Partners in Crime

"It's a beautifully fat country."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 

Series: 4.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Donna Noble is determined to find the Tenth Doctor again – even if it means braving the villainous Miss Foster. But when the alien threat escalates out of control, can Donna find her Time Lord before the march of the Adipose begins at last?

Verdict

Partners in Crime was a very fun episode to kick off my rewatching of Series 4 alongside Gemma for the first time! She has been incredibly excited to get going with this series and after a lengthy delay from finishing Torchwood Series 2, it was finally time to get going on this. She goes as far as giving it a perfect rating which I don't agree with, but one of her prime reasons in doing so was the absence of Martha which I found amusing. I think it's a brilliant reintroduction for Donna following her debut in The Runaway Bride and she has clearly matured since then. The idea of her seeking out trouble in the hopes of finding the Doctor again to take him up on his offer of travelling in the TARDIS is excellent and very logical! I was a big fan of that and Adipose Industries at the centre of it is a little odd but it does the job. The idea of the fat walking away is a good one but I'm not sure there's a massive amount of logic when it comes to why fat was used as the source for numerous new baby bodies. It's an odd choice but the UK was a prime candidate when it came to searching for obesity! A lot of memories came flooding back when watching this episode again, especially with the Miss Foster wielding the sonic pen scene. I remember the furore that caused in the trailer and all of the speculation so that was fun to see in hindsight all these years later. I also enjoy the subtle continuity with episodes to come as we see a taxi with the Atmos sticker that will play a big part in The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky later in the series as well as mentions of a lost planet which will be crucial in the finale. Having things all tied up like that is something I really do appreciate. The humour that comes with the silent meeting through the window and door between the Doctor and Donna is extraordinary and is one of the all time great comedy moments in the show. It's without doubt the highlight of then episode. Catherine Tate shines! I love the chemistry between the Doctor and Donna and it's fun to see them constantly missing each other by the slightest second until they finally do reunite. Donna having already packed her bags for the TARDIS adventure is terrific and so in line with her character, but the Noble family member I enjoyed most was Wilf. His fascination with space and the stars was delightful and his reaction to seeing Donna in the blue box after missing the Adipose nursery ship behind was a joyous conclusion. It's so sad that Bernard Cribbins passed away earlier this year but it's fitting that his final television appearance will be in Doctor Who. The fate of Miss Foster is brutal as she falls to her death with the nanny not needed after mum and dad had their Adipose children now, as they knew it was a crime so cutting ties with the accomplice made sense. The tease at the end of the episode with the return of Rose was very good and I remember spoiling this for my mum on broadcast and she wasn't too pleased! It certainly put a smile on Gemma's face and I just remember it being such a thrill when it first aired. Overall, a great episode! 

Rating: 8/10