Tooth and Claw

"There is a full moon tonight."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 22 April 2006

Series: 2.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor and Rose travel back to the year 1879, but an encounter in the Scottish Highlands with Queen Victoria and subsequently a band of warrior monks reveals a deadly trap, dating back centuries. Can the local legends of a werewolf really be true?

Verdict

Tooth and Claw was another very good episode to continue my rewatch through the modern era of Doctor Who with my girlfriend for the first time! For whatever reason, this always feels like it's the Tenth Doctor episode I have watched the least and one I never seem to remember a huge amount of when it comes to rewatching. Now, it's been six years since I last watched this episode but even before that it just must have been one that I unintentionally avoided during DVD marathon watches as a child. Which is strange because it's a very solid adventure and it ends up being incredibly important to the Series 2 story arc as well as the genesis of what would become a spinoff! I was surprised to find in some light research after watching that Russell T Davies write this episode very quickly as considering its standing in Torchwood's mythology, you just wouldn't have expected that! The setting of Torchwood House is really good and I like how we see the monks at the start of the episode take the house for themselves to show that they aren't to be messed with. The Doctor and Rose really are tremendous together and I love seeing them just have fun. The planned arrival in the 1970s is great and whilst the TARDIS gets the year wrong by a century, that just makes for so much more. The Doctor realising they are in Scotland and getting to put on the natural Scottish accent of actor David Tenant was terrific and I thought Rose's effort at the local tongue was hilarious. The Doctor wasn't having any of that. Rose's supposed nakedness through her 21st century clothing was a brilliant theme for comment and her endorsing that was good. I was delighted to hear the Doctor use an alias of James McCrimmon which was a lovely way to hark back to the Second Doctor companion and it was lovely for me to explain that to Gemma as that comment would have just passed her by without my input. The involvement of Queen Victoria was really good and Rose's efforts to get her to say her famous catchphrase were delightful. It was emotional to hear of how much the death of Albert was having her on and I liked that he played a role in saving her even after death. The idea of doing a werewolf story is brilliantly Doctor Who and whilst it wasn't incredible, it still works well. I have to say that the special effects certainly don't age well at all and I find it amusing that there was a hair specialist when it came to the CGI! I think it's wonderful the way the trap within the trap is revealed and switches, and the use of Victoria's diamond that she'd been holding onto for the light chamber is very good. I thought Father Angelo made a good villain and he certainly has the creepy look! I couldn't see past the actor's role in Game of Thrones though! Sir Robert and Lady Isobel's relationship was really nice and I liked how the former committed treason for his wife. I thought the ending was a nice touch in having the Doctor and Rose knighted as Sir and Dame, only to then be banished! That was quite the shock and hardly a just reward for saving the Queen's life. That actually leading to the formation of the Torchwood Institute was terrific and I liked how emphatic that was presented at the end to set the tone for the rest of the series to come. Overall, this is a very solid episode from start to finish with a good setting and atmosphere, as well as the right level of humour! 

Rating: 8/10