​Throughout the run of 2005+ DOCTOR WHO, I’ve traditionally felt the second episodes of each Season/Series - whether they be a standalone tales or the closure of a two-parter - were frustratingly weak when compared to the stories which preceded them. ​

Until last weekend, the only possible exceptions to this trend (to my recollection, at least) would’ve been 2008’s The Fires of Pompeii, and S7’s Dinosaurs on a Spaceship.  Yes, I will continue to enjoy defend the gorgeously sleek and conceptually daffy DoaS, even though doing so still feels like an uphill and lonely battle.  

Smile, however, became the third trend breaker.  This said, having now watched it twice, I’m not altogether certain the overall logic of its story is 100% air tight.

Pearl Mackie’s Bill once again shined very, very brightly.  She has, in an incredibly brief period of time, become one my favorite ‘companions’ to the Doctor - and may be on her way to becoming my most favorite.  Part of her genius, by my measure, is in her fundamental conception.  When we first met her via this brief introductory video…

….I suggested that her character might well soar if she were to be used as an almost meta reflection on the show itself.  Interestingly, this appears to be more or less how the character was actually developed.  

To a degree, Bill is the voice of many DOCTOR WHO fans across the ages - pondering the rampant oddness and illogic which frequently characterizes the show, always through a lens of legitimate observation, but with a sense of child-like wonder, and above all…affection.  Through her incessant questioning and nit-picky curiosity, Bill is, to me, something of an homage to why we, as fans, love DOCTOR WHO.  I see ‘Bill’ as essentially ‘roasting' DOCTOR WHO, the show.  A love-fueled poking, prodding, and reflection, but also a circuitous and emotional embrace and ‘goodbye’ from departing show runner Steven Moffat.  

Will Season 10’s good fortune continue with this week’s Thin Ice?  ​

The episode is described thusly by BBC: 

In Regency England, beneath the frozen Thames, something is stirring.

The Doctor and Bill arrive at the last of the great frost fairs, and find themselves investigating a string of impossible disappearances – people have been vanishing on the ice! Bill is about to discover that the past is more like her world than she expected, and that not all monsters come from outer space…

Thin Ice is scripted by Sarah Dollard, who wrote Face the Raven last Season.  I’ve always felt highly conflicted regarding Face the Raven, my chief conundrum being this:  how would the episode have played if it were free to be regarded on its own merits?  Which didn't really happen.  

As is, nearly all viewers watching it - myself included - considered its apparent dispatch of Jenna Coleman’s ‘Clara’ through a lens of doubt or incredulity.  A lens clouded by a near-certainty that Coleman/Clara would somehow be recovered and returned to the show.  This skepticism, essentially, shorted out whatever impact FtR might’ve otherwise had.  Such suspicions were, of course, ultimately proven correct - further diminishing the episode's purpose.  Would Raven now be regarded as a strong or affecting episode if Coleman hadn’t eventually come back?  ’Tis a fascinating alternate history to consider, and an important reaffirmation that storytelling conceits and gags deployed within a show should never become predictable.  

But, I digress a bit.  It’ll be interesting to see how Dollard acquits herself with Thin Ice  - when the circumstances and timing of her episode are much more in her favor, and the strength and effectiveness of her work can be viewed more objectively, and with less kerfuffle and distortion than before.  

A scene...

Thin Ice is, by the way, also the title of an unrelated audio adventure from Big Finish,  which itself was repurposed from a story called Ice Time.  Ice Time was an unrealized Sylvester McCoy-era adventure television story which would’ve found two factions of Ice Warriors sparring in 1960s London, and seen companion ‘Ace’ (Sophie Aldred) departing from the show. 

Here are some promo images from this week's episode...

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Last week brought us the highly auspicious premiere of DOCTOR WHO Season/Series 10, The Pilot.  That episode found Peter Capaldi approaching his Doctor role with more clarity… and greater comfort and focus…than ever before, and introduced us to new companion ‘Bill’ (Pearl Mackie). 

And Bill was….a revelation.  Mackie’s performance was far more introspective, nuanced, and intelligent than BBC’s funky,  almost dismissive promos for the new Series/Season had suggested.  In fact, one could fairly charge that BBC’s overall introduction of Bill was largely misleading, and in all likelihood damaged audience’s perception of what kind of person she would be, and what kind of dynamic she’d bring to proceedings. 

Deliberate misdirect (for whatever reasons?)  Or, just another of many cases case in which BBC has evidenced a dysfunctional understanding of the show they’ve been making for so many years?  I’m banking on the later.   Whichever the case, if one were to judge Bill on promo material alone, one would be doing Mackie, the series, and show runner Steven Moffat’s conception and execution of the character a significant disservice.  The character is very interesting, filled with potential, charming, and simply good.  Mackie is very, very layered and wise in her performance choices.  I’ll be interesting to see where here career heads from here.

On the whole, The Pilot…just worked.  Lawrence Gough’s  direction was classy, crisp, and spot-on.  The episode’s  performances and chemistry were consistent, well considered, and refined,  including the addition of Nardole (Matt Lucas).

When I first heard Nardole was joining the show in an extended capacity, I struggled to imagine how he would fit in.   I was concerned that his presence would convolute the vibe around the Doctor.  After all, Capaldi has, to date, often felt as if he is struggling to place his finger on the precise pulse of his iteration of the Doctor.  Would adding two new companions, both highly eccentric, pollute the air around him, so to speak? 

This was not the case at all.   I’ve already exalted Mackie above, but the use of Nardole as a sometimes airy, but innately wise and always well-intentioned butler/assistant is both inspired and well-executed.  His insertion brings the show a much-needed re-shaping of interpersonal dynamic, and does so with surprising effortlessness.  

‘Effortlessness’ may be the most essential adjective when describing The Pilot.  In nearly every regard, it felt like the most self-assured DOCTOR WHO we’ve gotten in quite a while.  Clear in intent and destination.  Invigorated.  Impassioned.  Immediately personal, but also epic in basic concept.  It’s a joy. 
​
Will this energy carry over to Smile, the second episode of Series/Season 10?  On the plus side, Pilot director Gough returns to helm Smile - which feels like a potential win.  On the flip side, however, is the notion that Smile is scripted by Frank Cottrell-Boyce - who brought us In the Forest of the Night back in S8.  

Many people abhor that episode (personally, I don’t, but I acknowledge the oft-stated issues with it), so Smile may be seen by many as Cottrell-Boyce’s chance for redemption. 

Come what may, footage from the episode…

​…and promo images like these…

​…suggest an adventure which is visually striking and strong on aesthetic, if nothing else.

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​This weekend brings us the premiere of DOCTOR WHO’s 10th Season/Series (when measured from the show’s 2005 resurrection), and the beginning of the end of Peter Capaldi’s reign as the mighty Doctor. ​

Personally, while I’d agree that Capaldi and Moffat took a surprisingly long time to find and finesse this iteration of the character, I think both ultimately did so very well.  I suspect there’s still more than enough milage available through Capaldi’s exploration of the role to justify his not moving on when incoming show runner Chris Chibnall takes the helm.  

Alas, this is not to be.  Capaldi’s impulse to depart DOCTOR WHO is wholly understandable; playing the Doctor is a tough gig no matter how much one loves doing so. It’s a gig which is time consuming, physically demanding, and unquestionably distracts from other projects an actor would like to pursue. 

Scripted by Steven Moffat and directed by Lawrence Gough, S10’s first adventure, The Pilot, incorporates Matt Lucas’ previously introduced ‘Nardole’ into the mix in what is purported to be a reasonably  regular ‘companion’ function. 

​Pearl Mackie joins the cast as ‘Bill,’ also a companion, and I’d imagine the size of her role -  and its ultimate consequence - will quickly eclipse Nardole.  In fact, early word indicates The Pilot very much focuses on her character. 

Pilot director Gough also brought us this brief introduction to Bill, issued online nearly one year ago(?!?!?)

​To where does Season 10 lead?  

I tend not to address online speculation, as it tends to be riddled with rampant illogic or often desperate fan service.  But I recently stumbled across this theory which...actually kinda works...makes sense at face value...and feels agreeably Moffaty. If this conjecture  is, somehow, in the ballpark of where S10 ends up, such intent could make tremendous sense given the storytelling proclivities of the Capaldi era on the whole, and sertve as  both a touching love letter to the franchise, and fitting, send-off for Capaldi.  

As one comment on this video notes: it'll be interesting to see how Moffat & Co. fold in CapaldiDoc's presumably mandatory appearance in the Day of the Doctor timeline.  They could, conceivably, sidestep it entirely and assert that the given moment we saw represented in DotD is the crux of that adventure, and is, consequently, unworthy of follow-up.  Or, perhaps more Name of the Doctor shenanigans could be afoot?  

Here are a few promo images from the S10 premiere episode.  Uninspired as usual, but...what can one do?   

Geeklectica's The Pilot discussion board is now online and ready to welcome you!  As always, a new discussion will be posted roughly mid-week, every week, for the run of the Season/Series.  Smaller posts are possible in-between episodes as news or circumstances warrant. 

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