Going Deeper Into "Deep Breath"

Article first published as 'Doctor Who' Review - Season Premiere: 'Deep Breath' on Blogcritics.

Finally! The long-anticipated eighth season of Doctor Who is upon us with “Deep Breath.”  Ever since watching the 11th Doctor’s (Matt Smith) touching goodbye in last year’s Christmas special, fans eagerly (and somewhat impatiently) have awaited the arrival of the 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi, The Thick Of It, World War Z). Up till now, we’ve 0nly glimpsed him in the holiday special, and, even more briefly, last fall’s 50th anniversary tribute. Now, we get to meet him in all his glory as he takes over the legendary role.

The opening of “Deep Breath,” is terrific. Whether it makes sense or not, a dinosaur walking about Victorian London makes for a cool visual, and so much more. The beast and its relationship with The Doctor, and its eventual tragic death (which tugs at the heartstrings) plays well, and in unexpected ways. We can always count on Doctor Who to deliver both wonderment and pathos, and this opening does that. But, I would like to know how the TARDIS ended up inside the dinosaur’s throat!

In his first appearance as The Doctor, Capaldi gets an A. We still don’t know exactly what kind of Doctor he will make, acting crazy for most of the installment, but he plays the eccentricities so well, it’s clear his more settled version will be good, too. Capaldi’s antics in “Deep Breath” echo past Doctors, in particular Matt Smith and Tom Baker, letting us know the character audiences have been watching for half a century is still in there. His comments about needing more “round things” in his TARDIS will surely please those who are fans of the original series runs. Capaldi is a fan himself from way back, and apparently has internalized those past Doctors, which resonates in his performance.

There are hints of what we might expect of this new Doctor, especially when he is calm enough to stand still for a second. This new version intrigues me, but also makes me wish for Smith’s return. Every time there is a new Doctor, there’s a certain adjustment period for fans, and it’s not easy to jump right back in with someone else. That’s why the first episode of the new series frequently takes time for the character to ‘adjust,’ and “Deep Breath” does that even more so than past versions. It’s very transitional, and that can be unsettling, but as I trust Steven Moffat, the show runner, because of his past track record with Doctor Who, I’m confident in saying this one will likely be good, too.

Because The Doctor is crazy, “Deep Breath” has to rely more on his companion, Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), to drive the episode. Other companions, even brand new ones, have done a good job of this (Rose Tyler, Amy Pond), but Clara, who had already appeared in several episodes with the previous Doctor, doesn’t. I find her annoying and grating, assuming many of the worst things about her that Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh) does this week. Unlike the lizard lady, though, I am not sold by the end. I’m not sure what it is about Clara that bugs me, but there’s something there that doesn’t feel as nice and sweet as the other main characters of the past, and I look forward to her departure.

That being said, The Doctor clearly does value her. The surprise scene near the end of “Deep Breath,” in which The Doctor (Smith’s version) calls her as he is dying to ask her to help out with the new guy is touching. We see the bond between Clara and the 11th Doctor, what they mean to each other. Only the 11th could convince her to stay with the 12th. The way the 12th Doctor plays this scene, also helps carry that relationship into the new series, as we see Smith and Capaldi as the same person here. In an hour-plus where The Doctor is so unrecognizable, it’s good Moffat chose to ultimately smooth the transition.

Despite my objections to Clara, I don’t accuse her of everything Vastra does, specifically that she is upset by the new Doctor’s appearance because he’s older and less attractive to her. I believe Clara when she is genuinely worried the grey hair is a sign of something deeper being wrong inside, and I think she’s onto something. The Doctor also asks why this face has been chosen, and it remains a mystery. I hope it’s tied into one of Capaldi’s past Who-verse characters, perhaps his part in the Torchwood: Children of Earth, since it was such a notable role. Even if it doesn’t, I do think we’ll find out in time why The Doctor looks old now. There is definitely something to this.

I mentioned Vastra before, and she isn’t the only returning favorite to Doctor Who. Often, when a new Doctor begins his tenure,  past connections and relationships are forgotten. None of the 10th’s old companions play into the 11th Docotor’s run (except in the 50th anniversary special). However, Vastra, Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey), like UNIT before them, don’t really ‘belong’ to one Doctor. They are their own group, The Paternoster Gang, one that deserves a spin-off, or, at the very least, repeat appearances for years to come, no matter who is in the title role.

Strax is my favorite of this trio, hilarious as ever. Whether hitting Clara in the face or trying to take her clothes (since she’s not wearing a coat), his naivety is a major selling point. When he slips and says something about pouring acid on The Doctor, it isn’t malicious. And when he fails to enter a room as gracefully as his companions, well, at least he tries. He’s a cartoonish personality, but one with a sweetness and authenticity to him that just makes him grab attention every time he’s on screen.

Vastra and Jenny are good, too, though, and “Deep Breath” takes their development a step further. Their relationship has been firmly established in the past, but every time we spend some time with them, we see another facet. The scene in which Vastra is working and Jenny is posing, wrongly thinking Vastra is painting her, is excellent. Even better, when it seems Vastra and Clara are flirting and Clara gets in a good dig, Jenny whoops triumphantly. Their partnership does not always seem to be one of equals, Jenny posing as Vastra’s maid in private as well as public, and when Jenny gets a leg up and feels superior for even a second, it makes them seem more realistic as a couple. The dynamic works for them, and it’s one rich enough to play around with.

Now, Doctor Who is sort of a procedural, even though it has strong serial elements, and “Deep Breath” is no exception to that. There is a case-of-the-week in the clockwork robots, similar enough that they are probably the same breed as the ones in the fan-favorite episode “The Girl in the Fireplace,” which are harvesting people’s organs. I don’t particularly care for these guys because they’re not malicious and they have nothing against The Doctor personally. Even if they discovered he knew of their schemes, I’m not sure they’d go after him. Instead, they are machines doing what they are programmed to do, which to me is less scary than other foes.

There is one frightening moment in “Deep Breath.” The Doctor and Clara are down in their lair, and The Doctor abandons Clara, saying there’s no sense in both of them dying. As much as I want to be rid of Clara, having The Doctor complicit in her death wouldn’t work because of the effect it would have on him when he comes to his senses. I didn’t really think The Doctor would abandon her, but since he isn’t himself here, one never quite knows. The terror comes in the potential cost for The Doctor, not in any death itself.

Much better than this one-shot is the mystery at the end of “Deep Breath.” We are introduced to Missy (Michelle Gomez, Bad Education), who claims to run the promised land, as she escorts the main clockwork guy (Peter Ferdinando, Snow White and the Hunstman), last seen impaled and dead, into her garden. She’s creepy, refers to The Doctor as her ‘boyfriend,’ and is definitely demented. Why does she want Clara and The Doctor together if she loves The Doctor? Why does she send them both into danger? Who is she and what does she mean for this eighth season?

Popular theories popping up online have her as the TARDIS, which has called The Doctor its boyfriend in the past, or a regeneration of River Song or The Master, both of whom have been crazy and bent on killing The Doctor at one time or another. I love River Song dearly, though, and Alex Kingston, who plays her. I can’t imagine the show would ruin her, and besides, her quest of murder has already been done. The Master seems the most likely of these three theories based on the personality Missy exhibits alone, but I predict she’s something else entirely, quite likely someone we’ve never seen before.

There are a couple of clues that could point to an answer, or may just be red herrings. There is character named Missy in the Cybermen-fueled episode of season seven, “Nightmare in Silver,” who is seemingly killed by them. Moffat has started the season eight is building to a huge two-part Cybermen showdown. Coincidence? Missy also calls her home ‘heaven’ and The Doctor has just died. Might she be trying to escort him into the ‘afterlife’?

Overall, “Deep Breath,” while somewhat dragged down by being too Clara-heavy and containing a mediocre monster, has enough gems hidden within to entice one to tune in for the rest of the series. I doubt it will rank among my favorite episodes, which is a shame, but it doesn’t totally fail, either. I’m almost as anxious as I was a week ago to find out what kind of Doctor Capaldi will be, and I guess that compulsion to watch again is the goal of any television series.

Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on BBC America.

TV Review: ‘The Doctors Revisited – Ninth to Eleventh’

Article first published as TV Review: ‘The Doctors Revisited – Ninth to Eleventh’ on Blogcritics.

As Doctor Who‘s 50th year winds down, the last set of The Doctors Revisited, Ninth to Eleventh, has been released on DVD. These are a lot like the other eight specials, with approximately 30 minutes devoted to discussion of each of The Doctor’s latest incarnations. As before, some of each Doctor’s adventures are included, this time in the form of a pair of one-hour installments rather than a complete serial, keeping with the changed format of the show.

These three are the modern Doctors, beginning with the 2005 reboot and continuing to the present. Premiering nearly a decade after the 1990s TV movie, and even longer since the show went off the air, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith take what came before them and updated it for the modern era. Still maintaining some of the magic, charm, humor, and monsters, Doctor Who has been tweaked in the best of ways, and has never been more popular.

Eccleston is the first one to be profiled, and his reign is pretty brief, having only been featured in one series. His Ninth Doctor is badly scarred from a war in which he committed heinous acts (a subject touched upon in the recently-aired anniversary special Day of the Doctor), and now he’s trying to find himself again. Along with a young, pretty companion named Rose (Billie Piper), Eccleston re-introduces us to the character as we’ve never seen him before, setting the bar for his followers.

The episodes included in this set for Eccleston are “Bad Wolf” and “The Parting of the Ways.” This is his two-part finale, in which Rose is tested and Captain Jack (John Barrowman), who will soon earn his own spin-off, concludes his time traveling with The Doctor.

David Tennant, “my doctor,” takes over in series two and stays for three years, as well as for a number of specials. The Tenth Doctor has multiple companions during his tenure, beginning with Rose, whom he falls in love with, and continuing through Martha (Freema Agyeman) and Donna (Catherine Tate). This Doctor is witty and clever, but has a dangerous edge that can come out when needed.

Tennant’s run not only makes good use of old foes, such as the Cyberman, the Daleks, and the Master, but also begins building larger-arc stories that play out over a number of episodes. The end of his fourth series is truly a culmination of all that he does, with many of his previous friends, including Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) from the old series, teaming up in a fantastic finale, which happen to be the installments selected for this DVD.

After Tennant comes Matt Smith’s Doctor. A bit more goofy than the Tenth, the Eleventh is also more unstable, prone to bouts of extreme loneliness, often resulting in the erosion of his moral compass. Though Smith stays for three series (his run will end in the upcoming Christmas special later this month), his story actually spans multiple centuries as he flits in and our of the lives of his companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillian) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) over the course of a decade or so (from their perspective). After Amy and Rory depart, which leads to even more moping, the Eleventh begins traveling with Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), a girl he witnesses dying multiple times, a mystery that brings The Doctor back to life.

The storytelling in Smith’s time becomes even more intricate and deep. As producer Steven Moffat takes the Doctor Who reigns from Russell T. Davies, more recurring characters populate the landscape, the Weeping Angels become an important returning villain, and events suddenly take years to play out, words mentioned in previous series culminating much later. The Doctor is also given a wife, River Song (Alex Kingston), whom the Tenth Doctor meets briefly, but whom the Eleventh loves very much, even as his tale and hers intertwine in strange and sad ways.

The episodes for Smith’s era are “The Impossible Astronaut” and “Day of the Moon,” the two-part opener to series six in which The Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River encounter The Silence, an alien race that cannot be remembered once they leave one’s eyesight. This is actually only the beginning of a story that will take awhile to conclude.

As usual, Moffat has recorded openings for each of the episodes, which can be watched in their original two-part versions or as a seamless feature.

The Doctors Revisits – Ninth to Eleventh is available now.

More DOCTOR WHO Fun With THE FIVE(ISH) DOCTORS REBOOT

Article first published as TV Review: 'The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot' on Blogcritics.

Amid all the 50th anniversary Doctor Who hoopla this weekend, there was released a half-hour production that got much less attention than other most other events. It didn’t even make it on air in the United States. For any fans of the classic show, or the genre of comedy in general, The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot is must-see.

Written and directed by Peter Davison, The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot finds Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy anxiously awaiting news about whether they will be included in The Day of the Doctor. Months pass and the phone doesn’t ring. The BBC offices and Steven Moffat begin avoiding their calls.

These are sad, old men, past their prime, and wanted by no one, including their families. They are obsessed with their glory days, unable to let that defining role of Doctor Who go, and desperate for attention that doesn’t come.

This may sound depressing, but it’s not because the half hour is absolutely hysterical. It’s pretty apparent that this is a campy romp, not a biographical story. The actors are game to make fun of themselves in a public forum, and these parts really work because they cut close enough to home to be relatable. Like Matt LeBlanc in Episodes are James Van Der Beek in Don’t Trust The B—- in Apartment 23, the characters are almost parodies of themselves, not their actual personalities.

We know this because of how pathetic they become. No self-respecting men of notoriety would hold picket signs championing themselves, all alone, in front of a TV studio. Or bum a ride from John Barrowman, who forces them to listen to his singing. Or lock their wife and daughters into their house in order to relive old episodes. Or constantly remind everyone that they are in The Hobbit. Or steal Dalek costumes in the hope they can sneak on set and make it on screen. Or call one’s daughter, Georgia Moffett, in the hospital room where she is giving birth and ask a favor of her husband, David Tennant. It’s absurd, in the best of ways.

Other familiar faces, including Russell T. Davies, Paul McGann, Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Peter Jackson, Olivia Colman, and Ian McKellen gamely participate, each poking fun at themselves as much as at the old men. If you’re eagled-eyed, you might spy offspring of two of the older, departed Doctors, really making this a full tribute, with more of the cast returning than in the official episode. Each of these are wonderful scenes, a nod to all the Doctor Who fans watching. But the stars of the show was Davison, Baker, and McCoy, and they are spectacular to watch, even without the slew of terrific cameos.

In the end, the guys get their wish. I wouldn’t reveal the exact circumstances, but there is a sweet twist which proves once and for all that they were able to gain access to the set, and surely are not loathed by the production staff. This capper is necessary because, even though I enjoy watching them bumble and suffer, the tone is a light one, and no one wants to see these guys we love fail. It just wouldn’t be right.

Perhaps The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot is not an official part of the anniversary, and maybe it won’t be remembered as fondly as the actual special. But it’s not something I’m likely to forget, and by posting it on the BBC’s website, the network seems to give it their blessing. I definitely recommend checking it out here. (this link will only work for a limited time)

Doctor Who sails on The Ark in Space

Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition on Blogcritics.

Now available from the BBC is the two-disc Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition. The second serial in the 12th season, these four half-hour episodes have been called the best of the classic Doctor Who by both Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat, both driving forces in the latest reincarnation of the show.

Originally airing in January and February of 1975, The Ark in Space, opens with the TARDIS landing on a seemingly deserted, aged space station; it's a creepy place. It isn't long before the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) discover that the place isn't nearly as empty as they first think. There is an entire population of humans slumbering peacefully within, frozen in cryonic suspension, waiting to awaken and find a new home to settle in.

But the ark should have already reached its destination, and the people should already be living their new lives. Instead, a dangerous alien parasite known as the Wirrn have taken over the craft. When a few crewmen are woken by the Doctor and his friends, the insect-like creatures take over the captain of the ark, called Noah (Kenton Moore), and the humans must engage in a deadly face-off with these things.

The Ark in Space is credited as being the first to show a darker side of Doctor Who, bringing a horror element to the series that continues to this day in "Blink" and other episodes of the modern version, most notably the ones featuring the angels. Doctor Who wanted to expand its appeal more towards an adult audience at the time, and this is how they chose to do it. They didn't go too far, even cutting out some footage deemed "too scary." But this is a turn away from the show's lighter, fluffier stories.

Part of why this serial is different from that which came before is the level of danger threatened by the enemy; there are casualties and heart-wrenching deaths. People cannot all be saved, and the ending is only happy for some, mixing tragedy into the finale. For those who have seen many episodes of Doctor Who, this may not seem all that novel or different a concept in 2013. But for the time period it aired, it represented something very fresh. And the experiment worked, buoyed by fantastic performances and a gripping script, garnering high ratings and forever changing the series.

The picture and sound have been remastered for this DVD release. As is typical for classic Doctor Who serials, it's not perfect, but it's far better than what is available prior to this release. The newer stuff almost always looks better (depending on the source used to make the DVDs), and considering The Ark in Space comes from the middle of the run, it's easy to find examples of restored Doctor Who that are both better and worse than this one. I would rate this towards the higher end of the spectrum, though, with clearer picture and more vibrant colors, as well as more detailed and less fuzzy sound, than many Doctor Who releases that I've recently reviewed.

This newest Special Edition release, like its peers, contains a whopping pile of extras. The commentary for these episodes is provided by producer Philip Hinchcliffe, joined by series stars Baker and Sladen. A photo gallery and PDF materials are included, as usual, along with the original BBC trailer for the serial and an alternate title sequence and special effects. There is also a shorter version of the whole serial in TV Movie format.

Plenty of featurettes appear are included with this release, including "A New Frontier" is a "Making of" special specific to The Ark in Space. "Scene Around Six" is Tom Baker captured by public news crews a few years later than this was filmed. "Doctor Forever! - Love And War" focuses on the novels written and published during the years Doctor Who was off the air. There is also an interview with a designer and some amateur film shot during the production of another episode. So there's a range of stuff, both pertaining to this specific adventure and to the series as a whole.

Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition is available now on DVD.

Investigate Sherlock Season Two on Blu-ray

Few series are as popular as the BBC's Sherlock, especially considering the impact that it has had internationally, including in the United States, where it just finished a run on PBS. From Doctor Who scribes Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, and based on the legendary tales by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock brilliantly blends a literary treasure with the modern world. Season one was highly successful, but the game is afoot even further in season two.

Unlike in season one, which mostly deals with lesser known Sherlock Holmes stories, season two tackles three of the most infamous plots. Does it help or hurt the series to thrust itself into the spotlight, allowing fans to compare it against various incarnations that have come before it? It would be simplistic and outright wrong to say choosing stories that the public is familiar with is the reason season two is better, as character development, fantastic production value, and top notch acting and writing deserve most of the credit. However, these stories are popular for a reason, and they make a heck of an exciting run for the show!

First up is "A Scandal in Belgravia." Before the mystery can really begin, however, some transition is needed. Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch, Warhorse, Atonement) and Watson (Martin Freeman, Love Actually, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) survive their showdown with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott, John Adams, Saving Private Ryan) because of a mysterious phone call.  Then, through a montage, viewers learn that Sherlock has become as famous in his fictional world as he is in the real one. Case after case is solved, a photo is captured with the titular character wearing his iconic hat, even if the wardrobe choice is an accident, and Watson's blog takes off! Watson is concerned that this notoriety will attract the wrong kind of attention. Of course, he is right.

Sherlock is asked to stop a political scandal. Dominatrix Irene Adler, a.k.a. The Woman (Lara Pulver, MI-5, True Blood) has something on a member of the royal family, and Sherlock's brother, Mycroft (series co-creator Mark Gatiss), would like to correct that. It's not a case that Sherlock would like to take, and he isn't eager to get on with it. But what Sherlock does not expect is the draw this woman has over him. Over a period of months, Holmes and Adler strike up a relationship that is as raw and real as any love story, even if their affection is never shown to be consummated.

It's funny to see how Sherlock handles romantic attraction. He cares for Watson and Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs, Mist: Sheepdog Tales), but that only extends to keeping them around to help him, not acting nice towards them. Sherlock isn't exactly lovey-dovey with Irene, either, but there's some palpable chemistry in the air between the, which the actors capture expertly. It's a new side of this man, one that is not explored in any other episode of the show. For that alone, "A Scandal in Belgravia" will remain one of the best entries in the series.

Next up is "The Hounds of Baskerville." This tale presents a unique challenge, in that it features a monster. It's a chilling suspense story, and, on paper, one that would be hard to match with the modern sensibilities with Sherlock. Yet, it is a triumph, too! By turning the whole thing into a conspiracy, and with a few twists I will not reveal here, this episode serves the story it is based on, but also makes itself solidly authentic in reality. Helped by a terrific appearance by Russell Tovey, who is known for playing a werewolf himself on Being Human, and treating fans to a more Watson-focused sequence, this creepy investigation should keep you guessing til the end.

Finally, the third feature-length installment in season two is "The Reichenbach Fall." Moriarty returns with a vengeance, playing a long game that Sherlock has much difficulty figuring out. The two may be a match intellectually, but if one has a huge head start, setting all the rules of the game before the other even knows he's playing, there is a distinct advantage. With Moriarty brilliantly turning the public against Sherlock, it is clear that the beloved detective is in hot water. Throughout the ninety minutes, one thing after another keeps going down, with the connections tenuous at best, making them difficult to piece together on the fly.

The tragic climax is one seen coming from a mile away, in retrospect. What happens is built up because of the two episodes before it, and while still surprising, it feels like a natural conclusion. Again, no spoilers here, but it really asks Sherlock to examine just who he is as a person, who and what he cares about, and what he is willing to do to protect them. It's a masterpiece of cinema, and should not disappoint anyone who watches. No one has publicly figured out how the ending is pulled off, though the creators assure their fans that all the clues needed to solve this final mystery are present in the episode.

The special features are a bit sparse. A twenty minute "Sherlock Uncovered" is very interesting, giving facts, secrets, and tricks that are used in all three episodes. Two of the tales have audio commentary, but regrettably, not the final one. And that's it. With four and a half hour of solid excellence, one really wants to know more about the show. But apparently, we are left to deduct our own truth, which, admittedly, is in the tradition of the main character.

Sherlock looks fantastic on Blu-ray, the recommended way to purchase this season. From the special effects in the finale and premiere, to the dark, fog-lined hollow in the middle installment, there are elements of each episode that just will not be as impressive in standard definition. Sherlock delivers for those inclined to invest in the superior audio and visual capabilities, and there is tangible reward to view it that way. It truly looks fantastic in high definition.

A third series of Sherlock has been commissioned, but will not begin production until 2013. For now, buy Sherlock Season Two on Blu-ray, on sale now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article originally published as Investigate Sherlock Season Two on Blu-ray on TheTVKing.com.