Doctor Who 07/25/08 "The Stolen Earth"

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Thanks guys, I already have this ep from torrent, but haven't watched it yet. Guess I'd better get caught up!

 

By the way, the initial broadcast of the Doctor Who Prom Concert was live on BBC Radio 3.

There was also a video recording that will be broadcast on BBC television but as far as I know no date has been set yet - but there will be a lot to see.

 

I liked the part when the Daleks replied to Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister "We know who you are."

 

Idunno, it felt kinda cheesy to me (Dr. Who, cheesy? Never! ). Especially since none of them felt the need to contact each other any of the other times the Earth/human race was threatened with imminent destruction...

 

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BTW, spoiler from Sci-fi's next-week preview:

Spoiler

The Doctor still looks like Tennant.

 

I had seen that too in the previews for the next episode. Guess we'll see tonight.

 

(Actual spoilers, so wait until you've seen the show)

Spoiler

He does and she doesn't and he does.

 

Nice! Totally revealing and yet vague. I like it

 

"Well, as answers go, short to the point, utterly useless and totally consistent, what I've come to expect from a Vorlon."

Sorry I couldn't resist.

 

Ditto. I laughed like mad.

It was fabulous to see Harriet again.

Jan

 

Good.

 

Even my 'never pays enough attention' wife laughed at that.

Looking forward to tonights episode with baited breath. (fish bait i guess, need to brush after lunch...)

 

Well, to be fair, Martha did seek out the Torchwood people on a previous occasion and Sarah Jane explicitly stated that she was avoiding the Torchwood lot ("too many guns", as she looks at her son).

 

Spoiler

Wow, I can't believe Sci-Fi did that. Or maybe I can. The BBC version specifically did not have a post-episode preview.

 

Back in season 1, in the episode where the Slitheen infiltrated 10 Downing Street, she was a low-level unknown MP (member of parliment) for Flydale-North (I think I have that right).

Her "thing" was that every converstaion she initiated with anyone, she would start by holding up her ID and saying "Harriet Jones: MP, Flydale-North".

She hooked up with the Doctor and Rose and was helpful in defeating the Slitheen. The Doctor mentioned to Rose that in the future HJ was going to be Prime Minister as Earth ushers in the Golden Age of Mankind.

In the Xmas Episode between S1 and S2, where the Sycorax try to invade, she's PM and now she does the same introduction bit, holding up her ID and everything, only with "Harriet Jones: Prime Minister". At this point, the "yes, I know who you are" ruinning joke begins. Even the Sycorax say it.

After the Doctor defeats the Sycorax and they are flying away, Harriet orders Torchwood to unleash some big death ray cobbled together from captured alien tech which blows the Sycorax ship out of the sky, even though the Doctor had gotten them to agree to leave Earth alone. He's somewhat miffed at that and he and Harriet have a bit of a pissing match and the Doctor decides to take her down simply by uttering six words to her aide, "don't you think she looks tired?". We then see news reports that indicate rumors of her ill health have become widespread. It is understood that some time after that she either stepped down or was deposed by a No Confidence vote.

And then we see her here, "Harriet Jones: Former Prime Minister".

 

Search results from the episode guide at Outpost Gallfrey for 'Harriet Jones' reveals:

Edited to add: drat, typed too slow.

Jan

 

What's interesting is that when Doctor #9 said that she was going to be PM, he said that she was going to serve 3 terms.

Doctor #10 changed that history, even though it presumably was one of those things meant to be, like the people dying in Pompeii.

And that probably played a part in The Master being able to become PM.

So, I guess there's a lesson to be learned there.

 

Not only has busyby got the facts he has captured the atmosphere - I always thought that the Doctor who leaves a trail of blood in his wake was a bit prissy in his treatment of Harriet.

But to add one small detail:
When the Doctor was fighting the Sycorax the Sycorak cut his hand off and it fell to earth from the Sycorak space ship.

Captain Jack later got hold of the hand, put it in a glass tank of liquid, and used it as a Doctor detector - when the Doctor returned to Cardiff the tank stated bubbling and Captain Jack ran out of Torchwood HQ to confront the Doctor who was avoiding him.

That is the hand and tank that is now in the TARDIS.

(the Doctor was able to regrow his hand because he was still regenerating)