Review #19

The doctor has patients

This story was OK. We Are on the planet new earth and cassandra is back who we all remember from the end of the world. Gonna be honest cassandra is very forgettable but it was interesting to know her from the 2 story's. The body swapping was a fun idea. The sisters of plenitude were a good villain. Playing nice at first and then we find out their secrets. I'm gonna give this story a 6/10

This episode is just plain fun. Cassandra the skin flap makes an unexpected return, and her possession shenanigans give David Tennant and Billie Piper the opportunity for some wonderfully silly performances. On the other end of the tonal spectrum, Cassandra's sendoff is genuinely quite compelling for a character who was introduced as being a "love-to-hate"-type antagonist at best. Additionally, the makeup on the cat nurses is astonishingly good, especially for such an early episode in the revival. Does the solution to the sick-clones make sense? Not really. Do I wish we'd gotten more of a look into New (New New New New...) New York proper? Certainly. But for all the episode's shortcomings, it's carried by its tight pacing and great character banter.

Not a bad episode but not one of my favorites for sure

We get the return of Cassandra, this time with a body swapping ability that creates some funny moments. The Doctor destroys the cat nun's laboratory and frees all the diseased slaves. I think this could have been a more interesting situation if he got to see the effects of that on the medicine of New Earth. The way he cures them is kinda nonsensical but it's handwaved, I don't really hate it that much

Maybe this episode would have been better with a little shop

2025 Rewatch

• While I don't think it's a solid story, I have a soft spot for it. It's not offensive to watch; it just doesn't feel so believable and echoes the message of the first trip to the 'New Earth' period of the show.
• I do like the concept and the great ideas, some funky and some simplistic; just the execution is the true problem
• How does Cassandra know how to do so much? Where did the cat nun on the ladder come from? When did the sick learn to talk?
• Cassandra, just like that,t realised she had to die? I don't think she was shown what it means to have her time
• The solution of using those melted ice pop bags of coloured juice in the lift, I guess, makes sense by it spreading from hand to hand and steam propping up from every single touch was the most unbelievable thing

The humour doesn't always land, but it has its moments of fun. Plot wise, I like the ideas and the hospital setting which is well realised, but the creatures and plot is a bit too dark to mesh with the funny body swapping stuff, where the tonal whiplash feels strange.