Watch & Remark: Doctor Who, Series 10, Part 2

Welcome back to my series of reviews on the latest season of Doctor Who! We return to the company of our beloved 12th Doctor and his companions, Bill and Nardole. There's some financially motivated spacesuits, some very creepy monks, and the love of a daughter that saves the planet from some very fake news.

My love for Doctor Who grows with every episode I watch. Bill is one of my favorite companions, Nardole provides valuable comic relief, and the Doctor--well, let's just say that I'll be crying at the end of this season. He's great.

Also, I was right! Missy is revealed to be the person trapped in the vault that the Doctor has been set to guard for 1,000 years, and we get some back story on that as well. These four episodes were fairly good, but the trilogy that was episodes six through eight was kind of underwhelming.

Episode Five: "Oxygen"

This episode sees the Doctor and his companions facing off against a corporation dedicated to squeezing the most money out of the workers on a certain space station, to the point of killing them to save money on losses. Along the way, the Doctor loses his eyesight to save Bill, Bill gets electrocuted by her space suit, and the Doctor wires the ship to explode. Of course, the Doctor saves the day, but not without some major consequences.

This episode is scary, because you're not sure if Bill is going to make it through this or not, and its when the Doctor really starts lying to her. It's a good episode pace-wise, and makes you wonder about the role that money-grabbing corporations will play in the future of space exploration. Overall, I wish there'd been fewer deaths, but it was fun to watch.

Episode Six: "Extremis"

In this episode, Bill just really wants to get through her date, without anybody interrupting--especially the Pope. This episode is also our reunion with Missy! We discover that the Doctor is responsible for her continued life, and he's tasked with guarding her and trying to turn her to the good side. Meanwhile, there's a text being translated by the Vatican, and everyone who reads the translation kills themselves--because it reveals that their world is a simulation, run by the creepy monks. So, the episode ends with the fake Doctor sending a message to the real Doctor via his sonic sunglasses.

This episode didn't really drive the plot forward, and is more of an exposition episode. So, it's a little boring, but there's a good reason: it sets up the next two episodes.

Episode Seven: "The Pyramid at the End of the World"

A mysterious 5,000 year old pyramid has suddenly appeared in a dangerous area, and the Doctor is called upon to be the President of the world, and we find out why the creepy monks are really there--to offer the world their help, because in a different part of England, there has been a dangerous mix-up of biochemicals, and they threaten to destroy life on Earth. Several people try and consent, but they are killed by the monks because their consent is "impure." However, while the Doctor is almost done saving the day, he gets trapped--still blind, he can't get himself out of this, and Bill is forced to consent to the monks, giving them power of the Earth.

This episode was really cool, and a true test of Bill's abilities to function in a higher capacity, on behalf of the entire world, without the Doctor by his side. It also scared me, because I thought we were about to lose the Doctor in the middle of a series. Thankfully, we didn't, and now Bill has to deal with the consequences of her decision.

Episode Eight: "The Lie of the Land"

This is the last episode of a mini-arc within this series of Doctor Who. Earth has been taken over by the Monks, who are running a constant stream of fake news and propoganda that makes it look like they've always worked alongside humanity. However, Bill (with the help of her wonderful imagination) has managed to remember that they've only been there for a few months, and focuses on rescuing the Doctor from the clutches of the monks and restoring order to Earth. Bill succeeds where the Doctor doesn't, and causes the monks to leave Earth.

This was a great episode--we got to see more of Pearl Mackie's emotional range as an actress, and it was amazing. Bill struggles with the weight laid on her shoulders and fake news invading her mind. There's some interesting plot twists, some modern parallels, and a good ending that leaves everything in the right place.

This bunch of episodes was good fun, creepy fun, and a little scary. But, we have four more episodes and a Christmas special left in this season, so hopefully it will reach greater heights! I hope that Bill stays on as the Doctor's companion for a while--she's the one who has really made this season great.

Look out for my review of the next four episodes next month!