The Fires of Pompeii

"We're in Pompeii... and it's volcano day."

Writer: James Moran

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12th April 2008

Series: 4.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis 

Psychic powers and stone beasts run riot in old Pompeii, but can Donna dare the Doctor to change established history? There's a devastating choice to be made, and it's one that will change the Doctor and Donna forever...

Verdict 

The Fires of Pompeii is a simply sublime episode of Doctor Who! I can't put it in more simple terms. It was truly excellent. I loved the story from start to finish and the episode just seemed to fly by as a result! This was the first time I have watched the episode since Peter Capaldi debuted as the Twelfth Doctor and although I have since watched Torchwood: Children of Earth, it seemed very strange but wonderful to see him appear as the brilliant Caecilius. The character was of course excellent and Capaldi played him so well but it was just so good to see him there with the TARDIS and the Tenth Doctor knowing what would come six years later. Ironically, Capaldi would not be the only actor in the episode to play a major role in the show's future. The episode also saw Karen Gillan make her Doctor Who debut and my oh my she looked absolutely phenomenal as the Soothsayer! She really was stunningly spectacular, as were most of the sisterhood to be honest. The whole episode was stunning. The setting of Pompeii on volcano day is always going to be a hit and it worked wonderfully well previously with The Fires of Vulcan audio but it worked even better on television for the Tenth Doctor. This Doctor and Donna work so well together and I loved how after the humour in Partners in Crime, their first voyage in the TARDIS together becomes an extremely emotional one. The emotion was so strong and I think it's a major reason of why I awarded this episode the perfect rating. The setting was a lot to do with it and I loved the prelude to the opening titles with the Doctor realising where and when he was. Donna had worked it out as well but the Doctor just confirmed things. My opening quote sums it up quickly and efficiently. As if the setting wasn't enough, we had an alien menace thrown in with the Pyrovile. I thought the adult Pyroviles looked mightily impressive and their ability to pass psychic powers to the Sisterhood to see through time was magnificent. I loved the explanation for them not being able to see that Vesuvius was going to erupt because, well, it wasn't. To the Doctor and Donna, Mount Vesuvius erupting was an established part of history but to the sisterhood things were in flux. Speaking of which, this episode was very important in establishing in the modern series that some points in time cannot be rewritten. There are fixed points in time that must not be altered and the Doctor has to ensure that they don't get altered. It's his moral duty as the last surviving Time Lord. Donna wanting to change history was her natural instinct and it was great to see immediately how she was travelling with the Doctor not only to be amazed by the sights she would see but also because she wanted to help save people. Although I think she was there to help the Doctor because even during The Runaway Bride she knew that he needed someone with him for times like this. The Doctor having to make the choice between Pompeii and the world must have been awful but there was of course only one answer. It just must have been horrible for the Doctor to know that he was the one to cause the eruption. The Pyrovile were planning on using the power from the volcano to build their own empire and that also involved boiling the waters on the planet. Quite a destructive plan! The Doctor being aided by a plastic water pistol was so brilliantly the Tenth Doctor and Donna's reaction to that was just as good. The foreshadowing of Turn Left and The Stolen Earth/Journey's End were magnificent and I loved the Doctor's reaction when was named as being from Gallifrey. Donna being referred to as a daughter of London also made her pretty frightened by the accuracy. It was spot on. The Pyrovile Priestess was pretty disgusting with her embracing being turned to stone but the purpose she served in the sisterhood was excellent. Her reaction to the Doctor challenging the alien inside her to name itself was also fantastic. The ending was extremely emotional but I thought it was a saving grace that Donna persuaded the Doctor to at least save someone. The Caecilius family being spared was a very nice gesture and although the volcano erupting was a fixed point, the Doctor could still change a little. I liked how he acknowledged that it was right thing to do and that he needed Donna. Overall, an outstanding episode that was very well paced, full of emotion and just a superb plot! 

Rating: 10/10