With a Doctor this Dark, Who Needs Enemies?

Guest contributor Matthew Dixon gives his overview of Capaldi’s debut run.

This is a brief collection of my own personal thoughts and feelings on how series eight has fared.

“This is it. The darkest day. The blackest hour. Chin up, shoulders back. Let’s see what we’re made of, you and I.”- The Doctor.

Subjective Opinions

It’s clear to see that over the last few months series eight has somewhat split opinions within the fandom as to their overall personal feelings towards the show’s direction since the change from the Matt Smith era to the now darker-toned Peter Capaldi run. Some say that the abrasive and sometimes rude attitude that Twelve has adopted has become too splintered from the previous incarnations, while those willing to see it through seem happy to except this less fairytale and more real-life, grittier Doctor believing change was inevitable for his character. But who is right?

Is it correct to say one group is more right than the other? I don’t believe so. We all go through life interacting with many different people year by year, each one affecting us at a subconscious level, moulding and shaping our whole way of reasoning and understanding the things we see and do everyday. Forming over years a singular one of a kind person. So everyone is seeing and hearing in only the way they can themselves. This then gives tide to a myriad of different and constantly changing opinions on how we each perceive this show individually. Where one person sees change for the worst, the next does not.

So what we are left with is, no one is right and no one is wrong. All that has happened is the format has changed. It’s up to us on how it is received. Therefore, no blame can be given from a personal opinion to a show that has constantly been all about evolution and change. Whatever the case, it has changed and renewed. All we need to do is watch and decide in our own minds how we feel. And not to judge the next for their opinion.

In Character, or Out of Character?

Regeneration always brings about a complete adjustment for the viewer. Our much loved hero who is entrusted with our emotions is suddenly and violently snatched away and replaced with a complete stranger. Is it any wonder we sit waiting with bated breath at that point excited and eager but as much stunned by this unusual lead change. Moments before it happens we are already judging the replacement in our hearts, be it good or bad. With such a drastic differentiating change of character from Matt Smith’s lovable fun, young-yet-old Doctor, then a complete switch to a less understood, grumpier more unreasonable and stubborn Doctor it becomes understandable why so many viewers have struggled with this regeneration.

His so called cold-hearted attitude when faced with a crisis no longer means outside characters will be saved all of the time, and usually, prior to Capaldi we would find this type of savour to be the case but normally at a cost. Chris, David and Matt who all played the amazing hero archetype, this almost godly facade would rescue all in need only to be punished by their own individual guilt, whereas now, we find a Doctor willing to do what he can directly and practically. Never making promises he can’t keep! If he feels there is nothing more he can do for you then you may as well face facts, you have been Adric’d!

However, with Clara he still holds a definitive protection towards her, shown beautifully throughout the series but none more so than in the first part of the finale Dark Water, giving us the lovely line:

“Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me could make a difference.”

This TARDIS companion who has travelled so far with him, seen so much and despite a sudden and confused regeneration finds that he still holds her friendship dear to his soul. But sadly, not everyone to cross paths with this new Doctor (even when showing no ill) will earn this esteemed admiration that she has been given from the Time Lord, so will it be a case of how useful can the next companion be after she departs?

So, does this all make him in character or out of character? Neither, he is simply different again, this is regeneration after all. Deep down he knows he isn’t a bad man, but with this regeneration he is under no illusions that he is a god-like figure either, the mask has dropped, his past guilt all but forgiven and the understanding he no longer needs that protective act to hide behind to get the job done with no shame as to how it is achieved. To me he is always the Doctor no matter how he is depicted in the scripts or with each actors take on it, but, like a newly revived set of regenerations, it feels like he too is for the first time in a long time a new man, physically and mentally.

The Flow of the Show

Have the stories been received well I ask myself? Well as far I as can see, yes. I’m not saying we haven’t had some seriously questionable moments over plotlines, science and some dodgy scriptwork during the series, plus the occasional dip into the somewhat taboo subjects, but on the whole the execution and production of the show has been mostly on point. Each story bringing a mystery in a style perfectly suited for Capaldi’s era: a little bit edgy, a tiny bit creepy but an adventure all the way. To say this series has failed in the script work or any other aspect would be far from the truth, it has been a massive overhaul to create some fantastic and ingenious tales that have given life to some wonderful characters and monsters.

With stories like the incredible Listen and Flatline both surely set to become iconic favourites within the fandom for many years forward I find it hard to believe that two such pieces could come from just one series, a controversial and debut series I might add. Yes, there has been some bumps but honestly I found even the stories that were less appealing to me were not necessarily bad ones. And we all know that no series is 100% perfect. They have all had their share of oddities at times. For quite a serious and darker series there has still been plenty of humour too, the precision timing of Capaldi’s delivery of his lines throughout has been fantastically subtly at times and is pure acting perfection.

The Doctor: “How can you think that I’m her dad when we both look exactly the same age.”
Clara: “We do not look the same age!”
The Doctor: “I was being kind.”

So we have an outstanding lead cast with Peter, Jenna and Samuel, naturally, but we cannot forget the incredible guest roles that the series has given us. One of the things this revived show has done to great effect is the amount of actors it can draw in for small parts, it tells us how far it has come when recognised celebrities are asking to appear more and more. This year did not let us down with some amazing performances from such people like Neve McIntosh, Catrin Stewart, Dan Starkey, Zawe Ashton, Michael Smiley, Tom Riley, Ben Miller, Keeley Hawes, Jonathan Bailey, Frank Skinner, Foxes, Joivan Wade, Jemma Redgrave, Ingrid Oliver and Chris Addison.

So has any of it affected the flow of the show? No, I personally only ever see more and more improvements each year. With mid-range reasonable story telling been the worst we get on the occasional episode and out right fantastic and amazing thrill rides on the other hand how can we grumble, overall the series has gone above what I initially expected prior to Deep Breath and has easily delivered its goals of achieving my complete attention again for a whole new Doctor.

Monsters And Enemies

This series has gone beyond its normal boundaries by envisioning and putting to full use some of the greatest malevolent monsters and villains created. Starting by re-introducing the wonderful Clockwork Droids and then giving us the character of the Half-Faced Man from which we the audience and the Doctor can finally interact with on a deeper understanding, brilliantly played by Peter Ferdinando. This allowing us a much greater insight into these creations.

With Listen we are brought closer to an enemy so dark it haunts the Doctor himself. The conscious mind that tricks us when our back is turned is a creepy way this episode uses a psychological edge. Then, a mummy on a train in space, decaying and rotten and very terrifyingly picking off the passengers one by one, with a serious tone this creation of the Foretold is a chilling idea. And the concept behind two dimensional creatures is by far this series greatest monster. I would love to see a return of these especially.

And there’s the main story arc character of Missy (wonderfully played by Michelle Gomez) and the Nethersphere. Her cheeky but terrifyingly evil presence on screen is somewhat disturbingly amazing. This dark, psychological and eerie trip into the concept of death and the afterlife where finally she’s shockingly revealed during Dark Water’s cliffhanger to be the Master regenerated and working alongside the Cybermen. Culminating in the series finale with an epic face-off between the two legendary Time Lords….sorry, Time Lord and Time Lady. (It’s going to take some getting used to). With what Series Eight has offered, I’m already eagerly looking forward to the Christmas special and Series Nine.

Conclusion

Debut series are always tricky for the fans and always have been as far as I can remember (Classic era/Tom Baker) but most will eventually come around to this adjustment and the few who don’t will just wait for the next change within the show, or give up altogether. But in the end only the individual can truly know how they really feel. The thing with a great show like this is, it can work for a wide range of people. Anybody can drop in or out at any point and the commitment level can range from occasional viewing to completely bonkers fanatic.

This series has left me feeling massive joy that the show I have loved for so long has taken those steps with another Doctor for the next generation of viewers. And despite how the stories are told to me or the visual effects are used to entice or even the age, abrasiveness and only do what you can attitude that our new Doctor has, I can take it. I will always stay true as his TV companion.