(S04E03) The Doctor and Donna land in ancient Pompeii, and it's Volcano Day (a phrase used by Christopher Eccleston a few seasons ago to describe when Mount Vesuvius erupted). As usual with Doctor Who, a race of aliens are involved and this time they're called the Pyrovile. They are trying to harness the power of the volcano for their own nefarious needs and are turning local humans into creatures like them as a side-effect.This was a very enjoyable episode. The plot was pretty standard for Doctor Who, but the pacing was solid and the characters were well-done. What really made it stand out was Donna's behavior. Would any other companion have reacted the way that she did when she was tied to a table and about to be stabbed in the chest by a dagger?
I enjoyed the subtle winks to the classic series (as well as other television series) sprinkled through the episode. The Doctor confessed to involvement in Great Fire of Rome, which is reference to the William Hartnell 1965 episode "The Romans" which involved the Doctor leaving just as the fire was starting. The group of female psychics called the Sybilline Sisterhood was reminiscent of the Sisterhood of Karn from the Tom Baker era of the show (remember him? The one with the scarf?). The TARDIS is, at one point, appraised as a piece of art similar to the Tom Baker episode "City of Death".
David Tennant uses the line "she's from Barcelona" straight out of Fawlty Towers (and John Cleese, who played Basil Fawlty, was the art appraiser from "City of Death"). Of course, they also quote the famous movie line "I am Spartacus".
The theme of disappearing planets comes back into play as the viewer learns that the Pyrovile home planet was destroyed. The Medusa Cascade, which has been referenced in previous episodes of the new series, was also mentioned. The pattern for the season slowly emerges.
Wasn't that a flattering dress that Catherine Tate wore later in the episode? I haven't seen that much cleavage on Doctor Who since Nicola Bryant.
The sets for this episode were fantastic. It was helpful that Doctor Who was able to use some of the sets from the HBO series Rome. Thankfully, the set fire that held up production for a little while didn't stop things entirely.
It was quite amusing to learn how translation works when traveling with the Doctor. When Donna intentionally tried to speak Latin, it came across to the natives as Celtic. If memory serves, that was the language spoken in England at the time. In effect, the ancient Romans (or Pompeiians, or whatever they're called) are saying that she's English.
It was the little touches for this episode that made for such great entertainment. The golem-like Pyrovile who attacked the Doctor and the family of the sculptor Lucius was wearing a stone Roman centurion helmet.
In the end, the episode was about making moral choices. The Doctor had to sacrifice Pompeii to save the world. He was prepared to let everyone in the city die until Donna became his conscience and convinced him to save Lucius and his family. If you ever watch the early episodes of Doctor Who, the Doctor is presented as cold and inhuman (a theme that has been returned to on several occasions including last year's "Human Nature" two-parter). It is obvious that traveling with humans serves the dual purpose of alleviating his sense of loneliness and having a "humanizing" effect on him.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-03-2008 @ 9:29AM
Bryan Prindiville said...
Actually, I believe the sculptor's name was Quintus and the stone armed precog's was Lucius.
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5-03-2008 @ 12:25PM
Oreo said...
What a stupid poll question.
I really enjoyed this episode. The Doctor and Donna where great fun together and the CGI is 100 times better than it has been in past seasons.
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5-03-2008 @ 12:47PM
Tom said...
A very enjoyable episode filled with a solid degree of angst towards the end.
I also enjoyed the reference to Donna's first appearance in "The Runaway Bride" -- she told the Doctor back then that she felt he needed companionship, something he conceded to her this ep.
My only real gripe is with the Sci-Fi channel's editing of the eps. Fine fine...they've gotta trim them down for time and to squeeze in lots of lovely commercials. But they do so at the cost of some nice moments. Necessary? Maybe not -- but there was a touching scene lost at the end that showed the family the Doctor rescued living in Rome six months later. The son was now training to be a doctor and they gave thanks to the new 'house gods' -- the Doctor and Donna depicted in marble on the wall.
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5-03-2008 @ 12:55PM
Jimmy said...
While I thought Freema Agyeman never really got a chance, I have to say I'm loving Catherine Tate. Like Rose, she has that feeling of wonderment that was lacking in Martha, but she also has the maturity to stand up when it's needed. That's been missing in the modern era companions. I got a little bored with Who last season, but if "The Fires of Pompeii" and "Partners in Crime" are an example of the great storytelling we're in for this season, I can't wait to see what happens.
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5-03-2008 @ 2:25PM
Neale said...
I find the new companion, Catherine Tate, extremely annoying and distracting. Her character is constantly complaining and screeching at the Doctor. Both Freema Agyeman and Billie Piper brought a kind of childlike glee of traveling with the Doctor as well as the humanizing qualities that drive the storyline further. All I find myself doing when Catherine Tate is on the screen is saying why is she there, she doesn't like it, she doesn't really like the Doctor, and all she is doing is complaining. Please, Cathering Tate is a great comedic actor but is just an extremely poor choice for Doctor Who. I can't wait for her to leave the show and either bring back a past companion or bring on the next.
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5-03-2008 @ 4:21PM
Joe Siegler said...
Catherine Tate and cleavage, eh? Try this on for size.
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/05_02/ctateDM2005_468x577.jpg
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5-03-2008 @ 7:44PM
nickmagoo said...
my fave line was the sulky teen son after being nagged by his mom - "sooorry household gods."
that, and when they spoke latin everyone thought it was celtic (welsh - wales - cardiff - torchwood - etc...). nice mix of light and dark in this one...
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5-03-2008 @ 8:50PM
Rebecca said...
I can't understand how anyone can say like "All I find myself doing when Catherine Tate is on the screen is saying why is she there, she doesn't like it, she doesn't really like the Doctor, and all she is doing is complaining." Obviously you haven't been watching the show. Donna was quite excited to be in "ancient Rome", giving the Doctor a big hug and thanking him profusely. Personally I'm quite happy with Donna. It's a relief that he's found a companion who doesn't moon over him all the time and stands up to him when he needs it. I think Donna is great, especially after Martha who spent way too much time last season moaning about the crush she got on the Doctor the first day she met him.
Catherine Tate really stood up for herself against those Priestesses! Her performance was funny, touching, compassionate and ultimately moving in The Fires of Pompeii. I wondered how Tate would work out being a regular companion, but now I have no doubts at all about her. Freema was beautiful, but her performance didn't have the range that Catherine is showing IMO.
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5-04-2008 @ 5:17AM
Neale said...
I am sorry you find weeping at the drop of a hat "range". I agree that Freema's fawning after the Doctor was distracting and out of place for Doctor Who. His companions are supposed to be his human side as well as a friend. Having her go on and on about her crush on him was just out of place. I still can't help but feel that Catherine Tate wrong for the part. She cries too much, yells and complains about everything, and just screeches when anything surprising goes on. I wish she was a better character but all they have done with her is bring out the worst parts of The Bride Christmas special and amplify them for the regular series.
5-04-2008 @ 1:06AM
Happy Steve said...
Loved the episode. Especially the "I am... Spartacus." "And so am I". hee hee hee.
And let's not forget the prophecy Lucious gave the Doctor. "She is returning". Nice hint about Rose there, eh?
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5-04-2008 @ 5:35PM
metz said...
despite the fact that I loath Tate as a companion I really enjoyed the episode. Mostly because it revealed some interesting facts about the doctor and moments in time that are fixed vs variable. I like the thought of a companion that isn't in love withths doctor ( like it was in the past) but Tate isn't up to the role. I also find her screechy, and not even moderately attractive. I find her breasts distracting because they limit her movement. Surely they can find an actress with spunk and fire without being annoying like peri, Mel and donna.
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5-05-2008 @ 2:09AM
Gowan said...
The Barcelona line wasn't an homage to Faulty Towers (although I suppose it could have originally been), but a throwback to the end of Season 1. The Doctor is talking to Rose about going to Barcelona (the planet, not the city) when he regenerates.
I missed the Medusa Cascade mention.
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5-05-2008 @ 9:22AM
Elisabeth said...
The father's name is Caecilius, the son is Quintus, the mother Matella. If you took Latin in high school and used the Cambridge Latin series, the names in this episode were easy to remember. I still remember "Matella sedet" (Matella sits) seeming to show up every few pages. The daughter was a Doctor Who addition.
As soon as Matella called Quintus "Quintus Caecilius Iucundus," I told my friend what the others' names would be and that Quintus would survive (in the books, he's the only member of the family to escape).
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5-05-2008 @ 2:05PM
Neale said...
I am sorry you find weeping at the drop of a hat "range". I agree that Freema's fawning after the Doctor was distracting and out of place for Doctor Who. His companions are supposed to be his human side as well as a friend. Having her go on and on about her crush on him was just out of place. I still can't help but feel that Catherine Tate wrong for the part. She cries too much, yells and complains about everything, and just screeches when anything surprising goes on. I wish she was a better character but all they have done with her is bring out the worst parts of The Bride Christmas special and amplify them for the regular series.
Reply