Modern Recap-itulation returns after a brief (hardware induced) hiatus with caps for The Long Game. Caught in the hammock between much better remembered stories Dalek and Father’s Day and perhaps better thought of as the predicate story (as it turned out) for Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways, it’s one of those easily overlooked stories which without the other context is actually a bit of a little gem.
The charm of the story absolutely revolves around the nifty turn by Simon Pegg, a long-term Doctor Who fan who has such impish fun as the Editor. Not so much a minion of the Thing in the Ceiling as a Commenter-in-Chief, the joy he has playing off Christopher Eccleston or even the undead monitors is palpable. Someone else having fun (or at least it certainly seemed that way) was Eccleston. This is perhaps his most relaxed performance as the Doctor. When asked by Rose if trouble was about, his response, “Oh yeah.” was the moment, at least for this fan, where it all clicked.
Bruno Langley was the inevitable third wheel, and ditched as soon as possible to show off the pale temptations of Time Travel, and not just being in it for the adventure. He was as welcome as a hole in the head (pun poorly intended).
The new caps follow the Modern Recap-itulation tradition of being more plentiful and bountiful in glorious 720p. Speaking of holes, the Classic Capitology Group believes they have found one in the fabric of the Tour itself. Isn’t that tantalizing?