Wild Blue Yonder is the second episode of the specials and seizes the proper alternative to check the present’s funds and put it to the max; transporting The Doctor and Donna after Donna’s mishap to the sting of the universe, the place they’ve by no means ever been, however The Doctor appears to go the place he’s by no means ever been each single week so that is nothing new for them. Their first encounter appears proof that Russell T. Davies is delighting in taking any alternative to make precisely the incorrect kind of folks mad; sending us again in time to satisfy Isaac Newton the place the phrase “gravity” is modified after the TARDIS crashes right into a tree that prompts all of its apples to fall on the ground quite than only one (coupled with the parable in regards to the salt being created by The Doctor, virtually sure to be Davies setting down future hints at a larger arc), and Newton learns of his Knighthood years earlier than he will get it. It’s a basic Doctor Who historic determine encounter; and we’re instantly following up with a speedrun of the same old one historic episode after which one other far future episode that Davies cherished to do throughout his run: by taking us to a desolate spaceship.
Almost instantly after touchdown the TARDIS vanishes leaving The Doctor and Donna stranded on board a ship and with out their house; they’ll’t translate the language regardless of The Doctor talking a number of languages: even he depends on the TARDIS typically! But he’s in a position to get it right into a binary quantity type, which provides him the flexibility to work out that the airlock seal was opened 3 years in the past and there aren’t any life varieties at the moment on board the ship. But if there aren’t any life varieties: what’s stalking The Doctor and Donna? And once they separate from one another – why are they each immediately in two locations without delay, speaking to one another about their previous? We quickly study that they’re not alone: and there are species that mimic their type on board the ship: prompting Tennant and Tate to have the enjoyment of appearing as twisted doppelgängers who’re on a mission to excellent the clones of The Doctor and Donna, figuring out that after they do – the TARDIS will return they usually’ll have the ability to escape to the universe in a bid to wreak havoc on it.
It’s such a character-heavy episode that makes use of the doppelgangers to name again to Flux and the arc of the thirteenth Doctor the place The Doctor continues to be grappling with the whole lot that’s occurred to him since he met Donna; the fiftieth, Galifrey, The Master destroying it once more, Clara, the Timeless Child, all these items have occurred since and Donna is unaware. He’s not going to be okay, however we get a nod about his sexuality when he admits he discovered Isaac Newton enticing! This present is making all of the optimistic positive aspects in illustration on tv and who anticipated something much less from Russell T. Davies. Remember Torchwood anybody? Remember Captain Jack? Doctor Who has all the time been queer. I cherished 14 addressing the robotic asking “are you he she or they?” not figuring out it was slowly advancing in the direction of the destruct button to destroy the ship; stopping the aliens from ever escaping.
This felt like prime 2008 yet again, a midseason episode that I’m so glad the present opted for versus a multi-cameo fest. Not saying that multi-cameo fests can’t be good tales in their very own proper, however after the large occasions of The Power of the Doctor, we as a substitute acquired The Doctor and Donna operating round spaceship corridors in a easy; simple to grasp episode that was a lot enjoyable. The Satan Pit/The Impossible Astronaut, Midnight, and naturally The Almost People are simple comparisons to make right here; and The Doctor studying extra about Donna within the course of and the bait and change with the faux Donna ending up on the TARDIS for a couple of seconds was a really, very good twist that was inevitable, probably with chilling ramifications – however by no means failed to depart a mark.
And then – oh, the ending! We’re again on Earth, however a couple of days later – after all, after they met – in Camden Market, which coincidentally, was the place I used to be solely every week in the past watching Napoleon and Saltburn. And who else is ready for them apart from the legendary Bernard Cribbins, WILF!! Reuniting with *his* Doctor and his Donna, who remembers the whole lot as he all the time hoped she would, and all is correct on the earth. As a final scene with Cribbins earlier than his loss – and what a life lived, too – it couldn’t be extra excellent. Except now the human race is at struggle with itself; and a aircraft crashes from the skies above them.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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