The TARDIS has no shortage of fantastical places it has traveled, even to the supposed edge of the universe. But this time it’s a little different as she crashes into a spaceship on the edge of the universe and immediately makes tracks, leaving the Doctor and Donna to explore this “Wild Blue Yonder” on their own. Let’s dive in to what David Tennant called one of the most ambitious episodes of the series to date – – but don’t forget, Spoilers!
1. Spoilers!
Doctor Who fans were left in the dark with details on this special, with no preview after last week’s “The Star Beast,” and information either scant or heavily guarded. And when you consider this plot of this episode, it’s easy to see why. It’s classic twisty science fiction that any leaks, if not chosen carefully, would certainly fall afoul of River Song’s warning.
After a brief detour to 17th century England where (a very hot) Isaac Newton discovers gravity (Donna, not going to argue with you on that point), the TARDIS, still running amok, dumps its inhabitants on a deserted spaceship before disappearing, apparently sensing danger. Donna and the Doctor are left to explore this ship, but they are not alone – – confirmed when they see carbon copies of themselves out to slowly take over their selves as a means of escape from the ship. If the chases throughout this large ship and its vast corridors by bendy versions of the two wasn’t enough to show the gravity (mavity?) of the situation, there was also the realization that the airlock that the ship’s captain opened and closed three years ago was the captain’s suicide, upon realization of the threat.
Also, there’s a very slow self destruct taking place, so if the DoctorDonna monsters don’t get the real deal of our heroes, a good ol’ explosion will (and in the end, almost does claim the real Donna).
There was a fair bit of this episode that reminded me of “Listen,” particularly in that nameless, shapeless villain that actually manifests into something very familiar, and that challenge of determining reality from fiction. But it’s also not too highbrow or frightening, thanks to some amazing special effects and supporting characters. (Indeed, this was the first ever Doctor Who episode a friend’s seven year old son watched, and mom proclaimed that he “loved it!”)
2. House of Mouse Moolah
In last week’s recap of “The Star Beast” I remarked on how those Disney Dollars (meaning, the new partnership between the BBC and Disney+) really showed in production of that episode. And this one takes it up to 11, which you see in the special effects. Those long spaceship corridors that had me thinking how much this looked like a ship out of Star Wars. The equally comedic and creepy shape shifting DoctorDonna doubles with their bendy arms and pliable bodies. The space golf carts that allow the real Doctor and Donna to explore the ship – and get out of trouble when they need it. Even our super slow robot inching towards destruction was cute, even if he didn’t have much to do.
If I would suggest any change to this episode, it would be perhaps shooting the majority of it as a one-shot, similar to the film Birdman. The single camera use around all those corridors leading to tightly composed shots that follow our actors closely would have certain added to the tension.
3. Doctor Donna Double Duty
Catherine Tate and David Tennant have to play both their real selves and their alien cloned selves, with no the most subtle of behavior changes throughout the episode to keep the big reveal under wraps as long as possible. And then once the secret is out, the charge to not only play themselves but carbon copies of themselves to keep the viewer (and even the Doctor) guessing who is who until the very end.
It’s a tall order but both pull it off, excelling in their own ways. Tennant’s always shown us a gift for physical comedy, and he gets to really play in that sandbox with this episode. Meanwhile, Catherine Tate is the queen of subtlety, using just the right lowered tenor of voice to send the chill up your spine and crack open the door for that big reveal. (In fact, it was when she said “I did what you asked” in that softer, measured voice, that I realized this wasn’t the real Donna.)
Continued belowWhile we all wondered just what kind of surprises Doctor Who had for us with the secrecy around this episode (early appearance of Ncuti Gatwa? The return of a familiar face or familiar villain?) in the end we had the best guest stars ever: The Doctor and Donna themselves.
4. It’s Canon! You Can’t Take It Back!
In an episode filled with sweeping action and high concept science fiction, it’s important to note some very small comments that establish canon. Donna’s passing remarks about the Doctor not being born on Gallifrey and the destruction of half the universe (from the Flux era) confirm that these remain part of series lore. And while there’s a contingent that wishes they weren’t, I’m actually okay with this. Perhaps the new season will allow proper exploration of both these concepts, particularly this idea that The Doctor is not the native Gallifreyan he/she/they believed.
5. Bernard Cribbins, OBE (1928 – 2022)
All’s well that ends well, of course, with The Doctor and Donna figuring out how to beat these shapeshifting aliens at their own game and escape the ship, thanks to a repaired TARDIS. So it’s back to London where they meet none other than Wilf! While frail, the late Bernard Cribbins still has the twinkle in his eye upon seeing his granddaughter and his old friend. And you can certainly sense the mix of joy and sadness in both Tennant and Tate’s eyes to share a scene with their old friend for what is presumably the last time.
(Side note: the BBC broadcast had a memorial card to Cribbins at the end of the credits, but I didn’t see it on the Disney+ broadcast. And being properly trained by the MCU, of course we did not turn off at the credits. Did I miss something?)
But this may not be the last time we see Wilf on our Doctor Who screens as he’s here to give Donna a warning: He has her family safe because the world’s gone mad with chaos in the streets. Right above their heads, a commercial airliner crashes and burns.
We’ll find out what this all means next week with Neil Patrick Harris’s Toymaker and a regeneration, and those are the least of our problems! (As a point of housekeeping, next week’s recap will be one day late and drop on Wednesday, not Tuesday, as I’ll be traveling back from a weekend in sunny Florida.)
This wild TARDIS ride is not done just yet.
