The Lodger

[poliphilo]

No, not the Hitchcock movie of the same name but the latest episode of Dr Who.

This is the second episode in a row where the SF seemed like an afterthought.  I'm not complaining, but wouldn't it be great if they took their courage in both hands and forgot about shoehorning the monsters in and gave as an episode that was all about the characters and nothing else? It's the biggest show on British telly. They've got the audience eating out of their hands. They could risk it.

This was basically a story about the doctor trying to pass himself off as an ordinary 21st century geezer. It played to Matt Smith's strengths- and he was delightfully charming and funny. He was partnered with James Corden- the fat lad off Gavin and Stacey. Corden got into a real life spat with Patrick Stewart the other day and showed himself up as a charmless bully- so I'm against him. He was OK here- playing the lovelorn couch potato- but great comedians have mobile faces and his is inexpressively lardy. They also have soulful eyes and his are small. Besides if he's so funny, how come Smith got all the laughs?

The SF had to do with a mysterious person in an upstairs flat who lured people in off the street and destroyed them. Isn't it curious how much more sinister the creature seemed when it morphed into a little girl?

Comments

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

With pigtails, yet! Clearly prehensile alien tentacles in disguise.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Pigtails are particularly scary. Old-fashioned little girls are so much scarier than new-fangled little girls.

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

I can't stand James Corden. I find him crass and unfunny.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've avoided him until now. My first draft of this review dealt with him even less charitably.

[ooxc.livejournal.com]

Little girls with plaits and pigtails are very sinister.
Enny fule no that u have to ty them to the chair

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed.

I had a younger sister....

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Again, I didn't see it. I was making the dinner (!) and watering the plants.

My husband tells me the dreaded 'F' word was mentioned (football...). That's kind of put me off looking it up on demand...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There was rather a lot of football I'm afraid- but charmingly done.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

I read about that. I don't know why you think Corden was a bully when it was Stewart who outright insulted him and patronised him on screen. I'd have kicked Jean-Luc in the nuts, but then again that's just me.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Some say it was scripted, only Stewart fluffed his lines. I've watched it- and I can't tell- but if it was you'd think it might have been a little wittier. Stewart comes across as a pompous old fool- and Corden as a mouthy yob.