The Long Game

"Once you go to Floor 500 you never come back."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 07 May 2005

Series: 1.07

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Adam

Synopsis

Adam discovers the wonders of travelling in the TARDIS. In the far future, Satellite 5 broadcast to the entire Earth Empire, but anyone promoted to Floor 500 is never seen again, and the Doctor suspects mankind is being manipulated. Does Adam have what it takes to become the Time Lord's companion?

Verdict

The Long Game was an excellent episode of Doctor Who! This has always been something of an underrated story in my opinion and after watching again on my Series 1 rewatch, my opinion has certainly not changed. It obviously follows on from Dalek with Adam in a companion role adding something a little different to the established pairing of the Ninth Doctor and Rose, and I like how there's something more to the boy genius taken 200,000 years into his future. My newfound appreciation for just how good Christopher Eccleston is as the Ninth Doctor was extended here and I really liked how he sat back and gave Rose the moment to shine when it came to the introductions after Adam had left the TARDIS and found himself far into the future and on Satellite 5. She looked fantastic and it was fun to see how quickly their relationship actually dwindled. Adam was out to take advantage of being in the future and his efforts to send information back to his own mum's answer machine was quite hilarious. I think Satellite 5 is a really brilliant concept and the placement of the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire was also terrific. The image of Earth from above with the super cities is always something I love and it was very good once again here. The Doctor deducing that something had set humanity back at this point in history was really intriguing and the moment where he thinks the human race is ninety years behind where it should be and to find that Satellite 5 had been established for 91 years. The use of the news was really good and it showed how powerful it could be here through the subtleties. I'm a big fan and a firm believer of that and I think that could even be more of a focus for a different episode. The Editor is a character I have always adored with Simon Pegg absolutely perfect for the role. He revels in information but the excitement he gets about not knowing about the Doctor and Rose was terrific. The shift between humour and sheer callousness was superb and his moment with Suki really was outstanding. I love how she was actually a freedom fighter and that extended the mystery behind Satellite 5. Cathica's reaction to seeing Suki get promoted was magnificent and I love how devoted she is to her job as even when she's saving the day at the end, she is irked that she should have been promoted a long time ago. The mystique surrounding Floor 500 was impressive and I thought the Editor in Chief being The Mighty Jagrafess was certainly interesting! It's essentially a sharp blob with teeth and I would love to know more of its background and how it came to be ruling the human race. The way it was used through the Editor was brilliantly done though and it certainly made a fitting enemy. The Doctor's reaction to seeing that Adam has provided the Editor with who and what he is along with the TARDIS key was priceless and after all was saved, the Doctor evicting him from his travels was so much fun. The joy he and Rose had in clicking their fingers to open his head after removing the messages from the future was a real highlight. And the ending is just a classic little moment with his mum coming in and clicking her fingers before looking on in horror. But there's a little note here that I don't think I've picked up on before with the Doctor keen to get going after the Jagrafess was destroyed as he didn't like the aftermath and clearing things up. Of course, that will come back to bite him in Bad Wolf! Overall, a superb episode! 

Rating: 9/10