The Fires of Pompeii

This episode was another cracking Episode. Which Siries 4 has some very good ones, I enjoyed this one but never loved it. I think the atmosphere rising before the Credits rolled at the start was fantastic and really gave the episode an intense and exciting start. Peter Capaldi is fantastically delightful as he always is. The Doctor wasn't as good here, Donna and David's chemistry is still on point but it doesn't seem as strong here as the first Episode. The Doctor seems to not want to save the others, but luckily Donna's there to tell him it's okay, and the laws of Physics can brake for the better. The Villain is also fairly weak, but the intense and action-packed thrill ride makes this a decent time-8/10.

A great one-off. This episode is great fun to watch. Not only is there a "baffling" mystery to be solved, but there's amazing tension because a huge argument is brewing between the doctor and Donna about whether they should leave Pompeii or not. Each of them is convinced they're doing the right thing.

That alone would make this a stand-out episode, but there are also some of the best special effects yet seen on the show.

Aswella as a few more tantalising hints about what might be coming later in the series.....

overall Grade A for this episode.

Now we're getting somewhere! The last episode lacked plot, and this one got back into the swing of things. When the Doctor and Donna go to Pompeii you know things won't end well. And of course they don't. There are aliens and of course the famous Valcano! Unlike last weeks adipose these aliens were frightening! And this week brought the question question of write and wrong in to the picture. Something that has happened many times in Doctor Who (Father's day, Waters of Mars, etc.) Should they shouldn't they save any of the inhabitants of Pompeii? Well, I won't spoil the ending. But to make a long story short this episode doesn't disappoint! It brings back everything we want in Who. Scary monsters, interesting plot, and the spectacular tenth doctor!

Following the trend of the "new" series, the second episode of the season takes a trip into history. In "The Fires of Pompeii", The Doctor and Donna explore ancient Rome.

This is big-scale "Doctor Who" with the production moved to Italy for realistic studio work. Accompanied by sumptuous CGI, this is a vision for sore eyes.

The script is sharp and Catherine Tate continues to prove a major strength. Never have I been so wrong about a companion...I hang my head in shame. Not only does Tate deliver lines brilliantly, her ability to carry the drama of this episode tugged at my heart strings.

10 out of 10. I laughed, I cried...I simply cannot wait for next week's Ood-tastic tale.

This episode is an interesting mix of comedy and deeper, darker drama. The comedy works well as you might expect with comedy star Catherine Tate as Donna but Tate's brilliance in the hugely emotional scenes and the dramatic challenging of the Doctor's code of conduct was a wonderful surprise. It turned out that Donna would be equally great in all the forthcoming episodes both in the humour and in the serious dramatic scenes.

Future Doctor Peter Capaldi appears in a nice support role which is later used in a strange but interesting flashback in The Girl Who Died when Capaldi as the 12th Doctor realises he has the same face as this person he met before and feels it was to remind him of his vocation to save people. Future companion (and now Hollywood star) Karen Gillan also appears in an early cameo. The dialogue, story, setting and action is all really good and David Tennant matches Tate with another great performance.

The involvement of the Doctor and an alien threat in the volcanic eruption that destroys Pompeii is a great scenario and this episode works really well. There are good effects, good action scenes, strong dialogue and superb emotional drama. The story is a modern spin on what could easily have been a classic era adventure, it is classic Doctor Who.

9/10.