doctor who the woman who lived Reviews 

Five Thoughts on Doctor Who’s “The Woman Who Lived” [Review]

By | October 25th, 2015
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

Doctor Who has been capable of examining a plethora of themes and questions, as all science fiction has the potential to. So, in this episode dealing with immortality, how does it fare?

1. Infinite Life ≠ Infinite Memory

Continuing on from last week’s theme of “Who Want’s To Live Forever”, we see how reality can really breakdown the idea of immortality as Ashildr walks the Earth for eight centuries, losing loved one after loved one until it seems to leave her completely hollow. She loses more things that she can remember. And props to Maisie Williams’ performance and chemistry with Capaldi in this episode again, despite playing a very different character from the one we met last week.

Speaking of immortals, lovely callback to Captain Jack.

2. Sans Clara

Something that may be a bit troubling this season: With such presences as Michelle Gomez’s Missy and Ashildr in this episode, Clara seems to be doing less and less. Clara is completely missing from this episode until the last three minutes, having been teaching Tae Kwondo to her students (who, through the machinations of Satan, are getting a spin off ). Now, on one hand, it allows for some great scenes between Capaldi and Williams. However, considering that Jenna Coleman is leaving this year, this may inadvertently lessen the impact of that departure, especially considering another fan favorite character is coming back next week.

3. …….What?

Cat King Alien person that may have inspired the myth of Hades? What?!

4. No, Really, What?!

And even worse, this… thing interrupted the village hanging/comedy show! That’s like a Wrestling Pay-Per-View for these people! Ignoring the incredibly tone-shattered alien of the week, the banter between Sam Swift (Rufus Hound) and The Doctor during this scene in incredible, considering Twelves clear dislike of banter and puns so cringing that I’m surprised Kieron Gillen didn’t write this episode. It brought some needed levity to a pretty dark episode, all things considered.

5. The Curse of Doctor Who

I’m not talking about the Time Lord being a nigh immortal eternal wanderer who has seen so much horror and tragedy. That’s not the curse I’m talking about. I’m talking about the curse of Doctor Who’s structure as a whole. To put it simply: the whole plot involving Leandro (the Lion King Alien Thing) really dragged this episode down for me, perhaps being my least favorite episode of the season so far. There are sometimes I wish that a Doctor Who episode didn’t have to involve aliens and such for one episode. That the Doctor and his companion could be just wandering into a time period of history and see all the great and terrible things involved with that era and location. It could’ve been great here since the examinations of the concept of immortality between the Doctor and Ashildr are the best parts of this episode. But it is so hampered by the show’s formula of a Monster of the Week that it did more harm than good.


//TAGS | Doctor Who

Ken Godberson III

When he's not at his day job, Ken Godberson III is a guy that will not apologize for being born Post-Crisis. More of his word stuffs can be found on Twitter or Tumblr. Warning: He'll talk your ear off about why Impulse is the greatest superhero ever.

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