159 The Unquiet Dead

Watched 25-May

On upscaled Bluray.

This is a genre based ep. Horror ghosty stuff with a historical presentation of a famous person.

It's actually pretty fluffy and there's a thematic problem with the way the Gelth are portrayed as mindless alien invaders. Why does the Doctor initially accept their sobful 'help us' story? Why do they turn so abjectly toward 'thanks sucker, now we're taking over'? No reason for this deception then savage turn is offered. None is pursued. The story is incomplete without this.

Nonetheless Callow is good as Dickens. The character could have been cynical or shallow. But the way he reacts to the revelation of the Gelth is consistent with his 19th century worldview and shows the character developing with the story. Good stuff....

That the Doctor is the one who suggests and uses the seance to contact the Gelth is just wrong. My wish is that the end of that scene did not exist. (Particularly after the word games thing of Gwyneth getting all that modern London stuff out of Rose's mind.)

Gwyneth is the story. This is a sign the show has grown from the space monsters and 'Silver Nemesis' style cartoon silliness of the (not so recent) past.

First mention of the Big Bad Wolf meme....

ABM Rating 3.70/4.00
LJM Rating 3.85/5.00
SPJ Rating 8.20/10   

No. 51 (out of 162)


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