Midnight Discussion…
The Doctor and Donna decide to take a nice relaxing holiday on the planet Midnight, a planet made of diamonds. The Doctor wants to go check out the Sapphire Waterfalls but Donna just wants to work on her tan. So the Doctor goes without her. When told to be careful the Doctor remarks, “What could possibly go wrong?” Dude… you’re 903 years old (but I bet you’re lying about your age) and you haven’t learned not to say that?!
Starting with the second series they would have an episode that did not feature the Doctor or companion. This was so they could concentrate on filming the effects heavy final episodes, yet still get one more in the can. This time around though we have an episode that features mainly the Doctor all on his own. He’s taking a four hour bus trip on a hostile world with a bunch of strangers. The majority of the episode is on this one set though there are a few stunning vista shots. While traveling along the bus breaks down. They call for a rescue vehicle and while they are waiting they hear a knocking noise coming from outside. Due to the close proximity of the planet’s sun nothing should be able to survive outside. The passengers knock a couple of times which the thing outside mimics showing intelligence. Then there’s an attack and when the lights come on one of the passengers seems to be possessed. Whenever one of the passengers speak, she copies exactly what is said. As time goes on she starts to say things at the exact same time. The passengers, freaked, want to toss her out the airlock. The Doctor of course wants them to try and be reasonable, so they decided to throw him out as well. When the possessed passenger starts speaking what the Doctor is going to say before he says it, the passengers assume he’s now possessed and the passenger is back to normal. That clinches it and they attempt to throw him out of the elements which would vaporize him.
This episode is very much in the veins of The Twilight Zone. It plays on the fears of the passengers and claustrophobia. I was surprised myself how often I was actually sitting on the edge of my seat. We never see what the villain looks like. We never find out what was out there. And it works. It leaves the Doctor really rattled. At the end when Donna playfully copies the Doctor he looks at her and says “No, no, no. Don’t do that…” And the look in his eyes as he says that is so haunted. Brilliant job by David Tennant.
And some geeky things to know about this episode: the bus that the Doctor travels on is called the “Crusader 50″ because this was the fiftieth episode of the revival series to be filmed (though not aired). This is also the first story since the classic Genesis of the Daleks to not feature the TARDIS at all. Counting the unfinished Shada, this story is the two hundredth Doctor Who story. The Professor is played by actor David Troughton. He happens to be the son of second Doctor, Patrick Troughton which would also make David the second offspring of a Doctor to appear in this series. And as this episode was written by RTD, there is of course an OGR.
All in all I thought it was a rather good episode, though not one of the strongest. But let’s be honest, it’s also following a Moffat two-parter. I wouldn’t wish that on any of the writers. The other thing too is that the episode goes by amazingly quick. When the credits popped up I was like, “Hold on, it’s only been like thirty minutes!” It really does seem like it’s very short. What do you guys think?
13 responses so far ↓
1 Chris Snyder // Jun 15, 2008 at 11:33 pm
One has to mention how awesome it was to see Rose Tyler screaming silently “Doctor” in the monitor behind the doctor. I believe this is the 3rd time this season in which we see Rose trying to reach the doctor. I love looking for clues like these throughout the season. Clues which build up to the final story.
2 mallory // Jun 16, 2008 at 2:05 am
It did seem rather short, but we did just come off that two part peice of brillance.
I thought it was really cool that even thought there was maybe 3-4 sets in the entire episode it didnt seem cheap or lacking. It was kind of unattacked from all the ‘omg i’m the doctor and i rock’ and really showed that he’s not the ulimate time lord of doom, he can be taken down, which after all thats been happening lately, is what we really needed before the next episode. You know, just a little doubt in our hearts.
BTW did anyone else scream loudly and almost tried to put themselves in a one week coma after seeing the preview for the next episode? I don’t want Donna to die! I love Donna,…
3 gaul // Jun 16, 2008 at 4:13 am
I was so happy when i saw the preview for next week. rose is back and donna is gonna die. i almost jumped up and did a dance.
4 Kern // Jun 16, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Y’know - for once the OGR didn’t grate on me. It was very casually done in the sort of way you do do when talking about ex’s.
…whenabouts did Rose show up in the monitor?
5 Chris Snyder // Jun 16, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Rose shows up in monitor right after the bus trashes around and the lignts go out. She appears when the doctor says “Is everyone alright?”
Rose also appears in the TARDIS monitor this season during one of the ATMOS episodes. This is when Dona Noble is in the TARDIS by herself in the alien space craft.
6 Brooke // Jun 16, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I thought that “Midnight” was a rather good episode but after seeing Rose Tyler scream for the doctor about 4 or 5 times in the past season i knew something was going to happen.so to see the previews of the next episode i got so exited to she her be their.CANT WAIT!!!!
7 Mentoc // Jun 16, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Man, Jethro should have totally joined the Doctor.
…Just a thought.
8 Jorn // Jun 17, 2008 at 3:27 am
Sorry is this is a dumb question, but OGR?
9 gaul // Jun 17, 2008 at 5:58 am
obligatory gay reference. OGR.
10 Richard Kirsch // Jun 17, 2008 at 11:57 am
Because in case you didn’t know, Russel T Davies is gay. And he likes to tell everyone how gay he is. And in most of his stories he throws in an OGR. Though one was rather upset the gay community. In one episode Rose punches the Doctor’s arm and he winces. She then says, “You are so gay…”
11 Kern // Jun 18, 2008 at 11:15 am
Also, bananas.
12 Edd // Jun 20, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I like the episode a lot actually, and i foudn it quite long too…
13 daniel // Jul 12, 2008 at 3:16 pm
It was kind of like “Lifeboat” (if you know your hitchcock
the episode was enjoyable enough but certainly one of the lesser offerings. Looking forward to next week’s episode.
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