The Lazarus Experiment
Story 183, Episode 730, Series 3 Episode 6
Doctor: The Tenth Doctor
Companions: Martha Jones
We head back to the 21st century for an episode that is a pretty big misfire yet again.
The Review
After all the too on-the-nose issues of the previous story, we get another story that is far too on the nose! First off, the titular character is named Lazarus as in coming back from the dead Lazarus which is just lazy writing. Played not well by Mark Gatiss, Lazarus steps into an anti-aging device and comes out looking young and rejuvenated. The response of the people at the demonstration to not immediately lose their mind is pretty crazy considering that they saw somebody de-age fifty years in front of their eyes! Lazarus is a creepy old man, hitting on Martha’s sister Tish which she finds disgusting when he looks his age, but afterwards, hey, time to make out with him I guess. That unfortunate societal commentary aside, Lazarus then becomes a giant rage monster with maybe some of the new series’ worst CGI. Thankfully the Doctor tells us he’s not alien, but inside all humans are old genes that could turn us into whatever the hell that is.
The story does give good development for Martha’s family, especially her sister Tish who is a character I’d like to see more of. No surprise that her actor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, has gone on to do a lot of other cool things since. Martha’s mother is told by an operative of the ever mysterious Harold Saxon that the Doctor is dangerous, but Martha doesn’t believe her. The final fight sees Lazarus chase Martha and Tish in an empty church, and the Doctor uses loud pipe organ music for Lazarus to go and fall to his demise. Why that worked when an explosion failed to do a dent earlier, who knows. When you consider the emotional and intellectual density that some episodes manage to achieve, this one is found lacking, very lacking. Just a pretty weak story overall that could have been an effective parable, but is done in with an all kinds of unnecessary weirdness thrown on top of it. Tennant looks good in black tie, but that’s about it.
Can we get back to the good stuff?
6/10 This was worse than anything in Torchwood Season 1
Reviewing Doctor Who from Start to Finish 