Despite concerns over the earlier time-slot ( 6.20 P.M. ), 'Partners In Crime' drew an impressive overnight rating of 8.4 million viewers. 'The Fires Of Pompeii' is an altogether different affair. Here we have the show in serious mode again. The Doctor and Donna have gone back to A.D. 79, just before the eruption of Mount Etna. She sees a sign in English - he explains the Tardis enables her to mentally translate Latin. But when she speaks the language, the locals think she is using Gaelic! A stall holder sells the Tardis to the family of Caecillus ( Peter Capaldi ). As soon as they realise where and when they are, our heroes want nothing more than to get the hell out of there. Predictably, they get caught up in events beyond their control. Caecillus knows who the Doctor is ( the alias 'Spartacus' doesn't fool him! ). A time rift has opened up, giving the Romans psychic powers. A Sisterhood of witches is led by a High Priestess ( Victoria Wicks of 'Drop The Dead Donkey' ) who has mutated into a Pyroville - grotesque heat monsters not unlike the 'Fossil Men' from 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea' - inside the volcano. Lucius ( Phil Davis, excellent as 'Wilfred Brambell' in B.B.C.-4's 'The Curse Of Steptoe' ) has built an energy converter. To get his people off the planet he has to kill everyone on it. The Doctor is faced with a moral dilemma - to destroy the creatures he must cause the demise of Pompeii. He does so, but Donna pleads with him to save Caecillus' family...
Like 'The Time Warrior' from 1974 and 1982's 'The Visitation', this tells a science fiction story against a colourful background of history. Good script by James Moran, though it could have done without anachronisms such as "Lovely Jubbly!" and the Doctor's use of a water pistol to kill the Pyroviles. Loved the reference to 1964's 'The Romans' though! Capaldi ( himself a long-term 'Who' fan ) and Davis are good. Tate proves here that there is more to 'Donna' than simply shouting. She rivals Tennant in the acting stakes. "She is Coming!" - yes another hint about the impending return of 'Rose'. Much of this was filmed in the Cinecitta studios in Rome, marking the first location filming for 'Who' ( not counting the 1996 T.V. movie ) since 1985's 'The Two Doctors'. The eruption of the volcano would not have disgraced an Emmerich/Devlin picture. The touching ending did not seem forced either. Very good episode overall.
Things To Look Out For - Karen Gillan, future companion, playing a 'Soothsayer'.
Like 'The Time Warrior' from 1974 and 1982's 'The Visitation', this tells a science fiction story against a colourful background of history. Good script by James Moran, though it could have done without anachronisms such as "Lovely Jubbly!" and the Doctor's use of a water pistol to kill the Pyroviles. Loved the reference to 1964's 'The Romans' though! Capaldi ( himself a long-term 'Who' fan ) and Davis are good. Tate proves here that there is more to 'Donna' than simply shouting. She rivals Tennant in the acting stakes. "She is Coming!" - yes another hint about the impending return of 'Rose'. Much of this was filmed in the Cinecitta studios in Rome, marking the first location filming for 'Who' ( not counting the 1996 T.V. movie ) since 1985's 'The Two Doctors'. The eruption of the volcano would not have disgraced an Emmerich/Devlin picture. The touching ending did not seem forced either. Very good episode overall.
Things To Look Out For - Karen Gillan, future companion, playing a 'Soothsayer'.