Human Nature

The latest episode of Doctor Who was in my opinion the best episode this season, and maybe the best of David Tennant's run so far. That's only based on one viewing, and as it's a two-pater, the second half will have an affect on my feelings for the first in a small part. Because if they can't end it well, it will taint the beginning in my opinion. But I'm expecting a good follow up.


Spoiler to follow.


The Doctor's life in a watch, how fitting.

This is the first story to use one of the original Doctor Who novels as it's basis. Season one of the new series used one of the Big Finish audios, "Jubilee" as a very loose basis for the episode "Dalek", but even though I haven't read the novel "Human Nature" I believe that this stays truer to the original story. And it seems that having a novel to start from, this story is much more fleshed out than a lot of recent episodes have been. There is still some rushing along of the plot, but as they have two episodes to work with, I am expecting it to be suitably wrapped up next time.


Maid Martha delivers John Smith his paper and breakfast.
Having said that, I'm not sure they can make me fully understand why the Doctor seems to have always had a device hanging above the console that could change his DNA, or the Timelord equivalent, into that of any other species. I'm guessing it was for budget and episode time restriction reasons. No time for the Doctor to build it in the episode, and no budget to show a science lab in the TARDIS. But as it's Doctor Who, I let it slide.


John Smith teaches a class.
The storytelling is very good in this ep as well. I like the fact that it begins as a flashback/dream, and not like so many other shows have been doing so much of, starting the show with some big predicament, then cutting to show "six hours/days earlier" and leading back up to the opening scene. While that's not a bad storytelling style, it's way overused.


John Smith's sketches are the first visions of past Doctors in the new series.
There is very little of the actual aliens in this episode, and a lot of period drama as the human John Smith teaches at a boys school in 1913 England. They save a lot of budget by having the aliens take over people's bodies, although they do have some creepy scarecrow monsters, although it hasn't been explained why the aliens use scarecrows.


Martha alone in the TARDIS
It's quite interesting seeing Martha being the one in the know, and trying to keep the Doctor safe for a change, and on top of that, having to deal with being a black woman in 1913 England, while knowing she is smarter than most everyone around her.


Nurse Redfern and John Smith get a little closer.
As John Smith falls in love with a nurse at the school, you have to wonder what will become of her once he gets his memory, and DNA, back where it belongs. I fear it will mean the death of her in the end. Unless he has Martha jump ahead 40 years or so, so he can live out a full life with his new bride, then once she dies he could change back into a timelord, and be his old self again. I'm sure it will be an emotional event however it ends up.


These aliens are just plain cruel!
I can't wait until next week to see how it all wraps up, and then not long after that, the return of Captain Jack, and just who is Mr. Saxon?