Other Doctor Lives: Staged: Series 2, Episode 2 – “Long Time, No See” (2021)

I’m getting a better handle on the meta-ness of series 2, which is shaping up to be a lot of fun. While the humor is still much the same as it was in series 1, the plot ups the ante a bit, and I like where this is going (by necessity, I’m going to have to spoil a particular plot point from the last episode.)

Last week, David and Michael were discussing the possibility of going to America to film a stateside remake of Staged, but that got squashed when they learned that the American version planned to recast them with more bankable names. Now, their egos are bruised further when they discover that the rest of the cast is remaining mostly intact, and they debate whether to go full scorched-earth on Simon (David’s plan) or take a more diplomatic approach in the hopes of still being involved (Michael’s.)

As always, the show brings a lot of COVID relatability to the proceedings. Michael and David’s obsession with the American remake is heightened in part because their own individual plans have fallen through due to shifting protocols and changing travel restrictions. I really feel for David when he announces in one scene that he’s made peace with everything and is “embracing chaos,” only to spiral out a few scenes later when the hits just keep coming. We also have one character noting that the uncertainty and lockdown aspect of the pandemic somehow feels worse the second time around, precisely because people thought they were on the cusp of getting back to “normal” only to have the rug pulled out from under them again.

Nina Sosanya appears again, this time as Actress Nina Sosanya Who Played “Jo” in Series 1 rather than the character Jo (I was ready for the extra meta this time, though, so I could roll with it.) I enjoy her interactions with Simon, who is his usual ambitious-but-ultimately-feckless self. Here, he clashes with David and Michael over who really created the series, with Simon staking his claim as the writer while David and Michael point to their extensive improvisation to argue that the show wouldn’t be what it is without them.

Par for the course, the best scenes are the ones involving Michael and David. The face-off with Simon is terrific (and features a well-executed bit of Zoom humor,) and they’re also stellar in their one-on-one scenes together. There’s just something about their chemistry as they commiserate over being unwanted by the Americans, attempt to weigh their options, and muse about what other career paths they might have taken. This episode features Michael in a bit more of the peacemaker role between David and Simon, which is a new angle – in the past, we’ve seen David acting more as the glue/pacifier (albeit badly,) but this time around, he’s the one who has to get talked down from the ledge.

This means some fun/funny scenes for David Tennant. He’s good at jumping between demeanors, going back and forth between incensed, petulant, and fake-cheerful with ease. I also love David delicately intimating that perhaps “professional footballer” is no longer on the table as a career for Michael, and apropos of nothing, my favorite line in the episode is his, “That seems a bit hypocritical of the Vikings!”