Yeah, this was another good one!
Cons:
I wanted more from the android character who was loyal to the captain pilot lady. He could have been cut from the episode without much effect, and I felt like he was slightly out of place. In the end, they basically say that he is going to be shut down because his charge is dead. That's... dark? Does this dude have feelings? It seems like it! I feel like this concept needed its own episode, instead of just being a small part of this larger plot.
I really admire all of the character work they're doing with Graham and Ryan, but I still feel like Yaz is getting the short end. I don't know much about her, and I really want to! This could have been an opportunity to have her be involved in the subplot, but instead once again it was about the two fellas. On a larger note, I will say that I like having a group of people in the TARDIS, that's quite fun, but I sort of miss the special bond between Doctor and companion, where it's just the two of them against the world. I want to see the Doctor form that indescribable bond with someone. Maybe it could be Yaz. Maybe these adventures help Ryan and Graham to come together as a family, but Yaz is the one who connects the strongest with the Doctor? I'd be down for that! But we actually need to get started if we want that to be the result!
Pros:
I like the concept here - the Doctor and her companions are on a medical transport vehicle, and a tiny alien that consumes all inorganic materials is on board. This thing won't attack them directly, but it will literally eat the ship up around them. It's basically just a race against a fairly unpredictable clock. I like episodes that have a pretty simple basic premise, and then explore the complexities therein.
The complexities this week were basically the people, and their relationships to one another. You have a contentious brother-sister relationship, where the sister is lying about her illness, and the brother feels inferior because of career paths. You have a man about to give birth who isn't sure if he's cut out for being a dad. You've got one of the doctors dying and leaving the newer recruit to run things and find her confidence. All of these different situations lead to good character moments.
I think my favorite is the Doctor and... well... the doctor. The guy who dies early on. There's this excellent moment where the Doctor is in full crisis mode, waving her sonic screwdriver around, trying to find a way to get off the ship and back to her TARDIS. And then this guy chastises her - you're not the only one on the ship, and these people need to get where they're going, for their own safety and health! The Doctor realizes that she is in the wrong, and gets on board with trying to help out however she can. I think it can be important to knock the Doctor down a few pegs, to remind her that she's not always the one with all the answers.
The story with Ryan, Graham, and the pregnant dude was also pretty great. Clearly the two human men were uncomfortable acting as support during the birth, but they both stepped up, and Ryan in particular was awe-inspired by the joy and wonder of bringing new life into the world. The pregnant man's hesitancy to become a father allowed Ryan to reflect on his own relationship with his father, who abandoned him after his mom died. I liked learning more about Ryan, and understanding why he has the issues that he does. And it looks like the guy is going to try and be a dad after all, which was a lovely ending. Not everyone wants to be a parent, but those who do shouldn't let some insecurities stand in the way of being there for their child.
There are two deaths in this episode. One is the male doctor that I already mentioned, and the other is a celebrated woman pilot, who dies in the service of her companions trying to save the ship. It's a pretty powerful and meaningful moment, when she gives the controls over to her brother to finish the job that she can't quite do on her own. Even though we didn't get a ton of detail about these two siblings, we got more than enough to understand the basics. Sometimes, siblings fight. They compete. They hurt each other badly. But in the end, they love each other, and I really felt the emotion of that.
In all, this episode managed to establish a bunch of characters and their complex relationships, and it also set up a unique and interesting challenge for these characters to overcome. I hope in the following weeks, we can have a little bit of time to slow down and develop some of the characters a bit more. Particularly Yaz, but the Doctor as well. I'm loving this season so far, and I'm sad it seems to be going by so fast!
8/10
I think my favorite is the Doctor and... well... the doctor. The guy who dies early on. There's this excellent moment where the Doctor is in full crisis mode, waving her sonic screwdriver around, trying to find a way to get off the ship and back to her TARDIS. And then this guy chastises her - you're not the only one on the ship, and these people need to get where they're going, for their own safety and health! The Doctor realizes that she is in the wrong, and gets on board with trying to help out however she can. I think it can be important to knock the Doctor down a few pegs, to remind her that she's not always the one with all the answers.
The story with Ryan, Graham, and the pregnant dude was also pretty great. Clearly the two human men were uncomfortable acting as support during the birth, but they both stepped up, and Ryan in particular was awe-inspired by the joy and wonder of bringing new life into the world. The pregnant man's hesitancy to become a father allowed Ryan to reflect on his own relationship with his father, who abandoned him after his mom died. I liked learning more about Ryan, and understanding why he has the issues that he does. And it looks like the guy is going to try and be a dad after all, which was a lovely ending. Not everyone wants to be a parent, but those who do shouldn't let some insecurities stand in the way of being there for their child.
There are two deaths in this episode. One is the male doctor that I already mentioned, and the other is a celebrated woman pilot, who dies in the service of her companions trying to save the ship. It's a pretty powerful and meaningful moment, when she gives the controls over to her brother to finish the job that she can't quite do on her own. Even though we didn't get a ton of detail about these two siblings, we got more than enough to understand the basics. Sometimes, siblings fight. They compete. They hurt each other badly. But in the end, they love each other, and I really felt the emotion of that.
In all, this episode managed to establish a bunch of characters and their complex relationships, and it also set up a unique and interesting challenge for these characters to overcome. I hope in the following weeks, we can have a little bit of time to slow down and develop some of the characters a bit more. Particularly Yaz, but the Doctor as well. I'm loving this season so far, and I'm sad it seems to be going by so fast!
8/10
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