Series 11 “Arachnids in the UK” Review – Tangled in its Own Web

Clint Hassell gives his spoiler-filled commentary on the fourth episode of Doctor Who Series 11.

Note: this review contains full SPOILERS for episode 4 of Series 11.

In many ways, “Arachnids in the UK” concludes the three-part, introductory story that runs through “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” and “The Ghost Monument.” Not only are Yasmin, Graham, and Ryan finally returned to Sheffield, bringing the narrative full-circle, but the last of the reconceived aspects of this new era of Doctor Who are debuted; a splashy, kinetic time vortex is featured, and a new “Team TARDIS” is officially formed. However, despite sharing thematic ties and a scriptwriter with the first two episodes of Series 11, “Arachnids in the UK” delivers less excitement than one would expect from a story involving giant, mutant spiders running amok in modern-day England.

Why? For starters, the script is overly reliant on coincidences to further the plot. While it is easy to explain away an infestation of spiders occurring just as the Doctor and her friends return to Sheffield – – the mythology of the series has established that the TARDIS often takes the Doctor to where (and when) she is needed to help others – – it is more difficult to accept that both the Khan’s apartment building and the O’Brien’s house contain oversized arachnids, when the distinct lack of mass panic in the streets indicates the spider problem is not yet widespread. The story is a web of coincidences. The Doctor is trying to pick up a package from neighbor-cum-spider victim Anna at the same time that Anna is being visited by Jade, a scientist currently researching spiders! The spiders are invading a hotel, conveniently managed by Yaz’s mother!

In the real world, a coincidence is a remarkable occurrence. However, “real” life doesn’t usually make for good television; filmmakers only select extraordinary stories as documentary subjects, and “reality TV” is cast to include explosive personalities, ensuring confrontation. The seemingly magical nature of a coincidence can not only further the plot, but add excitement to a story. However, there is a sense of diminishing returns when it comes to this narrative cheat, and, to maintain a sense of identifiable reality within a story, the accepted rule is that no script should contain more than one coincidence. Yes, it is possible to deliberately counter this idea for effect – – “Partners in Crime” is memorable for a running joke where the Doctor and Donna Noble narrowly miss one another, repeatedly – – but “Arachnids in the UK” seems reliant on serendipitous events merely to quicken the plot in an otherwise overly stuffed episode.

Part of the reason “Arachnids in the UK” feels so bloated is its four-member cast, the series’ first since 1984. Having the Doctor travel through space and time with three companions has allowed the series to examine issues from a broad range of perspectives; however, once the three return to Earth, the characters split apart, and the screen time dedicated to following their very separate storylines means less time is available to flesh out supporting characters or develop a complex plot. Note that, in 1982, after struggling to craft stories that featured three companions effectively, the producers killed Adric, allowing the Fifth Doctor to experience more multifaceted adventures with remaining companions Nyssa and Tegan.

In “Arachnids in the UK,” researcher Jade McIntyre (Tanya Fear) fills a companion-esque role, yet her character is never developed, and the plot offers her little to do except espouse exposition explaining the origins of the mutant spiders. The same could be said for Yasmin’s family, who appear in comedic scenes, seemingly only to annoy Yaz into joining the Doctor aboard the TARDIS.

Despite an overabundance of characters that necessitates the use of narrative shorthand to quicken the plot, the episode’s biggest misstep is the inclusion of businessman-turned-politician Jack Robertson as a character. The affected way he washes his hands. His ostentatious dialogue. His paranoia. Robertson is crazy, and actor Chris Noth actively works against any portrayal that might lend credence to Robertson’s humanity. It’s sad when, in an episode filled with giant, CGI spiders, Noth’s acting is the least believable thing. “Oh my God. He got Kevin. I have no more Kevins,” doesn’t reflect how real people talk, indicating that Robertson is not a character but a caricature – – of U. S. President Donald Trump, no less, bringing the phrase “low-hanging fruit” to mind. Comedic characters can bring needed levity to an otherwise tense or frightening episode, but whereas a character like Nardole never felt obtrusive, always staying on just this side of camp, the wild eccentricity of Robertson’s persona actually deters from the episode’s tone.

It doesn’t help that Chibnall dedicates a large portion of the script to driving home the idea that Robertson is a Trump surrogate, with Robertson practically quoting Trump’s self-aggrandizing rhetoric in his posturing, and Graham and Ryan suggesting that the spiders are the result of Russian espionage. The joke is less clever than Chibnall undoubtedly intends and is played more for laughs than social or political commentary. This is a missed opportunity, particularly when Robertson’s stance on gun control runs anathema to the Doctor’s. While Jade’s assessment of the Presidential hopeful is particularly pointed (“You don’t know anything. You just avoid taking responsibility.”), the running gag runs far too long, resulting in an abbreviated resolution that feels rushed and leaves plot threads unresolved.

Despite these flaws, the script for “Arachnids in the UK” does contain some notable moments. The episode not only continues the discussion, started in “The Woman Who Fell to Earth,” about what constitutes a “proper family,” but follows it immediately with the Doctor proclaiming that “Every living thing has the same instinct: to come back home.” The Doctor’s statement that “There are living, breathing organisms out there, and we are going to treat them with dignity,” beautifully foreshadows the episode’s denouement where the spider struggles to catch its breath, and Robertson fails to act with compassion.

Further, “Arachnids in the UK” continues to examine Yasmin, this week by studying her in comparison to her family. In one scene, Yaz’s father, Hakim, expresses surprise that she has brought friends into their home. He’s a bit too happy, as if he never thought it was possible. The scene is amusing, but tinged with a little tragedy, as the audience knows that Hakim has failed to notice the caring, motivated woman his daughter has become. Donna Noble experienced a similar storyline with her mother, Sylvia, in Series 4, so perhaps the Khans’ limited role in this episode is in preparation for more appearances later this series.

In another scene, Yaz’s mother, suspicious of Yaz for not discussing her relationship with the Doctor, asks, “Are you two seeing each other?” Note that Yasmin potentially being a closeted lesbian isn’t portrayed in a negative light, merely as one of several possible reasons why she is choosing to not be open with Najia – – making this a positive form of representation.

Additionally, “Arachnids in the UK” adds to the ongoing character study of the companion role, started in “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” and continued in “The Ghost Monument.” Truly, the episode builds towards the final scene where Graham, Ryan, and Yasmin ask to remain with the Doctor as she continues her travels. “I want more. More of the universe. More time with you,” Yaz emphatically states. “I can’t promise you’ll be safe,” the Doctor counters – – a particularly poignant moment, once one considers that little more than a week has passed in her relative timeline since losing Bill and Nardole, and having the details of Clara’s death returned to her memory – – “You’re not going to come back as the same people that left here.” This is not the first time that Doctor Who has examined closely the repercussions of traveling with the Doctor. What is notable here is the timing: Chibnall prefaces Yaz, Graham, and Ryan’s tenures with this message. Former showrunner Steven Moffat demonstrated how the Ponds and Clara were changed by their experience, but only in the latter half of their tenures; Russell T Davies’ best commentary on the issue came only after characters like Sarah Jane, Martha, and Donna had returned to their previous lives.

Despite its beauty, this final scene is not the episode’s most outstanding feature. That would be the camerawork, which is so masterfully done, it actually enhances the narrative. Like a musical score, the composition of a shot should remain unnoticed, only subtly enhancing the emotional tone of an episode. Where a composer may return to a familiar leitmotif for particular effect, a director may utilize a unique camera angle to focus the audience’s attention on a particular aspect of a scene. For example, “Arachnids in the UK” begins with establishing shots that are traveling and filmed at ground level, as if from a spider’s POV, foreshadowing the week’s mutant menace. A better example occurs in the final scene when, as Yaz begins to see herself through her experiences with the Doctor, the shot cuts directly to her image reflected in one of the TARDIS’ roundels.

The best examples of the episode’s exemplary camerawork occur in scenes shot in the O’Brien home, as a grieving Graham seemingly encounters his late wife, Grace. That she remains out of focus – – hinting to the audience that she is neither specter nor shapeshifting imposter, but, rather, Graham’s memories returning to haunt him – – lends an ethereal air to the dimly-lit scenes. Later, as Graham inhales her scent from a sweater, the camera pans to the left to reveal her form in the background. Grace is not clearly glimpsed until the episode’s resolution where, as Graham reflects on his life without Grace, she appears first in a mirror, and then facing Graham, as Graham faces the decision to follow Ryan and the Doctor to the stars. “Arachnids in the UK” clearly demonstrates that there is an artistry to camerawork, one that can affect a viewer’s appreciation of a story as much as a complex, layered script, flashy special effects, or an epic score.

Random Musings

(Time) Capsule Review

Finally returning Graham, Yasmin, and Ryan to Sheffield, “Arachnids in the UK” completes a three-part storyline that runs through “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” and “The Ghost Monument.” Forced to follow the three companions as they separate, the script is overly reliant on coincidences to further the plot and reunite the characters, and leaves little room for development of the guest cast. Jack Robertson is a thinly-veiled surrogate for U.S. President Donald Trump, a joke that lacks originality or style in its execution, and Chris Noth is particularly terrible in the role. Still, the episode stands out for the final scene where the Doctor warns her new companions that life aboard the TARDIS will change them, and for what may be the most masterful use of camerawork in the show’s history.