It's the penultimate episode of series nine, and as often happened since the show's revival, we have either a Doctor or companion-light episode. Heaven Sent serves as a solo piece for Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, as well as the middle entry in the three-part finale. Fan reaction to this episode has been strong, with some stating they think it's the best episode of Peter Capaldi's tenure. I can't say I agree, but there is certainly plenty worth talking about in this episode.
After witnessing the death of his best friend, the Doctor vows to find whomever is behind his latest plight. Having been teleported to an unknown location at the end of Face the Raven, he is left alone to face his nightmares, with no clear way of escaping. The Doctor has been transported to a castle-like location, where he soon discovers he is not alone. A creature lurking in the shadows regularly appears to torment him, all while trying to work out how exactly to escape. Through a complex series of events, it is revealed that the Doctor is stuck in some sort of time loop, where every room in the castle reverts back to how it was before the Doctor entered them. After constant spooks from the creature, the Doctor works out that the way to escape is to confess his darkest secrets. This eventually leads him back home to Gallifrey, where he is set to confront his own people for their involvement in his recent sorrow.
What I liked most about the episode, like so many recent episodes, was Peter Capaldi's performance. He's more than capable of handling an episode where he is left alone to advance the plot, and he really gets to show off his acting ability here. There can be no doubt that he is one of the best actors to play this iconic role. Being that we spend the entire episode with the Doctor, we learn all about how he thinks his way out of dangerous situations. These sequences involve imagining he is back in the TARDIS, with Clara aiding him by asking the right questions. These are my favourite moments of the episode, as the Doctor's manic way of thinking and his intelligence are all clearly displayed, and that again is largely down to Capaldi's acting.
I found the episode lacked a good adversary, however. The creature that haunts the Doctor is a large monster hidden under a veil. While the design is scary, it's shown in close up way too often. There is never any hint as to what this thing could look like, and instead opts to show it clear as day within its first moments of screen time. I find that with stories of this kind, not seeing the monster, and only hinting at what it looks like, is more effective and scarier. For me, that's what made the series four episode, Midnight, so good. The monster in that story was never shown, and all we knew about it was that it was able to possess people, but with no clear indication as to what its goal ultimately was. Having said that, though, the monster in Heaven Sent is at least effective in that the Doctor is clearly distressed by its presence, and that it is always able to find him no matter where he hides.
Heaven Sent is an episode you have to give your full attention to, and once it's over, you may find your brain is hurting from trying to follow everything that goes on! Its merits are the performance of Peter Capaldi, and the clever writing and unfolding of the mystery. The monster isn't very memorable, but I'd say the episode overall will not be soon forgotten. It also does a good job of not revealing too much, as we still have one more episode of this series to go. Next week, we'll see if all the build up from this episode, and indeed this whole series, has been worth it, as series nine comes to a close in Hell Bent...
What I liked most about the episode, like so many recent episodes, was Peter Capaldi's performance. He's more than capable of handling an episode where he is left alone to advance the plot, and he really gets to show off his acting ability here. There can be no doubt that he is one of the best actors to play this iconic role. Being that we spend the entire episode with the Doctor, we learn all about how he thinks his way out of dangerous situations. These sequences involve imagining he is back in the TARDIS, with Clara aiding him by asking the right questions. These are my favourite moments of the episode, as the Doctor's manic way of thinking and his intelligence are all clearly displayed, and that again is largely down to Capaldi's acting.
I found the episode lacked a good adversary, however. The creature that haunts the Doctor is a large monster hidden under a veil. While the design is scary, it's shown in close up way too often. There is never any hint as to what this thing could look like, and instead opts to show it clear as day within its first moments of screen time. I find that with stories of this kind, not seeing the monster, and only hinting at what it looks like, is more effective and scarier. For me, that's what made the series four episode, Midnight, so good. The monster in that story was never shown, and all we knew about it was that it was able to possess people, but with no clear indication as to what its goal ultimately was. Having said that, though, the monster in Heaven Sent is at least effective in that the Doctor is clearly distressed by its presence, and that it is always able to find him no matter where he hides.
Heaven Sent is an episode you have to give your full attention to, and once it's over, you may find your brain is hurting from trying to follow everything that goes on! Its merits are the performance of Peter Capaldi, and the clever writing and unfolding of the mystery. The monster isn't very memorable, but I'd say the episode overall will not be soon forgotten. It also does a good job of not revealing too much, as we still have one more episode of this series to go. Next week, we'll see if all the build up from this episode, and indeed this whole series, has been worth it, as series nine comes to a close in Hell Bent...
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