The Lazarus Experiment

No, I’m sorry. Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?

The Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

Martha has to save her family from the lunatic schemes of the monstrous Professor Lazarus.

Review

The Lazarus Experiment is a story where I think my opinion of the story has improved over time. When Series 3 was being broadcast, I think I was delving in and out of Doctor Who to an extent, but I certainly watched the Daleks two-parter, along with this story, on first broadcast. I distinctly remember visiting family the next day and a relative criticising the visuals on the Lazarus monster, which I think set my fledgling fandom back a few weeks.

The story does have some interesting ideas about immortality and the realities of this, which I think that Steven Greenhorn has put thought into. There is some good dialogue here, helped along by strong direction by Richard Clark, which perhaps helped me forget that at times the story was retreading the same ground in every interaction between the Doctor and Lazarus. I think that it is well-paced and balances dialogue and action well, even if I am nor convinced that the third act repeating essentially the same climax as the end of the second act is entirely justified. It feels as though we don’t need the scenes in the Cathedral and maybe that Greenhorn wrote two endings and production weren’t sure about which one should be used. The scenes in the bell tower lack any real sense of peril, despite how they have been edited together.

The elephant in the room is definitely the weird choice of graphics for the mutated Lazarus. Whilst the story states that Lazarus’ experiments have reawakened some dormant cells in Lazarus’ DNA, the fact that he takes the form of a giant scorpion with a human face is not very effective. The story seems to know that the effect is one of the weaker bits, cutting around us seeing the full monster until 21 minutes into the episode. Ultimately, the face is the weakest part and just looks out of place and I wonder whether or not there would have been a better way of depicting the mutations. The ambition is to be applauded, and the effects of the monster scaling the walls and ceiling of corridors whilst pursuing the Doctor works really well, which is credit to director Richard Clark, but ultimately, perhaps a creation like this should not have been attempted on Doctor Who’s budget.

I’m old enough to know that a longer life isn’t always a better one. In the end, you just get tired; tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything you love turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you’ll end up alone.

The Tenth Doctor

It is a shame because I think that this story contains a really good performance from Mark Gatiss as both the elderly and rejuvenated Lazarus. The character is deeply flawed and egotistical, demonstrated by the way that he coldly puts down Lady Thaw after his seemingly successful demonstration. The line “do you think I’d waste another lifetime on you?’ is so brilliantly delivered that it really feeds the audience’s understanding of the character. Gatiss and Tennant shine in their scenes, which are focused on their conflicting viewpoints on the subject of immortality, which the Doctor speaks from the position of experience, whilst Lazarus speaks from a position where this is aspirational. The Doctor has had friends leave and seen so much destruction, whilst his foe in this story fears revisiting his experiences in the Blitz. David Tennant is very good at conveying all the pain that the Doctor has experienced.

I think that I’ve been pretty open about not liking how Martha is treated by the Tenth Doctor, and by extension, the show. We’re nearly at the halfway point of the series and Martha has no security in her role as the companion and the Doctor taking her back home has clearly not been discussed before she finds herself back home. It is especially a shame considering what we have seen Martha do during the half-season so far, and her usefulness to the Doctor continues here. Her scientific knowledge helps the Doctor when looking into Lazarus’ DNA, whilst she fearlessly makes sure that the majority of the attendees escape the party.

Martha has the largest family of any companion to date, and this story is the first time we get a chance to see more of Francine, Tish and Leo. I think that the larger family means that they don’t really get a fair chance to shine, especially Leo. Francine is the nosy and overbearing mother, all too keen to believe the worst of the Doctor and Martha without having a discussion with her first, albeit with them not necessarily helping themselves with their actions and words. Martha’s mother leaves herself open to be fed narratives by the mysterious man working on behalf of the even more mysterious Mr Saxon. The story also puts more flesh on the bones of the relationship between Martha and Tish, who gets caught up with the action, including the climax in Southwark Cathedral. It is Leo who ends this story with us not really feeling like we know him any better.

Verdict: The Lazarus Experiment is better than remembered, despite a poor CGI monster. 7/10

Cast: David Tennant (The Doctor), Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Tish Jones), Reggie Yates (Leo Jones), Adjoa Andoh (Francine Jones), Mark Gatiss (Richard Lazarus), Thelma Barlow (Lady Thaw), Lucy O’Connell (Olive Woman) & Bertie Carvel (Mysterious Man)

Writer: Stephen Greenhorn

Director: Richard Clark

Producer: Phil Collinson

Composer: Murray Gold

Original Broadcast Date: 5th May 2007

Behind the Scenes

• The working title for this story was The Madness of Professor Lazarus.
• Mark Gatiss’ appearance in this story means that he enters an exclusive club of people to have written and acted in televised Doctor Who.
• The story originally featured Professor Lazarus experimenting on invulnerable skin, but this was dropped by Russell T Davies as he was concerned about this being similar to the plot of the forthcoming Spider-Man 3.
• Greenhorn wanted the story to feature scenes around the Thames Barrier, but this was changed after he learnt that The Runaway Bride would also feature scenes set here.

Cast Notes

• Adjoa Andoh previously played Sister Jatt in New Earth. She has also played numerous characters for Big Finish, including in Year of the Pig and Empire of the Racnoss.
• Mark Gatiss has written for Big Finish Productions and appeared in the television stories The Wedding of River Song and Twice Upon a Time.

Best Moment

I think it has to be the olive lady, who is promptly dispatched by the Lazarus monster.

Best Quote

Previous Tenth Doctor review: Evolution of the Daleks

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