The Hungry Earth

We're back in Wales, South Wales, 2020, and something is lurking underground. A drilling project is ongoing in the area, after a target is hit something is disturbed, and pretty soon people are disappearing down into the Earth. The Doctor assists Scientist Nasreen, Tony, his daughter Ambrose and Grandson Elliot, in trying to discover what's gone wrong and what's happened to Elliot's Dad who was an earlier victim . Amy is the next victim do disappear into the Earth, and soon after a force field engulfs them, with something on way up from beneath the ground. Elliot is taken, Tony intercedes and is attacked.....by a Silurian.

I was never really a big fan of the Silurians, none of the Classic serials featuring them ever appealed to me in a big way.

I'm afraid this episode doesn't really do it for me in a big way, it has some good bits, I love the new design of the Silurians, gone are the rubber suited men with sore throats, now we have rather marvellous, sleek reptile like people. Meerya Syal and Robert Pugh are very very good. Neve Mcintosh is incredible, truly brings the Silurians back to life.

Favourite bit has to be Tony being attacked by the Silurian, and it's subsequent first proper re-appearance.

The story isn't the greatest in my opinion, I find it a little dull, I think the fact that it's a two parter makes it feel very padded in parts. There is absolutely nothing original in it. Smith has almost a casual attitude, had it been Tennant and Rose was taken I would have expected to see tension and fear, I don't even think Matt blinked an eye, slightly caught up in the episode's casual pace. 6/10

Now this was better, the best episode of S5 in a while.

A story that makes sense - hurrah.

I enjoyed this first part of the two parter, and feel that it all bodes well for the next installment.

If you go down to the core today, you're sure of a big surprise, if you go down to the core today, you'll find things you won't recognise, for every Silurian that ever was, will gather there for certain because, today's the day the humans dig up their city.

The Episode takes a welcome slow tense pace. But it feels like editor suddenly realised they needed more than one episode when they put it all together as the episode just ends....

I am old enough to have seen the very first episode of Dr Who when it was transmitted in 1963. I have seen many of the other Doctors in action and, is spite of being in the old-fogey age category I would say that Matt Smith has taken up the baton as the latest Doctor with great style and originality. He has clearly brought something new to the role, without losing the subtle thread of continuity extending back to William Hartnell in 1963. I hope he will stay with the part long enough to develop it even further. As for Karen Gillan; well, she is quite the best female lead since Elizabeth Sladen; maybe the two will meet in a future episode.