By: Russell T. Davies
**Spoilers**
If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.
This episode tries very hard to give us all claustrophobia by presenting us with a great underground traffic jam that never ends. (Maybe the roadway needed some Milk of Magnesia?)
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- Is is just me or is the couple in the opening teaser lifted right from a famous piece of artwork?
- Oh lovely. We're back to New New York again. And it's just as dull and un-awe-inspiring as I remember from the incredible yawnfest that was New Earth. Nice choice for your new companion, Doctor, just lovely. Hammer it in for us that she's the rebound girl and we're supposed to compare her negatively to Rose, why don't you?
- I'm pretty sure that one of those mood patches were labelled 'Ectsasy'...
- And Martha is kidnapped and dragged away. Poor Martha just can't catch a break, can she? At least The Doctor went to save her. Hopefully he'll be a bit nicer after this...
- Can we have more scenes involving The Doctor and cats, please?
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- It is rather stupid and nonsensical (even by Doctor Who standards) to think that a humanoid cat and a human girl would have kittens, though.
- I like the couple who kidnaps Martha. They seem like very sweet people who really love each other and are looking forward to having a baby. Shame that's about the extent of their character development...
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- Martha gets to at as a doctor again when she rips that 'Truth' patch off of pregnant Annie. That's always nice to see. Martha has brains and training, people. She's awesome!
- Okay. So I'll just say now that the idea of being trapped forever on a motorway (an enclosed motorway, no less) gives me the creeps. I'm honestly more afraid of that than of the mysterious killer thingies in the smog.
- I have come to the conclusion that Doctor Who shouldn't do satire. No, actually I take it back. Russell T. Davies shouldn't do satire. Because he stinks at it. We saw this in Aliens of London/World War Three, New Earth, Boom Town, and now here in Gridlock. Just what kind of point is he trying to make? What is he even satirising? The futility of ladder climbing?
- The bit with the hymn singing was rather interesting. How did that sound out from within those sealed-off cars and the smog-filled motorway? Wouldn't it sort of get lost and garbled? Even so, that was beautiful.
- The CGI in this episode is TERRIBLE! Some of the worst I've ever seen from Doctor Who post-revival! It's not so bad whenever it's just The Doctor hopping from car to car...but whenever you have to have a close-up of the cars actually moving, well...the Slitheen from the Sarah Jane Adventures looks better!
- The cat make-up, though, is excellent. With the exception of that one black cat there isn't a seam to be spotted. That was one thing I praised with New Earth and it looks just as good here.
- I think one of the main problems I have with this episode is that it is boring. I go to watch television because I want to be entertained by my favourite characters. I don't go to be bored to death and have a forced and yet garbled moral rammed forcibly down my throat. If I wanted that I would watch a televangelist, not sci-fi. Whatever happened to just telling a great story? The whole Slitheen fiasco of Series 1 was silly and childish and dumb in places...but it was at least interesting. This just puts me to sleep. It doesn't even have the advantage of a Cassandra-possessed Doctor to catch my attention.
- And the Face of Boe...was I supposed to cry when he bit the dust? I mean - he's supposed to be Jack Harkness, right? Well whenever I first watched this episode that little titbit hadn't even been added to the lore yet. So why am I supposed to feel sorry for an obviously rubber face with a mouth that works worse than the Aslan puppet from the old Narnia movies? I didn't even buy all of that mumbo-jumbo crap about the prophecies concerning his final words. It just felt like a failed attempt at Tolkienesqueing the universe to me.
- You Are Not Alone. Remember this, folks, I think we've just heard one of our arc words!
- The only good part of this episode (aside from the kittens) is The Doctor finally opening up to Martha about the Time War and describing Gallifrey. It's a beautiful speech and the first time we've ever really heard him talk about his home like this. Before all we had were angry speeches at the Daleks and cryptic hints to others. At last!
Gridlock is an episode that could have been pretty good. It had a dark premise and setting and it even brought back the Macra who hadn't been seen in years (and promptly wasted them), so the only reason I can think of that it failed so badly was that it tried too hard to be relevant and to really say something. What I don't know...the point never really gets made...but that's the problem. Gridlock is a 1/5
- Oh lovely. We're back to New New York again. And it's just as dull and un-awe-inspiring as I remember from the incredible yawnfest that was New Earth. Nice choice for your new companion, Doctor, just lovely. Hammer it in for us that she's the rebound girl and we're supposed to compare her negatively to Rose, why don't you?
- I'm pretty sure that one of those mood patches were labelled 'Ectsasy'...
- And Martha is kidnapped and dragged away. Poor Martha just can't catch a break, can she? At least The Doctor went to save her. Hopefully he'll be a bit nicer after this...
- Can we have more scenes involving The Doctor and cats, please?
- It is rather stupid and nonsensical (even by Doctor Who standards) to think that a humanoid cat and a human girl would have kittens, though.
- I like the couple who kidnaps Martha. They seem like very sweet people who really love each other and are looking forward to having a baby. Shame that's about the extent of their character development...
- Okay. So I'll just say now that the idea of being trapped forever on a motorway (an enclosed motorway, no less) gives me the creeps. I'm honestly more afraid of that than of the mysterious killer thingies in the smog.
- I have come to the conclusion that Doctor Who shouldn't do satire. No, actually I take it back. Russell T. Davies shouldn't do satire. Because he stinks at it. We saw this in Aliens of London/World War Three, New Earth, Boom Town, and now here in Gridlock. Just what kind of point is he trying to make? What is he even satirising? The futility of ladder climbing?
- The bit with the hymn singing was rather interesting. How did that sound out from within those sealed-off cars and the smog-filled motorway? Wouldn't it sort of get lost and garbled? Even so, that was beautiful.
- The CGI in this episode is TERRIBLE! Some of the worst I've ever seen from Doctor Who post-revival! It's not so bad whenever it's just The Doctor hopping from car to car...but whenever you have to have a close-up of the cars actually moving, well...the Slitheen from the Sarah Jane Adventures looks better!
- The cat make-up, though, is excellent. With the exception of that one black cat there isn't a seam to be spotted. That was one thing I praised with New Earth and it looks just as good here.
- I think one of the main problems I have with this episode is that it is boring. I go to watch television because I want to be entertained by my favourite characters. I don't go to be bored to death and have a forced and yet garbled moral rammed forcibly down my throat. If I wanted that I would watch a televangelist, not sci-fi. Whatever happened to just telling a great story? The whole Slitheen fiasco of Series 1 was silly and childish and dumb in places...but it was at least interesting. This just puts me to sleep. It doesn't even have the advantage of a Cassandra-possessed Doctor to catch my attention.
- And the Face of Boe...was I supposed to cry when he bit the dust? I mean - he's supposed to be Jack Harkness, right? Well whenever I first watched this episode that little titbit hadn't even been added to the lore yet. So why am I supposed to feel sorry for an obviously rubber face with a mouth that works worse than the Aslan puppet from the old Narnia movies? I didn't even buy all of that mumbo-jumbo crap about the prophecies concerning his final words. It just felt like a failed attempt at Tolkienesqueing the universe to me.- You Are Not Alone. Remember this, folks, I think we've just heard one of our arc words!
- The only good part of this episode (aside from the kittens) is The Doctor finally opening up to Martha about the Time War and describing Gallifrey. It's a beautiful speech and the first time we've ever really heard him talk about his home like this. Before all we had were angry speeches at the Daleks and cryptic hints to others. At last!
Gridlock is an episode that could have been pretty good. It had a dark premise and setting and it even brought back the Macra who hadn't been seen in years (and promptly wasted them), so the only reason I can think of that it failed so badly was that it tried too hard to be relevant and to really say something. What I don't know...the point never really gets made...but that's the problem. Gridlock is a 1/5
What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not -
what would you say differently?
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