Remember when The KLF (as The Timelords) released “Doctorin’ The Tardis?” Yes it truly is, as the kids say, the darkest timeline when we as a human race have forgotten that was indeed a thing. That is the opener sorted, it was either that or I rambled on about how New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York will never be as good as New New New New New New New New New New New York once was. They got rid of the smell of death, garbage, and that one other smell you can’t just pin down. The video below will make that last bit make sense.

With a new face, a new set of clothes, and a new lease on life for his 10th regeneration, Rose has a new Doctor, and we’ve got a series of Doctor Who to talk about ad nauseam. “New Earth,” is by far one of my favorites of Tennant’s first run. It brings together all that is loved about the lead, companion, sci-fi, and supporting cast. It also has twinges of long-lasting theory-inducing story, and better-looking cat people than the abomination that was filled with more popular names than a strip club the morning after the Grammy’s. Why am I praising it so highly? It may very well be the fact the Zoë Wanamaker returns as the Lady Cassandra O’Brien dot delta seventeen.

Of course, while I love that devilish skin flap that has had more work done than a madam that is trying to keep up, she’s not the only reason. The introduction of the Sisters of Plenitude brings the best cat people ever, as they are actual bipedal humanoid felines. They are cartoon villains in several respects, but they are as believable as any other sci-fi villain of the time. Either that is damning everything else or Davies knows how to press my buttons in all the right ways. They are villains first and cat women second. That is how to handle ridiculous cartoon sci-fi episode with a dark theme of human sacrifice being used to advance medicine.

In fact, there are two stories throughout the episode. The A-plot involves Lady Cassandra’s tiff with Rose, as Rose doesn’t understand how 23-years following their last encounter, the catty trampoline survived and lives in the basement of a hospital that cures (almost) everything. The B-plot, or rather the Doctor related plot, is about the hospital, how it is run, why it is curing things that are completely uncurable, while no one asks why. The Doctor is the ever-curious type with a new sense of anger after his right hand was chopped off. He is the only one willing to go searching in the basement to talk with large stone men, the Face of Boe, and the cat people.

This is when I like Tennant’s Doctor. He’s caring and shows real empathy towards everyone and everything. Where Eccleston was angry because he wanted to know if he was a good man, the 10th Doctor doesn’t have that post-war Doctor story giving him the anger. It is just there. Sometimes I can see why, it is valid for the character who is the last of his race of people to be angry when a race of space Nazi’s want to kill all humans. Other times, he’s quick to anger through the acting or writing, which is the problem with Davies and Tennant being huge fans of Classic-era Who.

Unlike Classic-era Who, the episode is quite fun and exciting. The fun shines through with Davies’ wonderful writing that dances the line of PG. When it comes to Cassandra explaining how she survived, she talks about the piece of skin that is from the back of her body, “Right! So you’re talking out of your a–” as Rose says before being cut off. It is fun and plays with the writing that along with Tennant playing the role of Cassandra in his body, makes the episode a bit stupid and far more camp than it needs to be. Nonetheless, it fits. That’s what Who is good at, childish camp storylines within dark plots of using humans to cure the rich, the well-off, and the greedy.

Behind the walls, in storage units, locked away from the hospital, there are hundreds and thousands of people locked in cryo-stasis like chambers. All of whom are sick, sick with everything the human body could be sick with. This is all the in name of exporting their anti-bodies and positive bacteria that fight diseases to cure the Duke of Manhattan and others. Under the pleasant demure atmosphere surrounding the humanoid cats, they will still eat a human alive if it means they get petted. Ok, with my inner cat-owner locked away again, this is a moment that is perfect for The Doctor to be angry about.

Specially grown humans, in dark and damp conditions are infected with plague after plague, all dying as quickly as they were created. It is a case of Doctor Who at it’s best, showing that no matter how great and advanced your way of saving one or two people is, when you’re killing hundreds a day you’re still not the good guy. To quote The Doctor’s own line “If they live because of this then human life is worthless.” He’s angry because he cares, not as a result of something that just happened and turns out to be nonsequential. It is life being used to cure those that are dying.

Lady Cassandra’s story is one wrapped up with a paradox, one that I would find problematic if the episode wasn’t entertaining, funny, and a little bit heart-warming. The Doctor’s resolution to the plague-like zombie horde the Sisters created does feel somewhat red button-like, with its climax using the decontamination used in the elevators to cure entire plagues. Rose being possessed by Cassandra is a simple enough solution, as she’s once again transferred to Chip (her faux-human side-kick) who was based on himself through time travel.

It is a fun and energetic episode that is needed to start off a new series of Who, with teases for the Face of Boe’s future. Dancing on the word tone like it was Dance Dance Revolution, some who would desire to believe every word and would want special effects to be the highest grade might not see it as I do. There is nothing outright wrong with the episode, it is just lacking strong character from Rose as she was gone for 90% of the episode.

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Doctor Who "New Earth"

7.5

Score

7.5/10

Pros

• Lady Cassandra's soft redemption.
• The sisters of Plenitude are great cat-people.
• The episode is just entertaining from start to end.

Cons

• Piper's early acting as Cassandra breaks tone quickly.