Doctor Who Club of Australia

dave

This season just seems to keep getting better. Human Nature was a great episode, and took its time to develop the story nicely. I was a bit surprised by the beginning, and wondered for a second if it had somehow started in the middle.

The Jack Straws look great, I'm looking forward to seeing more lumbering scarecrows next episode. The people playing members of the family have done a good job too - the way they all tilted their heads and sniffed in that scene was very alien. Truly frightening.

My favourite line of all came when Mr Smith mentioned his parents: his father, Sydney, and his mother, Verity. Hilarious. A nice nod to the creator and first producer of DW.

It's also good to see the Doctor trusting Martha enough to put his life in her hands, so to speak. She seems to handle being a servant rather well, I must say. The scenes where she returns to the TARDIS and we get to see more of what happened in the beginning were touching, I really felt her confusion when she didn't know what to do.

I've heard rumours that Freema may not be returning next season, and I hope they're wrong. I think she's doing a great job as companion, and hope she sticks around for a season or two more. Just so long as they don't tread the same path as they did with Rose.

I gave this an 'excellent'.

Tegan · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Human Nature (SPOILERS)

uhumanite · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Sydney

I did so love this episode (one of my favs) I only hope part 2 "Family of Blood" is even better.

Did you see the images of the past Doctors? I noticed 8th,7th,1st,6th and 5th Smile

dave · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 7:20 pm Post subject:

I paused it at that scene and could clearly identify the 8th, 7th and 5th Doctors. Couldn't tell who was s'posed to be top right, but I've seen people say it was the 9th, and the 1st. The 9th would make more sense to me.

meglos · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 670 Location: Perth

Best of the season so far, I hope part 2 is just as good. I did'nt see the images of the past doctors, which scene was that?

arturo · Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 78 Location: Toowoomba

I don't want to speak too soon but this could be the best episode of the new series so far IMHO. I loved the alienness of the family and thought the period setting was captured perfectly.

I'm really puzzled by the images shown of the future of marriage and children with the lovely Joan. I gave it 5 stars but my fiance only thought it is worth four. She reckons I've been saying that each episode is the best ever all season. Heh heh heh.... mebbe I'm becoming predictable.

The Verity and Sidney references and the pics of old docs are the things that set apart the Uber-nerds from the pack (of which I am one.... no offence intended.)

Tom N. · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 144 Location: Sydney, NSW

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner! Very Happy

What a fantastic episode - this was definitely the best one we've seen in a considerable time, and might even rival The Girl in the Fireplace for sheer brilliance.

Love the Family of Blood (very creepy), love the period setting, love the relationship between John and Joan (and extra-special kudos to David Tennant who is excellent as both the Doctor and Mr Smith).

Freema Agyeman continues to impress as Martha - as Dave said, I hope she doesn't leave too soon. She certainly deserves to stay on longer.

Got a big laugh out of the Sydney & Verity reference, and the Doctor/Smith's journal was great. It didn't feel like a continuity reference at all, rather an acknowledgement of its place in the show's history. Which is how it should be. Smile

I don't want to sound overly gushy, but this has to be one of the best episodes of the new series, and probably one of the best ever. Fantastic stuff.

El_Zoof · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 21

Brilliant. Well and truly out of the slump, it tops last week's fun little diversion and the dreadfully dreary three weeks before that with aplomb.

And, of course, the inevitable criticism... "You had to go and fall in love with a human..." (here it comes oh god please no) "...and it wasn't me." And there we have it, folks - the worst line of the season - not because of the sentiment, but because it was totally unnecessary. We knew what she meant, whether we agree with the idea of romance or not. It just felt painful.

Ah well. I'm sure that part two will more than do this justice... and the sonic ex machina won't save the day!

Todd · Site Admin Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 60

Wow. Utterly Superb. Well done to all...

dave · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject:

meglos · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 670 Location: Perth

Cheers Dave. I spotted it whilst watching "Confidential".
Had to be quick though Smile

dave · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:19 pm Post subject:

Here's a screenshot of the page in question:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/82/Past_doctors.jpg

According to Wikipedia, from L to R, top to bottom, we have the 7th, 8th, 1st, 6th and 5th Doctors.

meglos · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 670 Location: Perth

Thanks

Tusker · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 3

Agree all round, best so far. I really thought this series wasn't up to scratch, but not now.

The Doctors in the notebook are identified on the BBC site too. There's also a reference there as to what character we can expect next week..

Regards
Max P

Tegan · Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 4:53 pm Post subject:

On subsequent viewing, I picked up these little gems in the episode.

The Doctor to Martha just at the start when trying to escape the Family of Blood, when Martha points out he has a Time Machine. He explains:
"Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's Vortex Manipulator."

When "Headmaster Smith" is walking past a troupe of kiddies "marching as to... school" they sing:
He who would valiant be
Against all disaster
Let him in constancy
Follow the Master...

When Baines stumbles onto the Family of Blood's invisible spaceship they ask his name:
My name's Baines. Jeremy Baines. Please can I go?
I'm so sorry, Baines, Jeremy Baines.
But I don't think you can ever leave.

Straight out of Doctor Who script writer Douglas Adams little known story "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy":

Hurry up Dent, Arthur Dent, or you'll be late.

Laughed like a drain, I did.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4568

I read the ebook some years ago when it first became available but I vaguely remember now what the story was all about as I haven't reread it. This is of benefit to me watching the episode as I was gripped by the tension of the episode. Jessica, who I have been seeing in Spaced alongside The Long Game guest star Simon Pegg, is very good as Joan the love interest to Smith (aka the Doctor) and Harry Lloyd is wonderfully evil as the possessed Baines.
To add to all this an excellent cliffhanger in which at gunpoint Smith has to choose between Martha and Joan. What a difficult choice he has been given.

Speckled Jim · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 142 Location: Auckland, Un Zud

Yep, a fantastic story so far, and more than anything else I'm overawed by David Tennant's acting prowess. I've seen him in Casanova, Who, Harry Potter and he's proved to be a diverse actor of great talent in all those shows/films, but in Human Nature I think he really excels - he's got that bumbling Edwardian conservatism down pat, and while we can see the Doctor in Mr Smith, there are completely new elements he brings to the character. I want DT to carry on in this role for years ... please stay dude, you're loved immensely ....

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 932 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

montypython · Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:30 pm Post subject:

Upon hearing summaries and spoilers for this episode, I was scared. Scared of the idea of the Doctor being human, falling in love, etc. But I absolutely loved this. It was well written and very mysterious. Martha was great (apart from the mentioned line), it was good to see her coping so well. The only problem I really had was that stupid little kid, opening the watch that wasn't his, and then stealing it. Big no no!

Before Baites was possessed, my dad remarked that he was very much like the School Bully from Ripping Yarns - Tomkinson's School Days.

charlie · Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject:

Well, I'm getting a bit tired of random aliens showing up in random periods of history and them inhabiting humans but still needing identical, normally static minions, but that was very good.

Loved the acting except for Martha's friend trying to be scary. Loved the mystery and intrigue in the episode; great to see that back.

Sadly I missed the other Doctor's but that doesn't matter. But... recently I said that we could dismiss the eighth Doctor because he was just one movie and so uncannical and then go on to have one extra doctor; as long as he stays out of the show. Now he has been in the show and we have to accept him no matter how much we don't want to. Crying or Very sad

Did they really let boys beat each other when misbehaving? That's the first time I've ever come across that.