Space Corps Directive #723

Part 2 of 2. Should be subtitled "the benefits of saving your work."

When we left The Doctor last week, the Vashta Nerada were on a microscopic, flesh-eating rampage around the universe's biggest library. And Donna was saved into an information point.

This time we found Donna living a virtual reality life, created when she was saved into the library's computer. Something she only discovered when a veiled lady representing Miss Evangelista (saved as a data ghost and very intelligent), appeared in her virtual reality world All the people in the library were saved to the hard drive of the computer - the little girl, CAL.

We are left to speculate on the identity of Professor River Song.
1. She knows The Doctor's future (written down in the little book of spoilers).
2. He gave her a sonic screwdriver (which in the end, saved her life).
3. She knows his name.

So who is she?

Part 1 of 2, and will have me on edge for another week!

Silence in the Library, not so much an order but a statement.

The Doctor and Donna arrive on a planet that is the largest library in the universe, only there's no people taking advantage of it's facilities.

Also arriving are an expedition team, one of whom knows The Doctor from his future (that wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey stuff again!). She, Professor River Song, called out to The Doctor on his psychic paper and keeps a book of memories, or "spoilers".

Also spiritually present is a young Earth girl, who sees the library in her dreams and has the task of saving the expedition, and The Doctor & Donna.

Finally, there's the Vashta Nerada. These are particles that live in the air and pounce in the dark. Hence the "count the shadows" warning. (Well, that's putting me off sleep tonight!)

We were left with two of the expedition down (Slightly dopey girl, and the ship's captain), and Donna supposedly safe but her face was appearing in an information point.

Well, that was a slightly terrifying episode, and Donna really needs to understand the bit about changing history. Apart from that, she is smart, quick-thinking, independent and (dare I say it) plucky.

Tonight The Doctor and his plucky assistant, Donna, arrived in 1926 on the day Agatha Christie disappeared. Two mysteries unfold; where did Agatha vanish to, and why is there a giant wasp attacking Lady Eddison's guests?

The plot follows a crime novel storyline, as the Vespiform thinks that human life is lived out in the way Christie describes in her books. At this point, we can be thankful he wasn't watching Midsomer Murders!

Lady Eddison, presumably unwittingly, was assisting the Vespiform - Reverend G in study with the lead piping - by wearing a pendant presented to her forty years ago.

To stop the Vespiform, Donna threw the pendant into the lake and consequently giving Christie amnesia, and thus not messing up established events.

This episode was very intelligently put together, and no sonic screwdrivers brandished. Donna once again showed herself as an able and resourceful assistant - eg, knowing drowning wasps kills them, and the best way to shock The Doctor. Hopefully the next episode isn't a let down by comparison, but we'll have to wait two weeks to see that due to a certain annual European Cheese Fest (with Irish joke act!), next week.

After being pulled involuntarily by the TARDIS at the end of last week's episode (much to Martha's annoyance), The Doctor, Donna and Martha arrive on the planet Messaline. As soon as they set foot in the underground tunnels, The Doctor's hand is plunged into a cloning machine and creates his daughter.

Interesting points to note;
1. The human fighters say the reason for the fighting is over some "source", which as we discover, is to rejuvenate a tired and dying planet.
2. Donna - who's turning out to be quite a sharp assistant - worked out from the numbers above each section, that the war had only been going seven days, and each soldier was a clone.
3. The Doctor's Daughter was named Jenny - anyone remember a character in "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" by that name? She was a rebel too!
4. The landscape on the surface was reminiscent of a Philip K Dick novel.
5. The source was used to create life, although the humans and possibly the Hath, wanted to use it to destroy the "enemy". Funny how us people don't seem to understand what exactly we're supposed to do with creation!
6. Also, Jenny regenerated (not intended, honest!) right at the end. Now we have two Timelords roaming the universe! Watch out for danger, everyone!

Part 2 of 2.

So, last week we left The Doctor and Donna watching as Earth was slowly being gassed by the Sontarans, and Martha had been replaced by a clone.

1. Apparently The Doctor is so busy thinking of saving the world with his sonic screwdriver, that he doesn't think to free Wilfred from the car with a blow to the windscreen. Note that later Doctor keeps a mallet and hammer in the TARDIS.
2. Notice Rose's face appearing on the screen as Doctor established communication with the Sontaran ship (and also with Donna in the TARDIS) - mouthing the word "Doctor".
3. Amazing how Doctor seemed to know that the Martha running around was a clone. Also that Sontarans can't clone rings.
4. Perhaps an argument against nuclear weapons - when humans have their grubby little paws on them, they want to play with these toys!

A fantastic episode, showing The Doctor that sometimes it takes more than a sonic screwdriver to save the world!

Part 1 of 2.

Let's just go through the main points of the episode.

1. Martha calls The Doctor back to Earth, as UNIT are investigating deadly Sat Navs made by Atmos.
2. Donna discovers that none of the workforce have been off sick. (but given that the workforce appears to be entirely Polish, this isn't suprising!)
3. The Sontarans have a human ally in the shape of a young genius who runs an academy, and dresses his students like Guantanamo Bay inmates.
4. Donna knows that Guantanamo Bay exists!
5. Martha is cloned. Real Martha lies asleep in a lab, while Cloned Martha is marching around "advancing the Sontaran cause".
6. Sontarans unleash war by gassing people in their cars (including Donna's granddad).

Interesting to note that the Sontaran general described The Doctor's sonic screwdriver as primitive technology - didn't The Master scoff at the sonic screwdriver in the last series?

How many Nazi Germany and Guantanamo references did they make in the course of one episode - I counted 2 of each. (Not that it's particularly relevant)

Will Sat Nav be the next on the list of things that Doctor Who has scared me off? (After the hands free sets that are worn in the ear) Stayed tuned...

[Scroll down if you haven't watched it yet]

Remember the slave-like Ood from The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit? Well, it appears humanity's intergalactic empire enslaved them in the 22nd century.

That is, according to tonight's episode.

The Doctor and Donna arrived on the Ood-Sphere, after Doctor set the TARDIS controls to random. The first Ood they find is rabid and half dead - after killing his master - and lying in the snow. What each Ood are prone to mutter is "the circle must be broken". Which, in true Doctor Who fashion, has us all wondering until the end!

In the meantime, the episode consists of the following;
1. Humans insisting that the Ood are willing to be slaves (cue reminders of slavery throughout history!).
2. Ood silently rebelling, by killing their human colonisers with the (artificially inserted) translation ball.
3. Doctor flashing his sonic screwdriver.
4. Donna facing possible death, with words from her tongue.

The circle turns out to be a force keeping the collective Ood brain in place, and dulling the sound of their collective song. The song is the Ood's communication language, and it seems the human solution to keeping the Ood subservient, is to quieten their natural language. Kind of like slavery and colonialism really.

The Doctor leaves the Ood-Sphere with a message that the Ood will immortalise them in Ood myths, and also with a warning - "Your song will soon end." Whatever that means.

Thank you, BBC iplayer for enabling me to watch this episode this morning. Hopefully everyone has now watched, if not, scroll down to the previous post.

79AD. The Doctor and Donna have arrived in Pompeii, thinking they were going to Rome, the day before Vesuvius is due to erupt. However, the soothsayers don't actually know it is happening and any suggestion that it might is false prophesy. (Don't you just love religious nuts!?)

The soothsayers are priestesses of Sybil, and breathe in the molten lava from Vesuvius which is turning them to stone. Or more specifically, into a legion of aliens who are using the volcano (or, for the sake of context, mountain) to power an empire that will take over the world. Not unlike the Roman Empire, really!

Anyway, The Doctor and Donna have to choose either, a) allow Pompeii to survive and the Pyroviles to take over the world, or b) end the Pyroviles dastardly plan and also all life in Pompeii. For historical continuity, The Doctor chooses the latter and cue stock footage of volcanos erupting.

Funniest bits in the episode.
1. The TARDIS being mistaken for "modern art", even the Roman Empire had it's fair share of poncey art types.
2. The household gods at the end being none other than The Doctor, Donna and TARDIS.
3. Saving the world, with a Water Pistol! Classic!

If you've taped this and haven't watched yet, you know what to do.

Back comes The Doctor for a new series, and back comes Donna Noble (and it seems Rose Tyler - yay!). Both turned up at the beginning pretending to be Health & Safety. Ha, there's a few jokes in there!

Anyway, this week's evil and crazy extra-terrestrial was assuming the name of Miss Foster, head of a diet pill company. Officially, the pills helped people lose weight (although why the skinny bloke was taking them, I don't know). Unofficially, the fat was formed the tiny - and actually quite cute - Antipose, an alien lifeform whose home planet was lost.

Cue action, as two sonic devices came head to head, and CGI effects with the Antipose waddling through London's streets. Very impressive.

Look forward to the rest of the series, especially as Donna a)does not fancy The Doctor, and b)appears from this showing, to be a bright and able assistant.

Great start to the new series!

ON Saturday 5th April. Set your videos everyone!

Plus has anyone heard of a series called Chuck? I have seen posters for it but dont know much