Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit Review (Finally)

From Our British Correspondent (back from vacation)

This is a big story. Bigger than anything yet seen on the new Who. But, as they say, bigger isn't always better. I know fans have been gushing about this story of an ancient evil on the edge of a black hole, but for me not so much.

One of the problems is the strong sense of deja vu. The basic premise of an evil entity being the inspiration for later interpretations of the same has already been done twice before in DW (The Daemons and The Awakening) and was originally covered in Quatermass and the Pit. Add to that numerous films (Alien, The Black Hole, Event Horizon, etc) that are referenced and you get a bad case of been-there-done-that.

There are other problems as well. For instance, why do the crew of the base seem so blase' when the Doctor and Rose show up? Considering where they are, you would think it would have caused a bigger stir. And then there is the bit about pumping oxygen through the air ducts. Air ducts with large gratings that apparently don't allow in air somehow. Finally, the situation at the end should have seemed hopeless for everyone. Unfortunately, the solution is set up so blatantly that the climax becomes an exercise in waiting for the obvious to happen. And of course it does.

There are good things about the episodes. Effects and make-up are all excellent and the cast are for the most part good. And its nice to see the Doctor getting all philosophical. Shame about the rest of it.