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The Long Game S01E07

 1. Summed up in one sentence

The one in which peoples' foreheads open up while fake news is transmitted straight to their brains by a globby creature with fangs that hangs from the ceiling. 

2. The Doctor

The Doctor had enough to deal with in the past episode so he gets to have a break and just do what the Doctor does best: get worried about the state of reality, ask questions, maim electronics with his sonic screwdriver, get to the bottom of the mystery, you know, stuff like that. 

He is also very supportive of Rose and what she wants to do, even when that includes bringing along that one douchebag from the previous episode she has a crush on. What's his name? 

Adam?

Brian?

I'm pretty sure he's Adam. 

Anyway, not important. He doesn't last long. 

But as I was saying, the Doctor plays the wingman to Rose, urging them to go explore together on a date, helping Rose to impress her boy toy. It's an uncharacteristically nice thing for the Doctor to do this since we know how impatient he can get with people he doesn't like, and we know he doesn't like Adam.

None of it really works though cuz Rose finds out he's an idiot.

3. The Companions

I know I should include Adam as a companion in this episode, but I don't want to. He's so forgettable and irritating. He plays a small part in the end, but Rose dumps him on his ass pretty quick, so who cares?

Actually it's the forgettable douchebag that helps Rose to remember just how much she loves the Doctor. It's unclear if her affection for him at this point is platonic or something more. Her mom Jackie seems to think Rose fancies the Doctor, and you know moms and their instincts. Back in the episodes with the farting aliens, Rose is willing to do what the Doctor might ask of her, even if it ended in her death. She didn't even have to know what it was. She was already in. That takes some kind of passion on her part. 


This affection didn't not go unnoticed by the Doctor. He seemed both alarmed and touched at the same time. It reminds me of a later time next season when Rose is willing to do what it takes to save the world and stay with the Doctor, even if it meant not seeing her family ever again. The Doctor had a very similar reaction to her dedication, alarmed, touched, scared, in love, except this time he also had heartbreak as he took it upon himself to make the terrible decision for her. 

But those tears are for another time!!!


4. The Villain

As mentioned before, the big baddie is what you would imagine a large, gelatinous hookworm would look like. It's pretty nasty. It delivers the news to the humans, only slanted for its own nefarious purposes. This is a villain that is very familiar to us in the modern age, news being altered either by biased networks or narcissistic dictators. Seeing it personified as a gross parasite hanging from the ceiling isn't stretching reality too much.

5. The Score  

6/10

It's an interesting premise, but a bit forgettable, probably because it follows hard upon "Dalek" and doesn't completely blow your socks off. Also probably because there is a lot of focus on douchebag Adam who is so unremarkable and irritating that we try to forget he's there even while he's on screen.

6. The Very Whoiest Moment

The thesis statement of this episode can be identified in one scene in particular, when Rose and the Doctor are talking to one of the head journalists, asking her questions about how the news station is run and whatnot. Rose and the Doctor both find it interesting that this journalist gets uncomfortable with questions, and that she knows so little about where the news actually comes from. They both conclude it's not very journalisty. She does have very awesome hair though.

The Doctor explains to the journalist and Rose that the human race is much more behind than he would expect it to be at this point in history. He does mention that the technology is lackluster, but his main concern is the mindset of the people, not questioning anything and doing exactly what they're told. I think he makes an interesting point, that a civilization's technology isn't the only measurement of their advancement, but rather a more important aspect to look at is the minds of the people, both as individuals and as a collective whole.


I'm pretty excited for the next one, so watch out!


PS- This was a thing in this episode.


Ummm . . . . How?







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