Geronimo! A Review of Doctor Who S06E05&06 The Rebel Flesh & The Almost People.

I’m sorry I’m so late with my reviews! Blogger got blocked by my dad, so I had to wait until he was out to use the computer. I’m an expert at guessing passwords … And I wrote this before I saw A Good Man Goes to War, just saying…

Well, because I’m lazy and because of exams etc. I am reviewing the two Matthew Graham episodes in one. I have to say, the first episode was quite good, although I do have a few little niggles here and there. These were the annoying accents (GANG-ER not GANG-GUH) and the pile of cards that took a different form in the space of a second or two.

However, overall it was a pretty good episode. I quite liked Rory’s sympathetic scene towards Ganger-Jennifer and the hidden issue raised about right to life. Just so you know, this review is going to be mainly about the second part, Almost People, just because I can’t be bothered to review the first episode.

The second episode… I didn’t like the majority of it. I think I’m the only one amongst my friends who doesn’t like it. The dialogue between the two Doctor’s was really entertaining, but I found the rest of it full of production flaws which really made it unenjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, the majority of the storyline was good, but just the production was crap.

Likes

·         The Doctor’s idea of swapping shoes

·         Retro music in the TARDIS

·         Cleaves vs. Ganger Cleaves

·         Adam and Ganger Jimmy … nawwwww

·         Yowzer!

·         The cleverness of the Ganger Doctor. When he appears to be sonicing the transmission panel (Almost People), he is actually scanning Amy. He then concludes that Gangers give off different signals to humans

Dislikes

·         It was too easy to find the escape hatch. It also wasn’t much of an escape hatch. Imagine this: in the event of an emergency, the people are stuck in the chapel, and the only way that they can get out is through a hatch that is sealed by screws. So unless they have a instrument on them that can open the hatch and close it behind them, such as a Sonic Screwdriver, they are pretty much screwed.

·         Rory and Ganger Jennifer relationship: I really like Rory, but this episode was just bleh. I hated the bit where he is so gullible and volunteers to turn the wheel for the purpose of impressing Jennifer. It was just… ugh *shudders*

·         Ganger Jennifer changing for the first time – when she vomits up the “gunge” it doesn’t sound like she’s vomiting

·         Snake Jennifer/Ganger. It was stupid.

·         How thick is Rory? Seriously? He identified the limping Jennifer (ok, good) but straight afterwards the ganger lost the limp. Wouldn’t he notice?

·         The biggest thing I hated about the episode was the CGI of the semi-melted Flesh and Jennifer’s elongated mouth. The Flesh especially just looked like a drawing. It was terrible.

·         Amy’s pregnancy. It looked like she was about to shoot her baby out, into the green dot at the end of the thing that she was in.

·         The eye-patch lady. Ugh, she was annoying: “PUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH”. If I ever give birth in a futuristic place like that I will reach up and punch my matron in the face if she ever does that to me.

·         Matt Smith’s double. You could tell that it looked nothing like him even though in confidential they said that the hair had to be perfect. It wasn’t perfect.

·         I didn’t like the scenario of the choking gas. They were in there for a good 30 seconds before they started to choke. Even though there was no visible sign of it, it would have still been in the air. And this was one instance that I just didn’t buy Matt Smith’s performance at all.

·         Dickens was a nobody character. He was given lines that could have easily been given to someone else. He was just kind of like a extra added in there to show the wimpy and susceptible side to humans/gangers. He didn’t even get a good goodbye line at the end. The story could have really done without him.

·         The line “Who are the real monsters?” was just vomit worthy.

·         The line “I am recognized, I’m Jennifer Lucas.” Not the actual line, but just how it was delivered. I didn’t really buy Sarah Smart’s performance through the whole episode.

Curious

·         Eyes in the wall

·         Why did the Doctor to feel the need to mention the Cybermats?

·         Amy told the Doctor of his death

·         The Ganger Doctor’s molecular memory can survive

·         The monster Jennifer Ganger reminded me of Coraline. More specifically, Coraline’s Other Mother.

·         The Doctor seems to have an endless supply of Sonic Screwdrivers and red balloons

·         Amy’s shoes change at the end of Almost People from Doc Martins to the same coloured sneakers

Quotes

·         “I’ve got to get to that cockerel before all hell breaks loose. Ha, never thought I’d say that again!” – The Doctor

·         “Nice barrel, very comfy, why not?” – The Doctor

·         “Oh great. That is so typically me.” – Ganger Cleaves

·         “I’m telling you, when something runs towards you, it’s never for a nice reason!” – Rory

·         “Yes it’s insane and it’s about to get even more insanerer. Is that a word?”

·         The beginning Doctor and Ganger Doctor scene

·         “Am I crazy Doctor?” / “Well you did want to plug your brain into the core of an entire planet just to hold its orbit and win a bet” – Ganger Doctor/Doctor

·         “Rory Pond! Roronicus Pondicus!” – The Doctor

·         “You’re one of us Doctor. *Clicks* Join the revolution. *Smiles*” – Ganger Jennifer

·         “If you’ve got a better plan I’m all ears. In fact, if we survive this I’ll take you to a planet where everyone is all ears” – Ganger Doctor

·         “I expect chocolate for breakfast. If you don’t feel sick by mid morning you’re not doing it right” – The Doctor

·         “My death arrives I suppose.” / “But this one we’re not invited to” / “Pardon?” / “Nothing. Your molecular memory can survive this you know, it may not be the end.” / “Well if I turn up to nick all your biscuits then you’ll know you’re right, won’t you?” – Ganger Doctor/Doctor

·         “And remember people died, don’t let that be in vain. Make what you say in that room count” – The Doctor

·         “I was going to drop you off for fish and chips first, but things happened and there was stuff and shenanigans. That’s a beautiful word, shenanigans.” - The Doctor

·         “Hello, I’m the Doctor. Why? No! We’ve moved on!” – Ganger Doctor (with 10^th Doctor voice)

·         “I’ve reversed the jelly baby of the neutron flow. I’m the would you like a, Doctor.” – Ganger Doctor

Overall, I found this episode less enjoyable then Curse of the Black Spot (I don’ know why people didn’t like CotBS, it was really good solid Who). Let’s just hope that next week is a better episode. Please Steven, we need it.

Until next time, Adios Amigos!