'Night Terrors' Review

'Doctor Who' Series 6 Episode 9 - 'Night Terrors'

Written by Mark Gatiss - Directed by Richard Clark

After a triumphant return to Series 6 last week with Moffat's 'Let's Kill Hitler', Mark Gatiss has occupied the writer's chair and in rather usual fashion he has supplied fans with another warped and chilling tale - something which he does best. Like many 'Who' episodes, 'Night Terrors' has been labelled "The scariest of all time", but is this true?

Plot Outline:

The TARDIS trio arrive at a block of flats after The Doctor receives a stress call from a terrified little boy. George is scared of everything, especially the 'monsters' in his bedroom cupboard. His father Alex is at his wits-end with his son's irrational behaviour but The Doctor knows George's fears are justified as he knows that "Monsters are real..."  

 Last week's episode was weighted in core character drama and bridging the essential on-going story arc - thankfully Gatiss' eerie tale has left that alone for 45 minutes and given us a traditional "hide behind the sofa" 'Who'. This episode dangles fear by a string and patiently waits to drop it upon the viewer, taunting them with chills and suspense - there are no "BOO!" moments or obvious jumps, instead we see shadows linger across walls, dark figures lurking in the backgrounds and the demonic sounds of little girl's laughter that echoes through the vast and desolate location the gang find themselves in. For any child who finds house-hold creaks, the dark and light piercing through the edge of the door scary, they will have difficulty sleeping after this one...

 Admittedly, 'Night Terrors' is not the scariest episode of all-time, but it is certainly tense and presents it's horror effectively and sparingly - viewers are not presented by the freaky, oversized Peg Dolls until at least 25 minutes into this tale. We see shadows and scuttling movements, but never facial features and body movements until the final act. It's also fantastic to see an episode set in present day; just because The Doctor is located in a crummy block of flats does not mean horror is lurking around the corner - one doesn't have to go 123,000 years into the future for a fright.

 As well as the fear, Gatiss' script brings subtle and rather brilliant humour to his macabre adventure; during the episode's opening, The Doctor, Amy and Rory are subjected to making various house calls to locate poor little George. Having an elderly lady grill our Time Lord about transporting bin bags down numerous flights of stairs was side-splitting. For a man with such knowledge and life experience, it's great to see him have such difficultly with general tasks and situations. However, he is right about Rubik's Cubes; those things are broken.

 Like a lot of current adventures, we see The Doctor have his own duties to fulfil whilst Amy and Rory are located somewhere else getting into all kinds of trouble. When the couple board a lift that plummets them into the mystery 'doll's house', they seem ever so far away from The Doctor and security, even though they are actually just inside the cupboard he's leaning against; it's a beautiful and well-dramatised juxtaposition and one this episode continually recycles.

 The performances were all wonderful, with Jamie Oram as George and Danny Mays as Alex being the stand-outs. For such a young child having to carry the constant burden of being terrified, Oram gives a remarkably believable and touching portrayal; I expect to see him again on TV soon because the kid certainly has talent. Mays is one of my favourite British actors working today - he has such a presence and is able to pull off being a tough guy who's sensitive as easy as breathing. His chemistry with Oram here made a harmonious father-son relationship that wasn't tacky or cheap, it was heart-warming and honest. Mays was the perfect casting choice. 

 Smith was brilliant as usual and spent more time cracking jokes here than dying a lot like last week. His scenes with Alex in the kitchen were like a proper double-act; a British and more sensible Laurel & Hardy perhaps? Gillan and Darvill were fantastic too and revealed in the terror of there situation in the creepy 'doll's house', yet there was still time for Rory to come out with yet more classic lines - "Oh we're dead aren't we? The lift fell and we're dead. We're dead, again!"

 'Night Terrors' was a fine example of perfect scripting, performing and above all else, timing. The frights, the laughs, the suspense - it was all timed with precision and structure. A chilling, moving and exciting tale that lit up Saturday night. "Tick Tock, Goes the Clock, Even for The Doctor"...

Prepare for 'Night Terrors'!

'Night Terrors' Come Next Week!

Here's the trailer and introductory video with the wonderful Danny Mays about Mark Gatiss' forthcoming episode which is claimed to be the scariest one yet!

'Let's Kill Hitler' Review

'Doctor Who' Series 6 Episode 8 - 'Let's Kill Hitler'

Written by Steven Moffat - Directed by Richard Senior

After a miserable few months and only the tremendous 'Torchwood: Miracle Day' (I love it, although many don't) to keep fans going, our beloved show finally returns to brighten up our Saturday nights. For those who follow the site, you will be aware that I felt a little disappointed by the mid-series finale, 'A Good Man Goes To War' (which I re-watched again recently and sadly still felt the same), but let's not moan over spilt milk, let's kill Hitler instead! 

Plot Outline:

The TARDIS travels from Leadworth to Berlin in 1938 where The Doctor, Amy, Rory and 'Mels' meet Hitler at the rise of the Third Reich, but meeting the Fuhrer is the last of their problems when they discover more hidden truths about River Song/Melody Pond and her relationships to the group. 

 Like many, I was expecting 'Let's Kill Hitler' to be a 'romp' episode, much like 'The Curse of the Black Spot' - It would have been a good idea after the emotional impact of episode 7 to give viewers a fun, witty and entertaining ride to ease them back into the series but in rather typical Moffat fashion, the title misleads fans in more departments than one and makes this episode a heavy character study which seems to slightly forget it's footing.

 There's no denying that this episode was fun and indeed enjoyable; it had witty dialogue, some brilliant CGI effects and it was a sheer pleasure to see the gang bursting from my box once again, but something wasn't right. For starters, 'Let's Kill Hitler' as a title is terribly out of place - Adolf is in the episode for the sum total of 2 minutes and utters perhaps 4 lines of brief dialogue, the task of actually killing him isn't even established which makes it all the more contradictory, and then we get a tyrant of muddled information about River Song/Melody Pond which is even confusing loyal 'Who' fans - I dread to think what newcomers are trying to make of all this. SPOILERS! Here is a list of everything involving River/Melody in this 45 minute episode:

• River Song is not River Song, in fact she is an old school friend of Amy and Rory's called 'Mels'
• 'Mels' then regenerates into River Song but she is unaware of who River is
• As we already know, River/Melody is Amy and Rory's child
• River poisons The Doctor by kissing him
• River is then shot multiple times by Nazi officers and but part-regenerates to avoid death
• River flies the TARDIS to save Amy and Rory from certain death inside a robotic replica of Amy
• River then part-regenerates again to save The Doctor even though her 'primary mission' is to kill him
• River then finds out who River actually is and knows why The Doctor cares for her
• Future River is at the Luna University wanting to become an archaeologist
  
  

 Although River is probably my favourite character and I love every moment of screen-time with her, it seems that Moffat was either making up everything as he went along, or has given viewers a bombardment of information in one go meaning we won't be seeing much more of the character until obviously the final two episodes. Amongst all this was the episode's plot which was based around replicating a person to gain information and capturing the 'real' person by shrinking them and placing them inside the robotic version in order for them to be disposed - imagine a concentration camp for The Borrowers with alien jellyfish as security. As ludicrous as this all sounds, this was the episode's strongest point along with it's performances - this is the adventure we wanted and needed, it felt tongue-in-cheek and bubbly; perfect Saturday night television. Don't get me wrong, I adore the darkness that's leaked into the show over the last two years, but this was the silly yet engaging Sci-Fi I wanted and it was a slight shame to weigh it down by the double-crossing character narratives.

 As previously mentioned, the performances were all fantastic, especially Smith who gives one of his best as The Doctor so far here. He embodies everything that defines the character; from the zany humour, to the darkness that sometimes gets the better of him. After he had been poisoned and was slowly dying, Smith's gun came out a-blazing and he acted his socks off. It was a naturalistic, effecting and often funny portrayal and he deserves a great big pat on the back for it. Tremendous stuff. Gillan and Darvill were also both excellent and opened the episode with a hilarious bang as they race through cornfields to find The Doctor. Kingston was great too and spoke an utterly wonderful line of dialogue to the Nazi's; I won't spoil it as it's that funny. 

 But despite my slight quibbles, I was engrossed, entertained and satisfied by our favourite Time Lord's return - 'Let's Kill Hitler' had tremendous momentum and laughs-a-plenty. Roll on 'Night Terrors' which looks pretty darn scary. 

'Torchwood: Miracle Day' Episode 5 Review

'Torchwood: Miracle Day' - 'The Categories of Life'

Written by Jane Espenson - Directed by Guy Ferland

Sorry once again readers for skipping the review for episode 4 which by the way was brilliant - I've been totally swamped with things to do and unfortunately the review slipped under the radar, but fear not, here's my thoughts on the half-way point of the so far exquisite 'Miracle Day'...

Plot Outline:

Going undercover, the team go to the ‘Overflow Camps’ where they find a shocking revelation to those marked categories 1 or 2. Meanwhile, Captain Jack attempts to convince Oswald Danes to expose PhiCorp’s advanced knowledge of the ‘Miracle’ in front of a live and televised audience. 

 After 4 episodes that focused predominately on building tension and developing an impeccably strong narrative arc, 'The Categories of Life' combined these elements and adds them to a mixture of high-octane investigation and action, along with further establishing the identity of PhiCorp and the role they have played in regards to the 'Miracle', and in doing all this, produced one of the most gripping 60 minutes of British/American television one has seen for a particularly long time.

 Everything was executed perfectly and has proven the mass potential this series has to offer in it's closing 5 episodes. This episode had two greatly shocking moments which I will not note due to spoilers, as well as visually addressing the 'Overflow Camps' which were hindered at during the fourth episode. It's clear that the idea behind the camps was taken from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, but rather than being painstakingly obvious in their cruel ethos and mistreatment, the 'Overflow Camps' bear a presentable façade and are constructed upon a false but positive image which is cracked by the Torchwood team; particularly through the nose-poking of Dr. Vera Suarez (Arlene Tur).

 Sadly this series has received a bit of hate from fans who believe the Atlantic move was a bad idea but hopefully they were more pleased by this entry as it had a decent and constructed balance between Wales and California. Personally I think the move was a fantastic idea and people should be relishing the fact that more people are able to access this wonderful show. 'Miracle Day' may not be complete Sci-Fi through and through, but it is certainly powerful and thought-provoking drama laced with wonderful performances and the best writing the show has ever had. Apart from 'Children of Earth', the first two series were plagued by the odd episodes with dodgy writing and poor dialogue, but now the show is getting experienced and knowledgeable writers who are helping to dramatically boost this series' potential. Jane Espenson's script was flawless here and performed with great skill. Oswald's speech sequence was a thing of scripting beauty; his dialogue felt so real, so articulate, as was Pullman's impeccable delivery. 

 In regards to the action/thriller elements, Gwen's return to Cardiff to find her father made utterly gripping television alongside the brimming news of the camps state-side, and consequently made each cut from place to place intense and entertaining - a mere moment was not still in this episode due to it's fantastic pacing and persistence, and it's performers. Thankfully, 'Miracle Day' hasn't plodded along and has been bursting with energy and excitement, but this episode was explosive, rich and deeply satisfying for it's consumer. 

 Realistically, Jack was slightly side-seated in this episode and only really came out to play before Oswald's big show, but that was a good thing. It's better to get further and stricter understanding of those characters who could perhaps become underdeveloped. We all know Jack and Gwen, and why Torchwood was formed, so it was wise to give the majority of the drama to the other characters. Yes, Gwen did have an important role here and she is included one of the shock moments so maybe my last comment was slightly contradictory, but overall, episode 5 allowed viewers to completely unlock the US arrivals, and I for one thought that was marvellous. 

 Now I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I cannot wait for next Thursday. Not many shows leave me completely reeling and desperate for more but 'Miracle Day' is. Russell T. Davies has certainly got his game-face on with this series which is making me think one thing - I hope the second half of 'Doctor Who' is as good as this... 'The Categories of Life' was simply fantastic.

'Torchwood: Miracle Day' Episode 3 Review

'Torchwood: Miracle Day' - 'Dead Of Night'

Written by Jane Espenson - Directed by Billy Gierhart

So here's the episode the world has been talking about - however it's not been about the Miracle, or Oswald Danes, or either the sudden surge in the globe's population. No, the chat has been about sex, and how much of this episode's sexual adventures did the BBC decide to remove. But let's forget about this for a bit and get stuck into the episode in general...

Plot Outline:

The Torchwood team goes on the run and finds a new enemy, but as they launch a raid on PhiCorp headquarters, Jack must confront the mysterious Oswald Danes.

 After the great efforts with the second episode, 'Dead Of Night' applies the breaks again slightly and allows for some character development - a very smart move as we still have seven more hours with the Cross-Atlantic crew. What's more is that we actually got a little comedy which was nice and refreshing, and although the jokes were a little clichéd (mainly sniggering at the differences of terminologies in American and the UK), they were still amusing and helped to further define each individual character and how the operate inside the machine of the show. 

 Last week I mentioned that 'Miracle Day' was putting aside some of the over-used elements of the show, and this included the sex. Well as mentioned earlier, this episode contained some, but it was thankfully a short expedition and did not draw away from the weekly narrative. Barrowman praised the BBC at Comic-Con for cutting some of the sex, and although I'm sure it wasn't very graphic at all, it's good to know that the cut hasn't affected the point of the act too - you don't have to see to understand.

 'Dead Of Night' excelled in two particular departments; firstly the drama. The scenes in which the team discover the haven of painkillers in PhiCorp was a brilliant segment of television that played out like it had a feature film budget. The American dollars from Starz have really boosted the budget for this series and I'm glad they are being spent wisely rather than thrown away on over-the-top CGI. Also a high-point was the confrontation between Dr. Vera Juarez and the Police officer when discussing the 'murder/assault' of the woman who had been brutally strangled by her husband. The idea of eliminating death has brought so many interesting sub-plots to the series, and I think the changing of the laws and the affects of medication upon those who 'should' be dead is fascinating screen-writing.

 The second department is tension and atmosphere - with everything surrounding the Miracle, the suspense levels are at an extreme high. As of yet, no 'alien' technologies have been discovered so nobody can truly trust one another. This level of tension is perfectly exploited by the sudden televisual fame of Oswald - a man who committed a savage crime, yet his views on medicating those in needs is somehow bringing hope to people and almost making them and indeed us slightly care for him; it's a brilliant and morbid concept.

 Talking of Oswald, Bill Pullman's performance was incredible in this episode, particularly in the closing stand-off between him and Jack. His speech about the rape and murder was amongst the most uncomfortable dialogue scenes I've sat through for a while - describing Susie Cabina's bruised body as a "painting" was unforgettably demented. Eve Myles was also fantastic yet again here - Gwen's almost 'Mission: Impossible' break-in to PhiCorp was highly entertaining. Alexa Havins was brilliant too and was really able to give Esther some scope - her fears about being part of Torchwood and her lack of experience in the field is touching and emotive. Barrowman and Mekhi Phifer were also great, especially with their argumentative dialogue sequences.

 For my money, this episode was stronger in character than 'Rendition', and stronger in tension than 'The New World'. 'Dead Of Night' was dark, driven and sublimely performed. So far, 'Miracle Day' has produced three stunning episodes and I'm desperate for the fourth. This series is not only consistent, it's downright fantastic. 

Update from Comic-Con!

COMIC-CON UPDATE!

For those of you who didn't know, BBC America is currently promoting 'Doctor Who' at this year's San Diego Comic-Con; the world's biggest and most famous comic book and science fiction convention. Matt Smith and Karen Gillan are at Comic-Con as we speak and earlier today they headed a talk in the famous Hall G of the convention. Here various information about the upcoming second half of Series 6 was discussed! So this is what we know so far:

The show will be returning to our screens on August 27th.

Karen Gillan will be returning as Amy Pond for Series 7

Two trailers were also aired; one for the remainder of the series, and another for episode 11, 'The God Complex' (which is actually more of a clip than a trailer and looks remarkably like 'The Shining'?!); you can view them both below! :)

The only thing that slightly bugs me is why does all the best promotional material and cast interview opportunities go to America rather than the show's home here in the UK? I know Comic-Con is where it's at but I will be mighty disappointed if there is no signings or press conferences for the show's return in London or around the UK.

'Torchwood: Miracle Day' Episode 2 Review

'Torchwood: Miracle Day' - 'Rendition'

Written by Doris Egan - Directed by Billy Gierhart

Firstly, I'd like to start with an apology. I didn't get around to reviewing the first episode of 'Torchwood: Miracle Day' due to other reviews, work and a load of job applications. But here's my incredibly brief review of the opener, 'The New World'; it was outstanding. Sumptuous television that was laced with drama, suspense and started the ball rolling for perhaps the most politically and socially gripping series of the show.

Right that's over, on to episode two...

Plot Outline:

As Rex brings the Torchwood team to America, problems arise on the plane as CIA operatives are plotting to remove them.  Meanwhile, Oswald Danes is appearing on News Talk shows and is becoming a trend on many online social networks after breaking down on national television.

 What's so interesting about this series of the show is the American element. "Yes, Chris that's obvious!" I hear you say, but let me explain. The fact that the show and narrative has been taken state-side isn't the 'interesting' fact, but it's more the influence. Granted some people will have an issue with this, but if you look at the direction this series is heading towards, it's looking like a Sci-Fi '24' and I for one find that so exciting.

 One of 'Torchwood's major problems is how some people view it; although the first two series' were very good, a lot of the emphasis was on the sex and violence rather than clear and constructed weekly narrative thus making people believe it was just a "sexed-up 'Doctor Who'". Thankfully they toned that down in 'Children of Earth' and made a genuinely compelling and chilling saga, and I'm so glad 'Miracle Day' is shaping up in that same way.

 As of yet, the origin of the event is still unknown; whether it's alien or a worldwide 'disease' is still a mystery and that's just how it should be - there's nothing worse than foreseeing every event and then feeling disappointed is there? What episode two successfully did was build dramatic tension, particularly with the plane scenes, and to create a beautiful confrontation between the two nations and their security systems. We all know 'Torchwood's origins lie with the Royal Family and the protection of the United Kingdom so it's great to see that bold contrast with the straight-laced and no-quibbles American CIA.

 'Rendition's main success however was it's top-notch writing. After the all-change at BBC Wales with 'Doctor Who', Russell T. Davies is still churning out cracking stuff and more importantly, getting quality writers alongside him. Doris Egan has worked on a bundle of successful and brilliant American TV shows including 'Smallville', 'Tru Calling' and 'House'. She understands the importance of layers and how they can give great weight and gravity to an on-going story arc. The scene with Dr. Vera Juarez (Arlene Tur) discussing the progression of anti-viral medicine and how it will soon be unable to cure the sick due to no bodies dying and reacting to infection was fantastic. It's a complex idea projected with skill and knowledge, and left me utterly starstruck. I sometimes think to myself "How do they think of these things?" and that scene sparked that thought.

 All the performances were excellent, particularly from John Barrowman and Eve Myles. Gwen stole the show in this episode and it wasn't just because she booted a CIA agent in the face after saying "I'm Welsh", but because of the anxiety and aggression she suffered when boarding the plane and the intuitiveness and intelligence when disaster struck on the plane. Myles is a great actress and she continues to prove just how good a character Gwen Cooper is. Barrowman's dying acting was rather impressive too; let's just hope he doesn't do that on 'Tonight's the Night' - it might upset your mum.

 Although this episode was slightly slower than it's predecessor, it still had plenty of energy and merged an extremely claustrophobic event with excellent corporate chit-chat to make the second episode of 'Miracle Day' be a total thriller. If this series stays as consistent and impressive as it currently is, it could well be the strongest and best series of 'Torchwood' yet. 'Miracle Day' is currently essential television and I'm dying for next week's episode.