New Earth

"I look a bit different but it's me. It's the Doctor."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 15th April 2006

Series: 2.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis 

In the distant future, an order of cat-nuns cure all illnesses, but the Tenth Doctor is suspicious of their methods. He must uncover the truth and save Rose from the vengeance of his old enemy, the Lady Cassandra.  

Verdict 

New Earth was a very good episode to kick off the second series of revived Doctor Who! It saw David Tennant's first real full episode as the terrific Tenth Doctor and I was impressed with how good he was this early on in his tenure at the helm of the TARDIS. He of course had his first shining moments in The Christmas Invasion but after being asleep for most of that episode suffering from post-regenerative effects, this is where the Tenth Doctor really begins. And immediately, watching in hindsight and over a decade since broadcast, Tennant already displays many of the traits that we'd come to love and associate with the Tenth Doctor. I loved the comments about him wanting a little shop in the hospital and that sentiment would be repeated in the opener of the next series in Smith and Jones. The Doctor taking Rose to New Earth after the events of The End of the World, a story that was marvellously referenced, was really good and I liked how it pretty much became a sequel to the events that occurred on Platform One. Lady Cassandra might not have been everybody's first choice as a returning villain but I can't blame Russell T Davies for bringing her back, even if she was quite literally talking out of her arse. She would soon be talking out of Rose's mouth though after using a banned psychograph to shift her consciousness into Rose's body. I must say the scenes that followed were particularly pleasing with Billie Piper looking absolutely sensational in that shirt that was just a little too small. I had no complaints with that and David Tennant was one lucky man to get a snog like that off of his companion! She truly looked stunning. She was actually a little distracting in some scenes, that's how good she looked. But anyway, enough about Rose and her looks. I was happy to see the Face of Boe return and I really loved the foreshadowing of Gridlock with his prophecy about the dying wish he would reveal on his third meeting with the Doctor. That would of course turn out to be the Master but that's quite a way ahead yet. I thought the numerous references to the Doctor's new body were great and I thought the Sisters of Plenitude acted as very good villains. I liked the irony of both the Sisterhood and Cassandra being the enemies but they were actually working against each other. That's a pretty unique position to have in a story and it worked pretty well here so that was good. The way the Sisterhood was curing disease was pretty deplorable it has to be said. As much as they were going to try and defend their actions, the Doctor would be having none of it, and rightfully so. He was also disgusted with what had happened to Rose. His reaction to this song earlier in the episode was fantastic though. If was just another day at the office for the Doctor as he cured people infected with every single disease and in doing so created a new sub-species of human being. Not a bad day's work. The disinfectant scene with Rose was something I mustn't forget as well. Another remarkable scene in which, with the added bonus of being showered in water, she looked outstanding. The scenes with Cassandra swapping bodies from Rose to the Doctor were good and I liked Chip's loyalty to his mistress. The episode coming full circle with Chip, possessed with Cassandra, told her former humanoid self she looked beautiful. It would turn out to be the last time she heard those words said about her and I liked how after all Cassandra has done, we were left feeling sympathy towards her at the conclusion. I enjoy writing like that and it was done very well here. Overall, a great start to series two and the first full story that actively features the Tenth Doctor!

Rating: 8/10