Doctor Who Series 10 (2017) Part Two Review
Doctor Who: Series 10 Review
Part Two (Episodes 7-12)
J.R
Episode Seven: The Pyramid at the End of the World
While far from perfect, this episode delivers a brilliantly realistic apocalypse scenario mixed with creepy creatures and weird ideas. Despite a Donald Trump reference that ages the episode terribly, this is a great episode. The Monks are plotting to take advantage of an apocalyptic event to rule over the human race, and the Doctor unifies armies and organisations to help. The world-ending event is a leak from a chemical plant, a chillingly real way in which life on Earth could end, continuing the dark narrative from the previous episode. While the episode is not particularly visually appealing, it explores various themes, such as power, control, sacrifice in addition to current international relations and human nature (in relation to how far humans will go to defend themselves). What makes the episode's ending so brilliant is that the Doctor comes impossibly close to averting Armageddon in the face of unbeatable foes that it is frustrating when Bill reaches a scenario in which she must choose between the life of the Doctor and the freedom of the people of Earth. Though not constantly as realistic as it could be, this episode is emotional and creepy, living up to the ending of the previous chapter in the trilogy.
Episode Eight: The Lie of the Land
A slightly disappointing end to the Trilogy of the Monks gives us two things direly needed for viewers. The first is further development for Bill. Virtually the entire episode is centered around Bill (making the episode comparable to Turn Left in more ways than one) and the climax is even based around her and her character (though it was infinitely cringeworthy that the unbeatable Monks could be defeated by the power of love, though there was little other choice when the previous episodes had made the Monks out to be all-knowing invincible gods). Additionally, the episode is structurally odd, as the start and end of the episode are very watchable, but there is a strangely long section in the middle in which The Doctor pretends to be working for the Monks and fakes his regeneration (Yes, again). This scene goes on far longer than it should be, especially when the audience knows he will return to his hero persona as evidenced by both the series trailer and common sense. This scene and the climax are the only key problems of the episode, as this is terrible for the pacing and structure and stops the episode dead. Now for the second thing the audience needed from this episode. Missy. Teased two episodes previously, the dynamic between Missy and Capaldi's Doctor is always beautiful, to see the insane and twisted friendship Missy describes as infinitely more complex than human civilization.
Episode Nine: Empress of Mars
A little bland, a little boring but with cool visuals. There's not too much to take away from this episode. Besides a unique look (a cost-effective look as well) and feel to the episode, and the premise alone is simply not enough. On the surface, Victorians on Mars sounds interesting, but there's not an equally interesting idea behind it or story. As with various other episodes from this series, the plot is remarkably similar to a previous script, specifically The Tombs of the Cybermen. It feels very much that this is a filler episode as its only purpose in the overall series arc is to get the Doctor to trust Missy again, as she rescues them from Mars after Nardole temporarily frees her. While seeing the Ice Warriors on their home planet for the first time is neat, it soon becomes clear that it is in other environments in which they look the most intimidating, while they just look at home as green men on Mars. It's simply not interesting enough, despite the cool-looking sets and energy of a few conflict scenes.
Episode Ten: The Eaters of Light
Why? Seriously, why? Like the last episode, this one just isn't interesting enough. It's as if the production team came up with a cool title first, then worked backward and devised a strange octopus creature while vaguely tying in a historical mystery and the non-scientific answer to why crows make a "Kaw" sound. Thankfully forgettable, this bizarre episode is only redeemed by its occasional visuals (whenever the awful CG monster is off-screen). And in the end, it banks far too hard on the audience getting attached to characters given little development and screen time so there is an emotional reaction to the sacrifice they make. By far my least favorite of the series. Its only purpose in the series narrative is its final scene in which the Doctor and Missy open up to each other a little, leading (admittedly nicely) into the series finale next episode.
Episode Eleven: World Enough and Time
This is the episode that saved Series 10. Though the media-res pre-titles sequence exists only to provide a reason for less engaged viewers to watch till the end (though I'm not sure it would have worked given the number of fake-out regenerations in recent years), the prospect of two Masters, the genesis of the greatest villain of the series (in my humble opinion), an excellent returning director, an almost too perfect premise, and a rehashed The Girl Who Waited story (well, bar that last one) make up for it tenfold. But even that is given a brilliant new flare. The naive faith the Doctor has in Missy is worrying, but sincerely played by Capaldi and echoed through Gomez's quirky but brilliant portrayal (except perhaps the dab). And although the episode appears to take inspiration from The Impossible Planet, it uses the Black Hole in a way that makes you wonder "Why haven't they done this before?" as every good episode should. Also, I know this is the second time the Cybermen have been brought back in the Capaldi era for a series finale, but they work so well. When Bill gets shot (and we're supposed to think she's going to die when of course...we don't) and taken down the lifts, we get a legitimately creepy setup right out of a psychological horror movie, with creepy patients in pain, and a post-apocalyptic city. Though it is very annoying to watch the Doctor take so long explaining to the others why time moves faster on Bill's end of the ship when he could be rescuing her, it does give us torturous scenes of Bill and (though we don't know it yet) The Master in the hospital. And the cliffhanger certainly does not disappoint, as the Doctor gets into the Hospital just too late (rather conveniently) and discovers Bill has become a Mondasian Cyberman, and the Master reveals himself to Missy. The setup, story, and execution of this creepy and cinematic story are excellent and unlike anything I think we've seen in the last two series at least. As per usual, Rachel Talalay as the director really delivers on a brilliant episode.
Episode Twelve: The Doctor Falls
Again, perfect. This episode really delivers on the war promised by World and Time Enough. The cinematography and imagery, again, is brilliant, particularly with regards to the dream-like image of CyberBill (yes, that is her name now) holding the Doctor. Though seeing the Doctor, Missy and John Simm's Master onscreen together (after 7+ years since Simm left the show) is a fan's dream and is definitely the central pleasure of the episode. And to make the episode even more useful, Nardole does things! Though his storyline is not entirely resolved (the audience, I think, is meant to assume that he somehow found a way to escape with the rest of the survivors). The continuation of the twisted and horrific Cybermen origin story is excellent. Though the lighting becomes downright annoying towards the second half of the episode (the same with Talalay's previous work, Death in Heaven), this is an explosive climax to the story. Missy is a very interesting character, as we see her manifested angel and demon in the Doctor and the Master, with her being torn between the two and the audience is left never quite sure of where her loyalties truly lie. The end to her character is surprising but understandable, a suicide of sorts, as Simm's Master is so determined never to stand with the Doctor that he would kill his future self to stop it happening, giving us more development for The Master that we were never going to get if Simm never returned. The last time I remember the series using such a large group of child actors was in Series 8's In the Forest of the Night, which is painful to think about. Thankfully, this episode keeps the acting to a minimum. CyberBill is well executed in a Sherlock-style sequence in which we see how Bill perceives herself, then how she really looks (though I am unsure how she was able to produce tears. I mean, I suppose it's acceptable that the original Cybermen kept the entire head and not just the brain, but the final shot of the last episode showed her eye was quite far back into the suit...yes, I'm rambling and I'm nitpicking, but that's only because everything else works so well!). Near the end, we see CyberBill take on the other Cybermen in what can be referred to as a badass scene if there ever was one, and she sacrifices herself to help the doctor and give Nardole and the farmers more time. Then the Doctor dies. Killed. Dead. Before he finishes regenerating. He is dead. There we are. Rules of the series. And he can't come back. Done. We get a surprise appearance from Heather, who manages to free Bill from the suit, and they continue exploring space together (though to me this felt far too similar to Clara's departure in the space-time Diner with Ashildr/Me). Then the Doctor wakes up. How? Not explained! Will it be? Probably not! I don't understand how he survived, but the excuse is probably something to do with the vague rules of the regeneration energy given to the Doctor in The Time of The Doctor. We get a cliffhanger with David Bradley as the First Doctor, which is a brilliant casting choice if you've seen An Adventure in Space and Time. A cinematic climax to a brilliant story that saved the entire series.
This was certainly a mixed series. My standout episodes were Oxygen, Extremis, World and Time Enough and The Doctor Falls, while my least favourite were Thin Ice, Knock Knock and The Eaters of Light. While the quality of episodes was vastly different from week to week, this series knew how to bring out the best of Capaldi's Doctor in his last full series. Though I doubt the Doctor's sudden ability to come back to life even before regeneration ends will be explained, the Christmas special is set to be an excellent adventure, with Mark Gatiss returning as a guest star, two doctors, a regeneration, and Bill Potts returning (which makes me wonder why they were so keen to announce she had left for good, as with only one series under her belt, Bill doesn't have quite the fan following necessary to generate a massive celebration for her return). All in all, a strong start and end with a couple of gems between.
Part Two (Episodes 7-12)
J.R
SPOILERS - SPOILERS- SPOILERS
Episode Seven: The Pyramid at the End of the World
While far from perfect, this episode delivers a brilliantly realistic apocalypse scenario mixed with creepy creatures and weird ideas. Despite a Donald Trump reference that ages the episode terribly, this is a great episode. The Monks are plotting to take advantage of an apocalyptic event to rule over the human race, and the Doctor unifies armies and organisations to help. The world-ending event is a leak from a chemical plant, a chillingly real way in which life on Earth could end, continuing the dark narrative from the previous episode. While the episode is not particularly visually appealing, it explores various themes, such as power, control, sacrifice in addition to current international relations and human nature (in relation to how far humans will go to defend themselves). What makes the episode's ending so brilliant is that the Doctor comes impossibly close to averting Armageddon in the face of unbeatable foes that it is frustrating when Bill reaches a scenario in which she must choose between the life of the Doctor and the freedom of the people of Earth. Though not constantly as realistic as it could be, this episode is emotional and creepy, living up to the ending of the previous chapter in the trilogy.
Episode Eight: The Lie of the Land
A slightly disappointing end to the Trilogy of the Monks gives us two things direly needed for viewers. The first is further development for Bill. Virtually the entire episode is centered around Bill (making the episode comparable to Turn Left in more ways than one) and the climax is even based around her and her character (though it was infinitely cringeworthy that the unbeatable Monks could be defeated by the power of love, though there was little other choice when the previous episodes had made the Monks out to be all-knowing invincible gods). Additionally, the episode is structurally odd, as the start and end of the episode are very watchable, but there is a strangely long section in the middle in which The Doctor pretends to be working for the Monks and fakes his regeneration (Yes, again). This scene goes on far longer than it should be, especially when the audience knows he will return to his hero persona as evidenced by both the series trailer and common sense. This scene and the climax are the only key problems of the episode, as this is terrible for the pacing and structure and stops the episode dead. Now for the second thing the audience needed from this episode. Missy. Teased two episodes previously, the dynamic between Missy and Capaldi's Doctor is always beautiful, to see the insane and twisted friendship Missy describes as infinitely more complex than human civilization.
Episode Nine: Empress of Mars
Episode Ten: The Eaters of Light
Episode Eleven: World Enough and Time
This is the episode that saved Series 10. Though the media-res pre-titles sequence exists only to provide a reason for less engaged viewers to watch till the end (though I'm not sure it would have worked given the number of fake-out regenerations in recent years), the prospect of two Masters, the genesis of the greatest villain of the series (in my humble opinion), an excellent returning director, an almost too perfect premise, and a rehashed The Girl Who Waited story (well, bar that last one) make up for it tenfold. But even that is given a brilliant new flare. The naive faith the Doctor has in Missy is worrying, but sincerely played by Capaldi and echoed through Gomez's quirky but brilliant portrayal (except perhaps the dab). And although the episode appears to take inspiration from The Impossible Planet, it uses the Black Hole in a way that makes you wonder "Why haven't they done this before?" as every good episode should. Also, I know this is the second time the Cybermen have been brought back in the Capaldi era for a series finale, but they work so well. When Bill gets shot (and we're supposed to think she's going to die when of course...we don't) and taken down the lifts, we get a legitimately creepy setup right out of a psychological horror movie, with creepy patients in pain, and a post-apocalyptic city. Though it is very annoying to watch the Doctor take so long explaining to the others why time moves faster on Bill's end of the ship when he could be rescuing her, it does give us torturous scenes of Bill and (though we don't know it yet) The Master in the hospital. And the cliffhanger certainly does not disappoint, as the Doctor gets into the Hospital just too late (rather conveniently) and discovers Bill has become a Mondasian Cyberman, and the Master reveals himself to Missy. The setup, story, and execution of this creepy and cinematic story are excellent and unlike anything I think we've seen in the last two series at least. As per usual, Rachel Talalay as the director really delivers on a brilliant episode.
Episode Twelve: The Doctor Falls
This was certainly a mixed series. My standout episodes were Oxygen, Extremis, World and Time Enough and The Doctor Falls, while my least favourite were Thin Ice, Knock Knock and The Eaters of Light. While the quality of episodes was vastly different from week to week, this series knew how to bring out the best of Capaldi's Doctor in his last full series. Though I doubt the Doctor's sudden ability to come back to life even before regeneration ends will be explained, the Christmas special is set to be an excellent adventure, with Mark Gatiss returning as a guest star, two doctors, a regeneration, and Bill Potts returning (which makes me wonder why they were so keen to announce she had left for good, as with only one series under her belt, Bill doesn't have quite the fan following necessary to generate a massive celebration for her return). All in all, a strong start and end with a couple of gems between.
Comments
Post a Comment