I think the worst thing you can say about this episode, is that the plot is pretty sleight. It’s just a lot of fluff, but at least it’s fun fluff that provides a framework for the episode to let our 2 leads do their thing within. Plus Sarah Lancashire is having a blast playing the villain.

The first act consists of a lot of setup for the story, whilst also ringing as much comedy as possible from the Doctor and Donna repeatedly just missing each other. The blocking and timing of some of these visual gags are truly exceptional.

Then our 2 leads finally set eyes on each other, in probably the most memorable scene of the episode. The Doctor and Donna are spying on Miss Foster from opposite windows when they notice each other. We then get our reunion for the pair taking place in entirely silent conversations, told mostly through facial expressions and it’s great. Somehow Catherine Tate manages to make Donna Noble’s side of the exchange incredibly loud, despite it being a silent performance. It’s a real tour de force of comedic acting. David Tennant’s bemused and bewildered reactions are somehow even funnier to me though.

Then it becomes a fun if fairly standard DW episode, where our duo do a lot of running away, with a good escape on a window cleaning lift, before sonic screwdriving our way to thwarting the villain’s nefarious plans. But even if the plot beats are pretty standard, the episode makes sure to keep the dynamic between our protagonists the primary focus through all of it, whilst also providing plenty of jokes. I honestly don’t know why I found Penny tied to the chair all episode so funny.

After 2 series where the companion is so lovelorn in their relationships with the Doctor, it’s such a welcome breath of fresh air to have a companion who just wants to have a good time with her mate. Also because Donna is so loud and forceful in her mannerisms and with her opinions, she often puts the Doctor on his back foot, creating a fresh and interesting power dynamic, where the Doctor finds himself playing second fiddle to Donna on a number of occasions. I love this Doctor/Companion pairing, even though it didn’t work that well for me in ‘The Runaway Bride’, it clicks into place immediately here and continues for the entirety of Series 4

So this is essentially a comedy episode designed to showcase the comedic talents of both David Tennant & Catherine Tate, as well as to highlight the Doctor/Companion dynamic for the season. It’s too lightweight to be considered an all-time classic, but it achieves its primary goal in an enjoyable manner and with plenty of laughs. There’s also some setup for the end of the season with the missing breeding planet, the knowledge that the bees are disappearing, and of course a Rose Tyler tease.

Also the Adipose babies are weirdly cute.