I'm a convert.

I was never really a fan of this episode before, thought it wasn't scary or exciting enough but I've just finished watching on DVD and after a good look when you put all the pieces together it's a fantastic story.

It kind of reminded me of the storyline with the alien from Torchwood who was being slowly sliced up as meat. Once again an alien is being harmed at our behest to further our own survival.

I liked that the alien could still continue to power the ship even when they stopped harming it and there was no more need for the forget booth.

So overall nice stuff.

I always like this episode. Never understood why others didn't.

Same as. I love the Star Whale

Might watch it again tomorrow actually. Need my 11/Amy fix

Respect the fact you like it but even after watching it three times now, it still is by far the worst episode of Matt smith's Era.

I think it suffered very badly from following on from TEH which was an action-packed, fun episode and then there was TBB. Slow, tedious, but it was better on second viewing. Definitely contained some good ideas but it did nothing for me personally and even if I watched it another three times i don't think it would grow on me like some stories do after repeat viewing.

I've always been a fan of that episode. Didn't get the hate for it. I might watch it tomorrow, I have a day off! And I've just recently bought the DVDs too for £28 (HMV at 20% off voucher )

I wasn't on DS at the time, and I'm quite shocked to discover people didn't like it! I loved the Beast Below.

I also thought it was a great little episode. Never got why it seemed to be hated so much. I thought Victory of the Daleks was worse.

Victory of the Daleks is my next conquest

Because on first viewing I quite liked it and was a bit miffed noone liked the Power Ranger Daleks

I would agree with other posters above that "Beast" was slower compared to TEH and the Smilers weren't all that scary but they weren't the scariest aspects of the story. The stories shows us (humans) once again as the greatest monsters of them all.

Oh the Smilers scared the whatsit out of me

I hate creepy robot things.

I really liked it - very good story, loved the Queen and a terrific moral tale that didn't require anyone to be black and white good or bad.

I can, however, see why some people would be put off. Coming after the more Earth-bound, dramatic styling of 10's Doctor, this episode with the bizarrely old-fashioned, fair-ground fortune-teller man-in-a-box "villains" had a very "young audience" vibe.

I think people who were less than impressed at the time might enjoy series 5 more now that they've accepted Matt as THE Doctor. I struggled him on first viewing - not his fault, just a transition thing with both the new actor and a new style to the show - but he's now my all-time favourite Doctor - and I've been watching since 1963. Likewise, Amy has turned out to be a serious contender for "best companion" and seeing those earlier episodes knowing what we know now is quite interesting.

I loved it as well! Would rather watch it than Blink right now

I liked 'The Beast Below'. I think it partly suffered because it was the first normal, non-special, non-hyped, episode of Doctor Who perhaps arguably since 'Midnight' in 2008.

'Turn Left' - Rose's first full episode since 'Doomsday'
'The Stolen Earth'/'Journey's End' - Loads of characters back, Davros, Daleks, regenerating Doctor etc.
Then the specials which lead up to Tennant's regeneration, 'Next Doctor' hype, return of Master and Time Lords etc.
The Eleventh Hour - Matt Smith's first full episode as the Doctor

I didn't like The Beast Below, though there were some things I liked about it, for instance Liz 10.

What I didn't like was the way the Doctor never seemed to consider if there was any other option than lobotomising the Beast.

Amy sussed that the Beast would help without being forced by torture, but it never occurred to the Doctor, seemingly. Odd.

He also never asked how the other spaceships which had left Earth were being powered, and whether the England one could use the same source, or suggest another source of energy - he must know about such things.

He never offered to take them somewhere using the Tardis until they could return to Earth, or take them to a planet they could colonise.

Perhaps these things were mentioned in the episode, and I missed it?

Never interfere in the lives of other cultures... unless a little girl is crying

I doubt that such a thought would occur to me either about the beast. The beast was being put through a lot of pain. it would be a lot more likely to harbour lots of feelings of anger and resentment.

I believe that they only ever said that Brits wer flown into space - as if the solar flares missed the rest of the planet. Even if the others all cleared off, it could just be that they had space ships - we had no spaceship industry of our own left cos Thatcher sold it off

Amy's bizarre "insight" on her very first trip in the Tardis - you know my feelings about who was really on that ship (and I stil ain't chaged my mind - a lot more episodes to come)

The Doctor's lack of compassion (not the only time he did that in series 5) - testing Amy and wouldn't have gone through with it. (see above)

He wouldn't need to take anyone "in" the Tardis - we've seen him tow the entire planet. Maybe he knew he didn't need to cos there are Brits in the future - he knew enough would survive and didn't feel the need to solve every problem along the way.

Otherwise - yup - another episode that doesn't quite hold together. It's no wonder some of us keep looking for "answers" - we're still hoping that these things are deliberate.