altariel | Midnight

Some of you might remember a charming little news story from 2006 when two passengers were removed from a plane because some of the other passengers thought they talked a bit funny. Some of which seemed to make its way into 'Midnight' last night. Well done, Rusty, and I'm glad one of your more pointed pieces of social commentary went out the day you got your OBE.

Opinion is divided in the Altariel household over this episode, although not over its quality.

mraltariel was concerned that it contained too much adult reality for a seven-year-old audience: too many adults behaving so frighteningly that even the teenage character, Jethro, struggled to make emotional sense of what was going on.

mraltariel also doesn't like watching people bicker, but I watch Blake's 7 so no complaints from me. But (great big fangirl that I am) the really interesting bits of the story were happening in the gaps: what does Jethro think of his parents now that he's had confirmation of their narrow-minded bigotry (and, indeed, what happens to his rebellious streak, which notably failed when the crunch came); what does Dee Dee make of her idolized professor after he has fallen back on aggression and bullying to silence her (a story close to my heart); and, of course, what exactly did they all say to the Doctor during that twenty minute wait for rescue? And what do they say to themselves, in the midnight hour?

I know many wouldn't agree, but I love Rusty's storytelling. I think he's endlessly inventive, and always sharp but forgiving about people. Even though (as

communicator pointed out) 'Midnight' was just the Elevator Episode, it was clever and it bit hard. I'll miss Rusty when he's gone. Hope he knocks out the occasional 'Gridlock' to keep me happy.