Doctor Who S1: E7: The Long Game

The other episode I watched was called The Long Game, and it was the one with Simon Pegg.  Basically, the Doctor, Rose, and this other guy they dragged along from the previous episode (who is so insignificant and irritating that I can't even remember his name) go to the year 200,000, where the human race is supposed to be significantly developed.  At least, according to the Doctor's knowledge of history, which apparently isn't so good, cuz everyone is being brainwashed (spoiler!) by this monster on floor 500.  The major issue with this is that if the human race wasn't developing, but was, in fact, 90 years behind, then the history books would have recorded that the human race was, in fact, 90 years behind, right?  So a little wrinkle in the story that nagged a little, but I was able to get past it and actually really enjoy this episode.  Both Rose and the Doctor seemed on a pretty equal footing, while idiot boy ruined everything and got his just reward at the end.  (seriously, why are some characters so stupid?) I feel, though, as if idiot boy was really a pointless person to carry over into this episode since he didn't do a whole lot to accelerate the story.  Every time it switched to his perspective, you just groaned inwardly (or, occasionally, outwardly).  But you do what you can for an episode, right?

But actually, I did enjoy this episode.  I enjoyed the "rebel" lady who was "promoted" to level 500 (and, again, they didn't really explore her whole "rebel" status or point to the episode, but I guess they needed an excuse for her to have a gun), since I've seen that actress in various other Masterpiece Theater productions.  And I enjoyed the reporter lady who saved the day, I thought they did a good job developing her character, even just in one episode.  And the story was interesting, of course made better by the presence of Simon Pegg as the villain's henchman.  It was also interesting how they used the idea of humanity being brainwashed by the media, since that's maybe a little too close to home...