S01E07 Doctor Who - The Long Game (2005)

Sex :
Violence :

Director Brian Grant
Writers Russell T. Davies
Starring Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Bruno Langley, Anna Maxwell Martin, Simon Pegg
Genre Sci-Fi
Tagline The Trip Of A Lifetime!
Country

Review

"We all known what happens to nonentities: they get promoted" - The Editor

The Doctor, Rose, and new kid on the block Adam travel far into the future where Earth's fourth galactic empire is in full swing. Or it would be if something wasn't hampering technological development and inter-species barn dancing. The Tardis has touched down on Satellite Five, which broadcasts 600 channels of galactic information, and which is showing a surprising lack of Star Fleet Academy coolness.

The Doctor quickly determines that something is wrong, and this is flowing down from the 500th floor where apparently the walls are made of gold or some such. Meanwhile Rose is Rose and Adam, being a very naughty boy, is helping himself to future technology and beaming the history of computing back to his parent's place. Can the Doctor save the future or are we all doomed? A chilly episode ensues.

And the plot arcs continue to intrigue us, with two making an appearance this time round. One of Satellite Five's news channels is called "The Bad Wolf Channel" and it just so happens to be broadcasting something about the Face of Boe, first seen in the second episode of season one. Does this mean that whatever the "bad wolf" has in store for us is directly related to the Face of Boe, or are they separate plot points?

I'm calling this a first for the new series of Dr Who, a guest appearance! Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Simon "Shaun of the Dead" Pegg. One of our favourite British thespians nails it as the smarmy "sell out" in a big way editor, and for sure Pegg had some tough lines to deliver. Try saying "the Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe" three times.

Can we expect more guest appearances or is Simon Pegg a one off?

The Long Game actually has a pretty epic quality about it that is handled wonderfully well. We are talking a galactic empire here, and things being slightly awry with that. Loved the shots down to Earth where some honking great cities were faintly visible, and hey looks like they solved the whole pollution issue. The episode focuses on a microcosm, and really has to in order not to blow the budget or turn into some massive story line over multiple evenings, but paints the wider picture via dialogue and references. The Doctor realises all is not as it should be due to the lack of cultural development and outmoded technology; those direct brain feeds to the information superhighway are pretty gross to be honest, nice one Centurion! Once again Dr Who kicks it big time with the ability to convey a lot of detail via well-written, and delivered upon scripts. On a personal note, any civilisation that produces a "beef flavoured slushie" can't be the full quid.

Once again the producers of Dr Who are dialling into social/political issues, this time round the whole media manipulation of the truth issue. This may be more apparent to Australians than other cultures, as our newspapers and television news services pretty much beat the corporate drum, and will spin any story to their advantage. Thank God for the ABC and SBS in this country; the commercial networks and newspapers are a complete joke and are not to be trusted. Seems, in the Whoniverse, that the galactic empire has been hampered for the past 90 years from reaching its full glory due to the news feeds being tampered with. Some stories are not broadcast, others are made up, and everything is flavoured in order to present a propagandist slant. Hey, come on down "Sixty Minutes". Nice to see a sci-fi show going in to bat for the common people and having a round house swing at the forces of corporate control; maybe the team should do a "Cyber Punk" spin off series.

Director Brian Grant has his finger on the pulse, but isn't overly called upon to deliver a knock out blow during the episode (looks like we are going with boxing metaphors in this review kids). I generally liked what he was doing and was highly impressed with the look and feel of the floor 500 set. Grant goes with blue filters there in order to heighten the general atmosphere of coldness and to back up some dodgy ice and snow effects. Our winter wonderland is needed as it has a major bearing on the resolution and isn't simply included in order to add some exotic flavour to proceedings.

The character of Adam is actually troubling to me, and I am left wondering if maybe the show producers aren't listening to focus groups. Adam was of course introduced in the preceding episode Dalek, but here looks to have run his course and is consigned to the great garbage bin of Dr Who minor characters who passed briefly in the night. Farewell, sweet Prince, we hardly knew you and really don't give a toss. Just thought I would make a mention however, as I would hate to think that the BBC is going all Hollywood weird here. On the bright side of the Tardis key the whole "Adam" issue does allow writer Russell T. Davies to point out that the Doctor has a pretty ruthless side when dealing with anyone who breeches Time Lord protocol. I am appreciating the harder edge given to the Doctor in the new series than seen in previous incarnations, so full marks right there.

Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor) is really starting to turn on the acting talent over the last few episodes. Eccleston has the ability to handle the cheeky side of the Doctor's nature, the analytical requirements, and the on occasion action side of things. Excellent casting decision. Billie Piper (Rose) still fails to impress me and remains the one weakness of the new series; does she actually understand the requirements for mood changes? Hopefully they can jettison the character into a super nova sooner rather than later. Simon Pegg (The Editor) continues to show unexpected acting talent, must dial into his latest movie Run Fatboy Run. And Bruno Langley (Adam) did okay with an average, and not well developed role.

I was happy enough with The Long Game, was applauding Simon Pegg's guest appearance, and dug the shots taken at the media industry's increasing inability to present the facts without colouring them in some fashion. See, being nice right there. Overall it was a pretty impressive episode that kept me entertained from the opening scene to the closing credits.

Doctor Who head writer Russell T Davies received an honorary fellowship at Cardiff University on 14th July during the university's annual degree ceremonies. The degrees are awarded to those who have been seen to achieve international distinction in their fields of expertise. Davies was also recently nominated for an OBE in the Queen's honours list.

Doctor Who continues to show that even with a modest episode the series is far superior to most other television fare. Who fans will of course dial in regardless, Sci-Fi fans should dial in to see how to make intelligent drama within the genre, and general television viewers could do a lot worse. You will find this game not as long as the title leads you to believe, excellent television viewing.

ScaryMinds Rates this episode as ...

Solid and well constructed episode.