Doctor Who Club of Australia

[Greg]

I'm not sure what I think about two episodes airing one straight after the other, especially when the first one (Adam) was a 'sit back and digest' kind of a story.

But here's Reset and Dr Martha Jones - of UNIT, no less. While Adam revealed some of Jack's past to us, his fellow Torchwooders get to find out a little more about him in this episode.

It's a story of mysterious deaths, bizarre murders and miraculous cures - a story that requires two doctors, there's just so much medical stuff going on. Martha makes a nice fit with the team - able to work with them very well, but still very much an outsider to them all, other than Jack. The Jack/Martha dynamic is good, but her interrelationship with the others also emphasises that Martha is a people person - as you'd hope, following on from The Last of the Time Lords, where she managed to convince the entire population of the Earth to believe in the Doctor.

The story is vaguely reminiscent of Meat - something has come through the Rift and is being exploited, and our heroes have to investigate to find out not only what is happening but who is behind it and how to stop it.

However, there's one element this episode pulls off much better than the others so far this series - tension. There's a real feeling of danger in this one, that it may be that someone won't get out alive. I hope they similarly increase the tension in other episodes, as it makes them much more compelling to watch.

Tosh's interest in Owen takes a couple of twists and turns in this story - early on, she gets up the courage to ask him out. I won't tell you either Owen's response or the other turn, very late in the story, that was very surprising! We'll have to wait until next time to see how that turns out.

I remain impressed with the general quality of the episodes this year - while I've not yet had my socks knocked off, they've been of a good standard and seem more coherent collectively than those in series 1.

[dave]

I liked this, but not as much as Adam. It was great to see Martha again, and I'm really happy she's a member of UNIT, even if she seems very young to be a fully-fledged doctor already. (Where would I be without minor quibbles?) I was surprised she had such a big role to play in the episode, and I hope that continues to be the case.

The mayflys were cool, it was odd seeing Alan Dale (who I'm only familiar with from Neighbours ) playing an American, the idea of a parasite that returns its host to optimal health while it grows was well used...it just didn't grab me that much.

Funny how Owen got the use of that machine right for Martha...

[Greg]

[meglos]

Great to see Martha back. And she seemed to fit in seamlessly. I was captivated by this story until the very end. An ending which I didn't see coming at all. My favourite episode of the season so far.

[Panecea]

This episode was a much improved version of the formula that is used in the first two episodes. In this type of story I believe they've found a balance between slower, more dramatic moments and faster action scenes. This episode also had a much more detailed storyline than the first two, so I found it more intellectually stimulating. To top it off, the ending that was wholly unexpected.

I don't believe this episode can be compared with the previous because, conceptually, they're very different. Adam was more an intellectual musing whereas Reset was a much more hands on experience to my mind. One thing I did notice was that the characters were more comfortable within themselves in Reset than they ever have been.

Having said this the series so far has been constructed well, these episodes have a connectivity that was not present in the first series. They've moved from a peak, to a trough and back again, hinting at the emergence of versatility (another aspect of the first series that wasn't executed well).

[meglos]

Greg. Will their be a poll yet for Episode 7, Dead Man Walking?

[Greg]

Blame a bodgy dow... er, setting on my space/time visualiser and a nasty headachey flu for the delay, but it's up now.

But don't be shy, you can start a thread yourself and I'll fix any bits required - like adding the poll - later.

[Theta Sigma]

I don't usually comment on references to the parent show but this time around they are more visible here than in previous episodes no doubt to complement Martha's very welcome appearance on Torchwood. I was certainly surprised to see the newspaper cutting of Margaret Slitheen from Boom Town.
Also a very good villain in Aaron Copley played by Alan Dale.
I find it strange seeing Gwen and then Owen asking Martha how much she knows about Jack considering the fact the former two had known Jack before Martha did. Then again the same thing did happen when Gwen was a newcomer in Day One.
The undercover name for Martha is Samantha Jones. Probably a reference to the Sex and the City character played by Kim Cattrall but undoubtedly a reference as well to the Eighth Doctor novel companion of that name.
Martha and Owen - I think their characters worked well together.
Somewhat satisfying that Owen says yes to a date with Tosh.
Very good the way the episode played out of Martha infiltrating the Pharm.
Very shocking seeing the Mayfly bursting out of Billy Davis' body but the most shocking of all is at the end with Copley shooting Owen dead. Also taken aback seeing Jack shooting Copley back as this is the first time I have seen an Alan Dale character being shot dead.
Very good debut episode from JC Wilsher.