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 So the Doctor and Donna arrive in Pompeii, although they appear to be under the delusion that it’s Rome, until they see Mount Vesuvius and it smouldering and then sudden earthquakes start happening!
We learn early on that the city is blessed with having very accomplished seer’s, in fact they are appears to a sisterhood of them and one grand seer who’s paid a lot of money for it. We meet him when he comes to collect marble carving from a crafter who has nicked the Doctor’s Tardis, thinking it modern art(!). We discover that the family have a daughter who is also a very skilled Clairvoyant, even able to reveal the Doctor’s name and certain aspects of his life – however just as this is exposed, the top Seer advises that the Doctor comes from Gallifrey... All very interesting. Apparently the Fortune teller’s have all become particularly good, since an earthquake – 17 years previously – leading the Doctor to believe some sort of Alien influence is in place. Top marks on the production design this week, although we know they just pinched the ‘Rome’ set’s – the attention to detail is very good and this episode also features some above par (if not particularly convincing) CGI. One thing that did irk me a little was the way they tried to make the Roman’s look like they were socially the same as 21st century Britain – endearing at first but treading on comedy (almost 1.5 children in places) – still it didn’t really deter from this great episode. The Doctor and Donna show lots of chemistry here, much like the Doctor and Rose, though at least Donna is more her own woman and not really believing the Doctor is everything and the world, like the other two previous companions – although they don’t really have to hammer home the fact that they are not a couple! Or fancy each other! OK we get it, move on.. A nice touch, is when the Doctor has to (SPOILER!) send Pompeii to its doom, and Donna help’s take some of the Burden, by assisting him push the button – really well handled. The story was the real key this time, admittedly the Pyroville are not really that well developed to become classic villains – although the special effects to bring them alive was impressive. It was however the developing mystery that intrigued me – the main plot ‘twist’ was pretty much obvious from the way the story was headed, but it was still well structured and there was a sense of finality to it all that sometimes Doctor Who manages to fail to do - normally feeling rushed, as if they had a good idea but couldn’t really find the time to develop it – not here though, the story remains intriguing throughout. Overall I enjoyed this episode and surprisingly, Donna (Catherine Tate) is actually beginning to rub off on me, her heartfelt pleas to the Doctor to save ‘Someone, Anyone’ really shone through, even the Doctor (Who naturally, as always blames himself for everything.) came over in this episode a little indifferent to the ‘fixed time line’. David Tennant, proves again that he is my favourite Doctor, his initial indifference to what his happening to Pompeii is smart and well acted, and then his eventual turn around at the end made endearing by his absolute unassurdness. Also there some arc plot running in the background , as we never find out why the Pyroville are forced to leave their home world (Invaders?). Even the Doctor questions this – without an answer. Also the Shadow Proclamation is mentioned again in this episode – Twice now in this series, yet not heard since series 1?? So another good episode in the can, let’s hope series 4 continues on this high?
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