First of all, apologies for the rather lateness of this review. I had actual proper work (essays for Uni but don't let me bog you down with the personal details of my life) to do and have now just got the chance to composing my thoughts on the latest DOCTOR WHO episode, THE UNICORN AND THE WASP. Of course, maybe you don't care less and come here to look at pix of famous people looking like sh*t!


Second of all, it's so good to get a fresh and fun story like this one. I think every series should have one. Nice and light, and gives the actors something good to play with. CATHY T, obviously, got all the best lines: her line, quoted in this post's title, was exquisitely delivered; "Flapper or slapper" - most unexpected but hoot~worthy; her 'posh' voice (recalling Rose doing a 'Scots' accent in 'Tooth & Claw') ; the use of the phrase "Butle off" which, fact fans, was a gag also performed by INDIANA JONES in The Last Crusade, whilst he was doing his Scots accent (the inter~connectivity of all things, man); and, finally, "Scotland Yard. Pip pip" made me gargle with delight.


But DAVEY T also shows his comic skills with great applomb. Though the 'poisoning' scene went on, perhaps, just a tad too long. Continuing in this vein, the cast were excellent. Or should I say, top hole? No, I shouldn't. FENELLA WOOLGAR, in particular, was tremendous as AGATHA CHRISTIE. She's got an odd, yet trouser~tighteningly alluring, look about her and she played the author with great sensitivity. Her dusting down of the Doctor, specifically, was well played, "How like a man to have fun when there's disaster all around him".


TOM GOODMAN~HILL was spot on as The Vicar (though how he managed to get himself into that Wasp costume I'll never know...) as was WHO stalwart, CHRISTOPHER BENJAMIN. Though, to be honest, his part was slightly redundant. A joy to watch nonetheless. FELICITY KENDALL was a darling and her 'burp' scene was most naughty. Nice to think of her as a bit of an old drunk slutbag. Well, she was all in favour of inter~species sex! Oddly, a number of people have been directed to this site looking for nude pictures of her (thank you Blog~Tracker). Some people...


Obviously this episode was filled with Christie references (too many?) but there were a number of nods to other shows (as well as WHO). Right from the get~go we were presented with the theme tune from THE BEIDERBECKE AFFAIR (and subsequent sequels). Well, it made me smile. Lurve that show. CLUEDO and BRIDESHEAD REVISITED were invoked a number of times too. As for DW itself, we got a smirksome citation of THE UNQUIET DEAD, a visual nod to THE SHAKESPEARE CODE - written by the author of this story, GARETH ROBERTS - and the CYBERMEN. Unsurprisingly, we also got another reference to the Bees...


We got a reprise of CATHY T's high~pitched, shocked "Oh!" first heard in DOOMSDAY all those years ago (well, two). TIME CRASH was even referenced (ever so slightly) in The Doctor's own flashback to an unseen adventure with an "insane computer" in BELGIUM (he also had arrows just like in BLINK). The flashbacks, including swirling, dreamy graphics, were a welcome addition. And I lurved the Colonel's flashback within a flashback that The Doctor had to take him out of.


Along with those nostalgic touches we were also presented with spinning newspaper headlines, brilliant. The CG work was pretty impressive (lurvely shot of Delhi) and the Wasp, a flippin' giant one remember, was particularly well realised. Especially during the night scenes. GRAEME HARPER choose some wise decisions when it came to the creature with some great shaky camera work as it whizzed by - he couldn't keep up with it! But, the director shows us here that's he's not just about the big, action~packed, dramatic moments in WHO. He can do it all.


There were some negatives though. The aforementioned poisoning scene was a bit much though I did lurve the music in that scene. Real good. The tone of the episode takes a turn after the son is killed and then we get an overly long 'revelation' scene (great finger~pointing though from DAVEY T). That change of pace was slightly jarring. The denouement had the unnecessary near death of AGGY C due to a connection of the 'mind'. Connection of the MacGuffin more like! If that was the case, it should really have been LADY EDDISON that suffered. The necklace was around her neck for a lot longer than AC had it (despite her 'great' mind).


The praise heaped on the author is all very well but it didn't sit right with me. She may well be the biggest selling author ever (and apparently will be in the future) but even the Doc admitted to being fooled only once by her work. Still, these points aside, it was a great episode and a welcome diversion 'cos it looks like we're through the looking glass for the rest of the series. Now, when are we gonna get to see PLANET ZOG?


'Til the next time,
C.

PS. There was also a cameo from DAVEY T's dad, he was in the lawn scene as one of the butlers.