“Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead” — A Slice of SciFi Review

Reviewed by: Samuel K. Sloan (Farpoint Media News Consultant)

Premiere Date: July 26, 2009
Executive Producer: Russell T. Davies
Director: James Strong
Writers: Russell T. Davies and Gareth Roberts
Actors: David Tennant, Michelle Ryan, Lee Evans, Noma Dumezweni, Adam James, Victoria Alcock, David Ames, Ellen Thomas, Reginald Tsiboe, Daniel Kaluuya, Keith Parry, Paul Kasey and Ruari Mears

SoSF Rating = 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars

“As far as ‘Planet of the Dead’ is concerned, this was by far one of the best episodes of the Tennant tenure as the Doctor.”
On July 26, 2009 the tenth Time Lord Doctor Who, played by David Tennant, returns to the series that has jettisoned his acting career to the pinnacle of success.

This next episode in the long-running series (Doctor Who first aired in 1963) is titled “Planet of the Dead” and finds the good Doctor stranded on a desert planet light years from Earth. His mode of transportation to this planet isn’t the TARDIS but is London bus #200. Joining him are several passengers and one woman who may well be the Doctor’s first real match since Rose Tyler. She is the Lady Christina de Souza, deftly played by actress Michelle Ryan of “Bionic Woman,” “Jekyll” and “Merlin” fame. Ryan is absolutely perfect casting for the role of Christina and a real “almost” companion for the Doctor in this episode.

As far as “Planet of the Dead” is concerned, this was by far one of the best episodes of the Tennant tenure as the Doctor. In fact, I would have to rate it as one of the top three and Tennant is quickly becoming a real rival to the all-time best Doctor – Tom Baker. The episode also sees the return of The Unit and reveals a little more about the connection between the Doctor and that special forces unit. Also on hand is the award winning actor/comedian Lee Evan (“The Lady’s Man,” “There’s Something About Mary”) as genius physicist Malcolm Taylor.

Back to the desert planet. The Doctor and Christina team up with a pair of unlikely alien helpers to try and get #200 and its passengers back to present day Earth while also preventing a deadly force from returning with them….a force that will literally devour all the Earth and everything living on, above and under it. This horrifying secret killer lies hidden in the sands of the planet waiting for the right moment to strike.

I encourage all fans and newcomers alike to get your DVR and TiVo sets ready for this season premiere episode on July 26 on BBC Worldwide and BBC America. Want to help the ratings? Then watch it LIVE at 8:00PM ET/PT. Shot on location and entirely in High Definition, it will debut in HD on the new BBC America HD channel.

The episode becomes available for purchase on July 28, 2009 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The DVD and Blu-ray edition will contain a 60-minute special entitled “Doctor Who: Confidential”. This is one Doctor Who episode every fan will want in their collection.