Right off the heels of the melodrama that was the season two finale this fun and humorous romp was a welcome change of pace for me.
Although since it starts exactly where the season two finale left off it does undercut just a little the emotional poignancy of the events that took place just minutes before but oh well.
Catherine Tate is very entertaining as the headstrong yet deceptively vulnerable Donna Noble. I enjoyed the dynamic between her and the Doctor, the clashing banter between the two giving way to a charming friendship as the special progressed was a breath of fresh air and I was glad to get away from the awkward sexual tension that developed between the Doctor and Rose. The humor was very entertaining with the chemistry generated by David Tennant and Catherine Tate being spot on in their roles.
The story unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired with a lackluster villain - - the spider-like Racnoss queen that is both irritating and in the end easily defeated. An alien spaceship blown up by human tank technology? Seemed like a rather lazy and convenient conclusion to me. And the makeup effects were not great either. Seems like they just told the actress to stand their and snarl a lot; very campy.
But even though it definitely somewhat loses in the final act, overall it was a fun special. On to season three! :) 7.5/10
Catherine Tate is very entertaining as the headstrong yet deceptively vulnerable Donna Noble. I enjoyed the dynamic between her and the Doctor, the clashing banter between the two giving way to a charming friendship as the special progressed was a breath of fresh air and I was glad to get away from the awkward sexual tension that developed between the Doctor and Rose. The humor was very entertaining with the chemistry generated by David Tennant and Catherine Tate being spot on in their roles.
The story unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired with a lackluster villain - - the spider-like Racnoss queen that is both irritating and in the end easily defeated. An alien spaceship blown up by human tank technology? Seemed like a rather lazy and convenient conclusion to me. And the makeup effects were not great either. Seems like they just told the actress to stand their and snarl a lot; very campy.
But even though it definitely somewhat loses in the final act, overall it was a fun special. On to season three! :) 7.5/10