Dual Review "World Enough and Time" & "The Doctor Falls"

I thought for these last 2 Dr Who episodes, before we get the Christmas episode, we would do something a little different. I asked our guest reviewer this season, Brice Baker, to write a review of these 2 episodes and I also wanted to write a review. So I figured let's do something funky and post both of them at the same time. So my review will be in "BLUE" and Brice's will be in "RED". I know this might be a little confusing, but sometimes it's worth to try something a little different. I promise you we did not know what each other was going to write. So here you go:

As I sit back and reflect on this story and the two episodes, it’s actually taking me awhile to process what just happened. These episodes were packed full of Drama, great sci-fiction, shocks and plenty of Easter Eggs. From the Mondas Cyberman, calling this the “Genesiss” of the Cybermen, Jelly Babies, John Simm returning and the shocking ending with the first Doctor this story was one giant Easter Egg. This was a nod to Classic Who fans like myself and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This season had such a disappointing beginning, slow episodes with a lot of monologue and very little happening had me concerned about the direction in which we were going. Thankfully, the season finale salvaged the entire season with the very Whovian way of linking the past with the present (as much as can be done in time travel) and tying up loose ends. Of course, we've become accustomed to a few frayed knots left dangling here and there, but generally the season end is a place to clean things up a bit and review. 

First, the story itself was brilliant. You could have taken away the shocks and surprises and this still would have been a fantastic episode. The idea of a 400 mile spaceship near a black hole that time itself runs faster the closer you get to the black hole, is simply brilliant. Then you add in all the surprises and you have, dare I say a “Masterpiece”. Now some of the science I didn’t really understand. I still can’t figure out how Nardole made random explosions inside of a ship. That seems like it would not be a sought after feature to have when you are on a 400 mile ship flying through space. Then I ask myself, “How does the Doctor not burn up when he destroys the whole level”? Everything is literally burnt around him, but he’s basically untouched for the most part. Are Time Lords flame retardant? But with all that being said, it didn’t take away from the story.

The first thing that impressed me was the little science lesson in time dilation near gravitational fields.  I am a former science teacher and love the weird nooks and crannies of relativity, quantum mechanics and chaos theory. I think I may have said "Wow" out loud at this. It was nice that it could be used as a true plot point. 

Of course, next is the much anticipated Master and Missy team. The wink at the beginning of the story makes me think Missy knew exactly what was going on from the get go and was playing both of the boys against one another to see which would be the best to side with. "We always shoot ourselves in the back" could be the final words of most any evil genius in the history of stories. There is always some glitch at the end that they didn't think of. In this case, having a conscience never occurred to the Master. 

So where do we go from here? Bill is now gone away with her water girlfriend, Nardole is still on that ship, Missy is dead, John Simm’s Master is regenerating, the Doctor is fighting off regeneration and we just met the First Doctor. I believe Bill is gone for good, which is sad. It’s always nice for a newly rengenerated Doctor try and explain the process to a companion of the previous Doctor. Nardole is also probably gone, but could return. You would think the Doctor would go back and get him. Poor Nardole. He might go down as one of the most underrated companions ever. The saga of the Master is not over, because if you remember Missy doesn’t remember regenerating into her female form. So I believe that when John Simm’s Master regenerates it will be into someone else and not Missy. Then finally the Doctor fighting off regeneration and meeting his first incarnation. We will have to wait until the Christmas episode to sort this one out. Plus, I still don’t think they have casted anyone to play the Doctor yet. Please let it be a guy.

Finally, on the the main characters, Nardole went from comic relief to the savior. He rescued the Doctor and Bill from  the Cyber City as well as the farmers and children. It was nice to see him actually really participating a lot. Bill became the ultimate "girl who waited" and the Doctor finally failed to save a companion in the end. As for the Doctor, I have to wonder how long he's been holding back regeneration. Was it after the Cyber attack or has he been hanging on for episodes??  In the end, he doesn't want to go on and falls into depression because he has failed both Bill and Missy. 

I said in a previous review that I believed Steven Moffat had something big planned for the end of his and Peter Capaldi’s run on Dr Who and man did he deliver. “World Enough and Time” & “The Doctor Falls” will go down as classics of the new series. I have to give this story the elusive 5 out 5 Tardises. I can’t wait until Christmas.

On an end note, I came across a meme that simply amazed me. William Hartnell (Bill) wife's name was Heather (the human name of the pilot). I recognized this season was based on love, but I didn't know that the writers hid what was going to happen in the finale in plain sight in the very first episode. On this awesome note I rate this a five out of five Tardises. Well done.