© BBC Pictures Episode: 10.10 "The Eaters of Light"
Directed by: Charles Palmer
Written by: Rona Munro
Air date: 17 June 2017
Reviews so far:
Episode 10.01 - "The Pilot"
Episode 10.02 - "Smile"
Episode 10.03 - "Thin Ice"
Episode 10.04 - "Knock Knock"
Episode 10.05 - "Oxygen"
Episode 10.06 - "Extremis"
Episode 10.07 - "The Pyramid at the End of the World"
Episode 10.08 - "The Lie of the Land"
Episode 10.09 - "Empress of Mars"
Here we are with another good episode of the show. I've been really enjoying the season and I think it might be the best in Twelfth Doctor's run. Seems like a beautiful way to say goodbye to this wonderful incarnation of one of my all-time favorite characters. This particular hour probably wasn't one of the most memorable ones in the season, not for me anyway, but it was still nicely done with a few standout moments and character developments. And there's only two episodes left. Will certainly be a tough break this time.
As always, let's start with quick recap. The Doctor and Bill have a small disagreement about the fate of the Ninth Legion (of the Roman army) so they travel with Nardole back to 2nd century in Scotland to prove which one of them is right. When Bill searches for the Legion, the Doctor and Nardole go in the other direction to find the place of their last stand. Potts manages to locate a few of the remaining Roman soldiers who warn her about the evil "locust" which kills everyone in its way and seems to feed on the light. Bill gets hurt and stays with the men for a few days, and then convinces them to bravely face the danger and not to perish hiding in the cave. In the meantime, the Doctor and Nardole encounter Pict tribe guarding a cairn and are introduced to their young leader named Kar. She tells them that in every generation there's a warrior who goes through the cairn to protect people from this "Eater of Light", however she allowed for the creature to escape and kill the Roman Army after the soldiers invaded her home and killed everyone she loved. The Doctor also discovers an interdimensional portal, behind the cairn, where there's many more of these creatures, getting ready to escape and consume all the light and the stars they can find. Eventually the Doctor and Nardole are reunited with Bill, and they are able to convince the Romans and Picts to work together against the monster hunting them all. The Doctor's plan leads the creature back to the cairn and the portal. There the Time Lord's willing to sacrifice himself to spend his long life guarding the door but Bill stops him before he gets to the entrance. Instead, Kar and the Roman soldiers agree to enter the portal together and keep the people safe from the creatures for decades to come. Finally, the Doctor, Bill and Nardole return to the TARDIS where Missy is waiting for them as per the Doctor's request.
Even though she's only there for a few minutes Missy almost steals the episode with her appearance at the end. Her scene with the Doctor where he wonders whether it's time for them to become friends again, was probably the highlight of the hour for me. It was beautifully acted by Peter Capaldi and Michelle Gomez, and the deep history and meaning behind the moment only made it better to watch. I've been really enjoying this arc, the mystery of whether there's any truth to Missy's words and actions, but I remain distrustful towards the character. I find it almost impossible to believe she could find her place next to the Doctor after everything she's done. But still, even the smallest chance, it's a joy to see. "That's the trouble with hope. It's hard to resist." If Missy does end up helping someone, even for a short time, wouldn't it still be worth to try? Then again, there's also the fast-approaching time of the next regeneration and I can't help but wonder whether Missy has anything to do with that...
The Doctor continues to be his best self. I found Nardole's and Bill's comments about him to be brilliantly said and so true. He does have a way of taking over command whenever there's a possibility of danger for others. I loved the part where he's surrounded by all kinds of weapons and he simply refuses to be threatened, stepping right through them to confront Kar, just because he's run out of patience. He feels like he's in the company of children and wants to help them learn and do better. Even going as far as trying to sacrifice his own life for them. That's truly what he always does, his place so often ends up being between people and the ones who want to harm them. That's the nature of the Doctor and it never fails to amaze me how willing he is to give his life away for those who need help. Peter Capaldi has been the Doctor for three seasons now, yet despite his brilliant performances, I don't think he's ever felt quite as right for the role as in this season. It sure seems intentional on the writers' part, making the upcoming departure all that much harder to watch.
Like the Doctor before her, Bill is truly finding her place on the show. I do enjoy seeing her still amazed at all the things they encounter, and still discovering more and more about the Doctor and the TARDIS. This time it's the "automatic" translation. I was surprised that she didn't notice it earlier, I mean, they did meet Ice Queen recently... Still, a fun scene and shows how much Bill is starting to understand things on her own. There were quite a few great moments with Bill during the episode. Her interactions with the Legion, the talk about "restricted" mind, her speech that gives them courage to go on and finally her refusing to let the Doctor go. Quite a significant hour for her character's development for sure. Pearl Mackie has been such a brilliant addition to the series and I hope to see more of her and Bill in the future.
Last, but certainly not least, there's Nardole. He had a number of fun, entertaining scenes in the episode and I'm not sure if I realized before how much I've been enjoying his character. The way he so quickly bonded with the locals was an especially funny part of the hour. He brought so much humour to an otherwise very serious episode and I'm glad to see this balance between the two. Also, his clothes were brilliant. Kudos to Matt Lucas for fully embracing this great role. I did find Nardole's reaction at Missy in the TARDIS a bit surprising, though. He's the one who let her in just in the previous episode so it seemed a bit too much at this point. Still, I do think he's right to be worried, and I'm very much excited to see their interactions in the next hour. Looks like a great one already!
Whovian notes and questions:
1. I didn't mention much about the Roman army or the Pict tribe because I honestly didn't find these characters to be all that memorable. There were already different stories I felt more engaged in during the season, but this one left me mostly focused on the Missy-Doctor dynamics. What did you think about the story & these guest characters?
2. Promo for the next episode clearly shows that Missy gets her chance to "act as the Doctor" in the next adventure and Master's back. How do you think he fits the picture there? What are you most excited to see during the hour?
3. From what I've noticed online people seemed especially interested in the "restricted" mind talk Bill had with the Roman soldiers. I found it to be quite a fun reference and clever way to hint at the history we learn/miss. Any thoughts on that part?
4. Where do you stand in the debate regarding Missy? Do you think she's really changing and there's a chance for her and the Doctor to truly be friends again? Are you more inclined to think that the Doctor's regeneration process has already started, do you think Missy might play a part in the Doctor's death, or do you think it's a different matter entirely?
5. The crows saying Kar's name to honour her memory was a nice touch. I didn't really warm up to her character but the sacrifice she made in the end was truly admirable so it felt like a beautiful tribute. What did you think about that little addition?
Memorable quotes:
1. The Doctor: "That's the trouble with hope. It's hard to resist."
2. The Doctor: "See, that’s what I’m trying to teach you, Missy. You understand the universe, you see it, you grasp it, but you never learned to hear the music."
3. Nardole: "We’re looking for Bill, right?"
The Doctor: "No, we’re looking for the maximum danger in the immediate area and walking right into it!"
Nardole: "Yeah, but what about Bill?"
The Doctor: "If she's there, we're saving her, if she's not, she's safe already. Trust me, this is not my first rodeo."
4. The Doctor: "Listen, you are all very, very angry. And really, you’re just scared. But for now, would you mind awfully just jumping out of your skins and allowing Nardole and I to escape in the confusion?"
5. Roman Soldier: "This is where we hear them. The barbarians. [...] Are you sure your friend will be with them?"
Bill: "Yeah. Basically, he always ends up being boss of the locals."
Roman Soldier: "How?"
Bill: "Usually by annoying them."
What did you think about "The Eaters of Light"? Any favorite scenes, quotes or theories? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Check out the press release & promo for the next episode "World Enough and Time". As always, thanks for reading!
