This was a fairly solid episode, and one that made the most of the Doctor now being in feminine form. It could have very easily played out the same with Eleven or Twelve (after all, men were accused of witchcraft too) but there was certainly a deeper resonance to it with her as a woman, as well as some pertinent themes about fear-mongering and the complexity of human nature that worked surprisingly well.
So as ever, this season keeps proving that its historical episodes are its best.
1. In my strange little way, I was amused that this episode shared the same title as a Merlin episode (except it was plural instead of singular).
2. I liked the detail of Graham realizing where they were based on the hill in the distance. He seems to be someone who would know local landmarks, and it was an early foreshadow to were the alien prison was hidden. (Though I laughed towards the end when Willa said she was the only one who knew the path up said hill. How hard is it to walk up a hill?)
It also goes to show that even though the village was obliterated from the history books, the natural world still remains to this day.
3. The Doctor says early on that they must not: "interfere with the fundamental fabric of history", a rule that they've adhered to surprisingly well this far, though when up against the mundane evil of fear and superstition (with a little alien takeover thrown in for good measure) it would seem the Doctor can't help herself this time.
4. If only I had watched this episode before Wednesday night; I might have remembered that it's a ducking stool, not a dunking stool, which would have given me a perfect score in the "witches and wizards" category. Ah well, I still won a packet of Toffee-pops.
5. This episode boasted two really good guest-stars: Siobhan Finneran and Alan Cummings, each playing rather terrible people who commit horrific crimes against innocent people, and yet still have a degree of pathos in their personalities and motivations.
Explaining evil behaviour without excusing it – there's just not enough of that these days. Or to clarify, too many writers think that a bad childhood is a) an interesting backstory for a villain, and b) a reasonable pardon for any conceivable crime a character can commit. On the other end of the scale, too many readers/viewers demand absolute moral purity from their characters, refusing to acknowledge that evil is mundane, and that we're all capable of it.
(Even Willa has a moment of weakness and gives up the Doctor when pressed).
So I was impressed with the characterization of Becca Savage and King James I, especially with all the historical bits and pieces they managed to sprinkle throughout James's dialogue (and his attraction to Ryan!)
6. Speaking of Ryan, I felt that once again the companions were underserved. Yes, there was a little of Yaz reaching out to Willa and the boys trying to mitigate the amount of damage Mistress Savage was prepared to do, but I still think adding three new companions was biting off more than the show could necessarily chew.
And I ended up disappointed that the Doctor didn't take Willa with her. I mean, it almost felt morally wrong to leave her all by herself like that. Yeah, the stabilization of the time-stream and all that, but I would have dropped her off in the 21st century.
7. The cinematography was beautiful: bare branches against the sky, mist-filled hollows, gloomy little cottages, bleak landscapes: it was chillingly lovely. The violin music in the score was nicely done too.
8. As mentioned above, the themes of scapegoating and fearmongering were handled well – and I especially appreciated the comment made by Mistress Savage about how things weren't easy for a woman. That's true enough, and I can even sympathise with her over it, but it was a serious reminder that even the oppressed can in turn become the oppressors when given just a little bit of power.
Then there was the Doctor herself, who for the first time has to deal with overt sexism. I'm almost disappointed they didn't go the whole nine yards and have her forced to wear period clothing, but I supposed I'll have to make do with the witch ducking and King James's constant condescension.
It was just enough to make us realize the change in the way people see her (and treat her) without going overboard, and it's almost a shame the show hasn't been more consistent about it.
9. "That's the Old Testament; there's a twist in the sequel: love thy neighbour." Heh, I like that. Also, it provides another part of the overarching theme: as with each individual, religion itself can be a force for destruction or for goodwill.
10. The ultimate reveal of the plot was a bit of a dud. I'm pretty sure we've had hostile aliens imprisoned upon Planet Earth before, and the stuff about the old tree/ducking stool actually being a lock was a little lost on me. As Graham sarcastically said: "yeah, it's obvious when you put it like that."
They almost felt like a Diabolus ex Machina, such was its randomness, though I suppose I have to give the writing credit for clues such as the axe and the handkerchiefs in Mistress Savage's chambers.
In all, a decent episode. Having recently watched She-Ra I was surprised by how closely that show and this episode dealt with the portrayal of evil: specifically that those who commit it can be sympathetic, charming and even funny – though that doesn't negate the suffering of their victims.
No comments:
Post a Comment