Harry -
Here's a dark little story that feels overlooked as this season builds up to its blockbuster finale.
The end-of-season and regeneration blockbusters have become a staple in New Who. I always thought an interesting regeneration story would be similar to this one. The Doctor is trapped in a contained space with a group of people whose lives he saves but at the cost of his own. This is why "The Caves of Androzani" is one of my favourites. The Doctor dies in order to save a single life.
Sarah -
I LOVE this story. It may be my favorite of series 4. There’s little I love more than a successful bottle episode -- base under siege in a very small space!
"Midnight" was written in a weekend by RTD when the original script was deemed too similar to "The Unicorn and the Wasp". I can’t resist making a comparison to "Horror of Fang Rock", my favorite Doctor Who story, when Terrence Dicks was called in on short notice and created one of his greatest stories.
Harry -
Winging it is an established highlight of each era of Doctor Who.
Sarah -
The Doctor and Donna are taking a break on the leisure planet Midnight. The Doctor has signed up for an excursion to see the Sapphire Waterfall, while Donna’s plan is to relax at the spa. (Having recently watched "Orphan 55", I couldn’t help but think of Graham, “I am going to sit over there for three hours, then I'm going to get up and sit somewhere else, and then cocktails.” That’s my kind of holiday.) We’re off on our companion-light adventure, with the Doctor, six other passengers, and three crew members on the shuttle bus to the waterfall.
Harry -
He could not persuade Donna to come along, but the Doctor's enthusiasm is still infectious. He's practically bouncing in his seat like a youngster embarking on a school trip. He's very cute here.
Sarah -
The trip begins with an announcement by the Hostess, who is never named, that they will be taking a different route due to a diamond fall on the usual route, but no worries, the in-trip entertainment will keep them occupied. No one is very pleased with what’s on offer, so the Doctor sabotages the system, forcing everyone to talk to each other. The Doctor swaps stories with Val and Biff, provoking eyerolls from their surly son Jethro; discusses travel and breakups with Sky; and chats with Dee Dee about the Poosh and how her paper on it led to her role as Professor Hobbes. The good times continue as Hobbes presents a slide show on his research on Midnight, which seems to be the worst place to create a holiday destination. No one has set foot on Midnight due to Xtonic radiation that would vaporize any known form of life in seconds. Typical humans and their stupids ideas. This story really does have a lot in common with "Orphan 55".
Harry -
Completely unrecognizable from his previous roles in Classic Who, Hobbes is played by David Troughton aka King Peladon. Hobbes is just getting to the meat of his slide show when the excursion craft abruptly stops. What was to this point a cheery trip pivots to horror. The passengers and crew are about to encounter an unknown monster, while the Doctor is about to face another: the worst impulses of frightened humans. Loud, irrational and not to be reasoned with. The Doctor has his work cut out for him here.
Having checked in on Driver Joe and Mechanic Claude, who haven't the faintest idea why the shuttle has stopped, the Doctor returns to the cabin and tries to reassure the others. That lasts all of a few seconds when something starts banging on the vehicle. Everyone panics as the banging escalates. No matter how much Hobbes declares that nothing could possibly survive outside, the panic escalates with the banging until the ship is rocked violently. The forward section is torn open and Driver and Mechanic are vaporized in the radiation.
Everyone freaks but the Doctor tries to calm them down. Someone notices that one of the other passengers might be injured. At the front of the cabin, Sky Silvestry crouches with her head down, possibly hurt, possibly in shock.
Sarah -
Things are happening fast and the Doctor tries to take control of the situation, but nothing goes the way he expects. He so often walks into a situation taking charge with the help of a companion, but this time he just comes off as an arrogant ass and no one trusts him.
Harry -
It was fascinating to see the Doctor find himself in a situation where he couldn't charm his way past the skepticism of others.
Sarah -
Sky seems to be possessed by another being and when the Doctor starts talking she begins to say everything as he speaks. Then the Doctor starts repeating everything Sky says.
Harry -
This is a fantastic performance by Tennant and Lesley Sharp. I imagine it would have been just as grueling to rehearse this series of lines in synch as it would be a dance number or fight scene. This moment is one of the highlights of the season for me.
Sarah -
They are really amazing. I can’t imagine how long they had to rehearse to get that down.
The two women of color, Dee Dee and the “Hostess,” whom I must point out again is never given a name, are the only ones who don’t believe the Doctor is possessed. The mob mentality is so out of control that they are ready to throw the Doctor off the shuttle, goaded by Sky.
Harry -
Stupid humans!
Sarah -
In the end, the Hostess saves everyone, sacrificing herself by dragging Sky off the shuttle.
Harry -Un-fucking-believeable that the nameless Hostess sacrificed herself for the tourists. I'm this close to launching into my first-ever Marxist interpretation tirade.
Sarah -
The passengers who were ready to kill the Doctor are now filled with remorse, saved by a woman whose name they never bothered to learn.
Harry -
Did you catch that look the Doctor gave to Val Cane? Minutes earlier, she had been yelling to throw the Doctor out of the shuttle. Now she meekly tried to save face by blaming Sky. Ohh, if looks could kill. Absolute disgust!
Sarah -
That look could definitely kill! In the end, we also never find out what it was that threatened them on the shuttle.
Harry -
The best horror is unseen, right?
Sarah -
Always.
The Doctor returns to the spa, reunited with Donna and still shaken by his experience. We don’t know what happens to everyone else, but I hope Dee Dee gets a new job with someone who appreciates and respects her.
Harry -
Hobbes was probably still in denial at the end.
What a great story. I have such bad memories of the way everyone behaved under stress that I've never been eager for a re-watch, but the opportunity to see it again as part of our marathon was very satisfying.
Sarah -
There’s so much going on, you can almost miss the Rose cameo on the shuttle’s monitor, shouting, “Doctor!” We move closer to the series climax!
Harry -
Something's building up!
Sarah -
Best Line: Donna keeping things in line, “That’s a date. Well not a date. Oh you know what I mean. Oh get off.”
Favorite Moment: Everyone being chummy on the shuttle before things fall apart.
Lasting Image: The passengers on the shuttle set.
8/10
Harry -
Best Line: The thing inside Sky suddenly takes control: "Oh look at that, I'm ahead of you." Creepyyy!
Favourite Moment: the Doctor bouncing with excitement during boarding.
Lasting Image: the Doctor and Sky face to face.
7/10
Our marathon continues with Story #197: Turn Left...
