So, second up this time around we have The Rings of Akhaten, written by Who newcomer Neil Cross. OK...
I very much
enjoyed this episode on the first viewing, and having watched it again a couple
more times since I’m still enjoying it. I understand that this isn’t a view
shared by many though, and when I think about it more deeply myself I can see
that my appreciation is purely on a superficial level.
It didn’t set
my imagination aflame, quicken my pace with excitement or send me on a
rollercoaster emotional ride, but it was good, honest, visually stimulating and
entertaining Doctor Who. I don’t ask
for much more – just maybe the occasional draw-droppingly brilliant episode!
I was
impressed with the sound of Neil Cross’ writing. I don’t know much of his work
from elsewhere, but if this is anything to go by he writes very ‘sayable’ lines
with flare and wit. If he can develop his supporting characters beyond mere ciphers
then I’m sure he can give us great things in the future.
Clara’s had
three introductions so far, and to a certain extent this episode also
introduced her for a fourth time. We get all the family background and, most
importantly, she gets her solo five minutes or so, holding her own in an alien
environment with strange new people, putting across her companion manifesto for
us to judge and coming out – I think – very strongly. JLC is being given some
fine material to work with so far and is doing it justice. Her scenes looking
after Merry Gejelh and giving her the support she clearly wasn’t getting
elsewhere were utterly charming and really serve to stamp her imprint on the
show.
The episode had
a surprisingly Tenth Doctor feel, with Matt Smith having some longer, more
emotionally driven speeches more in the style of David Tennant. Also the
general hubbub feel of the market area evoked the RTD era of the show. I didn’t
object to the singing - it’s not like we’ve not had singing before in Doctor Who, and this was hardly the
equivalent of the Buffy
sing-along-an-episode.
Are
motorbikes becoming a ‘thing’ this series? That’s two episodes on the trot now
where a motorbike-type vehicle has been used. Maybe Matt’s swapping hats for
mopeds..? Last week’s bike looked cool, but unfortunately this one, supplied by
the dog woman, looked like it came from my old CDT class at school. I wasn’t
very good at CDT... But if the space bike looked like a blocky plywood
disaster, the Mummy in the glass cabinet looked awesome - as did the three
Vigil beings (homage to 1978’s Underworld
intended..?)
I wasn’t so
keen on Grandfather Sun as a concept, I’ll admit – although there was a
precedent set in 2007’s 42 for
sentient suns about the universe. Doesn’t Grandfather die at the end though?
It’s not really clear. If so then presumably that rings of Akhaten will
disperse without a body to orbit, which won’t be great for those living and
working there. Hmmm. Either that or it turned into a black hole. Double hmmm.
Also the
Mummy and the Vigil looked great but we don’t really know what they were and in
the end they were casually cast aside and wasted as red herrings. The sonic
screwdriver yet again becomes an annoying shortcut, opening unopenable doors
and fending off the Vigil’s attack. I hope the Vigil come back – I’d like to
see them used properly.
I was very
slightly creeped out at the beginning by the Doctor stalking Clara through her
parents meeting and her growing up. It flowed OK from the end of the previous
episode, but a casual viewer would be forgiven for wondering what was going on
and if episodes are going to flow in this way it may be useful to have a brief
reprise. I’m glad that at the end Clara realised the Doctor had been there at
her mum’s graveside – it was a sobering reminder to the Doctor that he needs to
be careful if he’s playing games like that. But maybe it’s time for a companion
whom the Doctor hasn’t met as a child, or whom he doesn’t need to meet as a child, maybe?
The Rings of Akhaten had a tricky job to do, because of
where The Bells of St John left off. There
was a lot of preamble to get in at the start, then the usual settling in of the
new travelling companion on her first proper TARDIS trip, so we were really
nearly half way into the episode before we got much in the way of intrigue or
jeopardy. We’re not used to that kind of pedestrian pacing these days, and what
it tended to do was draw attention to the lightness of the story and the supporting
characters. Would we have given a fig about Merry if she wasn’t a small girl?
Probably not.
But then, as
I said at the beginning, I’ve watched this several times and enjoyed it on each
occasion. I think the difference is that the better episodes really impress,
whereas this was just enjoyment of a TV show I love, well made.
Over all this
was an attractive episode, with colour and spectacle and monsters and the
Doctor baring his soul at the end and needing the help of his companion to win
the day – hooray. But for those who like to scrape the surface and nibble the
rough edges underneath there were slim pickings. It’s an episode of ideas and
concepts but it doesn’t flesh them out properly or develop them, just brushes
them aside and moves on to the next item. For that reason this was a disappointing
addition to the series.
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