Thursday, August 13, 2009

BBB3 - Doctor Who and the Silurians 3



It's rare that we, the viewers, watch the proceedings in Doctor Who through the eyes of The Doctor himself, but this episode is an example of such a thing happening. The only person who had a really good look at a Silurian was Squire, the farmer, and he was killed shortly afterward. The second person who encounters a Silurian is Liz Shaw, the companion, who manages to survive a swat from her attacker to tell the tall to The Doctor later on. The first time that we see the Silurian is at the end of this episode, when The Doctor also sees it for the first time.

True, it makes for a more dramatic cliffhanger to have both The Doctor endangered and to have the main monster unveiled, but it also signals a change in emphasis in the programme. After years of The Doctor being the alien outsider, his exile on Earth is proving to have an effect on his uniqueness as his character is humanized more and more.

This episode also pulls off a bold maneuver by killing off who looks to be a major character, Dr. Quinn, less than halfway through the story. Quinn's death is necessary for the story because it shows the extreme result of a confrontation with a Silurian. The wounded Silurian has attacked Major Baker, Squire, and Liz out of defence, so it would have been easier for The Doctor to convince The Brigadier and Dr. Lawrence that the creatures were only acting in self defence, and were not hostile by nature. The killing of Quinn opens the door to many questions about the Silurians and what they will do to the humans, and The Doctor, in the episodes to come.

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