Sunday 21 April 2013

Dr Who — Series 7 Part 2: Episode 9 Hide

20th April, 2013.
The 11th Doctor
Jenna Louise Coleman as Clara

Dougray Scott as Alec Palmer

Jessica Raine as Emma Grayling

You know, I have to say: I’m doing it again.

Re-watching this week’s episode of Dr Who — episode 9, if you hadn’t guessed, called Hide — just so I can get the feel of the episode soaked into my skin.

Part 2 of series seven is proving quite compelling, I feel.   Although I’m happy to admit I could well be wrong … 

After all, while I loved last week’s episode — Cold War — I don’t know if I’m as impressed with this … 

Hmmm … 

I’m making something of a pig’s dinner of this, aren’t I … ?

Let’s see if I can’t correct that … 

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21st April, 2013

Hide’s pre-title teaser shows us Dougray Scott and Jessica Raine as Alec Palmer and Emma Grayling, a pair of ghost hunters investigating Caliburn House: with Alec as providing both the house — he owns it — and the technical jiggery pokery, and Emma being the empath who effectively summons the gast.

Which turns up, of course.

Turns up, leaving Emma drained, Alec shocked … 

And in something of a state when the Doctor and Clara arrive, claiming to be ghost-busting staff from the Ministry.

Cue the opening music … 

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21st April, 2013.
Now, I’ll be frank, here, I enjoyed last night’s story, I really did.

But I’m ALSO thinking it’s somewhat on a par with The Rings Of Akhetan: rather than Cold War.

Saying that, where I feel Hide scores is in several respect is in having some great scenes between it’s principles: telling us more of their stories.

Including this scene between Matt Smith’s Doctor, and Dougray Scott’s Alec* … 


And this, between the Doctor and Jenna-Louise Cole’s Clara … 


All told … ?

All told, I think those character set pieces — and the ‘I Don’t Think She Likes Me’ comments from Clara — are what saved this from being a fairly flat — but interesting — episode.

Hmmm … 

I think we’ll have to see how next week’s episode goes …




















*        Just as a footnote … ?   The Wikipedia entry for Hide informs us that the North Atlantic reference in that scene as a nod to Jon Pertwee: his naval service during the war was doing exactly that.   Saying that … ?   I originally felt it was a nod to Dougray Scott, himself: after all, his appearance as Tom Jericho, in Enigma, was as a codebreaker helping those convoys.

4 comments:

sue ford said...

I have loved all the episodes so far, and it has always annoyed me when people have picked holes in the plot lines/ stories etc. however ..... at 3.30 this morning, I was wondering was it wrong for the Dr to transport the girl back to '70's England, thus causing a paradox with the ghost hunters and their 4x's granddaughter, also not forgetting the gnarly monsters shouldn't they have been sent back together where ever gnarly monsters live.( No comments from the cheap seats please) and what about the blue crystal, I thought it was kept by the spiders, sorry eight legs.
Any way I'm sure someone will put me straight.

Nik Nak said...

The problem is I don’t think we ever actually found out WHERE the Gnarlys were from: I mean, bar the actual forest … ?

And the thought occurs: assuming HIila and Emma’s meeting caused a paradox, couldn’t the paradox have been the crash … ? Occurring BEFORE the paradoxical meeting … ?

Wibbly Wobbley, remember … ?

Nik Nak said...

Actually … ?

Am I making too much of the TARDIS references, here … ?

We know Neil Gaiman’s contributed another script: this years Cyber Story.

My first thought, here, is a revamped Idris: from last years’s The Doctor’s Wife.

But being frank … ? I think Neil Gaiman did us all a favour, there … reminding us the TARDIS is more than just a mere machine, she’s an entity in her own regards.

Hmmm … 

Debbi said...

Hey Paul,

I especially liked the second scene you picked.

Definitely, it helped make the episode more than just a ghost story.