Uncertainty has been replaced by an assured confidence. The new Doctor, along with this whole season, has certainly hit its stride now. A run of entertaining and engaging episodes continues with Kill the Moon which shows the confidence to push its titular character into more questionable places.
Kill the Moon has the Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Clara (Jenna Coleman) and new (hopefully temporary) companion Coal Hill school pupil Courtney Woods (Ellis George) take a trip to the moon in 2049 and accidentally hitch a ride on a space shuttle. They learn through Captain Lundvik (Hermione Norris) and her crew that there is something wrong with the moon. Its gravitational forces are in flux, leading to catastrophic tidal forces devastating Earth. An earlier mission to investigate was wiped out by an unknown alien force, Lundvik and her crew are armed with Nuclear devices to clear out whatever is on the moon causing such destruction. They soon run into spider-like creatures infesting the moon, but are these the real threat to Earth?
Kill the Moon starts as a typical Doctor Who adventure: a mysterious alien, a small band of people trapped in a remote location with dwindling numbers, etc. But again in the classic Who sense, takes the opportunity to bring in a moral dilemma, very reminiscent of a Classic Baker-Era serial. It turns out the increase in the mass of the moon is due to it actually being an egg, the creatures on the surface being bacteria on the skin of the creature starting to hatch. A decision rides with Clara and Co. as to whether the nukes should be used to kill the creature before this happens. Humanity’s choice made in this matter does little to endear them to the Doctor.
It’s an interesting position the Doctor places himself in. He usually uses information to nudge people into making choices and taking actions. Here he seems more intent on withholding it, leaking enough to cause unease in his companions. The arrogance and emotional detachment seen in previous episodes manifests itself into its strongest form here. Something that once led to the downfall of the Tenth Doctor seems to be the driving force behind the Twelfth. It’s especially disconcerting to Classic-Who fans who know the Doctor returns to the moon (or at least his earlier self does) just two decades within this timeline so he pretty much knows the outcome and yet leaves the human contingent to expect a very dire fate.
There are some pretty shocking traits displayed by the Doctor in this episode, the phrase “Shoot the little girl first!” not being something you would expect to hear, but it is clearly something they have been building to. Likewise the last few episodes have truly confirmed what a force Clara is and endeared her to the audience greatly, so when she launches an attack on the “hero” of the show, you’re totally on her side. She is pretty furious that the Doctor abandons her to decide the fate of the moon and seemingly mankind when he knew more than he let on. His lack of empathy making it harder to swallow. It’s pretty ambiguous in the aftermath: did he know things would unfold OK, or did he really trust her to do the right thing? Clearly it was a situation that demanded more serious attention in Clara’s eyes. It is a contradiction within his character through his mannerisms and language that he does now look down on humans and patronizes them frequently, yet he leaves the fate of the race to one of them. Clara responds as anyone would, angry and confused. It’s is an immense amount of trust but something of an insult too.
This isn’t the Doctor we have known the past few years. He is complex and has moments of warmth but his cold demeanor often takes over. Enigmatic, yes, but there is more to be unsure of. His motives and priorities are not in alignment with what we have seen previously. The fallout from the Doctor being told to leave by Clara remains to be seen. Obviously there has been a breach of trust but how deep does it go? There is no sighting of Missy of the Nethersphere this week but again, this altercation seems to speak to the season’s theme of accountability, with The Doctor finding out the ramifications of many of his choices. Clara has certainly been a moral compass for the Doctor, moreso than other companions in the past. Will this weeks altercation be a wake-up call?
One of the more interesting things Kill The Moon touches on is the idea that humanity is lacking aspiration. Come 2049 we have abandoned the space program, the last effort being a Mexican journey to the moon for a mining operation, a fateful mission leading to the opening of this episode. Usually Doctor Who plays to the indomitable human spirit as being the driving force, we have seen glimpses of the Great and Bounteois Human Empire in other episodes, or ancestors spanning out amongst the stars. This episode doesn’t renew that old trope and instead uses a single moment of wonder at seeing this creature unfurl itself and head into the stars as a spark to revive us from its malaise. Its a wonderfully handled moment near the end of the episode.
Kill the Moon continues the trend of the last few episodes, an interesting and well told story coupled with some explorations of the characters and their dynamics with each other. The showrunners seem intent on shaking things up, rather than just turning out self-contained episodes or even littering in a buildup to a season spanning arc, they are intent on asking questions of the Doctor and suggesting long term consequences. Kill The Moon featured great sci-fi storytelling and a solid progression for the show.
Next Time:
Mummy on the Orient Express — “The Doctor and Clara are on the most beautiful train in history, speeding among the stars of the future — but they are unaware that a deadly creature is stalking the passengers. Once you see the horrifying Mummy you only have 66 seconds to live. No exceptions, no reprieve. As the Doctor races against the clock Clara sees him at his deadliest and most ruthless. Will he work out how to defeat the Mummy? Start the clock!”