Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars ... review

Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars ... review

by Sanjuro Expert...on everything... Published on November 16th, 2009, 11:54 pm Rift: Arts

I just finished Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars. I believe this is the next to last installment of the Who saga with Russel Davies at the helm, and its pretty obvious he wants to go out with a bang.

The story takes place on Mars (oddly enough) within the first human outpost in 2059. This story is a departure in that it seems davies has abandoned the lighter and campy Who in favor of a much more gritty, frightening, and grim narrative. When you are talking bleak stories, Mars seems to be the perfect backdrop.

I won't go into details, but will say that this story will scare the hell out of kids, and The Doctor, at least in this current incarnation, will be missed. Tennant plays with the normal contrast of manic whimsy and serious resolve that has been the unique signature we have come to recognize as his own. It seems tennant can step in and out of those time travelling chucks with ease. The only complaint I have is a character twist which within the context of this story seems abrupt but within the entire story arc makes some sense. Believe me, you'll know what I'm talking about when it happens.

Overall it was solid and unsettling entertainment. In the end you are left with a sense of dread, which leads perfectly into the fantastically tentalizing teaser for the Christmas special. I can't wait. Knock knock knock knock...

[shannon]

Oh you taunt and tease Sanjuro. We Dr. Who junkies need our fix.

[Liv]

Yeah, it's complete crap now that we're all caught up on everything... and we have to wait months to see stuff from the BBC.... I'm looking forward to watching this episode... even more excited that they greenlit Torchwood 4

[Sanjuro]

Oh you taunt and tease Sanjuro. We Dr. Who junkies need our fix.

I seriously cant wait for the final act. The Xmas special looks like they are pulling out all the stops!

(Oh, apologies for the terrible punctuation and format in my first post, I did it from my mobile device and that never comes out looking or sounding like I want. )

[Liv]

It will be interesting to see if the "New' DW can maintain such quality writing with Russell now at the helm?

I know I keep up with many of the writers from the series, and apparently even when the episode was written by them, Russell came up with all the ideas, had final rewrites, and always added continuity tid-bits which would show up in later episodes....

I really hope they maintain that quality.. because the writing is one of the best aspects of the show.

[Sanjuro]

It will be interesting to see if the "New' DW can maintain such quality writing with Russell now at the helm?

Actually its Steven Moffat at the helm 2010 forward.

[Liv]

Yes I know... meant 'without'.... I was just testing you...



Damn hands... they type what they want sometimes.

[Sanjuro]

Wait till you see the "Children in need" Doctor Who special. Perfect segue into the Xmas specials!!

[Liv]

I'm a child in need.

[Sanjuro]

Its on youtube, but make sure you dont watch it till you see Waters of Mars.. otherwise it wont make a lot of sense.

[Nfidel]

I find that most of the special episodes of Dr Who are more like mediocre regular season shows. I don't know why that is, but I felt the same about The Waters Of Mars, until the ending. It sure took a dark turn. I think that's one of the things I like best about the Doctor, the darkness. We have a name, in my house, for dark and vengeful turns in a movie, TV show or book. We call it a "Dr Who moment". The first really shocking "Dr Who moment" I remember was from The Family of Blood episode when The Doctor imprisons the whole family separately and eternally.

Liv, I know what you mean about having caught up on everything. To bide my time, I've just begun watching an older British sci fi series, Blakes 7. I haven't made it through the first episode yet, but I have high hopes I'll like the show. IIRC, the creator is said to have come up with the idea of the Daleks in Dr Who. I've also been watching The Big Bang Theory. It's a sitcom, but much smarter than most and I really like the science references. I can also re-watch the series Red Dwarf.

[Liv]

I've just begun watching an older British sci fi series, Blakes 7.

Have you seen the I.T. crowd..... It's not old, but it's super funny....

"I'm disabled...."

[Liv]

Moffat says: "The Weeping Angels are coming back!"

My fav.

[Nfidel]

I've just begun watching an older British sci fi series, Blakes 7.

Have you seen the I.T. crowd..... It's not old, but it's super funny....

"I'm disabled...."

No, but I soon will after having read about it on Wikipedia. It sounds interesting.

[Liv]

No, but I soon will after having read about it on Wikipedia. It sounds interesting.

I think I've never laughed harder, no seriously, in my whole life then when they all think she's dead on that show.