[sovietusername]

Now I know there will definately have been various threads on this episode but after having just rewatched it on Dailymotion I have really felt I need to comment on just how brilliant an episode this is. Every single second is just unbelieveably great and the characters are really strong. In the space of 45 mins we see the worst of humanity and how an ordinary, decent person can become no better than one of the paranoid, insecure & evil people we have seen in history e.g. in Nazi Germany or Stalinist USSR, or for that matter, any monster on Dr Who. It's just so clever, certainly one of the most intelligent episodes of Dr Who that have ever been made & very reminiscent of some Twilight Zone e.g. monsters are due on maple street. It perfectly illustrates how we can become susceptible to fear and paranoia that motivates witch hunts. Add to that the fact that's it's a just a great story, it playing with the idea of someone having to be thrown out and the idea that life on Midnight is impossible, until...

The monster is just great, one of the best there's ever been, even though it is just an actress sitting in a corner. It's the mystery about it, the fact that's it cant exist and yet is real, that we have no idea what it is, the way it repeats everyone and manipulates them into doing dreadful things. And her eyes...well, I dont know the actresses name but boy can she act, in fact everyone in this is on top form, especially Tennant, this being my favourite 10th Doctor episode. In fact it's the other people who make us scared in this, as much as possessed Sky. Also, I just HATE that woman in the red cardigan who keeps on going "I knew it was her... I knew it was him all along" even she's the one whose most in favour of killing Sky and/or the Doctor. All the others I can sympathise with her but that character's just a real bitch. This is probably RTD's best episode and is probably one of the only/few dr who episodes to genuinely terrify me after rewatching it.

I know, I know, I've written loads (AGAIN, I tend to do that) but I literally could sing this episodes praises all day. I know this was shown quite recently so I'll bet theres probs been another thread on it recently, I just felt I had to give my thoughts on it after rewatching it, I really do think it's one of the best 45 mins of TV ever. I've linked the Dailymotion upload in case you've not seen it, you might want to reaccess it, or just in case you wanna rewatch it. It's just so clever & scary. Anyway, blimey, thoughts...?

[sovietusername]

forgot to post that link:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5s...de-10-midn_fun

[DavetheScot]

I love Midnight too. I wouldn't say it's the best Tennant story (Blink for me) but it's up there among his best.

For me, it's the whole mystery surrounding the alien presence that makes it so great. We never know what it looks like in its own form. We never know what its intentions really are, though we are in no doubt that it does not mean well. As so often, what we don't see is scarier than what we do.

[chuffnobbler]

Best story of C21 DW. I have only ever watched most of them once, anda few (mainly the earlier ones) I have watched a couple of times. This one I could watch over and again. Lesley Sharp is outstandingly good.

[daveyboy7472]

Originally Posted by sovietusername

Now I know there will definately have been various threads on this episode but after having just rewatched it on Dailymotion I have really felt I need to comment on just how brilliant an episode this is. Every single second is just unbelieveably great and the characters are really strong. In the space of 45 mins we see the worst of humanity and how an ordinary, decent person can become no better than one of the paranoid, insecure & evil people we have seen in history e.g. in Nazi Germany or Stalinist USSR, or for that matter, any monster on Dr Who. It's just so clever, certainly one of the most intelligent episodes of Dr Who that have ever been made & very reminiscent of some Twilight Zone e.g. monsters are due on maple street. It perfectly illustrates how we can become susceptible to fear and paranoia that motivates witch hunts. Add to that the fact that's it's a just a great story, it playing with the idea of someone having to be thrown out and the idea that life on Midnight is impossible, until...

The monster is just great, one of the best there's ever been, even though it is just an actress sitting in a corner. It's the mystery about it, the fact that's it cant exist and yet is real, that we have no idea what it is, the way it repeats everyone and manipulates them into doing dreadful things. And her eyes...well, I dont know the actresses name but boy can she act, in fact everyone in this is on top form, especially Tennant, this being my favourite 10th Doctor episode. In fact it's the other people who make us scared in this, as much as possessed Sky. Also, I just HATE that woman in the red cardigan who keeps on going "I knew it was her... I knew it was him all along" even she's the one whose most in favour of killing Sky and/or the Doctor. All the others I can sympathise with her but that character's just a real bitch. This is probably RTD's best episode and is probably one of the only/few dr who episodes to genuinely terrify me after rewatching it.

I know, I know, I've written loads (AGAIN, I tend to do that) but I literally could sing this episodes praises all day. I know this was shown quite recently so I'll bet theres probs been another thread on it recently, I just felt I had to give my thoughts on it after rewatching it, I really do think it's one of the best 45 mins of TV ever. I've linked the Dailymotion upload in case you've not seen it, you might want to reaccess it, or just in case you wanna rewatch it. It's just so clever & scary. Anyway, blimey, thoughts...?

Sky was played by Lesley Sharpe. Seen her in a few things but she is a good actress. The lady in the red cardigan, if my memory serves me right, is Carol Jackson from EastEnders. She sort of played that character very similar to that role, very bolshy and gobby.

As for the story itself, I love it. It just proves you don't need big sets and an epic storylines to make a good drama. I think it is very reminiscent of the base-under-siege stories of the Troughton Era though in this case we don't get to see the enemy at all.

I also like the claustrophobic setting to the story and also the dialogue was just amazing and Tennant and Sharpe do a great job in speaking at the same time. In fact Lesley Sharpe did a great job as Sky full stop with having to copy everyone's dialogue(though I'm sure a lot of that may have been dubbed as well)

I also loved the quick Rose appearance and for me it kicked off an amazing run of episodes that ran to the end of Series 4.

[gboy]

When I first watched it, I *hated* it, thinking it was the biggest pile of tosh since Love and Monsters/Fear Her.

On subsequent viewings, I now think it's one of the best nu-Who stories ever - clever, claustrophobic, tightly plotted with a great undercurrent of menace, subtly acted and genuinely scary in places.

Never go with first impressions.

[johnnysaucepn]

Agree on all counts - the claustrophobia, paranoia and psychology were all spot on - and one of my favourite parts is the way that the Doctor's biggest strength actually works against him.

Usually, he's unquestioningly trusted because he's confident, smarter than everyone else and seems to know exactly what he's doing. In this case, that's practically a death sentence.

The look on Tennant's face as he says the words, "Because I'm clever", is fantastic. You can see him realising that he's walking straight into a huge mistake, and yet he can't stop himself.

Modern Who (particularly in RTD's time) is so often about how shining and amazing humans can be - it stands out strongly when we get a story about how terrible even the nicest people can become in the right circumstances.

[SHAFT]

I hated it. All I can say is that if Rod Serling was still alive RTD would owe him a very large drink!

[SuperDude95]

I thought it was a great episode.

[Lady of Traken]

Originally Posted by johnnysaucepn

Usually, he's unquestioningly trusted because he's confident, smarter than everyone else and seems to know exactly what he's doing. In this case, that's practically a death sentence.

The look on Tennant's face as he says the words, "Because I'm clever", is fantastic. You can see him realising that he's walking straight into a huge mistake, and yet he can't stop himself.

.

I love Midnight.Its a really interesting switch around isn't it?The Doctor normally swaggers into situations with all the answers
But who's to say that he is always welcome.Reminds me a little of Caves of Androzani in that respect.

There's a claustrophobic dangerous edge in that confined situation and its something that should be explored more in modern Who.

Its quite a contemporary story in a wider context if you think about how alienated and suspicious some communities are of strangers or people that are different.

[Gustav_Stipp]

the only thing I don't like is the stewardess - she spends most of the episode not really giving a stuff about the passengers and then goes and sacrifices herself for them

it just seemed so out of place for her character

[sw2963]

Watching it now one of my faves

[I love tea]

Just remembered, I dreamt I was watching this episode last night, but it was the 'extended' version where we saw what the monster was, and in the dream there were a few of them, looking sort of like giant Gruffalo, and they were hitting the craft from side to side and it ended up with DT dangling out of the carriage and whooping as it pelted along through the monsters' hands and snow.....sort of like the Macra in Gridlock! Weird dream... and I can safely say the actual episode was better than this 'extended edition'

[Whovian1109]

It's an episode I really don't like, because it's such a good episode (if that makes sense). I can't help but squirm at the helplessness the Doctor finds himself in and the way the people start to turn against him. The way we never find out anything about the monster is both infuriating and devastatingly good, because it's the complete opposite of a standard Who episode and that's what makes it so good. I hate the feeling of having almost no reassurance that the episode gives, which is why it's brilliant.

[Listentome]

I think it is a very good episode. Its one of those stories I can imagine being part of any series from any era, certainly with Troughton or McCoy.

My only issue with it is the styling. Again, one complaint I have about modern Doctor Who is the lack of imagination with the costumes. I know it is really secondary and the story and characters come first. Also, there is no need to have silly futuristic outfits, but when I watch humans in the future, I don't really want to see them dressed in H&M.

[Lady of Traken]

Originally Posted by Whovian1109

It's an episode I really don't like, because it's such a good episode (if that makes sense). I can't help but squirm at the helplessness the Doctor finds himself in and the way the people start to turn against him. The way we never find out anything about the monster is both infuriating and devastatingly good, because it's the complete opposite of a standard Who episode and that's what makes it so good. I hate the feeling of having almost no reassurance that the episode gives, which is why it's brilliant.

Hello Whovian
I Understand where you are coming from. It is unsettling as you dont see the bogeyman.
Its left to your imagination which is ten times worse .... ten times worse..... why am I repeating.............why have the lights gone out( gulp).

[summer_ste]

The fact that we don't see the monster is scary but to me the best bit is we never find out what it actually wants.

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by summer_ste

The fact that we don't see the monster is scary but to me the best bit is we never find out what it actually wants.

Clearly what it wanted was to kill the Doctor. And its plan nearly worked!

[Joanne1938]

Apart from the stunning acting and the clever Rose scene (they were doing series arcs then too, all you story arc haters!!) the one thing I was left with from Midnight was the desperate desire to know what the thing outside the ship was! Clearly something the Doctor barely survived, but again this is an episode which to me begs for a sequel

[Whovian1109]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Clearly what it wanted was to kill the Doctor. And its plan nearly worked!

Did it? I got the impression it was trying to find itself a body and by killing the Doctor, it would then be able to escape without anyone knowing it had done. Even so, spooky stuff.

[johnnysaucepn]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Clearly what it wanted was to kill the Doctor. And its plan nearly worked!

Was that the plan, or was that just something that turned out to be necessary in order to carry out the rest of the plan?

[sovietusername]

Originally Posted by Joanne1938

Apart from the stunning acting and the clever Rose scene (they were doing series arcs then too, all you story arc haters!!) the one thing I was left with from Midnight was the desperate desire to know what the thing outside the ship was! Clearly something the Doctor barely survived, but again this is an episode which to me begs for a sequel

NO! No sequel, that would be bad. As everyone seems to agree, it's the sense of mystery thats one of the best things about this

[chuffnobbler]

Originally Posted by Lady of Traken

The Doctor normally swaggers into situations with all the answers

Originally Posted by Whovian1109

I can't help but squirm at the helplessness the Doctor finds himself in and the way the people start to turn against him.

This is what I loved most about this episode! Well, it's amongst the very many things I loved!

David Tennant's Doctor annoyed me the longer he stayed on, and part of it was the confident/arrogant indestructibility of him. The alternative to that was a sentimental and self-pitying aspect. Midnight was the wexception: it showed him defeated, trapped and scared, and it was DT's strongest performance alongside the strongest guest-cast for a long time, and the best script out oft he very top drawer.

[summer_ste]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Clearly what it wanted was to kill the Doctor. And its plan nearly worked!

Ah what it must be like to have no imagination

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by summer_ste

Ah what it must be like to have no imagination

If there's one thing my brain excels in it's imagination

I just think as a buddie, this alien, whatever it was exists in the show like most if not all to eliminate The Doctor. I accept we don't know much about this particular villain but I'm willing to believe it knew about the Doctor and targeted him specifically.

Just think how chuffed Sky looked when they were dragging him off the cab .