Doctor Who: The Halloween Apocalypse (13x01)

We're back! Knowing that this is going to be our last glimpse with the thirteenth doctor is making me feel an extra degree of fondness for her. The past seasons might not have been as strong as the Russel T. Davies era, but I enjoy the characters quite a bit. Let's dive in!

Cons:

I'm not sure how to feel about this whole "flux" idea in and of itself, that these six episodes are going to be one continuous story. Doctor Who is at its best when it's episodic. And while I liked a lot of stuff being set up here, it had the problem of perhaps being overloaded. I wanted something perhaps gentler, more contained, to introduce our new companion. That may be just a personal preference thing, though. But really, we've got meeting Dan, we've got the bad guy aliens, we've got the guy on the research ship, we've got the dog people, the weeping angels... so many different elements to introduce in a short period of time.

I'm kind of luke-warm on the idea of the "flux" right now too, in terms of the actual event... apparently it's some big energy hurricane that's going to rip through the universe. That's just... kind of generic sci-fi in a way that I don't find particularly appealing. It's not a very grounded, personal conflict for the Doctor to struggle against, and I think grounded and personal is the way to go, when at all possible.

I'm also not a big fan of the Doctor having amnesia about something again. We're still searching for answers about other things we learned about in previous seasons, like versions of the Doctor that she herself cannot remember... and now we've got this enemy who says that he and the Doctor have done battle across time and space. It's just not as interesting if the Doctor has no personal stakes in the conflict, considering that she apparently doesn't remember a whole past with this guy. Kind of lame.

Pros:

I like Dan! I feel like that's kind of the most important thing to take out of this first episode. He's funny and personable and very much an every-man, which is something I really appreciate in a companion. They're supposed to be just a normal person, and that's what makes them special. That's sort of the cheesy, wonderful, family-friendly point of Doctor Who. He's cheeky and brave in the face of his alien abduction, but also realistically thrown for a loop and freaked out by everything happening. I like the fact that he was giving tours in the museum even though he's not an actual employee. That added a good specific energy to him and started off his introduction strong.

I also do like the "twist" that the alien invasion is actually an alien rescue mission. That could be a fun aspect and I like the idea of an organized group of aliens having a vested interest in humanity surviving disaster, since that's... not typically the experience. The Doctor even gave her "this planet is protected by me" speech only to learn that for once, she's actually not alone in trying to do right by humans. Her and the dog man whose name I don't know have this personal enmity, but in a way they're allies in this.

I will admit the weeping angel's return felt appropriately spooky on Halloween! They really are one of the most terrifying things this show has ever come up with, and as long as they're used sparingly, I'm on board. We briefly met Claire, a woman who says she'll meet the Doctor again in the past... I'm guessing they'll cross paths in her new life, now that she's been sent back in time. This element was a little annoying in that it distracted from all the other things going on in the episode, but on its own merits, I do find it intriguing.

Basically, this episode set up a shitton of different elements and characters and concepts, and I'm feeling like I might have liked a simpler story. But for what we got, I certainly feel excited to find out what happens next!

7.5/10