I guess we finally have an explanation of the popularity of the Tom Baker era.
Does seem that the show has come a ways (though I think that it’s fair to say that fan service was at least some component of Karen Gillan’s portrayal on the show).
I doubt his native society really paid that much attention to other issues beyond the whole “killed two thousand people” thing.
As for the current episode, it had the feel of a typical monster-of-the-week story, complete with arbitrary setup parameters (the whole “Mission Control will blow us up if we deviate off course or keep insisting that everything’s OK when they suspect it isn’t” business) that make less sense the more you think about them. If nothing else, you’d think that security protocols for an ambulance-ship service would be focused more on the obvious threat (spreading an epidemic) that pertains particularly to medical transport.
And also Romana -who Tom Baker married…
In my opinion, Tom Baker was a great Doctor because of his other-wordly manner.
My problem with the episode is that it just wasn’t that smart. I mean, the fact that the Pting just wanted to eat, and that it was after energy? The plan to attract it with an energy source and launch it out the airlock? That was both obvious and pedestrian.
I expect the Doctor to be three steps ahead of me. If I can figure out the plan before she can, then it’s not a good episode.
I’m disappointing that no one here has put the obvious apostrophe in P’Ting, but never mind.
Decent ep. The Doctor was better, she took more control and did her thing without the recent odd morality that we’ve talked about here. She had a weird monologue about Antimatter drives that I didn’t particularly understand the point of, but I liked the little side stories with the general and the guy having the baby as well.
That’s probably because there is no apostrophe in Pting.
And what I’m pointing out is that the smaller discrimination and extant, but fewer problems were not mentioned as issues at all in that episode. Typically such things don’t pose a problem and those (plus wildly anachronistic clothing) just get ignored by people where the Doctor and Companions are visiting, but for this episode they deviated from the pattern, and whatever usually makes that sort of thing get ignored wasn’t happening. I don’t object to it, but I think it’s worth noting that they had to drop out of the usual series ‘rules’ for the episode.
I disagree. They found him to be a murderous criminal who killed 2000 people, so implanted a chip that prevented him from killing people, but didn’t stop him from threatening to kill them, time-zapping them thousands of years out of their known era, or telling black people to ‘know their place’. The device seems to be extremely narrowly limited to stopping him from murdering people, but doesn’t appear to control any impulses other than direct murder. The Doctor also never mentions anything about his attitudes being anachronistic for someone from 6000 years in the future, and treats him like a dangerous criminal with unpleasant but ordinary prejudices, not as someone who’s extremely mentally sick and disconnected from the reality of his time.
Even the wiki gets it wrong. Sad times indeed.
I think the antimatter drive thing was basically her equivalent to someone with a passion for well maintained antique automobiles or aircraft. A ship that works on antimatter would seem pretty primitive to the workings of something like the TARDIS.
Guy with baby was stupid IMHO.
Which is something you want in a medevac ship.
You’re not the only one. It also reminded me of Nibbler from Futurama. More so now that I remember that Nibbler’s “mistresse’s” full name was “Turanga Leela” and the ship from the episode was called the “Tsuranga”.
My husband thought the banging sounds might be the TARDIS trying to get in somehow.
I thought they might be whatever the unseen creature was from Midnight.
Well as a kid this ep had the Doctor with a rifle and the scene with Leela coming out of the water escaping from the giant rat … well as a teen boy I was amazed that this was a children’s show!
Yes, I also had a crush on her.
Wild guess:
Since Yanks have a pretty bad relationship with mosquitoes (who are insects), which has morphed into a typical dislike of winged insects in general, critters like spiders that eat insects are generally seen as allies. But some Yanks tend to dislike all “creepy-crawlies.”
I like spiders (and dragonflies, and hornets). But of course I also grew up on Spider-Man & Spider-Woman comics, which treat some aspects of spideriness as good things.
One thing I dislike about Tolkienian fantasy is the codification of certain fabulous creatures as generally evil, notably and specifically giant spiders.
I like that in this adventure the Doctor was very nice to the spiders, at least superficially.
Yep, no wet t-shirt contests in nu-who as yet.
Well, that was bloody stupid.
What, the gremlin episode or the lack of wet tops?
Can we drop the hurr-durr lol boobs amirite? stuff, please?
I was trying to clarify what you meant by “that,” in context. I’m sorry for making my question a joke, but I really did not find it clear.
…“Demons of the Punjab” was the first episode this season that didn’t have Chibnall in the writing credits: and I really hope that it happens more often. The doctor had more room to breath this episode: the humor hit the mark a bit better, it just seemed like a more well-rounded hour of television. Well done Vinay Patel.
And I have to admit I knew very little about the partition before the episode, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’ve spent the last hour reading up about this important moment in history and if a “kids programme” can do that to me: image what its doing to actual kids 
My reaction as well, including wanting to read more about the history. I am really liking all the new actors and characters but most of the stories have been somewhat lackluster. This one is easily my favorite of the new season. It was beautifully filmed and I enjoyed the music.
Next week looks like it could be fun from the previews. Getting back to more of an alien/future sci-fi story with lots of effects. I like the character driven Earth history stories but I am glad they are going to mix it up a little.
Yup. And teared up near the end a drop or two I did.