3.6 - The Lazarus Experiment

While The Lazarus Experiment has a nice central premise, and a superb guest turn from Mark Gatiss, it's a story that, sadly, leaves the viewer underwhelmed with it's simple plot, strange structural choices and some flat out baffling design decision.

The idea of a scientist rejuvenating himself is a sound one, and follows the RTD principle of taking an aspect of modern-day life (this time plastic surgery) to bizarre levels. However, the story has no real momentum, despite the lightning fast pace. As such, the whole thing ends up feeling hollow: nothing more than surface details to both plot and character. It doesn't help that the final 15 minutes appear to have been tacked on at last minute, leading to a conclusion that falls flat because we've already been through one seemingly definitive conclusion. Then, there's all the forced (and I mean forced) set-up for the finale, which just doesn't work, because it lacks total subtlety. Every scene draws attention to it, instead of integrating it into the narrative successfully. This was also the episode where it became apparent that Martha's family just don't work at all. They're so one-note and bland, and Russell spent no real time building them up that it just feels like a waste. Whereas Rose and Donna's family's at least try to ground themselves in reality (even if with Jackie, Pete and Mickey it felt like Russell was hitting you over the head with it), but Martha's family are built out of stock clichés from Eastenders.

Overall, while The Lazarus Experiment shows some promise, it just fails to deliver on that promise to any extent. Lazy storytelling and characterisation couple with some terrible CGI (seriously, that Lazarus creature?) and the usual Tennant era irritants to make a poor story that could have been so much better.

I think the problem with this is it goes onto long. After 30 minutes the ambulance goes off and you think it's all over, you could wrap up there, another five minutes to resolve everything like the Doctor telling Martha she can go with him on his next adventure but basically the run around in the church just repeats the chase in the building for no real good reason. I think that's the main flaw, but also the monster is crap CGI, Martha's sister fancying the younger Lazarus (despite the older one being a creep) and Martha's mother's overreaction to the Doctor (how dare you talk to any man!) are details that just don't help. Just not a strong story and too long by about 10-15 minutes.