THE SATAN PIT

Wimp that I am I was crying at the end of this episode this time out. I am not sure why. The deaths of Jefferson, the Ood especially and that Zack gave them honors, and maybe even the death of Toby (Zack also gave him honors--not sure if Toby was taken over the entire time or what but...it was scary and not his fault, I'm guessing). Of course part of it was that touching reunion of the Doctor and Rose in the end but even all of that wasn't the only reason, but added to it. It was also that the Doctor was finally willing to admit that maybe there's stuff he doesn't know and that maybe it was the devil, who knows?

That said, this is another terrific 5/5 episode in a 5/5 story. The music is just magnificent, the action well done and the sets bang on. Just wonderful. Tennant is at his best again. Piper can't be better (although watch Doomsday and she will be)! Ida Scott is an excellent character and in fact, all the characters are well drawn and well acted by the very credible actors. The Ood, possessed, continue to be scary villains/aliens/monsters and are used well in this story. The black hole plays a major role in the end and Rose/Doctor stuff just seems magnified to great proportions and for once, it doesn't feel forced or conceited or anything odd but it does feel like they are time travelers of legend. I hope to see Ida again and also forgot that Zack represented Torchwood Archive.

The end when the Doctor saves everyone with the TARDIS is just so grand and well done. I also like that the Beast tries to trick everyone with its talk. I would have sworn before rewatching this that the thing in the pit talked also but I guess it just laughed.

All in all, very entertaining, thought provoking and enjoyable...making the season saved, along with GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE. Mind you at the time, I enjoyed TOOTH AND CLAW and SCHOOL REUNION and all of RISE OF THE CYBERMEN just as much and thought this season was rather strong if not as strong as season one. Now, my relook figures that TOOTH and SCHOOL and RISE had some good stuff but are rather flawed in many aspects. GIRL and both parts of this story are not flawed in any way that I can see, thus onward.