LaFeeChartreuse I think people are being a little too harsh toward this one. No, it's certainly not a particularly heavy or intense episode - it was more of an entertaining bit of fluff than anything. But it was pretty good as that, and fun to watch.The characters were interesting and engaging, and I was pleasantly surprised they didn't resort to the usual let-you-start-to-like-them-then-pick-them-off-one-by-one thing. I think this may be the first time the Doctor has promised to save some bunch of innocent people and actually managed it without any of them dying (well, except one very early on, but I think that was before the promise). Usually as soon as he says "I promise!" you expect the body count to start.I did like Christina, and hope we see her again at some point. And the one thing I really found least convincing in the whole episode was his reason for not taking her with him - that he isn't going to have any more companions because he's lost them all. I haven't watched that much of the classic series, but at least since its revival in 2005, every companion he's had is still alive and well except for the occasional temporary one from a holiday specials. They may not be travelling with him any more, but it's not like he's brought some horrible fate on them that he needs to start sparing people from. It seemed like a contrived excuse based on the actress not being available or something. But hopefully she'll at least turn up as a guest at some point.The little bit of ominous foreshadowing at the end was nice - a little glimpse of darkness to come, in an otherwise fairly light episode.All in all, no, it wasn't a standout, but it was still fun and fairly well done for what it was. And really, if all the episodes were as intense as some of the best ones have been, it'd be a little overwhelming - like season three of Torchwood, which I think is going to leave a lot of viewers needing therapy. Having a few lightweight episodes to balance the heavier ones is not a bad thing.

Theo Robertson After seeing the very disappointing The Next Doctor at Christmas my expectations were raised for the Easter special Planet Of The Dead . The name alone is memorizing and conjures all sorts of gloomy nihilism and ignore the fact that it's written by RTD . He may be guilty of bringing light heartedness bordering on comedy to the show but he can also write scary traditional stories too like Tooth And Claw . So I was looking forward to some dark compelling entertainment at Easter . Unfortunately Planet Of The Dead was far worse than disappointing is possibly the worst story broadcast of NuWho As has been pointed out by some on this page the plot lacks any originality . It's just a pastiche of so many other references . There's PITCH BLACK , Stephen King , MISSION IMPOSSIBLE and perhaps worst of all a flying bus that could have come straight out of the pages of that dreadful hack JK Rowling . There comes a time when pseudo intellectuals should stop rubbing their chins gasping " Ah yes the beauty of post modernism " and ask the very real question of " If you're not going to come up with your own plot Rusty then please don't bother writing anything " All this is bad enough but what really ruins any potential is the silly , comedic childishness of how everything plays out . Oh hold on did I mention the word " potential " ? No scrap that because this is purely simple children's television Certainly the cast don't help . The much hyped Michelle Ryan is hotter than viagra vindaloo but all you're watching is a bad impersonation of Catherine Zeta Jones in ENTRAPMENT . It says something when you're watching an actress of Ms Ryan's aesthetic perfection and are very irritated by her voice which sounds like The Duchess Of York with a lisp . Lee Evans does what he does best , pulling off a hybrid performance of Jerry Lee Lewis meets Norman Wisdom . In fact Evans is so bad the phrase " Stunt casting " is the reason spoonerisms were invented . Perhaps to counter this director James Strong has recast Noma Dumezweni as Captain Magambo as she's so wooden but an analogy would be that if you've swallowed some caustic soda then it's a good idea to swallow some sulphuric acid to counteract the effect In short Planet Of The Dead is an ugly throwback to the dark days of the show in the mid to late 1980s when silly lightheartedness and other frivolity strangled the show . NuWho has sometimes shocked me in a good way in how it applies a sophisticated emotional core with Hollywood style special effects but with Planet Of The Dead I'm perhaps shocked for the first time as to how bad it can be . I know upcoming producer Stephen Moffat can make stories that are a very acquired taste but it's impossible to believe he could make something as dreadful as this

Robert McElwaine As the first of four one hour specials being aired this year, Planet of the Dead marks the first Easter special Writer's Russell T. Davies and Gareth Robert's offer up an episode which has a rather interesting premise and a morally dubious character in Michelle Ryan's Lady Christina Da Souza. An attractive young thief who as the story opens is seen to steal a priceless gold artifact from a museum. Having to make a hasty getaway when she accidentally triggers an alarm and is pursued by the authorities. She jumps on to a double decker bus. It would seem she has made her escape and that her problems are over. Nothing could be further from the truth. Especially when the Doctor boards the bus as well and sits right next to her and as you well know. Wherever the Doctor goes, trouble is not far behind him. Before you know it, the buses passengers find them self being sucked through a wormhole and trapped on an alien dessert planet on the other side of the universe.What follow's is an inoffensive, passable time waster. Nothing spectacular. Which although not bad, you can't help but feel it could have been so much more. The episodes first half get's off to a cracking start with the museum robbery which instantly grabs out interest and contains an elaborate well choreographed scene. But once the action shifts to the bus then the pace begins to slow down and what we're left with is a leaden bit of exposition as we're introduced to a number of throw away characters who offer little to the plot.Tennant once again is as wonderful as ever as the heroic Time Lord. At least offering something of interest to proceedings and he's adequately enough supported by Michelle Ryan who although fine as the feisty, flirtation Lady Da Souza, Isn't totally convincing in the role. It doesn't help however that she is lumbered with a two dimensional character who's sole purpose is to flirt with Tennant. Not to mention some of the cheesy dialogue she has forced upon her. Da Souza is so irritating post feminist. An attempt by Davies and Robert's it seems to foist a 21st century proactive heroine on us. Independent, confident. When all she comes across as is a reject from 'The Avengers'.Once the action shifts and see's Tennant and Ryan venturing in to the planet's dessert plains then the pace really begins to get moving again and the story begins to unfold. Which although not entirely original and seems to borrow much from the Stepehn King mini-series, 'The Langoliers' as well as 'Pitch Black'. But never the less, there's still something to enjoy here. Lee Evan's manages to elevate things with his performance as the comically eccentric Prof. Malcolm Turner. Effecting a welsh accent and having some inspired moments with Tennant's Doctor who seems to have met someone more quirky than himself.The overall result is a passable runaround which sadly is a bit of an anti-climax. While Davies and Roberts inclusion of a middle aged black woman who has psychic powers as a way to hint at what's to come is a unsubtle contrivance which has already been done to death through the series.I wouldn't expect too much from 'Planet of the Dead'. It's an undemanding, fun and serves as nothing more than filler before the upcoming 'Waters of Mars' and Decembers Christmas specials which will see Tennant bow out of the show. But if this outing is anything to go by. Then Tennant's swan song may be something of an anti-climax. But who know's. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

pstancer Well, David Tennant is pretty much going through the motions these days, and it seems Russell T. Davies is doing the same.Nothing really catches your eye in this 30 minute episode needlessly stretched out to an hour. Even the monsters don't make much of an effort; just a bunch of flying alien stingrays, and not a Steve Irwin joke in sight.If your birthday is after 1998, then this might just keep your interest, but that's about it.I'm keeping my fingers crossed there are better things to come, and that Matt Smith (the new Doctor Who) will not be the 21st century's equivalent of Sylvester McCoy and end up killing the franchise for another 15 years.