So far this season has been a great success. Not only with Pearl Mackie’s Bill being such a breath of fresh air, but her presence instigating a soft-reboot. A re-easing back into the show and it’s ideas. This has spawned a series of episodes that feel stripped down, making them all the more enjoyable and effective. Extremis sees the return of showrunner Steven Moffat as writer in a tale that will kick off a 3 episode arc, something reminiscent of the Classic Who serials. While certainly bigger in scope and more complex in scope, this results in a rather muddled affair that contrasts poorly with season 10 (36) so far.
Synopsis:
In the Haereticum — the Vatican’s secret library of blasphemy — there is an ancient book known only as The Veritas. Throughout history, anyone who has ever read it has immediately taken their own life. Now a new translation is online, and the danger is spreading. The Vatican appeals to the Doctor. Will he read The Veritas? But can even the Doctor survive the ultimate truth?
Extremis utilizes plot points that will be familiar to anyone who has seen Moffat’s output on the show over the years. Veritas is the truth, the reveal to people as to their predicament. A MacGuffin to start the episode and connect the Doctor to the real threat, that there is a group of monstrous Monks intent on invading Earth, and they’re currently running simulations to test out their approach. The Doctor and everyone else we’ve met are perfect digital replicas, immersed in their Matrix-esque situation, who depart from it when knowing the truth. And this is all in addition to the show revealing in flashbacks who is inside the vault.
A passage that can kill you if read sounds like a great idea for a standalone episode. Even if Monty Python has kind of done it already. This ‘Shadow world’ is seemingly a play on the Deep Space Nine episode The Search, run scenarios, see how the locals would respond. They just don’t bank on the Doctor, still blind, and his sonic sunglasses, which aid his navigation of the world, but also allow him to send a copy of what they have discovered to his real world counterpart. The flashbacks I mention confirm it is indeed Missy in the Vault, the female regeneration of his Time Lord nemesis the Master, brilliantly realized by Michelle Gomez. We see events shortly after The Husbands of River Song. Refusing to assist in her execution, the Doctor pledges to watch over her body for 1000 years. Hence “Vault watch”. The reason for the flashbacks? Well, with the Doctor receiving this message from his digital counterpart, and him still being incapacitated, who else will he turn to to help him save the Earth.
If that all sounds a little much for one episode, it is. The ambition and attempt to set so many things in motion, halts much of the momentum this season has built up. Some things are done well. An understated turn from Michelle Gomez making for an appropriately touching scene between these ancient foes/friends. Little nuggets of info about how Time Lords have three brain stems, as well as two hearts is great, as is the Doctor’s “death tally”. Bill’s first date with Penny is flat out great. The Monks are well realized too. Also Nardole’s moments and backstory fill-in is well handled. But so much is attempted at once, and much of it feels like a rehash of what Moffat has done before, leaving you more than a little exasperated at the whole thing. Still, it’s not every episode that gets to use the Pope for comedy.
Extremis is a stark contrast to the episodes previously this season, stripped down affairs that avoids overly convoluted plots in favor of solid storytelling and character development. There’s also a shift in tone, darker fare that is compounded by the Doctor’s ongoing blindness. It’s far bleaker than previous episodes have been. Hopefully with this setup will payoff and the Doctor, and the show, can find it’s way pretty quickly.
Nerdy discussion time. The Doctor sacrificed something from his future, possibly affecting his subsequent regenerations, for a few moments of sight. Of course it’s within the simulation this occurs, so there’s a get out, but it seems an odd thing to introduce unless it’s going to have some kind of payoff.
There’s a lot to appreciate in Extremis, but it’s delivery is certainly muddled. Interesting developments, fleshing out the past and laying seeds for the next two episodes in the arc, which may pull things together, but as it stands, it’s an ungainly effort. Hopefully this means the heavy lifting for this plot-arc has been done and the final pieces are more successful.