The Family of Blood

Well well, Paul Cornell has cooked up another stonker here. This two-parter, and this episode in particular, is probably one of the best yet, second only, in my opinion, to the previous two season finales, and on a par with The Impossible Planet/Satan Pit. Of this series, only 42 has engrossed me more.

The main point of this episode is, of course, the Doctor becoming a slightly idiotic human to avoid the eponymous Family of Blood, Martha's struggle to make him realise who he really is again, and the importance of the watch that the Doctor stored himself inside. I won't say any more than that for the sake of spoiling what is truly a fantastic story. Every part of it is brilliantly executed - the script, the direction, the effects, and the aftermath.

Special mentions in this episode though, go to two people. Firstly, David Tennant, whose portrayal of the ordinary man struggling to come to terms with who he might be and what he has to do with everything is fantastic. Secondly, to Harry Lloyd, who plays Jeremy Baines, the ringleader of the Family. While he is relatively unknown as an actor - his only major role to date has been as Will Scarlet in the BBC's retake of Robin Hood - I can't think of any world-famous actor who would've fitted the part better than him. His performance is absolutely astonishing, he plays the mad eyes, frightening smile, and all round scariness of his character to utter perfection. He's probably been the scariest and most believable human-looking villain since the show was resurrected, with the possible exception of Roger Lloyd-Pack's John Lumic from last year. Maybe it's in the surname.

This is, without doubt, one of the best story lines seen in Doctor Who so far. And next week's 'Blink' looks like a cracker as well. Series 3 is storming towards being the best series yet, if it isn't already.

This episode's plot starts out with some of the usual sci-fi "fluff" but ends in some of the most powerful writing I believe I've ever seen.

Do yourself a favor and watch this episode. Excellent doesn't begin to describe it. It is remarkable in the same vein as "The Lion King"'s final moments. Marvelous.

DVD_Connoisseur writes that this is the stuff of legends and he/she is absolutely right.

The episode cuts to the heart of exactly how lonely, and thoroughly *dangerous* the Doctor can be. The kind of danger that presents itself to a human being swimming next to a whale. If the whale turns, the human being can be destroyed without having been noticed.

Very dark, extremely serious, but thoroughly entertaining, and thought-provoking. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be a Time Lord?

This episode is unfair. the doctor can never realize how unfair is asking Joan to come with him, to live all her life waiting to see glimpses of the man she loves will be torture. Joan lashing out, asking if he didn't choose this place at random then people wouldn't have died, trying to remind herself that he wasn't human and he wasn't the man she loved? it hurt. all in all thanks David Tennant and Russell Davis for breaking our hearts. once again

Others have said wonderful things about this so I don't want to repeat. One very effective thing was having actual children shown (actors playing their real age), thus having the impact of them as soldiers in The Great War in all its historically correct horror, although it was a fairly small part of the story.

That last 10 minutes packed a lot of emotional wallop, without being manipulative or treacly.

Those very dark punishments by The Doctor showed the high stakes. Downright creepy actually.

As great as this pair of episodes was, better stuff was yet to come the very next week.....

I don't comment often - check :-) This second part of the story really said it all in the last ten minutes. I've either got a really dusty house or tears came up due to the end. What started out as simple Sci-Fi fare ended as a real pause for thought. 'Light' drama can sometime be the most powerful medium and this does it all without being heavy handed or moralistic.

This should be compulsory viewing in schools.

Quite apart from which it's one of the more enjoyable episodes of Doctor Who.

We've had Tim and Daisy from "Spaced" in Doctor Who now so roll on Mike, Marsha, Brian and Tyres!