awkwardreviews

I can’t even… I… are… is this the same show?

Well then… i’ll ask again… is this the same Dr.Who that had something called an “Absorber”, which is a fat green alien, running around and eating people? Is this the same Dr.Who with shakespear being badly-spoken ladies man, or farting aliens, or even a werewolf in the Victorian times? After this episode, I’m really not sure anymore… because this episode was genuinly fantastic, almost eerily brilliant, unexpectedly stunning… and the craziest part? It was written by not-steven Moffat!

Yes you heard me, one of my new favorite episodes of the show ISN’T written by Steven Moffat. In fact, it’s written by Russel T Davies… WOW. The guy who wrote the over-the-top cliche, overwhelming, and often hard to comprehend season finales and introductions wrote THIS episode? How is this possible? There was NO deus ex machina, no stupid CGI, and no predictable ending or dialogue. Not only that, it had one of the most interesting stories and dynamics that this show has EVER done.

While the “villian” wasn’t some nasty alien, or terrifying creature, it was simply human nature… This topic has been addressed many times in this show, and every time it has it’s seemingly getting more poignant and disturbing. This season we have Midnight, arguably the most frightening episode this show has ever done. The Doctor loses control, not because he is overwhelmed, or because he’s too weak, but because the humans are too… human. He isn’t.

This is a frightening prospect that was disturbing to see, because it was an honest interpretation. There was no silliness behind it, it was just scary. Especially when the climax hits, and the Doctor starts being thrown out of the ship, I was frightened. Not because of the “oh no what’s gonna happen to the Doctor” because it’s not like he’ll die… but because of the truly disturbing prospect of humans turning on each other in dire times. Something that has often happened before.

Midnight explores a friendly dynamic turned utterly bitter, and it did so with such force. Every actor held their weight in an episode dominated by perfect deliveries and writing. I must ask, why the hell doesn’t he do more of these? Lay off on the silly Daleks, and the world domination plots… how about this? Why not this?

After the episode closed off, and I realized that this would have been my favorite episode if it hadn’t been for the two parter before this, I chuckled to my self as I noticed the fact that Donna was hardly in it… The one companion i’m truly thrilled to see, wasn’t in this utterly brilliant episode. Funny how the world works…

Overall, I’ll say this. Midnight was perhaps the best non-two parter the show has ever done, if not the best, then right up there with Blink. It’s dialogue was spot on, the story was tight and intense, showing a truly frightening side to human nature, and best of all, it was written by someone who has never done something like this. Brava… this show is seriously on a role.

P.S – Rose appeared behind the Doctor on the ship screen! Weird!

Grade: A