Doctor Who: Series 10, Episode 7 – “The Pyramid at the End of the World” (2017)

I’m still mulling over this one.  While watching, the overall impression I had was that I liked it (although there are definitely aspects of it that I don’t like,) but afterwards, the (many) plot holes looked much more prominent to me.  What we’ve got here is a decidedly mixed bag (premise spoilers, along with brief allusions to last week’s “Extremis.”)

The creepy-looking, unnamed “Monks” from the last episode are back in the flesh, plopping their spaceship (which is rather incongruously “disguised” as a 5000-year-old pyramid) down on Earth.  Much to the surprise of the Doctor, Bill, Nardole, and co., the Monks insist they are not there to invade the world but to be given it.  They warn of an impending disaster that would wipe out all life on Earth, one that they’ll gladly prevent – in exchange for total control of the planet offered willingly.  The Doctor, naturally, isn’t keen on the idea of the human race giving up their free will, and he urges Bill and Nardole to help him in his race against the doomsday clock to find/avert the disaster and render the Monks’ offer moot.

I like the whole basic set-up, with the Monks wanting humanity to exchange freedom for safety, and I enjoy the theme of huge catastrophes hinging on tiny moments.  The story here gives us a great one-shot character in the form of Erica, a woman who is smart and capable in a crisis and serves as an excellent pseudo-companion for the small amount of screentime she shares with the Doctor (side note:  I love that this character is a little person simply because she is.  There’s no in-story “reason” for it and it’s not commented on by any of the other characters – beautiful.)

Once we start getting into what the actual disaster is, though, it’s a bit of a mess.  The whole thing depends on massive amounts of stupidity and carelessness that distract from the point.  We’re talking plotholes that you could drive a truck through, and they undermine both the story itself and the characters involved.

Meanwhile, the Doctor is quite on-point for much of the episode – I especially love his sly way of narrowing down the search for the disaster, and I like his ongoing battle to make his voice louder than the humans’ fear telling them to take the Monks’ deal.  Bill and Nardole have less to do, but each gets in at least one good moment.  However, although things take an intriguing turn at the end, I’m more than a little apprehensive about it.  It’s all just so massive that it seems like we’ll be dwelling for quite a while on what happens here and the fallout thereof.  And we’re already more than halfway through the Twelfth Doctor’s last season, and I don’t relish the thought of such a heavy storyline getting the way of his remaining chances for fun adventures in time and space with Bill and/or Nardole.  As I’ve said, I love the Doctor-Bill dynamic, and nothing that messes with that gets my votes.  (Even Nardole, who I’ve enjoyed getting to know these past few episodes, is a little iffy for me, if because when he’s involved in the adventures, it seems Bill doesn’t get to do as much.  And not just because a third person is sharing the screentime – it just feels like, when it’s the three of them together, Bill doesn’t ever get to be the one to have the ideas, and that bums me out.)

Don’t get me wrong.  When done well, the big stories can be super satisfying.  But more than anything, I’m here for the characters and the relationships between them, and as I prepare to say goodbye to Twelve, I want to see him get just a few more opportunities for enjoying the wonders of the universe and thriving on the thrill/danger of it all instead of just getting Big! Important! Dramatic! plots until he goes.