Opinions/critiques please: "Fear Her"

[shivver]

I was thinking earlier today. "Fear Her" is one of the most hated DW episodes - the lowest rated on IMDB, below "Sleep No More", "Love & Monsters", and "In the Forest of the Night". My question is why?

Now, I've seen the episode twice, and not at all recently, though I did read through the transcript last month. I remember not liking the episode, but I didn't hate it. I felt that the attack of the girl's father was superfluous to the plot and that the Doctor lighting the Olympic flame was cheesy and out of character, but that's not enough to make a story bad.

So, my question, what is it about "Fear Her" that makes it a bad story (besides the two things I mentioned above)? I am asking from the point of view of a writer, because I want to know what to avoid in my own stories. Thanks very much for any opinions and insights you are willing offer!

Comments

[alumfelga.livejournal.com]

So far it seems like everyone agrees that "Fear Her" isn't really all that bad, destroyed by the last ten minutes of cheesiness for the most part.
Okay, I'm in the minority then. I really loved the Doctor with the Olympic Flame, partly because Ten has so little moments of pure fun, and partly bacause I love when the Doctor interacts with our reality. My favourite joke is from Voyage of the Damned when the Doctor says he got the last room when Jesus was being born :) Also, I don't mind the scene with the father/monster coming out, the whole story about helpless mother and scared daughter was touching. If I was to point out some weak parts of the episode, I'd say maybe the action was a bit too slow, the girl could perhaps act better and the idea that you can trap the whole Earth inside a piece of paper that is a part of Earth trapped inside a piece of paper... makes me dizzy :)