It’s a massively efficient construction, properly supported by Julie Anne Robinson’s course, which retains the vitality up whereas by no means being flashy – it could be the most effective pairing of author and director since Moffat and Rachel Talalay (“The Physician Falls”, “Heaven Despatched”, amongst others). The repeated close-ups of Ncuti Gatwa’s face, his shaking hand and the glowing lights of the landmine preserve the hazard continuously in our minds, and for sure the episode appears incredible as soon as once more (contemplating that single-location tales usually perform as cost-cutting measures, that is most likely probably the most expensive-looking bottle episode ever made).
The episode’s construction additionally permits for plenty of wonderful character work. Gatwa continues to impress, his efficiency stuffed with exact peaks and troughs because the Physician frequently tries to handle his concern – and by extension Ruby’s – and preserve management of the scenario, typically succeeding, typically failing. He additionally will get some classic Physician rage to play, his contempt for the marines, their religion, their struggle and its company sponsor palpable as he sneers at Mundy. There are too many electrifying moments to record, however Gatwa’s vicious supply of “Significantly? Now you want proof, religion gyal?” is a spotlight, as is his wordless, guttural cry of anguish when Canto shoots Ruby. Oh, and “I’m much more explosive than I look – and honey? I understand how I look”. That is threatening to turn out to be a listing, so let’s transfer on.
Having had much less to play with in “The Satan’s Chord”, Millie Gibson will get lots to do right here, and as soon as once more she knocks it out of the park. To limit myself to only one spotlight, the scene the place she refuses to throw Vater’s stays to the Physician, insisting on getting shut sufficient handy it over – dismissing the Physician’s “I forbid this” with a splendidly informal “Yeah good luck with that” – appears like a key growth, each for her character and their dynamic. It’s fantastically performed by each, Ruby quietly resolute, the Physician barely protecting a lid on his feelings. Though they’ve not been travelling collectively that lengthy, the feelings really feel real and fully earned.
Amazingly, amongst all this, the episode not solely finds house to introduce Varada Sethu as future companion Mundy Flynn (assuming she retains that identify), however offers her sufficient definition that she feels well-rounded and vital. Plenty of this comes right down to Sethu herself, who offers an excellent efficiency. She’s heat and caring with Splice, extra forceful with the 2 bizarre strangers who’ve landed in the midst of her warzone, conflicted because the true nature of that warzone turns into extra obvious – and the way in which she pushes defiantly again towards the Physician hints at a compellingly tempestuous future dynamic. Her look right here hasn’t been trailed in any respect, so far as I do know – very like Jenna Coleman’s shock debut method again in “Asylum of the Daleks” – however it’s brilliantly executed, and I’m excited to see how the present handles her eventual return.
Admittedly there are some features that don’t absolutely come off. The thwarted romance between Mundy and Canto, whereas performed properly by each actors, feels perfunctory, and with out desirous to sound merciless, placing a lot emotional heavy lifting on the shoulders of a kid actor won’t have been the most effective choice. The ending additionally feels a little bit too glad contemplating what’s gone on – we didn’t essentially want all people mendacity round sobbing, however the triumphant ‘love conquers all’ climax is a tad over-egged.
These will be forgiven, although – partly as a result of the episode is in any other case so efficient, but additionally due to how badly a person in his sixties writing concerning the risks of ‘the algorithm’ may have gone. Steven Moffat has beforehand advised that he would possibly write one thing about ‘cancel tradition’, and at the same time as a fan of his work, my solely response to that’s please don’t – however the themes of algorithms and automation are cleverly deployed right here within the context of futuristic warfare. It’s brutal and sadly very topical, and positively acceptable fodder for Physician Who, and it permits Moffat to get offended, which is a compelling register for him. The episode’s factors about devaluing human life and the overreach of the navy industrial advanced will not be refined, however they’re actually efficient, and as with “House Infants”, it’s good to see the present unequivocally condemning inhumane techniques.
