The third and fourth episodes of “Doctor Who” brought us another two-part story, filled with adventure and interesting character dynamics. I found the storyline to be entertaining and suspenseful, and I hope that the episodes in season nine continue to be like this.
One of “Doctor Who’s” biggest flaws is that the show relies too heavily on the same plots and villains. Countless episodes have centered around defeating the Daleks or the Cybermen, the major antagonists in the “Doctor Who” universe. While originally they were interesting foes, I’ve gotten tired of seeing them. The way “Doctor Who” was created (time machine, changing cast of characters) gives it a lot of narrative freedom, and they should take more advantage of that.
This storyline did exactly that. The villain in these episodes was new, threatening, and mysterious, and I had more involvement in the storyline knowing that it wasn’t just another “the Doctor miraculously saves everyone from the Daleks” episode. The Fisher King and the ghosts he created were interesting to watch, and are possibly the best new villains since the introduction of the Silence in season six.
The characters in episodes three and four were the force that really drove the plot, however. The crewmembers working in the underwater base were resourceful and engaging, and brought an outside perspective to the Doctor and Clara’s adventures that longtime viewers sometimes lose. With Clara, the Doctor, and six crewmembers (though that number dwindled) there was more interaction between characters, and the individuals’ fears, desires, and talents combined to create 90 minutes of fast-paced action.
The double length plot gave more development to the characters and led to a more in-depth narrative. By the end of the first episode I was hooked, and wanted to know what happened next. I cared about what happened to the characters, and during episode two I was anxious to see what the fates of everyone in the underground base would be. I was also curious about the flooded town, and sending the Doctor back in time to investigate what had made it that way was a satisfying decision.
Overall, I thought this episode was one of the better ones we’ve seen in a while, and I hope we see more like it. We’ll have to wait and see where the TARDIS travels next.