Dr Who Episode 12: Closing Time

(Originally posted on 24 September 2011 20:10:00, on Nik Nak and Grub’s Who Peculiar)

Hmmm …

I might even go as far as Hmmmmmm …

Although don’t tell Grub I actually said so, please … !

You see …

I’m actually not impressed with tonight’s episode of Dr Who.

Hmmm …

Maybe that’s not the right phrase, there.

But I’m fairly sure that episode 12 — Closing Time — is going to go down in history as something of a lightweight.

At any rate …

Closing Time sees the Doctor — without Amy and Rory — paying a visit to his old friend — and former landlord — Craig — Daniel Corden, reprising his role from last years The Lodger — just when a series of strange power cuts start hitting both Craig’s home town: focused on a nearby department store called S & Gs.

Those cuts … ? Along with the associated disappearances … ? Are all tied in with the Cybership that’s stuck under the department store: and using tunnels and it’s one remaining cybermat to drain electrical energy to rebuild the crew.

»»—««

Now …

I was saying about unimpressed … ?

Yes, I think that’s DEFINITELY the case, here, with Closing Time.

And here’s WHY, though …

You, for this sixth series, Moffat and co have — as you’ve probably already noticed — been running that Silence Will Fall/Impossible Astronaut story line.

And what I’m thinking, here, is that, while each individual story is good, as is the overarching story, I don’t think they’ve been as sewn together as well as one could possibly have thought.

I can’t complain too much: I doubt VERY much if I could do as well. I’m also thinking that this is new territory to Steven Moffat. AND to the show, itself: after all, that through-story has only been done — to my knowledge — only twice before, with The Key To Time and The Trial of a Timelord.

And I’m also aware — from various sources — that the main cast have been booked up for series 7.

So, as disappointing as I may have found Closing Time — an episode struggling to both enough time to it’s story AND to the story-arc* — I’m ALSO aware that Moffat and co are doing something fairly radical for Dr Who.

Introducing a story arc: one I think’s certainly going to last until next year.

Here’s hoping it pays off.

After all, what with one thing and another, it seems that a fairly significant date in 2013 …

Is going to be a Saturday.

* To borrow an old phrase from Terry Pratchett, it’s too short for Richard and too long for Dick.