"Spiders on the Moon". I kid you not! Remember that movie "Apollo 18" that came out 3 years ago? As scared as I am of spiders, I will admit it that based on the promo materials that out the spiders front and center we were going to get another Apollo 18. But here's the thing: Doctor Who can get away with almost anything. I mean, look at series 2: one episode you got an adventure set on another planet and the next a post-absurdist black romantic comedy. And seeing as this series has been pretty solid so far you'd think the trend of consistency will be continued. Well, it seems for the most part it has
The thing about this episode is that the first 35 minutes of it are absolutely brilliant. It came damn near close to being a 9/10 but it was ruined by an utterly lame climax and a scene where Clara has a huge bitchy hissy fit at The Doctor which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's a shame because just look at the first 35 minute alone. Scary and atmospheric stuff on the same level of episodes such as The Web of Fear or even Blink. The spiders are shown in minimal glimpses and it works to a great effect. As usual, Capaldi is absolutely brilliant and in full command here. For those first 35 minutes we are under the impression that we have the first really engaging episode since last season's "The Snowman"
However things take a bit of a turn for the worse at the end when Clara comes up with a brilliant plan to get everybody to turn their lights off if they want the creature killed and then to top it all off, she saves it at the last minute. And then of course, that rant. Why is she so mad at The Doctor?? The Doctor told her that he isn't going to be there all the time to make the tough decisions and that someday she will need to stand up and make them for herself. Even the female astronaut with her tells her that thousands of people will die because she can't make an unfair decision. I don't normally side with the whole "DW needs better female characters" thing but this rant really left a black mark on her character and here I'm beginning to side with them
Though I won't be too negative, for the most part I did enjoy this episode and given that it did succeed in creating a real claustrophobic atmosphere in the first two acts, it's the first time the show has done that in a while. Scary episodes are the ones I like most and so given next week is also a scary episode the series could be finding a new consistent ground. Though with Moffat anything can happen.
The thing about this episode is that the first 35 minutes of it are absolutely brilliant. It came damn near close to being a 9/10 but it was ruined by an utterly lame climax and a scene where Clara has a huge bitchy hissy fit at The Doctor which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's a shame because just look at the first 35 minute alone. Scary and atmospheric stuff on the same level of episodes such as The Web of Fear or even Blink. The spiders are shown in minimal glimpses and it works to a great effect. As usual, Capaldi is absolutely brilliant and in full command here. For those first 35 minutes we are under the impression that we have the first really engaging episode since last season's "The Snowman"
However things take a bit of a turn for the worse at the end when Clara comes up with a brilliant plan to get everybody to turn their lights off if they want the creature killed and then to top it all off, she saves it at the last minute. And then of course, that rant. Why is she so mad at The Doctor?? The Doctor told her that he isn't going to be there all the time to make the tough decisions and that someday she will need to stand up and make them for herself. Even the female astronaut with her tells her that thousands of people will die because she can't make an unfair decision. I don't normally side with the whole "DW needs better female characters" thing but this rant really left a black mark on her character and here I'm beginning to side with them
Though I won't be too negative, for the most part I did enjoy this episode and given that it did succeed in creating a real claustrophobic atmosphere in the first two acts, it's the first time the show has done that in a while. Scary episodes are the ones I like most and so given next week is also a scary episode the series could be finding a new consistent ground. Though with Moffat anything can happen.