h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And not very good or very scary Cybermen at that...I look back at that episode and just remember David Morrisey, another shouty Cockney 'assistant', some big mechnical doobry and a rather nice Dervla Kirwan..and tha's it basically. A shame the Cybermen were/are poorly used...and becoming over-used in a not very satisfactory way.

Deb: I don´t think the cybermen played much of a part really. The main plot was the second doctor showing up. The cybermen was just a placeholder enemy I´d say. The story did have some plotholes as well.

Started watching it again today ... ir's like two ideas welded together. The first 30 mins is discovering who TND/DM is, the second 30 mins TD/DT overcoming the Cybermen. Really enjoyed the first half, couldn't give a damn about the second. Overall the story might have been improved if the TND/DM mystery had been solved at the end, and he had been more important in the finale.

The biggest criticism I can deliver is that it seemed to feature the Cybermen for the sake of it. Essentially they could have been any alien race (Slitheen, Daleks, Sontarans) it really didn't matter.

Beyond that:
- as other points out no particular need for 'kidnapping' the children.
- No obvious need or proper explanation of the Cybershaggydogs.
- The Stay-Puffed-Cyberking ending looked poor.
- Explanation of Miss Hartigan's background / why the Cybermen allied with her; glossed over.

Almost all the stuff I liked was in the first half ...
- loved the "Is that your Sonic Screwdriver?" comment.
- TND/DM's TARDIS revelation.
- "are you whistling?"
- "I ask questions because I'm your companion".

thought was ok, agree with the first half/last half analysis above.
Did think they could link the two together somehow and not have the non-Doctor being an accidnet - I was looking for the link and why the cybermen had done this to the non-doctor.

Not the greatest addition to the series but not the worst either.

Only one more xmas special under RTDs control though

Is it my imagination, or has the wind gone out of the Dr. Who franchise's sails, once TD/DT announceed he won't be back? Not that one can blame him; the SF curse hasn't hit his career yet, but the longer the role lasts...

I'm bummed out over it, I think he's about the best doctor, except for Tom Baker, I like the feisty take DT has given the role. Gonna miss him!

>Stay-Puffed-Cyberking<

Sorry but that made me

Shall watch again tomorrow with all your comments in mind

The only reason for kidnapping the kids was to get 'the 2nd Dr' to find his son. Who happened to be the only kid stupid enough not to actually RUN when the rest if the kids did.

I must stop reading this thread until I get a chance to watch the special- hopefully within the next week or so.

How long, then, till the next one? Easter-ish?

Yes PC, I believe the first of the 2009 specials does start at Easter. Not sure I want to watch them as it means we get closer to DT leaving the show.........

Happy new year everyone!

He will have been the 10th Dr to leave and plenty of peple on this site will remember all of them (there are some old farts around here). Dr Who is a programme not a person or an actor, each one brings their own angle to the show along with the writers, producers etc which is why it never becomes totally stale.

It is more a case of Dr Who is dead long live Dr Who.

Interesting that during the Christmas Special TD/DT made passing reference to the fact that Timelords only get limited (12?) regenerations. He said to TND-DM ... "You must be the next me, or the one after" ... But of course he 'wasted' a regeneration in The Stolen Earth. Wonder how the BBC are going to get around this one?

Old question but always a goody!

It's a hit TV show they will get around it, and since ( mode) the Master got another round of regenerations there's no reason why the Dr will not. Whether he is still the only TimeLord left at that point or whether there are others around they9THE bbc) will find a way.

The easiest way, and I have not read this anwhere else, would be that as he has said he would 'feel' whether there are still Timelords left, that if he reaches the end regen 12 his body would realise that he was the only one (or nearly only one - The Master) and regenerate the body automatically to keep the species alive...an evolutionary thing to ensure the Timelords do not die out totally.

The general consensus is he didn't waste a regen he just used the regeneration energy still within the severed hand. The other general consensus is we never are told what Captain Jack did with the hand while he had it...

Re: The 12 regenerations thing,

Well the High Council of Gallifrey had the power to grant another set of regenerations (they promised that to The Master in the Five Doctors) We assuming The Doctor pulled the plug that destroyed Gallifry with the blessing of the High Council, so as a reward and knowing that he is the last of them (Assuming they didn't know The Master had hid in the watch) they granted him another 12 regenerations. Or he body snatches, the way The Master did in The Keeper of Traken

OR

He has the Ring of Rassilon

Captain Jack will probably plug himself into the Doctor somehow to transfer a large enough dose of his eternal life to give him another regeneration cycle. The thing is, would the Doctor approve of his own life being extended in that way?

"Captain Jack will probably plug himself into the Doctor somehow to transfer a large enough dose of his eternal life to give him another regeneration cycle. The thing is, would the Doctor approve of his own life being extended in that way?"

I'd pay good money to see that

Behave!

Yes, and now I'm thinking about all the things Capt Jack might have done with that hand while he had it ...

Mol