Doctor Who Review: The Witch's Familiar

Artwork by Stuart Manning

We were engulfed in a cornucopia of twists and turns, in this week's episode of Doctor Who. The cliffnotes version of  the second episode of season 9, "The Witch's Familiar" is; Missy is insane yet strangely endearing, The Doctor enjoys a cuppa, and the Daleks will probably live to fight another day, because, well,they are Daleks!

HERE BE SPOILERS!

We left off with the Doctor on Skaro, seemingly in a state of despair, as his closest friend, and latest companion have been exterminated. Okay, let's cut to the chase, Missy & Clara, not dead, big surprise. Instead of being death blasted, they were transported outside the city by the sadistically effervescent Time Lady. Clara, bound,  is dangling upside down, under the watchful gaze of Missy, nonchalantly whittling a stick for an unknown, yet undeniably important purpose. The next few minutes are full of exposition and many questions are answered, well many teleportation/fake death questions are answered.

The Doctor, assuming that Clara has been exterminated by his mutated foe, decides that his best course of action is to go for a joyride in Davros' mobility scooter. I'm not sure about you, but playing dodgems with Daleks is not my idea of a good time. The Doctor, being the Doctor, with his last glimmer of hope, demands that Clara be returned to him, alive and unharmed, only for Clara's untimely demise to be confirmed by the cyborgs. The Doctor's opportunity for vengeance is ripped away as he is suddenly restrained by the agents of Snake-Face, who had been covertly hiding in the chair.

The Doctor awakens back in the infirmary with Davros, however, not punished, but rewarded for his actions, with the only other chair in Skaro. The confrontation between the nemeses, examines and investigate the major themes of the episode, you can't judge a book by it's cover, and what it means to be a good man. We also discover that Davros is connected to the Daleks via some tubes, wires and probably a couple of scart connections. He is dying, barely surviving on the energy from his cyborg powered battery.

In the mean time, Missy and Clara trudge through the Dalek sewers, which as it turns out, is full of the congealed remains of fermenting Daleks, except, they're not quite dead. Lest we forget, Daleks were engineered to survive. Missy skips through the jellified catacombs, stabbing the walls with her pointy stick. Causing the undead creature to destroy a fully fledged Dalek. With not so much of a nod, as an elbow to the ribs to Jenna Coleman's first appearance, Clara almost willingly encases herself in the leftover Dalek shell. The dynamic duo continue on their way to save the Doctor, as he treats the terminal Davros, as the Time Lord is nothing if not compassionate.

Davros attempts and fails to have a heart to heart to heart with his arch enemy, eventually resigns himself to the fact that he will never see another sunrise, with his own eyes, before his death. The Doctor obliges this last request, only to discover that Davros is far too weak to open his eyes. With moments to spare, the Doctor uses regeneration energy to help Davros' dying wish. Suddenly, as before, Snake-Face's agents were hiding amongst the Skaro HDMI cables, trapping the Doctor and draining his regeneration energy in order to revitalise the dying race. Davros and the Dalek's have been restored by the power of the Doctor.

Unfortunately, every Dalek has been restored, including the forgotten & deteriorated from within the sewers, and the sludge decided to revolt, attacking their caged friends and flattening the city of Skaro. Oh and as it turns out, the Doctor apparently knew the intricacies of Davros' plan and for some reason, went along with it anyway.

Missy and the Doctor meet Clarek, trapped and unable to communicate who she really is. This was bordering on my favourite part of the episode. The Time Lady tries to convince her friend, that the creature before their eyes, was the very same creature that murdered Clara. The sadistic side of me really wanted the Doctor to destroy his companion. Partially because I like the idea of coming full circle with miss Oswald, arriving as a Dalek, and leaving as a Dalek, and partially because I would love to see the Doctor deal with the weight of those consequences. Long story short, Clarek manages to shout the word "mercy" a word unknown to the Daleks. The Doctor figures out that it's her, sends Missy away, and they call the Tardis back with sonic sunglasses. Yes Really.

Fan Theory

Missy has been surrounded by Daleks, so unless she lied to Clara, she won't be able to teleport her way out of this one. The Time Lady has a clever idea, and I have a sneaking suspicion that this idea may just be an alliance with her foe. With Missy as the leader, of course. The sunglasses will lose their charm soon and The Doctor will revert to his trusty screwdriver. Davros now knows that Galifrey still exists and it's going to be a race against time to find the Doctor's homeworld? That confession dial is important, I can feel it in my bones!

Answer Me These Questions Three

1. What will be the Doctor's personal repercussions for losing a chunk of Time Lord regeneration pixie dust?
2. Will the rejuvenated sewer Daleks not only annihilate their more mobile kin and hijack their wheels?
3. Where did the Doctor get that cup of tea?

Final Thoughts

The opening scene sets the dynamic for Missy and Clara throughout the episode, Clara is bound, restricted, Missy on the other hand, is in control, three steps ahead of the game, equal parts sagacious and sadistic. We definitely haven't seen the end of Davros, he's like a cockroach. There is something not quite right sitting with me this episode, I'm not sure what though. I definitely enjoyed its predecessor more. Hmm, anyway, I will see you next week, same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Katie

Doctor Who Review "The Magician's Apprentice"

Image by Lemonhead118 +DeviantArt.com 

I don't know about you but the Season 9 premier of Doctor Who set both of my hearts racing! Jumping from horror, humour, drama and superfluous frivolity, yet behind the smoke and mirrors, forcing the audience to pay attention.

HERE BE SPOILERS!

We open on a grim and ghastly warzone, a child runs amidst the smoke and gunfire, catching the eye of a valiant soldier. Sending his comrades on, the soldier attempts to save the young boy,be ripped into the earth. There he stands, a defenceless child in a mine field, all alone, with no chance of escape. BUT landing at his feet is a sonic screwdriver, and a man in the smoke calls out to him, to help save him, all he asks is the boys name. Who is this innocent child? Davros, creator of the Daleks and the Doctor's future arch enemy.

Then we are left with a bone chilling conundrum, do you save the child who will become a harbinger of destruction, or do you destroy him first?

Leaving that ethical quandary, a snakey man is searching for the Doctor, venturing out to the Shadow Proclamation, the Sisterhood of Karn and a bunch of other nods to nostalgia. Davros is looking for the Doctor, Davros remembers. Although does Davros only now remember because it is something that the Doctor did recently, or was this something that he simply forgot as he created emotionally stunted murder cyborgs?

Dalek by Scarecr0w13 +DeviantArt.com 

What could have easily filled an entire episode, lasted but a few minutes, the #planeshavestopped was but a message from the eccentrically divine and masterfully deranged Missy. The only reason for which is to get Clara's attention, The Doctor is in danger, and Missy requires Clara's aid in order to find him. Missy has been sent the Doctor's confession dial, which I feel will have some greater significance later on the series.  Missy also point out that it was sent to the Doctor's closest friend, Missy, not Clara. Which means of course, that the Doctor suspected that Missy had not, in fact evaporated after all.

In Medieval times, the ROCKtor makes his entrance, shades on, playing a guitar, while riding a tank, because of course he does. The snap, crackle and pop wacky antics are cut short here as snakey man shows up to take the Doctor to Davros. Being the spunky young go-getter Clara demands that she and Missy shall be accompanying them, at which point they too are bound by snakes.

The Doctor and Davros have a natter while Missy and Clara go exploring, only to discover that they had not been brought to a spaceship after all, but they were walking on the surface of Skaro, home of the Daleks! Davros, still holding on to the screwdriver that was thrown to him as a boy, shows the Doctor the extermination of his friends. Ending on a cliffhanger, in anticipation of the second episode of this two parter, what will the Doctor do next..?

Fan Theory:

Missy and Clara are not dead, but have in fact been transported somewhere with Missy's teleporting doo-hickey bracelets. The confession dial will have a greater impact later on in the series. Missy will be a temporary companion, in order to shift the relationship dynamic.This is the second season premiere that Capaldi's face has been mentioned, I can't help but think that it is relevant somehow. The TARDIS hasn't been destroyed otherwise this would be an extremely short season of Doctor Who.

Answer Me These Questions Three

1. How did Davros escape the Crucible in "Journey's End"?
2. Did Davros re-create Skaro, or has it been in a pocket universe all this time?
3. Did the Doctor create Davros?

Final Thoughts

It's good that Clara is doing something, and not just sitting on her hands, waiting for the Doctor. Even shredding an axe, astride a tank, the scene is stolen by Missy. Capaldi may chew on the scenery with every take, but Michelle Gomez takes a bite and swallows it whole. Episode One was a fast paced, exhilarating kick up the arse that the show needed. I am so happy that we've moved past the constant questioning of is the Doctor a good man? I love Peter Capaldi, I prefer him to Matt Smith. Give me more, give me more! 

Katie