This episode marks the first time Steven Moffat has written for Who since he stepped down as showrunner at the end of Twelve’s tenure. I really like it—nice blend of suspense and emotion, a good showing for our heroes within what’s nearly a bottle episode.
The Doctor and Ruby arrive on a desolate battlefield. The Doctor, running to help someone in trouble, steps on a landmine. Unable to move or react without triggering it, he and Ruby try to figure out how to get him off it safely. While they try to hold back death, the Doctor wonders what this war is really about.
There are certain Moffat hallmarks here, like dangerous technology that says creepy things in a pleasant voice and bon mots like, “Everywhere’s a beach eventually,” and, “Snow isn’t snow until it falls.” We also get a variety pack of references from previous episodes (especially old Moffat stories,) going all the way back to “The Doctor Dances” from series 1!
As far as the plot goes, the nuts-and-bolts side is interesting if not revelatory. Some of the oneshot characters behave in frustrating ways, and I guessed certain twists before they were revealed. I like the introduction of the chillingly impassive “ambulance” tech, which the Doctor sums up thusly: “Life is cheap, patients are expensive.” The episode also features Varada Sethu (a.k.a. Cinta from Andor!) as one of the Anglican marines who make up the main oneshot characters—I was glad to see her, even if I’m not impressed with how her role is written, but her appearance raises interesting questions beyond this episode.
The thematic side of the plot is stronger. It gets a bit on-the-nose at times, but this is an episode that has something to say. It hits on war, capitalism, faith, and technology, looking at how these subjects interact with each other and how people’s lives can get caught in the crossfire.
I’m starting to sound like a broken record this season, but the episode is at its best when it’s focused on the Doctor and Ruby. I love watching Ruby here—she’s overwhelmed, terrified for the Doctor, and unconvinced by his efforts to reassure her, but she’s not about to give up for anything. She will do whatever she needs to save him, which includes both doing precisely what he tells her and doing the exact opposite. We also see her using her own ingenuity to solve problems in a high-pressure situation.
Speaking of high-pressure situations, the Doctor is fantastic too. It’s clear how afraid he is—not just for himself but for everyone else who will get caught in the immense blast if the landmine goes off—but the episode consistently shows him persisting through that fear. Despite being unable to move or allow his vitals to spike, he remains an active participant throughout, brainstorming and working through, not just his problem, but that of the entire war. He sings to keep himself calm, he babbles when he can’t, and above all else, he tries to keep Ruby and others safe. Early in the episode, he indicates that he heard someone screaming earlier and asks Ruby, “Can you check and see if anyone needs help?” To which, naturally, she exclaims, “You need help!” And I just love that, in the middle of everything, he stops to remember that this is Ruby’s first time on a different planet. Just gorgeously done.
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