The Hungry Earth

[Craig @craig Emperor]

The first of a two-parter featuring the return of the Silurians, last seen in the fifth Doctor story “Warriors of the Deep” in 1984.

The Doctor, Amy and Rory arrive in Wales in 2020 where a drilling operation is disrupting the Silurians, who live underground.

While this is an okay story, it’s probably most notable for introducing the wonderful Neve McIntosh as a Silurian, Alaya. She would return many more times as the wonderful Madame Vastra.

For the best viewing experience this story is available to buy. It’s on Amazon Prime for £2.49 – other retailers are also available (except the BBC, which has sadly closed its online store). It may also be on your Netflix, Hulu, or whatever else you subscribe to.

And NO SPOILERS for the second part please.

[winston @winston]

@craig   Welcome back!  I got all of the 11th Doctor’s series for Christmas so I am ready for this one and although I have watched it I will again before I comment.Thanks, I am excited about this as it has been a long winter.

[winston @winston]

@craig  So I got the time to watch this and I really enjoyed it again. I think it has aged well and it was fun to see the 11th Doctor and Amy and Rory. Once again the Tardis has taken them where they need to be and not where they want to be so Amy has to wear her Rio clothes through the adventure.

Something has gone wrong at the mine and while investigating Amy is sucked under ground in a very scary and emotional scene with the Doctor.The Doctor takes Nasreen in the Tardis to find Amy and make a truce with the Silurians and Rory is left behind to guard Alaya the Silurian hostage. Chris Chibnall wrote this and seems to like to split up the team and have a few separate stories going on in the same episode.Poor Amy has a bad time what with being sucked into the earth , gassed and then threatened with dissection. My favourite line from this episode is “Did you just shush me?” Never shush Amy!

I liked the romance between Nasreen and Tony Mack , it was sweet. The group left behind are interesting with the almost manic Ambrose looking for her son and willing to do anything to the hostage to find him with Tony backing her up and Rory trying to keep Alaya safe. Alaya wants to be killed in order to spur on a war to take back the earth and kill us all. The Doctor tells them they have to be the best humans but can they.

Anyway I liked all the actors in this episode and thought they all did a great job.I really like Elliot and I love the accents. The old church was beautiful and the graveyard was suitably spooky in the dark. The Silurian are monsters to us but we are invaders to them so how will the Doctor bring about a truce in the next episode?

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@winston Totally agree that this was very enjoyable. In fact, this two parter (and my lips are sealed on the second part until next week) remains one of my favourite AG Who stories. I know it has received some flack but I find it quintessentially Who. The Doctor’s admonition that we have to be “the best of humanity”, the seamless juxtaposition of humour and scares (I love the idea that the Doctor and Rory can capture the Silurian in a Meals-on-Wheels van), and the final revelation of the underground Silurian city–it all just works for me.

Knowing that it is a Chibnall story, One can see links to his other work–the child under threat, the potential conflict between mother and father, and the fact that none of the adults (not even the Doctor) can protect the child from abduction–has clear parallels with Broadchurch.

Watching it again last night I also wondered about the extent to which a Chibnall authored story like this is actually rather collaborative. The scene of Amy and Rory waving at themselves, Rory placing the engagement ring back in the Tardis–they are linked to a wider season-length arc that goes beyond this particular Silurian episode. It would be interesting to know how a writer like Chibnall (or any guest writer) works around those expectations.

Anyway, a thoroughly enjoyable episode, and looking forward to next week!

 

[winston @winston]

@blenkinsopthebrave   There are definitely parts or clues to a much larger arc that Chibnall  writes into this story and I also wonder if it is harder to write. When I was at school ,a long,long time ago, it was easier to write a story when the teacher told you what is was to be about so maybe it works that way.

The look on the Doctors face when he realizes that he was the last one to see Elliot and had not stopped him from going outside was heart breaking. He looked devastated. This is also one of my favourite 2 part stories.

 

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