks in at under 9 minutes there isn't much more to say than enjoy this slice of Doctor Who fun.