The Runaway Bride - A review by D.S Carlin

61%

This story does not begin immediately where Doomsday left off. We see events from Donna's perspective before she finds herself on board the TARDIS. The next ten minutes or so are very good and you almost get the feeling that Russell T Davies (RTD) wants to write a James Bond film, or least script a chase sequence that ranks alongside some of the more memorable of the Bond series. Certainly, he has succeeded, then again I doubt that Eon productions could ever quite envisage producing a similar sequence. I know it could be argued that a helicopter could be (and probably has been) used instead of the TARDIS in other shows/films but its quite thrilling.

Unfortunately, once the chase sequence has finished so the story seems to rumble along. Given the prediliction for soaps to present the darker side of Christmas I guess RTD wanted to produce some light hearted fun. Which is perhaps the best thing that can be said about The Runaway Bride - its an hour of light-hearted fun.

On the downside - I can remember one faction of fandom that accused John Nathan-Turner of turning Doctor Who into a pantomime. For some reason, I could not shake that thought as I watched this adventure. It did not help that Sarah Parish hammed it up so badly that she put Roger Lloyd Pack's performance as Lumic to shame. Like a glass of sparkling wine, this story started off promising but as time went on it simply went flat.

POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW

I will have to watch The Christmas Invasion again because I am sure it was hinted that the killer santas were living creatures. I just recall the Doctor referring to them as pilot fish ie little fish that swim ahead of the bigger predator. Yet, The Runaway Bride makes it clear that they are automatons that are under the control of some other force in this instance, the Empress of Racnoss.

The next season preview did not excite me to the same degree as the 2006 season preview at the end of The Christmas Invasion - especially the sight of Mark Gatiss in bad old-age make up (though this could be intentional) before he finally appears as himself (and seeming to ham it up - please, RTD, leave off with the ham!). Then there is the final tease, the glimpse of our favourite dustbin...here's hoping they appear once, mid-season. I don't want another season finale with them, thank you.