We're now over the halfway mark with Series 8, and we finally have the first story to be written by a new writer to the series. So how well did I think Peter Harness fared with his first Who episode? I'd say okay.
I had a hard time deciding how I felt about this story and that's mostly down to the shifts in tone. The story begins with Doctor, Clara and Courtney landing on the moon and where Captain Lundvik, played by Hermoine Norris, and her two crewmembers are trying to destroy the moon.
They soon discover that there are spiders living on the moon and these spiders start killing off Lundvik's crew. At this point, the story has a hard sci-fi, horror tone to it The Orange Space Suits bring back memories of Waters of Mars. although the supporting space crew were nowhere near as well developed as the crew in that previous tale. Here they're just spider fodder.
As the story progresses we find out that the spiders are simply bacteria. The Doctor goes into the moon and when he emerges, he brings with him the news that the moon itself is an egg housing a living creature about to be born. At this point the story starts to have a more mystical tone. It certainly put this viewer off balance. The story now becomes one of women having to choose the allow a new baby to live or die. If the egg hatches, the creature inside could destroy the world. If it doesn't then the world will be safe. Lundvik gets chooses to be pragmatic where Clara and Courntey choose life. It's an interesting dilemma, and one where themes of abortion can be read into it. The Doctor's decision to leave the three women on the moon to make that decision makes it seem trickier.
In the end, Clara chooses life. The Doctor returns and rescues the three women. The Dragon hatches, and fortunately leaves a new moon behind. The threat was never a threat.
Hermoine Norris was good in the role of Captain Lundvik, playing the role in a very down to Earth way.
Ellis George was good as Courtney Woods. I liked the idea of her taking pictures of the moon and the Doctor and putting them on tumblr. She managed to avoid the trap that the writers fell into with Angie by not having her complaining all the time.
Clara finally stands up to the Doctor in this episode. Jenna Coleman is getting a lot of good scenes this year.
Some fans on social media have complained about the un-heroic nature of the Doctor this series. Speaking for myself, I think this is a good thing. In the early days, William Hartnell was just as grumpy and it was Ian and Barbara who were the audience viewpoint characters. Over the years, the Doctor has become more heroic and that sometimes pushes the companion into the margins, with little for them to do other than scream or say "what is that Doctor?". This less heroic Doctor has given Clara a chance to shine. Besides, this version of the show will not last forever. I can image the writers responding to negative audience feedback and toning down the new Doctor for the next series. That would be a shame. So I'm enjoying this nastier edge while it lasts.
I don't think this was a classic story by any means, but a fairly decent one.
7/10
Next Week: Time to find out where the Doctor, Amy and Rory were going at the end of The Big Bang.
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