matt_zimmer | Doctor Who "Lux" Review (Spoilers)

Doctor Who "Lux"

The thing about Russell T Davies is he is absolutely 100% capable of doing A Good One. The fact that he so often DELIBERATELY chooses the opposite is why I get so mad. And it IS a deliberate thing on his end. If he wasn't capable of this, he'd be easier to dismiss. The fact that he CAN do this when he chooses to, makes the fact that he usually chooses not to all the more infuriating.

Here's a bold opinion: If you dislike Ncuti Gatwa's version of the Doctor, you're probably an idiot. He is without a doubt one of the most lovable Doctors ever, right up there with Four and Eleven. I myself have issues with this era of the run (due mostly to Davies) but absolutely NONE of the shit Gatwa is getting is remotely deserved.

With Jodie Whittaker, I liked her a lot, but she was a little bit harder to defend. Because as far as Doctor personas go, she played it incredibly safe. She was likable, and kind, and sort of lacking the mystery and edge the best Doctors have. Fifteen works for me because he's evolved enough to suggest that he's working THROUGH those dark edges. For Thirteen it never seemed so much of a struggle. She was chill, and kind of bland, and typical Doctor. Fifteen is not just more well-rounded. But his personality type is more unique among the different Doctors.

While I am defending Whittaker, do you know what OTHER recent Doctor was kind and decent and played it safe? Matt Smith's beloved Eleventh Doctor! I have a hard time reconciling why so many people love Eleven but can't stand Thirteen. Especially because as far as Doctors go, the more popular ones echo previous ones (Smith had a LOT of David Tennant in him). I wonder what the difference and actual objection is there. I truly wonder. Hmmm.

And again, if you hate Fifteen, it's probably for toxic, racist reasons, and my judgment of you probably being stupid stands.

Let's talk about the episode. The fourth Wall is broken in all but actual reality, and Mrs. Flood's appearance adds even more mystery to that. The visual effects are outright amazing, and whatever else you can say about Davies, his Pantheon of Gods are truly good adversaries. What's interesting is Fifteen must defeat them all in different ways. For Lux, he "beats" him by giving him actual Godhood and what he wants. The Pantheon is so great because they are the first villains truly more powerful than the Doctor, and he has to outthink them every time.

I love the Doctor Who superfans are granted existence at the end. I'm guessing this means they'll be back.

For the record, how do you know the superfans are bullshit? Their claiming to have seen every episode! Absolutely NOBODY their ages has seen every episode! The Lost Episodes make that an impossibility. The BBC Archives are still putting Lost Episodes' audio to animation, but they haven't gotten to everything YET. Nobody their ages (or mine, for that matter) have seen "Every episode". Davies himself knows this, and it was probably a deliberate thing to hint the reality wasn't real.

Has Davies seen every episode? How old is he? I think it might be possible.

Everybody loves "Blink". Really, that's not remotely MY favorite episode, but it's a unique episode in that I have absolutely no negative notes about it. I love other episodes more than it, but it's the only episode that I think can truly be considered "perfect". Even episodes I love more, I still have things to bitch about.

While we are on a Pantheon wishlist, I wanna see the Trickster from The Sarah-Jane Adventures this season. Hell, have guest appearances from the supporting cast of that show and get updates on how Luke, Clyde, and Rani's lives are going after Sarah-Jane Smith! And if Skye was TRULY designed to be the Trickster's daughter, there's your hook for the episode! Bring back K-9 too!

Also, we were teased Susan Foreman last season. Good time to bring her back. Her actress is still alive, but super old, so the show shouldn't wait TOO much longer for this.

The May 24th thing is not just hinted the end of the world is coming, but the end of the series too. I don't precisely object to that (especially because that sort of set-up says Davies sees it coming) and it WOULD kind of be refreshing to get a legit series finale before the show goes into mothballs for a few years (but hopefully not decades). The Original Series was simply canceled unceremoniously leaving us all hanging on The Cartmel Masterplan (which was never meant to be). I think it would be interesting that if BBC canceled the show, they gave Davies enough of a warning to go all out.

For the record, Whittaker's last episode went all out. Don't see why Gatwa's shouldn't be allowed to either.

Segregation is explored here, and this is why it's SO tricky to do history episodes with a Black Doctor. I'm not sure the Doctor's forgiving nature of the time period is remotely reasonable (Davies IS a white writer, and this could simply be a symptom of that) but I think if Gatwa really had a problem with it, he'd say so. I think it's likelier both actor and showrunner agree Time Lords' perspective about humanity is not something easy to understand or grasp.

I will say I'm glad the betrayal was another fiction, but Davies sucks because he made it so believable it could happen. And since it didn't, it's racial trauma for no reason. If the betrayal was real, that would be dark, but legit drama. Because it's a fake-out from Lux, it feels like it's treating a serious subject a little cheaply. Story of Davies' life.

I think this was an amazing episode. I don't expect Davies to stick the landing in the finale (if he does it will literally be for the first time ever) but as long as we get the occasional episode like this this season, I'll truthfully probably be pretty happy anyways. Unlike cartoon characters who come to life, I don't demand the moon. *****.