The Crimson Horror Review
Review of Doctor Who 7x11 The Crimson Horror. There will of course, be spoilers
Overview
This episode has Gatiss fingerprints all over it. Horror, mad scientists and plucky detectives, plus a Victorian rocket. The only thing that really separated this from a H.G Wells story was that it wasn't written by Wells.
Might have to watch it again. But this was pretty enjoyable.
Episode Summary
I really liked this episode. While it was a bit of a cheeky romp, and for the first half very Doctor lite, it was still enjoyable.
It also seemed at times like a back door pilot for Madame Vastra Investigates ( a working title. I will also accept Paternoster Row). Despite being characters that have only appeared twice before, Vastra, Jenny and Strax are rapidly becoming fan favourites and it's easy to see why. A combination of Strax's comedic violent streak, Jenny's rough and tumble simplicity and Vastra's elegant intelligence, make them endearing characters that we want to see more of. Spin off please. Promptly
I also felt this was the type of episode that has been missing from Who for a while. A straight up romp, with good guys and bad guys and very clear borders in-between. In Moffat's shades of grey world, that isn't very common. I could imagine this episode working with the likes of the Third or Fourth Doctors in fact.
Overall after the last few episodes being a bit hit and miss, this was a massive improvement.
The Doctor
As I mentioned above, the first part of this episode was very Doctor lite, he having been badly preserved by the evil Mrs Gillyflower. But once he arrived, he arrived.
You can see the effect that Clara has had on him, once again he is throwing himself into adventure, into investigation and saving the world. A very different man than he was the last time that he was seen by the Paternoster Row Gang.
There is also, I suspect an added urgency to his attempts to find and make sure Clara is safe. After all he has already lost her - or versions of her anyway - twice before. It is logical that he would be afraid of losing her again.
Companion
Clara didn't really have much to do in this episode, though she once again she provided the inspiration for the Doctor realising Mrs G's plan, a trait of NuWho companions I tend to find. One thing I do want to know, is why is she still living at home? Time machine woman. Why is she buzzing back and forth when she could travel for six months solid and then return the day she left?
I would once again like to reiterate my love for the Paternoster Row Gang. For one shot characters they are absolutely fabulous. I would love to see them again. Please Mr Moffat. May I have some more.
Bad Guy
There we go. A proper Who villain. And a mad scientist no less. Mrs Gillyflower was amazing. The type of fire and brimstone industrialist who did actually exist in the Victorian era - I'm looking at you Titus Salt - combined with the type of mad scientist who wouldn't be out of place in a H.G. Wells book.
While her use of a prehistoric parasite, might have been just an excuse to bring in Madame Vastra, it still worked. It was once again, a nod to the Wells source material where this type of thing was quite common.
And again. She didn't care what she was doing was wrong. As she said herself, she was "the wrong hands,". I like this a lot.
Conclusion
If you haven't guessed, I love this episode. I will have to watch it again to pick up on some of the finer points, but still. It was a gem
Next Week: Death in Silver.
Overview
This episode has Gatiss fingerprints all over it. Horror, mad scientists and plucky detectives, plus a Victorian rocket. The only thing that really separated this from a H.G Wells story was that it wasn't written by Wells.
Might have to watch it again. But this was pretty enjoyable.
Episode Summary
I really liked this episode. While it was a bit of a cheeky romp, and for the first half very Doctor lite, it was still enjoyable.
It also seemed at times like a back door pilot for Madame Vastra Investigates ( a working title. I will also accept Paternoster Row). Despite being characters that have only appeared twice before, Vastra, Jenny and Strax are rapidly becoming fan favourites and it's easy to see why. A combination of Strax's comedic violent streak, Jenny's rough and tumble simplicity and Vastra's elegant intelligence, make them endearing characters that we want to see more of. Spin off please. Promptly
I also felt this was the type of episode that has been missing from Who for a while. A straight up romp, with good guys and bad guys and very clear borders in-between. In Moffat's shades of grey world, that isn't very common. I could imagine this episode working with the likes of the Third or Fourth Doctors in fact.
Overall after the last few episodes being a bit hit and miss, this was a massive improvement.
The Doctor
As I mentioned above, the first part of this episode was very Doctor lite, he having been badly preserved by the evil Mrs Gillyflower. But once he arrived, he arrived.
You can see the effect that Clara has had on him, once again he is throwing himself into adventure, into investigation and saving the world. A very different man than he was the last time that he was seen by the Paternoster Row Gang.
There is also, I suspect an added urgency to his attempts to find and make sure Clara is safe. After all he has already lost her - or versions of her anyway - twice before. It is logical that he would be afraid of losing her again.
Companion
Clara didn't really have much to do in this episode, though she once again she provided the inspiration for the Doctor realising Mrs G's plan, a trait of NuWho companions I tend to find. One thing I do want to know, is why is she still living at home? Time machine woman. Why is she buzzing back and forth when she could travel for six months solid and then return the day she left?
I would once again like to reiterate my love for the Paternoster Row Gang. For one shot characters they are absolutely fabulous. I would love to see them again. Please Mr Moffat. May I have some more.
Bad Guy
There we go. A proper Who villain. And a mad scientist no less. Mrs Gillyflower was amazing. The type of fire and brimstone industrialist who did actually exist in the Victorian era - I'm looking at you Titus Salt - combined with the type of mad scientist who wouldn't be out of place in a H.G. Wells book.
While her use of a prehistoric parasite, might have been just an excuse to bring in Madame Vastra, it still worked. It was once again, a nod to the Wells source material where this type of thing was quite common.
And again. She didn't care what she was doing was wrong. As she said herself, she was "the wrong hands,". I like this a lot.
Conclusion
If you haven't guessed, I love this episode. I will have to watch it again to pick up on some of the finer points, but still. It was a gem
Next Week: Death in Silver.