I have such vivid memories of watching this story when it aired in 2008 back when I was a wide eyed 8 year old and it quickly became one of my faves. Imagine my excitement when it was announced as one of the new target novelisation’s for this year. Keith has added another whole layer of depth to his already very strong story. The novelisation adds an array of new scenes that help develop characters along with adding more of the horror of ood treatment that would of likely not been allowed in the televised version. This was such a fun and nostalgic journey to experience a loved story of mine in a new way.
5 ⭐️ Keith Temple Is it possible for a novel to suffer from 45 minute syndrome? Perhaps, Planet of the Ood is a very weird novelization from the latest batch of Doctor Who novelizations, filling in a slot with Keith Temple returning to the world of Doctor Who for the first time since 2009 to adapt his only television episode into a novel. The episode on television was fairly simple, it had roots with The Robots of Death (something the novelization lampshades), with some very well done anti-capitalist portrayals and some toned down horror for the general audience. Planet of the Ood is adapted into a novel that doesn’t actually take much of its opportunity to flesh out the ideas outside of an added prologue from the perspective of the Ood which provides some very nice surrealist alien horror to open the book. It’s about the only thing that’s been added by Temple, with a lot of the dialogue from the original episode making up the bulk of the novel’s dialogue. Temple does have a fine enough grasp on prose, the performances from television are translated quite well to keep the general text about the evils of capitalism and corporations intact, but there’s actually very little added in addition to some references to The Robots of Death for lampshading purposes. There are certainly details in “Planet of the Ood” which could have been fleshed out: Dr. Ryder and the Friends of the Ood subplot which is only mentioned briefly looks as if it is going to get a subplot with a brief section early on being told from Ryder’s perspective as an Ood sees into his mind, but it doesn’t get much of an explanation as to what their plans are. There are also still obviously the issues with the fact that the Doctor and Donna still have no impact on the plot, with some of their character interactions in the novel being almost dialed back in places which means certain scenes just lose a little bit of the impact they initially had going for them. Luckily it’s never enough to diminish the dynamic that made the characters work through Tennant and Tate’s performances, and Temple didn’t have to do a hasty rewrite for Donna as he did in the original episode, but it’s still just there.
Overall, Planet of the Ood is a fairly good translation of the television episode, however it does not take the time to perhaps adjust and reflect on some of the weaknesses of the television episode. It just presents the events squarely as they happen with the characters given the same level of depth and the world explored essentially the same way which means you finish reading and don’t quite have a reason to fall in love with it, wanting a deeper exploration a novel could have provided. It’s a good time, but being read so close to rewatching the episode just brings it down a little for me. 7/10.
Keith Temple Having last seen the TV episode in question when Matt Smith hadn't even been the Doctor yet, I barely recall anything specific from it, except for one scene (which I'll get to later). Whilst reading this novelization however it became clear why this is. It's very basic 'Free the slaves!'-story with a handful of cardboard characters and not much depth all around. The Doctor and Donna aren't doing much and mostly watch from the sidelines. In fact, if they hadn't been around the action would have played out either way in one form or another. I assume that this was the result of a thought process to not let “Planet of the Ood” devolve into some form of 'white savior' story and let the Ood become the makers of their own fate, but I'm not sure if this really was the only way to tell this story. If anything it makes for a low-stakes story because our main characters are mere bystanders and rarely in any real danger.
So, in a way, I'm not sure whether it really was a story worth telling. But on the other hand, it needed to be told in one form or another, or else the Ood's inclusion in series 2's “The Impossible Planet” as a happy slave race only would have felt odder in the long run. And yet, what is it actually saying? I had hopes that the novelization would expand on a theme that was barely explored in the TV episode. Back then the Doctor reminded Donna of cheap labor like this that exists on earth in her (and, well, our) timeline. She snaps back at him and tells him that he's being rude for pointing that out. He then, in a very out-of-character kind of way for any version of the Doctor, apologizes and the topic is never brought up again. I remember this scene baffling me in the same way that the twist reveal of “Kerblam!” did, but since McTighe attempted to repair it in his recent novelization of that story, I had hopes that Temple would do the same with the said scene and build upon it. Instead, he just uses the same lines, word by word. Again the point instantly evaporates before it even gets established, rending “Planet of the Ood” even in book form an entirely toothless affair. Keith Temple A novelisation of Temple's own script for a Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) adventure featuring his companion Donna Noble.
The TARDIS arrives on a snow-shrouded world, where the Doctor and Donna discover Ood Operations, a company built around the export of the servant race, the Ood. However, something has changed and the Ood are no longer content to serve humanity, rising up in revolution with the Doctor and Donna caught up in it.
I've always rather enjoyed the televised version of this story, featuring one of my favourite Doctor/Companion combos in the Tenth and Donna, as well as diving into the back story of the Ood, one of the more iconic of New Who's new monsters (perhaps second only to the Weeping Angels).
To succeed, a novelisation has to walk the fine line of keeping the things that made the original good, whilst also making the most of the change in media by giving us internal monologues, extra scenes and the suchlike.
Unfortunately, I don't think this novelisation strikes the right balance. Where the TV version was firmly focused on the injustice of the treatment of the Ood and the emotional pathos of the captivity of such a peaceful race, this book all too often finds itself bogged-down in needless incidental information.
The prime example of this is just how much time we spend getting to know one of the sales reps who, honestly, I couldn't pick out of the crowd of extras if I was to watch the episode again now. There's no need to learn his backstory, his hopes and dreams because he has absolutely no impact on the plot at all, therefore dragging the pacing of this not-overly-long book to a crawl. It felt like padding and it negatively affected the impact of the story overall.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page * Keith Temple I am so in love with these newly released Target books of the newer series. This one, Series 4 episode 3 (Planet of the Ood)- sees the Doctor and Donna visit an alien world. Oods live to serve but maybe there is more to the story than meets the eye … People are dying and it seems the Ood are to blame with a mysterious red eye affecting the Oods.
I listened to the audiobook format, narrated by Silas Carson, the voice of the Ood. It’s awesome that they get those involved in the original episodes to narrate these and gives it that extra link to the episodes they’re based on. And it was greatly narrated and produced which is something I’ve reliably found with both BigFinish and Who audiobooks.
Silas was seriously amazing and he was absolute expert level. The way he narrated was so easy and effortless, it made listening easy and effortless too.
I also love that these books, whilst heavily based on the episodes, bring new perspectives, details and really flesh out the story and bring something new. I purposefully slowed this book down so I could enjoy it for longer! I hope they do a target book and audiobook for every of the new Who episodes!
Keith Temple
free read Doctor Who: Planet of the Ood (Target Collection) (Doctor Who Target Novels – Classic Era Book 19)
The Ood came from a distant world, they voyaged across the stars, all for one purpose... to serve.
The TARDIS lands on the Ood-Sphere in the year 4126. Here, human profiteers have subjugated the the gentle creatures are forced into servitude and sold across the galaxy as the perfect slaves. But now, some are fighting back. Their eyes turn red as they throw off their chains and kill their oppressors...
The Doctor and Donna soon learn that the planet of the Ood holds cruel and awesome secrets. As they battle for justice and survival, the fate of the entire Ood race hangs in the balance. Will the outcome be salvation - or extinction? Doctor Who: Planet of the Ood (Target Collection) (Doctor Who Target Novels – Classic Era Book 19)
The Doctor takes Donna Noble to the Ood,Spherd in 4126, where they are both horrified to discover that the peaceful Ood servants are going mad and attacking their human masters.
Temple's adaptation of his script is excellent, hitting all the major bears, with some good character work and a fascinating story which could serve as a starting point for discussions on slavery. Keith Temple Whether it’s deliberate or not, there’s a pleasing thematic unity to this being in a batch with Warriors’ Gate and Kerblam! with their exploration of slavery and corporate misconduct. It allows for a comparison of how the two incarnations of the series treat the same themes, and brings up some fascinating similarities (it’s very much worth considering the roles Biroc and Ood Sigma play in each story and their approach).
Temple veers to bringing the episode to the page in a straightforward manner, but he more than makes up for that with some beautiful characterisation, even of the minor roles, some dark comedy and modernising the original story’s ideas on anti-corporate protest. Perhaps the only flaw is the early TARDIS scene, which could’ve been lost without affecting the story and demonstrates why this era of the show initially dispensed with them as early as possible. On this evidence it’s a shame Temple’s song is limited to just one story. Keith Temple Part of the golden age of modern Who - now as a mass market paperback. Yes it doesn't exactly expand upon the original episode but it does add bits here and there and makes for a good story. The Ood are such fascinating, heartbreaking creatures and remain in my top 5 aliens of the show. The Doctor and Donna don't feature a lot but you know. It's still good.
4.5/5 Keith Temple This is an adaptation on par with its stablemate Kerblam! -- a solid, concise, straightforward retelling of the original episode, with just enough extra layers to add depth without acting as filler. An ideal Target novelization. Keith Temple This is a brilliant about greed, being Bald, black comedy and red eye, and slaves
All the missing bits Doctor Donna, Donna Doctor. Keith Temple