Remember When Doctor Who Literally Destroyed Pompeii? 

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The fact Capaldi's first words in this episode were *Modern Art* makes me feel like he was pitching his Doctor there and then.

Can't believe they named a town after a song by Bastille

“We’re in Pompeii, and it’s volcano day” - I can remember being 6 years old and for some reason the first Monday after this episode first aired everyone at school was quoting that line

I think the writing for Donna is by far the strong point of the story. As I've said before, _empathy is Donna's superpower._

“Doctor, Time Lord, Yeah” “Donna, Human, No” Love this line.

I love that it was Donna begging him to Save the family and that ends up impacting the Doctor in the future when obvs we get Capaldi as the Doctor. It reminds him that sometimes even when everything seems hopeless saving just one life can have an impact. It's what the Doctor does. The Doctor saves people. Sometimes the Doctor forgets that and needs reminding. But it also shows how impactful certain companions are. I always thought the Rose would have just gone along with The Doctor and let him walk away. Also I like the Doctor is really understanding towards Quintus. We see him at the start and he is a mess and a rebel who defies his parents because all the attention is on his sister. The Doctor can see the potential in the lad and can see him being more. When they defeat the Pyrovile foot soldier the Doctor goes "I thought your son was amazing aren't you gonna thank him" which shows that the parents have been neglecting and ignoring their son in favour of the daughter which is the cause of his behaviour. They need reminding to praise him. Quintus is shown to be brave and smart when he needs to be and then at the end he turns his life around and finally gets praise and love from his parents. I think also Quintus hated his sister having a restricted life so was probably glad at the end that the attention went on him and she was allowed a normal life to go out and have fun. It's little moments like that that I really love with Doctor Who. Those little character moments.

I always love to imagine that cacilius was just actually the 12th doctor and was deliberately poking fun at the 10th doctor and Donna the whole time

I really like how in this one it deconstructs Doctor/companion behaviour in historicals, when they pretend to be someone else, pretend not to be from the future and kinda treat it like a game. Here, it doesn't work and is called out on by Evelina. "They're laughing at us. Those two, they use words like tricksters. They're mocking us."

"Tardis time lord yeah" "Donna human no" I love that part

*MODERN ART*

“We all know what a Roman city with a mountain means.” That’s right... Welcome to Miami bitches!

"Where it turns out that the 9th Doctor has been grooming Rose to be the perfect companion" How would that even be written? That sounds really creepy, and I guess that was the intent, but wouldn't that make the Doctor seem like a monster?

'Poundland sisterhood of Karn' 😆

I’ve been rewatching Series 4, and figured out why I like Donna so much. Besides Catherine Tate being funny and talented, Donna is the most empathetic companion. Again, her crying when she first hears the Ood sing. And the hug she gives the Doctor at the end of Midnight. No words. Fantastic moment. The only companion that comes close is Clara, but nobody is as noble as Donna.

Is Katherine Tate as underrated a dramatic actress as I think she is? Pity.

One cool thing that didn't come up in the video was that for those of us who did Latin at school, Caecilius and his family were instantly recognisable as they were the central characters of the Cambridge Latin Course. They were real people that we have historical records of! When this episode first aired I was pointing at the TV like in the Leo DeCaprio meme Caecilius est pater Metella est mater Quintus est fukboi

"we love to overanalyse the show" *checks video time bar* Yup, the calculations check out :p

Talks about how beautiful doctor who is to people: cuts to love and monsters clip

The doctor has a literal trolley problem.

Anyone here did the Cambridge Latin course, the textbooks are set in pomepeii, they end with volcano day. That’s what the caecilius family are named after-fun fact

Apparently this episode was going to be later in the series and i think it would of worked better in the place of the Unicorn and Wasp. If they were swapped i think it could be a little more effective. Anyways the episode i think theres a nice nod to a previous 1st doctor story with a huge fire that the 10th Doctor mentions. The chameleon circuit thing was a nice touch about what would happen if they actually spoke the language nice little joke. This episode is the start of a few different things that will pay off in the series both comedic and serious like Donna having a bug on her back, mentioning the Medusa Cascade, the mysterious ''she'' is returning (Rose) and how everyone thinks the Doctor and Donna are either a couple or look similar (Doctor Donna). The moral question is handled very well like Pompeii being a fixed event and the doctor thinking he cant save anyone because its fixed. Him also comparing Pompeii to Gallifrey and wanting to save everyone but he cant and im glad Donna does convince him to change his mind even if he only saves 4 people he saved somebody and i think she kinda makes me think she is his moral compass in a way. Also having Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillian in this episode in Doctor Who before they became main characters in their own right. Its also interesting how Capaldi's character here and the one in Torchwood are related and the connection is made later in Children of Earth (I think i havent watched it in a while)

The point I often see fans miss is that FoP was not a choice of whether or not to kill 20,000 people or screw with a fixed point in time; it was a choice between killing 20,000 humans or killing them ALL by letting the Pyroviles take over. For the Doctor it must have felt like the Time War writ small; only he could take action and that action must cause a lot of death. That OMG moment Donna has is this realization, that the Doctor not only has to walk away letting so many die, but he actually has to do the killing. In one moment, Donna understands this is the choice the Doctor faces every day--how to save as many as possible, to limit inevitable destruction and death, to make the best bad choice, and to remember that this too is a victory and to accept the bitter while appreciating the sweet. Not only did Donna remind the Doctor to hold onto the sweet by saving the family, she, more than any other companion, understood *and shared* the responsibility the Doctor lives and works under. Other companions have had their aha moments, but never to such a degree. That relatively subdued "Oh my god" from Donna speaks volumes and makes the viewer pause with the same realization. And when she resolutely places her hands over the Doctor's, saying without words that he is not alone even when making world-shattering decisions, taking life-shattering actions, that he has the mate he wanted beside him even in this...it's amazing. I agree with another commenter that empathy is Donna's superpower. She has enough empathy to share the heavy burden of the Time Lord. That is unique. And it's fantastic.

karen gillain got lost on her way to the day of the dead celebrations as a mexican, i love this joke

I like Donna's comment of "JUST ONE! SAVE JUST ONE!" Also the fact that he chooses Kasilie's(?) face later on because of this moment iirc is also a bonus.

Funny how the Doctor never bumps into Captain Jack while him and Donnor are in Pompeii.

This is one of a few episodes you can show to someone who doesn't know doctor who but they still could enjoy it like a movie

"They basically just stole their god's from the Greeks." *Annoyed Classical Historian noises* The Roman's had their gods before meeting the Greeks, they however considered similar deities to essentially be the same as their own gods (Zeus and Jupitor for example), just being worshipped under a different name. They did adopt deities from people they met, as did every other pagan, so some gods were adopted from the Greeks. Just not the main pantheon.

I love the callback to the Runaway Bride "You're right. Sometimes I need someone"

“When has a villain ever recounted their plan in excruciating detail and won?” Watchmen.

I wish you'd talked about the arc that this led into with Capaldi's Doctor, which ties in really nicely to his character in Torchwood too. In Torchwood is what happens when the Doctor doesn't interfere and lets people fend for themselves, but Pompeii is an example of what can happen when he does interfere and save people, and I think it all ties in quite nicely to the 12th Doctor's moral dilemma of questioning whether he's a good man

It's a shame Gatiss' episode about Nazis never saw the light of day, it sounds like something really ambitious for the writer who usually writes cartoonish characters.

I forget which writer wrote that Frosbisher’s family in Torchwood Children of Earth are descendants of the family 10 & Donna saved, and their end was the universe rebalancing the scales

I think Series 4 is the only season with no really bad episodes

I will never get over the prophecy Evelina and Lucious downs the atmosphere it creates it is so impactful

Caecilius and his family are also the main characters of the Cambridge Latin course's first year program for students in 7th grade like I was, so seeing the subject of my intro to Latin turn up in Doctor Who was really cool.

I find it funny how I (and most of the audience) didn't notice Karen Gillian, which means that 2 future doctor who actors were there

With the earthquakes, is it just me who’s reminded of Mary Poppins?

I like the connection between this episode and Children of Earth, that the character Capaldi played is a descendant of his character here and the reason his entire family dies in Children of earth is as a result of the timeline correcting itself.

I find it just absolutely perfect that in the episode that includes both choice and prophecy that the actors who play the doctor's companion and the doctor are both in this episode years before they get their chance.

would it be crazy to have a new doctor who series with no main doctor? just isolated adventures of past doctors and past companions? we could see new stories with our favorites

I honestly applaud james moran for writing such an amazing episode. i really wish he wrote more for the series because i loved how the doctor and donna were led down different paths to the point where they butted heads at the height of the episode and the doctor giving in to donna's pleas. i met him a few years ago at a convention and he is such a cool and nice guy!

This was also the first time we saw the 12th Doctor and Amy Pond before they arrived as the main stars of Doctor Who

I love that the writer of this episode must have studied Latin and based the character’s off the Cambridge Latin Course. Edit: I just remembered that the characters in the CLC were based on real people, so the characters here were sort of real I love Dr Who!

I think it would be cool if you did a cold open tier list

I usually think of this episode as very underrated not going to lie. I feel like it should be more loved by the fans. Easily one of the best episodes of s4.

Alternate title: Remember when the doctor encountered his future face

I feel that this episode is like a Proto-Waters Of Mars, exploring the same themes brilliantly, only for Waters Of Mars to come in and do what it did great even greater. But that's getting ahead XD

This was actually the first ever episode I saw, in high school my latin textbook was based on Caecillius, Metella, and their son Quintus. I was doing homework one day and found online that they had based a doctor who episode on the characters from my homework and holy cow I got hooked on the show ever since.

All I could think of when they rush to protect their things was that scene in Mary Poppins... "Posts!"

This episode is what I feel is the reason that 10 couldn't find another way in The Day of the Doctor. THEY pushed the button together. He accepted the need to do what he had done. The Man Who Regrets was needed to hold The Man Who Forgets to account, to force him to stop disassociating himself from the War Doctor; but only one that's "moved on" from burning Gallifrey can find another path forward. They both had to be there.

Kudos to the 12th Doctor creating the word for volcano.

Unironically our Latin class high school teacher used to play this episode yearly in class. Not only was it a good reflection and demonstration of the times we learned about, it was entertaining sci fi that ended up getting me more into the show

To me the Roman family trying to protect stuff from smashing from the Volcanic trembles made me thnk of Mary Poppins' Banks family and Mrs. Banks and the servants trying to prevent the goods from smashing when the Admial did his cannon thing

Is this Caecilius and his family meant to be the same one from the British Latin classes textbook?

Posting this on a bunch of your videos to help metrics: Thank you so much for making this series. Doctor Who was my favourite tv show as a kid, and was literally the only interest that every member of my family had in common, so it was very special to us growing up. Watching all your deep dives into each of the NuWho episodes has been a very nostalgic experience for me, so thank you thank you xx

Imagine living in Pompeii at the time of the eruption and your graffiti or your room is what gets preserved for thousands and thousands of years.

If I was Donna, I definitely wouldn't be able to continue travelling with the Doctor after this. I'd be completely mentally destroyed after this

I just finished rewatching Tennet’s era and I think this episode definitely still holds up. It’s one of my favorites. Great breakdown as always man!

I forget which writer wrote that Frosbisher’s family in Torchwood are descendants of the family 10 & Donna saved, and their end was the universe rebalancing the scales

yoooooooo. the ancient picture of SBFP before the fall. i love all the memes and references you add to your videos.

I just realized how genius it is that the soothsayers did NOT know Pompey was going to blow, until the Doctor had to press the button. The Volcano had no reason to blow until that happened. The writers were hinting at the ending from the beginning

Honestly man, your videos keep me going, I could listen to chat who for hours. Keep it up man!

13:56 that girl is probably one of Amy's ancestors, since she's played by Karen Gillan as well.

I'M THE DOCTOR! AND I SAVE PEOPLE! AND IF ANYONE IS LISTENING AND IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.... TO HELL WITH YOU!!!!!! Sorry just had to do that

"I have a good friend on Gallifrey called Sussus Amogus"

_Father's Day_ wasn't a fixed point since they can't ever be rewritten but a paradox that's what attracted the Reapers.

"We know the ancient Roman gods aren't real" the witches in the audience : 👁 👄👁

coming back to this episode after studying ancient rome, more specifically doing a unit on pompeii and its architecture, the sets are /so close/ to being perfect but if only they were able to have the intricate mix of apartment buildings, shops with flats above, and villas roman cities typically had along with the deep pits in the centre of roads for, well, sewage. it's one of those cases where knowing just that little bit too much and being one of those people who get hung up on historical innaccuracies is my downfall (also the pompeii bodies are actually plaster casts of the space left in the ash by the body which is long gone/just a skeleton. it's fascinating stuff)

Drinking game: take a shot every time this video uses the "Modern Art!" clip. I think it's also good that the Doctor accepts Donna as a companion at the end, taking in Donna's advice from The Runaway Bride about the Doctor needing someone to stop him every now and again. Martha was definitely that someone during Series 3, and Donna proves the Doctor still needs someone in this episode as well as the Doctor mentioning it later in the 2009 Special episodes.

The coliseum was actually very tame and there was pretty much no blood shed in them

Damn, old Funhaus and Best Friends clips out of nowhere in the same video? Man that's a gutpunch that takes me back lol

What a coincidence. I was rewatching Doctor Who from series 1 all over again. I watched Fires Of Pompeii yesterday. I just opened youtube and you uploaded this also yesterday.

Like the similarities to The Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Eve with this story in the review

Absolutely brilliant ep. Great video as always!

7:29 me watching children of earth

Season 4 have sooo many great episodes! The dynamics between the Doctor and Donna is also great to see

Will you make a series 6 and up review playlist? I love your channel! 😀

the doctor admits he wants to do the same thing as Donna early in the episode. he admits he too has the urge to save as many people as he can, but at the same time the Timelord in him is demanding that everyone in that town is going to die and he cannot stop it or time will unwravel.

Two Funhaus references in one video? Great work

I actually found it interesting how we didn’t get an episode filmed abroad until series 4. The only other episodes to feature footage abroad was Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks and that was some of the shots of New York such as the Statue of Liberty and the above shots of Manhattan which was taken by a skeleton crew who went out there during post production.

"I remember why I chose this face" is y favorite line from the Doctor, soon after regenerating into Capaldi

Pretty sure the main reason they replaced it with Boomtown was the budget. That episode was shot outside the writer's office, had about 2 shots that required cg and the main villain effect was an existing prop arm. It just screams "Yeah they wouldn't give us THAT much money.

So glad you brought up the end of the massacre, I've always seen Pompeii as a spiritual sequel to the massacre.

I used to watch his one all the time as a kid. Fantastic episode-love the monsters, love he acting, love everything

Great episode but why is Caecilius non est in horto? CAMBRIDGE LATIN GANG RISE UP!

Fact that Capaldi had monument of the Doctor is totally accurate

The scene on prophecy is the only scene in New Who that gives me goosebumps

9:55 "Synthetic Dawn" into the console in vanilla euiv gets you their just fine.

Was not expecting to see the Zaibatsu in a Harbo video. Damn that kind of stung

I can't wait for you to do a video of the waters of mars. It's the best episode of doctor who imo.

Unlike Lucius, Ozymandias knew the proper time for the villainous monologue- after your plan works, but before the heroes know it

I think the scene where they try and stop the valuables from falling is a reference to the posts everyone scenes in Mary Poppins

I always revisit the scene where the two soothsayers are trying to our-soothsay each other and it gives me chills. It's just the right amount of cheesy and dramatic.

Something about 27:40, having two Doctors there, is just awesome.

"The Poundland Sisterhood of Karn" lmao

after listening to the fires of Vulcan (Big Finish) I'm reminded of the line the 7th doctor said as the volcano is exploding "its got nothing to do with me" i think you'll find it has everything to do with you doctor just not yet

I actually like the way they only vaguely answer the question. First impression, it translates an original language to Celtic. Or is it just Latin to Celtic? We don't know. Then the doctor implies that it's just that Donna *sounds* Celtic, so wait... diagetically, is she speaking Celtic-accented Latin or Celtic-accented English or actual Celtic proper? Then later the Doctor speaks some Latin and while it's not explicitly mentioned, I think it's just because Donna got him curious and he's testing the boundaries. He then seems surprised that he seems to sound Celtic. But wait, is it Celtic accent or Celtic proper?! And is the translation matrix bugged in a "Celtic" way like the chameleon circuit and we just like it better that way?? Not knowing, I like it better that way lmao

Hands down my favourite episode of the revival. It just holds such a special place in my heart and in my favourite series.

Fun fact, Caecilius and Quintus are based on 2 real people who are known to have lived in Pompeii (Lucius Caecilius Iucundus and Quintus Caecilius Iucundus), although the real daughter of Caecilius was called Lucia, after himself. Both of them serve as the PoV characters in the Cambridge Latin Course as well, which is where I know the real ones from, to further cement the connection, both Doctor Who Caecilius and CLC Caecilius are married to women called Metalla, although idk if we have evidence for her actual name being such.