Last week's episode was a fairly conventional one, with a relatively linear storyline, albeit split over two time zones, with the Sontarans threatening both. The Doctor was based in one zone, whilst Dan went to the other. Yaz was sent to a third location - the Temple of Atropos, on the planet of Time, where she encountered Vinder. This is where Swarm and Azure came back into the story.
Once, Upon Time was far from linear - but it wasn't difficult to follow. What a casual viewer might have made of it is a different matter.
The Temple was also one of the main locations for tonight's chapter - but not in the way we expected. The cliff-hanger last week was based in the Temple, and we thought that the action would carry on from there. Instead, the Temple featured in an entirely different time zone - an incident from the Doctor's past.
To save Yaz and Vinder, the Doctor did something very clever and put everyone into the middle of the time storm.
Dan ended up back in present day Liverpool, with very little to do other than remind us about Diane, who got captured by Azure in Chapter I then was forgotten about. Yaz is back in Sheffield with her sister, still a WPC, though things aren't as she remembers them. Something is messing with her time-line - and it'll be the main feature of next week's chapter.
By far the most interesting detour is the Doctor's. She has gone back to a time before her present memories started, when she worked for the Division. It was a mission which involved the Ruth-Doctor - allowing for a return for Jo Martin. (The only problem I have with this is that it looks like there was only ever the Ruth-Doctor in her forgotten past).
Yaz, Dan and Vinder all appear in this section, though they're not really who they look like. We know that "Dan" is actually Karvanista, from his big double scythe weapon. Unfortunately we don't get to see who "Yaz" and "Vinder" were.
This flashback covered the time when the Ravagers (Swarm and Azure) were first defeated and imprisoned. We discovered the identity of Passenger - he's a living prison, containing thousands of captives (including Diane in the present day timeline).
Less interesting was Vinder's memory. He seems to have been sent back only a short time, to the events which led to him being stuck on that observation platform where we first met him. This is because he upset some villainous type known as the Great Serpent. Yaz was present throughout this, or someone who just kept looking like her.
Running through the episode is another story - that of a young woman named Bel. She has a (budget-pleasing) Lupari spaceship, and she's searching for her loved one. She encounters Daleks and Cybermen as she tries to be reunited with him. He turns out to be Vinder.
Vinder leaves the Doctor and her companions at this point to go look for Bel. Strangely, he recognises a TARDIS, and suggests that he knows how to pilot one.
Halfway through the story now, and they introduce a new mystery. The Doctor meets an elderly lady named Aswok, played by Barbara Flynn, who seems to have god-like powers. She seems quite happy to see this universe end, so is probably the one behind the Flux.
The other big mystery remains the presence of Joseph Williamson. He appeared briefly yet again, when Dan found himself in his tunnels beneath the Edgehill district of Liverpool. He was armed with a ray gun, and was being pursued by an unseen alien menace (possibly Sontarans?).
Next week promises to be another more conventional episode, involving the Weeping Angels in a village in 1967. As she was targeted by them this week, Yaz might get the central role next time for a change.
I think Mr Chibnall has abandoned the idea of the casual viewer with this series - if you haven't been watching before, then you ain't going to get it!
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying this one (as a non-casual viewer) - for the first time in ages I can't wait to see next week's episode.
I wonder if Aswok is from beyond the portal where Baby Doctor was found? The Doctor can't be the only one who came through as s/he would have had to have been put there by someone. The fact that Aswok referred to the universe as "this" universe rather than "the" universe seems to me to be a clue in that direction. Plus having set up the portal, I assume Mr Chibnall will want to return to it before he leaves as showrunner.
It's my guess also that Awsok comes from the Doctor's universe, so we might not find out much about her until next year - in the three specials which end Chibnall's tenure. However, if RTD likes the idea he can ask Chibnall to leave things hanging so he can do something with them.
ReplyDeleteOn another note if Vinder is a replacement for Captain Jack on account of John Barrowman's getting his old man out on set antics, it hasn't stopped the BBC from reappointing RTD under whose watch the antics took place! Deputy heads will roll, as they say at the BBC.
ReplyDeleteLoved the Great Serpent, though I did get distracted by trying to remember where I'd seen the actor before - until I realised he was Line of Duty's very own DI "Dot" Cotton.
He will be back, if the trailer's to be believed, as there was a scene of him outdoors, dressed in a WWI officer's uniform.
ReplyDeleteHaving seen The Fiveish Doctors Reboot, I confidently expect that once he takes over, RTD will announce that the new Doctor is.... Russell T. Davies, shooting laser beams from his eyes.
ReplyDelete"Quelle dommage, Davros."