New Earth [TV/2006.4.15]

★★★☆☆

  Nothing screams more 2006 than a bright filter, early-days Murray Gold and the mention of chavs. 

  New Earth is, in all honestly, a haphazard adventure that perhaps tries to juggle too many ideas in a format and attitude that couldn't care for them all. Filming New Earth was hell, apparently, and I get that sense of imprecision and being rushed in many corners of the production. The real-location-standing-in-for-futuristic-institute trick works less successfully here than it did in several Series 1 stories. Editing's a bit wonky in a few fast-paced moments. The New Series was never really cutting-edge with computer-generated imagery, especially in its early days, but the effects are even less refined here for some reason. It's also a curious decision to take an actor who's only filmed two productions at the time and had yet to make a full impression on the general audience as his own Doctor... and make the first production of the series about swapping minds and bodies. David Tennant is clearly still finding his feet as the Time Lord, and it shows in some of his less confident scenes.

  However, I still found this a lot of fun! Tennant may be a bit rocky with being Doctor Who, but he's absolutely delightful as the villainous Cassandra — and so is Billie Piper, who delivers such an impressive double performance as Rose and bodily intruder Cass. Plus, the entire plot around human lab rats for an advanced medical institute becoming zombie stand-ins for the week may be incredibly weightless, but at least it allowed for some sick makeup effects and a climax that finally offered Tennant something to prove he can be the Doctor successfully. New Earth is a shaky mix of fun and bore, but it's still 45 minutes worth your time if you're not looking for anything serious... or anything that's impervious to watchful gazes.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  Before I go, I should mention... for some reason, David Tennant and Billie Piper are especially attractive in this episode. I suspect it has something to do with how horny this thing is, with both our leads getting soaking wet multiple times, Cassandra-Rose being flirty and revealing and the two of them snogging like they were on fire. Well, for all the discourse surrounding them in recent years, you sure can't say they didn't have chemistry.