N.B. there might (or might not) be spoilers in this article!
In the accompanying Monster Files on the Series 5 Blu-ray, the respect for the classic series seems to come somewhat begrudgingly – what with its talk of stomping around in “rubber suits”, for one. Yet for all the talk, the new series has rarely improved things where it matters: in the storytelling.
Yes, the “Silurians” look better here but The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood is the rubber suit to Doctor Who and the Silurians‘ advanced prosthetics in terms of plot and character. It was the same with the New Paradigm Daleks.
That said, while Chibbers is no Malcolm Hulke, this is just about okay. There’s enough good in it (Neve McIntosh, Stephen Moore, Meera Syal, Matt Smith – of course, Matt Smith) — for me to ignore or at least glance away from the bad (the Doctor’s strange “love” of the vivisectionist scientist Malekeh, for one).
The tension builds nicely in the first episode – excepting the A-Team segment, which is a bit silly. The Doctor gives us a nice potted history of the misnaming of the “Silurians”. And, as my son pointed out, the underground civilization is a classic science fantasy trope: Lovecraft, Burroughs, and before that Jules Verne all took journeys towards the centre of the Earth (which has to be said doing your best James Mason impersonation).
And while it’s set in 2020, we can’t blame them for not knowing everyone should be keeping their six feet of distance and wearing masks.
“In future, when you talk about this, you tell people there was a chance but you were so much less than the best of humanity.”
The Doctor, Cold Blood
I can even forgive it that it decides to introduce narration in part two, if only because Eldane is played by Stephen Moore, so it’s carried by a wonderful voice.
Rory’s second death (and Amy’s subsequent forgetting of it) is beautifully done. Obviously not permanent, though. Do we ever find out why they were waving to each other on the hill (other than to set up his not being there at the end)?
But when it comes to it, my lack of investment in The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood, my neither being over- nor underwhelmed — but whelmed? — is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that when Ambrose goes all guilty and blubbery I still think Tony should have said to her: “You’re right; it is your fault.”
These are my potential Target Library titles for The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood:
— Doctor Who and the Hungry Earth
— Doctor Who and the Homo Reptilia
— Doctor Who and the Mines of Terra