DOCTOR WHO “Planet of the Ood”: It’s a Beautiful Day for the Neighbor Ood

Full disclosure, true confessions: I’m a bit of an anorak. I’ve created convoluted explanations for how potential romance with Rose Tyler doesn’t disadvantage other Companions (with the help of Susannah’s brilliant Time Vortex theory–ask her about it), and I don’t buy into the whole “baby Time Lords are woven on looms” thing, but for the most part I’m just not that terribly interested in romance on Doctor Who. The characters might be able to visit the creation of the universe or the Medusa Cascade or the Kennedy assassination after a bout of TARDIS rockin’, but the rest of us don’t have time machines, and the kissing doesn’t strike me as being quite as interesting as episodes about the whole of time and space. (Obviously, mileage varies on this point.)

So I was pretty sure that the explicit declaration at the end of “Partners in Crime” would be right up my alley, but I had no inkling of how important the decision to make Donna “just” a mate would be for the overall structure of the season. Rose and Martha, both in love with the Doctor in one way or another, tended to get pretty wigged out when reminded of the fact that he’s an alien instead of a really appealing human male who just happens to have a time machine. They spent a lot of their time with the Doctor trying to view him through their lens of an ideal romantic partner. That’s not to say they didn’t appreciate him or the things he can do, but they did tend to focus on a limited set of his dimensions (it could be argued that Season 2 was all about the folly of the Doctor adopting Rose’s point of view on such matters, in fact).

Donna, however, has been confronted with the Doctor’s alienness from the second she met him. Because of this, she’s not afraid to explore the alien parts of his nature, and Season 4 to this point has been the audience’s opportunity to hop on that bandwagon. “The Fires of Pompeii” led us back to the Doctor’s almost eternal perspective on opportunity, change, and fixed points of tragedy. “Planet of the Ood,” on the other hand, takes on another facet of what it must be like inside the Doctor’s head by juxtaposing the Oodsong Donna can’t hear with the Doctor’s inability to escape it. This is most poignantly shown when the Gallifreyan Mind Meld (or whatever the heck that is) gives Donna the opportunity to hear the Oodsong…and she begs to be released from it, not only by having the song blocked again but by being taken home. Donna’s willingness to share all of the aspects of the Doctor’s life–not just those that seem the most human–opens up stories that investigate what it’s really like to be the last of the Time Lords.

Other parts of the episode don’t quite add up–where does evolution come into play with a species that holds a hindbrain in its hands? Why are the Doctor and Donna commemorated in song just for showing up (since their presence didn’t really change the outcome)? Why is the Doctor nearly gleeful over Mr. Halpen’s gruesome fate (and is this fate truly the most gruesome thing we’ve seen on New Who?)? And why, why, why that lengthy scene with the claw? But when the character work is so strong, it’s easy to skip lightly over those issues and just get swept up in Oodsong.

You Might Not Thank Me Later

An American Crime debuts on Showtime tonight (as far as I can tell, making this the first opportunity for an audience beyond Sundance to see it), a fact I normally wouldn’t point out to you. A true-story drama depicting the tale of a broken-down mother of seven (Catherine Keener) who tortures her teenaged boarder (Ellen Page–yes, that Ellen Page), An American Crime is, quite simply, hard to watch. It becomes even more so when Keener’s character’s children and their friends get involved in the fun and games, eventually leading to Page’s character’s death. We’re talking branding, folks, and that’s not the worst of it. It’s well made, and certainly (particularly on Keener’s part) well-acted. But despite its lofty title, the movie doesn’t do much to tie the crime into an analysis of America or poverty or families or, well, much more than the crime itself. I can’t decide if this is a brave move (come to your own conclusions) or a foolhardy one (we’ll leave you to come to your own conclusions), but it is an uncomfortable one.

However, Bradley Whitford plays the attorney who prosecutes the case, and I feel obliged to mention the premiere for that reason. Maybe go see him on stage in New York instead.

DOCTOR WHO “The Fires of Pompeii”: I’m Only Happy When It Rains (Fire and Ash)

Pompeii. Volcano Day. Fire and ash and pyroclastic flow and mayhem. Those complaints about Doctor Who becoming too light were spot on, weren’t they? Like good chocolate, this show is really yummy when it’s dark and the tiniest bit bitter. We’ve said it before, but one of their greatest strengths is that the tone can turn on a dime–the Spartacus joke is one of my new Who favorites, but the way it swiveled to the “seers” being able to identify the Doctor and predict dark tidings was chilling in its swiftness. And what is on Donna’s back?!

Actually, the theme of weight really does carry over this week, as Russell T Davies’ decision to obliterate Gallifrey and the Time Lords continues to resonate. Where “The Fires of Pompeii” really shines is in juxtaposing Donna’s very human desire to save everyone with the heaviness of the Doctor’s alien perspective of where fixed points in time slam up against change and chaos and consequence. It’s fun for the audience to get a glimpse of that view, but it’s also an almost unfathomably sad perspective, one that goes a long way toward explaining why the Doctor was one of “the ones who ran away.” Now it’s not just a sad perspective, it’s a lonely one, too, which is why a companion like Donna Noble is such a treasure–she might never be able to view the universe through that lens, but she’ll put her hand on the plunger anyway.

And if it’s cheesy to allow the Doctor to save one family in the end–the family we’ve gotten to know during the episode, no less–then pass the Gorgonzola, because I needed that. They’re symbolic of the idea that the whole point of Pompeii’s destruction (in the Whoniverse, anyway) was to save the rest of humanity, and if the Doctor is going to be faced with those kinds of choices, then we need to see the reasons play out to joyous fruition. Makes you wonder how many obelisks featuring the TARDIS are scattered around the universe.

Next week: Ood!

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA “The Road Less Traveled”: On the Good Ship Lollipop

One of the things making Battlestar Galactica difficult to enjoy so far this season is that it’s hard to know who is supposed to be sympathetic. Starbuck’s crazy; her patched-together crew feels sorry enough for themselves that I don’t have to; Apollo dumped his friends and family to play politician; even the Sixes, who were making sense, shot a lot of fellow robots up good. We used to know who we were supposed to feel sorry for or empathize with, and while it might be argued that making none of the characters sympathetic makes the story deeper (sigh), it also makes the story less fun. It’s just not much fun to watch Kara wigging out with the slimiest version of her dreamquest robot while solid good guys like Helo, Athena, and Gaeta decide to commit a mutiny we know isn’t going anywhere because of the Sci Fi promos.

This may be why the interaction between Tyrol and Baltar last night provided the high point–Tyrol never asked to be a Cylon (well–as far as we know), and we can sympathize with the way he’s caught between two worlds. And for all Gaius Baltar strutted around asking to be a science hero, asking to be president, asking to be one of the Final Five, or asking to be a martyr, the one thing he never asked to be was a prophet. Trying to wrap my head around the idea of Gaius Baltar as a genuine prophet might make me as crazy as Kara Thrace–heaven help me if Baltar ends up being the dying leader who never makes it to the Promised Land.

NBC Says Goodbye to SCRUBS… Without Saying Anything at All

Next Thursday NBC airs its last-ever episode of Scrubs, but don’t expect a grand farewell with lots of fanfare (or closure). After seven mostly-excellent seasons, the under appreciated comedy is going out with little more than a whimper.

And yet… the cast and crew have been back in production for weeks. Why, you might ask, is a studio producing episodes of a costly veteran comedy without anyone saying boo about who those episodes are for? Good question.

It’s one of the worst-kept secrets in Hollywood right now that ABC has ordered 18 additional episodes of Scrubs for airing next season. The network is expected to make the announcement at its upfront presentation later this month, but until then they’re apparently keeping mum.

Some of that silence may have to do with NBC, which got its feathers ruffled a while back when word leaked that the series was jumping networks. Of course, the series is jumping networks, NBC just doesn’t want you to know that until its tied up its run. Which leaves the network in the rather awkward position of farewelling a series that’s skipping over to a competitor. And, in a fashion typical of the way NBC has treated Scrubs over the years, it’s handling the situation by doing nothing at all.

Ironically, since its post-strike return, Scrubs‘ numbers are up 17% compared to last year, thanks in part to its cushy post-Office timeslot. And because of that, of course, tonight NBC has shifted Scrubs out of that slot and into the earlier post-Earl position (awarding the post-Office slot to 30 Rock, which will be back on NBC next season).

Squee! It’s…

Squee! It’s showkiller Paula Marshall on Shark tonight. Has Shark been renewed for the fall season yet? If not, I’m not sure I’d cast kiss o’ death Paula Marshall, even though she’s been pretty great as everything from Jeremy’s choreoanimator (read: adult movie star) rebound girlfriend on Sports Night to Cupid‘s therapist to Veronica Mars‘ guidance counselor. I’m not sure I’d mind if she killed Shark, but it’s nice to see her around no matter what the show.

THE VENTURE BROS: Bigger Than Two Ninjas Taped Together to Make One Giant Ninja

Holy damnit Christmas–there’s a new trailer for the third season of The Venture Bros. What does this nuttiness tell us? Prepare to see more of Hunter Gathers, the pirate captain, and the Alchemist. And the Ventures haven’t seen the last of Henry Killinger. Also? Nozzle.

If you haven’t yet succumbed to the inspired lunacy that is The Venture Bros., the first two seasons are available on DVD. Don’t miss “Ghosts of the Sargasso,” in which the dialogue for the entire first scene is made up of lyrics from David Bowie songs like “Space Oddity” (oh, Bowie shall return) or “Hate Floats,” in which The Monarch’s henchmen are so excited to return to work they burst into song–Holst’s “Mars, the Bringer of War,” but song nonetheless.

TOP GEAR: Two Great Tastes that Taste Great Together

When I first read that David Tennant (Doctor Who) would be the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car for the season finale of Top Gear, I thought that sounded amusing. Then I saw this picture and haven’t stopped giggling since. And then I saw the promos BBC America ran all weekend and moved on to chortling. I can’t imagine this not being fun. Surely the owner of a Skoda will be familiar with reasonably priced cars, but tune in to see if Tennant achieves his ultimate goal of rounding Gambon quicker than Billie Piper did.

Are they doing anything else on this episode? Does it matter? Looks like there will be a competition involving German engineering and, to quote the Beeb, “a series of confusing graphs.” Double plus good, then.

Who Can Right the GALACTICA? Jane Espenson, That’s Who.

Although we saw none of the Cylon civil war that has kept this season of Battlestar Galactica afloat, “Escape Velocity” elevated the journey and made us care about our crazy galactic travelers again. There’s the intrigue of where Baltar’s new religion may be heading and what this may mean the Six inside his head is trying to accomplish (is Roslin wrong?). Then there’s the dissolution of Chief Tyrol, who may truly be angry at his commanding officer or who may just be trying to get thrown off the flight deck so he doesn’t kill anyone via his own fogginess or sleeper programming. There’s the downward spiral of Saul Tigh, who is back to seeing things and might end up actually being a toaster who is a toasterfrakker. And there’s Laura Roslin trying to drop hints about what she wants her funeral to be like. All of these stories complete the cycle of refocusing a very macro show onto tiny, painful micro worlds.

In the end, is this whole tale Bill Adama’s story? Because they’re going to great pains to isolate him. His decision to trust Kara Thrace continues to affect his relationship with Roslin (though they’re still adorable), but Kara’s far away on a potential wild goose chase. Roslin’s on her way out, too. Lee has moved off the Galactica and into politics, opposing his father’s sort-of girlfriend at every turn. The admiral has sent his best–and some of his most trusted–officers off on Starbuck’s Magical Mystery Tour (I really don’t know how they’ll survive without Gaeta). His XO and his top enlisted man are Cylons and are losing their little metallic minds because of it. I hope Doc Cottle has an appointment open.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being DOCTOR WHO: “Partners in Crime”

Let’s be frank–the Adipose scheme was going along swimmingly until the Doctor stuck his nose in and everything went, er, less pear-shaped. (Ooh.) Really, all they had to do was ask, “Hello, I represent Adipose Industries. Would you be interested in helping infertile families experience the joy of parenthood? All it would require of you is the totally painless removal of two pounds a day. Ma’am, we’ll just give you the pill; you don’t have to rip it out of our hands.” People seemed pretty happy to be less heavy until the Doctor and Donna got involved and they were suddenly faced with being too light.

Is the show following suit? When this episode aired in the UK, a Guardian blogger claimed as much, wondering if the “disturbingly lightweight” “Partners in Crime” signaled the “end of the road” for the Doctor. We’re perplexed by this perspective for a number of reasons. First, was the episode actually that light? Sure, the villain wasn’t terribly scary, and the key creature was adorable rather than slavering, but Donna’s dead-end life and the Doctor’s loneliness weren’t exactly made for birthday cake, and the Doctor’s (long overdue) confessions about how he botched the Martha Jones Experience weren’t accompanied by circus music. In addition, “Partners in Crime” follows the tradition of New Who‘s season openers being sillier than the average episode. “Rose” had plastic arms choking the Doctor, plastic bins spitting out plastic Mickeys, and plastic mannequins in bridal dresses marauding in the streets, for heaven’s sake. “New Earth” had body-swapping and “I’m a chav!” “Smith and Jones” had rhino bounty hunters and a little old lady villain who used a bendy straw to suck the life out of victims. A bendy straw. It’s a misrepresentation to suggest that every episode of Doctor Who is “Human Nature” or “Doomsday” or “Blink”.

And that’s a strength, not a weakness. Lots of great shows have leavened their heavy tone with lighter or more humorous episodes. Think about how the world of The X-Files opened up when Mulder and Scully met Jim Rose and the rest of the traveling circus in “Humbug”. One of the best things about Doctor Who‘s premise is its flexibility: they can do new, they can do old, they can do space, they can do Earth, they can do dark, they can do scary, they can do tragic–why can’t they do funny?

This is an especially pertinent question given that “Partners in Crime” did its job, which was to re-introduce Series 4 companion Donna Noble. Sending Catherine Tate in to joust with David Tennant gives the Who crew two versatile actors who can actually do comedy–why on Earth (or in space) wouldn’t they take advantage of that? This season premiere showed us how Donna has changed, why she needs a trip in the TARDIS, and why she’ll make a good companion. It also reminds us of why the Doctor needs a companion and sets the parameters for a relationship quite different than the ones we’ve previously seen in New Who. And it does all this via mime. Done and done–what’s not to love?

In the end, it seems unfair to judge where the series might be going based on a season premiere intentionally designed to be a romp. After all, they’re going to Pompeii next week–do we really expect a musical revue? And that blonde who showed up at the end skipped right away, didn’t she? We’re betting we’re going to be begging for an Adipose to wave at us by the end of this season.