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

Did you know it was Dr Who's birthday yesterday? The first episode was broadcast 49 years ago yesterday, to be precise. So the twitter feed were asking people for their favourite episodes. I plumped immediately for The Christmas Invasion.

It's a regeneration episode. For people who don't know The Doctor (that's what he calls himself, Doctor Who is just the name of the program, so that bloody knock, knock joke doesn't work) is an alien who is capable of engaging in a process called regeneration, wherein every cell in his body rebuilds itself. This way he can survive death and the annoying business of actors quitting the show. The regeneration episode, therefore, introduces us to a new doctor. In this case, David Tennant.

I'll try to give you a brief synopsis. The Doctor has just regenerated and, as is often the case, he needs to sleep. This opens the field for the classic danger-strikes-but-the-hero-is-incapacitated plot on which popeye was largely built. So much of the meat of the story is Billie Piper's Rose, coming to terms with the fact that The Doctor has 'abadonned' her and she is quite bereft. It really does put you through the wringer if you're prepared to invest. Meanwhile, the prime minister, who the previous Doctor met when she was just a lowly MP, is trying to cope with the crisis. Penelope Wilton is equally marvellous and finds herself, at the crisis point, in the Alien spaceship, with two of her companions killed by a guy with an eletric whip, a third of the world controlled by their blood and the decision between them being killed or half the world enslaved.

Rose and her boyfriend Mickey have been dragged up with the tardis (still prone doctor inside it) by now. Rose has valiantly tried to 'be the Doctor' but fails. It looks pretty bleak. Then the tardis doors open. There stands our hero, in a pair of pyjamas and a dressing gown, with a cheery grin. 'Did you miss me?'

Now it's David Tennant's turn to show us what he can do with this classic tv character. He catches the electric whip on his arm (how?), disarms the blood control ('and what is this? A great big threating button that must never ever ever be touched- am I right?) and challenges the aliens leader to a fight to the death. He gets his hand cut off, regenerates it and wins the fight, He spares the leader's life and then punishes his betrayal by knocking off the spaceship ina complex move involving a satsuma. Then he tells the aliens to run away and tell others that this planet is defended.

Back on earth, the prime minister, in a Margaret Thatcher-esque move, blasts the retreating aliens out of the sky. Enraged, the wrathfull Doctor responds by bringing down her government with six words.

I'm shattered just writing about it.

My favourite was a two parter: The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances. That's the story set in the 2nd world war, the one with the gas masked little boy - and Captain Jack.

Deb

[Amy P]

Hi Amy- keep at it.
Deb- yep, know the two-parter well, an absolute belter from the reliable pen of Mr Moffatt.

()

we can still scare the, well you know out of each other, by softly calling in the dark 'Mummy?'

It is usually followed by, , Jaysus,muffled poking, do you have too, no but is funny though, phah weeping angels, look behind you, torchlights going everywhere

Can't choose a favourite

Oh, the angels! So scary, I tend to eye statues a bit funny these days

Deb

If I am not sure, I give 'em a good staring at and a proper blink, if they haven't moved then I think it safe to proceed

Good plan!

till it doesn't work