You only really see the true face of the Universe when it's asking you for help." Oxygen presents Doctor Who as a darker, bolder and all round mature series. The claustrophobia and threat of this episode is heightened by the fact that the Doctor and his companions are in a situation that is far more dangerous than they've experienced before. For one thing, the TARDIS and sonic screwdriver are put out of action very early on in the story, resulting in the Doctor having to improvise and work things out simply by using his enormous brain. Initially, this seems normal, until all their lives are on the line, leading to the most satisfying denouement of Series 10 so far. Instead of going for the over-complicated, Jamie Mathieson has opted for simplistic.
The political angle is something that Doctor Who has been doing for years, but it feels fresh and inspired in this episode. Capitalism is actually the monster in this story, something that is not often considered dangerous, but is actually an invisible force that endangers everyone for one simple reason - money. It's the clever way in which the Doctor threatens the capitalist suits with expenses that saves their lives. The zombies, however, are less inspired, and despite their appearance adding to the scare-factor, it doesn't provide any sub-context to the storyline, just a way to put the kids behind the sofa. The story itself is well written by Jamie Mathieson. It's the atypical Doctor Who adventure, but this time, Nardole joins in. Whilst the subplot of the Vault is still very fresh in his mind, his character does get a chance to show off his knowledge of the Universe alongside the Doctor, even going as far as to discuss his love life with an AI called Velma. The comedy is integrated well into the fast-paced chase-fest that ensues in most of the episode, but it is overwhelmingly swamped by the grief we feel as not only does the Doctor lost his eyesight when saving Bill from suffocation, but also Bill is converted anyway. The supporting characters didn't provide much in the way of context, except for a quip against racism. But it's great to see the writers expanding our knowledge of what the future of the Human race looks like in the Whoniverse, perhaps somehow connected to the Great and Bountiful Human Empire that has been mentioned since Series 1. Performance wise, Capaldi has peaked so much that it's just an endless display of unprecedented talent. This time required to act blind, it doesn't seem a challenge at all to him - he embodies the Twelfth Doctor every episode without fault. Pearl Mackie is better than ever, this time required to portray Bill in a more threatening position than ever before, allowing us to grieve for the emotion she feels in her relationship with the Doctor. Also, the reference to her Mum was heartbreaking. I particularly enjoyed the opening sequence to the episode, with a combination of Capaldi's monologue and that beautifully shot scene in space being a highlight of a pretty strong episode. With that cliffhanger though and the next time trailer, this series has suddenly expanded beyond proportions. Not only have we got the Vault to ponder, but the Doctor's blind and and now there's a book known as the Veritas that apparently kills people after they've read it. The string of five episode that we've had so far have been the most consistent of any of the new series in my opinion - Series 10 has had not one dud. This is probably Mathieson's best in my opinion, and I hope he returns when Chibnall takes over. 8.5/10
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AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
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