Ed Hime breaks into the Top 50 with his other story for Doctor Who, an essay on grief & the impact it can have on us, as well and sentient universes and why they look best as frogs. Just like Orphan 55 it has more ideas than you should sensibly shake a stick at, which is a bit of a blessing but also a curse.
The blessing is that this story is a visual page turner. We go from the scandi-noir setting, full of (alleged) monsters in the woods, to the sci-fi space tunnel with flesh eating moths & The Actor Kevin Eldon, to a – literal- mirror universe of our own, where the dead walk again and frogs can talk and just want to be our mates. The story barely stops for air – the pace is relentless – but seamlessly flows from one style to another. And just like the rest of the Chibnall era it’s a feast for the eyes, with the Norway setting looking particularly stunning.
The non-stop pace is where the story does fall down a little. There’s not many stories that I say would need another episode, but I really think that this one would benefit. I think the moment where Graham comes across Mirror Grace is a perfect cliffhanger: imagine having to wait a week to find out how that played out. Splitting the story in half there would give you more time to savour all the elements; to do more with Graham resolving his feelings (and Erik); spend more time with Ribbons, who is a brilliant character, with Eldon giving a superb turn; and the ending of the Doctor talking the Solitract into letting her go wouldn’t feel as rushed. As it stands I really enjoy this story, but feel there’s room for a lot more of it. I hope someone from Target gets in touch with Hime sometime soon and gets him onboard to novalise, as I think that book could be a cracker.
There’s an argument I’ve heard from a number of people that this story would make a better end to Series 11 than the Battle of Ranskoor av Kolos1, and I can see how that would work: Ryan’s acceptance of Graham as his grandad is a touching moment, and Graham finding the way to let go of Grace would be a fitting end to his arc of the series. I do like the scenes between Graham & Ryan in TBORAK as well though, and I think that Graham needs the confrontation with Tim Shaw for that last bit of closure, so I’m not 100% sold.
This is a Chibnall era story, though, so of course there is on element of the story that gets amplified criticism; here it’s the fact that The Doctor leaves Hanne with Erik. Erik is, of course, and neglectful parent, even going as far as to abuse Hanne by leaving her alone for days on end while he spends time with his mirror wife. This, of course, is the point: this is what grief does to you; it makes you not yourself, and do things you otherwise wouldn’t. Should the Doctor shop him to the social at the end? No. As Hanne herself says, he’s not well; by the end of the story he is, and safe to be left with his daughter & repair the damage his grief has done to them both. He is well again, and that’s what Doctors do: the right thing, and the right thing here is to let these two mend each other.
At the end of the Norwegian Day this is a story that really lands for me. I mean, the “villain” of the piece is a talking bloody frog for God’s sake2! I remember that shot from the trailer of Jodie sweeping out, blowing the kiss, waiting all series for it to come up, and then when it did feeling something special in my cold little heart. Chibnall’s Who is often slated for The Doctor having no agency, or no Big Bad to have a showdown with, but that’s a nonsense IMHO. Sure, this series focuses more on the enemy within, but that’s no bad thing – good drama doesn’t have to be big explosions, big speeches and big feelings. Sometimes there’s room for something more subtle, quieter and thoughtful. Among the bats and the frogs, that’s what this story delivers. And I love it for all it’s parts. It’s a Top 60 story for me 😊
COMING TOMORROW: “The Time Lords faced the most dangerous crisis in their long history …“
Skies Full of Diamonds 