I do have to watch this episode again as I don’t actually remember that much of it.

But the Doctor may even have helped unconsciously – Time Lords telepathic abilities are in tune with Ood / Sensorites, so merely by his presense and willingness to open his mind to them, he could have acted as a conduit to amplify the Brain’s signals. He also provided an extra distraction which bought a few extra minutes, giving the transformation of Halpen time to take effect. Though is part was small, it was decisive. Without the doctor’s intervention, Sigma would not have gained entrence to the building – Ryder would have tried to stop Halpen and died anyway, Halpen would have left emediately (remember it was proximity to the Brain that accelerated his change) and the Brain would have been killed.

Incidentally, is it a coinsidence that the Cheif Ood has the same name as the Doctor?

it was sad to see her leave doctor who and i fell sorry for the doctor because she didn’t remember him so he couldn’t say goodbye to her properly.

I suppose this could all lead to a big finale that the Doctor doesn’t get to make any decisions in order to make decisions later on in the series seem more than they really are. Although, he did do quite a bit in the latest episode.

Having still not watched any of the old series, were there no cliffhangers in them?

Which ones would you recommend I start with watching?

I think killing the nanny was a good decision, plus I’m sure she never took the pills!

I always felt that I could associate myself with Martha quite well, but Rose always seemed a bit too different. Donna is definitely growing on me, she was great in the latest episode.

That’s one thing I’ve also noticed with some episodes – the Doctor doesn’t really get to make any major decisions that change the course of events one way or another – he just has to find a solution to a particular problem like unlocking a locked door using the Sonic Screwdriver or running down a set of stairs to rescue someone.

Avon in Blakes Seven was more of a strategic thinker, it would go like; Cally: “Why don’t we just go and attack Servalan’s ship now – it’s at the space port?”, Avon: “At the moment, she doesn’t know we’re here – if we attack now, she will have this star system surrounded by the entire federation fleet within a light-day – we wouldn’t make it past the first moon. If we let her leave, and wait to see which star system she goes to, we can go in the opposite direction. By the time she realizes she has gone in the wrong direction, we will be at least three star systems away from her”.

Having watched the old series, it is much better that an entire story is in one episode. There was nothing more annoying than the cliff-hanger that you would have to wait a week to find out what happened, only to find out that the chain of events was completely different, like someone else had switched the central energy grid off moments before the ‘fire’ switch of the defense system or execution chamber had been pressed.

In the previous episode, I thought it would have been more Edgar-Allan-Poeish to have had the nanny be converted into those little fat aliens, rather than have her just go splat onto the ground.

I like Donna – the Doctor’s assistant was always meant to be someone you could meet in the street while going to work or the supermarket. It meant everyone could identify with her.

Yeah, he turned off the bombs.. which was effectively flicking one switch when they started beeping! I’m sure the Ood used to household chores would have been able to figure that out themselves?

I didn’t think that Mr Halpen was almost an Ood at the point, but you’re right. With our little knowledge of the Ood that is a very logical explanation.

Enzyme, I don’t know, could be, but yeah, the brain was probably responsible.

I miss the cheery companions I think. Donna is much more down to Earth.

Thanks for stopping by..

But that’s where the viewer’s imagination comes in. Some people don’t like to use their imagination to fill in the blanks and hold their suspension of disbelief, but I for one enjoy it, as long as the plot holes aren’t too gapping…

Let’s have a look at some of the problems in this one…

*The Doctor and Donna didn’t do much: Well, the Doctor did turn off the bombs, and without him Ood Sigma couldn’t have entered the place where the Ood Brain was kept (The Doctor unlocked the door, remember?) So without him Mr. Halpen’s plan would have worked… and if that’s not good enough… tell yourself Ood Sigma is a fan.

*That scientist died too easily: Let’s pretend Ood have higher than average human strength. Mr. Halpen was becoming an Ood and his strength was increased.

How did Mr. Halpen become an Ood: Didn’t the Doctor mention something about Ood enzyme or… and about the timely change, I shrug it off as it being the proximity to the Ood brain that triggered the change.

All good.

And about Donna. I personally love her, the dynamic between her and the Doctor is simply brilliant; fresh and entertaining. It’s only in last’ week’s episode that I figured out what it was, when that pompeii man mistook them for brother and sister. That’s what they’re like, brother and sister; bickering, arguing, laughing, joking, learning from one another… I’m still unsure which is the older sibling though… I’m thinking Donna is the youngest sister most of the time.

Anyhow, my two cents.

I don’t think “The Impossible Planet”/”The Satan Pit” was really an Ood story so much as a “the Beast” story. This was the first time we got to see an episode where the Ood get centre stage. Incidentally, I got the impression that the Doctor told Donna it was the devil because he couldn’t be bothered to explain; in “The Satan Pit” he himself wasn’t sure.

I loved the other two Ood episodes, but didn’t think this one was as great..

To check my ratings for all the Doctor who episodes, and more… feel free to have a look here:
http://axm1992.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/doctor-who-episodes/

Do you not feel like somethign is missing though?

And that drink, I still don’t understnad what was in that drink.. A human fell into the brain and it doesn’t damage it? He fell from like 10 metre height and I thought brains were such vulnerable things.

What do you think of Donna?

By the way, I think the reason the Ood brain wasn’t harmed was that it seemed to absorb whatever fell into it. Maybe that’s how it feeds.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind, just seems a bit odd with the Doctor always being the one most involved with everything.

Not sure about that one, Mr Halpen was going to destroy the brain which would have killed off the Ood and the Doctor stopped it. I’d (personally) give the episode 7/10 because it was entertaining and full of surprises.

I’m surprised he didn’t harm the brain though!

Maybe to us he has died by being digested by the Oodbrain, but perhaps his knowledge and even his consciousness has been integrated into the Ood consciousness. If that were the case, then the Ood have the advantages of being distributed across the galaxy, being telepathic, and knowing his cell contacts.