Human Nature/The Family of Blood


 Art by Arbrax

Human Nature/The Family of Blood by Paul Cornell

Today, I’m celebrating Paul Cornell by talking about two fantastic and very similar adaptations of the virgin new adventures novels. People frequently know my favorite Doctor Who story is The Chimes of Midnight, but this is often disputed in my mind whenever I rewatch this fabulous twoparter every few months. Oh, sure, I love my Heaven Sents, and My World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls, and I adore City of Death but when someone asks me for my favorite television story, I always turn to this one. But why do I love Human Nature/The Family of Blood? I’ve never been able to answer. Certainly it’s a fantastic story, and the character work that it does with The Doctor and why he is like he is, and the villains are the most memorable (and definitely my favorites in any medium) but it was only after I heard Jac Raynor’s adaptation of Love and War (the next review coming up after this), it occurred to me. Human Nature/The Family of Blood is absolutely masterful at pacing, which has always felt to me as the number one problem with Doctor Who. You want a classic who story! It’s gonna be way too slow! You want a modern who story! It’s gonna be way too fast! But Human Nature/The Family of Blood has the definite and apparent benefit of being an adaptation (at least once you’re aware it is) and Paul Cornell knows his story beats inside and out. It spends enough time gradually setting things up, like a slow burner, while still showing bits of interest. The setting remains the most important aspect of the first half, as well as the characters, who are all extraordinarily done. Martha is the audience perspective, almost throughout! Just enough time is given to our fabulous villains, who aren’t very extraordinary in terms of concept, but the writing and especially the performance of all four of them hold them up so well. Often Modern Doctor Who ties things up in five minutes, which can be a problem, but Human Nature/Family of Blood knows what it is, and takes the best elements of the novels denouement and centers the last quarter of the story around it, the emotion of John Smith’s plight, the resolution, followed by the Tenth Doctor’s darkest moment and the incredible ending of Tim and Joan Redfern’s character arcs, before tying it up in a world war 1 bow. I’ve seen this story more than 10 times and every time without fail I am reverted to tears, a feat which can be said of no other story.
I love The Chimes of Midnight, the other favorite story, for its concept, but I love Human Nature/Family of Blood for its character. For a story that often is regarded as one of the best Doctor Who’s ever put to screen, sometimes I feel even that isn’t enough credit. Adieu, Paul Cornell. You fricking genius. 
Part One: 10/10
Part Two: 10.5/10

 


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