SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!
Doctor Who is back for series 8, with Peter Capaldi donning the title of The Doctor. Capaldi is known for his role as Malcolm Tucker in the political satire series, The Thick of It and is 25 years older than his predecessor, the much loved Matt Smith. He was well received when the announcement was made back in August, and audiences worldwide have anxiously been waiting to see how he would do at the helm of the TARDIS. And the final verdict… he did brilliantly.
Capaldi takes the character in a new direction, away from the quirky charms of Tennant and Smith, and towards the Doctor’s of William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and John Pertwee that made the show so iconic. As with every episode that introduces a new Doctor, the main theme is that of self-discovery. Throughout the episode, both the Doctor and Clara question who this new regeneration really is.
There is a wink during one of these scenes towards Tom Baker’s Doctor as Capaldi wonders about wearing a ‘big, long scarf’, before deciding against it. He also decides he is not a ‘huggy person’ and is definitely not Clara’s ‘boyfriend’. Steven Moffat makes a point of differentiating Capaldi from his predecessors, and is also hopefully a large step away from any sexual tension within the TARDIS between the Doctor and his companion for as long as Capaldi is on the show.
I would have rathered that the Doctor hit the ground running instead of going through the usual disorientating scenes that we have seen with every Doctor so far. On the other hand, I understand the need for these scenes for newcomers, and it is interesting to see from the start what kind of personality the newest incarnation of the Doctor will have, and how he’ll cope with it.
My main problems with this episode are the weak plot and the apparent decision to keep Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax around even longer. I love the idea of Vastra and Jenny’s relationship, even if it does feel forced (we get it, lesbian couple, more actual plot now, please) and somewhat cringey at times, and Strax does provide a few visual gags that made me laugh. But on the whole, they fail to live up to previous recurring characters such as the ominous Face of Bo, Jack Harkness, River Song and the Tyler family.
The plot is a rehash and rethinking of previous storylines. Deep Breath is a vague link to the fact that the enemy within the episode cannot detect anything that does not breathe. It could also be construed that deep breath was taken going into this new series, with Moffat making a few big changes, most notably the age and demeanor of the Doctor.
The concept of breath holding is eerily similar to that of Don’t Blink where not blinking was pivotal to not being picked off the Weeping Angels. And the ‘robots stealing human body parts’ aspect is a follow on from The Girl in the Fireplace episode. Although hearing Madame de Pompadour’s name again gave me goosebumps as I remembered one the best episode the series has ever delivered.
There were promising aspects that will entice viewers to look to the rest of the series and remain just as excited as they were before viewing this episode. The dynamic between the Doctor and Clara was well paced with Clara not knowing if she could accept this new older man as the Doctor she fell for, but then trusting him to return to save her, as he always has.
It is only thanks to a surprise cameo from Matt Smith’s dying Doctor that she decides to get back in the TARDIS. She is conflicted, and this could make for an interesting side plot that may through the entire series. And a the short monologue given by the Doctor towards the end that sees him vowing to make up for his ‘past mistakes’.
The obvious mistake that comes to mind is the Time War and how it ended, which was a huge cliffhanger of the 50th anniversary spectacular, The Day of the Doctor. Gallifrey is out there somewhere, secluded but very much alive, all thanks to the decisions of the Doctor. But I can only assume there are other mistakes that will come to light, and provide some gripping storylines in the next few weeks.
The strong performances of Jenna-Louise Coleman and Peter Capaldi hold the episode together. Luckily, this is the just the first of many, and I feel audiences were more interested in how Capaldi’s Doctor would look, and sound, and act, rather than the episode as a whole. We’re used to misses every now and again, but with the Daleks making a return next week, I have faith in Moffat and Capaldi to make this a series to remember.