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"Doctor Who"
The Fires of Pompeii (2008)
18 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
A cinematic "Who" experience, 12 April 2008
Author: DVD_Connoisseur from England
Following the trend of the "new" series, the second episode of the season takes a trip into history. In "The Fires of Pompeii", The Doctor and Donna explore ancient Rome.
This is big-scale "Doctor Who" with the production moved to Italy for realistic studio work. Accompanied by sumptuous CGI, this is a vision for sore eyes.
The script is sharp and Catherine Tate continues to prove a major strength. Never have I been so wrong about a companion...I hang my head in shame. Not only does Tate deliver lines brilliantly, her ability to carry the drama of this episode tugged at my heart strings.
10 out of 10. I laughed, I cried...I simply cannot wait for next week's Ood-tastic tale.
14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
James Moran makes his mark with a great Doctor Who story, 12 April 2008
Author: AdnanZ from Canada
After seeing "The Fires of Pompeii" I am confident that James Moran is here to stay and to become an excellent Doctor Who writer in the future. Moran's previous work is the screenplay for the horror/comedy "Severance" and for an episode of Doctor Who spin off "Torchwood". His script for "The Fires of Pompeii" shows real gratitude to and respect for the legacy of Doctor Who, as Moran does not attempt to introduce more spaceships to London's skies, but rather writes a surprisingly effective and very exciting story in the vein of classic Doctor Who stories from the 70's and 80's.
I love anything that addresses the TARDIS translating languages because that's one I always get asked when people attempt to ridicule Doctor Who. Anyway, this story's guest actors all do a terrific job and the script itself is really a fantastic piece of writing, combining classic Doctor Who elements with wonderful bits of humor and some of the best drama in this incarnation of Doctor Who outside of Steven Moffat's episode, as well as rousing adventure and action scenes. I'm loving Catherine Tate as Donna too, she makes an excellent companion.
By writing a smart, balanced script with a tinge of classic Who added in for good measure, James Moran has crafted one of the best debuts for a writer in Doctor Who's history. I look forward to more from him. Great stuff, and boy did it look good as well.
9/10
3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Best Episode - Second To "Blink", 18 April 2008
Author: borgter from United Kingdom
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I have got to say, this episode is absolutely brilliant. Whether it is the acting, visual effects, or the wonderful script, I have never enjoyed a Who episode as much as this. (Well, maybe I did - "Blink")
I love any episode that mentions the Time Lord's past - especially Gallifrey references and so what a treat this episode was! Tennant's acting ability is superb and I love his reactions to the Romans who seem to know many hidden details about his past...
Speaking of acting, I think this episode was made stronger by the Stella guest cast - the best cast of the series I feel. Every actor/actress was great - especially the young prophet girl. Bravo.
Also, I must confess/apologise for the prejudice I had of Mrs Tate. I honestly thought she could not act after the premiere, but after seeing this one, she definitely has the chops necessary for a Who companion. Her teary plead to save the family definitely wet my eyes.
The CGI was outstanding too. I'm no budgeter, but this must've cost loads to produce. It's especially surprising, seeing as it's only the second episode. The Pyrovyle creatures were spectacular and never once looked fake to me, which is very hard to accomplish. The Vesuvius eruption was nothing more than a visual treat! Kudos to the Spec.Effects teams, I don't know how they do it but blimey, they deserve an award for those effects!
Overall, a (running out of adjectives) solid and sensational episode that no-one (in their right mind) can say a negative comment about!
cough-TAPTEE-cough
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
I've seen better, 22 April 2008
Author: DoctorWhoFanatic from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Weird in the beginning, depressing at the end. The cult was weird, and while I don't know much about history, it just didn't seem to fit in. The battle of the seers between Evelina and Lucius reveled more information about the Doctor than any character on Doctor Who has a right to know upon their first meeting with the Doctor. Also, the family seemed too modern-day, especially at the end when Evelina says, "Don't start dad, its what all the girls in Rome are wearing. See you later." And the "household gods" thing when the Doctor and Donna become the new household gods, thats just overdoing it.
But now for the good. I like Donna in this, she's really caring and wants to save everybody, but she can't. And she gives the Doctor a very important lesson: While he might not be able to save everybody due to a fixed history, that doesn't mean he can't save somebody. This really lightens up the gloomy ending and proves to the Doctor that he really does need someone, going against what he said in the Christmas episode of season 3 in which we first meet Donna.
And finally, a really theory-sparking message by Lucius: "Doctor, she is returning." OOO! Could this mean Rose, or perhaps... *drum roll please* ... The Doctor's Daughter?! *pokes the upcoming episode 6* Either way, OOO!
So, overall, four points for Donna, one point for "she is returning," and one point for just being Doctor Who, making a grand total of 6/10.
MUCH better than cutesy fat marshmallow men, 11 May 2008
Author: movieman_kev from United States
Donna and the Doctor wanting to visit ancient Rome, instead wind up in Pompeii on the eve of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This causes a wee bit of a clash between the two as to who can and can not be saved. This is a much better episode then the silly premiere or the Christmas episode simply because this time the tale is given the backbone of something interesting, a nice moral dilemma and shows the truly tragic weight that lays on the Doctor's shoulders all the time. Donna is actually quite likable in this episode, not as annoying as when she first appeared (although she does have a few moments) All in all a fairly good episode.
My Grade: B
what channel is broadcasting DW, 7 May 2008
Author: mapson-2 from United States
For the fan wanting to know when DW is on the air - check the SciFi channel for Friday nights. That's the "newest" in the "revived" DW series. It looks like they're at the 4th episode in this season. BBCAmerica also carries some DW episodes, but I'm not sure which season they're currently broadcasting. I think they are broadcasting episodes with David Tennant. SciFi is also carrying some of the other seasons of DW, but I'm not sure if they're with David Tennant or Chris Eccleston - so check your local listings. I live in an area where my PBS station is also carrying DW, again with the "revived" series. Currently, they are broadcasting Chris Eccleston episodes with no commercial breaks and are also carrying the Doctor Who Confidential showing the "how to" of the various episodes. I don't know of any "commercial" stations carrying the original series - but check your local PBS station. Good luck!
0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
USA Doctor Who Schedule, 6 May 2008
Author: zekesphotos from United States
Here in Florida we've been getting Dr. Who on cable on either the Sci-Fi Channel, or on BBC America. Newer episodes usually on Fridays and Saturdays, but re-runs occasionally scattered throughout the week. SciFi Channel has also just started carrying "The Sarah Jane Adventures" and BBC America is running "Torchwood" on the weekends.
Both programs are spin-offs from Doctor Who, featuring reprised characters and references to the Doctor and previous episodes. Elizabeth Sladen returned to Doctor Who as Sarah Jane Smith (one of the Doctor's previous companions) in "School Reunion" in April of 2006 after nearly a 30-year absence. John Barrowman plays Capt. Jack Harkness (another previous companion), now in charge of the Cardiff branch of Torchwood. I haven't seen the "Sarah Jane" show yet, but "Torchwood" is definitely worth watching.
0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Not good!, 3 May 2008
Author: barrelbum from United States
After watching an extremely weak and clichéd Christmas special, I somehow managed to find the strength to look forward to Partners in Crime, the first episode of series 4. To put it plainly, a plot line revolving around walking human body fat sucks pretty badly. What happened to the good old classic alien, made with a rubber costume and a realistic agenda? You know what our fatty friends did? Goo'ed and ga'ed and waved cheerfully to everyone. Scary!
After these two equally demented episodes, I can't understand how I managed to find hope in the Fires of Pompeii. But I did, and once again I was thoroughly disappointed.
To put it into perspective for those who liked this episode, think back to the first of the new series. Those episodes were carefully crafted. They were equipped with realistic plot lines, special effects that were actually special, three-dimensional characters, and acting that was spot-on. Now think about the Fires of Pompeii. The regression is quite drastic.
The Unquiet Dead and Shakespeare Code literally brought you back in time. You actually felt as though you were in Victorian Cardiff and 16th Century London. That is what the Doctor is supposed to do; make his audience feel as though they are passengers in the Tardis too. In Pompeii, it felt like you were walking onto a set and nothing more. The Roman quality of Pompeii was not noticeable. The Romans spoke with enormous British accents, and they said things that you would hear walking on the streets of modern London. I know for a fact that back then, no matter how well your spaceship translated for you, the people of long ago had a very unique way of speaking. And I think in this episode, the writers either did this to add comedy, or they just didn't want to do their homework. Either way, it was lame.
The Doctor seems to have nothing new to say. I hardly notice him at all. He says things recycled from better episodes, and he simply kills each new foe with the turn of a switch, a shrill noise, a water pistol! He has no challenge. All of his enemies are painfully contrived plot-devices. In Partners In Crime, our fatty blobs were there for one reason: to meet Donna. In "Pompeii", the volcano beast was there for one reason: so that the Doctor would be responsible for destroying Pompeii (which isn't Gary-Stuish at all!). It's almost as if this show is not about a traveling Timelord or monsters anymore. It is about the relationship between a younger better Timelord and his hot new female companion, with a few aliens and CGI to spice things up. One more thing: do we have to hear about the Doctor's troubled past one more time? Yes, we know you're the only Timelord left and you were forced to destroy Gallifrey. It's time get over yourself and move on to something else now.
Not only were these bad guys plot devices, they were also very unoriginal and posed no real threat. We want bad guys who are cunning, ruthless, and frightening. We want them to challenge our belief in the Doctor's heroics. We want to see them succeed in their plans and push him to his very limit. Will we ever again be faced with the ingenuity of Nanogenes and Weeping Angels? I'm not overconfident. Pompeii's monsters (can't remember their name) were lazily done in terms of characters, though I admit the CGI was better than Adipose. They were nothing but fire breathing rocks wanting yet again to do what children? Take over the world? Yes! Why? I don't remember, but it must not have been worth remembering. Probably something to do with another home planet being destroyed. But how do you defeat these things? It must be really tough. Nope, just douse 'em with a squirt gun and switch this lever and you'll be OK. Not to mention, the leader's voice sounded horrifyingly similar to a cyberman. I couldn't believe my ears.
Finally, here is the real clincher. The Doctor said something very interesting which I actually happened to remember. But it didn't make much sense. In fact, it was a continuity error and screamed of Deus Ex Machina. I can't remember the exact words, but I'll try and act out the scene again. It seems Donna wanted to warn all the Romans that Vesuvius would erupt, thus saving 30,000 people from burning to death. The Doctor states quite clearly, "No, Pompeii's destruction is a fixed point in time. It can happen no other way!"
Now let's rewind back to the first series. Rose and the Doctor are trapped in a dungeon, being assaulted by zombies. Rose says something like this, "I can't die. I haven't even been born yet." and "I happen to know that the living dead were not roaming England in 1869." Then the Doctor says, "Time is in flux. The past you know can change like that!" *snap for emphasis*
Why would they say one thing, and then another? That's where Deus Ex Machina plays its part. They wanted the Doctor's situation to be emotional, so they discarded their own rules to suit their purpose. And it is as annoying as hell. It only seems that when a companion wants to help people in the past, the Doctor can't. He says he knows what he is doing, but it makes no sense to anyone.
For those who enjoyed it, I'm glad you enjoyed it. But for now I will remain in a dark place, dreaming of the past. I hope it gets better for me, because I've always loved Doctor Who. I really want to enjoy it again with the rest of you.
3 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Longtime fan of Dr. Who needs schedule of telecasts in USA, 16 April 2008
Author: barbara_johnson from United States
When and on which channel is the latest version of Dr. Who telecast in the United States? My husband and I began watching the program when Tom Baker was the Doctor. At the time, we were on the brink of divorce. Watching Dr. Who each Sunday night gave us something to share and enjoy, and our mutual interest in the program helped to revive our marriage. Is there any way that Tom Baker can be coaxed to make at least a cameo appearance on the show? Unaware that Dr. Who had been revived, I saw a bit of the show on television recently. I have been since searching for the time and station of the telecasts so that my husband and I, now married thirty-five years, can revive our weekly ritual. Please help this Dr. Who fan find the good doctor again.
1 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Weak story with no character development of the villains with bad sound editing, and rotten portrayal of the Doctor, 12 April 2008
Author: taptee from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
The episode for some reason was really poorly directed. The camera angles were weird, and did not somehow portray the flow of action. The sound editing is bad, as the music is too loud and continues to play so when there is no demand for background music. The villains or bad guys were given no chance to show us their side of the story. The Doctor figures it out all by himself, and in a second makes a decision to destroy the city. The story had the potential to be a good one, but the director never had a desire to avail that chance. I just hope the rest of the season is better; not looking good from the first two episodes of the fourth season.
4 out of 10 (only because its a Doctor Who show, otherwise 2 out of 10)
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