Written by James Moran
Directed by Colin Teague
“Some things are fixed, some things are in flux. Pompeii is fixed.”
“But how do you know which is which?”
“Because that’s how I see the universe. Every waking second, I can see what is, what was, what could be…what must not. It’s the burden of a Time Lord, Donna…and I’m the last one.”
My friend James was a tad disappointed by The Fires of Pompeii; he prefers last season’s The Shakespeare Code. But I have to disagree…which is good. Agreement on everything is pretty boring…and I definitely have to disagree with his review. I absolutely adore & worship The Fires of Pompeii…not only is it my favourite historical outing of the series to date, it’s also one of my new favourite episodes…period!
Why do I feel this way, dear reader? Let me count the ways…
(1) This was a 1st Doctor-style historical, with extra flavour. We have a Doctor who shows an emotional detachment & historical distance on par with his Hartnell predecessor; his first instinct, on discovering he’s in Pompeii, is to flee! He won’t brook any discussion with Donna, he won’t be swayed…but then the threat of alien invasion and his own natural curiosity get in the way.
On top of that, you have Donna, desperately trying to convince him that he should do something and save the population…meanwhile, the Doctor can’t seem to convince her that he musn’t interfere. Their debates - and the Doctor’s agonizing dilemma about setting history on the right track - echoes the terrified warning the Doctor gives to his school teacher companion Barbara about interfering all the way back in 1965’s The Aztecs. The human companion simply can’t (or won’t) understand the gravity of the situation…and the Doctor doesn’t seem to have a vocabulary adequate enough to explain it…
(2) …until they’re stuck in the molten escape capsule, and the enormous decision the Doctor faces becomes completely clear to Donna. Being the last of the Time Lords isn’t enough of a burden - the loneliness is compounded by the fact that he may very well be the last guardian of time itself! He has no back up, no support, no hope…and he seems doomed to suffer alone through the torments of keeping history on track, to say nothing of repeating history. But that’s when Donna finally understands…and together they silently set history on its proper course. Since history is my stock-in-trade, I was deeply affected by the sheer power of these scenes…and I had tears in my own eyes, watching Donna come to learn the awesome responsibility of time travel…and a new generation learn the lessons of 40 years ago.
(3) While we’re on the subject, I’m completely and totally in love with Donna. Catherine Tate fills her with energy, wit, humour, sass, and sheer bloody-mindedness! She doesn’t scream when she’s tied up to the sacrificial altar…she spits blood at her captors. As for her relationship with David Tennant, all I can say is that we’re watching something magical in progress - something on the level of Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen, back in Doctor Who’s 1970s height. They seem to be completely perfect for each other, and when the Doctor admits that he needs someone in the closing moments of the episode, we all know he’s finally found that particular someone.
(4) James found many of the supporting cast to be a bit weak, but I don’t feel the same way. In fact, I fell in sitcom-love with Caecilius’ family: the speak like a normal family, they have normal family arguments & fights, and each one made me laugh and cry at different points throughout the story. I loved Quintus’ teenage behaviour in particular (“did someone say vestal virgin?”), and how he becomes the model son by the end of the story. It’s a bit soap opera-ish, but compared to many other depictions of Roman life (which seem so bloody stilted), this was a breath of fresh air…and it made both their heart-wrenching escape AND the well-earned happy ending extremely satisfying. The icing on the cake was the way Donna quickly adopted herself into the family, and became their protector. Her caring for them pretty much mirrored my own feelings on the matter.
I’m running out of superlatives, so I’ll simply list a few more of my favourite things:
The effects work: these days, we always seem to get a weekly blockbuster movie with Doctor Who, but this time, vfx shop The Mill seems to be pulling out all the stops…and the eruption of Vesuvius is absolutely visceral to watch!
The battle of the soothsayers made the hairs rise on the back of my neck. Full of foreboding visions for both the Doctor and Donna, it’s complemented by subtle yet effective direction. Go back and watch as the perspectives narrow, and the close ups become more and more oppressive…Colin Teague does fabulous work in this episode.
Holding off an alien with a water pistol…that pretty much sums up the Doctor!
Catherine Tate’s comedy value: I’m beginning to believe the lady can be funny even in her sleep! Whether it be the testing-out-Latin scene, or the zinging one-liners, or her repartee with David Tennant, Tate is (literally…and if you’ll pardon the pun) on fire.
The final 15 minutes: a magical, powerful conclusion that is a tour de force of acting for both Catherine Tate and David Tennant. Donna’s emotional turmoil and her begging of the Doctor to save someone…anyone…was simply heartbreaking to watch. Afterwards, his ultimate acceptance of her onboard the TARDIS made me want to cheer! 
I could quibble about a few things. The rock creatures were extremely cool, if slightly too Lord of the Rings-ish at times, and it seemed very easy to get into the volcano (though I can put that down to alien infrastructure). Still, I find those to be very minor distractions in what I consider to be a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Perhaps it’s down to my recent visit to the actual ruins of Pompeii. Watching what the city might have been like…only to fall to such a catastrophe…brought home the devastation even more closely than I felt as I wandered through the eerily preserved city streets.
I literally could go on and on…I’ve been trying to keep this review succinct, but I’m finding it impossible. I’ve watched the episode six times since its broadcast, and I’ve enjoyed it more and more with each viewing. It’s been a long time since I’ve loved an episode this much…and that’s saying something, since I’m a very o.c.d. fanboy. 
The Fires of Pompeii is everything I believe Doctor Who should be: a rip-roaring adventure, with an unexpected emotional wallop, intelligent scripting, superb production values, and actors at the height of their powers. It possesses everything I adore about classic Doctor Who historicals, with added 21st century spice. One of my new all-time-favourites…and I think William Hartnell - the very first Doctor - would have approved.
10
