Doctor Who 11.08
Nov. 27th, 2018 09:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakHad an extremely busy week, am late with my replies, I know. Anyway, on to the review. An enjoyable historical.
Also one where the Doctor is allowed to do something about the evil du jour that goes beyond immediate life saving. Mind you, it‘s still impossible to do something about the witch craze in totem - which the episode carefully does not point out -, but the village is saved, and fictional James VI and I might or might not have learned something. This version of James, played by Alan Cummings, is the first one I could stand (Howard Benton‘s - in his play Anne Boleyn - is the most interesting I‘ve encountered so far, but my sympathies for historical James are somewhere below zero; sorry, but enthusiastic active encouragement of mass murder trumps being flamboyantly gay if you‘re not played by Alan Cummings for me), and I think the show is keeping a pretty good balance in avoiding unfortunate implications, showing James‘ sexuality not as connected to his dark side and instead tying his paranoia to his uncertain childhood full of violent government turnovers. James hitting on Ryan and Ryan being a bit nonplussed at first but taking it in stride and without homophobia was equally well done. Morevover, James is the first guest character since the season opener who gets a speech from the Doctor which is obviously in part self directed.
In this episode, the Doctor for the first time runs into the sexism her change of gender produces in a way that‘s not easily handwaved. (Though the episode does convey this humorously; James‘ innate sexism overcoming even the psychic paper being a case in point.) Incidentally, it did occur to me that the Third Doctor, who, much as I love him, was one of the more patronizing ones was also the one who mentioned being friends with Houdini, so there was karmic resonance all over the place. :) I also liked the way her increasing annoyance with James tied with him increasingly seeking her approval; this Doctor is charming in her general kindness, but it wouldn‘t be the Doctor if she weren‘t allowed to be irritated and short with someone now and again. Especially if he reminds her in part of herself.
The episode tying the need for scapegoats explicitly to fear and self loathing (with Becca and to a lesser degree with James) managed to avoid another potential trap, that of making the aliens solely responsible for the people executed as witches. Not that them being locked up by the end wasn‘t also an obvious metaphor for the lethal hate/bias/scapegoating getting bottled, but not erased; it‘s there to escape the next time around.
Yaz‘ passionate and immediate advocacy for Willa continues the impression I got last episode, that Yaz now has made the step from generic companion to individual characterisation.
In conclusion: liked the episode. (Though I would say that for a serious take on how fear and the need to scapegoat transforms people into murderers, Midnight beats this by a mile, but then the narrative intentions were different.) Loved the character interaction both between our team and with the guest stars. Bring on the next.
Also one where the Doctor is allowed to do something about the evil du jour that goes beyond immediate life saving. Mind you, it‘s still impossible to do something about the witch craze in totem - which the episode carefully does not point out -, but the village is saved, and fictional James VI and I might or might not have learned something. This version of James, played by Alan Cummings, is the first one I could stand (Howard Benton‘s - in his play Anne Boleyn - is the most interesting I‘ve encountered so far, but my sympathies for historical James are somewhere below zero; sorry, but enthusiastic active encouragement of mass murder trumps being flamboyantly gay if you‘re not played by Alan Cummings for me), and I think the show is keeping a pretty good balance in avoiding unfortunate implications, showing James‘ sexuality not as connected to his dark side and instead tying his paranoia to his uncertain childhood full of violent government turnovers. James hitting on Ryan and Ryan being a bit nonplussed at first but taking it in stride and without homophobia was equally well done. Morevover, James is the first guest character since the season opener who gets a speech from the Doctor which is obviously in part self directed.
In this episode, the Doctor for the first time runs into the sexism her change of gender produces in a way that‘s not easily handwaved. (Though the episode does convey this humorously; James‘ innate sexism overcoming even the psychic paper being a case in point.) Incidentally, it did occur to me that the Third Doctor, who, much as I love him, was one of the more patronizing ones was also the one who mentioned being friends with Houdini, so there was karmic resonance all over the place. :) I also liked the way her increasing annoyance with James tied with him increasingly seeking her approval; this Doctor is charming in her general kindness, but it wouldn‘t be the Doctor if she weren‘t allowed to be irritated and short with someone now and again. Especially if he reminds her in part of herself.
The episode tying the need for scapegoats explicitly to fear and self loathing (with Becca and to a lesser degree with James) managed to avoid another potential trap, that of making the aliens solely responsible for the people executed as witches. Not that them being locked up by the end wasn‘t also an obvious metaphor for the lethal hate/bias/scapegoating getting bottled, but not erased; it‘s there to escape the next time around.
Yaz‘ passionate and immediate advocacy for Willa continues the impression I got last episode, that Yaz now has made the step from generic companion to individual characterisation.
In conclusion: liked the episode. (Though I would say that for a serious take on how fear and the need to scapegoat transforms people into murderers, Midnight beats this by a mile, but then the narrative intentions were different.) Loved the character interaction both between our team and with the guest stars. Bring on the next.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-28 04:26 pm (UTC)and:
this Doctor is charming in her general kindness, but it wouldn‘t be the Doctor if she weren‘t allowed to be irritated and short with someone now and again. Especially if he reminds her in part of herself.
Both are reasons why I really liked this episode! We really don't get Thirteen separated from her Companions much, and I knew there would be something golden if she's allowed to be left alone and we get to follow her for it!
We get a bit of insight more on her, and that moment when King James turned the question about titles on her, and her look there was EVERYTHING, I thought. And wished that we have more actors like Alan Cumming for Whittaker to play against!
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 02:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-28 06:51 pm (UTC)And yes, as charming as they made James, they also didn't make him less tortury and murdery. I was afraid he was going to torture the Doctor, and I'm really glad they didn't go there, as much as I enjoy a bit of angst.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 02:27 pm (UTC)