While the journey from the beginning to the end Series 8 has been fun, I wasn't entirely sure I'd like the destination. All of the pre-publicity for Dark Water suggested that this story would be a traditional invasion of Earth by the Cybermen. What we got was something that combined the traditional elements, with some more disturbing ones.
The story opens in the most unusual manner for a Doctor Who story, with Clara about to tell Danny something over the phone when he dies in a car crash. As Clara says afterwards, it's a very mundane way to die, especially in a show with laser guns and science fantasy. After a particularly emotional scene between the Doctor and Clara, the Doctor concedes to take Clara to find Danny in the one place he has never visited. The afterlife.
Moffat’s stories have often explored the theme of death, as well as ways of cheating it. In the past, cheating death has been painless, but this time around the theme was presented in a much darker light in the form of the Nethersphere and the 3W, and had a much grimmer sense. Danny Pink, like Rory before him, dies. But this time he awakens in the 'afterlife' he can still feel linked to his body. The notion suggested by Doctor Chang of 3W, that bodies can feel when they're being cremated, is wonderfully disturbing and edgy for a Saturday night family show. The idea of Danny Pink coming face to face with the boy he killed was just as bleak and interesting. The Nethersphere itself is well presented, a city, bleak place. Some people might have been offended by the idea of cremated people still being alive. Good. This series has pushed at the boundaries of further than others, which is why it’s the best since Series Five. I’m reminded of Russell T Davies’ statement that drama shouldn’t make people feel comfortable. In the end of course, the notion of being scared of cremation is just a fake, designed to force humans to preserve the bodies for cyber conversion.
The Cybermen were one element that everyone was expecting, not only because of the trailers, but also because of the outdoor filming. The show does not even bother to hide it. As soon as The Doctor refers to “Tombs” you know what the skeletons really are. The only trouble is that, as with a lot of other stories, such as The Invasion, Rise of the Cybermen and The Next Doctor, is that the Cybermen are still upstaged by the humanoid villain, in this case, Missy. These particular Cybermen are neither from Mondas or from Pete’s World. These are just Missy’s footsoldiers.
Up until this episode, Missy is the one element of Series 8 that I hadn't really cared for. Fortunately this has now changed. The sense of disorientation that people feel after entering the Nethersphere is probably the same as the way I felt when Missy revealed herself to be the Master. This was followed by a sense of glee. I knew there'd been rumours that Missy was the newest incarnation of the Master, but I'd dismissed it as plain fan theory. The scene where she was pretending to be an android was never really going to fool anyone as she was given far too much importance prior to this episode to turn out to be a minor part. Still, at least it's fun to watch the Doctor's reaction to her charade. I did think she might be Susan Foreman, but the “welcome” she gives the Doctor would have made that plot twist really icky. It could have been Romana, but then that would have turned Romana into a villain who wants to invade Earth, which isn't really like her. Some people will no doubt dislike the revelation. A few years ago I would have been the same, if I hadn't had the chance to see the Barbara Benedetti fan film Doctor which changed my opinion on female Doctors. For those unhappy with Moffat's decision, let’s not forget that the Master has been a decaying corpse (The Deadly Assassin), a morphant snake (The TV Movie) and an x-ray skeleton guy who shoots lasers from his hands and eats tramps (The End of Time). Some fans think that Steven is paving the way for a female Doctor, but I think if he'd really wanted to cast a woman he would done that last year. If there is another Doctor after Capaldi, I doubt it’s going to be a woman, but this gesture makes the likelihood more possible in the long run. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. This could all be a massive feint, like when Tennant’s Doctor appeared to be regenerating in The Stolen Earth, or when David Morrisey was promoted as 'the next Doctor'. Perhaps Seb is also the Master and they are both just fragments of the same character. Still, I hope that’s not the case because this is the more daring and more interesting idea. My only real issue with the whole reveal is that if the Doctor had felt her hearts, he should have confronted her about it sooner
The regulars are all pretty great this time. Danny Pink got a lot of material this time around as he comes to terms with the Nethersphere and is forced to confront the child he killed. Samuel Anderson really plays these scenes very well. Danny's decision to lie to Clara about the Nethersphere to protect her was good, but will he truly go through with the decision to delete his emotions?
Clara is particularly interesting this time around. She has something she wants to say to Danny, but what is it? What was her deal with the post-it notes? Was she going to admit to all her journeys in the Tardis, or was there something else? Next week's episode should make that scene a bit clearer. Her attempt to blackmail the by throwing the Tardis keys into the volcano was the probably the most dramatic scene this character has ever got, even though it was undercut by the knowledge that the Doctor could have just clicked the fingers to open the doors.
Peter Capaldi's Doctor was given several great moments this week when he decides to help Clara in spite of her betrayal. This is the same Doctor after all, albeit more pragmatic. He also got his first kiss this week, and it was amusing to see him react in the same nervous way that Matt Smith did. It's not clear yet whether Steven Moffat will stay on Doctor Who for all of Capaldi's run, but if he continues to write the Doctor this well, I hope it's for a while yet.
All in all, this was an enjoyable part one. There's still more to come as Kate Lethbridge Stewart and Osgood have yet to appear. Let's hope Death in Heaven is a good follow up to these threads.
9/10
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