Rate and Discuss 3.9: The Family of Blood

[Pip Madeley]

Joan's fallen in love with Mr Smith... but is he really what he seems?



As usual, please refrain from posting anything remotely spoilerific about this episode until after the episode has broadcast. Thanks.

[Si Hunt]

Well we really enjoyed that - it didn't throw away the potential of "Human Nature" and whilst it didn't emotionally move me in the same way as some past episodes, the ending was lovely. Who didn't beam when we realised the Doctor was back, and seeing the young chappie as an old man at the end was a brilliant way to finish.

This has been a really great story in my opinion, and everyone I've spoken to bar none has agreed.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Exciting, heartbreaking, epic... with the finest Tennant performance yet, and he wasn't even playing the Doctor (when Smith broke down crying I just froze in amazement at the acting) - for me, the story of 'Human Nature/The Family of Blood' is the best New Series story yet, and one of the finest in the show's history. My first 10 of the year.

[Carol Baynes]

I agree with Si there; great way to end the story. Very fitting. Great stuff all round. It was a 10 from me by the way.

[Paul Hayes]

I thought it was a very well done conclusion with some very affecting scenes, although I didn't like the Doctor's "whoops, I've fallen against the machinery!" solution to blowing up the Family's ship. And if he could hide his smell from them so easily, why didn't he do that in the first place?

I liked that they kept the conclusion from the book, although the actor playing Tim didn't look nearly old enough for the 90-odd he'd need to be to live to see a female vicar, and it's a shame they didn't shoot it here in Norwich where it takes place in the book!

7 out of 10.

[Wayne]

Superb. The 2nd half was even better. My first 10/10 of the season.
I now need to watch both parts together to take in the story as a whole, & post some thoughts later. But i thought this was the best thing since 'Parting of the Ways'.

[Si Hunt]

Also why was a ten-year old fighting in the war?

Si.

[Alex]

Ah, I've mixed feelings on this one. There were parts I absolutely loved - John Smith's conflict as to whether or not he should become human again, his possible alternative life and the ending were especially brilliant, but there were parts that didn't quite work for me - the first action-y 20 minutes left me a bit cold alas, but the main problem I had with it was the explanation as to why the Doctor had chosen to become Human, and the decision to trap the family in time for all of eternity. Wouldn't it have made more sense to let them to die naturally at the end of the aforementioned 3 month period? (and, er, surely one day won't some kids messing around in the field discover Baines?!)

But then again there were parts I absolutely adored, and they managed to get me feeling sympathetic towards Martha again, which can't be a bad thing, nearly all of the performances were absolutely brilliant, from the Headmaster to Jessica Stevenson (as she'll always be to me!), and Baines has gone down in my books in my all time favourite Who villains, the young actor playing him was superb, and I'd love to see him appear again...

I guess it gets a 7 / 10 for me, as I didn't feel as emotionally involved as I did last week, and there was the odd weaker moment, but then perhaps it'll work better watching as one 90 minute episode, and I'm already quite looking forward to watching it like that soon.

[Si Hunt]

Did the Family remind anyone else of the final episode of "Sapphire and Steel"? The notion of a group of aliens disguised as contemporary members of the public turning up to 'stalk' the hero and steal him. It was a good thing - it was that atmosphere of seemingly ordinary people hiding really dangerous 'agents' who were just hunting the heroes to destroy them, it was the same in both things.

I LOVED the fate of the Family, also very S&S-esque. Trapped as a scarecrow forever and locked into every mirror. How cool is that - she's in every mirror, the shadow you think you see. It's reminiscent of Roald Dahl's "The Witches" where the little girl is trapped in the painting.

Si.

[Larry]

Also why was a ten-year old fighting in the war?

Si.

agreed - that is my only niggle about this story but a well deserved 10/10 thoroughly enjoyed it a wonderfull and moving ending .

[Larry]

, , and the decision to trap the family in time for all of eternity. Wouldn't it have made more sense to let them to die naturally at the end of the aforementioned 3 month period? (and, er, surely one day won't some kids messing around in the field discover Baines?!)

.

don't agree wiyth you there even through out the old series the desire for imortality was put over as a curse and by trapping them in time The Doctor was effectivly giving them what they wanted/.

[Captain Tancredi]

Good stuff, although I was slightly disappointed that the balloon didn't fulfil the same function as in the book (where it's a weapon which smothers people, as I vaguely recall)- the only thing which could have made it slightly better would have been a couple of bigger performances from some of the supporting characters like the Headmaster. Amazing last couple of minutes, though- and I'd like to think that the lady vicar was Annie Trelaw, given that the English countryside and lady vicars are some of Cornell's favourite motifs.

[Paul Hayes]

When Tennant was aged up, did anybody else find themselves briefly thinking "Why did they bother with Peter O'Toole back in the day...?"

[Wayne]

I thought the aged up Tennant looked like Paul Whitehouse as Unlucky Alf.

[Martin Penny]

Well I thought that was excellent, possibly the best conluding part of a two parter yet. It all unfolded naturally and didn't seem rushed, which things usually do when theres lots of action going on.

I did really like the fate of the family, I think Baines has ranked alongside Dalek Sec as my favourite character this season, and I'd love to see him return in a future episode.

[Larry]

I think the scene in the court yard of those young boys shooting down the scare crows there was a moral message there of making a point that there is no glory in war.

But I did think the moment of when the Doctor is torn between the choice of a family and normal life and being a time lord was quite a touching moment.

[Milky Tears]

Also why was a ten-year old fighting in the war?

Si.

He wasn't ten when he was fighting in the war, was he?

[Rob McCow]

It was brilliant.

We sobbed.

Hurrah!

[Alex]

He wasn't ten when he was fighting in the war, was he?

No, he made a reference about keeping the promise he'd made "All those years ago", so if it was 1916 to 1918 it'd make sense - especially as soldiers were as young as 14 at times.

Edit: Blimey, both Wiki & IMDB have him down as 17, being born on 16th of May 2007. If that's true, he does look incredibly young for his age!

[Jonno]

Magnificent in my book. There's too much flying around in my head to put it all down coherently, but I loved the scene of the boys shooting down the scarecrows, and wiping away tears while they were doing so - all to the strains of To Be A Pilgrim, which is where my began. More was to follow, with the old Tim at the memorial service, and seeing the Doctor and Martha - I was well away! For me this has overtaken the likes of Father's Day and School Reunion in the emotional stakes, and I'm very disappointed that Paul Cornell will not be writing for S4.

Other lovely scenes included John Smith's potential time line, and especially his passing away - I thought he looked a little like Paul Darrow myself!

As for Tim's age, was it actually stated on screen? I took him as being about 13 or 14, so add another year to his age (at least) for WWI to get underway, plus the fact that many, many underage civilians signed up for the "glory" of fighting for their country - that was one of the tragedies of the "Great War".

In fact, for me, the whole spectre of the looming Great War added immensely to the story, and it would have been lessened by being set in many other time periods.

An easy 10/10 out for me - one of the all time greats of the last near 44 years.

[Larry]

No, he made a reference about keeping the promise he'd made "All those years ago", so if it was 1916 to 1918 it'd make sense - especially as soldiers were as young as 14 at times.

Edit: Blimey, both Wiki & IMDB have him down as 17, being born on 16th of May 2007. If that's true, he does look incredibly young for his age!

but was it actually ever said that he was 10 years old i've of said he was supposed to be a couple of years older at leastt.

[Jonno]

Wouldn't it have made more sense to let them to die naturally at the end of the aforementioned 3 month period?

But that's what the Doctor was trying to do - that's why he made himself human so as to let them die humanely. Instead, they forced his hand and brought out his brutal side - another aspect I loved. We started to really see it with the 10th Doctor with the way he rounded on Harriet Jones, having just dispatched the Sycroax leader with his "No second chances". And we saw it a year later with the way he sorted out the Empress of Racnoss - and Donna's shocked reaction to it.

I think this is a fascinating direction for the show and the character, and much to my liking.

Oh, and how fantastic again was Martha/Freema when single-handedly protecting "the Doctor" and the others in the hall from the Family of Blood?!

[Captain Tancredi]

I think it's one of the best aspects of Martha's character (from the moment it first showed in 'Smith and Jones') that she can take the initiative in a crisis. As I said last week, this has been one of the best stories so far for Martha because she has to carry much of the story the way Benny did in the book, so the story was already written for an intelligent female companion and Cornell hasn't compromised that at all.

[Milky Tears]

No, he made a reference about keeping the promise he'd made "All those years ago", so if it was 1916 to 1918 it'd make sense - especially as soldiers were as young as 14 at times.

Edit: Blimey, both Wiki & IMDB have him down as 17, being born on 16th of May 2007. If that's true, he does look incredibly young for his age!

I trusted Si Hunt! He's destroyed the whole story for me!


Even though I knew Sangster was 16 during the recording and I got the impression that the war scenes were meant to be 1917 when I was rereading the book last month. That would mean that Jonno speaks the truth... again!

[Jon Masters]

Wow is all I can say. Probably the best episode of Heartbeat - Where the Heart is - Born and Bred that I've ever seen. What a pity they felt they had to keep jamming in the odd 60 seconds of storyline and all that science fiction guff.

You knew I wasn't going to like it much though, didn't you

Two personal niggles (not just those related to the story itself, as others enjoyed it so much):

1. "Scariest story ever " tagline - I've coughed up scarier things. I won't worry about letting Sam watch it, other than he might get dangerously bored.

2. War is a bad thing - in case you didn't know that (unless you're mowing down animated scarecrows, apparently)