**Spoilers** If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.
So Rose is gone and Donna refused Companion status...who is The Doctor going to 'abduct' next? Well why not a fellow doctor (albeit one still in training) who has gone to the moon and back with you and defeated a grannyvamp and her evil straw of doom?
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- It's funny how with the revived Who that the companions' families are playing such a big part. I don't seem to recall us learning diddly squat about the parents and siblings and boyfriends in what I've seen of Classic Who. I guess this is supposed to reflect the changing times? But did we really need all of that Jones family drama? Are we going to have yet another companion who views The Doctor as a magical knight who rescued them from their miserable existence?
- On the other hand, Martha seems to be a bit more practical than Rose and clearly is on good terms with every member of her family...even if they aren't with each other. She's also training to be a doctor and, from the sounds of it, is set to inherit a modest sum of money after her parents' death, so maybe this trope will be subverted. She looks pretty determined and content.
- A med student discovering The Doctor's rather unique cardiovascular structure...hahaha! Her face is too funny, as is his reaction!
- I really think that some of the panicking reactions of the patients and staff were a bit over-dramatic...or maybe the camera just lingered too long on too many shots of them screaming and dashing about. We get it. We're not stupid. You don't have to bash us in over head with the fact that they're on the Moon!
- Adeola. Nice bit of continuity fix-it there.
- "Judoon platoon upon the moon."
- The Judoon with their high-tech DNA scanners and low-tech glorified Sharpies crack me up every time.
- I think it is great the way the grannyvamp's first victim was named Mr. Stoker. (Bram Stoker was the man responsible for writing Dracula and therefore setting down much of our 'modern' vampire lore rules.)
- Grannyvamp's choice of straw is also hilarious.
- Martha is shaping up to be an excellent companion. She's smart, she's resourceful, and she wants to make a difference in the world. It also helps that in her case it isn't The Doctor rescuing her from her terrible life. She's training to be a doctor, her family is fairly well-off, and although her parents are separated Martha gets alone very well with everyone...even Daddy's girlfriend.
- My one major bone to pick with this episode is why on earth did The Doctor kiss Martha? I mean, I know that he had to transfer some of his DNA onto her...but why did it have to be in a kiss? Why couldn't he just sneeze on her or something? Why shoe-horn in this unrequited romance crap that somewhat undermines Martha's cool factor?
- I love the way The Doctor has a sort of mourning session for his fried Sonic Screwdriver. This is a prime example of the type of humour that just makes David Tennant's skill sparkle. His comment about the leather drone and fetishes also got a rather shameful chuckle out of me.
- The Doctor plays dumb to get Mrs. Finnegan Grannyvamp to suck his blood. Somehow his clueless, bunion-afflicted dork is one of the most adorable characters ever...I'm still trying to figure out why.
- Once again the Companion has to save the day, although here at least it was with wits and common sense rather than gymnastics and sheer dumb luck (I still think the whole Rose affair could have been handled better).
- But honestly...I'm no doctor or medical professional, but I'm pretty sure that excessive blood loss can't be cured by CPR, even if you do have two hearts. That being said, the imagery of Martha giving her last gasp of oxygen to help The Doctor still manages to be a pretty strong and poignant one. Just judging by this I would say that Martha is shaping up to be a pretty awesome companion, despite her crush on our Time Lord.
This episode was great fun. It is definitely on my list of things that I will willingly watch more than once and somehow it is never boring. It was an excellent series opener and introduced us to a new companion in an interesting, non-cumbersome way and provided us with some extremely quotable moments. I give Smith & Jones an 4/5 and say that I'm probably going to go and watch it again.
What did you think?
Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?
**Spoilers** If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.
When last we left our two heroes (Sherlock and John) they were in a deadly stand-off with one Jim Moriarty that culminated in one of the worst series finale cliffhangers of all time. Speculation ran high as we waited for Series 2. Would Moriarty back down? Would Mycroft and Lestrade come barrelling in to the rescue? Would Sherlock shoot the Semtex vest and John catapult them both into the relative safety of the pool's waters? What would happen?
As it stands - I think that it was a genius move on the part of Moffat to resolve the conflict in such an anti-climatic and hilarious way. Nothing could ever quite live up to fan expectations and having the Bees Gees and a mysterious phone-call save our boys gave the episode plenty of time to catapult us into the new story; the story of The Woman.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- Irene Adler being updated into a Dominatrix isn't actually all that far away from the mark. The original Irene was an opera singer and, during the time period, being a woman and being a performer wasn't exactly held up in high esteem.
- I love the way they worked the iconic deerstalker into the show. I'd been wondering when it would come up...
- The Geek Interpreter, The Speckled Blond, The Adventure of the Navel Treaty, & Sherlock Holmes Baffled all made me grin like an idiot, as did the reference to the infamous tobacco ash analysis (though that could have been brought on by Sherlock in tartan plaid complete with goggles and a blowtorch!)
- Sherlock going to Buckingham buck naked (pun intended) save for a sheet...which he then nearly loses. Don't even try to pretend that that wasn't blatant fanservice!
- Sherlock and John giggling like naughty schoolboys and stealing ashtrays from the Palace. Tsk, tsk. I'm not sure who corrupted who...
- Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes are two extraordinary geniuses. One is the world's only Consulting Detective and the other practically runs the British Government (a Consulting Politician, if you will) and yet whenever they're in the room together they suddenly become a pair of squabbling toddlers. It's strange and oddly adorable.
- John's new profession is keeping peace between the Holmes brothers.
- I love the contrasts/comparisons made between Sherlock and Irene. The way they both look at pictures of each other and prepare for their meeting...although in completely different ways. Sherlock's method of preparation (and the help he asks John for) still cracks me up:
- Sherlock's first meeting with Irene (especially the bit where his mental keyboard has a little scramble) is simply brilliant. The conversation is multi-layered and I love the places where Sherlock is completely flummoxed by the intelligent and beautiful Irene.
- As always the cinematography of Sherlock is simply brilliant. I especially liked the scene with the magical appearing bed.
- Mycroft's expression at Irene's 'gift' to Sherlock is simply priceless. And Mrs. Hudson was right - that noise was rather rude...
- And I just grin like an idiot every time Mycroft tells Mrs. Hudson to shut up and Sherlock and John instantly jump all over him (metaphorically speaking). It really is quite the adorable family living there at 221B Baker Street, isn't it? This is why Sherlock is currently my favorite Sherlock Holmes adaptation...I love what they did with Mrs. Hudson!
- Also in that scene, Sherlock keeps shooting Mycroft smug looks during Mrs. Hudson's scolding as if to say "See? Mummy loves ME best!"
- I absolutely LOVE all of the violin bits in this episode. I play myself (and have for several years) and so I am just tickled pink every time that Sherlock picks up the instrument, whether it is to compose a dirge or to make sarcastic remarks at his brother.
- Poor Molly! Clearly she thought that this Christmas party would be the perfect time to come out with her feelings towards Sherlock. Look at her! She got all dressed up and she can scarcely take her eyes off of the back of his head.
- Conversely, poor Sherlock! It is evident that he is absolutely miserable at this party (which was clearly John's idea) and not just because he is a spiritual descendant of Ebeneezer Scrooge. He is terrible in social situations and, to a certain extent, he knows it. Usually he doesn't care because The Work doesn't exactly require you to be a peach, but here Sherlock is like the proverbial fish out of water. It just makes the whole scene uncomfortable.
- Everyone always focuses on Molly whenever she asks Mycroft awkwardly how Sherlock recognized Irene from '...not her face...' - but I am infinitely more caught by Mycroft's reaction. He sort of grimaces out a polite smile, but you can see that he's wondering the same thing himself. It is both humorous and touching because he really does care about his little brother and is worried about him.
- Why did Sherlock follow John to the power station? Simple answer - he clearly noticed that the car was not one of Mycroft's and so followed to make sure his blogger would be all right. Kinda makes you feel better about all of the insults he throws at John, doesn't it?
- Saving Mrs. Hudson. I actually cheered whenever he was picking out all of the vulnerable spots on that thug.
- He deserved it; Mrs. Hudson is awesome!
- Am I the only one who finds it hilarious that Irene slipped into the flat and decided to sleep in Sherlock's bed? She's totally vulnerable like that. It's not like she brought backup. She has literally put herself at the mercy of two men she barely personally knows. And yet she still does it without even batting an eyelid. It's not that she trusts him, it's just that she has him so well figured out that she knows he won't run to the police or his brother. By this point Irene Adler has Sherlock Holmes dancing on a string.
- There is a reason this script is so smart in the way it uses innuendo and double-talk. Take the fireside scene, as an example. Sherlock is sitting there plucking at the violin and Irene is watching him from John's chair. I do find it a bit bewildering that John went out and left Sherlock alone there with Irene...but maybe that's just another indication of how brilliant she is if she even fooled John Watson, watchdog extraordinaire.
- Anyway; Sherlock is sitting there puzzling out the Coventry Conundrum and starting to figure out how 007 ties into it all. Now take a look at Irene's face - she's becoming concerned (not panicking, because we never see Irene panic) and so she asks him if he's ever 'had' someone. That could seem like a non sequitur until you realize that Irene knows Sherlock is The Virgin...and that these sort of topics, particularly when up-close and personal, really throw him off. She completely derails his train of thought by inviting him to dinner. She is using that proposition as a tool to keep him in the dark. Just go and watch the scene again. She's playing him like that fiddle he's holding.
- Why is Mycroft so upset (moved to both drink and tears) at the news that Moriarty and therefore the terror cells know about FLight 007? Well it wasn't because of the wasted time and money. Mycroft has surely dealt with plenty of that in the past. No; this time it was because he - the inscrutable Mycroft Holmes - had been compromised. As Irene said "...unless you want to tell your masters that your biggest security link is your own little brother." Irene played with not one Holmes brother but with both - Sherlock being merely the means to an end. Mycroft is so shaken because he realizes that not only did Sherlock essentially commit treason by interpreting that code for Adler, but that he will no longer be able to protect his younger brother from the fallout of those actions due to the fact that he will be blamed for the leak.
- The final scene between Sherlock, Mycroft, and Irene is a thing of beauty to watch. So much is going on in this scene and the focus shifts from character to character so fast that you could watch it for years and still not pick up on all of the nuances. HUGE props should go to Steven Moffat and to the actors (Laura Pulver, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Gatiss) for making this scene into the epic piece of complex beauty that it is.
- Sherlock is manipulated into saving Irene...she really played her cards right.
In short, A Scandal in Belgravia is a fun, witty, romp. It was a wonderful, intense series-opener and so is a very hard act to follow. It is multi-layered and complex (more-so even than your 'average' Sherlock episode). I give this episode a 5/5. This was great television!
What did you think? Do you agree with my
rating? If not - what would you say differently?
**Spoilers** If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding. The Time of The Doctor is the conclusion of the 11th Doctor's arc where Steven Moffat not only actually managed to tie up a few loose plot threads but also made fans the worldwide suffer through a regeneration story for a Christmas Special. I know, I know - the first part of David Tennant's swan song also aired on December 25th...but we didn't actually have to watch the regeneration until New Year's. So completely different ball game. Moffat is a cruel, cruel man.
This episode was epic. A far cry from the soppy, illogical mess that was last year's The Snowmen, this episode saw all of the plot elements from Matt Smith's era as The Doctor being brought together and woven in with some new friends to create the so-long prophesied siege of Trenzalore where the question will be asked.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- Is it a tradition now for The Doctor to get in at least one, erm, clotheless scene during his run? 0.o Just...why?!
- All of the real light-hearted stuff in this episode happened in the opening 10 or so minutes. Generally with Moffat the witty quips and humorous snark is scattered throughout the writing - but here as the story went on the dark tone became more and more prevalent.
- Nothing was overlooked in the writing of this script. Not the Screwdriver's inability to do wood nor Matt Smith's rather famous lack of eyebrows (he claims they're just 'delicate'...). The necessity of a wig for our dear fellow in this episode was also worked into the story itself.
- There is a church where you have to take off your clothes to attend. I'm pretty certain that the only purpose this served within the episode was to give us a view of Smith's abs... *rolls eyes*
- The Weeping Angels are officially scary again! For everyone who complained about them moving in Flesh & Stone or about the Statue of Liberty plot hole in The Angels Take Manhattan fear not...in this episode The Doctor and Clara find themselves trapped in a valley with hundreds of Weeping Angels coming up from under the very snow beneath their feet!
- I was rather underwhelmed by Tasha...Mother Superior or Sister or Reverend or whatever her title was. Not only did we have little time to get to know her (and yet were expected to believe she had known The Doctor for centuries) but she was just bland. What about Madam Kovarian? Why couldn't she come back? Did she actually die in that parallel universe? I thought once time was set right everything snapped back. Guess not.
- Clara got sent back twice. TWICE! What was Rose complaining about again?
- While we're on the subject of Clara, I suppose we can see it as sort of symbolic that she spent most of her time in this episode clinging to the outside of the TARDIS or light years (and literal years) away from The Doctor as she is the character who still has no personality. Even Tasha the Bland had a character. Pretty much all we know about Clara is that she is feisty, is a teacher/governess, and is born to save The Doctor. None of the former have been expanded or built on enough to constitute an actual three-dimensional person and the latter hasn't really affected her in any way. Hopefully now with a new Doctor and a new character arc Clara will get the chance to be more than just The Impossible Girl responsible for the tension-breaking witty quips. C'mon, Moffat, you can do better than this!
- Steven Moffat made me cry over a decapitated Cyberman head. A Cyberman head! RIP, Handles.
- I feel like the way the Silence were suddenly on the side of The Doctor sort of smelled like a bit of Davies Forced Exposition. Which is strange, since Davies is no longer writing for this show...
- Would the Daleks please stop stating the obvious!?
- old!Eleven sort of looks like old!Bilbo from The Fellowship of the Ring. (Please tell me I'm not crazy...you all see this too, right?)
- On that note, Matt's age make-up looked incredible and his performance melded perfectly with it to convince us that The Doctor really was getting physically older.
- The Crack from Series 5 is back. I love the way all of these plot elements are coming together for one big finish to Matt's run.
- The scenes with Clara and 11 by the fireside was absolutely adorably heart-breaking. I love the way she rested her head against his knee and then helped his aged and weakened hand pull the cracker. For a moment I actually saw a person instead of a plot device. It was marvelous!
- MY THEORY ABOUT THE REGENERATIONS WAS RIGHT!!!! Sorry...ahem...what I meant to say was that it was brilliant of Moffat to make us think that he was going to do some sort of sneaky thing (like with the River-Regeneration-Thingy from Let's Kill Hitler!) when really he just went with the tried-and-true lore. We've already scene the council grant The Master a new cycle before and so that made it both more 'logical' (if you can ever apply such a term to this show) and believable (ditto) to old and new fans alike.
- I love the way that they used the Bookend trope. 11's first companion was Amy, and she came to say goodbye (Rory's wedding ring on hand...*sniff*). His trademark was the bowtie, he let it go gently. His first meal was fish-fingers and custard, and that was what he eats one last time before he regenerates.
- It was nice that Amy's message to her best friend was "Raggedy Man, good-night" as this regeneration is not a death but a new beginning. One of the things I hate the most about the RTD era of the show is the way he handled the whole regeneration story for poor Tennant. Was he bitter about leaving or something? I don't think so, based on the interviews I've seen, but if you were just watching the episode you would have thought that both actor and writer were being forced out at gunpoint. As 11 said in this episode...10 had vanity issues. He whinged and moaned through his swansong like a 10-year-old woobie and went to his death with no sense of dignity (unlike 9 who faced 'death' with a smile). Eleven, on the other hand, got a deep speech that is meaningful to all of us...a speech filled with contentment and acceptance. This is honestly one of my favorite regenerations of all time and definitely one of Matt's finest moments.
- And for everyone who has been moaning about Capaldi...
The Time of The Doctor was a great episode. It was fun and sad and dark and epic. It tied up loose plot-threads and introduced new ideas for the next series. It was everything that I wanted and more. There were some problems as such things are inevitable whenever you have to cram so much into a set running time, but for the most part the action and emotion sailed us on through the hiccups. I give this episode an 4/5 and say that I really want to go back and re-watch Matt's entire run now, just to get the complete picture. Geronimo!
What did you think? Do you agree with my
rating? If not - what would you say differently?
"What is it with you and book-to-movie adaptations? Why are you never satisfied? Why are you so inconsistent? What makes an alteration choice good and what makes it bad? Why do you accept The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with open arms and yet consider The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian to be both the worst adaptation ever done and what should have been the death of a franchise?" Well you see, there's the thing. When you are adapting a book (or any separate form of media, be it a legend or a stage play) into a film then there are always changes that have to be made. In books a lot of things are shown and told through inner monologue; we see the world through the eyes of one character and that colors our perception of the set universe. Many things are explained in thoughts and observations that, when you are then creating the script, you have to find a way to create the same effect through dialogue or visual work. It's not an easy job.
Because the two forms of media are so different, change is inevitable. Some things that work in a book just wouldn't work on screen) and, so in order to successfully adapt a beloved story for the big screen, you are going to have to make cuts.
The thing is - I've discovered that generally what upsets fans the most (myself included) is not the cuts made to their sacrosanct material. No, what really ticks us off is whenever the adapters add bits that were not even hinted at in the original canon. But that in and of itself is a rather funny thing in that sometimes certain alterations are more forgivable than others. Sometimes we go to see a film and come out ranting and raving about how it is the worst thing ever, but other times the film takes the original universe and story and expands upon it so well that we leave the cinema in a blissful daze, heading home and purchasing another set of tickets for another night. Why is this? Why is it that some changes enhance and others enrage?
I think that what it really all comes down to is how much respect the people creating the adaptation (and therefore the cuts/additions) have for the original material. Are they truly creating something that will delight fans and draw in new viewers...or are they just going wild with the scissors and 'creativity' in order to check all of the little trope boxes and hope that they will appeal to a certain preconceived and narrow demographic? That is the difference. Changes (cuts or additions) are acceptable and even welcome, so long as they preserve and enhance the original tone, atmosphere, and message of the canon.
To illustrate this, let us take a look at a famous movie trilogy...a trilogy some consider to be the greatest and most famous 'impossible' book-to-movie adaptation victory. Let's look at The Lord of the Rings.
For years this was considered to be the trilogy that couldn't be filmed...the epic that could NEVER be successfully brought to the
silver screen. There were a couple of vetoed ideas (as well as two interesting
animated features) but we all knew that there was no way Middle Earth could
ever be translated into a faithful, live-action film. No way, no how.
Then a man named Peter Jackson (I call him PJ) came along and teamed up with WETA and New Line Cinema. The rest, as they say, is history. But what made this adaptation such a success where others before it had failed so badly? Jackson certainly took liberties with the source material, so why is his version worlds better than the Ralph Bakshi animated feature that practically quotes scenes from the book word-by-word? Once again, it all comes down to atmosphere and tone. PJ looked at this monster book and took it apart piece by piece, line by line with great love and care. His adoration and appreciation of the masterpiece practically drips from every piece of dialogue and that care shines through each and every frame of the films. He loved it - and so each alteration was carefully weighed and considered against the backdrop of telling this great story to a new generation. And obviously it worked!
The first time I saw these films I barely even noticed the changes...and at the time I was a staunch book purist, so this is probably a bigger deal than you realize. Each and every alteration made to the script only served to make the story better; streamlined and yet still rich, foreboding and yet intriguing, mystical and yet accessible. It was the story I loved playing out before my eyes - but bigger and better than ever.
That is the key to successfully adapting a book into a movie: respect. Changes will always have to be made, that's just the way it works, but don't make a change unless it is absolutely necessary to smooth the transition. Don't cut unless the scene truly isn't vital or can be successfully shown in another way; don't add unless it is to expand the universe along the same vein as the author's apparent intent; and for the love of all our sanity don't mutilate the tale until the characters are unrecognizable, the message mixed and confusing, and the story entirely different, aside from the iconic names. Anything else is fair game - but preserve the dignity of what you're adapting. Approach it with respect, work on it with care, and then the finished product will be loved by old and new fans alike.
So I've been a bit behind on my reviews of this unparalleled show, due primarily to the fact that the episodes are so long and complex (no complaints!) But I just had to get on and talk about the big event that has been teased for years now: the return of Sherlock Holmes.
This week we had the chance to view the Christmas minisode Many Happy Returns. If you haven't seen it, make sure you head over to the BBC YouTube channel and do so as it is brilliant and will get you all psyched up and ready for January. I should also put out a **Spoilers** warning right here as the only way to really talk about Sherlock is to just spoil away. If you are still reading after this point then I am going to assume that you either have seen the minsode or you don't care about things being spoiled. So let's dive in!
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- Anderson is now a member of the Sherlock Holmes fanclub. For some reason that just cracks me up!
- John drinking and watching a video of Sherlock. I can feel the tears welling up already.
- The video is pretty funny, though.
- Sherlock was taking out Moriarty's web while he was away. It is also quite funny that Anderson is the only one to pick up on the pattern.
- Whatever happened to Sally Donovan?
- That piano music. Gah!
- "You can stop being dead for me." "Okay, fine. I'm ready now."
Curse you, Moffat!!!!!!!
In short - Sherlock is looking to be brilliant as always and I can't wait until The Empty Hearse airs in January. Until then - grab your deerstalkers, hide your guns, and #SherlockLives!
If you have not yet watched this film, please go and do so before proceeding.
Last night my father and I went out for dinner and a flick (we really need to do that more often) and the film that we chose to spend our hard-earned cash on was the next installment in the Middle-Earth saga. I had heard mixed reviews about this one. Some people said it was excellent and ten times better than the first while others said that it was like watching a long, tedious video game. Needless to say I went into this experience uncertain of what to expect, though I was very excited.
And it...it wasn't bad. Certainly not as good as The Lord of the Rings (Though, if I'm honest, I'm a bit tired of all the comparisons because it's not LotR, it's The Hobbit!) but definitely better both than the first.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- I really liked the way this movie began with going back in time and showing us the meeting between Thorin and Gandalf (taken straight out of Unfinished Tales) that started this whole venture. That was fascinating...and I laughed at PJ's cameo.
- Martin Freeman.
- The elven-caves of Mirkwood were fascinating. I always tried to picture them as a child when I was reading the book - but the image I came up with was cramped and musty and definitely NOT elven-like. So I liked the design in the film.
- Smaug was absolutely amazing. Ever since I was a child I have longed to see a version of Smaug the Stupendous on the big screen. I grew up with the old Rankin/Bass animated version where he was...well...just look at this picture:
- Yeah. Not exactly the diabolical stuff of nightmares that the book describes. But the Smaug from this movie? Even with the gratuitous changes from book-to-movie he was still everything that I wanted to see from this character. He was intelligent, cruel, and very powerful.
- Did they turn Mirkwood into some sort of acid trip?!
- There was too much CGI in this thing! Remember that opening scene that I so enjoyed? Well as I was watching it I noticed that the rooftops and roads are glowing. Not just wet and reflecting light - but actually luminous like the underbelly of a cuttlefish. And that was just the start of it. Thankfully things were a bit more tastefully done here than in the final act of An Unexpected Journey...but the fact still remains that there was WAY too much reliance on CGI.
- Too much Tauriel and Legolas action. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the character of Tauriel a lot and felt that she really meshed nicely into the Tolkien Universe as presented by PJ. But we didn't need that whole fight scene in Esgaroth. Not only was it not in the book, but it added virtually nothing beyond a bit of cheap action that broke up the psychological tension of the confrontation between Smaug and Bilbo.
- The whole 'Kill Smaug Sequence'. Filled as it was with improbable stunts and extremely-obvious CGI, this sequence did little more than create a forced climax. And it wasn't what I wanted to see. I wanted to see the confrontation between Bilbo and Smaug that highlighted both of their minds and strengths. That confrontation was funny and scary and it showed off Tolkien's grasp of human nature in the way the Dwarves sent poor little Bilbo down to do their dirty work. I like those dwarves better than this noble, squeaky-clean lot. Their greed and manipulative ways made them flawed which means they were more interesting and real. Not to mention the fact that this whole 'rescue Bilbo and kill Smaug' twaddle almost completely ruins Bilbo's big scene. This could have been something memorable and amazing, along the lines of the Riddles in the Dark sequence from the last film.
- Why did they split the dwarven company split up? I just don't get it. It was dumb and probably utterly pointless. We'll see whenever the next movie comes out.
- The romance between Tauriel and Kili feels forced. It isn't sweet or cute or meaningful. We already have seen an elf and a dwarf learn to get along with Legolas and Gimli. We don't need this. Next thing you're going to be telling me is that the reason Legolas hates dwarves is because they stole his crush away from him!
- I enjoyed the barrel-ride sequence quite a bit though I am annoyed that they changed some of Bilbo's lines. He was so funny in the book! The dwarves fuss at his plan to stuff them into the barrels and how does he respond? "Very well. Come on back to your nice cells and I'll lock you all in again and you can sit there very comfortably and think of a better plan. Though I don't suppose I shall EVER get hold of the keys again...even if I feel inclined to try." That's hilarious and is the exact sort of deadpan snark that Martin Freeman is so good at delivering.
- I was WAITING to see this costume!
- Probably my biggest hang-up with this film was the excessive deviance from the book. Now I understand that in a book-to-movie adaptation there has to be changes made. It's a medium transfer and nothing can ever be perfectly adapted. That being said - THE CHANGES HAVE TO MAKE SENSE!!! It doesn't make sense to have Tauriel there just for a bit of girl power and a romance with Kili. It is stupid to have the dwarves split up and leaves some behind in Lake Town. It is ridiculous to have Thranduil undulating his neck like a drunk serpent and offering Thorin his aid. And it is absolutely unnecessary to have the dwarves meet up with Smaug. The scenes worked perfectly well in the book the way they were. They've even been transferred into a film with perfect ease. The animated special wasn't perfect...but I think you'll find that the scenes I mentioned above were the best parts. Everyone LOVED the Riddles in the Dark sequence from the first film. Why? Because the dialogue was lifted practically word-for-word from the book, that's why. And because the focus was kept on Bilbo rather than on some faux-romance between an OFC and a delirious dwarf. I don't mind changes. What I mind is when they fix things that weren't even broken.
- That cliffhanger was pretty daring and awesome, though...
So that's all I have to say on the film at this point.The pacing was better, the scenery and sets...when they were real...were gorgeous, and the actors all did a superb job. Though I moan and complain about all of the unnecessary changes, they at least managed to preserve the magic and feel of the original novel through it all. I give The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug a 3/5 and say that I can't wait for There And Back Again.
What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?
**Spoilers** If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding. Doctor Who is the longest-running sci-fi show in all of television history. It's unique design and set-up make it perfectly suited to running as long as people are willing to keep making it. For many it is a lifestyle - dictating favourite quotes, teaching morals, and reminding us of history and literature. This year on November 23rd this extraordinary show celebrated its 50th birthday with a special episode created just for the momentous occasion. I watched it and it is only now that I find myself able to quite put my thoughts to paper.
So was this episode everything that it was built up to be? No - of course not! Nothing ever can live up to the hype and expectations. That's just humanly impossible. Did it do its job of celebrating the anniversary of a cultural phenomena that has lasted half a century? You bet it did!
I love that we actually got to see the 10/Elizabeth I wedding that has been alluded to so many times over the years (even if I did think that the resolution of her arc was a bit rushed) and I was so, so excited to see the pictures of Susan Foreman, not to mention the fact that Clara was teaching at her former school. I squealed like a little girl whenever the titles started up (and whenever 10 put on the fez) and had a soppy grin on my face the whole way through.
What I liked:
- Rose Tyler (or rather: Bad Wolf) was AMAZING! Whenever I first heard that Rose was coming back for the 50th I groaned and instantly ranted to my brother about how annoying this was going to be. I am not a Rose Tyler fan. I don't passionately hate her but I just find her whole character arc to be handled very poorly. But here - I love that they explained a bit more about Bad Wolf (because I always wondered what that was and where it came from) and that she was quite likable. There was a certain Idris madness about her. but also you could see all of Rose's good qualities (like the friendly smiles and passionate good intentions). If this Rose Tyler had appeared in her original series I think I might love her. As it is, Bad Wolf/The Moment didn't convince me to love Rose...but did I ever enjoy watching her here!
- 10 & 11 arguing with the War Doctor. I could just watch these guys bicker all day, really I could. I also loved the little clip we got of Capaldi as the 13th Doctor and I fangirled so hard whenever all 13 of the Doctors appeared on screen with their 13 TARDIS'.
- Gallifrey is back! Much as I enjoyed The Doctor's arc before, I can't wait to see how this new story will unfold.
- Daleks were not overused, Zygons looked great, the Time Lord Council's costumes are as stupid-looking as ever (and I've seen The Master from the television movie!).
- 10 in a fez.
- TOM BAKER SHOWED UP AT THE END!!!!
What I didn't like: - It was over too soon. Now I know that sounds rather corny and typical, but I feel like there were some elements that could have benefited from a slightly longer running time. The Queen Elizabeth plot, for instance, was resolved far too easily and too reminiscent of Davies Forced Exposition. But overall they did a wonderful job with the time they had. - None of the Classic doctors (aside from Tom Baker) appeared in anything but stock footage. This was supposed to be a 50th-Anniversary, not the anniversary for the revived series.
- Christopher Eccleston was not in the episode. Don't get me wrong - I respect the man for having a stance on something and refusing to compromise what he believed to be a right decision. That being said...couldn't we at least have had a regeneration scene?
And that is all I have to say about The Day of The Doctor. It was a great experience, a roller-coaster ride of emotions, and an episode that I know I will watch over and over again. It was funny, touching, sad, and hopeful and it did its job of celebrating the 50th Anniversary of a wonderful show about as close to perfectly as we could hope for. Bravo, Steven Moffat! I give it a 4/5.
What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?
13: Anne Shirley & Diana Barry- Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea
I know that these two did feature in more books, but these were the ones that I read as a spry young thing. I did not discover the rest of the Anne books until I was a bit older so they don't count. That being said - how could I not include 'bosom friends' Anne and Diana on this list? These two went though a lot together, not the least being adolesence, and came out on the other side stronger for it. Anne is the dreamer - always escaping into her fairytale daydreams while Diana is the more practical of the two and is constantly bemused by her friend's supposings even while she is supportive and kind.
12: Wilbur & Charlotte - Charlotte's Web
This film can and still does make me tear up to this day - and this is honestly the first book I can remember reading that had a bittersweet ending and for that I will always hold a special place in my heart for the unlikely duo of a spider and a pig. There is just something magical about the way the two of them bond and work out their problems together. You can practically smell the barnyard while you are reading and, far from being repulsed by it, I just can't get enough. I love watching the way Charlotte cares for Wilbur, the naive spring pig, as he first has to deal with the news that he is to be butchered and then with the knowledge that Fern (his beloved caretaker) is growing up and starting to be interested in something other than her childhood fantasies. Those are some deep messages to deal with and this book does it beautifully by neither confusing nor talking down to its audience. Even the ending is rather sad with Charlotte giving the last few days of her life to ensure Wilbur's survival and then Wilbur steadfastly guarding Charlotte's eggs in return. Theirs is truly an epic, if unusual friendship.
11: Jesse Aarons & Leslie Burke - Bridge to Terabitha
When I first sat down to read this book I had been forewarned that it had a rather sad ending. Heh - 'sad' they say...'sad' doesn't even cut it! This is one of those stories that as soon as you've finished it you have to go back and read the beginning two chapters again. Not because it's necessarily so gripping either in terms of plot or universe but because if you walk away without doing so you will spend the rest of your day depressed. The whole reason that the plot climax is so devastating is the way that the friendship between Jesse and Leslie is built up over the course of the story. They're just two best friends having the time of their lives in a little fantasy world where they can be anyone and anything they want. They are best friends who are just trying to cope with life and so they become each other's worlds for the whirlwind summer/fall that they play together. So whenever one of them is snatched away by a freak accident, the other (and the audience) is left struggling to deal with being left behind and alone. It is traumatising because they were so happy before and because they felt like real people with a real relationship. This book is surprisingly mature with some of its themes and the friendship between Jesse and Leslie was certainly one that stuck with me as I grew up.
10: Black Beauty & Ginger - Black Beauty
This is such a depressing book and yet it is probably the one that I read the most between the ages of 10 and 12. It's a classic. Black Beauty and Ginger more than earn their place on this list despite the fact that for most of the book they're not even together. The story is written entirely from the horse's point of view, which makes for some interesting moments, and it is great fun to hear them tell their different stories of different masters and jobs to each other. What makes Black Beauty and Ginger stand out, though, is that Ginger is a horse as snappish as her name, due to some terrible masters, yet she decides to open up to Black Beauty and share her story. After that the two horses become good friends (pulling a carriage together, despite not being 'matched') and continue to think of and worry about each other for the rest of their lives. Black Beauty is present at Ginger's death and mourns her and Ginger, even while rebelling against some of their harsher masters, always has an eye out for Black Beauty. They truly look out for each other to the best of their abilities.
9: Mole, Rat, Badger, & Toad- The Wind In The Willows, The Willows in the Winter
Not the most inspired of character names, perhaps, but given that this book has little to no plot until nearly the third quarter we had better hope that the characters are better developed. Thankfully Kenneth Graham delivers beautifully with some of my personal best-loved characters and interplay. The conversations between all of these personages is so compelling and enjoyable to watch that you forget the fact that what you are reading is essentially a collection of moments without any real plot driving it. If anything the book is a collection of conflicts that don't really intersect, save for the fact that they are happening to any number of these four friends. But it is their characters and their loyalty to each other that makes these four friends so compelling.
8: Jo March & Laurie Lawrence - Little Women, Little Men
Now this is a friendship that managed to weather the stormy waters of 'oh dear - he proposed to me but I don't really love him like that, he's just a friend' issues. That has to count for something, right? Jo and Laurie are neighbors and best friends, though from Laurie there has always been a bit of a crush to his relationship. Jo considers Laurie to be 'her boy' and insists on alternately mothering and swatting the fellow in the absence of his actual mother. She stands up to his sometimes out-of-touch grandfather for him whenever things spiral out of control and is always supportive of his struggles to get through college. Laurie is very loving and respectful towards Jo and her three sisters, treating them like ladies and never failing to do a favour for them. He cares for their mother and father and tries to help the family in any way he can that wouldn't be condescending. After having his affections rebuffed by Jo, Laurie heads to Europe where he is eventually brought back to his senses by Jo's youngest sister, Amy, who he eventually marries before returning home to man up and admit to Jo that she is right. Even after they are both happily married (Laurie to Amy and Jo to a German professor) the two friends remain supportive of each other and Laurie sends his children to Jo's school. We are led to believe that they remain friends for the rest of their lives.
7: Mary, Dickon, & Colin - The Secret Garden
This is also a book that I read over and over as a young person and I still make a point of getting out my beloved audio drama and illustrated edition every spring for a re-read through. It is just wonderful to read about the transformation of Mary, Colin, and the titular garden, and the book evokes a sense of wonder and magic about the everyday things of life such as flowers or soil. Themes of friendship and family are prevalent throughout the text, made all the more obvious by the fact that the families of Mary and Colin are so frightfully dysfunctional. Mary's parents didn't care squat about her and then died in a cholera plague, leaving her to be sent off to an unknown uncle in England. Colin's mother died when he was born and his father (Mary's uncle) went off on a ten-year-long sulk, leaving his infant son in the hands of impatient servants. Both children are extremely spoiled and so both are extremely good for each other as their fights help to teach them both that neither 'own the entire orange'. Dickon, on the other hand, is the younger brother of Mary's sort-of maid, Martha Sowerby, and is an animal whisperer who loves nature and growing things. He introduces the two other children to the outdoors and basically gives them a perspective on life that comes from outside their brocade tapestries and china teacups. They all make each other better, because ultimately that is what friendship should be all about.
6: Don Quixote & Sancho Panza - The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha
Okay - so maybe I'm cheating a little bit with this one because, while I did start the story while I was 15 I didn't really finish it properly until age 17 (other projects kept getting in the way) but I still consider it fair game because I was introduced to this friendship before my cutoff age and I still consider it to be one of the greats. Don Quixote is a man who has become so immersed into his novels that he goes quite mad and can no longer separate fiction from reality. He goes off on a noble quest, self-styling himself as a knight, and vows to slay dragons and rescue fair maidens and engage in other feats of valor and chivalry. Sancho is the poor guy who gets conscripted to be this madman's squire. He is responsible for making Don eat and sleep and not make a total raving fool out of himself (not to mention putting up with all of the madness on a daily business). They stick together by necessity and because, over time, they do come to appreciate each other for what they truly are. Sancho is there whenever Don regains his mind at the end of his life.
5: Jill Pole & Eustace Scrubb - The Silver Chair, The Last Battle
Oh Narnia, what fond memories you call up! The sometimes antagonistic relationship between Jill and Eustace, classmates and ex-enemies, is a staple of the stories where these two children find themselves in a more perilous Narnia from the one Eustace remembers. They both save each other's lives more times than I can count and are both supportive and helpful towards the other. Sure they have their fights, but that just makes them real people experiencing a real relationship. Besides; those times of arguing only make it all the sweeter whenever they come out the other side stronger for it. Along with their companion, Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, Jill and Eustace set out on a quest to rescue the lost prince of Narnia Rilian. In The Last Battle, they will then aid Rilian's descendant, Tirian, in one last fight for the land of Narnia.
4: Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
I can remember the very first Sherlock Holmes mystery I ever read. It was The Speckled Band and it was in one of my school readers for English. I must have read that thing a million times - drawn in not only by the extremely intense mystery but also by the friendship between Holmes and Watson. At this point I was still very young and hadn't read much beyond Narnia or Redwall, so I had never encountered any characters like these before...and I LOVED them! Something about their partnership just drew me in and, to this day, I still enjoy reading about them and watching movies to feature them.
3: Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn
These two bad boys are an interesting pair of friends as Tom is all about the romantic adventure of life and Huck is a bit more cynical when it comes to his outlook on life. But that makes perfect sense because their lives are so, so different. Tom is a mischievous school boy who is raised by his stern, prissy aunt and who harbors a crush on a fellow student named Becky. Huck, on the other hand, lives life on the streets whenever he isn't dodging his drunken and abusive father. Yet despite it all these two boys become rather good friends, culminating in Tom's helping Huck with smuggling an escapee slave to freedom and getting shot in the process.
2: Christopher Robin & Pooh Bear - The Many Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh
For many of us this was the first literary friendship that we encountered, whether it was through the Disney movie or the original A.A. Milne books. These stories about a young boy and his beloved stuffed companion are so heartwarming (and I use that term reluctantly, given how overused it is) that it is easy to see why they have become such classics. In fact - do I even have to explain what makes this one so great? It explores the implications of childhood and growing out of your daydreams and stuffed animals. That's all you need to know. Now go read the books.
1: Frodo Baggins & Samwise Gamgee - The Lord of the Rings
Did you really expect me to put anyone else at the top of my list? Ever since I first read these books (which was about age thirteen...so it's been a while) these two have become the friendship that I go to whenever I'm feeling a bit down and disgusted with the world at large - which happens more often then you might realize. I either pull out my tattered, much-read copy of the books and flip to my favorite chapters or I find an excuse to watch the movies back-to-back and let the amazing characters therein drag me into their world where the dragons can be slayed and the darkness is not forever. These two friends went to Hell and back and actually carried each other up a flaming volcano, knowing that once their task was completed they would be doomed to starvation and burning alive. I don't know what else to say about them.
**Spoilers** If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.
I don't understand why people hate the made-for-tv movie so much, really I don't. Sure it's nothing particularly splendid and can be at times both un-meaningly campy and unbearably dramatic...but, c'mon! Aren't there plenty of episodes that suffered from far worse in terms of premise and storytelling? Personally I think that anyone who skips the movie really misses out on something special - and that something special is Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.
It was so exciting to see his Doctor on the screen again, especially with better effects and writing than what he had to contend with in the film. This minisode is so, so important because it gives us the Eight - Nine regeneration that we had been missing (and more or less confirming the rumors that Eccleston is, in fact, the Tenth Doctor) but it also gave McGann his first on-screen appearance as The Doctor since the 1990's! It was great to see Doctor Eight again, wonderful to see that mysterious regeneration and the return of the cult from The Brain of Morbius, and I can't wait for the 23rd to come! Where's Jack Harkness and his Vortex Manipulator when you need him...?
If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding. This episode
starts out the same way as Rose and The Christmas Invasion with a
camera zoom-in from outer space to a specific point on Earth – in this case,
the wedding of Donna Noble. We see her walking down the aisle, escorted by her
father and exchanging excited smiles with her groom. But the magic of the day quickly
takes on a new meaning when a cloud of frankly beautiful golden sparkles
gathers around the beaming bride and whisks her away, leaving all of the guests
and family looking on in shock.
I am a big fan of
the scene where Donna appears in The Doctor’s TARDIS – though I do wish that it
had been left off of the end of Doomsday – and I find that the dynamic
between Tennant and Tate works beautifully on the screen. It's just so funny that The Doctor is so bewildered and so shocked out of his slump and I always take quite a bit of pleasure in hearing Donna take him to task for "How many women have you abducted?" In this episode we
are also introduced to Sylvia, Donna’s mother, who is quite rude and abrasive. She is constantly haranguing those about
her, finding faults with all and sundry, and is just a very unpleasant person
to be around even whenever she is trying to be nice. When you look at a woman like
Sylvia (and listen to her) it is quite obvious where Donna’s loud, rather
abrasive personality comes from. If you had to live with Sylvia Noble you would
develop a brash attitude because you would never get a word in edgewise if you
didn’t. Same with the rather thick shallowness that Donna exhibits, despite
the fact that there are clues telling us she’s really smarter than she acts.
She has lived her entire life being told that she’s not quite making the cut
(thanks to her mother) and you get the impression that she’s used to being
either ignored or used by the men she dates. No wonder she has so many rough
edges! It’s a coping mechanism created by years in the school of hard knocks. Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts: - The Doctor agrees to take Donna back to the church (she gives him very specific directions - going so far as to include 'The Solar System') but instead the queasy TARDIS drops them off several districts away from Chiswick. In the dash to catch a cab (a sequence that contains some of the most hilarious dialogue I have ever seen outside of a Moffat minisode) Donna ends up in a cab driven by one of the robosantas from The Christmas Invasion and The Doctor notices too late to do anything. - In his defence, though, he was rather busy robbing a bank. - What then ensues is something you don't see on Doctor Who everyday: a car chase involving a cab and the TARDIS on one of the major motorway's. The comedic and dramatic timing is perfect here. The effects look great and the music raises the sense of humour and tension perfectly. This is easily one of my favourite Doctor Who scenes because it is both unique and beautifully executed. It is corny, yes, but the way they handle it is so obviously tongue-in-cheek that it makes the chase fun to watch rather than groan-inducing. - It is also rather funny to see the TARDIS throw a tantrum and take The Doctor to task for the rather reckless and inconsiderate way he way driving her down the motorway. She lands on the roof of a hospital and all but throws her two passengers out of her smoking door. Even The Doctor says that he needs to give her some time alone to recover. - Poor TARDIS...first she was feeling queasy and then she is sent racing down a high-traffic road to rescue a runaway bride, bobbing and weaving among the vehicles as her Time Lord manically drives her with his screwdriver and a piece of string. No wonder she needed to vent her feelings! - I'll be the first to admit that this earlier incarnation of Donna could be both brash and grating, not to mention a bit stupid, but in a way that only makes me like her all the more because it means that she had one amazing character arc. And this rooftop conversation with The Doctor is where we get our first glimpse of the quieter, more human side of Donna. There are two ways you can look at the way she describes her relationship with Lance. One school of thought says that the fact that she basically bullied Lance into marrying her sets feminism back a few decades and turns Donna into a shrew. The other side of the argument (and the one that I, as a woman myself, subscribe to) points out the fact that the whole conversation is played for a bit of dramatic irony exposition and perfectly fits with Donna's overall persona. Think about it. She's a woman who is fast approaching middle age and who has probably watched all of her friends get married and start a family. Her mother is constantly nagging her and from what we've seen we can probably deduce that Sylvia compares Donna negatively to those friends. And Donna herself would be very aware that her biological clock is ticking while life leaves her behind. So of course whenever a handsome, charming coworker seems to take interest in her Donna would jump at the chance because she sees it as an escape from her meaningless existence - a ticket out of her lonely life. While it is played for laughs, this sequence is not so much a slam against Donna and women in general as it is an insightful look into one lonely woman's psyche. - Her loneliness is starkly shown to us whenever, as she finally arrives at her own wedding reception, she finds that not only have her family and friends gone on with the festivities without her (simply because they had already paid for them) but her beloved beau and the man of her dreams is dancing happily with her rival. That scene just kicks me in the gut every time. It is akin to the moment from Aliens of London whenever Rose realizes that she has been gone for twelve months rather than twelve years and we see what that time has done to poor Jackie. It hurts! - In fact this entire portion of the episode is just one big long feels fest. There is the sickening feeling whenever you see what Donna's wedding party did to her, then there is amusement whenever she gets back at them by faking tears (clearly shown whenever she winks at The Doctor...who looks rather like he wants to laugh), and then there is the beautifully thought-out and realized scene where all of the guests are joyously dancing and The Doctor is remembering Rose as all the while a song about a lonesome, traveling man with no home plays in the background. - Eek! I'm no Rose Tyler fan but that one hit me right in the heart. I hate to think what it's like for those fans who love her... - Up to this point the episode is a very enjoyable, well-grounded story that - while it doesn't quite live up to the scale of The Christmas Invasion still manages to hold its own by creating a new feel and atmosphere that is unique to itself...but then the creature responsible for all of these strange happenings rears her ugly head and much of the good of the story is sucked right down the drain. Between her over emotive voice work and the stupid reveal of Lance's real loyalties - I would have quickly lost interest in the entire thing were it not for the interactions between Donna and The Doctor. It reminds me of Boom Town which was the Eccleston episode that had a wonderful premise that seemed like it was going to delve into The Doctor's moral psyche a bit and really ask some tough questions...but so quickly did a lame about-face in the last twenty minutes that all sense of dignity was leached away. That is what happens here as soon as the Empress Racnoss opens her hissing, scenery-chewing mouth. In fact, she is the only thing I don't like about this episode. Unfortunately she plays a rather large part so she is inescapable.
- It is right about this point (the reveal of the Racnoss and Lance) that the episode begins to break apart. Words fail me to describe how stupid the whole plot of the Racnoss ship being the center of the Earth, let alone the extreme coincidence of Torchwood just happening to construct a drill to reach down to it, is. - I think it would have been a bit more bearable, though, without the hammy scenery chewing of the Empress. Granted it can't be easy to act in all those (admittedly excellent) prosthetic and false teeth - but I still feel that she could have benefited from a bit of subtlety. Her screeches and hissings are more reminiscent of the Smeagol-Gollum arguments from The Two Towers than of anything truly threatening. She doesn't even have the creep appeal of Gollum working in her favor. It's just a bad situation all around. - I am a fan, however, of the way things quickly shift from a comedic mood to surprisingly dark and disturbing once The Doctor breaks the Thames loose. It is emotional whiplash but, for the purposes of this part in his timeline, it works. As Donna says, he needs someone to stop him. - Even the increasingly grating screams of "My Chiiillldreeeeennnn!" from the Empress only serves to heighten the chaotic horror of this scene. The Doctor has reverted back to the way Nine was whenever we first met him. He is dark and vengeful and full of cold wrath. It is in scenes like this that we see a glimpse of what he must have been like during the Time War. Thank God Donna was there to shake him out of it before he went too far.
So how is The Runaway Bride overall? Well - for about the first half it is a very solid episode; very different in tone from The Christmas Invasion, but that can only be a good thing because it is nigh impossible to duplicate a win like that. But then the Racnoss show up and ruin much of the ride. Still there is a lot to like about this episode between the character interactions and some of the more impressive practical effects - so these good points will help carry you through the bad. I give this episode a 3/5 because the story is solid (if a bit lame in places) and the characters are a joy to watch! What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not -
what would you say differently?
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- My one major bone to pick with this episode is why on earth did The Doctor kiss Martha? I mean, I know that he had to transfer some of his DNA onto her...but why did it have to be in a kiss? Why couldn't he just sneeze on her or something? Why shoe-horn in this unrequited romance crap that somewhat undermines Martha's cool factor?.jpg)
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- But honestly...I'm no doctor or medical professional, but I'm pretty sure that excessive blood loss can't be cured by CPR, even if you do have two hearts. That being said, the imagery of Martha giving her last gasp of oxygen to help The Doctor still manages to be a pretty strong and poignant one. Just judging by this I would say that Martha is shaping up to be a pretty awesome companion, despite her crush on our Time Lord.
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