New Who 12.7 Can You Hear Me?

[strange_complex]

Well, that was pretty powerful. I got a bit teary during Yaz's bit with the 50p especially. I feel like I know and understand her as a character a lot better now.

On paper it had a hell of a lot to fit in for the time available while still leaving space for emotional conversations about people confronting their fears and insecurities at the end, but I guess the villains of the week were quite simple and straightforward in the end, which is what allowed it to work.

Great villains, though! Gods of Pain and Fear - excellent in themselves and a nice prelude to next week's episode too. Just as the awkward yet somehow effective tone of the emotional conversations felt like they were building on Graham's little man-to-man chat with Jake last week. It all lends a sense of coherence to the season as a whole, beyond the Doctor's renewed vision of the tower and the Timeless Child.

Very interesting that Zellin should reference the Celestial Toymaker, subject of a Hartnell story, given the Hartnellish feel of the Ruth-Doctor, and the Master's hints of dark things in his and the Doctor's origins. This season is very definitely poking and prodding at that early era in the programme's history - and three cheers for that!

Comments

[qatsi]

Zellin described themselves as "Immortals" and also referred to "the Guardians", which all points to the Davison-era story Enlightenment (IIRC the Immortals there also passed the time with "games"). Interestingly someone pointed out this week that the new series has now been going for fifteen years. In the classic series, the fifteenth season was the Key to Time story arc, which introduced the Guardians (as well as Amelia Rumford, of course!).

[strange_complex]

Ah, true about the Immortals and Guardians. I like the feel of great and ineffable beings beyond the ordinary scope of the universe, anyway.

[momentsmusicaux]

I spotted the Guardians connection, but not the 15.

(Grumble grumble they've only managed 12 seasons in 15 years...)

[danieldwilliam]

It did try to cram a lot in. I think a little too much. But if it had been split over two episodes you'd have had to do more with the two baddies and I'm not sure their backstory would stand up to that much extra scrutiny.

[poliphilo]

Rather too much reliance on the sonic screwdriver for my liking. Really, it might just as well be a magic wand.

[amaebi]

I need to get on board the new Who.

[strange_complex]

It is worthwhile at the moment. My interest has waned over the last few seasons - I've kept watching, but at some point stopped wanting to write about each episode here. However, this last season has been consistently strong and has revived the urge to write on my part. On FB today, a friend shared this story from the UK mental health charity Mind explaining (without any spoilers, don't worry) how they had worked with the script-writers for this episode to ensure that the mental health issues it confronts were handled appropriately, sensitively and safely. Also, after the episode the BBC broadcast details of a helpline which people could ring if they'd been affected by any of the issues it concerned (which is common for TV shows dealing with potentially sensitive issues in the UK). They are obviously thinking hard about what they are doing this season, on all kinds of levels, and it shows and is good to see.

[sfred]

I really loved this episode. It felt closely related to lots of Who that's gone before, and still its own thing.

[strange_complex]

Yes, that's a fair description. It definitely explored some new ground.