Day Three Hundred and Seventeen - Dr Who: Series 2, Episode 5, "Love for a Time Traveller"

It's been a loooooong while since I've done any Doctor Who and, with the 50th Anniversary looming on the horizon (and friends posting about it on Facebook), I decided it was time to take a step back and resume my viewings. The result? A fairly sweet little love story, even if its burdened by the typical Whovian MacGuffins and Handwaves.

Set dually on a warp ship in the 51st century far in the expanses of space and in many slivers of time in the life of Madame de Pompadour in 18th century France, the story unfolds on clockwork automatons employed by the ship to haunt her years until the time is ripe to harvest her brain. It's all very silly, but gives rise to an infatuation on her part for the rescuing Doctor who visits her at many different moments in her life, both saving and intriguing her. This infatuation develops into an intimacy that even Rose cannot compete with.

As far as Doctor Who episodes go, its rather fun, despite its sad and lonely ending. Sure, its a bit of a stretch for the Doctor to form such an enormous attachment in such a small amount of time considering how long-lived (and already taken, unofficially, by Rose) he is, but it's nice to see the Doctor experience love, for however short a period of time, that isn't to one of his convenient, long-time companions. It's one of the reasons I love River Song (whom we technically haven't met yet... but soonish).

Now, maybe all of the lingering looks and chemistry had a little something to do with the fact that the actress portraying Madame de Pompadour (Sophia Myles) was actually dating David Tennant at the time, or maybe it has to do with the period clothing and the ample cleavage it shows off, but who knows?

Mickey and Rose aren't as annoying here as they usually can be, which is a blessing as I've hated Mickey as the mope he was previously. Their explorations throughout the ship while the Doctor is playing kissyface are cute, as is the bit of "girl talk" that Reinette and Rose share that lampshades the trials and triumphs of loving the Doctor.

All in all, not a bad bit of television. Still a crap series, overall, but one I don't have problems watching idly. I don't think I'll ever be a full blown, die-hard Whovian like many of my friends, but this episode serves as an example that they're not all bad. They're just mostly 'not great!'

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~