Doctor Who: Hell Bent Recap

It's the series finale, and the Doctor isn't as we know him best. Having lost his best friend and being trapped inside the confession dial for over 4 billion years, he's not in a mood that should be challenged. After realising his own people, the Time Lords, where being all his suffering, the Doctor sets out to reclaim his own planet from the corrupt, even if it means breaking all the moral codes he lives by...

After announcing his arrival, the Doctor returns to his childhood home, awaiting an audience with President Rassilon (Donald Sumpter). Once Rassilon eventually appears complete with armed guards and the General (Ken Bones), the Doctor wins them all over to his side (apart from Rassilon, whom he banishes). Not wanting to stop there, he changes an established point in history, by rescuing Clara from her death in Face the Raven. Now on the run, from the Time Lords, the Doctor must find a way to ensure Clara never has to die, and discover the truth about the mythical Hybrid.

So after a series long build up, does it all pay off in this final episode? I believe it does, as we not only get answers to the questions poised by earlier episodes, but we also see a change to the characters. Namely, the biggest character change is the Doctor, as he is at his moodiest since the Christopher Eccleston series exactly ten years ago. He is not in a forgiving kind of mood, and there is also an uneasy calmness about him to start with, as he barley says a word to convince the other Time Lords to revolt against Rassilon. Clara is unexpectedly handed a large role in this episode, with her being removed from her timeline so that the Doctor can keep her alive. I thought Face the Raven was a strong enough send off to her character, but her appearance here is still more than welcome. Maisie Williams also returns at the end of the episode, with her aiding in the explanation of what exactly the Hybrid is. Since Ashildr's introduction, this idea of the Hybrid has been a luring threat, but never did the Doctor expect for it to be directly liked to himself and Clara. The Hybrid is revealed to be the result of the Doctor and Clara's friendship, and the threat comes from the Doctor's new found ruthlessness after her death. I thought this was a clever and satisfying reveal, and one that I wasn't expecting, as it turns out Ashildr was merely a ruse.

Being that the episode takes place on the rarely featured planet of Gallifrey, there are plenty of little surprise for fans to enjoy. The most obvious, of course, is the return of the original TARDIS design from the 1960's, complete with the original sounds from the classic series. Since the Doctor has always been played by white male actors, many people have wondered whether it is possible for Time Lords to change gender and/or race. With the Master being reintroduced as the female Missy last series, Hell Bent gives us the answer to the other half of the thought. The General is shown regenerating into a  younger black woman, the first time in the shows history that both a gender and race change has been depicted.

So with the Doctor now travelling alone, he sets off for new adventures starting Christmas day. As promised, here is my list of overall pros and cons for this latest series of Doctor Who:

Pros:
+ The Doctor and Clara's relationship - an obvious choice, but there have been some pretty naff Doctor/companion pairings in the past. The Twelfth Doctor and Clara have really gelled perfectly this series, and the performances of both Capaldi and Coleman have been a joy to watch.
+ Regular two-part stories - In the classic series, each story consisted of at least two episodes, and having that format return has aided this season's stories to become better paced.
+ Story arc - a staple of Doctor Who since 2005, this year's arc has been one of the most intriguing, with a satisfying pay-off to boot.
+ Fresh ideas - though not all of them have worked (Sleep No More), this series has had a much stronger line of stories. Largely, that's down to the two-part format, but stories such as finale have explored the complexities of the central characters more than the last series ever did.

Cons:
- The Girl Who Died - definitely the weak point of the series, with it clashing against the fresh ideas of other episodes, due to its recycled plot of a village under attack.
- Some weak supporting characters - namely the characters from the Under the Lake story and Sleep No More. They were either killed off without any prior character development, or suddenly revealed hidden feelings never at all hinted at.

This concludes my look at Doctor Who series nine. Some individual pieces I've written haven't been my best, partly due to my course workload being my priority. Nevertheless, I have very much enjoyed writing about this series, and to those who have followed my posts weekly: thank you very much for your interest and support! 

Doctor Who: Heaven Sent Recap

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...

Doctor Who: Face the Raven Recap

Maisie Williams starring in a show featuring a magic raven? This sounds strangely familiar. Ashildr is back once again, continuing her complex connection to the Doctor. Rigsy (Joivan Wade) is also back after his single appearance last season. But as some characters return, a regular leaves in the series' most gut-wrenching ending of an episode by far.

After discovering a mysterious tattoo on the back of his neck, Rigsy calls the TARDIS in the hope the Doctor and Clara can help him. This leads them to discovering a hidden street in London, where Ashildr poses as the mayor. The TARDIS crew soon realise the brutal laws of the street, as people sentenced to death are forced to "face the raven", whereupon said raven stalks and kills them. One such man sentenced to death is Rigsy, whose tattoo is counting down to the moment the raven will come for him. With time running out, the Doctor and Clara must convince the townsfolk of Rigsy being innocent of a murder case, and Clara is prepared to go to extreme measures to ensure this...

First things first, does the episode hold up without that big, emotional ending? I'd say it does for the most part, with there being a good focus on the mystery of the street, and not just endless build up to the climax. The street itself is a claustrophobic environment, and its residents are equally unsettling. They are disgusted by Rigsy's supposed act of murder, yet never act violently towards our protagonists. Instead, they silently declare him "murderer" whenever Rigsy is present, a much more nerve-wrecking attitude than a bombastic mob of grievers. There's this weird subplot that focuses on the daughter of the "victim", someone who can see the past and future. Both her and the victim have a more alien appearance, with them having another face on the back of their heads, and the daughter reveals that Ashildr is the mastermind behind Rigsy's predicament. Very little time is spent with this character, and so she feels like a simple plot device to quickly reveal everything the Doctor needs to know. Ashildr, however, is merely a puppet acting under orders. She leads the Doctor to her with the threat of Rigsy's forthcoming death, and plans to transport him far away. All of this comes to the fray very quickly, but it at least creates potential for the season finale, as we await to learn who exactly she is working for.

But the moment everyone's been talking about is the sacrifice of Clara, which many viewers have said was maybe a tad too emotional for a family drama. After learning the tattoo can be transferred to a willing taker, Clara becomes marked for death after convincing Rigsy Ashildr cannot break her word of endangering her. She does this without anyone else in the know, and it ultimately costs Clara her life. Ashildr promised her superiors to mark only Rigsy for death, and so the transfer of the tattoo to Clara cuts her out of the agreement, rendering her powerless to do anything. Not even the Doctor can prevent the raven taking her life, and he quickly resorts to threatening Ashildr to save her. From this point, Clara does what she has been doing brilliantly throughout her tenure as the Doctor's companion: reminds him of who he really is. Whenever the Doctor was lost, it was Clara that helped him through the struggle, and kept him motivated by the promise he made to himself: to help others (hence the title of Doctor). This was something she did in the Doctor's darkest hour, featured in the 50th anniversary special, and its resurgence here makes for a fitting send off for the character.

Of course, what makes this final scene work is the performances. Both Capaldi and Coleman are at their best here, and they deserve many plaudits for their work, with so many different emotions to cover in such a short space of time. I disagree with the opinion that the scene was too drawn-out, and therefore too over emotional. Since its revival in 2005, Doctor Who as ensured heartfelt and epic exits for its long-serving companions. Why some feel this one should have been lessened is beyond me, as the character has been involved in the show since 2012, and has been revealed as having a major involvement with the Doctor's past.

And so, as we say goodbye to Clara, the Doctor has no time to mourn as he is further involved in the oncoming danger. Who exactly set this plan into motion, and how will the Doctor survive? It's all to be expected as we move into the final episodes of this series...

Doctor Who: Sleep No More Recap

"You must not watch this" warns a frightened man right at the start of the episode. The man's name is Gagan (Reece Shearsmith), lead researcher aboard a space station orbiting Neptune. He informs us he'll show what happened aboard the station from found footage, and the episode gets underway without the famous Doctor Who intro for the first time in the show's history. After a promising start, Sleep No More ultimately turns out to be a mixed bag. Writer Mark Gatiss is no stranger to writing Doctor Who, and some of his ideas here are intriguing, but there is an overall sense of let down by the end of it all, making this week's episode pale in comparison to others in this series.

After Gagan' introduction, we meet four individual members of a rescue team, sent to investigate the strange happenings aboard the space station. They soon encounter the Doctor and Clara, and are promptly chased by humanoid like creatures. With the group split up, the Doctor uncovers the truth behind the monsters, and believes there is a mastermind behind their existence. As the rest of the group are stalked by the monsters, the Doctor and Clara must find a way to stop them from killing everyone aboard. But how do you fight something that can see you wherever you go?

Whatever your opinion of Sleep No More may be, there is no denying it's a unique episode in the show's history. Doctor Who has always prided itself on having frightening monsters and themes, but never before has there been a "found footage" style used for a story. Sometimes however, it is easy to forget this style is being used for this episode, as all the point of view camera angels are in high definition. For the most part though, this not too distracting, and the camera angels from the corners and television screens all work well. The episode's set design must also be mentioned, as it is clearly influenced by James Cameron's 1986 science fiction classic, Aliens. Some of the shots of the team walking through the space station's corridors, illuminated with red lighting, feel like direct copies from the film, but it is no bad thing to see the influence of one of my favourite films being shown in one of my favourite shows. 

A few negatives, however, are present in the form of characters and the monsters that pursue them. As with the Under the Lake/Before the Flood two-parter, the supporting characters are barley fleshed out. Given how this is only a single story, it doesn't help that one of the team is killed off quickly, as we never get a chance to get to know his personality and significance. The episode's biggest problem, though, are the monsters. Dubbed as the "Sandmen" by Clara, they derive from possibly one of Doctor Who's silliest ideas for a monster: sleep dust. Doctor Who has often been praised for its imaginative monsters and villains, but this really feels like a desperate attempt to make something as random as sleep dust into something scary. Not only that, but the monster's appearance and characteristics are almost exactly the same as the Marvel Comics super-villain the Sandman, so not a great deal is original about this week's threat except its bizarre point of origin. The reveal at the end isn't all that surprising either, making what build up the episode have fall flat by the time it's over.

Despite some good ideas with the found footage and influence of the sci-fi classic Aliens, Sleep No More will most likely fall under the radar when this series is finished. Its monsters aren't very threatening, and its conclusion feels rushed. Mark Gatiss has proven himself to be a strong writer of horror stories in the past, and Sleep No More isn't so bad that I won't be excited for the next thing he pens. A weak episode overall, but certainly not the worst.

Doctor Who: The Zygon Inversion Recap

The Zygon Invasion was a welcome return for some familiar faces, and was perhaps the best first half of a two parter of this current series. The concluding half, The Zygon Inversion, rounds the story off superbly, featuring clever twists, and perhaps Peter Capaldi's finest moment as the Doctor. The Zygon Inversion is, without doubt, this series' strongest episode.

After shape-shifting into the Doctor's most trusted allies, the Zygons continue to take control, and push hard for a full-scale war to break out on Earth. Osgood and The Doctor narrowly escape from the missile fired at them by the Zygon-Clara (now named "Bonnie") at the end of the previous episode. With time short, the two races descend on UNIT HQ in search of the "Osgood Box". Kept hidden in UNIT's vaults, the device is said to be powerful enough to box instigate or prevent the war. As UNIT and the Zygons arrive to obtain the box, the Doctor is caught in the middle, and must convince both parties not to pursue activating it and re-establish the broken peace between humans and aliens.

Much of the episode deals with Clara and her evil counterpart, Bonnie. Having Jenna Coleman portray a villain was a good way to change the dynamic between her and Peter Capaldi, and she handles playing a villain and a hero with ease. The writing behind Clara and Bonnie's interactions is particularly gripping, as Bonnie is able to detect any lies Clara may be telling her, as they are both linking mentally and share the same pulse. The scenes with Clara tapped in a coma like state are also well handle, with slanted camera angles and a flickering television present throughout. It very much had the look of another of my favourite television series, Life on Mars, and the use of similar surrealism works within the context of the episode very well.

But Peter Capaldi's performance is the episode's highlight. In particular, his speech towards the end of the episode. Acting-wise, Capaldi is captivating, as he tries to bring the idea of war on Earth into perspective for Bonnie. He mentions his past experiences of war, and that nobody should ever have to go through what he went through. Previous Doctors, such as Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor, have made passionate speech's about their experiences of war, and Capaldi's will surely be regarded as arguably the very best. For me, this is Capaldi's greatest moment in the role so far, and one that will be tough to beat for the remainder of this series.

As two-parters go, this is one of Doctor Who's strongest in recent years. Combining classic monsters and creative writing, The Zygon Invasion/Inversion is perhaps the best story of Capaldi's two season run. Coming off the back of the previous two-parter, it is certainly a return to form for the show. The Zygons are given new depth and the Doctor is at his passionate best. It doesn't get better than that!

Doctor Who: The Zygon Invasion Recap

Becoming something of a fan-favourite monster since the 1970's, it was about time the Zygons got their own story in 21st century Doctor Who. After only having a brief role in the 50th anniversary special (The Day of the Doctor) two years ago, it's good to see them become the focus of a two-parter. Clara is also back after her absence from last week's episode, as well as UNIT and some new faces.

After the events of The Day of the Doctor, the Zygons and the human race are at war after the agreed peace treaty between the two races collapses. Feeling suppressed by having to hide their true appearance from the human race, the Zygons launch a plan to claim the planet for themselves. The Doctor is called in by UNIT to help rescue Zygon captive Osgood (Ingrid Oliver), and Clara sets off to find the Zygon base of operations. With UNIT unsure as to whom exactly they can trust, The Doctor must assume his role of President of the World if he is to have any chance of ending the Zygon invasion. 

First things first, this is a massive improvement of the previous two-parter. A lot of that is down to the thrill of seeing a classic Doctor Who monster revitalised, but it also comes down to having much more happen in the space of 45 minutes. We are thrown straight into the action, with the Zygon revolt already taking place before UNIT have a chance to contact the Doctor. Added to that is a great use of the Zygon shape-shifting ability, which makes for one hell of a great ending to this particular episode. It's also a delight to see Rebecca Front reunited with Peter Capaldi, having appeared together in the BBC comedy The Thick of It. What's interesting is that there is a role reversal with their characters from each show: in The Thick of It, Front's character, Nicola Murray, would often be on the receiving end of a swear-fuelled rant by spin doctor Malcolm Tucker (Capaldi). In this week's episode, Front plays Colonel Walsh, who disregards the Doctor's advice at almost every turn.

Despite seemingly being killed off last season, UNIT member Osgood is back, and is shown to have developed a sisterly bond with her Zygon doppelgänger. It is revealed that no-one is sure as to whether it was the human or Zygon Osgood who was killed off, with her referring to herself as both human and Zygon. This continues the series theme of hybrid characters, as seen with Ashildr in the previous two episodes. Osgood also continues her role as being a walking reference to classic Doctor Who, this time wearing a Sylvester McCoy era jumper and once again wearing Tom Baker's iconic scarf.

With an ending that sets things in motion nicely, The Zygon Invasion is perhaps the series' strongest opening part of a story. With a dark tone and plenty of mystery, it breathes new life into the series, as well as a classic group of monsters. The second part has a lot to live up to, and I can't wait to see what becomes of this story in The Zygon Inversion...

Doctor Who: The Woman Who Lived Recap

After the disappointing The Girl Who Died, this week's episode offers more insight to the character of Ashildr (here, simply referring to herself as Me), as well as the effect The Doctor's exploits have on someone after he disappears from their life. This companion-less story is certainly an improvement over last week's tale, but is still lacking a compelling narrative overall. Its strength, however, comes from Maisie Williams and Peter Capaldi, both of whom are on top form.

Taking place many years after the battle between the Vikings and the Mire, the Doctor arrives in 1651, where he encounters Ashildr once again, this time posing as infamous robber "The Knightmare". Ashildr recognises the Doctor even after so many years, and tells him of the struggles she has faced during her immortal life. With the Doctor unwilling to let Ashildr travel with him, he soon faces more than he bargained for when Ashildr becomes allies with a deadly alien warrior, who is hell bent on ripping the world apart so that his kind can invade.

Story-wise, this is still far below the standard of the first four episodes, with a very similar plot to last week: an alien invasion. The invasion plotline involving the alien, Leandro (a lion-like beast), is given much less focus than the interactions between the Doctor and Ashildr. It almost seems like a plotline from a different episode, and it all leads to a rushed an un-exciting climax. There's also comedian Rufus Hound starring as Sam Swift, a rival of Ashildr, who becomes involved in Leandro's scheme of opening a portal. Ashildr believes this portal will provide an opportunity to escape her mundane life on Earth, and so she briefly turns against the Doctor. Swift isn't that developed as a character, and his involvement in the less interesting plotline of the episode means he too isn't that interesting. It very much feels like Hound was allowed to play the character with his own comedic style, which could have worked better if featured in a lighter-toned episode.

Williams and Capaldi prevent this from being totally forgettable, as their performances are a cut above every other aspect. The writing being their dialogue is strong, but the emotions evoked from both actors is what really sells, and had me intrigued as to how their friendship would end up. Between this and last week's story, Ashildr has gone through much, including becoming a mother and losing her children to the plague. She seeks the thrills of the Doctor's life, unaware that it involves just as much pain and sacrifice. The Doctor's good nature is thoroughly tested, and this time its by someone who has seen just as much suffering as he has. This makes for good drama and character development, with them both unsure of one-another even after working together to stop the invasion.

Better than last week, but by no means a classic, The Woman Who Lived is certainly a mixed bag. Storywise, its only slightly better than the first part, but the characters are developed more and are given priority. This is going to be one that divides opinion,  but will most likely be forgotten if the series gets back on track. It helps, then, that we have the return of some classic monsters next week...

Doctor Who: The Girl Who Died Recap

Once again, we have another two-parter to talk about. It seems this will be a staple of this particular series, and one so far I feel has worked to the show's advantage. Story lines can become more complex and characters can be further fleshed out. This week's episode, The Girl Who Died, is more a set up to the character of Ashildr (Maisie Williams) than the first of a two part story, and for me, falls significantly short of the series' so far high standard.

The plot combines both past and future in equal measure, as the Doctor and Clara travel back to the time of the Vikings, just an alien race of warrior aliens plan to raid their village. These aliens, the Mire, live for the thrill of war, and Ashildr let's her pride rule her head when she declares war on the Mire after being captured along with Clara. Returned as messengers to the Doctor and the remaining villagers, they must prepare themselves for the oncoming raid. But does Ashildr have a greater purpose to serve in the Doctor's oncoming days?

The big draw for this episode was seeing Maisie William's in another big television franchise. Having made a name for herself in Game of Thrones, her appearance in Doctor Who was highly anticipated. She gives a good performance here, and is thankfully involved in much of the story. She seems to be the only one of the villagers to be given any sort of character development, whereas the rest of the townsfolk kind of go under the radar. Not much was explored about the Mire, nor do they do that much throughout the episode. All we know is that they love war and have a ruthless reputation, which makes them sound like a very basic Doctor Who monster. The Sontarans, aliens that have appeared in both the classic and newer series, can also have this description applied to them. However, the Sontarans are far more interesting as their code of honour is explored, and their straight-forward attitude creates opportunities for some comedic moments, too.

One thing I really disliked was the story of this particular episode. This is largely down to it being a recycled plot from several other BBC television dramas: a small village is under threat from a powerful foe, and its down to a group of outsiders to train them to fight and make a stand. We've seen this in Merlin (2008-12), The Musketeers (2014-Present) and several episodes of Robin Hood (2006-09). All of these episodes play out exactly the same way, and its become incredibly boring and predictable. It has taken Doctor Who a long do their version of this story, but after 10 years, the show has finally caved in. It does very little new with this played out story. Had it not focused on the unique aspects, i.e. Ashildr, then this would easily be one of the most forgettable Doctor Who episodes in recent years.

With the introduction of Ashildr, the series looks to have its story arc firmly placed, with her hopefully being a recurring character. The idea of her being a hybrid of both Viking and Mire brought on by the Doctor's efforts to save her is an interesting one. Inadvertently, the Doctor has created something he may not fully understand, and will no doubt feel a sense of responsibility for her. Story arcs focused on a specific character have, for me, been the more interesting since they were first introduced. I hope Ashildr's story matches the surprise and weight of the Bad Wolf (series 1) and Mr. Saxon (series 3) arcs.

The Girl Who Died is held back by its recycled plot, but at least has intrigue with Ashildr's introduction and the possibilities this opens up for the remainder of the series. Next weeks episode, The Woman Who Lived, looks to be a completely different story to this one. Given how this is easily the weakest episode of the series so far, that doesn't sound like too bad a thing.

Doctor Who: Before the Flood Recap

The Fisher King rises to set in motion his sinister plan. With the Doctor seeing his own ghost appear back on the underwater base, he knows his time is short. As he prepares to confront the giant, Clara must learn how to defeat the ghosts before she and the rest of the crew become pawns in the Fisher King's plans...

Following on from the steady build-up of Under the Lake, Before the Flood feels like it could have been the middle piece of a three-part story. The ghosts weaknesses are exposed when it is discovered Lunn cannot be harmed by them, as he was the only one not to read the cryptic message from the previous episode. With that taken care of, its time for the Fisher King to take centre-stage and reveal to the Doctor why he needs the ghosts. The Doctor, not being one to back into a corner, manages to halt the monster's intentions by causing the flood that was shown to have happened with the establishment of the underwater base in the same location as the town many years into the future. A bizarre ending, but it works so long as you make sure you're paying attention.

So lets talk about the Fisher King, as he is the big selling point of this week's episode. Three people portray this imposing creature: Neil Fingleton (standing at 7ft 7in!) as the physical part of the character, Peter Serafinowicz (the voice of Darth Maul in Star Wars) saying the dialogue, and heavy metal vocalist Corey Taylor (Slipknot and Stone Sour) providing the monster's roar. All three do fantastic jobs and, combined with a striking design, help to make the Fisher King one of the best Doctor Who monsters of the modern era. Such a shame, then, that he barely gets any screen time. While he is by far the best thing about the episode despite only a brief appearance, think about how much better it could have been with his role being expanded, or have the story be a three-parter.

The only other thing that I didn't enjoy was the forced romance between the crew members. When the Fisher King first appears, he kills crew member O'Donnell (Morven Christie). Bennett (Arsher Ali) is particularly effected by this, as it is suddenly revealed he had feelings for her, despite there being little to no indication of this, nor any chemistry between the two of them. Then, after the Fisher King is defeated, Bennett gets Lunn to admit his feelings for Cass, as life is too short. Lunn does so (in sign, of course) and he and Cass end up together. It's slightly more believable this time around, with them being together in many scenes due to Lunn needing to translate Cass' sign language. However, its still pretty sporadic as there was never any hints of romance between them.

Before the Flood's fast past certainly makes up for any complaints involving the characters, though. The ghosts are still out to catch the remaining crew members, which are the more intense scenes in the episode. The build up and first appearance of the Fisher King is handled with a good deal of tension, with us only being able to see glimpses of him at first, as well as only hearing his terrifying roar. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman have to carry the majority of the episode, with them cut off from one another by being in different time zones. They maintain their great chemistry and performances throughout, making them, for me, a fantastic pairing and one of the best since the show's revival in 2005.

To summarise, Before the Flood will stand out in the series for introducing a great new monster. It concludes the story in a complex manner, but not too complex that it doesn't leave you unsatisfied. I preferred Under the Lake for its focus on horror elements and style, but Before the Flood is still a worthy entry in this so far strong season of Doctor Who. Next week, we journey to a land of Vikings, and a mysterious character (Game of Throne's Maisie Williams)...

Doctor Who: Under the Lake Recap

With ghosts appearing from the night and being submerged in an underwater, the Doctor and Clara really have their work cut out for them this week. Like the previous story, we have another two-parter here, and the show has yet again crafted a strong opener for an intriguing story that's packed full of style.

After a spacecraft is discovered by the crew of an base beneath the surface, the crew's leader is swiftly killed in an manner that leaves the others baffled. Soon after his death, he reappears as a ghost to menace the crew, whereupon the Doctor and Clara arrive in the TARDIS. With the ghosts only appearing at night, the team must discover the reason why these ghosts exist before they meet the same fate. These efforts aren't to discover the truth aren't helped when the ghosts start to take full control the base, the Doctor and Clara become separated, leaving Clara and half the crew trapped with the ghosts, and The Doctor and the others travelling back in time in the TARDIS in an effort to prevent disaster.

What I really loved about this episode was the look. The base's narrow corridors combined with its modern look makes for a setting that is both visually appealing, yet intimidating at the same time. Its a location straight out of a classic Doctor Who story, and provides plenty of opportunities for scares. Having an underwater story is a good way to keep things fresh, and combining this setting with a ghost story is a nice twist. The show hasn't looked this good and expensive for some time now.

The story was well paced, with there being a chase set-piece midway through the episode to keep our attention. Like with the opening two-parter, we'll only really get a full grasp of the story once the second part is aired. What I admired about Under the Lake was its focus on suspense over exposition. There are plenty of moments where the ghosts haunt the team before they finally begin to learn how it is they exist. Not having the ghosts let loose and base an entire episode on explaining every detail would have been tiresome.

The only fairly weak point are the supporting characters. Only one of them has a clear role in the story, that being Cass (Sophie Stone). Having a deaf actress is an uncommon move for Doctor Who, and she is by far the most interesting and fleshed out of the episode's cast. She clearly demonstrates a no-nonsense attitude, but also compassion despite only being able to communicate via sign language. Lunn (Zaqi Ismail) is only memorable for his role of interpretor, and the other two say and do. There's this one character, Pritchard (Steven Robertson), who is the cliché "out for a profit" member of the team, but thankfully he's axed off pretty quickly.

As the next episode follows on from a surprising ending, we have more ghosts, time travel, and most exciting of all, a new monster to look forward to. After an exciting opening story, series 9 continues on good form with Under the Lake, and next week's episode will look to continue this run with its secret weapon: Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor providing the monster's screams!

Doctor Who: The Witch's Familiar Recap

The last time we saw the Doctor, he was at the mercy of his oldest enemies, the Daleks, with both Clara and Missy seemingly exterminated. In The Witch's Familiar we learn why exactly Davros summoned the Doctor to the Dalek's home planet, as well as discovering some never before revealed facts about the evil genius. After a solid opening episode, The Witch's Familiar keeps the ball rolling nicely, with strong character development and a surprisingly emotional moment between two great enemies.

Much of the episode focuses on the Doctor and Davros' interactions, as Davros believes this will be the last time they ever meet due to his rapidly decreasing state. He doesn't get much sympathy from the Doctor at first, and we get a visual answer to whether Davros is confined to his chair due to paralysis of his legs or by the rest of his body from the waist down being absent. As one might have guessed, it is revealed that it is the latter, as the Doctor steals Davros' chair to have leverage over the Daleks. Meanwhile, Missy and Clara both survived the Dalek's firepower via some complex techno-babble, and were teleported outside the Dalek city. They begin to make their way back to rescue the Doctor, which involves Clara having to commandeer a Dalek casing to infiltrate the city. After the Doctor is re-captured by Colony Sarff, Davros and The Doctor have a heart to heart discussion, as Davros shows more signs of deterioration. Davros believes his efforts to appear sincere have succeed when the Doctor willingly donates some of his regeneration energy into Davros' life support machine, which Davros has linked to every Dalek, thus making them more powerful. 

Like many classic episodes of Doctor Who, the Doctor's encounters with Davros involve many a conversation that displays both character's intelligence. However, in The Witch's Familiar, the conversation is more that of mutual respect and emotion. In order to make the Doctor believe he has changed, he asks for the Doctor's opinion on a question posed to The Doctor in the last season: "am I a good man?". When asking this question, more of Davros' physical appearance is revealed, as he opens his eyes for the first time on screen. Davros' eyes have always appeared to be permanently closed, with his vision coming from a blue mechanical eye in his forehead. He also sheds a single tear, and the Doctor falls for his scheme. Although Davros is play acting, seeing him cry and finally open his eyes his still a fairly touching moment, and the episode had me totally invested in the story because of it.

Some comic relief is to be had here alongside the drama, and that's thanks to Missy. This is by far the most hilarious we've seen her character. I got the feeling that she genuinely wanted to help rescue the Doctor, but not without having as much fun as possible beforehand. Had the scenes of her and Clara infiltrating the city been handled with the same seriousness as the Davros scenes, the episode could have become stale. There is some drama to be had, with Clara unable to tell the Doctor that it's her inside the Dalek he encounters, due to the Dalek casing only programmed to recognise emotions such as hate. Its a tough watch, especially with Missy trying to convince the Doctor to kill the Dalek. Of course, Clara is able to escape the Dalek, showing that the bond between her and the Doctor is just as strong as ever.

The Witch's Familiar is also not without some great one-liners. My favourite occurs when the Doctor steals Davros' chair, and delivers this quip to the Daleks: "Admit, you've all had this exact nightmare". Missy has all the best quips, though, with her coldly telling the Daleks that "the bitch is back", and proceeds to totally steal the rest of the episode. The character of Missy (The Master in previous episodes) hasn't been well written with a comedic edge for some time now, but it looks as if this two-parter has finally found the solution.

Thanks to the fantastic Davros scenes and balance of comedic moments, The Witch's Familiar is a worthy follow up to The Magician's Apprentice. The ending leaves you with a good feeling: the Doctor teaches the young Davros the importance of mercy in war, something that becomes pivotal in the scene with Clara and the Doctor in this episode. It is one of the strongest Dalek episodes since the David Tennant era, and is proof that Doctor Who can still pull off gripping stories and wonderful characters. Next week, we delve beneath the surface for Under the Lake!

Doctor Who: The Magician's Apprentice Recap

With Doctor Who returning to our screens last Saturday, I think it's time it made an appearance on this blog. In fact, it'll be appearing every week, as I recap every episode of the new series. Some weeks, I'll post another film review, such as when Spectre and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 are released. As with the last series of Doctor Who, the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) lead the show as the time travelling duo, encountering enemies old and new, as well as alien civilisations and historical events. 

The series opener is titled The Magician's Apprentice, and within the first five minutes, the show drops a massive story bomb. We see a young boy on the battlefield of an unknown planet, where he becomes trapped by creatures hiding underground. the Doctor soon appears in an effort to save him, and asks the boy's name. The boy replies that his name is Davros, the creator of the Doctor's most feared enemy, the Daleks. Fast forward to the present day, where we learn that another rival of the Doctor, Missy (Michelle Gomez), survived the end of the last series. With both her and Clara unable to locate the Doctor, the two meet and discover the Doctor is partying in the middle-ages. He is doing so, according to Missy, because he is apparently living out his remaining days, with Missy being in possession of his "last will and testament". With the three of them captured, the Doctor meets with Davros (Julian Bleach), who is on death's door, and Davros attempts to gain one final victory over The Doctor by making him feel the guilt of abandoning him to die as a young boy, as shown at the beginning of the episode.

Much of the promotion featured what looked like a deliberately quirky scene: the Doctor playing the electric guitar. Thankfully, the scene isn't just there for the sake of having a light moment, it actually makes sense for the character to do this. Being that he believes he will die soon and has the freedom to travel anywhere, wouldn't you want to tear things up in the middle-ages and act like a rockstar? Other than this scene, there is an overall sense of an oncoming danger present throughout the episode. This is embodied by new villain Colony Sarff (Jami Reid-Quarrell), Davros' henchman, who moves from place to place in search of The Doctor. Snakelike in appearance, wearing a long, dark cloak and an speaking in an intimidating voice to match, he works very well as a counter the Doctor's comedic moments in the above mentioned scene.

Michelle Gomez is just as great as ever, with Missy getting all the best one-liners and dialogue exchanges. It was also great to see Julian Bleach return as Davros, as he gives one of the best portrayals of the character against the many other actors to have played this role. Because this is a two-parter, it is not clear yet as to what kind of impact both these villains will have on the story. What we learn from this series opener is that they seem to be on opposite sides, with The Doctor caught in the middle, which makes for great drama. The Daleks are pretty downplayed in this episode, but when they all appear at the end, it's a cool moment to see so many different designs of Dalek together in one scene. I hope this scenario is used to its fullest in the next part.

Overall, this is a very strong opener for the new series. After the all together disappointing previous series, the show can hopefully return to form with more episodes like this. A list of Pros and Cons will be featured after the series' finale, so until then, I'll be recapping the rest of the series every Wednesday (most likely!) as written here. Until the next post, I'm happy to say that Doctor Who has got me highly anticipating the next episode. Bring on The Witch's Familiar!