The Fires of Pompeii

"The gods are always watching."

Writer: James Moran

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12 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?

Verdict

The Fires of Pompeii was an outstanding episode to continue my rewatch through the modern era of Doctor Who alongside my girlfriend Gemma. Unfortunately, this is not one she massively likes as she's not a fan of the historical episodes but for me that's right in my ballpark. I just love this episode and it does seem to get better every time I watch it. I must have watched countless times in the years immediately following broadcast, but I also blogged it pretty recently during the pandemic Tweet-alongs that were organised by Emily Cook. That time seems a totally different world away now, but I had no issues revisiting this here and it's become quite a pivotal episode in hindsight. It's delightful in having both Karen Gillan and Peter Capaldi feature in minor roles before they'd go onto the game-changing roles of Amy and the Twelfth Doctor, and the latter really would come into play as an explanation of why he had his own face! Hearing the voice of Gillan being almost unrecognisably as Amy was fascinating and it's also fun to see Capaldi revelling in the role of Caecilius. The fact that he bought the TARDIS is modern art is just so fun and I loved the sequence where the Doctor poses as an inspector. Proclaiming him and Donna as Spartacus was delightful and the initial confusion of them being a couple is always amusing. The setting of Pompeii on volcano day is a pivotal one and the different reactions of the Doctor and Donna are pretty powerful. The Doctor knows it is a fixed point in time so can't really interfere in what's going to happen, but that's difficult for Donna to accept. The sequence where the Doctor mentions being a Time Lord from Gallifrey and Donna retorts about being a human is magnificent stuff and with this being her first proper trip in the TARDIS, Donna absolutely shines. There's already the foreshadowing of the finale with the Doctor being told she's coming, Donna having something on her back and Pyrovilia being missing as part of the stolen planets. The episode really is perfect in my eyes. I really liked the design of the Pyrovile and even fourteen years later I was impressed with how well the special effects held up. The CGI of the Doctor and Donna running from the volcano as it erupted was particularly brilliant. Donna's reaction to the place of women in Pompeii at this time was great and I liked how she was trying female empowerment. Her warning of the eruption being proclaimed as false prophecy was excellent and her reaction to almost being sacrificed to the gods was marvellous. The Pyrovile Priestess was fantastic too and the disturbing nature of her appearance really adds to the Pyrovile as an enemy. The threat of the world being at stake and the Doctor's only option being to explode the volcano and cause the eruption that buries Pompeii is staggeringly good and the emotional investment there is incredible stuff. The performance of Catherine Tate when the Doctor is just going to let everybody die is outstanding and Donna's appeal to just save someone is so well done. The Doctor admitting that he does need someone is a nice touch, and this really does affirm Donna as companion. Overall, a phenomenal episode!

Rating: 10/10