29.06: The Lazarus Experiment

[PTeppic]

The episode sees the Doctor finally return Martha Jones to her home, though things begin to kick off when he spots a TV mention of one Richard Lazarus and his imminent scientific experiment. Cue it all going horribly wrong and much screaming, chasing down corridors and very nasty side-effects (it rates maximum scare factor "Terrifying" on the BBC kids' fear scale).

Alternatively, to quote the BBC's TV listings page:
The Lazarus Experiment: Martha returns home where she discovers that her family is caught up in the scheming of Professor Lazarus and his Genetic Manipulation Device.

[SpaceShip]

Are you sure you should be letting us know this? Well, I mean, we've still got another 8 hours to go before it comes screaming towards us through our screens!

[Lenny]

Tep has given us nothing that couldn't be deduced from the trailer at the end of last weeks episode, at least - for it did show Dr. Lazarus (links have been posted to the viral site a few weeks ago, so we can guess what he's doing, especially with the name), his 'miracle', and Martha's family.

I look forward to it!

[SpaceShip]

Now that wasn't a good Dr Who - that was a fantastic Dr Who. Had me on the edge of my seat and reckon this thread will be hit for six tonight. SPOILERBut just who is the whispering man? And I just wish I had a sonic screwdriver. Well done Dr Who team - this week's episode was a cracker.

[Lenny]

I've just rushed up the stairs in excitement, rushed down again to turn the internet on, rushed up again, and shouted at my computer to start.

Not because of this weeks episode (good episode, though. Anyone else catch the "Who is he, Martha?" "He's the Doctor." "Doctor what?" ?), but because of the trailer afterwards. Gods above!!

Bit boring, though, the inside of the white TARDIS being the same but with white doors.

Cap'in Jack! Woooop!

---

Now I'll calm down............. nah....

And I'll talk about this episode. Twas fantastic, you're right, Shippy. It's taken the team two series to get into their stride, but now, they've seemed to have hit it completely, and have churned out, what is it, half a series already that has been good every single episode?

The whispering man was very interesting. I guess he's something to do with Saxon's team (who we now know is Harold - can anyone crack the anagram this time? I've been reliably informed that every moniker the Master takes is an anagram or something that relates to "Master), but that's not what makes me wonder - but rather, what it is he's told Martha's mum - a woman who is annoying to the tee, might I add.

And I was half-hoping the Doctor would play Fugue in F, I think it's called - you know, the organ piece that is associated with horror films, and the flash of lightning, and the mad laughter.

[Harpo]

Tremendous! Best episode of this series so far. I especially enjoyed the Southwark Cathedral part, as I was in there myself a fortnight ago.

Incidentally, it was good to see that three minutes before it ended there were 11 Chron members logged in, and three minutes after it ended another seven had logged in. That's a two thirds growth, folks

[sanityassassin]

I take no responsibility for this post

On behalf of Weave :"Captain Jack, WooHoo!!!"

[Talysia]

Pretty good episode. Good to see that the series is getting stronger.

[pyan]

Originally Posted by Harpo

Tremendous! Best episode of this series so far. I especially enjoyed the Southwark Cathedral part, as I was in there myself a fortnight ago.

The outside might have been Southwark, Harpo, but I think the inside was Wells - I'm sure I saw the unique strainer arch under the central tower.

Originally Posted by Lenny

rather, what it is he's told Martha's mum - a woman who is annoying to the tee, might I add.

And someone who instantly believes a mysterious whispering man, but ignores what her daughter says about the Doctor!
And was he Saxon himself, then?

Good episode. Good episode!

[Harpo]

Yes the outside was Southwark (and Southwark was mentioned, more to the point), and yes the interior was Wells, as seen in the DW Confidential programme later. Maybe it was easier to get to from Cardiff

[PTeppic]

Many points:

Very good episode. Ultimately quite a simple plot but beautifully executed. Superb make-up for the elderly Lazarus - puts the witches well to shame. Not quite sure about the face on the scorpion-Lazarus though. Apart from that the CGI creature was mostly very good though not perfect. The CGI integration/lighting is getting better too.

The whispering man is credited in Radio Times as "Mysterious Man"... and I guess it's a foregone conclusion he's part of Saxon's team. I get really wound up and involved when people start being sneaky, back-handed and unfair: that mystery man had my hackles up and I'm going off Martha's mum really fast (as a character) because she's clearly being influenced against the Doctor. Wah!

Need to re-watch that monster trailer (since it clearly shows the rest of the season, not just episode "42"). And as for "Any Dream Will Do" being allowed to stay on whilst Doctor Who gets delayed...

J.S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" - was played during Confidential. Perhaps too cliched for the actual episode. and how come the sonic screwdriver can work on a pretty much mechanical/acoustic instrument...?

Need to work on the "Harold Saxon" anagram. Does include, for example, "Roland's Hoax" or "Hoax Lord san" etc.

Finally, wasn't intending to spoil anything with the initial posting: as stated it was simply the listings' magazine's er, listing.

[HappyHippo]

*Plaintively*

I think there's something wrong with me!

Honestly, I can't watch Doctor Who without asking lots of stupid questions, which is starting to annoy my other half more than a bit.

Does anyone know why the mutant upper class person HAD to suck the life out of lesser humans? Twasn't explained I don't think.

Also, was the bad machine meant to look like a Tardis? I thought it did look like one, and Lenny said white Tardis, but was it?

...

Pteppis, doesn't Terry Pratchett have a theory to do with humankind's willingness to believe pretty much anything they hear from a bloke down the pub? Martha's mum is obviously posher, and it's suited men at canape receptions, is all!


I did prefer this to any ROse episode, however, and the teaser at the end had Captain Jaaaaack! (AS I believe has been noted, ahem) oo-er missus!

[PTeppic]

I assumed the "white TARDIS" reference was to something in the trailer... but need to re-watch it. The pod in the lab was more "The Fly" (or similar) to my eye. Just thinking about it, since the creature was a long-ago evolutionary throw-back, I guess it was more sucking the juice out of its victims (spider-like), rather than sucking the "life force" out. Since when did anything ancient on Earth have the ability to suck life force?

Terry Pratchett has many suggestions about such things. Like "million to one chances occurring nine times out of ten". A bit like the likelihood of things going wrong whenever the Doctor is in town! (And who'd want to be in town anywhere near a range of people from Miss Marple to Inspectors Barnaby or Dalziel). I think the continued existence of some fairly weird urban legends proves humans believe anything - though since we do get such odd real stories (the goat wedding thing, for one) that the myths are that bit more believable/possible.

[Lenny]

The "white TARDIS" (I ought to coin that! ) looked exactly like the TARDIS inside, except the doors on the inside were white, whereas the Doctors are, erm, not... they're dark blue, aren't they? Or brown... I forget.

But, yeah. In the quick flash we got of it (methinks it's the last scene of the trailer, where we see the Doctor smile evilly and turn to his control panel), that's the only difference I could see.

On the subject of the trailer - one of the first things said, and it was by the guy with the enormous sack figure, "We need a TIME LORD". I'm sorry, but what?! How in the name of all that is burlap does he know that?! I can see these next seven episodes being something we'd each give the Universe to see.

By the way, should anyone want to watch the whole trailer again, have a nosey at this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/c...&nbwm=1&bbwm=1

[Dave]

It was a great episode. Not much to add except that I liked it right from the start - when he dematerialised and then returned saying "Did he say he would change the nature of being human?"

The other great line was: "It shouldn't have taken that long to reverse the polarity!" If you've watched any Doctor Who before, you have to find that amusing.

I wasn't looking forward to the appearance of Martha's family, but they were reasonably normal, despite the Doctor's "Mothers!" and him being slapped again. I think Martha's mother would be much more inclined to believe the suited mysterious man at the party who had contacts with Mr Harold Saxon, rather than someone her daughter had met just a day before. She's wrong obviously, for many different reasons, but I don't see it as a plot hole.

The white TARDIS was something shown in the trailer for rest of the Season, not the machine for rejuvenation.

I didn't think much of the creature if it was meant to be created by genetic throwbacks. Nor that he could switch between it, and a young man, and back to an old man. With the man's face on a scorpion-like body it was very 50's B movie - reminded me heavily of the original The Fly.