New Earth

daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,354
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I know I'm in my usual minority but Series 2 has long been my favourite of New Who. I think why it works for me better than most people is the lovey dovey relationship between The Tenth Doctor and Rose doesn't bother me one iota. I would rather see the pair of them getting along having a fun relationship than some of the rude stuff thrown at Rose during the early stories of Series 1 by the Ninth Doctor. Yes it could have been toned down but I was just as happy with the New Doctor, and the humour between him and Rose for me personally was superb. I also don't have a problem with Tennant's performance in this Series either, anything was an improvement on the previous year.

Saying all that, though, Series 2 didn't get of to the best of starts with this opener. The improvement in relations between the New Doctor and Rose is evident straight away but there is very little chance to progress it further after Rose is possessed by Cassandra.

As I said in her previous story, I much prefer Cassandra in this because of the background story but as Rose it didn't really work without Zoe Wanamaker actually playing the character. Though it was funny to watch, Billie Piper's interpretation of Cassandra was a tad OTT and it got even worse when she then possessed The Doctor with Tennant doing some serious overacting. The last five minutes of the story after she'd taken over Chip and told herself she was beautiful was the best part of the entire episode, it just seemed so different in style to the previous 40 minutes.

The concept of the story was not a bad one but was weakly executed on screen. I think because of the Cassandra storyline not enough time was given over to the main plot, maybe it could have done better without her in it.

The Face Of Boe was a welcome addition though I do remember at the time that the whole final secret thing was a setup for the finale and was a bit puzzled it didn't get mentioned again this Series.

So not the best start to the Series but this was 1 of only four other episodes I disliked from this run. For me the best stuff was still to come.

:)

Comments

  • Granny McSmithGranny McSmith Posts: 19,622
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    I liked New earth. A lot. It's actually one of my favourites, and that's because I thought it was funny, and it was apparent that this new Doctor could do comedy a million times better than the last one (though him being Cassandra was a bit cringy). I loved the whole lighthearted feel of it.

    I loved it when Cassandra took over Rose - "I'm a chav!" and "Watcha!" still make me laugh. I loved the kiss. :D

    The story itself wasn't great, but there were some good bits in it; some poignancy (poor Chip) as well as humour, and it went on at a good pace.

    I was surprised that The Face of Boe seemed to know more about the Doctor than would seem to be warranted by his previous appearance, but wasn't that bothered by it.

    I thought Rose and Ten were great together, much more so than Rose and Nine. Their chemistry was evident right from the start.

    Phrases from this episode have entered the McSmith family vocabulary for some strange reason - "I like a little shop", and "Not me...other people".

    This episode made a big impression on me, considering it wasn't one of the weightier ones, and I think the main reason was the fact that the Tennant was so good, and seemed so much more at ease in the role than Eccleston.
  • sovietusernamesovietusername Posts: 1,169
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    I actually really like this one, it's not as good as any of the other series openers, but it's a decent episode in itself, being a real laugh throughout, both Tennant and Piper doing comedy brillliantly as well as making a nice moral point about animal experimentation, lab rats, cloning etc as well as having cassandra lose her 2 dimensional characterisation-literally. We also have the introduction of the Face of Boes secret which will be far more important in the next series
  • Face Of JackFace Of Jack Posts: 7,181
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    Lovely happy start to a new series and a new Doctor. Rose seems to accept him by now (she's easy anyway! ;)). Cassandra was brilliant - and nice to see her as she was at the end.
    After a slightly uneasy start at Christmas, David certainly got into his stride from here!!:)
  • summer_stesummer_ste Posts: 5,524
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    The concept of the story was not a bad one but was weakly executed on screen. I think because of the Cassandra storyline not enough time was given over to the main plot, maybe it could have done better without her in it.
    :)

    Hmmm. To me, the Cassandra story was the main plot. She was a "comedy" villain from a previous series whose motive was simpy that she didn't want to die. Ever. I think RTD saw the potential in this to tell a much more touching story so they brought her back. But because this is Doctor Who you've got to have some scary stuff going on, so they set it against the backdrop (the B-plot of the episode) of a sinsiter hospital where cat nuns breed humans and infect them with every known virus in the world, of course! :D

    I think it's less obvious in this episode because most episodes (in most TV shows) have quite a blatant A-plot, B-plot etc. In this episode, it does seem like the hospital is the A-plot, primarily because it is introduced first. But I really don't think it is. I think this episode is primarily about Cassandra, it just takes a while for the episode to actually get there.
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,354
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    summer_ste wrote: »
    Hmmm. To me, the Cassandra story was the main plot. She was a "comedy" villain from a previous series whose motive was simpy that she didn't want to die. Ever. I think RTD saw the potential in this to tell a much more touching story so they brought her back. But because this is Doctor Who you've got to have some scary stuff going on, so they set it against the backdrop (the B-plot of the episode) of a sinister hospital where cat nuns breed humans and infect them with every known virus in the world, of course! :D

    I think it's less obvious in this episode because most episodes (in most TV shows) have quite a blatant A-plot, B-plot etc. In this episode, it does seem like the hospital is the A-plot, primarily because it is introduced first. But I really don't think it is. I think this episode is primarily about Cassandra, it just takes a while for the episode to actually get there.

    Don't get me wrong, I do like the Cassandra Plotline. I would have liked to see the episode based entirely around her and not been anything to with the hospital at all. Or the other way round as I said. I think either plotline could have benefited from having an episode dedicated to it.

    :)
  • summer_stesummer_ste Posts: 5,524
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    Don't get me wrong, I do like the Cassandra Plotline. I would have liked to see the episode based entirely around her and not been anything to with the hospital at all. Or the other way round as I said. I think either plotline could have benefited from having an episode dedicated to it.

    :)
    I wonder if they were originally intended to be different stories and at some stage they were condensed.

    Also, when I watch this episode I am always curious about Cassandra's interest in the hospital. She knows there's something odd going on, but why does she care so much?
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,354
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    summer_ste wrote: »
    I wonder if they were originally intended to be different stories and at some stage they were condensed.

    Also, when I watch this episode I am always curious about Cassandra's interest in the hospital. She knows there's something odd going on, but why does she care so much?

    Exactly. As you sort of say, maybe RTD did want to just write about her but didn't have enough plot to fill the story so added the whole infection storyline on. I didn't buy her interest in the hospital either, or indeed her presence there. All very strange.

    :)
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    Not really a favourite of mine. Much of the early part was silly, and it was at best mediocre.
  • summer_stesummer_ste Posts: 5,524
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    I do like apple grass though :D
  • AbominationAbomination Posts: 6,483
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    I like this episode a fair bit, and I regard it as an easing in to a solid beginning for Series 2. In fact, with Tooth and Claw, School Reunion and The Girl in the Fireplace to follow - I'd say that Series 2 still maintains the most consistently strong beginning to a series.

    There are a number of things that could have made this episode a lot better. Firstly, I think that given it was Tennant's first full story, the connection with Cassandra was missing a tiny bit. Secondly, it was an absolute waste of Zoe Wannamaker, who is absolutely brilliant but goes missing in the middle of the episode to allow room for some rather childish scenes from Tennant and Piper - I quote my little sister "That bit was really weird"... she didn't find it funny, and I didn't either. I loved the Tennant era but it verged into this slapstick territory a little too often for my liking - more so than the Doctor's that came before or after.

    The hospital plot was pretty basic, and nothing too taxing. As one of only two non-contemporary Earth stories so far to open a series (I'm not sure where I stand with Series 6's opener, so I've discounted it for the sake of argument) I have to say it definitely isn't a patch on Asylum of the Daleks. That being said, it isn't a patch on any of the stories that followed it either. That is in part because they are so good, but then this one only manages to be 'just about good'. It is worth watching for the final scene with Cassandra and Chip, however, which was an unexpected emotional highlight. It was an example of how RTD can really write for characters well.

    Looking back on it, I've noticed one more weakness. It's not the Face of Boe cop-out, or the dodgy CGI in that elevator shaft, or the rather disappointing cat-people. It's that this was the second episode with Tennant, and we still didn't really know where we stood with him as a character. Last episode he spent sleeping for the most part, this one he was parading around as Cassandra a little too much, and the next one he was putting on the Scottish accent for old Queen Vic (I'd thought they'd have waited to use that accent actually, rather than just playing it up straight away)...it wasn't until School Reunion that we got to see the Tenth Doctor not hiding behind any facades or regeneration-related Lion-King outbursts.

    All in all, a decent episode but nothing spectacular. Aside from that final scene with Cassandra - that WAS spectacular.
  • WryipWryip Posts: 2,160
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    The worst episode of series 2 for me, and possibly even new who (though some of series 6 part 2 come close).

    After a decent introduction in the Christmas Invasion I really didn't warm to Tennant here. Largely over the top acting, and the scenes with Rose and the Doctor overtaken by Cassandra were just nauseating.

    Thankfully the next episode was an improvement and Sarah Jane saved episode 3, but the Doctor/Rose relationship and Tennant's over acting, and unalienish quality really make series 2 a poor series overall for me
  • summer_stesummer_ste Posts: 5,524
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    I agree with Wryip and Abomination that we hadn't really got to know the new Doctor yet. I like the scene of The Doctor being taken over by Cassandra but I think it would have worked better in a later episode, where the real tenth doctor would have already been more established. But rewatching it now, where we've seen plenty of David Tennant in the role, that shouldn't really matter.
  • inspector drakeinspector drake Posts: 910
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    I'm not really a fan of this episode or this series. I really don't think Ten and Rose were that great a pairing, she worked a lot better with Nine IMO.
  • doublefourdoublefour Posts: 5,977
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    Like the acting by Tennant and piper in this one, nice easy start to a new series and you feel it is geared to establiching the new Doctor after the Christmas Invasion story where he is only really seen at the end in his new guise.
    I like the Lady Cassandra character, vain and just trying to survive in whatever means. But has a heart somewhere just about!
    Love the "Bitching Trampoline" line and "Oh no I'm a chav" line :). There is some decent dialogoue in this one, short on a cracking but acceptable plot with all the people herded into a massive virus vault is effective.
    I like series 2 despite the criticism's it attracts, but I think Rose and Tennant's Doctor are good together, there's warmth and it is fun as ponted out.
  • krikkiter68krikkiter68 Posts: 272
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    I really like this episode - an interesting mix of lightness with the body swapping, and darkness with the experimentation on humans. I like the warmth between Tennant and Billie, and I think they're both hilarious when possessed by Cassandra. A very touching ending, too.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 247
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    I'm afraid I don't like "New Earth" (although I think the return visit with Martha is a cracker). I think it tries too hard to establish the Doctor and Rose as an item, right from the beginning, although it does its job in saying "This Doctor is different." My least favourite bits are the over camp acting encouraged in Tennant being possessed by Cassandra, which seemed to undermine someone in a role you were still unsure of him being in. The climax and epilogue are the strongest, not least for the pure momentum which Tennant and the direction generate, and also because the ending allows him to evoke the Time-worn sadness and sense of gravitas which is such a necessary counter-point to the light comedy elements of his characterisation.
  • cat666cat666 Posts: 2,063
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    It was OK, nothing special but not as bad as others in this series.
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