Doctor Who 3x9 Reaction!! "The Family of Blood"

My first time watching Series 3 Episode 9 of Doctor Who - The Family of Blood
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Hi, I'm Chris! Welcome to my channel. I react to movies & tv shows hoping to represent what it's really like to experience them for the first time. If you enjoy, you can support me by liking the video, subscribing to the channel, and letting me know your thoughts in the comments.
This is one of the best written stories we’ve had in Doctor Who. Incredibly emotional and compelling with plenty of action!
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Original Series: Doctor Who (2005)

[@ghostsurfer23]

"The Fury of a Time Lord" moment is one of the greatest sequences in all of Doctor Who. And "He was braver than you" always hits, always.

[@obiwankenobi687]

The guy who plays Baines is so sweet and shy in real life and was always really nervous about whether his performance was any good and just hoping people liked it When he probably gave one of the best one off villain performances in the whole show

[@fayesouthall6604]

He’s fantastic. A obvious nasty character he plays it brilliantly

[@Mowingthefrontlawn]

I was just thinking that. It’s a crazy performance that ran the risk of coming off as silly on set without the music and editing, but it fits the character and works so well in the finished episode. Glad he took those risks.

[@dreadpiratexx]

He is also Viserys in Game of Thrones. Golden crown for a King. He makes amazing villains.

[@harish123az]

Are you talking about Harry Llyod? He is an acting legend with a long filmography, in movies, shows (including Game of Thrones), voice acting, video games, etc etc.

[@obiwankenobi687]

@@harish123az yes but most of these were all after Doctor who. You can watch the behind the scenes footage of him being very shy and coy about his performance at the time

[@BigBrosFilms]

This story was originally a book with the 7th Doctor. That version of the doctor is extremely dark and manipulative so what he did at he end of this episode is just a normal day for the 7th Doctor lol.

[@SkillsLoading]

I was just checking to see if anyone had put this. It's a great book and personally I always liked the chess player mentality of 7. He never crossed the line into evil territory but you always wondered quite how far this strategically minded Doctor would go to obtain the win

[@JeccaJ]

Tim gives one of my favourite Dr Who speeches in this one, and builds on other quotes about the Doctor from previous Episodes: He’s like fire and ice and rage; he’s like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun. He’s ancient and forever, he burns at the center of time, and can see the turn of the universe. And…he’s wonderful.”

[@Arrynek01]

The end of this episode is so, SO dark. I love it. "One day, he just drops out of the sky and..." those who know, know.

[@stevebills5716]

I absolutely love the two scenes between Jessica Hynes and David Tennant, first as John Smith and then as the Doctor. Just magnificent performances from both of them. Such compelling viewing.

[@ms_scribbles]

David Tennant is, without a doubt in my mind, the best actor to ever play the Doctor. Others are close, but none beat him. His "facial acting" (for lack of a better term) is off the charts. He can convey entire monologues with just a look in his eyes.

[@carolineskipper6976]

I have to agree. He can really sell the thoughts and emotions of characters he plays just through his eyes, or the slightest tightening of facial muscles.

[@robvanriot]

He's top four, certainly. I wouldn't put him right at the top, but each to their own.

[@CoolEnginesChristytrekkie]

Yep Matt is a close second.

[@LuizFelipe508-ty2id]

@@robvanriot Nah,is top one.

[@Vincornelis]

Regarding the ending scene when this first aired there were still about 5 or so World War 1 veterans alive.

[@prof.evilpictures8696]

Watching this reaction made me realise that scene is probably set in like the 80s or 90s and not 2007/8 cause there is no way Tim is 110 years old.

[@Dularr]

Dr. Martha Jones. The frustrated companion.

[@FahadAyaz]

Not quite a doctor yet!

[@Miscellaneous_Minx]

The ending of this two parter always makes me cry

[@paulbrecken2136]

Heartbreak,you called it very early. Great reaction, thank you.

[@sallyatticum]

Aw, I think you made me cry more than the series did. Jessica Hynes killed it in this episode! The way she dismissed him. Brilliant.

[@lancourt]

Imagine being so powerful and so dangerous, that the greatest kindness you can show to a foe is to run away from a fight. For their sakes.

[@theoroderick782]

One of the best two parters yes baby and next week we probably getting Don't Blink

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Absolutely releasing it next week.

[@ArabianLady]

Hi Chris, I'm so glad you continued quickly on this cliffhanger. Hope you really enjoyed it. I really appreciated the performances. ❤

[@tenmark7055]

One of my favorite 2 parters. Interesting how the Doctor "was being kind" and meted out eternal punishment. The Doctor usually defeats the villain but rarely do we see it as punishment.

[@ZondaFRoadster]

The actor who played Tim is also the voice of Ferb!

[@MWSin1]

David Tennant should have won every award for everything ever.

[@garrettwhite5943]

I cry literally every time I watch this episode. Part 1 is great but this one is just so, so amazingly good on every single level. Peak Doctor Who. There are a few more stories yet to come that hit these highs, at least for me, but this is such a wonderful piece of television.

[@fadedjem]

The good news is that there are plenty of Doctor Who stories throughout the following 7 series that come close to this level of quality. The bad news is that nothing has ever surpassed this. Simply the best of them all, I love this so much.

[@Mowingthefrontlawn]

It still sits comfortably in my top 3, number 2 right now. I’m totally fine if nothing ever knocks it out of the top 2. It’s just so good.

[@robvanriot]

Martha talking Joan through the bones of the hand might be the most literal "talk to the hand" in TV history

[@bauwoman2]

David Tennant won the Constellation Award for Best Male Performance in a 2007 Science Fiction Television Episode for this two part episode. The thing about Tennant's acting is that I always believe in his characters. In this episode he manages to play both a human and a time lord and I totally believe in both of them as two separate entities, even if they are technically one being. The grief of the human was not portrayed the same as the grief of the time lord. Both hurt, but somehow he made them different. He's a very impressive actor.

[@Daltwan_Kenobi]

“Though it has to be said… I don’t like the look of that hydrokilometer”

[@scotaku4531]

I particularly love the gunfight in this episode. The crying, terrified children fighting for their lives in that courtyard. The rest of the two-parter depicts the children as fairly mature, but the close-ups offer a glimpse into how young and emotionally vulnerable they really are. The Doctor's principles shine through in John, who doesn't fire a single round. But the children open fire into the crowd of scarecrows, who for all they know are living, breathing people just like them. Wartime propaganda would make a strawman (e.g. straw man fallacy) out of the enemy, and so it is fitting that they are firing upon literal straw men. Just a year later, they would have to endure so much worse. All they get for it is the rest of their lives with nothing else to show for it. The scene perfectly encapsulates the horror and pointlessness of the First World War without needing to depict it explicitly.

[@qqqqqqqqqqqq121212]

You want to think on that, the Doctor was being ‘kind’ by running and hiding from the Family but as nurse Redfern said: nobody would have died if the Doctor didn’t hide there.

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

The fanbase tends to forget that the Tenth Doctor is a monster. Charming, fun, clever... But a monster.

[@jayleemittens9858]

Where-ever he hid would have been in danger. What else could he have done?

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

@@jayleemittens9858 the guy with the time machine that can travel anywhere in space?

[@qqqqqqqqqqqq121212]

@@jayleemittens9858 you’re hitting the nail on the head

[@jayleemittens9858]

@@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg he'd need to be somewhere with living creatures otherwise it's not hiding... and they'd all be in danger

[@acidsupernova]

If there's one wish I have for Doctor Who in the future would be to have another episode written by Paul Cornell. This 2-parter and Father's day are such great episodses.

[@zarabada6125]

14:16 It would have to be more than 1 year later. The story is set in 1913 and the first world war started in 1914. However, he would have been too young to join the army in 1914. While he may have lied about his age to sign up early (as often happened in war) it is more likely that this scene is closer to the end of the war in 1918 than it is to the start in 1914.

[@chrisfraser5088]

I’ve watched all of the original series and all of NuWho up until about 5 years ago. And this is one of my absolute favourite stories of all time. It’s simply soooo good. So many incredible moments and one of the most chilling endings. Seeing what he does to the Family….i have no words. And I cried like a baby when we see Old Tim at the end 😢

[@Venemofthe888]

I love the point Nurse Redford makes after the Doctor asks her to travel with him. If the Doctor never chose this place in this time would anyone have died. By choosing this time and location people died that shouldnt have and thats the biggest problem and the doctor doesnt have a answer. Also i never seen this mentioned but how does the Doctor's hair stay spiked up when it takes some kind of gel or something which wouldnt be available during this time

[@scottredding7357]

Hairy-wimey.

[@chazo1367]

It’s also cool because she stares down this being who just imprisoned people forever and tells him what is what, she stands up to this ancient being of power and he leaves.

[@MsMelyjean]

It IS one of the best-written stories to me. 'The acting is so good. The monologue describing the Doctor's punishment is still chilling.

[@garrettwhite5943]

This is a wonderful two-parter. David Tennant is one of the most talented actors who's ever lived, I swear.

[@drwfigureadventures]

That ending in the modern day always gets me emotional.

[@CarefulCharlie]

My absolute favourite all-time Who episode :) Love seeing your reactions to this amazing show

[@KatieRuby]

16:24 you were right about the hindsight 😏😏 what's great about these episodes are that they are separate but feed into the finale quite well!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Yes! I’m constantly impressed with the overarching storytelling in Doctor Who. 👏

[@scottredding7357]

Jessica Hynes (Nurse Redfern) was great in this. She’s also in another Russell T Davies series, Years and Years.

[@HuntingViolets]

She's also in RTD's _Bob & Rose_ and co-stars with David Tennant in _There She Goes,_ where they play a husband and wife with a mentally disabled daughter.

[@fayesouthall6604]

Years and Years is brilliant and frightening

[@space1999]

Agreed!!! So good! I cried when I saw this back then..... but of course, as u know, the great episodes keep coming....

[@SuperJohnPatterson]

In a comic book The 13th Doctor frees the girl from the mirror not ever remembering they did it. An despite the sister of mine tantrum she accepts her new live an lives anew

[@robertk2194]

Omg this was a lovely suprise

[@SarahH-ns6ly]

Such a great two-parter! All the performances are spot-on. The heartbreaking what could have been and the Remembrance Day service at the end get me every time. We do eventually find out why QEI is so angry with the Doctor, but it takes a while.

[@domino427family]

david played in Single Father, where his wife dies in the beginning and he has to continue with 5 kids. He's SUCH a good actor. He shows so many emotions and his grief is tangible. Great show if you ever want some heartbreak, because sometimes we just need a good cry.

[@routemaster19]

Elements of this story and indeed some others, hearken back to a short lived sci-fi fantasy series called "sapphire and steel ", in fact the creator of that series p.j. hammond also wrote a couple of dr who episodes. S&S was very low budget but had terrific stories and incredible charismatic actors in Joanna Lumley as Sapphire and David McCallum as Steel. Only 36 episodes made between 1979 and 1982 but very influential with some of the stories that will come up soon with dr who from this point on.

[@Emburbujada]

I love this two parter. And Tennant does an excellent job!

[@BigBrosFilms]

The fury of a timelord

[@HankD13]

When new Who was at it peak. And still so much good stuff to come.

[@thomasoa]

Yes, that great holiday in the UK, Presidents' Day. 🤣

[@10thdoctor15]

"This story didn't progress the series arc, as far as I know"... It really did...

[@eggnorman]

It's so funny how my favourite episode of Doctor Who has changed over the years. When I was a kid, I'd always have said it was Blink. Then, I'd have said Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. Today, though, I think it's this two parter. It's so well written and so emotionally provocative; not to mention the absolutely stellar acting by David Tennant.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Fabulous, isn't it? These three eps are really the highlight of New Who.

[@bananess_]

This is one of the best episodes!

[@Redfern42]

And a "Redfern" has the fortitude to stand up to the Doctor. As I stated in my post about the prior episode, what an ego boost involving my family name!

[@fayesouthall6604]

So glad you uploaded this quickly ❤ two of my favourite episodes

[@briangilliver2197]

Always brings a tear,. Yes not every mirror but any mirror, well edited, cheers from England

[@alwillcox]

Ooh a double-bill. Thank you! Wait, does this mean we get a Torchwood double-bill in a couple of weeks to finish just before Utopia?

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Absolutely!! Planned it specifically to finish Torchwood before the final 3 of Doctor Who. Didn’t know why until it happened 😅

[@benwollens7312]

There are two scenes from Doctor Who that i revisit every now and again. One from the Matt Smith Era, which I cannot say anything about [but when you/we reach that episode, i will comment about which scene], not even an episode title; the other is 'the Fury of the Time Lord'. The fury that David Tennet portrays, the silent fury is very real. The girl being trapped in the mirror for all eternity is also terrifying to me....

[@karennowicki241]

I love your reactions. Buckle up. the rest of the season is a rollercoaster.

[@andrewroberts299]

“This story arc - these two episodes - obviously didn’t do anything to move the overall season arc story along…” Oh, Chris, you couldn’t be so wrong in your assumption.

[@channyh.221B]

“This story arc - these two episodes - obviously didn’t do anything to move the overall season arc story along…” Me: "Yeah, I guess that's true" Me: (after reading your comment) OMG I'm so thick, why did I miss the most important story arc?!!!" (it's that I know he already has seen it that I can comment on this)

[@tenchraven]

Shhh... Spoilers

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Hindsight ⏱️🥁

[@AdamNisbett]

Can’t wait for next episode. No spoilers, but it’s one of my personal favorites in the whole run of Dr Who. :)

[@jabberwock95]

Love the scene with Nurse Redfern and the Doctor at the end. He's being nice, but it's undercut by a kind of arrogance that John Smith just didn't have. He's leaving, he feels no responsibility to that place and doesn't understand why she does. So when he says he's capable of everything John Smith was it just feels... not true. And it's sort of sad that the Doctor doesn't understand that.

[@ConstanzeWeber]

Phenomenal story, one of my favourites! Glad you liked it too.

[@carolineskipper6976]

Such an outstanding story - definitely one of the very best across alll eras! Re not moving any overall story on - I think Martha learned to step up over the months she was back in 1913, looking out for The Doctor when he wasnt really there. Without this, I'm not sure she'd be ready for what she has ahead......

[@mrbrightside719]

Just voted one of the 10 best DW stories ever. And the next one too!!

[@CrankyGrandma]

So glad you keep watching! This is based on the written story by Cornell, which featured the 7th Doctor. Personally I think the on air version is better but both are good (and it might be because I like Martha’s story). I actually didn’t like much the weepy John Smith. But in all fairness he wasn’t a real person, just a shadow of part of the doctor. Interesting to think about the aspects of the doctor, minus time lord mind, that made John Smith. Casting and acting in this is amazing…everyone. Direction was amazing too. That last bit is from the written story…the punishments. It’s freaking amazing. And it shows how non human the doctor is and how powerful.

[@HuntingViolets]

It's a novel, I believe. Martha is always amazing. Interesting point about John Smith just being some aspects of the Doctor's personality.

[@CrankyGrandma]

@@HuntingViolets is it? I read it a long time ago. I’ll edit. Editing this, too! I must have read it in the serialized form, as I read it online, so my memory logged it as short story: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Nature_(novel)

[@lauragreen5622]

Such a great episode

[@HuntingViolets]

I just got the Journal of Impossible Things and Martha is in it.

[@jennifermorris6848]

Love to see your face. And never forget the music.

[@JAYWALKER1000]

Don't count out the next episode before you see it (of course you have already - just not in my timeline)

[@paulhammond6978]

I do love "Tardis" pronounced with a west-country accent. Can we say it like that all the time?

[@samuelbattrick8516]

It’s not necessarily one year later. They just mentioned that the start of the war was the following year but this could’ve taken place 3 years into the war

[@davidedwards1705]

12:01 "He was being Kind." No more Chilling words have ever been said by an Adversary of the Doctor. If THIS is what he did to them... what COULD he have done for THIS to be Kind?

[@theoroderick782]

You are misunderstanding, that line means he was hiding out of kindness not out of fear. Then the family of blood decided to bring him out and in the process they killed off his affair with the nurse which made him punish them... Making them live forever in chains

[@tenchraven]

There are many ways to take it. They want what he has, to be who he is, and in many ways he gave it to them, to know the curse of being the last Time Lord rather than dying in bed. The other ways... There are a lot of people, whole worlds and species, who would testify that he is a monster. But to ask them, you're going to need a TARDIS to ask them. Or a spirit medium. Because they aren't, any more.

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

Really good story, but the vengeful ending always struck a sour note with me. Rather than take on the family, the Doctor, in kindness, changes himself into a human to hide from them, but now he doesn't merely off them, but instead locks them in eternal torment? And not even in an act of rage, but coldhearted malice. It just doesn't track. I get what they were going for, but they needed to establish conditions under which his (frankly comic book villain-esque) actions would be somewhat justifiable, or at least understandable.

[@loislane7482]

A lot of the way he behaves in this one is deeply questionable if not outright bad. As Joan points out, he is really reckless about the consequences of his decision to turn human. He also clearly doesn't think through how this might affect Martha being stranded without him in a random time period, and we know he remembers her confession of love after he changes back, but he still asks Joan to travel with them as his companion, which is just wildly insensitive to both of them. I think it's easy as a viewer to get so caught up in relief at having the Doctor back at the end that we overlook it all, but it's not his finest hour as a character.

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

@@loislane7482 I can buy him being insensitive in a distracted/scatterbrained way. I can also buy him being thoughtless due to arrogance. I'm even willing to at least somewhat give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to putting others in danger--maybe he had a reasonable expectation that the family probably wouldn't be able to track him down. He's always been a bit careless about that kind of thing anyway (maybe when you live with danger all the time, you naturally cease to give it as much deference), so while it might not paint him in the best light, I don't think it's inconsistent with his character. As for him asking Joan to travel with him, he was just John Smith, and we don't know how much continuity he has with that person. Does he remember and feel everything as if it were (a somewhat forgetful version of) him, does he remember it like a fuzzy dream that still strikes an emotional chord with him, or is more just information, stripped of passion? If it's the first one, and he still has all the affection for Joan he did just before regaining his memories, I think him asking her to join him is understandable, or at least forgivable. Looking at everything together, I do agree it's not his finest hour, though I think I could take everything in stride but for the absolute barbaric cruelty of his punishment of the family, which is entirely beyond the pale. So I guess for me, while I do agree with your concerns, the difference between them and what I was talking about is an order of magnitude at least.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@loislane7482 There are a lot of issues here. A bad time and place to take Martha, especially to be the caretaker with no help _for her._ Of course, the Tardis picks the time and place (what does the Tardis have against Martha?), perhaps at random, but still.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@stuffyouotterlistento1461 This is an interesting question regarding how much the Doctor remembers of events and of emotions and how much of those emotions he still feels, if only for a little while.

[@Slate-writer]

THE best two-parter - but maybe what's next is JUST AS GOOD 😇 Wow!

[@joestacey6185]

Paul Cornell is one of the best Doctor Who writers, in my opinion. Also a very nice man.

[@bennygiles8115]

This two parter is very much underated and overlooked in the Tennant era and really shouldnt be

[@medafan53]

I thought I'd offer a moment of advice, knowing that you're goiing into series 4 as someone who 2 years ago navigating a rewatch of the whoniverse; after series 4 Doctor Who took a year off; in 2009 we had a spring special, an autumn special, a christmas special and a New Years Special. However we also had the third season of Torchwood and, perhaps most complicated for working out this schedule, series 2 and 3 of Sarah Jane Adventures released in this period so if you want to have your watching echo what we had back when the show came out, you need to know about this irregularity.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks for the heads up! I had some wonderful Whovians help me work out a watch order that is as close to release order as possible without any lengthy pauses in the flagship show. I think it’s all placed around that time though!

[@lavenderirisi]

Doctor who time!

[@paulpenna5615]

If you want to see Baines and Tim again, there is always *Game of Thrones (2011 - 2019).* Well, that'd be the actors, not the characters. But still...

[@aikanikuluksi4766]

John Smith did not want to go, but he did.

[@richardd9938]

Cheeky😉🤪

[@mysteronix]

🎖

[@tenchraven]

Tim was right- The Doctor is as "bad" as the Family. He's a monster, a horror. But a kind and forgiving monster. And even The Doctor knows it. John Smith was what he wants to be, and can't, for the price of his vacation would be too high. He's never had the choice of being who he wants, but he is who he must be. These two episodes are probably the best writing in the whole series. There is only one I like more, and I can't wait for Chris to meet the "bitey mad woman".

[@TheMarcHicks]

Its weird how I often dismiss the 3rd season of Doctor Who as being the weakest of Tennant's era......but then I remember how we got "42", "Human Nature/Family of Blood" & "Blink" in rapid succession. All amongst the very best episodes of Tennant's tenure.

[@channyh.221B]

ARE YOU WEARING THE SAME CLOTHES?!!!!! XD You brighten up the 'worst' episodes of Doctor Who but you also give yourself emotionaly on the best episodes of the show and if that is not a true Whovians soul you have then I don't know what I'm seeing but gosh it's always so exciting to watch you react to Doctor Who. Thank you so, so, so much.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I 100% watched these two on the same day. Appreciate your comment!

[@ofskittlez]

Hold on, did you say this episode did nothing to advance the over all season?

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Nothing you’d know without the benefit of seeing the whole season. It feels very much like a fantastic stand alone story completely independent from the Harold Saxon story that’s been building.

[@ofskittlez]

@@CasualNerdReactions That's what was brilliant about it. It seemed like a self contained two parter. Then a little bit down the road we're in the series finale, and holy shit it's the fob watch again!