Doctor Who: Can You Hear Me? (12x07)

Wow, this episode gave me some feels.

Cons:

So there's this part where Ryan wonders aloud to Yaz how long they're going to keep traveling with the Doctor, and if this is their lives now, growing and changing and leaving their old lives and loved ones behind. I really liked the way this episode examined the fears that each of the companions feel... but something about Ryan's question here pinged wrong for me. I think the problem is that in this episode, like in so many this season, the "fam" has been divided, off on their own journeys. If Ryan's worry/fear has to do with abandoning his loved ones back home, I think his possible dilemma about whether or not to stay with the Doctor would work better if we saw him interacting more with the Doctor. As it is, it kind of feels like being true companions is the stuff that happens in between the episodes. Like we know they're going on these grand adventures, but the stuff we see is almost all on Earth, and the Doctor herself is very much caught up in her own drama.

I also thought the tie-in with the past was a little weird... did we really need a random person from centuries ago to tie in with the dream theme? Enough was going on with the main characters without introducing this element.

Pros:

In perhaps direct contradiction with the above, I really do like that the Doctor is caught up in her own drama. There's a very telling moment when all three of her companions are going home to hang out with their friends/family, and the Doctor contemplates just zipping forward to the time when she's supposed to pick them up. She doesn't do well alone, as we've seen in former regenerations as well. And of course she confronts her fears and saves the day and all that jazz... but as this episode ends, there isn't really a sense of triumph. It's like they've all survived what's happened to them, but they haven't really won. It's off to the next adventure, off to ignoring all of the deeper problems they've just gotten into. Even Graham, after confessing his fears to the Doctor, doesn't get much of a reassuring response from her.

Turning to Graham... I've got to say I really, really liked what was done with his character here. He's been given short shrift this season, but not this week! Basically, he spends his little break from adventuring at home with some buddies, playing cards. They're all worried about him not being over Grace's death, and maybe that's partially true. But Graham's specific nightmares aren't tied in only to losing his wife. We see that, too - we see Grace asking him "why didn't you save me?" But Graham's true fear is that maybe his cancer will come back. I really like this, because it shows that even though he's still grieving and he'll always mourn for his wife, he isn't in despair. He doesn't want to die. He wants to keep living, and he wants to keep experiencing the world. It's a beautiful sentiment.

Yaz's plot thread was similar - we see her processing memories of a time in her life when she was struggling with suicidal thoughts, and a kindly police officer bothered to stop and take the time to chat. Years later, Yaz is able to return to this woman and let her know that her kindness panned out. Again, this is a story about a woman who wants to live, who wants to fight for a tomorrow.

Ryan's subplot was a little different. There was a theme of depression here as well, but it wasn't Ryan who was suffering directly; it was his friend Tibo. Ryan realizes that he's somewhat abandoned his friend, who has been going through a tough time. But again, we see Tibo choosing to fight, to keep on keeping on for the potential of a better future.

The big unifying theme between the three companions is that each of them finds the strength to reach out and talk about what they're going through. Graham talks to the Doctor. Ryan talks to Yaz. Tibo discusses his depression with Ryan. Yaz finds her hero from years before. It's a beautiful message. And deliciously contrasting all of that, there's the fact that the Doctor still isn't sharing her full and vulnerable self with her companions.

This review is a little sparse; I am on a time crunch and don't have time unfortunately to get into the bad guys or the Doctor's dream in particular... other than just to say, things are building. There's pressure and it's increasing as the weeks go on. The Doctor has a lot going on, and I want to see her explore that in a meaningful way. Hopefully we can get that before the season ends!

8/10