A really nice episode that improves on the already-quite-good first installment in pretty much every way.
Jack works a lot better once he’s integrated into the main plot - he actually fits in quite seamlessly. He’s still not quite as charming as he’s clearly meant to be, but I think it’s a big step up from last episode.
The “go to your room” bit is a lousy way to solve a cliffhanger that I nonetheless find very amusing. I’d also completely forgotten about the banana gag. Good stuff.
Jack suggests Pompeii on volcano day as a good place to visit if you’re running a con. Hmm…
Nancy continues to be an outstanding character, balancing vulnerability with authority and toughness. Her confrontation with the owner of the house works really well, though it bumps up against problematic-yet-appropriate-for-the-era topics.
We get our first mention of Villengard, the weapons manufacturer that gets occasional shout-outs to this day.
The two-parter as a whole manages to seed its major plot developments - the nanogenes and Nancy secretly being Jamie’s mother - without making it glaringly obvious - no small feat.
And, of course, we get the “everybody lives” monologue. It’s iconic for a reason.
The banana gag was great, and I think it starts to signal the doctors ongoing hatred of guns. He was quite quick to grab one at the end of Dalek, but now he’s more critical of them.
As for the cliffhanger resolution, I would struggle to answer if you asked me to name one episode where a cliffhanger was resolved well.
He was quite quick to grab one (a gun) at the end of Dalek, but now he’s more critical of them.
For fans of the original series, that moment beautifully spoiled most of the time war plotline before the official reveal. The Doctor has always hated guns, but seeing a living Dalek broke him.
Spoilers for The War Doctor and "Genesis of the Daleks" plots.
The Doctor’s greatest sin is starting the time war, (Genesis of the Daleks) when the Gallifreyan’s sent him to prevent the Dalek’s ever being created. His second greatest sin is failing to get the job done.
We have known since those two 4th Doctor plot points that the Daleks were probably destined to destroy Galifrey. (The War Doctor plotline)
But the doctor picking up a gun so quickly upon seeing a living Dalek - pretty solidly confirmed it had already happened.
A really nice episode that improves on the already-quite-good first installment in pretty much every way.
Jack works a lot better once he’s integrated into the main plot - he actually fits in quite seamlessly. He’s still not quite as charming as he’s clearly meant to be, but I think it’s a big step up from last episode.
The “go to your room” bit is a lousy way to solve a cliffhanger that I nonetheless find very amusing. I’d also completely forgotten about the banana gag. Good stuff.
Jack suggests Pompeii on volcano day as a good place to visit if you’re running a con. Hmm…
Nancy continues to be an outstanding character, balancing vulnerability with authority and toughness. Her confrontation with the owner of the house works really well, though it bumps up against problematic-yet-appropriate-for-the-era topics.
We get our first mention of Villengard, the weapons manufacturer that gets occasional shout-outs to this day.
The two-parter as a whole manages to seed its major plot developments - the nanogenes and Nancy secretly being Jamie’s mother - without making it glaringly obvious - no small feat.
And, of course, we get the “everybody lives” monologue. It’s iconic for a reason.
The banana gag was great, and I think it starts to signal the doctors ongoing hatred of guns. He was quite quick to grab one at the end of Dalek, but now he’s more critical of them.
As for the cliffhanger resolution, I would struggle to answer if you asked me to name one episode where a cliffhanger was resolved well.
For fans of the original series, that moment beautifully spoiled most of the time war plotline before the official reveal. The Doctor has always hated guns, but seeing a living Dalek broke him.
Spoilers for The War Doctor and "Genesis of the Daleks" plots.
The Doctor’s greatest sin is starting the time war, (Genesis of the Daleks) when the Gallifreyan’s sent him to prevent the Dalek’s ever being created. His second greatest sin is failing to get the job done.
We have known since those two 4th Doctor plot points that the Daleks were probably destined to destroy Galifrey. (The War Doctor plotline)
But the doctor picking up a gun so quickly upon seeing a living Dalek - pretty solidly confirmed it had already happened.