After last night's explosive episode 6, "Extremis", we are now past the halfway point of Doctor Who, Series 10, and, for the most part, it's been a mostly successful series thus far. I haven't bothered to create full episode reviews because my reviews tend to get a little...bloated, to put it mildly. That said, I'm still interested to let you all know what I thought of the first 6 episodes of the series in a little more concise fashion, so I'm going to talk about to the (often very) good and (often extremely) bad of each of these episodes. With that out of the way, let's jump in!
Episode 1: The Pilot
"The Pilot" was a (shockingly) solid return to form for Doctor Who after two disappointing series with Peter Capaldi as the leading man. In this episode, Capaldi seems to have finally found his groove as the Doctor, perfectly capturing the wonder and amazement the Doctor shows to his companions. Just listen to his TARDIS speech in the lecture he gives. Pearl Mackie is also a great choice for new companion Bill, and to be perfectly honest acts more realistically than most companions. Her constant questions about the nature of time and space make her an instantly more enjoyable presence than most companions were initially. The much publicised aspect of her character about Bill being a lesbian is also tastefully implemented, and feels like it actually contributes to building her character rather than an attempt to gain more media recognition thankfully. Admittedly, the episode is bogged down by a weak villain (it's literally a puddle), but the sacrifice is absolutely in favour of building a strong foundation between the Doctor and Bill, and the emotional resolution is somewhat more effective than other episodes in the series.
Rating: 8/10
Episode 2: Smile
Good God, where to start with this one? How about with a quick list? The sets. The evolving and realistic relationship between the Doctor and Bill. The often surprisingly effective and intimidating Emojibots (turns out that rumour wasn't a joke). What do these things all have in common? They are the only things this episode gets right. However, not even the beautiful landscapes of Tenerife and the comedy between Doctor and companion isn't enough to save this mess of an episode, proving once and for all that Frank Cottrell-Boyce should not be writing for this show (he also wrote the dreadful "In the Forest of the Night"). The plot all in all isn't particularly engaging. It is completely devoid of any memorable set pieces, reveals or moments. Every other character in the episode is bland and contributes little to the plot, and even the acting as a whole is not entirely strong. Throw in some poor effects, a disappointing resolution, and some laughable attempts at emotional engagement on top of this, and you have a truly disastrous outcome.
Rating: 3/10
Episode 3: Thin Ice
Another incredibly hit and miss episode here, although there's thankfully much more to like in this instance. "Thin Ice" is another episode which suffers from an incredibly lacklustre plot that quickly falls to pieces under scrutiny. The exact nature of the villain's plan and what the creature actually was? Questions we will never know the answer to. Additionally, Lord Sutcliffe himself doesn't make for a particularly compelling villain, and the story is riddled with contrivances. That said, the episode is still somewhat successful in it's exploration of the Doctor and Bill's relationship, particularly after the Doctor practically leaves someone to die (although this was dangerously bordering on unlikable territory). The acting in the episode is on point once again, and the sets are brilliantly designed. All in all, a fine, if flawed, outing.
Rating: 6/10
Episode 4: Knock Knock
This episode is simply spectacular. Although slightly weighed down by a severe lack of logic, the episode makes up for it in practically every other area. The episode is genuinely frequently tense and often terrifying, transforming woodlice into something to be scared of. David Suchet gives an incredible turn as the Landlord, the sinister character leasing his house to Bill and her friends before the Doctor intervenes. The episode also has it's emotional moments, especially in the shocking final 10 minutes of the episode when the true nature of the villain and monsters is unveiled. The episode chooses to separate Bill and the Doctor for the most part which, while at the sacrifice of showcasing the chemistry and relationship built up over the last few episodes, allows the series to cement Bill more as a companion capable of standing on her own two feet in the face of danger without the Doctor. Throw in excellent effects and creepy set designs, and you have an example of classic Doctor Who brilliance.
Rating: 9/10
Episode 5: Oxygen
Following on from the last episode, we are suddenly met with one of the most generic episodes in recent memory for the show. Although the political angle the show took in the episode was admirable (particularly in its examination of capitalism), and the twist involving the Doctor's blindness was certainly an interesting direction few (if anyone) would have expected, the rest of the episode was noticeably bland in comparison. Most importantly, it failed to live up to the unfair hype given to the episode by the show runners and producers, who touted it as one of the scariest episodes they'd created? And we got...space zombies. A let down to say the least. A real shame considering the acting of the episode is still great (although some characters are borderline unlikable), and the set design of the space station and make-up of the monsters is excellent (as always with this show). Not a bad episode by any means, but still a bit of a let down.
Rating: 7/10
Episode 6: Extremis
The latest outing for the Doctor and friends was another great episode for the series, although one that proved slightly more divisive, largely due to it's confusing plot structure and twist reveal ending. While I loved the episode itself and had little trouble following what was happening for the duration of the episode, with all of the puzzle pieces finally fitting together perfectly after said twist, I would absolutely understand if someone said they were confused by the episode's reveals, especially the ending. That said, everything else surrounding the story was also excellent! The acting continued to be on point, finally giving Matt Lucas' Nardole something worthwhile to do; the Monks proved to be a formidable and intimidating foe following their reveal, setting them up for future episodes; the return of Michelle Gomez's Missy was handled well; and the blindness of the Doctor proved not so much a gimmick as a plot point which served to add a great deal of tension to the narrative. A great first part to a behemoth three-parter.
Rating: 8/10
Still To Come This Series
- The Pyramid At The End of the World - 27th May
- The Lie of the Land - 3rd June
- The Empress of Mars - 10th June
- The Eaters of Light - 17th June
- World Enough and Time - 24th June
- The Doctor Falls - 1st July
